Is 80% of annual salary the actual guideline?
I'd never heard that before, and it sounds ridiculously high to me. Some of us have kids' schooling and houses to pay for, too. I can't imagine what my wife would say if I came home in a car that cost 80% of my annual salary. I'd be forcing the family to eat scraps for a few years.
Each new model does seem more expensive than the last, I agree. I'm waiting for the one with the price and performance that makes me willing to part with my 330i. I haven't found it yet.