Hello my Z brothers, my wife and I currently reside in Germany. Aside from the Z34, we have a '00 BMW 540i as a DD. It's old, but we both love the E39 for the same reasons. It's a handsome sedan with respectable power, impressive high speed stability, and exceptional driving dynamics for a large vehicle. However, since we're expecting our first baby, and a constant influx of visiting family members, we decided to get a newer sedan. I don't like driving SUVs, so that wasn't even an option. After driving the 540 for a while, and owning two E34s in the past, my wife was set on getting another BMW. Our limit was $72K, but eventually decided not to spend over $50K.
I would never go back to FWD, so I was happy with her choice. The search and fun began shortly :driving:. We test drove almost every M3, M4, 335, 235, 435, 440, 128, 320, 550, 340, 535, S3, and S4 Quattro from 2015 and up in our price range. Every car was fun it its own way, but we soon realized we simply needed a 5-seater; which meant every BMW coupe was out of the equation. Initially, I wanted a slightly used M3, M4, or new 335/340 with M Sport brakes, but that combination in used but decent condition, was very hard to find. I was close to ordering the 340 of my choice, but with all the added options I wanted, we were in brand new M3 territory.
To make a long story short, I settled for what we needed and not what I wanted. I dreamed of a blue M3/M4/335/340 with black interior, cold weather, driver assistance, sport, and track handling packages. However, we settled on an Alpine White BMW 320 xDrive, and I couldn't be happier. Sure, it's not fast nor exciting, but that's what the Z is for. Besides, aside from an M car, no BMW can compete with the Z34's fun factor. The bottom line is, we simply needed a BMW sedan that will take us from point A to point B with GPS and heated seats. The AWD, excellent fuel consumption, and de-tuned 328 turbo motor was certainly a plus. The car does the job perfectly and costs $9K less than the exact same car if bought in the US. What's not to like? I did tell the wife, however, that we will get the BMW (or Porsche) of our choice before we leave Germany. Sorry for rambling, the Johnnie Walker is particularly good tonight. Anyway, below is a pic of my wife's boring, over-priced D. I highly recommend it.
http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/...psueoyqadh.jpg