Good morning, folks!

My e28 535i has about 350,000 miles on it, and although I still love to drive it, it's bordering on unreliable. During the winter months, things are okay - not having A/C isn't a big liability for half the year, and it doesn't threaten to overheat when the temps are under 90 degrees out. I'd like to have a reliable car for a while so I can stay clean for a few weekends in a row.

My requirements for a car are as follows: Should have a big, torquey engine and a manual transmission, I need four doors, 22-25mpg, great handling characteristics, and reliable A/C for the Texas summer sun. I don't need to freeze meat in the passenger compartment, but I'm tired of having a summer heat rash. All that, and I'd like to stay under $10k.

The e34 540 seems like an ideal choice. I've had an e34 535i before, and although it was a very solid car, it wasn't as much fun to drive as my e28. It seemed more isolated from the driving experience, if you know what I mean. I'm hoping that the 540 would be powerful enough to overcome any possible negative aspects that the added weight would impose.

So what do y'all think? I could buy an e34, or buy another e28 with lower mileage than my current example, or I could get something entirely different. Any suggestions or opinions?

Thanks,

Scott