The internet sure has made shopping for cars about a million percent easier and more fun over the course of the last couple decades, and with recent advancements things appear to be growing even more enjoyable.  For BMW, this fun can come in a variety of ways, but one of the simplest is still the tool on their home page that allows potential customers to build their own BMW vehicles online.

While we still recommend heading on down to Center BMW in person to test drive any car before making the purchase, this is a great way to introduce yourself to a new model (or a new version of a familiar old one) before narrowing down which models you even want to test drive.

To use the program, just choose a model, and then begin answering questions about body color, wheel style, interior materials, tech add-ons, and more.  The sample image changes as you alter your choices, and the price updates every step of the way, too.  By the time you're done playing around with the "Build Your Own" tool at BMW.com, you'll have an excellent idea about what car you like best, how many extras you can afford to tack on, and even what color you want that car to be.

With all that knowledge, you're perfectly equipped to head into a BMW 3 Series dealer and make inquiries into getting the car of your dreams.  Yes, a test drive is part of the process, but you'll feel a lot more confident about your purchase if you build a digital one at home.  It's practical, yes, but it's also a whole lot of fun.  And that's the way buying a car should be.