Last night an M3 changed my mind...

[JB!]

So, I grew up watching WRC and Supertouring, and for me WRC was king, watching Makkinen, McRae, Sainz, Burns et al, duke it out over mixed surfaces and awesome scenery was the one.

Driving a classic Impreza Turbo 2000 a few years back only concreted my opinion that when I had the money to run one, I wanted a Subaru or an Evo, It was awesome, you grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and really threw it about. Great fun, nice turn-in, fills you with confidence, even when pushing it more than you probably should.

This weekend I started looking for a WRX wagon, I had never driven a RWD car before, and had zero interest in things N/A or RWD. Turbo 4x4 for me!

Then, last night I got given the keys to my best mate's P&J a manual E46 M3. Unaccompanied. The weather wasn't ideal, so it took a while to get used to, and it was very greasy, but wow, what a chassis! The feedback is brilliant and turn in is keen, you feel everything and it communicates the slightest slip or bump well without unnerving. I couldn’t help but grin. License losing speeds approach with minimal effort, very comfortable, I could imagine driving to the 'ring, doing a few laps and driving home over a long weekend with ease and comfort. A revelation if you must.

The only bit I didn’t like? The power delivery. I'm still a turbo kid at heart, love the lag, the spool and the thump of boost!

So now I'm hunting for a turbo equivalent of one... Any ideas?



Tl;Dr - Drive stuff you wouldn't usually be interested in and you may find something you enjoy!

[JB!]

Thanks for the suggestions folks! I dont really fit in MK1 MX5s and a 1M is waaay out of my price range.

Anyone have any experience of Jap RWD cars vs the E46, or am I just going to be disappointed? Thinking sorted GTS-T, S15/S15a, RX7...

[JB!]

shalmaneser said:

I've got an e36 M3 evo and would say you'll really miss the engine, it's such a big part of the package... Fair enough the e36 m3 is basically a 328 with an amazing motor (unlike the e46 which has a few more bespoke chassis bits) but as described previously the huge rev range and long pedal travel makes the car so easy to drive at lower speeds and so rabid when it's fully spun up.

Why not get an m3 and see how you get on?

Seems the most sensible aproach cost wise, I did think about buying an E46 330i and getting used to N/A power delivery and RWD, they are VERY cheap...

[JB!]

papercup said:

RX-7; wonderful handling and a sorted one will easily show an M3 a clean pair of heels. Mine in single-turbo guise would bully a CSL out of the way on track. I had a great battle with one at Combe one day; it was very fast but the Rex had it on the brakes, and especially on corner speed through the chicanes).

But getting and keeping a sorted one happy is not an easy or cheap proposition and if you are talking 'easy, rewarding daily driver' then I'd recommend the M3!

If you want to make the M3 expensive, unreliable and a general pain in the arse, then turbo it. There's always something with modified cars. If you were going to go down this road, I'd recommend the RX-7 again...

Andy

Have you still got your V8 RX7?


Thanks for the input everyone!

[JB!]

georgejoshington said:

Adenauer said:

Thanks for that thread title, now I can't get a bloody song out of my head

'Last night a DJ changed my life.........'

Ditto. Had assumed it was deliberate...

[JB!]

papercup said:

JB! said:

papercup said:

RX-7; wonderful handling and a sorted one will easily show an M3 a clean pair of heels. Mine in single-turbo guise would bully a CSL out of the way on track. I had a great battle with one at Combe one day; it was very fast but the Rex had it on the brakes, and especially on corner speed through the chicanes).

But getting and keeping a sorted one happy is not an easy or cheap proposition and if you are talking 'easy, rewarding daily driver' then I'd recommend the M3!

If you want to make the M3 expensive, unreliable and a general pain in the arse, then turbo it. There's always something with modified cars. If you were going to go down this road, I'd recommend the RX-7 again...

Andy

Have you still got your V8 RX7?


Thanks for the input everyone!

Yup

Still going strong?

What was the rough cost in building it?

[JB!]

papercup said:

JB! said:

papercup said:

JB! said:

papercup said:

RX-7; wonderful handling and a sorted one will easily show an M3 a clean pair of heels. Mine in single-turbo guise would bully a CSL out of the way on track. I had a great battle with one at Combe one day; it was very fast but the Rex had it on the brakes, and especially on corner speed through the chicanes).

But getting and keeping a sorted one happy is not an easy or cheap proposition and if you are talking 'easy, rewarding daily driver' then I'd recommend the M3!

If you want to make the M3 expensive, unreliable and a general pain in the arse, then turbo it. There's always something with modified cars. If you were going to go down this road, I'd recommend the RX-7 again...

Andy

Have you still got your V8 RX7?


Thanks for the input everyone!

Yup

Still going strong?

What was the rough cost in building it?

You'll get no real change from 15K to convert a Rex to V8.

Including a base vehicle?

A good/ish manual E46 looks to be 8k.

[JB!]

HarryW said:

Back to things I know about and in the spirit of what PH was created for. All assuming you don't have to lug two kids around have you considered a TVR Chimaera, surprisingly practical with a large boot, open top when you want it, quick enough when you want it to be, scarey enough RWD handling if you don't respect it, a sound track to die for, still turns heads today and actually if you buy the right one not that expensive to run.......

Not a fan of the looks, love the 350/Sagaris, but i'm scared of the huge bills.

[JB!]

s m said:

HarryW said:

Ok understandable, as I said if you buy carefully, but that takes a bit of experience with the marque to do that, or a good friend that is.

Sticking with the BMW theme then, have a go in a E39 M5, stunning cars the daddy compared to the M3 in many ways.

Doesn't he want the "feel" of a six cylinder M BMW though, only with a turbo?

Would a modded 135i BMW coupe, with a LSD, suspension and ARB upgrades, revised geo like more caster/camber and different exhaust/induction get close if a 1M is out of budget

I did miss what the overall budget was

Edited by s m on Wednesday 26th November 17:56

No mention of budget but a good/ish M3 looks to be 8-10k...

[JB!]

Are the E39 V8 M5's comparable? Thinking the V8 will satisfy my want of low down torque, similar pricing?...