[amk2912]

Thanks for your input, fontana302 and Caduceus....very helpful!

Alas, my situation with having to take three kids (4, 5 and 8) to school has taken me down the M3 sedan path. I didn't think it would be an issue with the 135i coupe in the beginning but the length of the doors in the narrow parking bays and general uncooperativeness of the kids makes drop-off and pick-up a nightmare. Of course, add in the wife and the 135i is a scratching with it's 4 seats.

The M3 sedan is a compromise between practicality and performance.

I'll miss the boot up the backside my chipped 135i gives me at 2500rpm and the freight-train pull it delivers thru to 6000rpm.

As Clarkson put it when introducing the sedan..."and now your children can have their spleens crushed too!!"