RE: BMW M3 (E46): You Know You Want To

[pingu393]

Welshbeef said:

If you have space but a second "doner" car a scrap car it will save you a fortune and no doubt you will sell it on for something when you have finished with it.

I was once asked to prepare a spares list for a vehicle for 30 days - and I said "take a second vehicle". They weren't very happy .

Anyway, I don't want to divert the thread.

To get back on thread, it must be about time that I started looking for an E46 M3. Anyone want to buy a 330 and an M Roadster?

[carinaman]

Some more phoenix yellow:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/07-07-BMW-Z4-3-0Si-SPORT...

[pingu393]

IMO, the only car that looks good in Phoenix Yellow is the E46 M3 coupe. I have no idea why, but I think it really suits it.

[MissChief]

pingu393 said:

IMO, the only car that looks good in Phoenix Yellow is the E46 M3 coupe. I have no idea why, but I think it really suits it.

And yet I would need to think long and hard if you offered me one (an E46 M3 in Phoenix yellow) for free. It's not a good colour at all.

[F1GTRUeno]

I'm not sure, there's something about that that I really like.

Probably just because it's unusual but I think it really suits it, more so than the E46 M3.

More just praise for the first owner that he/she decided to spec it that way in the first place. To hell with resale, I'm getting the car I want, not the person I'm selling it to wants.

[MissChief]

F1GTRUeno said:

More just praise for the first owner that he/she decided to spec it that way in the first place. To hell with resale, I'm getting the car I want, not the person I'm selling it to wants.

Quite right. If I were ever in a position to afford an E90 M3 I'd have a devil of a time finding one as I'd want a Saloon (looks mean and I need the 3 seats across the back seat) that's not Black, White, Silverstone or Silver/Grey!

[Devil2575]

pingu393 said:

IMO, the only car that looks good in Phoenix Yellow is the E46 M3 coupe. I have no idea why, but I think it really suits it.

It's a horrible colour IMHO.

[Krupp Stahl]

I must admit, I love Phoenix Yellow.

It's clearly a 'marmite' colour though!

[anonymous-user]

I quite like Phoenix, suits the car and is a bit different. On the hunt for an E46 M3 now...

[HannsG]

The best car I have owned. Its so capable in every single situation. Practically, turn of speed, comfort and so on. I spent a year looking for my Silver/ Grey with Imola interior, and its a manual.

New job involves commute increasing from 24 miles to 105 miles a day. I don't have the heart to sell it and will most likely buy a shed to run alongside it.

[Krupp Stahl]

HannsG said:

The best car I have owned. Its so capable in every single situation. Practically, turn of speed, comfort and so on. I spent a year looking for my Silver/ Grey with Imola interior, and its a manual.

New job involves commute increasing from 24 miles to 105 miles a day. I don't have the heart to sell it and will most likely buy a shed to run alongside it.

That's exactly what I've done.

You won't regret it.

It makes getting it out of the garage for weekend frolics in the sun extra special.

If you've got a good one, you'd be a fool to let it go.

[161BMW]

monthefish said:

161BMW said:

monthefish said:

161BMW said:

for a BMW which can humble the likes of Porsche 911 (996)

Can you elaborate on this point?

No problem. What i meant was Porsche is pretty much regarded as the "more presitigious / sporty brand" than BMW M and has more racing heritage than BMW. Given that a brand new E46 M3 costs in the region of £40-50k and a brand new Porsche 996 Carrera 2/4 cost £60-75k you would have thought the 996 would be alot faster. Well in fact it is not. The M3 has the same pace give/take as the Carrera models (note i did not say Turbo or GT3 or GT2).

The M3 also has a better engine and has won the International Engine of the Year Awards in the 3 - 4 litre category from 2001 - 2006 beating the Porsche 996 engines amongst others. The interior in the M3 is also nicer .... nicer design and better quality materials. And is better looking IMO. My point with respect to "humbling" a 996 referred to the pace of the M3 and the 996.

In saying that the 996 is widely acknowledged to have better brakes than the M3 and more communicative steering feel. This is what Autocar found when they tested E46 M3 Coupe, 996.1 Carrera 2, Audi RS4 or RS6 i forget which. Hope that answers your question :-)

Not really (but it was a good try!)



The M3 and Carrera were broadly similar in price new (as you say Carrera a bit more) and they are broadly similar in terms of pace.

Still not seeing how one 'humbles' the other.

M3 was approximately 2/3 of 911 Carrera price

[161BMW]

monthefish said:

161BMW said:

monthefish said:

161BMW said:

for a BMW which can humble the likes of Porsche 911 (996)

Can you elaborate on this point?

No problem. What i meant was Porsche is pretty much regarded as the "more presitigious / sporty brand" than BMW M and has more racing heritage than BMW. Given that a brand new E46 M3 costs in the region of £40-50k and a brand new Porsche 996 Carrera 2/4 cost £60-75k you would have thought the 996 would be alot faster. Well in fact it is not. The M3 has the same pace give/take as the Carrera models (note i did not say Turbo or GT3 or GT2).

The M3 also has a better engine and has won the International Engine of the Year Awards in the 3 - 4 litre category from 2001 - 2006 beating the Porsche 996 engines amongst others. The interior in the M3 is also nicer .... nicer design and better quality materials. And is better looking IMO. My point with respect to "humbling" a 996 referred to the pace of the M3 and the 996.

In saying that the 996 is widely acknowledged to have better brakes than the M3 and more communicative steering feel. This is what Autocar found when they tested E46 M3 Coupe, 996.1 Carrera 2, Audi RS4 or RS6 i forget which. Hope that answers your question :-)

Not really (but it was a good try!)



The M3 and Carrera were broadly similar in price new (as you say Carrera a bit more) and they are broadly similar in terms of pace.

Still not seeing how one 'humbles' the other.

M3 was approximately 2/3 of 911 Carrera price

[Messerchmitt]

Morningside said:

Only thing that lets the car down is that its not a convertible.

I was allowed to borrow this one from a kind relation for a month or so. Great car and would have loved one myself.

Vert better