View Single Post
Old 04-25-2019, 01:27 PM   #60
Nick M3
Relic
 
Nick M3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,469
Quote:
Originally Posted by John V View Post
GTI is an easy choice. And it's not that much less, but it's new. $30k for an eight year old BMW that is objectively not special is silly.

CTS-V wagons can be had for $30k and it'll kick the E91's teeth in and take its lunch money.

If you really must have a wagon, there are any number of Mercedes that will scratch that itch. I think Jag makes an XF wagon as well now? There's the Buick thingy as well.

Or you could buy a Mazda 3, which comes in a hatchback (which let's be honest is a wagon), has a stick, and can be bought for, what, $25k? With a warranty. And it'll run forever. And has a much nicer interior than an E91. Compared to an E91, I'm willing to bet it's just as fast in day to day driving.

Again, I understand that if you over-constrain your list of requirements to wagon + stick + rear wheel drive + BMW, this is the only answer.
I’m constraining my requirements to wagon, stick, equal to or more power, and equal to or better handling.

The CTS-V is too big, hideously ugly, has a horrible interior, and equivalent condition cars are around double the cost of the EAG car.

The Mazda3 5-door is hideously ugly on the outside, has WAY less power, and is FWD. I’m not going to rule it out explicitly on the FWD basis, but it has to be accounted for.

So yes, the logical answer is to get a GTI. Or even a Golf R for a little bit more money. I don’t think that anyone is really arguing that a Golf isn’t the correct answer.

But, again, we are talking about a unicorn car available in unicorn quantities looking for unicorn buyers. It makes perfect sense. The dozen or so cars that still exist and meet these requirements will absolutely find a dozen or so buyers.

IMO, the only real issue with the E9x interior is the navigation. It’s absolutely awful. Get one without navigation and the interior is fine. Not awesome, but innocuous.
__________________
2011 M3
2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison
2004 X5 3.0i 6MT
1995 M3 S50B32
1990 325is
1989 M3 S54B32

Hers:
1989 325iX
1996 911 Turbo


Nick M3 is offline   Reply With Quote