With the cab, the back seats were a little more upright than coupes. My 6 and 9 year olds were not happy at all when I had them back there. That's why M's are great additions or alternatives for many of us. As for resale on M3s, I think either coupe or convertible will be stronger than the 4 door version.

 

Simply put, if you can afford it go for the S. It is an overall better experiance to drive and own.

 

I have a coupe . The convertible is awful though and from day 1 BMW faced real snags selling them. The top is heavy, the top up visibility is terrible, and they simply are ugly .

The coupe is ok . I like mine and it's extremely reliable . With 20K miles on it I have never had a problem .. just routine service .
I just never fell in love with the car though . Thus far nothing does it for me like my Evt700. Very hard to compare the two.

 

yrralis, you cant just call that bmw a coupe! Sweet M3 I have owned many 3s in the past and they are a lot of fun. I owned a new M3 in 99' and loved it. I always used them, for my everyday knock arounds and work. However my 08' CLK550, which since has replaced the 3s lock on me is a sick car as well. But it is significantly more expensive as well.

 

I never understood what people like in M3. To my taste only BMW worth having is 740 or what is it now, 750i? If you get sedan for transportation - it has to be roomy, have nice V8 at least and be smooth as silk. M3 is just too small for anything and you cannot fit 5 adults there with comfort. Even 5 series BMW is small, it`s like Honda Accord inside.

 

Having had plenty of each, all I can say is "not an Accord at all" and maybe you just have to own one to get it, but there's a lot to love about the M3. And an e39 M5 is sedan nirvana.

 

I mean size wise. Actually it can be newest accord is even bigger.

As of M5 - do not know. I tried this car, very expensive, tons of torque, it definitely has its fans. I always wanted a toy like one I got, so, it`s just a matter of taste. But when my Lexus will finally die I do see 750i in my future.
Or an another Lexus may be, it depends. You can`t go better for a family friendly ride.

 

Lexus is a great value for a non-sport car. Our GX470 has served very well as did our previous LX.

 

Would say buy the S due to the extra HP and torque also the PASM in non-sport mode rides better on rough pavement. It gives you the option of the race car ride when you want it. Sport Chrono is worth it for more responsive pedal but the timer is useless. Neat night light though. With all that said I would recommend an '06 or newer given the potential IMS issues on the earlier cars. Might be worth saving up for. As for the Cab, I love mine and have a hard top for the winter months. Best of both worlds. Coupe looks more together visually buy sunroof can't compare to open air motoring in my book. If you get a Cab I wouldn't worry to much about getting the Bose upgrade as it's not that big a deal in my book when the top is down.

 

I used to have similar thoughts on interior rooms when comparing MBs and Bimmers. A 5 series seems to be similarly sized as a C-class and 7 to an E-class, but with the latest generations, I do not think a 5 is anything close to an Accord.

I have friends with latest gen Accords and the rear seats of our M5 is definitely deeper and with significantly more headroom than an Accord. Maybe not for 3 - 6'5" 250 LB adults, but definitely adequate/comfortable for 3 - 6' persons.

 

I debated both the S vs non-S ...&... Cab vs Coupe.

Heres' my rationale for going with a used 997 S Cab:

The extra bump in S horsepower is noticeable for the model range ('05-'07) I could afford: You can really feel it in all the gears. The chrono "wart" on the dash is a great conversation piece. It is also fun for timing your trip to work. The massive big red breaks give stopping power to those gorgeous 19" wheels. The sports exhaust sound is pretty damn exhilerating. I also love the "S" on the rear badge: Try explaining to someone who's never been in a 911, than the "S" is a "sportier version" of the standard 911. Its an abosolute rediculous conversation, and deserves some self introspection. ("Do we really need more?"...ha ha)

As for the coupe vs cab...I have driven more rigid coupes and they are great...but there is something really special about open air motoring that is timeless. The old vintage film of open air racers helps me identify with the breeding lines on these cars. ( I know my 911 with electronics, PSM, CD changer and airbags is not 1/100th as dangerous, romantic, or raw as the race cars in the 50's...but the symolism is there.) Of course, there is the "cabs are to be seen in" argument, which is a a valid argument, and part of me does enjoy some attention...but for me, this car is about the total driving experience which is a seriously personal thing for each of us.

I know me and what makes me happy. If I had spend 50-60K on a non-S coupe, I would have been extremely satisified.........but that nagging "what if" feeling would linger. It would resurface everytime I saw someone else driving the car I didn't buy.


'05 997 Cab S (black / tan)
Volvo XC70 w/ 3 booster seats

 

Local BMW dealer, Dreyer and Reinbold had an 08 M3 cabriolet listed for $62900. They were willing to discount it all the way to $62345! They also offered the extended maintenance plan to me for $3495 (msrp is $3295). What a deal. I walked.