NoFear said:
Thanks for the warm welcome!
It took a long time for me to switch my loyalties to BMW but I have enjoyed the move ever since. In 2007 I bought an immaculate 2001 M3 SMG with only 19,000 km's (can you believe it) and then sold it 2 years later because I was temporarily insane. I thought that both my wife and I needed to drive a family car ahead of the arrival of our amazing boy in Feb 2009. I have since regained my composure and realised that one family car is adequate for our needs. Incidentally my wife was always concerned for my sake that I would miss driving an M3.
In late 2008 I traded in my M3 for a 4-door 335i auto but always yearned for the sight and sound of an E46 M3 (some might not agree with me on the issue of the sound of an E46 M3). I have been hunting on and off for a clean M3 with reasonable mileage but they are extremely difficult to locate.
During my treasure hunts the thought of a CSL was always a nagging - but pleasant - thought. In my opinion it is the best looking M3 ever made, but with the arrival of the E92 M3 some will disagree with me. Of course the CSL is a different kind of car and it is not to everyone's liking. A friend of mine who used to own a CSL and who was a big fan of his car said that the decision to buy one never was and never will be a decision based on logic. For a brief spell I was involved in amateur track days (an E36 and later an E46) but having a family and limited time has put that on hold for a while.
So, I have made the decision to buy an E46 M3 again. Tomorrow I am test driving a 2004 CSL and am very excited. Clearly this will be a huge change from an automatic 335i – there will be a significant trade off between “comfort†and “charismaâ€Â. Go charisma. I am not sure what the performance differential will feel like.
