What did you drive before getting hooked on BMW?

[I_squared_r]

I was a mechanic in 2010 and I didn't trust BMW. I was biased against them. I went on vacation in Colombia and was looking for a car there. My friend is a mechanic and told me the B38, B48, and B58 are now good engines. So I bought a 2022 BMW 118i there with B38. After a year I wanted to trade it for a M240i, but they were all abused and used for racing in the mountains. I found a clean 2020 owned by a doctor that was leaving to Dubai, but I couldn't sell my 118i fast enough so I bought a 2017 Ford Mustang GT, built it with GT350 suspension, and ran that car HARD in the mountains of Colombia. I recently came back to USA and bought a BMW X3 as now we have a family.

[mersin11]

my first mazda 3 turbo diesel 109 hp

[whyzee125]

A bunch of e46s, a Mk4 Supra, and a few 3rd gen 4Runners. I tried an IS350 once and didn't like it. I've stuck with e9x cars for the past 13 years

[The Ace]

First of all, can't say I'm hooked on my BMW (X3 F25), however it is a very nice, comfortable, relatively luxurious and sporty SUV, that does everything I need it to.

As for my previous cars, quite a varied assortment: Civics (ESi and VTEC) and CRX VTEC, Renault 19, Citroen ZX, Mazda RX7s (FC TII and FD) and RX8, a couple of VW Passats, then a Mazda CX7, followed by Citroen C5 and Peugeot 208, Ford Kuga and Ford Fiesta, and now the X3 and a 3008 Hybrid4. Never held on to a particular car for more than 4 years (RX8 was the longest, had it for almost 5 years), and every one was purchased, leasing or pcp werent really popular in Europe

[Bimmerista]

I drove a 1995 Acura Integra;

Then an 1999 Audi A4 (the first A4 in N.A.).

Both manuals.

The Acura was lots of fun but the body was build out of cardboard and rusted easily (around the wheel arches). The Audi was a little tank but I had the 4 cylinder and the car simply did not have enough power or lateral turn ability.

The got my first BMW, an e90 328 manual. Been hooked since. Only pause was during the pandemic when I could not get anything interesting from BMW and went for a Jeep. Now back to BMW, older and wiser

[M3Sleeper]

My last 3 BMW's did not have any reliability issue in over 180K miles across 3 cars all purchased new and driven hard.

In order below...

1998 Buick Regal Grand Sport - in early 2000 but from the 90's
1999 Buick Riviera same 3800l supercharged V6 as Regal GS
2002 Mitsubishi Diamante - actually loved this car
2008 Infiniti G35 Sedan
10' Audi A6 Quattro
14' Audi Q7 S-line Prestige
16' BMW 435 Gran Coupe 4 door
19' Maserati Levante S Granlusso
20' BMW M340x full M perf. kit

24' Cadillac Escalade Platinum Sport (current)
25' BMW M3 G80 6MT (current)
26' Toyota Tacoma Truck (current)

I left out vehicles I purchased but did not drive myself. There is probably another 10 vehicles I purchased for my company and/or family members.

[Mosaud1998]

The first car I bought was a 2009 BMW 328

Parents bought a 2003 BMW 330xi new. At that time, I was 5~. So, did not know much about BMWs, but still someone fell in love.

[klemensior]

My first car was a Renault Megane. Then I craved owning a BMW as my friend from high school had owned a BMW 3 series. In 2021 I bought myself an F30 and since then I'm satisfied BMW owner

[arch6717]

2019 Subaru Outback

2019 Toyota Tacoma SR

2023 Mazda Miata MX-5

2023 Acura Integra

2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

2024 Camry

2025 Corolla Cross

2025 Mustang GT Premium

2026 Mazda3

2026 GR Corolla

2026 GR Supra 3.0 Premium


Current:

2023 BMW X3 M40i

[JamesBMer]

I had a
2012 Lexus IS
2016 Mercedes C-Class
2019 Audi A6
And now a 2022 BMW 540i

The Lexus was rock solid, the Benz felt plush, and the Audi had the tech. But BMW just hits different when you’re actually driving it.

Yeah, the maintenance costs are higher and it’s been in the shop more than my Lexus ever was. Still, every time I get behind the wheel I remember why I made the switch. It’s the only one that feels both refined and fun at the same time.

Curious what everyone else had before BMW and if you feel the same.
Even after 2 years, I still catch myself taking the long way home. Never did that with my old cars.

[Billk2632]

Always like BMW's. This goes wayyy back, turned 16 and started driving in 1980. Tried to buy my wife an X5 back in 2000, but the experience at the BMW dealer was horrendous, so we went across the street and bought a Lexus RX - the first of several Lexus's over the next 20yrs. Glad I did not get the X5, those early years were painful.

Only counting the cars I drove, not my wife's. She drives a Volvo XC60 nice car, but not my BMW. Funny, my daughter was also a die hard Volvo fan, but when it was time for her to get a new last year, I insisted she look around (Volvo, Audo, Acura, Lexus...BMW) She drove an X1 last and bought it on the spot!

So here we go -- these are the cars I have owned over the years:
1980 Ford Fiesta
1977 VW Scirocco (this was a great little car!)
1972 Porsche 914 - really my fathers, but it was more of a father/son project car.
1984 Nissan 200SX - the notchback, not a hatch. BBS Wheels - another great little car.
1984 BMW 325e - the car love of my life!
1991 Volvo 740GL - Married, replaced the BMW
1987 Honda Accord - Probably the best value car I ever bought, sold it for exactly what I paid for it 3yrs earlier.
1996 Volvo 850 - Another good one - not a BMW but Volvo did good on this one.
2005 Lexus ES330 - Starting to become an older guy - put 200k miles on this one.
2004 Lexus LS430 - Really getting old now! Another 175k miles. This was a fantastic car, classic luxury sedan. Smooth, quiet, V8 nice!
2024 BMW X3 30i - Getting my second wind, no more old man cars. It's not an M, but plenty fast for me with the B48 - falling in love again!
And one I think I might own soon:
BMW M2 - Might be my retirement toy, would keep the X3 would not be a daily driver. Drove one at the BMW performance center in Spartanburg SC.

[SoCalBmw931]

Before kids: Porsche(s)
During kids Minivans
After kids BMW Lexus

[midlifeinmi]

4 of my last 5 purchases have been "fun" vehicles in some shade of blue, so I seem to be stuck on that color for some reason:

• 2015 Jaguar F-Type V6S Dark Sapphire Blue
• 2018 Fiat Spider Abarth 6MT Mare Blue
• 2024 Ford Bronco Velocity Blue (still own)
• 2020 BMW Z4 Misano Blue/Ivory (own since May '26)

The Z4 feels much like the F-Type (same ZF8, similar HP), but with much better tech and a nicer interior. Driving dynamics are pretty close.

[philpose1]

Totally get it.. I came from a 2004 Civic Si and a 2011 GTI before my E90 335i. The GTI was way more reliable, but nothing else puts a smile on my face like the BMW does. Worth the headaches for me too. That 135i is a riot.

[nekohara]

Here is my list. Quite a journey before I found my way back to BMW:

- 1999 Honda CR-V (The reliable daily)
- 1994 BMW E34 520i (My first taste of BMW, absolutely loved it)
- 2005 Ford Focus
- 2012 Audi Q7 (Needed the space for a while)

Currently driving a 2017 BMW F22 220i as my fun daily, paired with a 2026 BMW iX1 for the family.
Safe to say, that E34 planted the seed, and now I'm fully hooked again!

[bpeckham]

Immediately before we got the BMW X5 xDrive50e, we had a Jaguar F-PACE P400.




I was asked recently how I liked the P400. I did really like it while we owned it, but after less than a week of owning the X5, I can tell that it's on another level.

Example #1: Backing out of our driveway is downhill and turning, so the various wheels of the car have different loads as the car transitions from the driveway to the street. The jag would creak ever so slightly as it negotiated the ramp. The X5 is rock solid. No creaking at all.

Example #2: Driving the Jag over rough pavement (i.e., everywhere in California), from the drivers seat, you could observe the hood shimmy left and right over the bumps. The X5, again, is rock solid.

Example #3: Seat memory tied to key. Nuf said.

[BrokeF15_]

2016 nissan altima
2006 nissan altima
1998 nissa maxima
2001 acura tl
2003 ford econoline
1996 chevy cavalier
1998 acura integra
1992 240 sx
1994 acura inegra
1991 honda crx si
1990 honda crx dx
1989 civic dx
1991 honda dx
1990 honda crx hf
1999 cadillac sls
1989 jeep xj
1998 volvo v70


&& handful more but yeah thats off the top of my head lol

love my x5!!

[smbran]

2017 Mustang GT. Should have bought a GT350R. Probably would have saved money with as much as I dumped into the GT.

[TriumphTim]

Age 16-20 - 1979 VW Rabbit Diesel
Age 20-30 - 1989 Honda Civic, put 300k miles on it.
Age 30-45 - 1997 Honda Civic, put 250k miles on it.

Age 35 - inherited completed clapped out E30 325is, slowly "restored" it and daily drove it with 1997 Civic until 2020.

Got a E90 sedan in 2020, gifted an E46 in 2024.

[keg97]

I won't say I'm hooked on BMW, but the wife and I definitely appreciate German cars more. Before that I was raised in a Japanese car household (father hated American cars after an 82 Malibu dud). I will say we're definitely German biased now.

1986 Toyota Camry hand me down from mother
1995 Jeep Wrangler (only had a month before I rolled it)
1991 Honda CRX Si
1995 Infiniti G20 manual
-married so we shared cars
1999 Honda Prelude Si
2001 Nissan Pathfinder LE
-kids so...
2004 Acura TSX
2008 Infiniti QX56
2011 Infiniti G37xS (the Japanese BMW!)
2012 Infiniti QX56
2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV (170K miles when we sold it)
2017 Audi Q7 (180K miles and rollin'!)
2019 BMW X7
2021 Audi SQ7
2022 BMW X7

We drive a crap ton for the kid's sports (40-50K/year between us) so we've been getting something and just piling up miles on them. Thus why we haven't been getting new cars of late

Our kids have:
2017 Toyota Camry
2018 Audi A5 cabrio

[90c4]

90 Porsche 911 C4 cabriolet (964)
95 911 Porsche 911 C4 cabriolet (993)
2000 Audi S4
2008 BMW 335i xdrive
2009 BMW 335i xdrive coupe
2008 BMW 335xi coupe

Miss the Porsches but and they've appreciated too much for me to own one again

[nickyd410]

08 Mustang
14 Mustang
23 330i

I was not really a bmw fan but like the brand more than Mercedes and Audi. I alway perceived bmw as more sporty than full on luxury so it appealed to me more.