The contenders are:

2002-2004 audi A4 3.0 quattro( i've fallen in love with their awd system)
2001-2004 BMW 330i
2001-200? C class sport sedan.

Whichever car i get i will probably try to work a warranty into the financing, and the car will be mainly a weekend driver so reliability while important, is not an end-all be-all so to speak. I'm going to strive for a manual on any of the above, but a good tiptronic will also keep me happy. I've heard that the 3-series has problems with their auto trannies, though.

Will be buying the car wholesale and paying for roughly half in cash, and paying the rest off quickly so i won't ever be upside down(this was the only way i could justify taking out a loan).

Anyone have any first hand experiance with these things? or anyone heard anything positive or negative? I'd imagine the BMW is probably the fastest, and ironically is actually the cheapest to insure, as well, although all are within 30 dollars of each other per six months.

Thanks,
Ryan

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83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Living in Florida and a weekend car? I'd go for the BMW 330ci. Most fun to drive.

__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

oops, forgot to mention i would prefer 4-doors. I couldn't ever drive a bmw convert, too much of a "yuppy" car for me. nice cars though

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Those are all "yuppy cars". Just like big pickup trucks are "redneck cars" and miatas and MR-2s are "gay cars" and Corvettes are for fat pimps with gold chains.

Don't let stupid stereotypes limit your choices.

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

The 330ci is also a coupe:

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

i could care less about stereotypes, i'd just feel like a woose driving a bmw convert. I do love the 330ci coupes, but for hauling friends around etc a four door is much more practical, even if this will be primarily a weekend car.


edit: i'd love to have a miata as a track whore....couldn't ever picture myself driving one around town though, i'd feel like i was going to get crushed and die.

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Not many snowy, ice covered curvy mountain roads in Florida right?

I'd go with the BMW myself.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

nope, no snowy curvey roads, but we do get alot of rain and the traction the quattro gives on a rainy/oily road is unsurpassed.

I'll probably end up going with either the audi or the bimmer, but the bimmers are just so darn common around here, and i rarely see the audis. In the end it will probably come down to options, color combo, and condition.

Any one have an thoughts on which car will hold up the best? They all depreciate like mad with the audi probably being the worst, followed by the bimmer, and i'd imagine the benz would have the lowest depreciation expense attached to it.

Hows the C230/C240 sport sedan with the manual compare to the bimmer?

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Uh forget the C man. Go for the Bimmer or Audi. The Audi has a reputation for quirky electronic malfunctions. Get a late enough model BMW you might still be able to squeeze in a free oilchange or two. Is it 4/50 free maintenance?

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Agreed. Total yawn-fest.

__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

I own an 2005 C230K. Bought it CPO. I have nothing negative to say. It handles better than anything I've ever owned (might not be saying much..hehe), but its common wisdom that bmw makes a better handling car when it comes to "sport" driving, etc. That said, I wouldn't trade it for a bmw 3-series for daily driving, commuting, road-trips, etc.

I'd skip the audi due to the fact that its a volkswagon and doesn't have a great repair history.

For a weekend go fast car I'd vote for BMW. Though, for the money I'd probably go a year or two older and get an M3 coupe or roadster. It's a weekend car right?

__________________
1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)

Not a lot of room in the back seats of any of those. Not sure I would want to be in the back seat of any of those. Granted I am 6'3" but I don't even like being in the back of my wifes E or my dads 2002 E class.

I'd go for the coupe. Let your friends drive their own car

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

My cousin has an 04 330CI thats gray like the one in the pic, 6sp manual, and he put a set of 20in Giovanna's on it which I think are a bit large. He swaps them back and forth with a set of 19in M wheels.

He has had it for awhile, its a nice car and pretty fast. But he is probably going to trade it for a 335CI, or a slightly used M3 coupe this year. The M3 is really a balls out performance car, much more so than the 330. The 330CI is almost like a small GT car, and without the Bangle crap looks really good.

You can get AWD in the BMW, and its pretty good. But in FL I don't see the point, rain? You have to be kidding me. What are you doing full throttle clutch drops? If you drive fast enough to be able to feel the AWD kick in in the rain, you need to slow down before you cause an accident. The BMW is amazingly easy to drive. I would want RWD so I could kick the tail out and have fun.

You also have to get a manual, sorry auto BMW's are pointless, might as well get a MB.
I'd go with the coupe and stick your free loading friends in the back.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Hard to beat a 3-series, but I haven't driven the new C yet either.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

The only real downside to the bimmers is that they are incredibly common around here, that and i find their interior blah compared to the audi. I like the c-classes interior if its black and has wood trim, but other than that it doesn't do much for me, either. Only interior that really "wows" me is the audis, at least in this class of cars.

I also found out that i get a reduced interest rate if i can find a car that is an 03 or newer, so that is now playing a role.

Any thoughts on reliability? i think it has been established the bimmer would be the best driving out of them.

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.