[GammaZeta]

I missed our monthly cars and coffee today, and as a result, I was browsing the internet for something that has been on the back of my mind for a good couple of months, testing out an M3 to determine if I should buy one and sell my Z4M.

So, one literally just popped up less than 1/2 mile from my house. 08, manual, 4-door with 67,000 miles on it.

Initial Impressions: This particular car was a little beat. My wife commented that it looks like her 1-series. But of course, the M3 isn't supposed to be attention grabbing like a Lambo or anything.

Interior: Pretty nice. Seating position was a little too upright for my liking. Loved the seats. Loved the navigation. Steering wheel was, eh (my Z4M is amazing by comparison, so that's probably why I was underwhelmed).

Driving: Drove nice. Turned very well. Firm, but not too firm. Easily controllable and didn't FEEL like a 4-door sedan. Very nice feeling.

Speed: This is where it gets tricky. This thing is FAST. But not the fast I'm used to with the S54 engine. It's absolutely faster than my Z4M, but it doesn't FEEL as fast.

I can see why the M3 just eats cars left and right though, but...

I only noticed the speed when I took my foot off the gas after gunning it. It was very linear and instant, but felt more like a slight push than a pull. You don't realize how much push this car has until you stop.

Sound: Freakin' amazing. Where can I get an audio tape of it? End of story.

Conclusion: Amazing car, but I didn't walk right up to the salesman and tell him to take my Z4M in a trade. It definitely has my attention, but I can wait a few more years until I tire of my Z4M.

I have to say, the M3 (especially a 4-door) is the perfect combination of speed, comfort and styling for an everyday, all around car.

If I had to have one car for everything, the M3 would be it without question.

As a dedicated sports car for the weekends, it doesn't have the uniqueness or specialness of my Z4M.

Grade: I would give the E90 M3 a solid A grade.