I have a 1997 318ti and a 2004 Z4 3.0. Both cars are good handlers and the engines themselves are great. as others have said, the engines are solid but it is the little other nagging stuff that drives you crazy. All newer BMWs come with electronic throttles but unlike the RX-8, their factory settings are crap and the delay in throttle response is very annoying. and they feel big, heavy and numb now. I shopped a lot of the BMW models before settling on the first generation Z4 and all the newer ones seem isolated with bland driving feel. especially when compared to the RX-8.

 

370z is lamesauce though. Why even bother.