M3 e36 or e46?
Discussion
Hi, i'm looking at getting my next car, and I want it to be a dual road and 'every now and then' trackday fun car. Question is, do i go for a cheaper e36 and spend some money on upgraded brakes/suspension, or spend a bit more and go for the newer e46? what are peoples opinions, preferably if you've real life experience of the two! thanks!
If you can afford a good E46, then go for it.
If, however, your budget is right on the limit of a perfect low mileage E36, and a leggy abused E46, then either save for a little longer for a good E46 or get the best E36 you can at the best price.
A ropey "bargain" M series car is very likely to drain you financially, and the risk of a massive bill landing will always be in the back of your mind!
If, however, your budget is right on the limit of a perfect low mileage E36, and a leggy abused E46, then either save for a little longer for a good E46 or get the best E36 you can at the best price.
A ropey "bargain" M series car is very likely to drain you financially, and the risk of a massive bill landing will always be in the back of your mind!
well ive got a bec kit car for my proper track day fun car, the bmw or whatever i get is mainly for the road, and the odd trackday to learn its personality, and as a good back up if the weathers wet and ive a trackday booked! 
My last fun car was a cerbera, so im used to the worry in the back of my mind, but dont think the repair bill will be quite as bad if the m3 did go wrong. I aggree the e30 m3 is the best drivers m3 they have done, but wouldnt be for me as an everyday car. I think i might save a few more months and go for an £18k'ish e46. Is that price going to get me a decent one or should i look out? I could get a 15k one now, and there are a few on the trader for around that price, but what is there that could go wrong with them at that price? would it be a false economy?
Do the e46's still suffer from the alleged 36 evos VANOS probs? or has this been sorted now?
My last fun car was a cerbera, so im used to the worry in the back of my mind, but dont think the repair bill will be quite as bad if the m3 did go wrong. I aggree the e30 m3 is the best drivers m3 they have done, but wouldnt be for me as an everyday car. I think i might save a few more months and go for an £18k'ish e46. Is that price going to get me a decent one or should i look out? I could get a 15k one now, and there are a few on the trader for around that price, but what is there that could go wrong with them at that price? would it be a false economy?
Do the e46's still suffer from the alleged 36 evos VANOS probs? or has this been sorted now?
Edited by toady1 on Wednesday 16th May 13:40
pikeyboy said:
you'll hate me for saying this but neither drive that good on a track unless your going in a straight line, or have spent loads on brakes and suspension. buy an e30 m3 and all will be revealed even on corners!
that is an E30 purist talking. The E46 is actually a bloody good car on track. Brakes are definitely inadequate and if you do a lot of track work, you might want to upgrade the suspension too. e36 is a great all rounder. I'd go for a nice example with a bulletproof history and then mod it a little for track.
Yes the 46 is more powerful but not by much but it is also heavier so in the real world performance difference is negligable. e36 is improved loads by a DaveF induction kit (dynoed at 12-15bhp for an EVO) available from www.e36coupe.com
Yes the 46 is more powerful but not by much but it is also heavier so in the real world performance difference is negligable. e36 is improved loads by a DaveF induction kit (dynoed at 12-15bhp for an EVO) available from www.e36coupe.com
The E46 is a better car, period. I've owned both a 3.0 M3 and a 3.0 M3 GT and they are very dated by todays standards. Of course, any car can be made into a track weapon but it all depends on budget. The E46 M3 will keep you happy on track with some better pads/fluid.
If you buy an E36 M3, every time you drive past an E46 M3 you'll say, "I could have had one of those!"
Forget an E30 M3 if you want a road car, again, by todays standards, they're vintage!!
If you buy an E36 M3, every time you drive past an E46 M3 you'll say, "I could have had one of those!"
Forget an E30 M3 if you want a road car, again, by todays standards, they're vintage!!
Yep the E30 M3 is a fantastic car but it's nion 20 years old.
Tthe E46 is just awesome, the noise, power, and excitement and thats coming from an E30 nut, but I would never get rid of the E30 there will always be a place for her.
OT had the pleaseure of driving an £86K M5 today, bloody hell, what a car.
Tthe E46 is just awesome, the noise, power, and excitement and thats coming from an E30 nut, but I would never get rid of the E30 there will always be a place for her.
OT had the pleaseure of driving an £86K M5 today, bloody hell, what a car.
[quote=oola]The E46 is a better car, period. I've owned both a 3.0 M3 and a 3.0 M3 GT and they are very dated by todays standards. Of course, any car can be made into a track weapon but it all depends on budget. The E46 M3 will keep you happy on track with some better pads/fluid.
If you buy an E36 M3, every time you drive past an E46 M3 you'll say, "I could have had one of those!"
Yes you could say that about a lot of cars but you could also say " yes I could have had one of those but thank god I saved myself that 8k as I love this!"
Honestly I have always wanted an E46 but I have had my 3.0 m3 for two years now (thats good for me!) and quite honestly I can say that for the extra money are they really worth it? And yeas I have driven and owned all the M3's to date.
If you buy an E36 M3, every time you drive past an E46 M3 you'll say, "I could have had one of those!"
Yes you could say that about a lot of cars but you could also say " yes I could have had one of those but thank god I saved myself that 8k as I love this!"
Honestly I have always wanted an E46 but I have had my 3.0 m3 for two years now (thats good for me!) and quite honestly I can say that for the extra money are they really worth it? And yeas I have driven and owned all the M3's to date.
Hi guys, just being nosey on here (several M cars in my extended family) I was lucky enough to have a ride in the EVO magazine E30 M3 "target 8 minute" 'ring car around Brands Hatch, and, as an owner of a lightweight car, was BLOWN AWAY at what that car could do for the money it cost, and with only 300bhp. It could be replicated fairly easy for £15k including buying the car and my God, what a trackday tool that would be. It's like a real racing car. Proper stuff and not the end of the world if you damage it. Also recently been on a foreign trackday recently where an E30 and E46 were in attendance. The E30 looked good fun but honestly it was not that fast (it IS for a claasic), and the E46 went off fairly hard and looked like a VERY expensive day out. It also was no quicker round the track than a £12k Elise. If you fancy a few trackdays and have DEEP pockets to for the E46. I'd ask myself how serious you are about venturing on track though. I would go for very good E36, mainly because I could not afford to repair an E46! For a pure road car, there is no contest, E46.
to be honest, spending all that money on a e46 is not worth the bit of difference in what you get.... if you bough a r36 and spent the extra 8k on it, you would embarrise the e46. get a e36, strip it, get the brakes sorted and get some work on the engine to a nice reliable 350bhp and your laughing.
answer this question, if you was on a track in a 18k e46, would you put it in the corners that much harder and test its boudarys? if you had a cheaper car I am sure you would push harder and have more fun.
Either way, any BMW M car is going to cost a packet to repair if you prang it.
cheers
M
answer this question, if you was on a track in a 18k e46, would you put it in the corners that much harder and test its boudarys? if you had a cheaper car I am sure you would push harder and have more fun.
Either way, any BMW M car is going to cost a packet to repair if you prang it.
cheers
M
falkster said:
He makes sense!
How about E36 for about £6k/£7k and then get a good E30 M3 for about £8/£9k and track that!
As said before the E36 and E46 arent good round tracks and to be honest the E36 wasnt even going to be called an M3 it was going to be called a 330.
Honest? Really? How about E36 for about £6k/£7k and then get a good E30 M3 for about £8/£9k and track that!
As said before the E36 and E46 arent good round tracks and to be honest the E36 wasnt even going to be called an M3 it was going to be called a 330.
That is so much bulls
t I'm damn nearly drowning in the stuff.Silly boy.
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