Why are we indoctrinated into buying a new car every 40k or so miles?
 

I mean, even with the new X5, all theyre basically doing is changing out some sheet metal and everyone feels that they have to own this new X5. This is a serious question, so please be honest. Do some of the members feel that they can buy happiness? If a tv came out that was no different than the previous model, but they changed the cabinet to make it look sleeker would you buy it? Can anyone explain to me why engines cost so much? Steel is roughly $550 a metric ton and the combustion engine was mastered 50 or so years ago. The 3.0 thats in my X5 is basically the 2.8 thats been used forever. I'd love to hear some genuine my X5 until the combustion engine goes the way of the dinosaur.

because we get bored.

I think it goes back to the time we graduated from walking upright to figuring out how to domesticate horses. Horse better than own feet. Old car = old horse. New car = strong horse. Mastery of our environment is a way of sublimating our mortality. The rumble of a V-8 is like the hoofbeats of a strong horse. It's a pretty basic thing--

Would you prefer a plasma over a standard tv? all that has changed is the cabinet...

I enjoy getting the new features that come with newer models. Also new designs that are for the most part more appealing than the older models. Although the basic block of the motor may stay the same, the little tweaks that they do to get more displacement, or the upgrade of some engine components that provide more power is what really gets me. Although I'm still not to keen on the looks of the new X5 yet, but the prospects of the 5.4is motor keeps me looking to get another x5. Hopefully there is a 5.4is and Dinan or ESS can get a supercharger kit to work with it.:)

I guess I am the only one so far that did not do that. I usually keep cars for a long time but at my age i may be changing up also just for the thrill of it.

Respectfully
 

I think is because you have great financing....

I do not want to bore you guys but:

In Most countries, like here in MX, a brand new 2006 X5 3.0 Formula 1 at the BMW Dealer:
List price is $61,500 usd
Lets say 36 months finance:
Down payment is $4,400 usd cash,
Amount to be financed is: $57,100,
gives you $2,117 usd Monthly for 3 years....
Plus $12,000 yearly insurance,
And $10,000 yearly for "Pago por Uso y Tenencia de Automoviles"
adding those $4,400 for down payment

So in case you want to happily walk out of the dealer with one sweet new X5, first get $26,400 usd in green Cash and live happily ever married paying monthly $2,107.... by the way, the average clerk earns $300 usd a month.

So there goes your 40k mile renewal...:rolleyes:

Its our society that demands it.

Sure nothing is wrong with a 3 year old X. But being in the western capitalist society have been programmed shortly from birth to buy more, faster, newer !!!

Even more prevalent in America then other western countries. Here in the U.S. we buy bigger, larger, more, more more ! Just look at the U.S. lifestyle - our energy consumption, our sprawled out living style, etc... We are wasteful but at the same time our society encourages it...

Now I'm not saying that I have a problem with it! (I like new shiny things !) But its just the way we are raised in our society and the culture we live in - its time to embrace it... or move somewhere else where your beliefs might fit in with those around you...

I would change more frequently than I have done -- every 100K miles which comes in a staggeringly quick 4-5 yrs lol -- but being a student kinda precludes such high frequency of new car purchases :)

Why? I just like what's newer ... USUALLY. Unfortunately, I have yet to see a new BMW that really strikes me like our X5 did when it first came out or like the previous generation M5 did (E39?).

That said, if you live anywhere in West LA, of course you *MUST* upgrade every year or so lol ... otherwise you're just driving an "old rusty car" hahaha gotta love LA :D That reminds me, shortly after I acquired my X5 (a 2001 model) in Aug 2004, my buddy down in LA was like "The 4.4, huh? Let's see ... that was a 2001 model right? And the 4.6 didn't come out until a year or two later? Oh you're straight then, cuz the 4.4 was the best you could get in 2001!! That's great!!" :rolleyes: gotta love the logic lol :D

For the same reason most of us bought the X5 in the first place....If its to get from point A to point B, whats wrong with a Santa Fe, Forrester or Trailblazer? They can all get us to where we need to be, and surely a lot more economically.. And with cheaper repair costs too!....

The point is we all want bigger, better, and newer...There's absolutely nothing wrong with my '04, but Ill be the first one in line when the e70 makes its debut - provided it doesnt look like crap, which I dont think it will...

we shall see ..........

Actually Lionkang pegged it in his thread title - we're indoctrinated.

From the 40's through the 60's, cars were built like tanks and lasted for years. Then came the 70's with smogged engines and import econoboxes and suddenly cars were no longer as durable and not expected to last as long. The lemon laws is a byproduct of the 70's and 80's build quality. Then as cars began to improve, the short term auto lease became popular as an instrument of profitabilty for both financial institutes and car manufacturers; it sold the idea that changing your car was as fashionable as changing your wardrobe. The marketeers set the bait and we bit on it. So lo and behold, it's now the norm.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I don't think any one feels they have to buy a new ride, they want to. I go through cars like most people go through candy (I've had 9 and I've only been driving for 11 years). To me it is more of a passion then anything else. Anyone of the cars I have had would have been fine to keep, I just didn't want to. And many times my friends would ask 'would you just stick with a car'.

As for mastering the internal combustion engine....are you crazy? The motor used today is NOTHING like the engine used 15 years ago, let alone 50 years ago. There is so much technology jammed in it is crazy. I remember working on my 67 Mustang and it had like 8 vac lines tops. You could almost stand in the engine bay.

Time to embrace it?! I love this baby boomer mentality, use up everything and consume everything at the expense of future generations, and if you dont like it....

Doubt its baby boomers.. considering that would be people 55 and up.

big difference between a Santa Fe and Trailblazer, I bought my X5 with 39k over 2 years ago for $28k out the door. For one my vehicle is safer than a Trailblazer, gets better gas mileage, and for me has been much more reliable. Not to mention its been super in Florida afternoon summer showers. Expensive to fix? Not really, I've put in about $400 in maintenance and repairs over the two years of ownership.

Baby boomer mentality, not baby boomers, though I cant blame them, its amazing I've been able to change my consumerism mentality with all the advertising and peer pressure out there.

A plasma is quite a bit different than a regular TV, ie HD resolution, size, format etc etc

People in general like toys. Some buy cars, some buy golf clubs, some buy techno gadgets...its all a matter of taste/hobby. And some hobbies are more expensive and obvious then others :thumbup:

yea...don't you guys know that consumer spending is bad for the economy :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Has anyone thought the high level of consumption and high divorce rate are related? In many cases people are grasping for a feeling of excitement that is being marketed to us as getting something new and different. Consumption becomes an addiction. I love technology too, and desire truly useful and fun developments in products, TV's auto's, ect., but I offset this with the pride and sense of satisfaction of caring for my possessions and keeping them in excellent working order until I must absolutely have the replacement.

I hear ya'.... But if everything "were" the same, safety, repairs, etc...Do u think would be driving the Chevy?

By the way, that X has been treating you well, huh? Hope mine keeps up like that...

:thumbup: :thumbup: , it's about the balance. It gives a sense satisfaction and loyalty to maintain. That's the reason, I don't like owning more than one vehicle, possibly two.

At same time, it's people's demand that drives the innovation that increases efficiency and productivity in our lives. So which is it going to be?

I admit that I'm pretty shallow and materialistic :), but I don't flaunt it and/or verbalize it. I love new toys like many others here. I usually want the best of the best, top of the line stuff for things like cars, TVs, electronics, golf clubs, cell phones, etc I could go on and on, but not enough time in the day. Fortunately, I'm lucky enough and worked hard enough to be able to afford such things, and thats the message I like to portray to others: Hard work = nice toys!

Marriage.

Divorce.

You're right, there is a connection. :)

HoyaTerp, Nice play on (my) words. I've noticed that changing cars, is less costly than changing wives, though maybe not as pleasurable?

Tomaz; 1 car, 1 wife :dance:

Couldn't resist, Tomaz. :D

Marriages, like cars, are usually less costly to fix than to replace. Keep dancin' with the Missus. :)

But peoples demands can also hinder technological development. Auto manufacturers sandbag like no other. The want to feed us these innovations slowly to maximize profit. If we as the consumer refuse to by a car/truck only because they change out sheet metal, they will be forced to innovate and make our cars get better gas mileage, and theyll have way more gadgets than you could ever imagine.

Until cars got to be non-user serviceable, I kept mine well into the 100,000 mile range. With untold microprocessors now in cars, I keep them as long as they are in warranty. Once out of warranty, they are history.

I too do well and have nice things and I do like nice things, but I refuse to train manufacturers into sandbagging and selling me overpriced toys that dont last. A Kia costs nearly just as much to manufacture as a BMW.

I can hardly believe this is true. Are there facts to back this up?

Even if a X5 costs the same to manufacture as a kia. Thats not what Most of what you pay goes towards. you are paying mostly for the resaerch and devolpement that went into designing it. I think its something like 3 years before BMW breaks even on the cost of producing a new model. So then the last 3 or 4 years are profits. Plus cost of manufacturing is the cost of putting it together it is not the cost of all th parts involved.

So they tell us... I find it hard to believe that BMW is not making tons of money on new car buyers. The engines remain relatively the same, with slight tuning that anyone with tuning expertise could do. Yes there are sheet metal face lifts and interior changes, but do these really amount to $20-30K in engineering and redesigning? CAD is a $500 program and a designers only cost between $50k-100k to hire. Is there really a big difference between the new X5 and the one I drive? So they moved the screen up on the dash, and stretched the wheel base. It's essentially the same vehicle. I for one will not train a company to sandbag on technology and durability.

If only it were that simple to build, ship and sell vehicles: Hire some CAD guy to draw a picture on a computer and print it out. Cool! :D

BMW's profits have been on the skids for several years. Google "bmw profits" and you'll see nothing but sad news. Here's just one example. However, they've recently unloaded Range Rover which has helped the bottom line somewhat.

like on my taxes when i show all kinds of losses and deductions to make the irs feel sorry for me ;)

Taxes?? oops!

:doh:

I like to buy the X5 off of a lease, that way you can buy a nice ride with 35K miles for half the price of a new one. Figure this, the car has depreciated a $1 per mile.

My .02

The answer is simple when talking about an X5. We want to keep the damn thing in warranty!!

Exactly.

36 month leases, gotta have the next model,
the warr is going/gone, people are "payment
oriented" vs. real cost of operation, etc. ...

I think you are oversimplifying this more than just a bit. And you say any tuner can improve on the old engines the way bmw does. What tuner do you know that can design valvetronic and get it to work reliably enough to mass produce it. Thats just one example