Find a good independent BMW mechanic who can also source parts, pay the lowest price you can and put it in the garage for "occasional use"! That's the life of our 20 year old, 200,000k E36. BMW make really beautiful, practical cars and they're also true drivers' cars which is a rare characteristic among modern cars nowadays.
I've owned two cars with V8 and I miss it, but Australia has been so nannied down that driving is no longer a pleasurable experience. Cars like this are barely allowed to go past idling speed. I used to do the ton in the country quite often many years ago but no way can I do it any longer!
This is for the European motorway where you're quite legally cruising at 130 and you need a sudden burst of acceleration to 160 to overtake before the car coming down the outside line at 200 closes up on you. The thing is that nowadays the turbo 4 cylinders can do all this with no sweat, so there's hardly any point in a V8.
