[rhudeboye]

'flash' they have always felt gutless - even the E46 M3 we had lacked - i have also not ever felt "inspired" when i drive them... seem to lack the driver connection... a great commuter - not so great at making your heart sing
[/quote]

Is this in comparison to <b>your </b> 968?

If you take a stock 68, drive it, then get into a 2005 BMW M3. Would you still feel the bimmer was the car lacking in all of the above mentioned?

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[flash]

yes i still felt the same - it's something esoteric about the 968 - even the tip cab feels better to me, and inspires me to drive faster, more than the M3 did - the M3 was better appointed, had more power, handled better on paper, was a manual trans, and had all the bells and whistles, but just fell short in inspiration

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[rhudeboye]

I remember you referred to it as "boring" in a past thread. I would venture to say that your a pretty tough customer to please. I think.. wait a min. Who was the orig post by again? .. I think that guy will be happy with a E46 328 or 330.

LOL How does Ann shop for you?

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[flash]

lol - i am a tough customer to please

she doesn't shop for me much - not much i want at this point anyway

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[SHA-JR968]

Unfortunenately quoting dosn`t work, but anyhow - regarding the 3er BMW, flash is wrong ...

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[flash]

what's a "3er"? (see - quote marks work fine)

exactly what am i wrong about? i have driven every 3 series, from the first one to the new one, and owned 3 of them - i am pretty well versed in those cars - only the new M3 has what i feel is any "guts", but the bar is pretty high for me, so that is fairly subjective

solid car, lots of goodies, but uninspiring - as i said, it's probably more esoteric than anything else

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[Cloud9...68]

Another vote the the E36 M3. I have to disagree with Flash here, but this is all subjective, anyway. I love the connectedness with the road the 3 Series are known for (we're on our third, and likely not our last). The challenge, as somebody else said, is finding an E36 M3 in decent shape. This car is in so many ways like the 968 - comparable power-to-weight ratio, handling, etc., and, especially, in the fact that a well-kept example with set you back considerably more than an average one, due to their rarity. But I think the search for a nice one at a decent price could be a lot of fun. Too bad you couldn't fly to Germany and bring a Euro-spec head back in your suitcase. I saw a recent article in Car & Driver in which a Euro-spec M3 trailed an E46 M3 by only a couple tenths of a second in lap time - pretty impressive for a 15-year-old car.

Also, E46s (not M3's, though) are well within your price range. You could probably pick up a 2003-2005 330i or is for under $15K if you look hard enough.

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[flash]

don't get me wrong, the car handles well, and all that - it's a connectivity to the driver that i find is lacking - in contrast, i could just about drive the 968 blindfolded - it feels like an extension of my body - the bmws did not - i always felt at odds with the ergonomics of the bmws - i hated the sloppy shifter, the spongy clutch, the high location of the armrest, the odd steering wheel angles, the odd seat positioning relative to the cockpit (no matter where i adjusted it), and the oddly high ride height - but, they did at least put the window switches where they belong, provided cupholders, and the short front overhang made it easy to get in and out of places

anyway, i think they are good cars, i highly recommend them as daily drivers, and i still wish i had not let go of my E30, but i thought of it more like i would a camry than anything else - something dependable, but nothing more - just not inspiring to drive

to put it in perspective, a new 3 series is a pretty typical graduation gift

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[Langley968]

So... I finally bought my "new" daily driver.

After considering all the input in this thread, I had several BMW #25Ci and 328Ci checked out, but none left me with a "good" feeling to proceed (at least in the price bracket I was willing to spend).

I then almost bought an Audi A3 (manual), but it did not have enough "goodies" (no sunroof, no heated seats, etc). I did enjoy the handling, but when I went looking for one with "the goodies", the prices were too high, Around here I noticed that the A3 is by far the best Audi for holding it's re-sale value (good for seller - not so good for buyer!).

So... I have a tenant that is a SAAB fan (in his words: a "saabophile") and with his prompting I test drove a 2006 SAAB 93 AERO. I was VERY impressed with the power, but sadly that unit had been abused, so no go. I did find a 2006 SAAB 93 2.0T, manual, with all the "goodies" I was looking for in a daily driver. I picked it up for the same price I would have payed for a BMW that was 5-6 years older! I know... some people will be ribbing me, telling me I now have a "saab (sob) story to tell", but so far I am very pleased with the car. This was a unit that was "loved" by it's previous owner, because the interior is "like new", and the car is in pristine shape.

The uncertainty of the SAAB brand has hammered the prices of used units, and for what I payed, I could give it away in four years to one of my kids and still be content with the "bang for buck". With SAAB now owned by SPYKER, maybe the brand will have a new lease on life.

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[rhudeboye]

I've heard good things about the way Saabs feel. I worked with an mechanical engineer that owned 3 of them. I have no idea however where a Saab dealership is <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[flash]

everybody i know who drives one, likes it

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[Cloud9...68]

Definitely a car with some personality - something of a rarity these days.

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[Fox944]

I agree with flash in regards to the E46 M3. It may be faster, but it simply is not as fun to drive as a 968. the previous gen E36 M3 is a lot more fun to drive then an E46 imho as well. The E46 in stock form has a lot of understeer dialed in compared to an E36. Its heavy and not as tossable as the 68 or E36 M. I've had fun driving E46 M's before, but (as a fun/track/weekend car)i def. would not replace the 968 or even an E36 M3 with one. The E46 Makes a very nice dd however.

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[Fox944]

oh, and congrats on the new purchase Jake. Saabs can be fast and fun. A lot of aftermarket out there for them as well.

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[Rap]

Have you looked at the Infiniti G37sx? No idea the price but has paddles, real quick, awd, good gas mileage, great looking car,lots of back seat and trunk room. Not a 968, no soul, but fun to drive!

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[rhudeboye]

Post pics when you can.



i just thought of a negative- ignition location <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> may take some getting use to.

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[Langley968]

Actually I rather like the ignition in the center console. At least there is not a bundle of keys jingling around.<img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[flash]

beats being on the left

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[coloradocab]

You can probably find a nice Audi S4 in your price range. That's what I went with as a DD, and I love it. Fun to drive, great in all seasons, reliable, etc.

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[968Z]

Congrats on the Saab. My DD is a 2003 Saab 9-5 Aero 5-speed. Great car for the money if you can find one you like. A couple things to keep in mind: They are quirky, and not many shops can really work on them; Parts can be very expensive; You'll burn thru tires excessivly fast, at least on the Aeros. Aeros are set up very aggressively from the factory. All that said, from 40mph to 100 mph...Hang on! Very little turbo lag and it gets there quick; faster than a 968. I'd opt for an automatic tranny instead of a 5-speed if you're looking for a DD. 1st gear is geared down low; must be for all the snow driving in Sweden!

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