e46 M3 or 235i?
Discussion
I Don't know which way to go any advice ?
always wanted the M3 but with prices all over the place i don't want to get burned! my budget is about 15,000 so a little low for both but that beingg said both are in that range.
what would you do ?
also is the M3 as it's older now would buying from a dealer be an issue ? the reason i thinking this way is because most private sellers are at pain's to mention the big 3 jobs having being done... but not so much from dealers!
so what would you do?
always wanted the M3 but with prices all over the place i don't want to get burned! my budget is about 15,000 so a little low for both but that beingg said both are in that range.
what would you do ?
also is the M3 as it's older now would buying from a dealer be an issue ? the reason i thinking this way is because most private sellers are at pain's to mention the big 3 jobs having being done... but not so much from dealers!
so what would you do?
I'd also add this - consider a really clean E46 330ci. It's as real-world quick as an M3, unless you're driving like a nutter everywhere or want to take it on track. It's also cheaper to run as the engines are tough and much cheaper to repair/replace. £7k should get you a really nice one.
Tracklover said:
Two very different cars.
If you want to boil it right down
E46 M3 is more fun, more iconic, feels special
235i is more "get in and drive", likely less hassle to maintain / run
Might be a heart vs head decision.
Pretty much this. If you want to boil it right down
E46 M3 is more fun, more iconic, feels special
235i is more "get in and drive", likely less hassle to maintain / run
Might be a heart vs head decision.
We have an M240i. It’s a really good car. Easy to live with, cheap to run (36mpg!) and very quick.
Whilst not an M3, we also had an E46 330i convertible. I absolutely adored it. A good one is a fabulous car, so sweet to drive.
Re the 3 jobs and Dealers v owners. Owners know the importance of addressing the M3 foibles. Many Dealers won’t know the car as intimately so won’t mention them.
If a 2 series goes past I don’t give it a second look. A good E46 gets me misty eyed. I’d try to make the M3 work but would be prepared with an emergency war chest.
Maxus said:
Pretty much this.
We have an M240i. It s a really good car. Easy to live with, cheap to run (36mpg!) and very quick.
Whilst not an M3, we also had an E46 330i convertible. I absolutely adored it. A good one is a fabulous car, so sweet to drive.
Re the 3 jobs and Dealers v owners. Owners know the importance of addressing the M3 foibles. Many Dealers won t know the car as intimately so won t mention them.
If a 2 series goes past I don t give it a second look. A good E46 gets me misty eyed. I d try to make the M3 work but would be prepared with an emergency war chest.
thankyou for you're time in answering this.. I'm still not sure which way to go!We have an M240i. It s a really good car. Easy to live with, cheap to run (36mpg!) and very quick.
Whilst not an M3, we also had an E46 330i convertible. I absolutely adored it. A good one is a fabulous car, so sweet to drive.
Re the 3 jobs and Dealers v owners. Owners know the importance of addressing the M3 foibles. Many Dealers won t know the car as intimately so won t mention them.
If a 2 series goes past I don t give it a second look. A good E46 gets me misty eyed. I d try to make the M3 work but would be prepared with an emergency war chest.
Edited by discusdave on Saturday 27th June 22:57
My thoughts being on my 6th E46 M3, regarding big 3:
Vanos - Not that common.
Rod bearings - Definitely do these for the sake of £900. Engine killer if you spin a bearing and an easy £8k-£10k to put right.
RACP failure - Not that common. A friend of mine breaks half a dozen E46s a week and he's come across 2 cracked floors in years of doing so. Mine was crack free when inspected (you need to drop the subframe and clean the RACP)
They also weep oil from the PCV valve. An uprated seal is a tenner and it's a (fiddly) DIY job to change. Also change the vanos feed line (£25, 10 minute job) and delete the viscous fan (free). The header tanks can get brittle and explode, albeit rare, £130 gets you a new one if you want to cover that base.
All that said, generally speaking, they are tough engines. Buy a good example and I'd give you a 90% chance of no issues in 5 years.
Vanos - Not that common.
Rod bearings - Definitely do these for the sake of £900. Engine killer if you spin a bearing and an easy £8k-£10k to put right.
RACP failure - Not that common. A friend of mine breaks half a dozen E46s a week and he's come across 2 cracked floors in years of doing so. Mine was crack free when inspected (you need to drop the subframe and clean the RACP)
They also weep oil from the PCV valve. An uprated seal is a tenner and it's a (fiddly) DIY job to change. Also change the vanos feed line (£25, 10 minute job) and delete the viscous fan (free). The header tanks can get brittle and explode, albeit rare, £130 gets you a new one if you want to cover that base.
All that said, generally speaking, they are tough engines. Buy a good example and I'd give you a 90% chance of no issues in 5 years.
Tracklover said:
My thoughts being on my 6th E46 M3, regarding big 3:
Vanos - Not that common.
Rod bearings - Definitely do these for the sake of £900. Engine killer if you spin a bearing and an easy £8k-£10k to put right.
RACP failure - Not that common. A friend of mine breaks half a dozen E46s a week and he's come across 2 cracked floors in years of doing so. Mine was crack free when inspected (you need to drop the subframe and clean the RACP)
They also weep oil from the PCV valve. An uprated seal is a tenner and it's a (fiddly) DIY job to change. Also change the vanos feed line (£25, 10 minute job) and delete the viscous fan (free). The header tanks can get brittle and explode, albeit rare, £130 gets you a new one if you want to cover that base.
All that said, generally speaking, they are tough engines. Buy a good example and I'd give you a 90% chance of no issues in 5 years.
thankyou for this.. i shall keep looking. it's my heart doing this NOT my head .Vanos - Not that common.
Rod bearings - Definitely do these for the sake of £900. Engine killer if you spin a bearing and an easy £8k-£10k to put right.
RACP failure - Not that common. A friend of mine breaks half a dozen E46s a week and he's come across 2 cracked floors in years of doing so. Mine was crack free when inspected (you need to drop the subframe and clean the RACP)
They also weep oil from the PCV valve. An uprated seal is a tenner and it's a (fiddly) DIY job to change. Also change the vanos feed line (£25, 10 minute job) and delete the viscous fan (free). The header tanks can get brittle and explode, albeit rare, £130 gets you a new one if you want to cover that base.
All that said, generally speaking, they are tough engines. Buy a good example and I'd give you a 90% chance of no issues in 5 years.
What are you using it for, a daily or a weekend toy?
The E46 M3 has always felt heavy to me, so as a daily I'd definitely avoid it, and I'd go with the M235i instead for sure. However I wouldn't want either as a weekend toy though, so it depends on how you're going to use them for me.
The E46 M3 has always felt heavy to me, so as a daily I'd definitely avoid it, and I'd go with the M235i instead for sure. However I wouldn't want either as a weekend toy though, so it depends on how you're going to use them for me.
It really depends how you intend to use whichever you buy.
For daily driving and 10K or more miles a year a 20 year old £15K M3 wouldn't be my choice. But if you work from home or commute using other transport and do 4 or 5K a year why not go with your heart and have an M3?
A 235i is probably more capable and easier to live with but I suspect you'd find an M3 felt much more special from the moment you started that wonderful S54 engine!
I've had my Z4M Coupe with the same engine for over 6 years and done 24K miles in it with no major issues, although I had the rod bearing shells replaced at 78K miles soon after I got it for peace of mind. The soundtrack still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.
If you go the M3 route you need to have your eyes open for the pitfalls like bearing shells, boot-floors, etc. but for that reason at your budget I'd rather buy privately so you can get a feel for how the car has been treated.
Good luck whatever you decide.
For daily driving and 10K or more miles a year a 20 year old £15K M3 wouldn't be my choice. But if you work from home or commute using other transport and do 4 or 5K a year why not go with your heart and have an M3?
A 235i is probably more capable and easier to live with but I suspect you'd find an M3 felt much more special from the moment you started that wonderful S54 engine!
I've had my Z4M Coupe with the same engine for over 6 years and done 24K miles in it with no major issues, although I had the rod bearing shells replaced at 78K miles soon after I got it for peace of mind. The soundtrack still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.
If you go the M3 route you need to have your eyes open for the pitfalls like bearing shells, boot-floors, etc. but for that reason at your budget I'd rather buy privately so you can get a feel for how the car has been treated.
Good luck whatever you decide.
I had an M3 a long time ago, and whilst it was an epic car at the time, I would be all over the M235i or M240 now if I had to choose. Objectively both are far better cars to drive.
Even the mintiest of minty fresh M3s - especially on 19s - are fidgety and busy at the helm on modern crappy roads. People call it 'character' or 'alive' blah blah. I call it frickin' annoying. As mentioned, a good daily they are certainly not.
M235/240 are faster, smoother, quieter, handle better (standard vs standard), built better, more rigid chassis, no rust concerns and way way better equipped.
As also mentioned, it's nostalgia vs common sense. Old BMWs look bloody gorgeous, but new ones just drive a lot better. Sorry, but that is the reality of it.
Even the mintiest of minty fresh M3s - especially on 19s - are fidgety and busy at the helm on modern crappy roads. People call it 'character' or 'alive' blah blah. I call it frickin' annoying. As mentioned, a good daily they are certainly not.
M235/240 are faster, smoother, quieter, handle better (standard vs standard), built better, more rigid chassis, no rust concerns and way way better equipped.
As also mentioned, it's nostalgia vs common sense. Old BMWs look bloody gorgeous, but new ones just drive a lot better. Sorry, but that is the reality of it.
As Chedderbang says if you want a run of the mill good drive get the 235 or in fact any modern car with all the tech. they put in them. If you want a driver's car then stick to the M3. Modern cars generally drive themselves and new can be maintenance free aside from consumables. If you want an occasional commute and weekend 'fun' car get the e46.
I have a special edition e46 and as much as I am not a big fan of the paddleshift so tend to stick to my old manuals I drove it the other day to Silverstone and really enjoyed the drive. Currently driving a new Mercedes the initial electric acceleration may be good but it's a big barge that brakes for you, warns you when you cross hashed areas, emergeny brakes for you et cetera et cetera.
Pip
I have a special edition e46 and as much as I am not a big fan of the paddleshift so tend to stick to my old manuals I drove it the other day to Silverstone and really enjoyed the drive. Currently driving a new Mercedes the initial electric acceleration may be good but it's a big barge that brakes for you, warns you when you cross hashed areas, emergeny brakes for you et cetera et cetera.
Pip
Tracklover said:
My thoughts being on my 6th E46 M3, regarding big 3:
Vanos - Not that common.
Rod bearings - Definitely do these for the sake of £900. Engine killer if you spin a bearing and an easy £8k-£10k to put right.
RACP failure - Not that common. A friend of mine breaks half a dozen E46s a week and he's come across 2 cracked floors in years of doing so. Mine was crack free when inspected (you need to drop the subframe and clean the RACP)
They also weep oil from the PCV valve. An uprated seal is a tenner and it's a (fiddly) DIY job to change. Also change the vanos feed line (£25, 10 minute job) and delete the viscous fan (free). The header tanks can get brittle and explode, albeit rare, £130 gets you a new one if you want to cover that base.
All that said, generally speaking, they are tough engines. Buy a good example and I'd give you a 90% chance of no issues in 5 years.
Good points.Vanos - Not that common.
Rod bearings - Definitely do these for the sake of £900. Engine killer if you spin a bearing and an easy £8k-£10k to put right.
RACP failure - Not that common. A friend of mine breaks half a dozen E46s a week and he's come across 2 cracked floors in years of doing so. Mine was crack free when inspected (you need to drop the subframe and clean the RACP)
They also weep oil from the PCV valve. An uprated seal is a tenner and it's a (fiddly) DIY job to change. Also change the vanos feed line (£25, 10 minute job) and delete the viscous fan (free). The header tanks can get brittle and explode, albeit rare, £130 gets you a new one if you want to cover that base.
All that said, generally speaking, they are tough engines. Buy a good example and I'd give you a 90% chance of no issues in 5 years.
As said above it's got to come down to the intended use and whether you have access to another car.
If it's going to be a weekend car, then it's got to be the M3. If you need it ready to go every morning for an hours commute to the office then the 235.
Also bear in mind, should you have an issue with the M3, you are probably going to want it to go to a trusted specialist (rather than your local independent garage) and the logistics of that might mean you are waiting a couple of weeks for you to have the time to drop it off or for them to have a slot to look at it. Does that scenario cause you a problem?
If it was me, it would be the M3 all day, but I work from home!
If it's going to be a weekend car, then it's got to be the M3. If you need it ready to go every morning for an hours commute to the office then the 235.
Also bear in mind, should you have an issue with the M3, you are probably going to want it to go to a trusted specialist (rather than your local independent garage) and the logistics of that might mean you are waiting a couple of weeks for you to have the time to drop it off or for them to have a slot to look at it. Does that scenario cause you a problem?
If it was me, it would be the M3 all day, but I work from home!
discusdave said:
I Don't know which way to go any advice ?
always wanted the M3 but with prices all over the place i don't want to get burned! my budget is about 15,000 so a little low for both but that beingg said both are in that range.
what would you do ?
also is the M3 as it's older now would buying from a dealer be an issue ? the reason i thinking this way is because most private sellers are at pain's to mention the big 3 jobs having being done... but not so much from dealers!
so what would you do?
I know it’s a CSL but this video might interest you always wanted the M3 but with prices all over the place i don't want to get burned! my budget is about 15,000 so a little low for both but that beingg said both are in that range.
what would you do ?
also is the M3 as it's older now would buying from a dealer be an issue ? the reason i thinking this way is because most private sellers are at pain's to mention the big 3 jobs having being done... but not so much from dealers!
so what would you do?
I was in a similar position not long ago and I think the only way to know is to actually try and drive some examples, what’s sauce for the goose may not be sauce for the gander…..
I was looking at the 135i coupes as well but getting harder to find nice unmolested cars than with an M235i/M240i
An E46 M3 is obviously going to be heavier on maintenance unless you buy a well restored one but if you like an old-skool feel car and aren’t obsessive about natural aspiration take a look at the F87 M2 - similar weight to the E46 M3 and lot more choice
Thankyou all for the different angles, and point's of view ... decided to do the house up and go away instead in the end i went with a 2004 83,000 e46 330ci no pictures yet as it's in the shop...already lol just for some preventative work .. but its in great shape. and I'm happy with it...no more bongs!
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff