The best BMW M car?
Discussion
)I've driven the following...
E92 and E93 M3 DSG
E46 M3 SMG
CSL
E9 Proper CSL
E30 M3 Sport Evo
What an M Car should be for me..
Lighter than the average
Responsive engine
Responsive balanced handling
Good steering feel
Motorsport Pedigree preferred.
E9* M3- are just too heavy. The mass can never really be forgotten about and this saps agility. Good engine though
E46-good but SMG spoilt the car I drove.
CSL- Better body control and sharper overall, but SMG is really s
t. Nice noise. Horrid seats. Once you get pat the image, are they really 2x as good as a standard E46 as new or 4x better now. No. With a manual 'box-Yes
E9- It wasn't stock, so although the engine was good, it was supercharged! From an era where pliant suspension was the order of the day. Nice steering and I like the way it moves around in the corners.
E30 M3 SE-Ticks most boxes. Could be quicker in this day and age, and the brakes don't stand up to hard use too well. Handling balance is great, choose your cornering attitude providing you don't want 70+mph power oversteer. Not 4x the worth of a stock late 215hp model.
I'd like a go of a E28, E34 and E39 M5s. E6* M5/M6 I'm sure have great engines ruined by SMG and probably too heavy, although weigh can be forgiven in something larger to an extent. The F* Ms; M for marketing and no different to a M135i et al IMO.
E92 and E93 M3 DSG
E46 M3 SMG
CSL
E9 Proper CSL
E30 M3 Sport Evo
What an M Car should be for me..
Lighter than the average
Responsive engine
Responsive balanced handling
Good steering feel
Motorsport Pedigree preferred.
E9* M3- are just too heavy. The mass can never really be forgotten about and this saps agility. Good engine though
E46-good but SMG spoilt the car I drove.
CSL- Better body control and sharper overall, but SMG is really s
t. Nice noise. Horrid seats. Once you get pat the image, are they really 2x as good as a standard E46 as new or 4x better now. No. With a manual 'box-YesE9- It wasn't stock, so although the engine was good, it was supercharged! From an era where pliant suspension was the order of the day. Nice steering and I like the way it moves around in the corners.
E30 M3 SE-Ticks most boxes. Could be quicker in this day and age, and the brakes don't stand up to hard use too well. Handling balance is great, choose your cornering attitude providing you don't want 70+mph power oversteer. Not 4x the worth of a stock late 215hp model.
I'd like a go of a E28, E34 and E39 M5s. E6* M5/M6 I'm sure have great engines ruined by SMG and probably too heavy, although weigh can be forgiven in something larger to an extent. The F* Ms; M for marketing and no different to a M135i et al IMO.
cerb4.5lee said:
They have always been my favourite M3 too, I wonder if the plain jane looks count against it but I would still love one.
E36 is a beautiful car, doesn't get as much appreciation as it deserves! 
Edited by cteagles on Friday 21st November 21:28
Edited by cteagles on Friday 21st November 22:08
cteagles said:
cerb4.5lee said:
They have always been my favourite M3 too, I wonder if the plain jane looks count against it but I would still love one.
E36 is a beautiful car, doesn't get as much appreciation as it deserves! 
Edited by cteagles on Friday 21st November 21:28
cteagles said:
cerb4.5lee said:
They have always been my favourite M3 too, I wonder if the plain jane looks count against it but I would still love one.
E36 is a beautiful car, doesn't get as much appreciation as it deserves! Edited by cteagles on Friday 21st November 21:28
Edited by cteagles on Friday 21st November 22:08
stevesingo said:
I've driven the following...
E92 and E93 M3 DSG
E46 M3 SMG
CSL
E9 Proper CSL
E30 M3 Sport Evo
What an M Car should be for me..
Lighter than the average
Responsive engine
Responsive balanced handling
Good steering feel
Motorsport Pedigree preferred.
E9* M3- are just too heavy. The mass can never really be forgotten about and this saps agility. Good engine though
E46-good but SMG spoilt the car I drove.
CSL- Better body control and sharper overall, but SMG is really st. Nice noise. Horrid seats. Once you get pat the image, are they really 2x as good as a standard E46 as new or 4x better now. No. With a manual 'box-Yes
E9- It wasn't stock, so although the engine was good, it was supercharged! From an era where pliant suspension was the order of the day. Nice steering and I like the way it moves around in the corners.
E30 M3 SE-Ticks most boxes. Could be quicker in this day and age, and the brakes don't stand up to hard use too well. Handling balance is great, choose your cornering attitude providing you don't want 70+mph power oversteer. Not 4x the worth of a stock late 215hp model.
I'd like a go of a E28, E34 and E39 M5s. E6* M5/M6 I'm sure have great engines ruined by SMG and probably too heavy, although weigh can be forgiven in something larger to an extent. The F* Ms; M for marketing and no different to a M135i et al IMO.
Sounds like you haven't 'lived' with any??E92 and E93 M3 DSG
E46 M3 SMG
CSL
E9 Proper CSL
E30 M3 Sport Evo
What an M Car should be for me..
Lighter than the average
Responsive engine
Responsive balanced handling
Good steering feel
Motorsport Pedigree preferred.
E9* M3- are just too heavy. The mass can never really be forgotten about and this saps agility. Good engine though
E46-good but SMG spoilt the car I drove.
CSL- Better body control and sharper overall, but SMG is really s
t. Nice noise. Horrid seats. Once you get pat the image, are they really 2x as good as a standard E46 as new or 4x better now. No. With a manual 'box-YesE9- It wasn't stock, so although the engine was good, it was supercharged! From an era where pliant suspension was the order of the day. Nice steering and I like the way it moves around in the corners.
E30 M3 SE-Ticks most boxes. Could be quicker in this day and age, and the brakes don't stand up to hard use too well. Handling balance is great, choose your cornering attitude providing you don't want 70+mph power oversteer. Not 4x the worth of a stock late 215hp model.
I'd like a go of a E28, E34 and E39 M5s. E6* M5/M6 I'm sure have great engines ruined by SMG and probably too heavy, although weigh can be forgiven in something larger to an extent. The F* Ms; M for marketing and no different to a M135i et al IMO.
Some of the negatives you put are what make these cars so special to live with imho.
Mermaid said:
Conversion to manual do-able?
Yep.I like the CSL, but my old age means that I find it a bit too no-compromise on the road (appreciate opinions vary) and the SMG box really is woeful (opinions vary, but anything else is wrong). I've nothing against paddle-shifts, but not that generation.
I've still not had the chance to drive an E34 M5, and I'd really like to. I'd like to see how the drive compares to my E28 M5.
Welshbeef said:
Really? Isn't the E46 M3 CSL supposed to be one of the best cars road and track ever made
spoilt by a rubbish SMG is what i meant, why everybiody doesnt convert them to manual is beyond me. I mean on the road its nearly undrivable and on track you cant beat the feel of a gearstick in your hand (says Yanto)shim said:
spoilt by a rubbish SMG is what i meant, why everybiody doesnt convert them to manual is beyond me. I mean on the road its nearly undrivable and on track you cant beat the feel of a gearstick in your hand (says Yanto)
On the road it is butter smooth and nice an easy even in traffic, and on a track in S6 it is still quicker than I can change manually. I should add that I had thought I had made a mistake when I got an SMG car, but after a week I suddenly got it.
shim said:
Welshbeef said:
Really? Isn't the E46 M3 CSL supposed to be one of the best cars road and track ever made
spoilt by a rubbish SMG is what i meant, why everybiody doesnt convert them to manual is beyond me. I mean on the road its nearly undrivable and on track you cant beat the feel of a gearstick in your hand (says Yanto)Equinox said:
shim said:
Welshbeef said:
Really? Isn't the E46 M3 CSL supposed to be one of the best cars road and track ever made
spoilt by a rubbish SMG is what i meant, why everybiody doesnt convert them to manual is beyond me. I mean on the road its nearly undrivable and on track you cant beat the feel of a gearstick in your hand (says Yanto)Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff