Howzit bro.
Just thought I would offer some advice.
Dont rule out the 323i on the basis of it being too slow for you, as honestly, your VR6 (in standard trim) isnt very much faster than a e36 323i, if at all. Dont be fooled by thinking that the largest engined BMW is always the best, it may be faster yes, but not always better. In this case, the e36 328i is supreme though ( I had 4). e36 323i is a beaut of a car, very well balanced and has sublime traction while cornering due to having less power to overcome grip. I have always seen it as a "baby 328i" due to its character. Way more so than the 325i e36, which has its own character.
As I said many times, the difference between oversteer and understeer is huge. Get to terms with it safely.
Being your first BMW, and assuming you havent driven a high powered one in anger before, maybe you should rather look at what suits your level of experience better. It could be the difference between enjoying the incredible handling of a BMW within your (initial) limits or spinning out because you over cooked the power on a corner. This is where the difference between owning a 323i and 328i as a first car comes in.
Later model 6 cylinder e36 came with traction control, but they cannot be relied upon they same way you would with e46 asc/dsc, because its just too primative, as a friend of mine found out the hard way.
What ever your choice, you cant go wrong with an e36. They have engineering integrity that late model BMW's (and most cars) can only dream of. I owned 6. And they all spectacular. They are in my eyes. the best BMW's ever produced.
Damn... I miss my e36 everyday.
