[-Nathan]

If you can afford the M3, go for it. I have a 2002, and I can say that the thing is a beast. Incredible fun! But, the MINI is a ideal for everyday use. I've hauled so much in it, people are astonished that a MINI can carry as much as it can. You can't go wrong with the MINI, but... if the M3's what you really want, I think you should think about it, as it's well worth the price.

I don't know about the M3 but I drove my wife's BMW 330 CI again for the first time since I got my MCS a couple of weeks ago and after driving the Mini, the BMW feels like a Buick. Compared to the Mini the steering on the 330 feels slow and overboosted.