Thank you, redhotgo, and the reason BMW prefers straight sixes is that this is generally regarded as the more 'classic', thus purer, configuration. This is a bit strange since some of the most evocative sixes have been Vs, example Dino 246, Alfa Romeo. This was also the philosophy at Daimler-Benz in the good old days and then the beancounters figured out a V6 would be cheaper. On the buy a bigger-engined car principle, you will be very lucky indeed to buy a $5K car that doesn't need work but this was the case with my C180 bought from a dealer friend who had paid for the a/c fixed. Lou Martin took these professional shots. I am thinking of selling it and buying a 300CE-24, for the best of most worlds.