I’m only a few years away. A friend recently fell from his bike and shattered both legs. I think they replaced some tendons with pig tissue. He can’t walk straight anymore. I think I’ll learn to play golf instead.
what a shock. The OP drives the most dull as dishwater car known to man 
Not only are HPs fun to drive, they’re built way better.
Knowing that you spend a lot of time in traffic jams, I’d find a car that is comfortable. Good fuel economy ratings for city driving would be a plus too. Have you looked at a hybrid? Your type of driving is pretty much ideal for them.
They make a Camry hybrid that gets 33 mpg in the city compared to 19 for the regular model.
Given everything you’ve said, you might try test driving a 328i, a Lexus ES350, and a Camry Hybrid. Each have their strengths, only you can choose.
Having worked with a colleague who had a 3 series BMW, the only advantage over a Camry was better performance and handling ON DRY PAVEMENT ON A CURVY ROAD! Period!
The disadvantages were:
- Terrible traction on slippery surfaces
- Cramped back seat
- Harsher ride to get that great handling
- Much higher maintenance costs
- Lower reliability and component life
- Very high repair costs
Having said all that, I admire the BMW management for getting gullable drivers to pay $40,000 for a car that should really only sell for $27,000.
I also have friends who own Rolex watches, eat sushi, drink expensive wines, etc.
A 4 cylinder Camry has all the power you need in the US to get up to cruising speed safely!
If you live in NYC and spend most of your time sitting in traffic jams (and if you really do need a car), then it really only makes sense to buy something utilitarian. Gas mileage will undoubtedly be better on a more plebian model, and when the inevitable scars appear on the bumpers and the body, you will be less upset than if that damage was done to an expensive car.
Also, a high performance car is much more likely to be stolen. Anti-theft devices notwithstanding, a determined thief CAN steal your car, and will steal it if it is one with a high resale value–such as a high-performance car.
Of course, given the higher probability that an expensive car will be stolen in NYC, and that luxury/high-performance cars frequently cost more to repair after a collision, your insurance rates will be much higher with that high-performance car.
For the same reason I’ve spent over $10,000 on a fine Swiss timepiece when a $5 quartz watch tells the time. If you do not appreciate performance, design, style or quality engineering, then no one can make you understand it. Be thankful that “you don’t get it”.
Twotone
I remember the first times I drove the E-46M3 and the E-39M5 simply incredible.
Privately all I could afford was a E-30 (320i in Europe 6 cylinder) I really did take the long way home,even that low performance BMW was a blast to drive.The turbine like pull of that little 6 was a joy.
Get a good bike and then almost any car seems dull and boring in comparison. On the other hand, don’t get a bike to detract from your fun with a car.
For many of us, the choice of a car is a highly personal choice. For us, the right car will give more satisfaction than any other material possession. I spend more waking hours in my car than I do in my house, so, although the car depreciates, my car is a lot more important to me than anything in my house.
I tell people “Buy the car that you will WANT to wash and wax on Saturday morning.”
I own only one TV and I refuse to pay for cable or satellite TV. I do all my own work on my house and on my cars. It is a waste of my time to listen to all the money-saving tips that people offer because I have always done all the things they suggest. I am frugal.
I own three BMWs and a Volvo. If I did not do all my own work, I would not be able to afford them, but as it is, I spend less on maintenance than most of my neighbors who drive Fords and Toyotas and Mazdas. The BMWs were all bought when they were three years old. New ones are too expensive.
I actually enjoy drivng cars that handle well, but have smaller engines where one has to use the gears to get maximum advantage from the engine. I enjoyed driving the MGs that my friends owned back in the 1960’s. I’ve thought about buying a Mazda Miata because they remind me of the MG Midget. However, my wife thinks that the Miata is for wimps, since the Miata is, from all reports, a very reliable automobile. She tells me that “Real men aren’t worried about having to get out and push their cars off the road. Real men also spend the week-ends trying to make their cars run right”.
I like good handling and precise steering in a car more than a super powerful engine. Unfortunately, I am confined to a minivan because of my musical interests–hauling people and their instruments.
High performance means something different for everyone. i believe I bought a high performance winter/off road cars/trucks because they have superior performance off road and in winter…by the way, they happen to have bigger motors than many that don’t.
To quote Billy Joel, “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints”.
I’d rather be foolish and love life than be prudent and pass on never having truely lived.
For the same reason we smoke weed and cheat on our taxes. Er… they, not we… they.
if you don’t get - you won’t get it.
I hear you, but what’s wrong with being prudent and laugh a little longer/safer/considerate…being prudent doesn’t mean you have to be prude. Selective “foolishness” is prudent. Racing on tracks instead of streets…to race another day. I’ll race anything from sailboats to cars to bikes to running…on a course of course.
Drive the BMW…take it out of the city if possible. The 3 series is one of those cars that just puts a smile on your face every time you drive it. I can’t quantify it, it’s just the whole package. You might also consider an Infiniti G35…it goes head to head very nicely for less bucks. Front wheel drive cars are BORING! I know, I have a 2002 Camry in my collection. Very reliable & economical, also very BORING!
Cause my wife wanted one.
even a horse? 