Andy lives in Chicago and loves his E46-generation 3-series, but the 20-year-old BMW is becoming inconsistent in terms of reliability. He wants another sedan with that BMW driver connection, but a more modern package. With a budget up to $60,000, what car should he buy?
(Welcome back to What Car Should You Buy? Where we give real people real advice about buying cars. Do you want us to help you find a car? Submit your story on our form.)
Here is the scenario.
I have a 2004 BMW 30xi manual (E46), a wonderful car that is getting too creaky and loose to trust on cross-country trips. I do most of my driving in the city but there is the occasional trip to the east coast. My wife and I love the size of the car, its responsiveness, road-feel, and comfort. The issue is finding a replacement. We have test driven or rented SUVs (Ford Edge, Porsche Macan, Honda CRV, Acura RDX), but find them ungainly. We prefer the low center of gravity of a sedan and especially one that is fun to drive. I have test driven the Accord, Camry, and Lexus 350. The Lexus feels sturdy and has a stellar reputation but not the road feel or fun of the E46. The Accord and Camry just seem blah.
Budget is up to $60,000 a manual would be awesome, but I understand the lack of three pedal options.
Quick Facts:
Budget: Up to $60,000
Location: Chicago
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: A driver-connected car, reasonably reliable,
Doesn’t want: A crossover
Expert 1: Tom McParland – Look Beyond The Spec Sheet
Andy, you already know that recreating the driving experience of the E46 is going to be a challenge. They simply don’t make them like that anymore. Almost everything from the past ten years has gotten bigger, heavier, and more loaded with tech. So the key is going to be finding a car that offers the best driver experience relative to its contemporaries. While BMW has strayed a bit from the “Ultimate Driving Machine” ethos in its mainstream models, Porsche has continued to prioritize the pilot experience across the lineup.
The Porsche Panamera comes in either a four-door sportsback or funky SportTurismo wagon. Even though it’s not the icon that the 911 is, the engineers from Stuttgart are able to infuse enough sports car essence into this executive cruiser to make your drive enjoyable. The steering is electronically assisted, which is a change from the hydraulic unit in the BMW, but that is unavoidable with modern cars and you will get just the right amount of feedback. The motor is paired with Porsche’s excellent PDK gearbox, and if you are going to give up having a clutch pedal, this is the auto to get.
Panamera examples under $60,000 are relatively plentiful, but you will likely want something above a base model. Here is a 2018 4s sporting a 440-horsepower twin-turbo V6 with 52,000 miles for about $50,000. Considering that this car originally retailed for over $120,000, that is a performance bargain for one of the last remaining four-door driver’s cars.
Expert 2: Collin Woodard – The same, but different
Well, Andy From Chicago, I have some bad news for you. Even with a $60,000 budget, you’re going to have a hard time finding something that E46 magic in a new or new-ish car. Or are you? What if I could find a car for you that offers everything you love about your current car in a package that does away with the creaky looseness that makes you not want to drive it on long road trips anymore?
You might say that’s impossible, but we’re about to solve all your problems the only way I know how — throwing more money at the problem than anyone else would ever consider reasonable. For a mere $4,990 more than you were planning to spend, you could head down to see the folks at EAG and become the new owner of this nearly perfect, 95,000-mile 2004 BMW M3. On the other hand, if you don’t need the power, you could always save $20,000 and buy this 54,000-mile 2004 BMW 330 ZHP.
Plenty of people will tell you that’s far too much money to spend on a two-decade-old E46, but if you want a fully restored, rebuilt, reinforced and rejuvenated version of the car you already own and love, it’s going to cost money. I’d also argue it’s better to stick with the devil you know than waste a bunch of time learning to deal with an entirely new devil. Become an EAG man, Andy From Chicago. You know it’s the only thing that will truly make you happy.
Expert 3: Amber DaSilva – The Right Answer
After 21 years, Andy, I think it’s fair to retire the E46 from road trip duty. Luckily, you’ve picked a good time to do so — the perfect car for your needs just so happens to be on the market, and Chicago AutoTrader seems to be chock full of them. You need an Acura Integra Type S, and there’s nothing else that better suits your needs.
You want performance? Check. Handling? Check. Luxury? Check. The Integra Type S isn’t just the closest thing to your 3-series that’s still on the market, it’s an outright better car. More power, less weight, and I’m willing to bet the Integra’s transmission is more satisfying to run through the gears on.
Here’s a Type S within your budget, but every Type S is within your budget. You can technically option one over $60,000 with dealer-installed accessories if you really try, but that’s not a spec any dealer would order — shop around, find a color you like, and buy new. Take one drive in the Type S, and see if your BMW — or any other car — ever holds your interest again.
