BEST PERFORMING CAR under 50g and maybe above!

The E36 M3 (91-99) could very well be the best performing car for $50,000 or less. To be honest, this car can out perform many cars up till the $100,000 range. In my opinion you wont find a big change in performance until you reach a vehicle such as the porsche 911 turbo.

The E36 M3 can be costly, however it is an excellent investment. In a Road and Track or Car and Driver article (i dont remember which magazine it was) they stated that of all cars the M3 retained its value the best after rolling off the dealership lot. A M3 in good condition with 30-40,000 miles on it can still sell for 35g or so.

This car is not only luxury on wheels, it can also perform. Under the hood is an inline 6 power house that pushes 240 hp and approx 240 lbs/ft of torque to power the 3175lb chassis. It runs the 1/4 mile in low to mid 14's stock. It accelerates 0-60 in about 5 seconds. The handling is also superb! whether on mountain passes or saving yourself from an accident. (the m3's reliability and handling has many a time saved me from an accident -- not my fault of course :)) Because of its restriction to only 5 gears, the gear ratios maybe take a while to be accustomed to. First gear is only meant to get this car rolling. Shifting to second is like downshifting--the car just takes off. If you're looking to modify the car after you purchase it, be prepared to spend double the amount of money you would normally spend on a common japanese import. Another real important quality of this car and all bimmers is their safety. The car is built to crush all around except for the cabin. BMW magazine features photos and thank you letters that owners send in as a testimonial of how their BMW has saved their lives. The sales rep who sold me my car told us of an incident she was involved in. She took a young couple on a test drive in a 5 series. Not long into the drive a semi ran them off the road and down an incline. The car made 3 complete rolls and came to rest on its roof. Luckily, all were wearing seatbelts and everyone walked out with not so much as a scratch. They bought a bimmer on the spot.

I highly recomment this car if you do not mind spending a little more and would enjoy a FAST and safe experience!