I currenty own a 98 m3 5spd sedan I love the car have owned it for 2 years & have never had a problem. but i am starting to think about a change & my 2nd child is due next month so I have to stick with a 4 door so I am between a 540i 6spd , a b5 s4 manual or keeping the M.
I love the thought of all wheel drive here in NJ but have ran my m3 with snows for the past 2 years with no problems

my questions are 1) anyone stuffing 2 kids with car seats in the s4 & how is it.
2) performance s4 vs e36 m3
3) should I just bite the bullit & get the old man 540i & act my age.

 

i def. don't have any kids OR an s4, but if the back seat is anything like the backseat in an a4, it's gonna be less than roomy. m3's are sick cars too, though.
hmm... I dunno, but the s4 probably isn't that big, but then again, neither are your kids...

PS. a 540i is rad too, I wouldn't mind being an old man for that car...

 

I have the B7 S4, which I think has a slightly larger back seat than the B5. I put my 2yo back there without issue. Agree that a 540i wouldn't suck.

 

You can get a E39 M5 for under $30k now, that's the best upgrade from a E36.

Basically, go drive a few S4's and decide for you self.

While just about any S4 is faster then the E36 in a straight line, they don't corner, or brake like the E36 M3.

But going to a Audi, you never have to worry about the radiator, water pump, or thermostat failing for no reason.

 

Trust me a M5 is what I want but with the new rugrat due 11-24 & the wife not working for the next 6 mo I can not bog myself down with a car payment so just looking for what I can buy cash I figure I can get about 10k for my M3 & can get into a 2000-2001 540i or s4 in the mid - high teens.

 

You will not get $10k for the E36 for a trade in. Sell it privately. Yes, you can find a B5 S4 in the high teens, or middle teens, but they usually need some work.
If you wrench your own car, the Audi will be so foreign. Parts are also more expensive, and the dealers suck even more. From my 5 months owning the S4, they
require more maintenance then the E36, but have a much higher build quality, and nicer fit & finish over the E36.

The rear seat is not all the big, it's a little more room then the E36 4 door.

You might be better off finding a A6, or a S6 is it fits the budget.

I moved from owning BMW's for 12 years. I traded in my 525 for the S4, they gave me $3500 in trade.