How big are your Kahunas? (E46 M3)

[Captainawesome]

MoelyCrio said:

Captainawesome said:

Oh dear. You don't understand at all do you?? Quite surprised that you didn't also recommend a 'remapped 335d coz it's just as fast innit'

M, it's more than a trim level.

Yep, its much more than a trim level on so many ways. Servicing costs, parts prices, chav image etc etc

Oh dear again, you are quite right, that is exactly what an M car is about, cost and 'chav' image. A genuine M car is not 'chav'. Lower models with body kits galore and fake M badges all over them however.

Still not getting it.

[MoelyCrio]

Captainawesome said:

Oh dear again, you are quite right, that is exactly what an M car is about, cost and 'chav' image. A genuine M car is not 'chav'. Lower models with body kits galore and fake M badges all over them however.

Still not getting it.

I'm not getting where these bodykits and fake M badges are coming from, you're correct there.

A 335i is both faster and much more discrete than that awful E46 M3 that was posted in the OP, that was my original point.

[Baryonyx]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Maybe. But one of my mates had a £7,000 service on his M3. No doubt it could have been done cheaper by some bloke under the railway arches but make sure you go in with your eyes open.

£7,000? Your mate must be a real duck egg! He could have bought a new one for that sort of money!

[RemyMartin]

MoelyCrio said:

I'm not getting where these bodykits and fake M badges are coming from, you're correct there.

A 335i is both faster and much more discrete than that awful E46 M3 that was posted in the OP, that was my original point.

Except the M3 is a genuinely exciting sports coupe with proper motorsport heritage and the 335I is a bland, mundane quick barge.

An E46 M3 is a better car than any non M e90/1/2 3 series.

[mwstewart]

Beautiful wood. I've not seen that type before.

[steve singh]

I sold my e46 m3 for more money than i paid for it 18 mths ago - it was in absolutely stunning condition and needed nothing doing. Just buy from an enthusiast.

If i won the lottery i would buy an e46 m3, strip it all the way down to it's bare shell, rebuild so it was as new and just hang from my ceiling !!! They are amazing cars and the one I have loved the most during my time into cars.

[gizlaroc]

MoelyCrio said:

I'm not getting where these bodykits and fake M badges are coming from, you're correct there.

A 335i is both faster and much more discrete than that awful E46 M3 that was posted in the OP, that was my original point.

I had a mapped 335i, it was faster, 4.6 seconds compared with 5 seconds, but I sold it and went back to and E46 M3.

Discrete? A fking Micra is discrete as well. Still dull.

Of corse they will fall into the wrong hands, but they are still one of the best cars ever made.

[SMcP114]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Don't know why you're all so surprised.

Probably because you told us you know someone who paid £7000 to service his M3?

[Leins]

E92s will start falling into the wrong hands soon. When you hear people talking about a particular 3-series model as having a "chav" image, then it's time to start buying a good one IMO. E30s aren't chav anymore, and E36s are pretty much out of that phase now too. Still some extremely good ones left unscarred, but can be costly compared to where they were at a few years ago. A well sorted E46 M3 now makes a wise enough buying proposition I think

Plus the E46 M3 was gorgeous when it first came out, and still is today IM(completely biased)O. Ubiquity should not detract from what is still a very elegant yet purposeful design

The fact that they are awesome to drive is a bonus!

[Captainawesome]

Have a nice, 41,000 mile completely standard E46 M3 for sale if anyone is interested……...

[McWigglebum4th]

gizlaroc said:

I had a mapped 335i, it was faster, 4.6 seconds compared with 5 seconds, but I sold it and went back to and E46 M3.

Discrete? A fking Micra is discrete as well. Still dull.

Of corse they will fall into the wrong hands, but they are still one of the best cars ever made.

Only the K11 model

The K12 isn't quite the same sparkle

[gizlaroc]

McWigglebum4th said:

Only the K11 model

The K12 isn't quite the same sparkle

Haha, had to google that.
Very good!

[J4CKO]

gizlaroc said:

MoelyCrio said:

I'm not getting where these bodykits and fake M badges are coming from, you're correct there.

A 335i is both faster and much more discrete than that awful E46 M3 that was posted in the OP, that was my original point.

I had a mapped 335i, it was faster, 4.6 seconds compared with 5 seconds, but I sold it and went back to and E46 M3.

Discrete? A fking Micra is discrete as well. Still dull.

Of corse they will fall into the wrong hands, but they are still one of the best cars ever made.

Ahem, it is discreet in this context chaps, sorry to be a pedant.

[Captainawesome]

MoelyCrio said:

Captainawesome said:

Oh dear again, you are quite right, that is exactly what an M car is about, cost and 'chav' image. A genuine M car is not 'chav'. Lower models with body kits galore and fake M badges all over them however.

Still not getting it.

I'm not getting where these bodykits and fake M badges are coming from, you're correct there.

A 335i is both faster and much more discrete than that awful E46 M3 that was posted in the OP, that was my original point.

Straight line hero faster maybe but not through some bendy bits. It irks me slightly that non M drivers always have this chip on their shoulder that their 335/330 is faster than an M3.

Maybe BMW should just stop making M cars and just tell everyone the truth that the 335 is faster. They must be wasting loads of money on research and development when there really is no point.

Missed a trick there Mr BMW.

[john banks]

M owners need to feel superior

I loved the looks and interior of my E46 M3. On a smooth road with the engine wound up it was lovely. The brakes and suspension travel on bumpy British B roads were seriously disappointing which ruined the car for me, so I sold it after only six months and took a depreciation bath, so I returned to Jap crap.

[Mr2Mike]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Don't know why you're all so surprised.

Because you said he'd paid £7000 for a "service", which is quite clearly ludicrous. As it turns out he (allegedly) paid £7000 for a service, plus a pile of expensive consumables and some additional work on the engine. Not even remotely the same thing. Even if he did pay that he almost certainly had his pants pulled down.

[Captainawesome]

john banks said:

M owners need to feel superior

I loved the looks and interior of my E46 M3. On a smooth road with the engine wound up it was lovely. The brakes and suspension travel on bumpy British B roads were seriously disappointing which ruined the car for me, so I sold it after only six months and took a depreciation bath, so I returned to Jap crap.

I have an E46 M3 and an Evo IX FQ360, could be just the Evo but the ride is certainly nowhere near as comfortable as the BMW.

The brakes on the M3 are a weak point but I have braided lines and upgraded pads which makes a huge difference. Got K-sport 8 pots on my other M3 which are just sensational.

[TheAngryDog]

im 32 and have an M5. I have wanted one since being about 27/28. I like 4 door saloons and V8's.

Not sure what I'll replace it with when I come to sell it (if I ever sell it). It might be 14 years old but I smile whenever I get in it

[Ozzie Osmond]

Mr2Mike said:

Because you said he'd paid £7000 for a "service", which is quite clearly ludicrous. As it turns out he (allegedly) paid £7000 for a service, plus a pile of expensive consumables and some additional work on the engine. Not even remotely the same thing.

When they go out to a restaurant for lunch some people need more than the basic price menu served with a glass of tap water - and recognise that the larger bill is still a bill for "lunch".

The fundamental message is that cars which are expensive to buy when new tend to be expensive to run later in their lives. One rough rule of thumb is to allow 5% of the NEW cost for running costs each year. So if, say, an M3 cost £45,000 that would be an allowance of £2,250 a year. Factor in the interval between major inspection visits and big bills can be very much a reality. With luck the 5% will turn out to be over-cautious but IMO it's best to err on the side of caution.

[john banks]

Captainawesome, I sold my M3 and followed it with IX FQ340. I thought ride comfort in normal use was similar, but the M3 obviously felt more refined with the interior, noise levels and engine note, but I am differentiating between comfort and suspension travel to keep tyres on the tarmac. The M3 (mine was on 19" Continentals and had 7000mile old suspension when I got it) would bounce over the wicked roads near Knockhill which I used to adore, but whilst I am only 6ft tall my head would hit the headlining and the tyres would leave the ground on this road, even without sport mode I couldn't maintain a steady throttle. Evo IX, Subaru on P1 suspension, both on 17" tyres could take the same humps and make them entertaining. Golf V GTI struggled too on 18s, Octavia vRS my wife had was fine on its 17s. B5 RS4 with less power than the Subaru had to back off, and 993 would fall through its rear suspension and ground (!) where the Subaru could take a hump flat out. Bottom line is I am very suspicious of suspension travel in any sporty German car I have driven or seen driven hard over bumpy roads. I cannot generalise to all, I did find E60 M5 and 335i I tried were much better in this respect than my old M3 which was memorably atrocious. Does this clarify or do you not drive bumpy roads in the same way?