I used to love BMW. I loved when their racing DNA made it down into every model and their entry level cars were actually entry level priced.
Quality and reliability. Two things that BMW had over the rest of the competition for at least a couple decades. A simple and robust drivetrain matched with an over engineered chassis and handsome styling. True sports cars.
Value. Buying a BMW back in the 80s and 90s meant spending a bit more than the rest of the market, but you would be owning not just a status symbol, but you would own a vehicle that would last. BMWs built 20-30 years ago are still running, still reliable, and still revered as the best that the automotive world had to offer at the time. Many older BMWs are still holding decent values well past their prime, even with the reputation as "the ultimate depreciation machine".
Performance. With at least 3 decades in the books, BMW still manages to build some of the most powerful and technologically advanced vehicles on the market. Compare to anything American or Japanese built from the 80s to the early 2000's, BMW did more with far less. Outperforming pretty much anything in the same price point and category.
Efficiency. BMW is known for being very efficient with their engines, even on the M models. They built six cylinder engines with 8 cylinder performance and 4 cylinder efficiency.
Racing Pedigree. BMW built their brand on motorsports domination in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Whether you bought a 3 series, 5, or 6, you could be sure that you were in many ways getting the same vehicle that was winning championships on the track.
This brings me to the present. BMW has seemed to have lost their way, in my own opinion. They no longer build svelte, efficient, affordable, race winners. They have diluted the brand by creating markets that there is hardly a demand for, solely because their wealthy consumers will buy it.
An entry level car from BMW is now at least 5-10 thousand dollars more than their competition in any segment, if you want an equally equipped vehicle.
Gone are the days of famed reliability. Replaced with laughably inadequate warranties, poor dealer experiences, absurd repair costs, and woefully high costs of ownership. BMWs now have a reputation for riding the backs of tow trucks and living in the shop.
BMW has fallen behind the curve of performance and now offers cheap gimmicks and driver aids to stay with the rest of the automotive class. They are now known for building cars on different platforms using the corporate "parts bin" rather than building cars with an identity. They've added newer models to compensate for the bloated, oversized, overweight, and underpowered models that used to fill those spots in the line up, while increasing in price, and moving them up the market.
BMW has managed to campaign successfully in motorsport but their dirty secret was that their modern chassis' were all running older powertrains, most recently the E39 M5's legendary V8. The new M6 GTLM and GTD cars now use the modern twin turbo V8 that they are normally equipped with.
My opinions are my own, and I'm sure plenty of people will disagree with me, and will blame my views on my own experiences. The fact is I still drive a BMW, and I still love the BMW, but I have fallen out of love with the cars that they make and the identity of the brand. They have moved on in a different direction in part due to the reputation that they built and the clientele that they have attracted over the year.