I bought a used '03 6-speed M3 Coupe with 19" wheels more or less on reputation: the packaging of a usable every day car, Porsche Carrera beating performance and sleek sporty looks. A year later, I am selling the car for relocation reasons, but without much regrets.

To put things in some perspective, I own two Ferraris (550 & 355 GTS F1), an Audi S4 biturbo and an '03 Porsche 996 Carrera, so the M3 purchase was more meant to be a pragmatic daily driver than my first dream sports car. In absolute terms, the M3 is a good car: it looks great, acceleration and handling are good, equipment is excellent, finish & build quality are ok, all that you would expect for a car that price.

If you dig deeper, the package pales a bit. BMW has squeezed every possible penny, some plastics such as the seats base enclosure or in the trunk are cheap hard items that get scratched and are really unacceptable in that segment.

I chose on purpose a manual 6-speed, I am beyond the paddle shifter gizmomania and wanted the versatility of a real clutch and stick. Not a good idea, the gearbox of the M3 is one of the worst I've encountered. Slow, unprecise, long throws. I searched all forums for answers, got the gearbox and rear diff oil changed, removed the clutch delay valve, but still, the gearbox spoils the driving experience. Even if you are not a fan, the SMG2 paddle shifter is strongly advised.

BMW is known to get brakes wrong on most of M series, and the M3 is no exception. A bit over-assisted, but most importantly amazingly grumpy: they grumble at every sustained braking. At first I thought my discs were warped, but all cars seem to be like this. Another element which spoils sports driving.

BMW's straight six is not a monster of low end torque, but it's nicely supple and builds up pace nicely as revs climb. Sadly, the exhaust note sounds very artificial, with this sudden switch to an unmistakable rattle noise. I'd rather a smoother aural build up than this off/on stuff. Gas mileage is very reasonable with regards to engine displacement and performance.

Handling is good, suspension firm but not uncomfortable, and the Dynamic Stability Control is very well judged, intervening when required with measure, never seems intrusive unless your driving gets overly jerky. The front end bites nicely, allowing to carve nice lines. There is some understeer dialed in, but the M3 will live to the promise of tail-happy fun if conditions and skills allow. In contrast to mid or rear engined sports car, the relatively high center of gravity and hefty weight will be reminders that it takes more than a badge to be a true nimble sports car.

The signature chunkier-than-it-should-be steering wheel is the cherry on the pie. The M3 is more a sporty comfortable coupe than the all-out sports car it claims to be. A good compromise if you are restricted to have one all-around car with a sporty edge, but not the purest driving experience. If you think about tracking your car, get a reasonable daily driver and pick a track-focused model.