(there are reliable sports cars, but it significantly limits the pool you can select from)
I'd love to know which specific model you found sterile (wouldn't happen to be some 4 cylinder would it?)
People who drive boring cars love to parrot magazine reviewers... not realizing their definition of sterile is relative to a 911, not their Accord.
> Unless you are at a track or love cutting off people in traffic it feels really hard to have any fun in one.
I track my cars, but it's not hard to enjoy pleasant driving dynamics without resorting to being an irresponsible driver in a well-sorted car.
I'll defer to you on how fun cutting people off in traffic is though?
(I'm talking about pre-2010 BMW here; I would totally agree with most new ones being sterile)
(Although the Mazdaspeed6 was 90% of a BMW with 10% of the maintenance bill).
BMW really ramped up the electronic complication starting with my E83, and that shit wears out right alongside all the typical flimsy BMW plastics and rubbers. Plus the delightful parasitic drains from tfa.
They also ramped up their maintenance-unfriendly designs around the E46 era. On an E39, a rear spring swap is easy. Try it on a newer one, and you will regret the attempt.