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In the past ten years, there has been at least a BMW in my garage and almost all of them were 3 Series. I started out with a manual BMW E30 318i Coupe, the successor of the BMW E21 and replaced later by the BMW E36. While not the hottest 3er in the history of BMW, the 318i held a special place in my heart and has been a car that connected me to the brand.

Powered by a 4-cylinder engine outputting 113 horsepower and 100 lb-ft torque, the 318i was far from being the fastest BMW I’ve driven, but its smaller footprint and handling has won me over.

Fast forwarding a few years, I was ready to let go the E30 and jump into one of these E46 bodystyles that everyone has been bragging about. To get the best buying experience, I decided to take delivery of a BMW 325i at the Delivery Center in Munich  through the somewhat unknown at that time, BMW European Delivery program. If the E30 318i connected me to the brand, this program and the new car have totally won me over and most likely forever.



E46 325i was clearly an upgrade over my last model and the “Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan was a perfect fit.

But three years later and I was ready again to move on and up. The twin-turbo engines have just rolled out and everyone was uber excited about them and the performance they deliver. When the Engine of the Year was awarded to the N54 several times, I was already on my way back from the bank. The 335i model has been “eyeing” me for months and just couldn’t resist the urge anymore. So, I decided to get again that amazing buying experience, but this time, doubled the pleasure. The new BMW Welt has just opened its doors and my Montego Blue 335i was patiently waiting for me.



In between these 3ers, a small SAV made its way into my garage: 2004 X3 3.0. A great family car with decent MPG, perfect for a crowded city like Chicago and a savior in our six months winters.

Now this brings me to my original question and I will go first at it. Next year, I’m planning on replacing the E90, but the options are far more extensive this time. Would I move up a class and get the new 5? Sure, that’s an option. Or should I go for that X6 35i that I fell for last year? Even better, how about that M3 Sedan that it’s one of the best Ms I’ve driven? There is always that extreme case where I could hold off for another two years and get ready for the next 3 Series….choices, choices and more choices….

But to summarize this, the new 5 is definitely my first option for now, followed closely by the M3 E90.

So, what’s YOUR next BMW?