Hey Lou....I know the "I got me no stick shift" feeling! I drove a 330i with auto yesterday. The engine and handling was what kept me distracted from thinking about the stick shift though. The car is still so much fun to drive even with the auto. One thing I noticed is that the auto robs the car of power on take off. Once You reach midrange, all hell breaks loose!
On here of course anybody will say trade up to the M3. As long as You are willing to invest a bit more cha-ching. If it were me though, I would stick with the 330i auto. It's brand new with full warranty and maintenance coverage. No one has touched it before You. An M3 with 100k must be checked over thoroughly for wear and tear. Brakes and tires are very pricey on that model (even tough You have me haha). Plus from what You told me You spend some time in traffic where auto is a plus.
So to complete my chime... I recommend You get that M wheel / tire package I've been bragging about and give the windows a nice tint. That will complete that car.
Bartman
