When my husband and I were looking into purchasing a new vehicle, we stopped by our local BMW dealership. He was convinced that I would prefer the luxury of a 5 or 7 series over the M series (which was his preference). After test driving 3 different models, I was hooked on the M3. The luxury package on the M3 made the difference to me. The Magma leather power seats and other upgrades in the interior had a much more appealing appearance to me than the other more "standard" M3's had. Surprisingly, we actually agreed on our new car.

I have driven this car in heavy storms, including tropical storms, and it handles beautifully. And although the exterior is black, it takes little time to cool it in the blistering heat of summer in Florida.

Maintenance costs are what I would expect them to be with this type of vehicle. Tires are not cheap, but that is blatantly obvious to anyone who looks at the wheels. The dealership that we purchased the car from has been excellent. The service department there has always been very thorough and overly pleasant. In fact, the only downside to the service department are the other customers who always must complain about something...the coffee isn't warm enough, is this the only brand of water you have, where are the oatmeal cookies, the kids need chocolate ice cream. It's a car dealership, not a daycare center or spa.
Thankfully, it's only a few minutes till they pull around the loaner car and I am back on my way.

Whether I take this car to Sebring, the beach or the grocery store, it handles beautifully. And, men love it. I have been stopped at the hair salon, restaurants, traffic lights and the grocery store by someone that just has to comment on it or take a peek at it.

My only regret is that we didn't buy two.


Amount Paid (US$): 48000
Condition: New
Model Year: 1997
Model and Options: Sedan