please help out in decision E30M3 vs E46 M3

[SoGold]

dude, why are u backing out all of the sudden? u knew you'd have to work a lot back when u ordered it. Any M3 is a nice car, dont get me wrong, but they are all different. I would NOT get and e30 m3 as a daily driver, they are too rare to drive as much as you do. The best of both worlds would be an e36, fast, reliable, fairly new... but obviously that doesnt float your boat. If i were you, i would go for the e46 m3 and sell it if the load became too large, and if you dont wanna do that, there are other car brands besides BMW. get something newer and more reliable than an e30 if you plan to use it as a daily driver. I you want something rev happy and that handles well, and dont want an e36... get an s2k, or a type R. U want a torquier car, get a 95 cobra 5.0. Shiesh, u can pick up an older m5 or 540 for way under the price of a new m3, and those cars would rock. Whatever man, just think it through, i know how long you've had this on order. Peace, Sol

PS. If you feel like buying my car, i'd be more than happy to get rid of it so i can take a loan out on an m3

[LagunaSecaBlue]

i'll say it one last time: if I (emphasis on "I") had this very choice right now.

I WOULD GET THE E30!!!!!! sorry, i've got too much of a boner for that car to give a shit about the e46.

but, if i was bill gates rich, i would get the e46 just cuz u are not gonna have to worry about the car for another 2 years (minor repairs and shet).

[kiley_sean]

Actually.......if you are into the E46M3s then I don't know how you are into an E30 M3. BTW, Why did you skip over the E36 M3? It was the compromise of the two models.

If you truly desired the E30 M3 and spent hundreds of hours drooling over it and stuff, then I don't think you would be concerned about the E46 M3. They are totally different worlds. I mean.....I could be wrong. I don't know you, it's just that it sounds strange to me that you would be deciding over those two models. Usually it would be the E30 vs. E36, or E36 vs. E46. Again.......the "real" M3 and the E46 M3 shouldn't be even mentioned in the same breath. IMHO.

Personally it seems that there is too much "M3 Fever" here. No one seems to be satisfied with a "lower" level BMWs anymore. Some just want to have the top of the line BMW and nothing else will do. What's wrong with not having an "M" badge on the trunk lid? Why not go for an E36 325is until you figure out which M3 you want?

Ahh Nevermind.......you are going to get what you want anyways. Just forget what everyone says and do what you want. Actually it's not any of my business, but I would wait until your parents divorce is over to make sure everything is on the up and up. I know that if my parents divorced, a car would be the last thing on my mind. Sorry about the bad news.

[Sean M3]

Originally posted by mazenz
i dont care how mature you think you are at 17, any male at that age in any car that is fast is going to get into alot of trouble with the law or even worse get himself or others hurt

I agree and disagree with that statement. I would say MANY 17 year olds speed when they have fast cars; it's inevitable, but there are some out there that do not, such as myself . I got my E36 M when I was 17, and I have never had a speeding ticket or been in an accident. Maybe it's because I am a safe driver and I don't go over the posted speed limit

[Bavarian Tuning]

Originally posted by Magnus
If only approx. 5,000 e30's made it to the U.S., how could it ever get played-out?

It's not only about history, it's about winning. Having a car made to be the very best for that Era, and then going out and proving it! E30, "Most winningest tour car in history." Proven! If memory serves me correctly BMW had to drop a V8 into the E46 to make it competitive. Not that I disagree with their decision, I love BMW's! I do find that boosting the E46 M3 to 343hp is pretty weak considering the Euro e36 3.2 put out 320hp. The addition of 23horses is nothing to brag about. There are so many new technologies being used that it's easy to see why the E46 is such a terrific car. But I would take it as a starting point and look for the V8 when introduced in the future. BMW needs to set the mark higher then is currently set. Why build a car in the HP range that some companies have been building for a while, although it is naturally aspirated...

The M3 CSL is the car that standard E46 should have been.

IMHO

edit: I am in my second E30 M3 1989 with 57,8XX miles. First crashed at 45,000 miles in 99. They are extremely hard to find. It took me a year to find one.

The competition is a lot different today than it was back in the time of the E30 M3. Besides, I hope you don't fancy yourself driving a car very similar to what the serious touring car champions were driving. You're only about $150,000 dollars in parts and labor away. It stil costs $50,000 to build a competitive E30 M3 ITE in SCCA.

An E30 M3 with 333hp still wouldn't be as fast a fully lux'ed chunk E46. The E46 M3's problems are easily solvable and it's simply the better car for the street. I'd rather have the E30 M3 as a weekend car at this point, but if I was a prpfessional driver, a lightweight E46 would be the only choice.

[Mpowered]

you guys are so stupid. do not tell me if u had the choice between an E30 M3 and an E46 M3 you would take the E30 M3. well some of you weirdos out there might but i think an 18 year old car is way outdated and u need the new tech, dsc, the saftey is all gonna save ur ass if u get into hairy spots. its faster, iver never driven either but i dunno why the E46 would have worse handling.

ohh the E30 is a real race car, then why dont they use it in ALMS?

[Bavarian Tuning]

Originally posted by Rob ITR1035
E46 M3= overweight 330 with hot motor and body kit


E30 M3= winningest touring car in history, already a classic, the epitome of a sports car.


do what you want, if impressing people you dont know is worth working your ass off, by all means do that.

That's a pretty dumb comment. Basically all BMW motors have a long lineage and rich history, which is what makes them great. They are proven foundation that have been powering BMWs for decades and the are continually stroked for each generation.

You know the S14 is a direct descendant of the M10, which is was in many BMWs that were less than performance models, right? Maybe not. Do you know the M10's life begain in the late 1950s...? I guess the E30 M3 is just a 318 with a bodykit?

If you have driven both a 330ci and M3, you would know the M3's engine feels incredibly distant from the 330ci. The M3's I6 has a long, long lineage, which extends back to classics like the M1 and is the highest state of tune the I6 will probably ever reach in a street car...sort of like the S14.

The bodykit bit is beyond stupid.

Ignorance is rampid here.

[SeattleE30///M3]

Originally posted by Mpowered
you guys are so stupid. do not tell me if u had the choice between an E30 M3 and an E46 M3 you would take the E30 M3. well some of you weirdos out there might but i think an 18 year old car is way outdated and u need the new tech, dsc, the saftey is all gonna save ur ass if u get into hairy spots. its faster, iver never driven either but i dunno why the E46 would have worse handling.

ohh the E30 is a real race car, then why dont they use it in ALMS?

Newer is not always better! and I chose to go with a low mileage 2.5L E30 ///M3 over an E46///M3, so there are crazy people like me out there .

The E30M3 is the winningest touring car in history and it used the same block that is in my car in the garage! The e30m3 is not faster, more refined, or as luxurious as the E46///M3.

but..... have you ever seen the size of the smile on a person after he has driven an E30///M3 through the twisties. That is where the difference lies. The E30///M3 is simply a very fun car to drive.

[Bavarian Tuning]

Originally posted by Mpowered
you guys are so stupid. do not tell me if u had the choice between an E30 M3 and an E46 M3 you would take the E30 M3. well some of you weirdos out there might but i think an 18 year old car is way outdated and u need the new tech, dsc, the saftey is all gonna save ur ass if u get into hairy spots. its faster, iver never driven either but i dunno why the E46 would have worse handling.

ohh the E30 is a real race car, then why dont they use it in ALMS?

hahaha dude, the E30 M3 held the 24 Hours @ Nurbugring distance record from 91 until 99 when the ORECA Vipers finally broke it. Don't talk about real race cars.

[Magnus]

Originally posted by Mpowered
you guys are so stupid.

And then you say this.

Originally posted by Mpowered
ohh the E30 is a real race car, then why dont they use it in ALMS?

I'll have to look into awarding warning points for stupidity. Ignorance is no excuse of the law.

[1995red318i]

Originally posted by Magnus


And then you say this.



I'll have to look into awarding warning points for stupidity. Ignorance is no excuse of the law.

oh and i see that you have a new stupidity quote in your signture now too

anyways, porky get the e46 m3!
why? because i want to see that beast at the Sac meet, that's why

[kiley_sean]

Nah...nah...Nah...nah....naaaaaaaaaahhh.....somebo dy got in trouble!!!!

This thread is awsome. I can't wait to see more.

[Sean M3]

If money was not an issue for you, I say get the E46 M3. But since you would have to work your ass off to keep the E46, I say go for the E30 (according to your two options). But if it was me, I would go with an E36 M3

[Bavarian Tuning]

What he should do is buy a 2002 and put in a turbo'ed M20 with coil-over suspension, recaros in a stripped interior, classic Alpina wheels with a mint shell/paint job.

[Sean M3]

For some reason, I don't like Alpina wheels. I hate the look of the multi-spoke design. I know they are quality rims, but I just hate how they look. Anyways, go for an E36 M3 if money is going to be an issue. Or get an E30 M3 and drop the 3.2 Euro motor in it