Another what car thread?

So my e39 M5 is heading off with it's new owner on Wednesday. It has been a fun car but I'm ready for the next car. It will be my DD, will not see track/auto-x action at all, but will hopefully be fun to drive.

Recent ownership history: - e39 M5
- e46 325iT (wagon)
- Subaru WRX
- e36 M3

Requirements: - Seating for 4 (but coupes okay)
- Manual transmission

Cars I've thought about recently: - e46 M3
- e9x 335i
- Mini Cooper S
- Audi A3

So what should I buy? There are probably interesting cars I'm not thinking about, which is where you enablers come in! I may actually pick something up as a "bridge" car until I can decide what I really want, since I need something reasonably quickly.

Budget?

A nice E46M3 will be around 20-25k. Get a PPI and plan on having the rear subframe mounts reinforced, otherwise solid cars.

Can you deal with the rear "seats" on a 911?

pigeon wrote: Budget? A nice E46M3 will be around 20-25k. Get a PPI and plan on having the rear subframe mounts reinforced, otherwise solid cars. Can you deal with the rear "seats" on a 911?

Sorry. Hope to stick to $20k. I've thought about a 911 but just don't think it would work. I take my kids to school, etc and need real seats.

G8 GXP

GTO

Gen4 Camaro LS1. Car and Driver and Consumer Reports thought these handled a lot better than the other magazines did - and I agree with them. Very easy to drive at the limit.

Time to head back to America and pick up a CTS-V, my friend.

You obviously like BMWs, so why not stick with it?

You can get a nice e46 M3 as you said, and I like the CTS-V suggestion, but the interior quality is the trade off for that monster of a motor. A $20k 996 might be OK, if you find the right one, and I've heard from owners that they make great DDs. The germans just make this kind of car. The only japanese car of the sort that is out there is a G35, but for some reason they just don't "do it" for me. I'd be quite leery of any VAG product, especially anything with a DSG, and I was unimpressed with the A3 2.0T DSG I drove.

I recently had a similar search, though I was open to 2 seaters. Ended up with a Z4 M coupe. Of the choices available, it seems like the logical progression for you is the e46 M3, sort of a combination of your last few cars in one.

For the sake of the absurd. These are withing range and fit your needs...

What is that^? Its not something I have ever seen, so I would guess its either over $100k, not sold in the US, or both.

Maserati Coupe. Apparently sold in the US from '02.

Luke beat me to it.

Sonic wrote: You obviously like BMWs, so why not stick with it? You can get a nice e46 M3 as you said, and I like the CTS-V suggestion, but the interior quality is the trade off for that monster of a motor. A $20k 996 might be OK, if you find the right one, and I've heard from owners that they make great DDs. The germans just make this kind of car. The only japanese car of the sort that is out there is a G35, but for some reason they just don't "do it" for me. I'd be quite leery of any VAG product, especially anything with a DSG, and I was unimpressed with the A3 2.0T DSG I drove. I recently had a similar search, though I was open to 2 seaters. Ended up with a Z4 M coupe. Of the choices available, it seems like the logical progression for you is the e46 M3, sort of a combination of your last few cars in one.

BMWs have always done it for me. And the e46 M3 does seem like the next logical one. If I own one for a year or two, perhaps the e90 M3s will have depreciated enough to be next. The trick is finding an e46 M3 that hasn't been butchered. Interestingly, they've held their value better than the e39 M5s have. I'll keep shopping!

A CTS-V and sell it to me in a few years.

As a diehard BMW fanboi, I would suggest a CTS-V. Make sure the mounts (diff, motor, trans) are done and drive your way to smiles . . .

Travis_K wrote: What is that^? Its not something I have ever seen, so I would guess its either over $100k, not sold in the US, or both.

As mentioned it's a Maserati Coupe. In GT form it had a good old fashioned six speed manual with a clutch pedal. They're consistently in the 20 to 25 thousand one the used market now. And that 4.2L V8 sounds heavenly.

Strike_Zero wrote: As a diehard BMW fanboi, I would suggest a CTS-V. Make sure the mounts (diff, motor, trans) are done and drive your way to smiles . . .

Figures you'd say that, now that you're the proud new owner of one! Congrats! What prompted the switch?

I've always wanted to replace my dearly departed 04 GTO from few years ago. Now that I had the opportunity to do so, the 04-07 CTS-Vs and 05-06 GTOs was SO close in price (got tired of running into ratted 04 GTOs and missing the 10K deals ), I pulled the trigger on the 05 CTS-V.

I'll always be a BMW fanboi, but the CTS-V IS the American M5 at a $5-8K discount.