2000 BMW 3-Series

Choosing the right tool for a given task is critical if you expect to have a successful outcome. And a driver must choose the right car if he or she is planning to carve up a curvy country road at a high rate of speed...and still make it to their tee-time alive.

While there are hordes of "sporty", high-end sedans and coupes on the market, none speak to the soul like a BMW 3-series. From the very second you put it into gear, you can feel the purpose that this car has in life. The steering is firm and responsive, the brakes are sure-footed and powerful and the handling is absolutely mind blowing. This car was made to take you places, while entertaining you along the way. Sort of like a plane ride with a movie and bag of peanuts.

Redesigned in '98, the E46 got a new look, more room, more power and if that wasn't enough, the in-house entertainment even has a double feature...called Cornering Brake Control. This trick system is like having a brake pedal for each wheel. Throw the BMW into a curve and a computer applies braking to whichever wheel is about to lose traction and send you careening off the side of a mountain. Very useful if you don't have a clue how to drive.

All this Nirvana can be had in a variety of shapes and sizes. There's a sensible 4 door, a sexy coupe, and a sun-loving convertible. And you can even get a wagon, for all the high maintenance soccer moms out there. Imagine that, a station wagon...that's fun to drive! What is this world coming to?

Now, if you're going to buy one of these things, you're probably wondering which one is right for you. So let's take a moment to decipher those confusing BMW model numbers:

Starting with the 1998 model year, you could get a 323i which used a 2.5-liter 6 and made 170hp. Or you could have the more popular 328i with it's 193hp 2.8-liter in-line 6 cylinder. These cars came with either a 5sp manual or a 5sp automatic. Traction control is standard, along with the Cornering Brake Control system and front and side curtain airbags. Other options included rear side-impact airbags, and Park Distance Control, (handy if you suck at backing up).

Changes for 2000: The re-styled convertible appeared and featured roll bars behind the rear seat that were designed to deploy automatically if the car was about to start a roll. BMW's Step-tronic manual-shift transmission was introduced and Anti skid Dynamic Stability Control became standard equipment.

So basically, if you want something that's cheap to own and fairly reliable, buy a bicycle. But if you want to drive something that's half roller-coaster and half-country club... The BMW 3-series is the car for you...