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    David,<br>
    <br>
    I can best sum it up by this:  My E46 is both the best and the worst
    car I've ever owned.  It's somewhat maintenance intensive (more than
    any car I've had).  That said, I absolutely love driving it.  Best
    car I've ever owned in that regard.  So much so that I'd pick up an
    E46t or E39t if I could find the right one.  My E36/7 (M Roadster)
    has definitely been significantly more reliable and more fun to
    drive when I want a more visceral driving experience, but as a DD,
    the E46 absolutely rocks.<br>
    <br>
    Geo<br>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 9/21/2014 3:58 PM, David Pertuz
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote
cite="mid:CAD0zwNnSXD-zGKoGggKRoO7Thkt5S-kpuN1ptBhoVPpMyaLzPA@mail.gmail.com"
      type="cite">
      <div dir="ltr">George, how has the maintenance been on your BMWs?
        I seem to recall you've had at least one E46, but I'm not sure.
        I am used to, and want to keep, Japanese-car reliab ility for my
        #1 car (I've got two project cars - I want my main car to be
        something that doesn't require more than periodic oil changes
        and such); I know BMWs don't have that, but I don't know how
        much I'd be giving up...
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>David</div>
      </div>
      <div class="gmail_extra"><br>
        <div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Sep 21, 2014 at 1:55 PM, George
          Roffe <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a moz-do-not-send="true"
              href="mailto:geo31@suddenlink.net" target="_blank">geo31@suddenlink.net</a>&gt;</span>
          wrote:<br>
          <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
            .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
            <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
              <div>I've been Jonesing for an E46 or E39 Touring for some
                time. Just haven't found the perfect one yet.  I require
                a manual gearbox, sport package and HID lights.  I've
                come close a couple of times. Found one that was almost
                perfect but timing was wrong. </div>
              <div><br>
              </div>
              <div>E39 Touring with manual is easier to find. </div>
              <div><br>
              </div>
              <div>Geo<br>
                <br>
                Sent from my iPad</div>
              <div>
                <div class="h5">
                  <div><br>
                    On Sep 18, 2014, at 9:39 AM, David Pertuz &lt;<a
                      moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="mailto:d.pertuz@gmail.com" target="_blank">d.pertuz@gmail.com</a>&gt;
                    wrote:<br>
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                                    <div>
                                      <div>My primary car is the Beige
                                        Transportation Appliance, a 2004
                                        Honda Accord. As if that's not
                                        beige enough, it's
                                        beige-on-beige with a
                                        four-cylinder and an automatic.
                                        Not quite my thing (though it
                                        would be fine if it were a
                                        manual) but it was a deal way
                                        too good to pass up when I got
                                        it. I've had it
                                        three-and-something years and
                                        since it works well enough for
                                        the out-of-town trips that
                                        constitute most of its driving,
                                        I've been happy enough. But
                                        after a three-week vacation in
                                        the west that involved a lot of
                                        mountain and otherwise twisty
                                        roads, and a headliner that
                                        began falling down (WTF?) I've
                                        quickly become pretty over the
                                        car and am dreaming of its
                                        replacement. It's OK
                                        cosmetically (Florida car, so
                                        it's squeaky clean, but scrapes
                                        on the fascias, etc.), interior
                                        is pretty immaculate except for
                                        the damn headliner, and
                                        mechanically its excellent and
                                        has super-low mileage (45k) So
                                        my budget will be whatever I can
                                        sell it for, maybe another grand
                                        or so, or something around $9k.
                                        Cash (I don't buy cars on
                                        credit.)<br>
                                        <br>
                                      </div>
                                      I want ideas from y'all. What I
                                      want includes the following:<br>
                                      <br>
                                    </div>
                                    -D-sized preferably (Camcord size),
                                    but C-sized is OK<br>
                                  </div>
                                  -Hatchback or wagon<br>
                                </div>
                                -Manual transmission (I hate automatics)<br>
                              </div>
                              -Fun to drive<br>
                            </div>
                            <div>-30mpg on the highway (my damn Accord
                              will barely even do that)<br>
                              -Reliable and easy to work on (I keep shit
                              for a long time)<br>
                            </div>
                            -I don't care if it's fast, though I
                            certainly don't mind<br>
                          </div>
                          -Hatchback or wagon - I might get another
                          sedan if it hit all the other buttons, but 
                          why compromise? I love the utility of 5-doors.
                          If it's a sedan, it absolutely must have a
                          folding seatback. The ability to fit a bike
                          inside is mandatory. I would love to have a
                          cargo area long enough to sleep in, too.<br>
                          <br>
                        </div>
                        <div>I had plenty of time to think on this, and
                          I came up with only two cars that hit
                          everything: the Mazda 6 (wagons and hatches
                          aren't really common, but they're there) and
                          the Subaru Legacy GT. Two local examples:<br>
                          <br>
                          <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                            href="http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/4628641820.html"
                            target="_blank">http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/4628641820.html</a><br>
                          <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                            href="http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/4668168837.html"
                            target="_blank">http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/4668168837.html</a><br>
                          <br>
                        </div>
                        <div>What am I missing that's fun? Anything?
                          I've thought of things like a BMW E46 Touring,
                          or an E39 Touring, Jetta diesel wagons at the
                          right price point, etc. but those are going to
                          be high mileage and do I really want the
                          electronics of a high-mileage German car? I
                          love driving cars like that, but owning....<br>
                          <br>
                          David<br>
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                  <div><span>+----------------------------------------------------------------------+</span><br>
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