The best m3?

The best m3?

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Discussion

helix402

7,832 posts

181 months

Friday 16th August 2019
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V1nce Fox said:
Glad to see you've still got it. Wouldn't part with mine now. It's actually got to the stage where people properly look at it.
They used to creak when new!

BSSBMW

543 posts

112 months

Friday 16th August 2019
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acme said:
Is there anyone out there who's had all variations, right the way from E30 to F80, would be good to hear. I guess in many respects they follow the trajectory of the car over the same time, from delicate 4 pot to complicated massively powered turbo. The lovely thing about the M3 is that as they're not too tied to one particular engine type there's one for each particular taste, lovely.
This subject is always a subjective one which will always produce different opinions and no definitive answer. They all have their pros and cons.

I have owned the first 3 generations and driven all other generations many many times including pretty much all of the variations of each generation thought the course of my career.

If I had to pick two cars it would be an E30 M3 and E46 M3 CSL purely for how they ‘feel’.

Both are not about outright speed as there are plenty of contemporary rivals that are quicker and for me personally what’s more important is how a car feels in terms of steering, chassis feedback and even the tactility of the cabin.

Don’t get me wrong, every M3 has been a brilliant car but they are the two stand out cars for me.

A lot of people write the E30 M3 off for being underpowered and a 4 cylinder engine yet many have never driven one or if they have they have not driven it they way it needs to be to get the best of it.

KPB1973

918 posts

98 months

Friday 16th August 2019
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BSSBMW said:
A lot of people write the E30 M3 off for being underpowered and a 4 cylinder engine yet many have never driven one or if they have they have not driven it they way it needs to be to get the best of it.
Well said, and added to that, outright speed is of course relative to that generation of car.

I recall having a Corolla Gti-16V in my early 20s, at which point it was comfortably quicker than 90% of the cars on the road (a heady 129bhp and a 0-60 that dipped under 8sec) but I once had a E30 M3 - 4-up with jeering blokes - go past me on the A30 like I was standing still.

For that reason alone it is something of a hero car for me.

cerb4.5lee

30,185 posts

179 months

Friday 16th August 2019
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KPB1973 said:
BSSBMW said:
A lot of people write the E30 M3 off for being underpowered and a 4 cylinder engine yet many have never driven one or if they have they have not driven it they way it needs to be to get the best of it.
Well said, and added to that, outright speed is of course relative to that generation of car.

I recall having a Corolla Gti-16V in my early 20s, at which point it was comfortably quicker than 90% of the cars on the road (a heady 129bhp and a 0-60 that dipped under 8sec) but I once had a E30 M3 - 4-up with jeering blokes - go past me on the A30 like I was standing still.

For that reason alone it is something of a hero car for me.
I had a Sierra xr4x4 when I was 20(26 years ago) and I thought that it was a rocket back then with only 150bhp! Similar performance to your Corolla.

Back then I would have been very impressed by the performance of the E30 M3 for sure. I can imagine that the performance now is a world of disappointment though, because things have moved on so much and we are spoilt by very quick cars nowadays.

If performance isn't a priority then I presume that the E30 M3 will be a real joy to drive though for sure. Funnily enough the E30 M3 is the only generation of M3 that I haven't driven, but I've never really wanted to drive it though for some reason.

T1berious

2,242 posts

154 months

Sunday 18th August 2019
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I foolishly tried it on at the lights with an e30 M3 in a Pug 205 GTi 1.6. He gave me the canning I deserved.

Mate had a e30 325i and that also properly shifted. This was way back in the day.

As someone 6 weeks away from an M2 and currently in a Z4MR. The best M car will always be the one that's actually best for you.

If you're a purist and wanting the most focused M car I don't think you could top an e30 M3 (assuming your budget can stretch to it).

An E46 M3 CSL might not fit with some because of the gearbox. You get the gist.

Bizarrely, I went to the M2C mostly on the strength of reviews and my own experience test driving it and 718 / 718S Cayman. Was it a better handling car than the 718S? Nope but you know what, it wasn't far off and the powerplant makes the 718's sound like a Hoover.

Try this.

https://youtu.be/Snhb4tIwhww


cerb4.5lee

30,185 posts

179 months

Sunday 18th August 2019
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T1berious said:
Mate had a e30 325i and that also properly shifted. This was way back in the day.
I got hammered by one of these back in the day in my xr4x4 and I was always a really big fan of them. What always confused me though about the E30 M3 was that it was the flagship...but it only had a 4 cylinder engine...whereas the lesser model 325i had a 6 cylinder engine.


stevesingo

4,848 posts

221 months

Monday 19th August 2019
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The decision to fit E30 M3 with a 4 cyl engine was driven by competition requirements. Capacity limits in Grp A and a 4 cyl engine was shorter - less mass in front of the front axle line, and lighter.

The E30 M3 was never intended to be a big seller, they only needed to sell enough (5000) to homologate. As it turned out, they sold many more (13000) than they needed to as demand was sufficiently high to continue production. Therefore, there was no need to try and place it above the 325i in the showroom. It served a different purpose.

cerb4.5lee

30,185 posts

179 months

Monday 19th August 2019
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stevesingo said:
The decision to fit E30 M3 with a 4 cyl engine was driven by competition requirements. Capacity limits in Grp A and a 4 cyl engine was shorter - less mass in front of the front axle line, and lighter.

The E30 M3 was never intended to be a big seller, they only needed to sell enough (5000) to homologate. As it turned out, they sold many more (13000) than they needed to as demand was sufficiently high to continue production. Therefore, there was no need to try and place it above the 325i in the showroom. It served a different purpose.
Thanks. I did think that the reason was for the racing homologation. It just seemed strange to me to put a 4 cylinder engine in what was known as the flagship model of the range.

I really liked the E36 M3 because that had a 6 cylinder engine, and that engine is what I associate BMW with rightly or wrongly.

Chamon_Lee

3,779 posts

146 months

Monday 19th August 2019
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Not sure if its just me being a grump but the topic has been done to death.
As soon as I seen the youtube video I thought here we go again and I knew what they were going to say about each one even before watching it as its been done so many times on forums including this one!

M5 London

259 posts

100 months

Monday 19th August 2019
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BSSBMW said:
This subject is always a subjective one which will always produce different opinions and no definitive answer. They all have their pros and cons.

I have owned the first 3 generations and driven all other generations many many times including pretty much all of the variations of each generation thought the course of my career.

If I had to pick two cars it would be an E30 M3 and E46 M3 CSL purely for how they ‘feel’.

Both are not about outright speed as there are plenty of contemporary rivals that are quicker and for me personally what’s more important is how a car feels in terms of steering, chassis feedback and even the tactility of the cabin.

Don’t get me wrong, every M3 has been a brilliant car but they are the two stand out cars for me.

A lot of people write the E30 M3 off for being underpowered and a 4 cylinder engine yet many have never driven one or if they have they have not driven it they way it needs to be to get the best of it.
Barry I think I am pretty much with you on the E30 and E46 CSL. Partly possibly as I have an E30 M3 I bought in 2016.

My daily driver was an M6 Gran Coupe and now an E63 AMG. So both aren't really wanting for much Ooomph and I consider most cars on the road, unless they're really pushing out over 500HP somewhat dull and sort of uneventful (a bit one sided I know sorry).

So I was very surprised when I took my E30 M3 out for its first proper thrash in 3 years and 250 miles of ownership. When you get the car into the upper reaches of its power band it really does sing and sort of actually pushes you back in your chair......and in the corners it seems to be able to carry SO MUCH speed, quite crazy really and most of all a very pleasant surprise.

I also owned an E36 3.0 back in 2000 to 2003. I think its very underrated. Great ergonomics, comfort, styling, reliability and a sort of race inspired engine too. Would love to get another one, just for the memories (one of which was blasting along the M20 trading punches with a Testarossa)

E46 CSL : I must admit I haven't driven one. But from what I have gathered and having spent 6 months in a E46 M3, the CSL is something I'd welcome to the collection.

PS : Barry, I think I want you to give my E30 M3 a once over and perhaps do an oil service and change all the shifter bushings (I have all the part etc) whilst you give it a general look over and make a plan for the general works over the medium term.

Edited by M5 London on Monday 19th August 20:53


Edited by M5 London on Monday 19th August 20:55