HELP! Girl seeking BMW - Which 3 Series M Sport Coupe?!

[stopextremism]

OK everyone...I am now thinking of an M3 instead! Whoever suggested that!

[bennyboysvuk]

stopextremism said:

OK everyone...I am now thinking of an M3 instead! Whoever suggested that!

All you have to know about the M3 is that in terms of running costs M3 = £x3.

I assume that you would be after an E46 (produced from 2000 to 2006).

This version of the M3 requires an inspection 2 service which involves checking all 24 valve clearances, so this service is anywhere from £600 upwards. Fortunately they only come along every 20-30,000 miles or so (if I remember correctly).

Add to that the chassis cracking problem on E46s. This place explains the issue and their £1500 repair process - http://www.redish-motorsport.com/E46M3FloorSubfram...

[W8PMC]

xxChrisxx said:

The analogy works quite neatly in reverse. I just thought one was short for the other.

I'm afraid you'll have to be docked 10 man points for having the knowledge to apply such an analogy though.

Good point as i too thought D&G along with Dolce & Gabbana were the exact same company/brand & purely a style difference with D&G being perhaps designed for a younger market but the same brand/production/pricing. I could however be completely wrong as i'm more a Primarni man (not really).

[stopextremism]

bennyboysvuk said:

All you have to know about the M3 is that in terms of running costs M3 = £x3.

I assume that you would be after an E46 (produced from 2000 to 2006).

This version of the M3 requires an inspection 2 service which involves checking all 24 valve clearances, so this service is anywhere from £600 upwards. Fortunately they only come along every 20-30,000 miles or so (if I remember correctly).

Add to that the chassis cracking problem on E46s. This place explains the issue and their £1500 repair process - http://www.redish-motorsport.com/E46M3FloorSubfram...

CHASSIS CRACKING?!? OMG?! My friends take the piss out of my "ancient" '03 plate TDi Golf, but she's reliable and she goes like a train and I can tell you right now it doesn't suffer from anything like that...I thought BMW was the cutting edge of quality and superior engineering...can I get a warranty to cover this problem? Is it dangerous...? I suppose like a cam belt change every 60k, you must get it done, but can it just crack completely and cause an accident?

Thank you for pointing this out! What other running costs are associated with the M3's that are higher?

[stopextremism]

Now thinking just stick to the 330ci...is there that much difference in drive/performance...?

[SeiW500]

stopextremism said:

Now thinking just stick to the 330ci...is there that much difference in drive/performance...?

Good choice, i think you should find a good one for about £5K, you'd need double that to find a good M3!

The 330ci will drive very well but would be blown away by the M3 in a race...

[pigeonskirt]

Apologies in advance if I've got this wrong, but this forum has previous for people trolling and saying they are something they are not, so OP;

Are you really a man called Nigel, who has never owned an Aston Martin but in fact lives a fantasy Internet life?

[stopextremism]

pigeonskirt said:

Apologies in advance if I've got this wrong, but this forum has previous for people trolling and saying they are something they are not, so OP;

Are you really a man called Nigel, who has never owned an Aston Martin but in fact lives a fantasy Internet life?

Err Pigeon no I am not. I had a Vantage until I sold it about 18 months ago and enjoyed it very much, but it was completely impractical. In fact it was my friend who does detailing who put me on to piston heads. I am sure there are some every sad people out there who make things up, but I assure you I am not one of them. I can also assure you that if I were a man and my mother had called me Nigel I would have changed my name to something much better! No offence any Nigels, especially Mr. Farage...

[stopextremism]

And PS - a bit rich for a man to accuse a woman of living a fantasy internet life ....given the "extra curricular activities" most chaps get up to on the internet during evenings alone....!

[croyde]

Ooooooo I say

[Shaoxter]

Once you get the 330ci I think we need a custard test.

[bennyboysvuk]

stopextremism said:

CHASSIS CRACKING?!? OMG?! My friends take the piss out of my "ancient" '03 plate TDi Golf, but she's reliable and she goes like a train and I can tell you right now it doesn't suffer from anything like that...I thought BMW was the cutting edge of quality and superior engineering...can I get a warranty to cover this problem? Is it dangerous...? I suppose like a cam belt change every 60k, you must get it done, but can it just crack completely and cause an accident?

Thank you for pointing this out! What other running costs are associated with the M3's that are higher?

It's still a cracking car! And if you factor in the cost of making sure the chassis floor is ok, then it's not much of a worry. I believe it only needs doing once in the car's lifetime. I wouldn't think it would cause an accident. You would hear the issue before then and do something about it. If you're considering an M3, it's worth Googling the problem more since there's masses of info out there on the web about it.

These cars have cam-chains which should last 200,000 miles, so that's a worry off your mind.

[stopextremism]

Thank you all, but it begs the question...is the 330ci REALLY that different or much "worse" than the M3...I know my needs will be different to others, and most if they could afford it would go for the M3, but is the differential that great?

[bennyboysvuk]

stopextremism said:

Thank you all, but it begs the question...is the 330ci REALLY that different or much "worse" than the M3...I know my needs will be different to others, and most if they could afford it would go for the M3, but is the differential that great?

It depends what you're after as to whether you would prefer it. If you want a smooth, brisk car to take you from A to B and you're not fussed about which end slides first etc, then the 330i it is. If you want to have to work a bit harder as a driver and have a bit more excitement thrown in, more noise, higher revs etc then the M3 is the right choice.

[croyde]

My own 2p.

I would reckon in general day to day driving a 330 would 'suffice'. They are great cars, fast and handle well plus cheaper to buy and look after.

OK we would all love an M3 but do you want to spend the extra. If you do that's great but the 330 would be more practical. I guess it's go with the head or go with the heart.

In real world conditions, I have shamed a few M3s and 330s in my lowly 323 but in an out and out drag race on an empty motorway, errrr I mean private race track, they would leave me for dead.

A couple of years ago I pulled up at the lights at the beginning of a local road. A long straight downhill of about a mile. Some young sod in a 330 pulled up alongside and started revving his engine. OK he was probably 30, I was 50.

This road has mega speed bumps to stop this sort of behaviour but he obviously didn't know. My early 90s designed car with fat profile tyres sails over speed bumps so I took off with him in close pursuit.

Cue frantic emergency braking from him as he saw the first bump loom up, ready to destroy his over sized alloys shod with very low profile tyres with the added disadvantage of stiff suspension.

Off I bounced into the distance

[Smuler]

Could you even get a M3 for 4,000£ and if so what sort of condition would it be in!

I'd stick to 330ci at this budget or, assuming it's a manual, a 325ci.

in my opinion, the gap from 330ci to M3 is much bigger than that between 325ci and 330ci.

[Shaoxter]

croyde said:

In real world conditions, I have shamed a few M3s and 330s in my lowly 323 but in an out and out drag race on an empty motorway, errrr I mean private race track, they would leave me for dead.

A couple of years ago I pulled up at the lights at the beginning of a local road. A long straight downhill of about a mile. Some young sod in a 330 pulled up alongside and started revving his engine. OK he was probably 30, I was 50.

This road has mega speed bumps to stop this sort of behaviour but he obviously didn't know. My early 90s designed car with fat profile tyres sails over speed bumps so I took off with him in close pursuit.

Cue frantic emergency braking from him as he saw the first bump loom up, ready to destroy his over sized alloys shod with very low profile tyres with the added disadvantage of stiff suspension.

Off I bounced into the distance

A milf in a Qashqai would have beaten you both, so what's your point?

An M3 is quicker in a straight line, sure but what really sets it apart from a 330ci is the handling.

[Leins]

E46 Alpina B3 is what is required

[croyde]

Shaoxter said:

A milf in a Qashqai would have beaten you both, so what's your point?

An M3 is quicker in a straight line, sure but what really sets it apart from a 330ci is the handling.

But surely the handling only makes that great a difference in extreme conditions like a track. In fact most cars I have driven with stiffer suspension, bigger wheels and low profile tyres feel terrible on normal, as in most, roads despite having more power. I found the Carrera C2 a beaut in the countryside but a frustrating pain in London traffic because you could feel it wanted to go but most of the time there was no room and Speed Bumps rendered it useless. I know plenty drive them in the Cities but in my opinion it's a waste of a good car.

Exceptions maybe the newer cars that have adjustable suspension on the move systems like the PASM on my old 2005 Boxster.

No point to the story, I just like telling it as I tend to consider these forums like a chat down the pub

[Shaoxter]

Personally 95% of my driving is in London or boring motorways (with the odd traffic light GP ). But for that other 5% of the time it's worth it!