Have the E93 M3 owners been forgotten?

[JapFreak786]

With PH having an E92 M3 from BMW and the recent meet up with fellow E92 owners, where are all the E93 M3 owner's gone to? Would have been nice to have an E93 owner or two in the review, I didn't put myself up as I had work.
Equally a great car,yes it's heavier and slower in comparison but IMO it's just a whole different environment to be in when the roof is down and the sun's out.

So where is the love for the E93? Dare I say it, the E93 looks better than an E92 to some extent.. With the roof folded away it's x100 times better looking.

Be interesting to know the difference it would make to have a full CF roof that would fold away as I assume this is where alot of the extra weight comes in at?

[M3greg]

Or, indeed, the E90 owners. Always preferred the saloon to the coupe or convertible versions - slightly more "Q".

[t8cmf]

JapFreak786 said:

Dare I say it, the E93 looks better than an E92 to some extent.. With the roof folded away it's x100 times better looking.

That's a matter of opinion though.

I personally think the E92 M3 is a far better looking machine but then I don't like convertibles at all.

[djtex]

Could it have something to do with the weight of an E93 and not being the 'drivers' choice? Not posing this as my own opinion as such having never driven one, but a possible hypothesis?

[M3greg]

I think it's just because the E92 was the most popular, and the coupe got the special versions. Therefore it's argued as the 'definitive' E9x M3. Plus, it's the last M3 Coupe (for the foreseeable).

[Shaoxter]

Maybe it's because the E92 is a dedicated sports coupe and the E93 is heavier for the purposes of posing around in? Also with the roof up the E92 looks better IMO, the proportions at the back of the E93 where the roof is stored are a bit off.

I'm sure the roof down experience in the E93 is awesome in the summer though

[dadofbud]

Trawling through the for sale ads, E93 M3 come up as early choice when the criteria is low - high price, so it it seems that the convertible is not generally loved as reflectede by the motor trade prices.

E92 M3 is heavy enough,(still a great car) so it appears there's limited attraction in one that's even heavier and not as structurally taut.

[JapFreak786]

Ah I do love the E90 and it may get one in 12 months time. Always good to have different opinions or we'd all have silver wheels and CF interior bits with orange paint if the M4 thread is anything to go buy.

The E93 is heavy no doubt but the experience with the top down is something all E92 owners should try to enjoy, agree can be seen as a posers car but I spend my time driving country roads than posing city roads

[cerb4.5lee]

My brother in law has one & he loves his & I think the engine/exhaust sounds a million times better than in the Coupe & it was a ride & drive out in his that made me want a V8 M8 & but I went with the coupe but you lose all the effect of the sound in that which is a shame.

It is contentious as some think its a terrible thing to whip the roof off the M3 which is respected as a decent performance car but as others have stated the M3 in Coupe guise is hardly a lightweight anyway so I think you may as well enjoy the added thrills & enjoyment from roof off driving in the E93.

[Zod]

t8cmf said:

JapFreak786 said:

Dare I say it, the E93 looks better than an E92 to some extent.. With the roof folded away it's x100 times better looking.

That's a matter of opinion though.

I personally think the E92 M3 is a far better looking machine but then I don't like convertibles at all.

The E93 does not look better. With the roof up it's a bit awkward. It's the poor relation amongst the E9* M3s, being by far the most compromised, thanks to its weight.

[BuzyG]

Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Weight and torsional rigidity, on the other, hand are simple physics.

I'm sure the E93 is a fine car, but it's clearly not the most popular M car, for pretty obvious reasons. If you want a convertable to pose in, many would prefer an S4, or a nice Volvo. If you want a convertable to drive there are many lighter and more chuckable things available.

[JapFreak786]

Splitting opinions with my comment hey, as poster above said beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
I haven't been in an E92 M3 in a while actually but have in an E90 M3.

I'll stick to roof down driving when it's not raining then

With the weight issue, would a full CF roof mechanism like the moving panels make it better and save weight? Is this offered as an aftermarket kit, wouldn't purchase it myself but curious

Edited by JapFreak786 on Wednesday 5th February 19:12

[Shaoxter]

JapFreak786 said:

With the weight issue, would a full CF roof mechanism like the moving panels make it better and save weight? Is this offered as an aftermarket kit, wouldn't purchase it myself but curious

Obviously it will save some weight but it still won't be as light as the E92 due to the additional structural support and the folding roof mechanism.

[JapFreak786]

Should have explained meant a drastic weight lost, I'd imagine about 45/50 kg there alone?

[Patrick Bateman]

I've never liked the appearance of a 3 series convertible, just a coupé with the roof cut off. Convertibles designed as such from the start tend to look better.

[dadofbud]

Patrick Bateman said:

I've never liked the appearance of a 3 series convertible, just a coupé with the roof cut off. Convertibles designed as such from the start tend to look better.

Agree not only do convertibles from design inception look better they normal handle a lot better.

[BuzyG]

JapFreak786 said:

Should have explained meant a drastic weight lost, I'd imagine about 45/50 kg there alone?

No chance, the extra weight is in the bracing required to try and stiffen up the chassis, after the roof has been chopped off the original design. The weight of a fabric roof is not that much, the weight of the structure holding the fabric in place and the electric/hydraulic mechanisms required are still needed, whatever the roof panels are made of. Though if the roof pannels can support them selves, as I would guess a CF pannel could, then less gubins would be needed to fold it back and forth. So the car would still weigh considerably more, than an equivalent coupe.

Basicaly:- If you want a sporty convertable, buy a car designed as a sporty convertable. Not a coupe with the roof chopped.

Edited by BuzyG on Thursday 6th February 00:13

[Wills2]

Zod said:

The E93 does not look better. With the roof up it's a bit awkward. It's the poor relation amongst the E9* M3s, being by far the most compromised, thanks to its weight.

I'd agree, the e93 in any model guise looks awkward with the roof up and the e93 M3 weighs not far off 2 tonnes which is frankly crazy.

[akeithj]

I bought mine because I wanted an M3 convertible and do not regret my decision, I have only had the car 4 months but I have to say I really like it.Looks are very subjective, but personally I think it looks pretty good.