Need Recommendation

[Crazyboy325is]

Had a e30 325is for several years, modded it, autox'd, tracked once, had to sell so that I could purchase a truck to tow my boat. Wife has a Z3 and a company car, and I drive the truck for my 20 mile commute.

I am sorry, but the Z3 does not do anything for me, and not a big fan of Convertibles in general. I have convinced her to get rid of the Z3, so am looking for something that has 4 doors, manual, fun to drive, reasonably reliable, be under $25k, preferably much less.

Cars I have been looking at are:

e39 540-can be had with about 80k miles, in nice shape
e28 535is-always have loved this car, nice examples 4-6k, lots of miles, need work, have not found a shop locally I trust, actually a problem with any BMW I purchase
e36 M3/4-hard to find with a manual, but out there
e46 330i w/ZHP-hard to find, but out there, would consider other e46's, but this is the one I lust for.
Mazda 3-considering for na and Mazdaspeed versions-fwd-yuck, new=reliable, soul?

Opinions? Any other suggestions?

[ken_vs_ryu]

e39 540.
Next.

[SilverBeam]

I'd get the M3/4 OR a E46 330. The M3 would be more fun and easier to find, however. The Mazda speed3 is a nice car, but the quality just isn't there with Mazda. But they are fun cars.

It's a shame you took roadsters out of the option, because the Z4 rules. They are a ton of fun.

[Crazyboy325is]

It's a shame you took roadsters out of the option, because the Z4 rules. They are a ton of fun.

Another reason I don't like the Z3 is that we never drive it, only put about 6000 miles in the last 2 years, if that. The only time we take it is when my wife and I go somewhere, otherwise we have to take a bigger vehicle to take our 12 year old daughter, who is already 5' 7", that is why I say 4 door. She sat in the back of a e46 conv, and barely fits. Plus, in the summer, we get high 90's and into the 100's.

[SilverBeam]

Another reason I don't like the Z3 is that we never drive it, only put about 6000 miles in the last 2 years, if that. The only time we take it is when my wife and I go somewhere, otherwise we have to take a bigger vehicle to take our 12 year old daughter, who is already 5' 7", that is why I say 4 door. She sat in the back of a e46 conv, and barely fits. Plus, in the summer, we get high 90's and into the 100's.

I'm not going to talk you into a vert, but come on. You can't put California weather on a list of reasons why NOT to get a vert. I had the top down Christmas Eve last year.

[Crazyboy325is]

Oh, I have had the top down in cold weather, it is the extreme hot weather that does me in after a while. I took it to a meeting about an hour from home a month ago and decided to put the top down and take a backroads ride home. The curves were fun, but by the time I got home I felt like crap.

We took it to Reno a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed having the top down on the way back through South Lake Tahoe, but once in Sacramento and 90plus heat, I put the top up.

[foltzE46]

Watch out for V8 with over 100,000k on them.

[Crazyboy325is]

Watch out for V8 with over 100,000k on them.


One that I am looking at has 78k on it currently. I would have to assume being a V8 that they are more expensive to repair, but are they prone to more problems than usual.

[Nacanowhere]

Hey check out an E34 5 speed, very beautiful cars.