Wife wants to sell her 95 540i - which coupe to buy?! Problem: She doesn't want a 3 series! Help!

["Stephen Robinson" <stever@xxxxxxxxx>]

The wife's had her green 95 540i keyed twice in her lot where she works and
she thinks it's "marked", PLUS, she is ready for something sportier (huh? -
would it have anything to do with her turning 41?) - a two door coupe -
aaaaargh.  The history: she originally bought a 91 850ci two years ago
(after trading in a 91 white Supra - looks similiar to an 850!), but a week
after buying it, it had lots of problems so the dealer graciously let her
exchange it for anything on the lot.  The only car she half-liked was the
540i so she just took it (for 30K - same price as the 850ci).  Now, she
wants something sporty, a coupe, but she doesn't like the look of the 3
series.  I thought, how about a 97 840ci, but she thinks it would attract
too much attention and people would key this car too (plus, they are out of
our price range - 44K-49K)!  AND, being an 840 it would be a nightmare in
terms of repairing it when it gets a bit older (according to the service guy
I talked to at the dealer - VOB!).  SO, she's asked me to look into other
coupes that would have a small back seat for her 6 year old - she likes the
looks and reliability of the (ok - here's the part if you're a BMW fanatic
and you don't have an open mind to the wife buying other vehicles, skip this
posting) Lexus SC400 coupe, maybe a 97 (need to keep it at $34,000 or
less!), or a ......... I can't think of anything else?!  Any ideas?  She
likes the Mercedes CLK430's (and I guess, the CLK320's) but of course even a
used one is too much.  I'm stuck.  She won't even look at a new 3 series.
She drove one 6 months ago and thought it paled in comparison to her 540i...
size wise and looks wise [please, no flames, I'm down enough right now], at
least.  Anyone own one of those there Lexus animals, the SC400's?  They look
kinda cool to me, on the internet... on that Classifieds 2000 page.  I
looked at the 97 Jaguar XK8 for her yesterday and just about creamed in my
pants when I saw it up close.  G-d almighty.  They are drop dead.... ouch!
They had a black, black top with creme leather for $51k at our local dealer.
I looked for a coupe but there are none in our area.  Too much (or is it?
see below!), but tempting.  I'd sell my soul for one of those, for her....
Confused again in Silver Spring, Md
Steve Robinson
1995 740i (no coupes for me, well, alright... I already have one!)
1995 540i  but for how long...
1988 911 (I was actually thinking of selling my 911 AND her 540i to get her
within $10,000 of that 97 Jaguar XK8!  - they are THAT nice!!!, plus, if you
buy it from the dealer, they extend it to 6 year, 100,000 miles bumper to
bumper)

------------------------------