I’ve been doing a little bit of research lately on BMW 2020/2021 3 series and BMW 2020/2021 5 series leases and it seems for a 3 series you can get it for the low 400’s/month after tax and a 5 series you can get for the low 500’s.
IF that is the case, then why get the 3 series? For ~$100/month more you get a bigger and “nicer” car.
Is my research completely off?
You’re not wrong. 3-series leases suck right now and I can honestly say I’m not sure why people are still shopping them. Anecdotally, the 3-series leases worse today than at any point in the last 5+ years (don’t @ me 3-series leasees 
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Have you driven each to compare? An M340 is a different animal from say a 530 or 540.
Granted you can’t get an m340 for 400s…
Not everyone wants a bigger car
$100/month is a lot of money to most people
If you don’t need a bigger car why pay $100 more for a 530 when a 330 is more than adequate
People on this site grind for the last $2.42/month and then ask for free floor mats and the salespersons first born. $100 difference per month is monumental.
I’m not talking about the M340. I’m strictly talking about 530/540 versus 330
I def agree that $100/month more is a lot; never said otherwise. But I feel like if you can afford $450/month, you can probably afford $550/month for a bigger/nicer car. That’s what I personally feel like anyways
Why pay 20% more if you don’t need 20% more car?
Yes. This is a dumb thread.
It all depends… are you comparing apples to apples?
Stripped 3 series vs a bare bones 530 etc. there are 530’s that go over $70k
You shouldn’t judge just because the 5 is bigger.
I’ll tell you one thing (haven driven both) the 530 feels much more underpowered than the 330. The 4 banger is too small for the 5 series chasis
The 540 though. Noticeable difference compared to both the 330 and the 530
The delta on a 540 vs 330 is gonna be way more than ~$100 a month on a lease.
It’s like comparing an X3 M4.0 to an X2 base.
Why spend 500 on a 5 series if you can get an Aston Martin for 1500?
Because different people want different things…
This is a mindset that a friend of mine has as well. The idea being: “Why buy a 3-series when you can have a 5-series and the increase in ‘status’ that comes along with this?” I don’t get this idea very much.
If we are comparing a base 330i to a 530i, maybe a point can be made. Both 4 cylinder BMWs that nobody would consider “performance vehicles.”
On the other hand, there have been great 340i deals that have also been under that $500 mark (albeit 5-6 months ago), and that comes down to the question of large, slower car or faster, smaller car. So this debate could also be a question about timing as well?
Finally, why not just get an T6 S60 for less money? It has all of the luxury features of the BMW and loaners have been in the $300-400 range.
This is exactly what I was thinking. The 330 feels quick and the 530 is slow as hell. Depends if you’re looking for fun or luxury.
It all comes down to: what are you trying to do with your car? Do you want something that you can drive in serene comfort? Get a 5 series. Do you want something that handles surprisingly well considering its a sedan, is slightly faster, has more road noise, and has a bumpier ride? Get a 3 series.
I have a 3 series now, going into a G30 for my next car, granted, a 540i, not a 530i.
Like others said, mostly its personal choice. 3 series drives “smaller” than 5 series giving a sense of more control over the machine. As a second car, I would love to have a slc 43 instead of an e43 for similar reasons.
Then why not get a 7 series for 7xxs pm, a much much nicer car
I totally agree with you on the S60 T6. While it doesn’t have the brand stigma of BMW, it’s a really nice car for the money. A deeply discounted loaner with incentives/rebates yields a lot of car for the money.
I considered one for the longest and still do.
I’ve been back and forth with 3s and 5s for years now. I love the bigger feel of the 5 and a few things on the 5 are standard that are optional in the 3 that make it feel like it’s more car not just bigger. A few threads ago someone said the materials of the 5 were nicer than the 3. I actually don’t agree but some feel that way.
But when i downsize to the 3, it feels like a little go cart compared to the 5. More nimble and sporty.
In the end, I feel that the price points are about right and you just have to drive what you wanna drive. If you’re in your 3 wishing you could look more entitled in a 5 and can deal with the extra 1-2k a year in payments, go for it. Definitely drive both because they’re not the same experience.
I’m just now going back to a 5, feel like it’s time to step “up” again; tracking my order from the factory on BMWUSA.com, waiting for her to get a transport ship assigned. Small pleasures…
But a 5-series is a much more refined experience, the cabin noise, the seat comfort etc is much more valueable in my opinion than worth $100.