BTW - I wasn't expecting too much love from the X5 BMW crowd towards my Audi, which is part of why I posted this here to get some alternate perspectives from people who have owned or do own some of the cars I am considering.

I just had a thought too. Maybe I should DD the X5 for a month and see how I like it vs the S4 and see if that gives me any alternative perspectives on the matter.... If I were to sell the S4 instead of the X5 I would probably be most inclined to get an E46 M3. In that scenario I could see myself driving each about 10-12K miles / year which is a manageable amount of miles for both cars.

Hey, no haters here. Its just fun to play the game of picking an ideal set of cars for the garage. Audi, and wagons specifically, always factors in when I rethink the lineup.

I definitely think the X5 is a great all-rounder as mentioned before, and pointing out the Avant's cramped back seats is just part of the conversation of how the X5 suits so many purposes very well and why you might miss it.

Hey, feel free to take shots at my cars if all this seems like attacks. I've got at least one easy target in there but I don't get defensive about any of it. :D

ya - like 2 X5's. Really dude? :bustingup

Maybe I will just keep what I have too... X5 provides a very different driving experience than the S4. And the S4 is a great daily driver. I just keep missing having an M car in the line-up...

If it were me, I'd keep the S4, sell the X5, and get this. :popcorn: But of course, I am biased ;)

I don't think I could pick up a decent RS6 for under $20K, do you?

Besides, I would much rather have an E39 M5 than an RS6.

Under $20K no, but under $30K yes. The one in the pic is for sale locally... super clean and +/- 50K miles. Just saying... :D

:shakehead: :tapping: Just kidding, nice car too.

I would swap the X for the ///M car..... Man i miss mine E36 ///M3 Convert.

sell you my e46 M..

the M and the X are just two different cars man. depends what you want to do with them too. if you like madness and driving like a total idot, get an M. if you like to cruise and carry 4 people comfortably all the while driving like half an idiot, keep the 4.6. on a day to day basis, i hop in my 4.8is before my m3.

I am starting to think more about swapping out the S4 instead of the 4.6...

Today I test drove a Z4-MC. 2007 with 18K miles and CPO good for 3 more years. At a BMW dealer on Stevens Creek, SJ, so fresh CPO car. Basically brand new car. For low $30's vs. a $55K MSRP. Had nav and heated seats too which is cool. After the 15-20min test drive I was ready to sign on the dotted line man - that car is just sweet :thumbup: But as I always do, I walked away. I have realized that I am a car addict, and I am not allowed to make snap decisions like that :stickpoke

On the drive up to my office in Fremont I realized something - my driving patterns these days are 80% freeway. Yes - I get the occasional on-off ramp to enjoy, and every once in awhile I get to enjoy a back road out behind my house in the deep SE San Jose foothills. But mostly I am on the highway.

The Z4MC is a highly focused and hard-core car with little compromise - it is all about performance. Much like it's competitor the Cayman S. I really don't need a car like that. Yes - they are way fun to drive with simply perfect steering and handling. But all of that is a waste 95% of the time and I think I would tire of that quickly and then not drive it much. Which is evidently what happened with this car since it is 3 years old with 2 owners and only 6K miles / year of use. Kinda like when I owned the Z06 C5 Corvette and I put on 5-6K miles in a year and mostly drove the truck I owned along with it at the time.

E46 M3 is probably a more appropriate car for me and is maybe half-way between the Z4MC and my S4. It has enough utility to allow me to drive it more often too - folding seats so I can carry my bike or a keyboard or my 2 kids in a pinch when needed and I am not driving one of the 4-doors.

And ya - the X5 is more versatile than the S4 for sure. Bigger cargo space. More interior room and comfort for 4 passengers. Nicer highway ride. Ability to tow or carry bikes on the back via receiver hitch. More ground clearance for snow driving. And looking again at the rear seat in the G37, the X clearly has more space all-around.

So I think if I am going to make a switch, it does make more sense to sell the S4 and get an M3 or possibly an E39 M5. I also was talking to my wife and found out she plans to drive her old Mazda during the week once the motor swap is done and it is running again. So the G37 will be available for me sometimes during the week as well to use as needed. Which makes the case more towards a M3 vs. M5 since I would have 2 other 4 door cars available with good highway manners for cruising.

Sell the X5 and the S4 and DD an E60 M5!