It's my favorite car, even though it's not American. Quality. I imagine if you drove a Bimmer in the manner of an old man - a car designed for the Autobahn - and took good care of it, it could conceivably exceed 20 years. My appeal to them, and other fine German products, is their antithetical contrast to the throw-away society. Go green? Buy fewer durable goods: pay more for quality, and do so rarely. You still help the economy because you're paying more, albeit infrequently.
That's one philosophy, and it doesn't work of course for someone who gets a thrill out of the new leased car every couple of years. To each their own.