Tuesday 28th August 2012

Spotted: BMW M3 saloon

Struggling to find a decent E39 M5? Harris says try a four-door M3 instead...

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History will judge the E90 series M3 harshly – partly on merit, because as an all-round package it never quite matched the previous E46. Yes, it was faster and grippier, but it had a chronic thirst and suffered from enough small niggles for them to combine into tangible downsides. Many people didn’t like the steering, or the clutch action. With familiarity, I could live with both of those, but during 11,000 miles in my coupe, it was the high driving position which caused the biggest problem.

If there's such a thing as a sleeper M3...

Actually, it was the pathetic fuel range that most blighted the ownership experience, It remains the only car I’ve owned which would not make it the 250 miles to London and back, under a moderate clog. The B7 RS4 I ran could just about manage it.

But the thing with the E90 series M3 is this: the saloon is a much nicer car than the coupe. The one I spent time in was on 19s and had the EDC dampers. It was more comfortable than my coupe and, for whatever reason, the driving position was better. Apparently there were no suspension differences between the two, but the saloon’s bodyshell was less stiff.

Of course the terrible fuel-greed remained, but I also preferred the way the car looked, indeed still looks as a four-door. Arriving in the heat of 2008/2009, the saloon is a much rarer machine than the coupe or convertible.

Peak power at 8,300rpm - nuff said!

This car should be of considerable interest to the E39 M5 fraternity. Good, low-mileage examples of that car are now difficult to find, but the M3 offers a very similar skill-set. It’s a little smaller in the back and the boot, and the newer V8 needs a few more revs to do the business, but otherwise the bare essentials of large capacity and medium-sized body offer everything most of us could ever want in a car. For fear of being castigated, I shan’t mention oversteer.

De-limited, it’ll do 170mph, rest to 62mph takes less than five seconds and the V8 does a passable impression of a DTM motor above 7,000rpm. This one, at £25K after a haggle, is an awful lot of car for the cash.

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BMW M3 SALOON
Engine: 3,999cc V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power (hp): 420@8,300rpm
Torque (lb ft): 295@3,900rpm
MPG: 22.8mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 290g/km
First registered: 2009
Recorded mileage: 21,300
Price new: £51,805 (basic list)
Yours for: £26,000

See the original advert here.

 

[dele]

"Struggling to find a decent E39 M5? Harris says try a four-door M3 instead..."


At three times the price?

[Dave Hedgehog]

Bonkers Q car

[cocopop]

Dave Hedgehog said:

Bonkers Q car

Not really a Q car is it, it's got four exhausts.

[tobiah]

dele said:

"Struggling to find a decent E39 M5? Harris says try a four-door M3 instead..."


At three times the price?

A stupid comparison I agree...

[Ved]

dele said:

"Struggling to find a decent E39 M5? Harris says try a four-door M3 instead..."


At three times the price?

Ahh how the other half must live Where they actually DO need a car to cross continents, huh? I'll stick to crossing Buckinghamshire

[E30M3SE]

http://www.hexagon-bmw.co.uk/approved-used-bmw/bmw...





http://www.hexagon-bmw.co.uk/approved-used-bmw/bmw...

[swanny71]

Really liked my DCT version but the comical thirst (even when driving sensibly) and the pathetic range were contributing factors in letting it go. That you had to be going stupid fast to actually enjoy yourself was the main reason - I think they are almost too accomplished to be enjoyed on normal British roads.

[PPPPPP]

swanny71 said:

Really liked my DCT version but the comical thirst (even when driving sensibly) and the pathetic range were contributing factors in letting it go. That you had to be going stupid fast to actually enjoy yourself was the main reason - I think they are almost too accomplished to be enjoyed on normal British roads.

A little like the E39 M5? Though the torque on the E39 M5 is highly pleasing.

[WCZ]

heard so many bad things from owners I personally know about the fuel consumption of the E90 M3!

[will261058]

Yet to drive an E90 M3 but the E39 would still be my choice with the manual gearbox and it looks better anyway.

[Pablo16v]

I was looking at this very car last night. I'd like something a little bit special that still retains a decent level of practicality and the M3 saloon ticks a lot of the boxes, as does the B7 RS4.

[Luke.]

Would take a lot to look past a C63 at that price level..

[scholesy]

"fuel greed" - Are they really that bad compared to the competition?

[Krikkit]

Love the styling of these, much nicer than the coupé to me.

Sounds a bit thirsty though, even for this class of car!

[ghibbett]

Luke. said:

Would take a lot to look past a C63 at that price level..

+1

[monthefish]

swanny71 said:

the comical thirst

Are people being too harsh on the M3's thirst/range?

350-400 mile range doesn't seem at all unreasonable for a pefromance car to me.

[RenesisEvo]

E30M3SE said:

http://www.hexagon-bmw.co.uk/approved-used-bmw/bmw...



http://www.hexagon-bmw.co.uk/approved-used-bmw/bmw...

you sure do pay a mighty premium for a low-mileage one from BMW! As someone looking to step into an E39 M5 next year, I'd much rather spend 7-9k on a higher-mileage example - heck you could buy two decent examples with plenty of loose change for running costs. For example: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4025489.htm (although I'd prefer Le Mans Blue and no wood).

Not to say the 4-door M3 isn't interesting or great, but an E39 M5 is in budget for me, the E90 M5 isn't by a long way. If I did have the necessary £25k I'd be looking at something entirely different.

[mat205125]

Luke. said:

Would take a lot to look past a C63 at that price level..

The M3 has always been the bench mark, and the V8 4dr cars are wonderful things, but if the M3 "does a passing impression of a DTM car past 7000rpm", then the C63 is pure NASCAR.

I've never owned a Merc, having always chosen the "better" option, however I'd have a C63 above this M3

The one that interests me the most is the Lexus IS-F though. Silly tailpipes aside, its the Lexus that I know the least, and the one that interests the most.

[paulmon]

I owned one of these for about 9 months but the problem with it is this. It only really gets going when doing warp factor 9 which in third gear is well into license losing teritory. At other times it felt like a normal 3 series. The only place you could really stretch its legs was on track but its too heavy and destroys tyres. Throw 16-20mpg into the mix and it doesnt stack up.

On the plus side it looks awesome.

[mik_jg]

Love these. Lusting over a white manual for a while now, hopefully I'll take the plunge in the depths of winter.

As for the thirst, it's bound to be horrific. The engine's basically a cut-down version of the V10 in the M5. I had one, it refused to do more than 16mpg in normal driving and typically averaged 14mpg so I'd say around 18mpg would be normal in one of these. Brutal...