E46 M3 vs M135 vs E90 M3¡Kand oddly a GT86.
E46 M3 vs M135 vs E90 M3¡Kand oddly a GT86.
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shibby!

Original Poster:

927 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
quotequote all
E46 M3 vs M135 vs E90 M3¡Kand oddly a GT86.

I currently I have an E46 M3, it broke a little at the weekend, with the parts being replaced any warranty. She has 106k, and is in generally good condtion, but there are things that could be done to make it perfect¡K

I was looking for new toys anyway, as I usually do. I was in the garage waiting, and they had an M135 I was offered what I think was a VERY good deal on on. 34k car. Pre registred, 5k down (E46) and 36 months @ 275 PCP deal. Which suddenly got me thinking A LOT harder.
I tried it, and I liked it.

Tried an E90 M3 too over in Edinburgh, I was 50:50 between them before I got there, mainly on the deal I got for the M135, but the M3 is where its at! Such a cool toy, I drove a manual, and loved it. OK so It was a few years old, and will required a lot more work and cash, with servicing, insurance, fuel, MOT etc, etc

Whereas the 135, I would only do an oil service, due to the length of time I keep cars, and the miles I do.

Oddly, I also drove a GT86, mainly due to deals online being offered and a very good looking TRD version outside their dealership, awesome car, awesome fun. I don¡¦t think I would miss being down 150 - 200bhp! In the end the deal was terrible compared to what I was offered at BMW so it¡¦s a no go. 360 a month, for a 25k car. Was not impressed.

So now im back to square 1 to be honest. I want the M3, but don¡¦t want to pay the costs really. 400 road tax, massive cost of servicing (it will need oil, inspection, brakes etc), double insurance (which to be fair isn¡¦t that much) while in my ownership. The M135 is a great deal and the more I type about it the more it looks good¡K¡K¡K. I like the car, but I don¡¦t think it was special enough.

Then I drove my E46 home, and it was a great laugh.

So who knows where to go now!

E90, love it
M135, most sense
E46, still love mine, but do want to change.

Wish my wife would just tell me what to do, like she usually does! ƒº her only input was, ¡§get what you want¡¨.


Dang! decisions decisions!

Maybe ill just keep the E46 and spend no money! smile

anonymous-user

80 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
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What broke on the E46?

Keep the E46.

bennyboysvuk

3,494 posts

274 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
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I still miss my E46 M3 even now, over a year on.

M135i - Not special enough IMO.
E90 M3 - Is it £X better than your current steed? ...or more accurately, do you really want to pay all that cash for the V8? My usual answer to that would be yes, but it's a slightly different kettle of fish to the E46 M3 again IMO.

JRBM5

161 posts

165 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
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I recently made the jump from a lovely E46 M3 with lots of Individual spec to an E90 M3 with a fair amount of toys.

The E90 is more of a grower as its abilities take a while to get used to. As i've said before on this forum the E90 has the widest breadth of ability i have come across. Fantastic engine, great handling, space in the back for the in-laws, supple ride with EDC, not too shouty and great reliability.

The one thing i do miss is how the E46 looks, i would often find myself looking back at it as i walked away in a carpark. This doesn't happen with the E90.

Not that i have an obvious preference or anything...but only one of the cars you are looking at is a last of its kind....

AngryApples

5,449 posts

291 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
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Been through a bit of a nightmare with my E46 M3 lately (162k so to be expected - nothing to major just a few niggles that have taken it off the road and more inconvenience than anything!) but I'm determined to ride the rough out as when I get the odd moment in the last few weeks of it feeling right, it just feels sooooooooooo right

If you're being offered 5k by the dealer I'd certainly hang on a whiile, cant see it dropping far below that (what year is it?) so why not save the cash and hang on to the old one, especially if she still puts a smile on your face?

shibby!

Original Poster:

927 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
quotequote all
It basically snapped its springs.... AGAIN!, and had the exhuast joints/clamps fixed. It was blowing a bit.


I do love the old car, but its not perfect.

Its a 2002 car, 106k, had the subframe etc done, and is in pretty decent shape. 5k, is really nothing for the car, but at the same time, it aint going to drop anymore i dont think. I dont see how it could! hahah.

M135 not special enough
GT86, fantastic car, but too much money compared to M135
E90, was a great bit of kit, i dont see what people were saying about it being dissapointing, i thought it was ace, and i could 100% do everything i want in it.

E46, still an awesome car. Im not sure an E90 is worth an extra 20k?

I suppose this brings in another dilemna...... should i just buy a CSL then, or an E30 and keep the E46! smile


I do like the idea of a car under warranty, thats new, or only a few years old.


looks like im going to hold onto the E46 M3 for sure now, but as i was typing out the previous post about cost, it would appear the M135 is possibly the best cost option, but i dont love it like mine, or the E90.

but i may change my mind, as soon as something breaks again! smile


I do have to concede though, that 135, is a very good car. Fast for sure, decent kit, costs are fantastic, and the GT86, possibly the most suprising, i was very pleased with that car, and when it drops under 10k in the next 5 years or so, i reckon ill pick one up just for the sts and giggles.


Edited by shibby! on Wednesday 10th July 13:46

161BMW

1,823 posts

191 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
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Depends how much driving you do ?
Weekend car .... get a M3 CSL
Daily car .... Get a high mileage M3 CSL as residuals will suffer less from high mileage should you sell. Remember to barter these 100k CSLs on price. Should really be about £15k IMO :-)

shibby!

Original Poster:

927 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
quotequote all
TBH i do drive everyday, but not much, then car used for fun at weekends, gym trips, etc etc.

Only do around 7-8k really. So not much!


FuzzyDunlop

106 posts

230 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
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How does the E46 M3 drive compared to the M135i?

shibby!

Original Poster:

927 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th July 2013
quotequote all
Massivly different..... While the e90 and the e46 can feel quite similar, with the way they drive and feel, the seating position and way they are driven, the m3s are very different from the m135.

M135 does not require any sort of revving, the turbo car has a low of low down grunt.
Steering is very light and lacks a lot feel
Feels small
Maybe it was the different feel.of the overall car but I felt it quite loose at the rear, so taking off hard through the gears didnt feel as planted as the m3s, which I put down to lack of lsd.

Very comfy, kit is pretty cool, and handles very well.

its very quick through the gears!! I mean it really goes!.... Probably a much faster day to day car with its low down grunt.

A very good car in my opinion, not as special but very good, I can see why its popular, and I would buy one for sure!..... I almost did!

Edited by shibby! on Wednesday 10th July 22:23

cerb4.5lee

42,667 posts

206 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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shibby! said:
TBH i do drive everyday, but not much, then car used for fun at weekends, gym trips, etc etc.

Only do around 7-8k really. So not much!
If you only do 7-8k I would certainly consider the V8 M3 as its engine will consistently put a smile on your face & the E9x M3 does reward the more you get to know it & it's does the daily driver bit very well too.

nightwalker

4,075 posts

213 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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Good luck with that one! Even if you broke a CSL you'd breach 15k. The cheapest I've ever seen one go for was 19k and that was due to a quick sale being required.

161BMW said:
Depends how much driving you do ?
Weekend car .... get a M3 CSL
Daily car .... Get a high mileage M3 CSL as residuals will suffer less from high mileage should you sell. Remember to barter these 100k CSLs on price. Should really be about £15k IMO :-)

strike4A

76 posts

219 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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I reckon you'd get bored pretty quickly in an M135i. Prices for these will fall down pretty quickly after 1 year so why not scratch that V8 itch now then maybe swap into an M135i this time next year or later.

CRB14

1,494 posts

178 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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strike4A said:
I reckon you'd get bored pretty quickly in an M135i. Prices for these will fall down pretty quickly after 1 year so why not scratch that V8 itch now then maybe swap into an M135i this time next year or later.
Don't know about that...they seem to be holding fairly well so far at 12 months old. I'd hazard a guess that you'd certainly lose more on a V8 in depreciation than you would with the M135i. Just my opinion like...

shibby!

Original Poster:

927 posts

224 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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I agree, i think i would lose far more with an M3.

Just look at what happened to the E36 when E46 was out, then the E46 when the E92 came out. Give them a year or 2 from when the new one is released and the previous ones bomb super hard.

While i know its a different car, the previous 135 seems to have held onto its value reasonably well.

strike4A

76 posts

219 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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Depends how old the E90 M3 is that you're looking at?

You can get an LCI (facelift) for about £28k I reckon, maybe less. They have already seen the worst of depreciation.

M135i's can be had for £25k if you shop around. There are loads about which will only have one effect on price levels in my opinion.

Thing is with both of these cars you won't really get to know them properly until 2-3 weeks of driving. Single test drives just don't cut it I think.

Vladimir

6,917 posts

184 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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I think a £30k car that's been times at mid 4s to 60 and mid 10s to 100 is pretty special. Add fairly sensible fuel range and the ability to pootle in relative comfort and you have a car that's pretty unique.

The M3 is lovely but the range is utterly ludicrous for anything over 200 miles.

istoo

2,365 posts

228 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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christ, virtually identical situation to me...
interesting and remarkably similar to me.
I tested a gt86 a few weeks ago, preferred it to the e90 m3, totally different car, but i still want to go back and drive the hell out of it again.

m135/135 also on the want list...

as an aside, are you the edinburgher with the exhaust dilema also?

irish boy

3,895 posts

262 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
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Same situation here too....including the drive in the gt86, loving it, but not loving the figures.

Ended up with the m135i, spent the first month not fully convinced, then had to travel to a place down the country for 5 days in a row that involved a lot of deserted roads. Changed my opinion of the car and now love it. Would consider adding the lsd at some point but apart from that it's absolutely superb, goes like absolute stink and does it without turning any heads. On the pcp you won't have to worry about depreciation either as long as you keep the miles inside the quota.

shibby!

Original Poster:

927 posts

224 months

Thursday 11th July 2013
quotequote all
I really liked the gt86, I cant say enough good about it. I just sat in it and it felt good. Fantastic balance. A very good car in my opinion.

I did have an exhuast issue yes, a rattle/rasp. Its been fixed with replacemtn clamps, although it could do with it coming off and a look at the heat sheild at some point, I think.

Good to hear about the m135, I did enjoy it but was.not.100% at the time. im glad you are liking it, and what you have mentioned makes me want to go think about it again!
Although I would like somehing a bit more shouty, look at me! Ha! Maybe im a child!