Thanks for the feedback!
I should mention that @Guy Fieri is also a big contributor to why I'm here. We've been kicking around car ideas together for probably going on 10 years now. We both had, and still have, Volvo wagons to talk about, and now we both have e90s too.
Probably why I got this car was because I was selling my project Volvo and
needed a replacement.
Here is a couple photos I took for the first test photo shoot of the project Volvo, but someone decided they wanted it from this shooting, that I never got to take a second attempt. That is one of two Volvo V70 T6 (300+ hp) AWDs in North America. It was never offered in this configuration and so it has to be built to get one.
But with that gone, a replacement tinkering car felt needed.
I've never been a stranger to BMW, but been away from for a long time as a personal car. The last time I had a bmw for my personal use was a 2001 325i convertible: manual transmission, sport pack, and curiously a manual top. I really enjoyed that car and the freedom from concern of the top failure even though it was a multi step process to put the top up and down. That's the only bmw I've seen with a manual top. Trying to remember when I had that car.... 12-14 years ago maybe? It was slow, but fun to flog.
I think the last I had one that I used semi regularly was when I would borrow my brothers red ZPH 330i when my now wife and I were dating, so that puts time line of further out than 10 years.
Though, I did get my father in law an s54 Clown Shoe for a wedding present and that is kept on hand with no plans for departure. So technically I've never been without and since I was responsible for obtaining the car, I get my own key and can take it whenever I feel like some analog goodness. We bought it with <30k miles on it and we've just past 50k after 8-ish years of ownership.
So, yea, here we are today. @M-technik-3 I don't really plan on an engine or transmission swap at this point. The Volvo linked above was a very intensive project and I don't think I want something on that level for a while. Transmission swap I would very much consider if I found someone to do it for me, but engine not likely. N54 is very easily obtainable and that would probably be the first choice, but an S65 would be interesting. Either is likely to be far more technical and costly than I have envisioned for the budget for this car. I've started watching for an M3 parts car, but everything I've watched for has brought fairly stupid money. M5 of M6 parts cars go for less money than M3s.
I have been considering selling my SL550 and replacing that with a 3 pedal convertible, which could be S65 powered. That could whet the appetite for a more powerful wagon, but I doubt it. I feel pretty OK with the power output as it is so far.
For daily use cars currently I have three spots.
Wife's car: Volvo V60
Convertible: MB SL550
Tinkering car: this e91
Wife's car she has to be on board with changing, but the other two is purely up to my discretion. I'm not in a hurry to replace the SL, but I've been thinking about it. I've never driven an e90 M and would be open minded to give it a try.