Is it worth it?
Hmm, you are asking a bunch of enthusiasts if a car they all have and love if it worth it. Honestly, you are going to get a bunch of biased answers here.
For some here, 60 grand isn't a lot of money. For others, it is.
Ok, things to remember. This car is going to go down in value. Only a few cars will ever go UP in value and the ones in this price range won't until many years later. I doubt this kind of car will.
No car is worth going into bankruptcy over. If this is not in his price range, he should not try and stretch to make it. If this is his "dream" car and it's his last chance to own one and he's pushing for it and sacrificing a lot of the other things he enjoys in life (or dipping into retirement accounts), then again, it's not worth it. Remember, not only is he going to have to pay for the car, but there is upkeep as well. Even if it's just tires, that's still 1-2k every year or two depending on brand. Yes, certain versions of this car will have a tire you will need to replace every 12k miles or so and they are expensive. Once you are out of the free service time, you are still looking at a lot of cash for routine maintenance, much less something like brakes.
That said, LOTS of cars these days cost 40k+ and some cost 45-55k at the same level of equipment as a BMW 535. You can get pretty pricey with certain versions of the Camaro, Mustang, Chevy SS, etc.
So, let's explore...WHY does your father want the BMW? Prestige, logo, status? Handling, power, refinement?
If he just wants it for the roundel and he's stretching for it, no, it's not worth it. There are better values out there these days. The Cadillac CTS, Chevy SS, Audi A6 3.0T, Lexus GS, Chrysler 300, Charger, Taurus SHO, and even some Kia/Hyundai models. etc. While I admit some (especially the dodge) will not have nearly the fit and finish of the BMW, nor the little qualities that scream BMW (quality of interior materials, sound proofing, etc.) they are still GOOD cars.
If he's looking at it because it's his dream car...sometimes you need to take a real hard look at that dream. BMWs can be rock solid reliable....or in the shop a lot. I would say more reliable than not, but it's hit and miss. My car was in the shop for injectors at 10k miles for a known issue. Others will never experience that issue. A dream can turn into a nightmare very quickly if you turn out to have one of the "problem children" (remember, BMW stands for Buy More Warranty) Personally, I think Lexus has a much better track record in terms of reliability, as does Acura and both can be had for less money.
Now, is he buying it because he can afford it, and probably has been able to for a while, but had other priorities (funding retirement, kids college education, building wealth/his business, etc) then maybe. Does he enjoy DRIVING his cars (to many, a car is a way to get from one place to another...if he falls into this category, look somewhere else) Does he want RWD performance/handling (for some, RWD is the only way to go)? If yes to these questions, then yes...BMW can be worth it, but please still look at others, including the BMW 3 and 4 Series Audi A6, Cadillac ATS and CTS, MB E series, and the Lexus GS. All of these are fine automobiles and should be considered. Also remember that each car will fit you differently. Some people like a plush ride. Others want sporty. Some want instant acceleration, others want low 1/4 times, and still others will want go-cart like handling. Find the car that's right for him, which means it may not be a BMW.
Finally, all cars are also compromises. We look at models in our price range and pick that which best suits us for that price point/fuel economy standard, luxury feel, etc. I am sure the Rolls Royce and Ferrari make fine cars....but I can't afford them. Therefore, the levels of luxury or performance in those vehicles are not something I would consider and I need to compromise down to a lower priced car.
To me, it sounds like this is either something he is worried about spending 60k on...or you are worried about him spending 60k on. If he can afford it, BMW is a great car and can offer the right people great driving experiences. If you can't, there other cars that can offer a very close experience at a much lower price point. Finally, if just looking for the badge and not the driving experience and is even slightly worried about the price....it's a bad deal and he should move on to a different dream.