Where / When did your love for M cars start?

[JoM3z]

As a kid I watched my neighbor clean and work on his E30 M3 every week. He was a close friend of my father and one day asked if I wanted to help him wash his car in return he'd pay me $20. I would have gladly done it for free, but hey $20 bucks, I'll take it. At that moment I knew I wanted to own one. Back then we didn't have Google, I was armed with Netscape and WebCrawler. I searched for photos and printed them out on my fathers BubbleJet Color printer. I had pictures of the E30 M3 Sport Evolution all over my wall. I was set and had a goal. Few years after college I was fortunate enough to purchase my first E46 M3, but that was short lived. The car was my daily driver and that consisted of me driving my mom. Seeing it's a 2 door and she is at age, having her constantly get in and out of the car didn't make sense.

I had to sell the M3 and opted for a 330i. Life throws you many curve balls, the M3 and I never rekindled. Eventually sold the 330i and went a year without a car. I eventually decided to jump on a 4 door 335i. Went to my local BMW dealer, met with a sales rep. and ask if I can test drive one of their 335i. Right of the bat the guy gave me the run arounds, wasn't helpful at all. Even ask if I can afford one, maybe it was how I was dressed. Yankee fitted, white Ts, sweats and my Air Max 95 gave him false impression that I was young, who knows. At that point I was irritated and just left. On my way home I saw a Lexus dealership and decided to stop by. The sales guy was very helpful and due to my frustration with the BMW dealership, well I eventually drove off with an IS350.

But there is still that void of owning an M car that an IS350 or any other car could not fill. Years passed and I heard BMW was planning on releasing a 4 door M3, I was sooooo excited. No more compromising, my mom and everyone else can ride in my car with out an issue. I was ready to trade in my IS350, when again life throws a curve ball. Got engaged and planned on getting married in the next coming year. My wife now promised after the wedding I can plan on trading in the car for the M3. Being responsible husband that I am opted to purchase a condo instead.

I would constantly visit the forums read up on articles about the M3 and one day my wife took notice. Finally she tells me, "Hun why don't you get your car" I simply replied "Why where we going?" she laughed and says no I mean get your M3 Wait what? Months and months of searching, old flame sparked and that love finally rekindled. That same feeling I got when I was 14 is now happening, 19 years later.

Proud owner...

[dmk08]

I was a big 'American Muscle' guy in my early to mid twenties. I owned 2 Trans Am WS6, a Z28, and a couple Mustangs over a 7 year period.

My roommate purchased a 2006 M3 brand new and I was immediately in love. But at this time I was very frustrated with performance cars as I had jut blown up a car with an active loan. I got myself out of that hole and drove 2 pretty tame vehicles for the next few years. A 2004 Audi A4 and then a 2007 IS350.

Year 2011. Itch begins to return and I look into all possible suitors. Test drove the IS-F, M3, and C63 AMG. At this time i fought off the temptation.

Year 2012. Fly into Miami for a business trip and my colleague picks me up in a 2009 E90. Start looking at prices and notice it's not that big of an upgrade from the IS350 I had finished paying off. After talking with the better half about it for a few months and getting no signs of resistance I decided to make the plunge. 2 weeks and 10 test drives later I purchased my 2009 E90.

8/2012. Mod bug about to take over!!!

[mamadub]

When I was married in 2005, my husband wanted a sports car. I was walking in a parking lot when I saw this beautiful silver car headed towards me...and I dislike silver cars. When it drove past me, I saw it was a BMW M3. I called him immediately and told him that was the car he needed. Turns out, the dealership had a new ///M3 vert on the lot, and we bought it on the spot. That was the beginning of my love for the ///M3 and unfortunately, the beginning of my ex husbands mid life crisis!

[Talk2meg00se]

when my dad purchased an E36 in 1997 - he let me take it for a spin sometime shortly thereafter and i was hooked for life . purchased my first M in 2010 (2nd hand '08 E92)

[hpc3]

Have to say the Perfromance Center is likely 50% responsible for my M3 order. Sure I've configured them over and over since they were announced in 2007 but never seemed to find the kick to make me purchase one. Add in regular business events at the PC, a couple of classes now and I'm buying my first BMW since 1991.

The Audi statement is a bit misleading, good cars still today. There is no passion in anything with 4 usable seats in it though.

Two more weeks to go before PCD. Can't wait!

[PhillyNate]

E36.

[MDyDinanM]

the e46 back in 2003

living in Germany, learning how to drive stick (in a BMW) and being fully indoctrinated into the brand. That and driving on the Autobahn.

[X2Board]

I signed up for the Susan G. Komen drive for the cure the first year it was held in Hartford, CT. (1998) And they had the M3, M Roadster and M Coupe that year. I drove them all, multiple times and just knew that I would own an M car some day. I don't know why it took all this time, as I've been through Audi, AMG, Infiniti, non M BMW models. 18 different cars in the past 15 years as my wife reminded me on our 15th anniversary yesterday. She still can't believe that I've finally found a car I want to keep for a long time.

Maybe I was just saving the best for last. I hope the F80 carries the torch as well as all the previous 3 series M cars.

[JoM3z]

Congrats on your PCD, post a pic when she arrives...

Originally Posted by hpc3

Have to say the Perfromance Center is likely 50% responsible for my M3 order. Sure I've configured them over and over since they were announced in 2007 but never seemed to find the kick to make me purchase one. Add in regular business events at the PC, a couple of classes now and I'm buying my first BMW since 1991.

The Audi statement is a bit misleading, good cars still today. There is no passion in anything with 4 usable seats in it though.

Two more weeks to go before PCD. Can't wait!

[Porschefile]

E36 M3, which I bought a few years ago to make into a racecar. Still miss it

[JoM3z]

I hope he did not trade in the M3 that lead to the divorce

Originally Posted by mamadub

When I was married in 2005, my husband wanted a sports car. I was walking in a parking lot when I saw this beautiful silver car headed towards me...and I dislike silver cars. When it drove past me, I saw it was a BMW M3. I called him immediately and told him that was the car he needed. Turns out, the dealership had a new ///M3 vert on the lot, and we bought it on the spot. That was the beginning of my love for the ///M3 and unfortunately, the beginning of my ex husbands mid life crisis!

[LarThaL]

With the e36 M3. Problem for me was that I needed a car with good winter capability so I went with Audi initially when I could finally afford a premium brand. It's not until I had the resources to buy a second nice car as more of a toy that I bought my M3. I could have bought it earlier and driven around in a dumpier DD, but I didn't want to do that either.

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by mamadub

That was the beginning of my love for the ///M3 and unfortunately, the beginning of my ex husbands mid life crisis!

Sorry mamadub but despite the sad outcome I found that funny!

Looks like it was start of your payback as well with the E93...

[klammer]

To be totally honest, on the drive home from PCD after picking up my M, which was the first time I'd ever driven an M. Now I am hooked forever!!! The balance, refinement and performance of this car is unmatched IMHO.... Absolutely love. It!!!!

[M4Now!]

A year ago, when I began researching sports sedans and coupes; and found the M3 won all the comparisons; then drove one, and it was fantastic; then dropped the roof on an e93, and it was even more fantastic; then drove home in mine

Cheers

[MKE_M3]

I first started getting into cars around age 15. My dad wasn't much of a car guy, but my best friend and his dad were both really into cars. I started reading the car magazines they had lying around and read an article about all the best sports cars in the world. The comparison had a Carrera, Ferrari 355, Viper, Corvette, all of the hottest cars of the era. There was one odd man out, the M Roadster. It really resonated with me how they wrote about the joy of driving the car and the importance of balance, even though it was the cheapest and lowest powered car in the group, they talked about how on curvy public roads they could drive as fast as any of the other cars in the group.

My bias towards the importance of balance and driving pleasure over raw power and performance numbers started with that article. That was also when my love of BMW's started.

When I was 18, I bought my first car, a 1978 BMW 320i, lots of fun, paid $600 and never got a title (it was 20 years old and I bought it from a shady dealership). After getting a refund and returning the car, I bought my second car, a 1989 325i which lasted me most of the way through college, I drove it from 130k miles to 170k miles with just two small repairs and some general maintanance. During college, my obsession with M really heated up, I dreamed of owning an e36, would price them out on the website regularly.

Prior to graduating, I had an 8 month internship at IBM where I was paid quite well and was able to save up a little money. I made a horrible financial decision a bought a 1991 M5 for $15000 with 170k miles on it. It was much cheaper than I could get an e36 M3 at the time, so I figured, why not. Definately a great car, but two expensive repairs (head gasket and clutch) in the first year of ownership broke my still in college bank and I got rid of it and bought an Acura RSX.

Raced the RSX in AutoX for two years, but it never gave me the joy of my BMW's (3 by the age of 21, all paid for with my own money). Sold it in less than two years and bought a used e36 M3, my dream car!! I sold it to my buddy who, after he owned it for about 5 years, just did a massive renovation. I still get visitation rights and it is an absolutely amazing machine with the modficiations (several drive train mods, though still NA, Dinan suspension, upgraded bushings, etc.).

Since then, i have owned several cars, but have never really had a passion for any of them other than the BMWs. My last car was a 335i and, although it was my favorite car, it wasn't an M, and after spending almost 10k in mods, it still didn't drive like my M (it was close, but still not as good). Last year, bought one of the last e90 M3's to be sold, after they stopped making them.

I have no interest in changing rides any time soon. I think I may keep this car for a decade or more, even if I buy something else as well. It is the best car, in every way (except gas milage) that I have ever owned. The ultimate driving machine, indeed!!!

[kmarei]

This is what started a love affair
Growing up, this was the car I fantasized about
it wasn't a Ferrari, or a Porsche
It was this M3
There was something magical about it
The whole built for the racetrack and that they had to build 5000 to sell to the public

[hpc3]

Originally Posted by JoM3z

Congrats on your PCD, post a pic when she arrives...

Hope I can be patient another two weeks =)

[tibra1]

The first e30 M3 I saw at 12 yrs old sealed the deal for me.

But I fell in love with BMWs as a whole not just the M's

[dagolfpro]

It was summer of 1994 when I saw my first Dakar Yellow M3. Fell in love with it but couldn't even come close to afford one as I just started my first job out of college. In 1999, I really wanted a M3 again, but still couldn't afford one then as well. So I settled for the last of the E36 Coupe 328is. I owned that car until last October and drove it 178k without any major issues. The only thing that went wrong was brake light sensors went out on it twice. That's it!!!

I was in the market for a used 911 Cab C2S (my first love was the 911 which I fell for back in 1985 with the slant nose tubos. Since it only has 2 doors, wife said it had to have 4 doors. So, I started to look in E90 M3's. Looked for over 3 months for a used one but couldn't find "the one". So, I started to look for a new one. Found one in So Cal and flew done there to pick it up. Crazy thing is, I never drove a M3 since 1994. I bought my car without a test drive (I did drive 2008 M5). I just knew I was going to love it with no regrets. And I did!!!

[serranot]

Was shopping cars to reward myself for a promotion. Had driven S4 and a couple of other cars. Owned an E39 540i at the time. Test drove an E90. Could not Pass it up.

[kiloil]

I towed an E36 M out of the snow in 99 is when I fell in love with it.