Stevo'99

Not that you guys have not given strong suggestions, but I have another alternative. My wife has gone through the whole gamut of BMW's, SUV's, etc... and she finally fell in love with a Mini Cooper S when we bought one for our son. She had to have one so we got her the MC-40 limited edition and added the JCW package on which puts it at just over 200hp. The thing is a rocket and a blast to drive. It is a German engineered car, built in England, and has replaced her last SUV. I have to mention that she is a car enthusiast, used to race both Porsches and Corvettes (back in the day) and can drive like hell on a track. Don't ask her to back up, though... I think the back up gene resides on the Y-chromosome.

I let her drive the 996 once in a while, but I swear she loves her Mini. It has room for 4 adults inside - we do it all the time. The price will definitely be less than some of those other cars you've mentioned, and it is not as luxurious, but you might as well give it a try.

Sanjeevan

Just curious, how safe these things are, do you know of any safety ratings for the mini.

Stevo'99

Funny you ask - that is where the Mini really shines. It is one of the safest cars on the road. My first thought when I saw the new Mini was "what a death-trap" - but I couldn't have been further from the truth.

jetskied

Since she likes the BMW already I say stick with that or try the Audi. The other cars don't offer the same refinement as you are gonna get with the BMW. All of the other cars are good cars, but just not as good as the BMW. The Audi if you are getting a regular A4 will be more luxurious, the Acura is nice but has lots of torque steer, the R32 is a lower line car and does not have the level of luxury you are looking for, the G35 is fast but not as luxurious or refined, and the Volvo is nice car but not exciting.

Graygoose997

<<She does NOT want a big car. She drove a BMW 330Ci with performance package and really liked the way it drives, but I mentioned that she should try other vehicles. She wants something sporty, she would prefer a manual transmission. She would need 4 seats.>>

Mini Cooper S.
Lots more fun than the 330 ( I hate my wife's 2004 330 Cab, even with the so called 'sport package" )
For 22 K or so it's a blast. Add another $500- 1,000 in minor but effective mods to increase the fun factor.

Perry

chitownbob

I like the caddy CTS. if you like the bmw try out the caddy and you will be suprised. You can get really good deals on them too.

Bobby

jetskied

The CTS is a wonderful car, test the upgrade 3.6L. The CTS-V is a low cost M series, but I think they only have 6 speeds. Your wife might want a auto. Its also might be a bigger car than you were looking for.

equ

As a longtime A4 owner and having just sold my 911, I was on the search. Did extensive drives of M3, 330 (many versions), R32, G35, 530, 540, TSX, Sub GT, etc etc.

Even though I was never a bmw fan, I ended up with a 330ZHP which is a really nice car. It's cornering is very close to that of an M3 and not too far from a 911. The acceleration is not amazing but it is a smooth, well built machine. On paper it is matched well by the competitors, but small touches add up to make it a much nicer car. I'm one for optimizing decisions and only one question remains. I bought the coupe thinking I'd grow out of it in a few years. Now I think I should have gotten the sedan so I never have to sell!

If you have more questions about the car or want to see pics of the beautiful imola red/natural brown leather color combo, pm me.

Do you really need awd? I'm an avid skier and plan to get snow tires.

RJMDAD996

My Younger Brother Has an 04 S4 - I drove it recently, I think it drives great ! Love the V8 and the linkage is pretty good, Recaro seats are AWESOME - four doors and good rear space, What's not to love. A bit pricey, but you get AWD All year round, TL will not give you that, nor will the BMW.

teflon_jones

Bimmer all the way. The 3 series has been king of that market segment forever for a reason!

Wachuko

The BMW 330 with the Performance Package is a very nice alternative. I would say to stop looking and go for it.

Why not just get another Porsche? You can't have too many of them

GoFastKindaGuy

I really like the S4, but I'm an Audi guy. My wife drives an S6 Avant, but we wanted space and performance. Test them all. It's personal preference.

earlyapex

My wife is on her second A6 4.2 and she loves the mix of luxury and performance. We test drove a 04 S4 and I was amazed at the difference. The 4.2L in the S4 is the next generation making more than 30 more hp and it is just right for the car. There's enough torque on command at any rpm. The car handled better than any previous Audi that I've driven and stopped on a dime. I've driven the track with my 40th and a 04 S4 following me. The S4 was better than its driver and it was very fast on the track. Your wife may not want to do this but it's good to know that the car can be taken from the dealership and driven to the track without any modifications.

I can't argue against a 330 with the PP as this car is also very nice. There are enough examples of all these cars to take them out for test drives. Enjoy!

caf

You've gotten some good suggestions here; I'll throw out a couple not yet mentioned. This week I did a track day sponsored by Mercedes. I've never owned a Benz (6 Bimmers, 3 P-cars), but got a chance to try out pretty much their whole line-up on the track. Naturally, the AMG SL 55's and C55's were a hoot; but a couple of others were surprising. They had a 230 Kompressor C class in red with a sport package that was a really nice drive; I had a blast on the road course with it. And truly a bargain at a sticker of $33K. The 6 cylinder models were more expensive and nowhere near as much fun. The 4WD versions weren't much fun either--too heavy and the steering was too slow.

I also liked the new 2005 SLK350. If your wife likes the idea of a folding hardtop, it might be a consideration. The car has much more power than the previous generation, and the seating position reminded me of my 996. Strictly a 2 seater, of course.

Good luck.