E46 M3 daily drive
Discussion
See my post in this topic Does anyone know this M3?
Low milage ones are not always cheaper in the long run, it usually just means that they've had no major work done, so you'll end up forking out the money when the common faults on e46 M3's occur!
Oh, and don't get a manual - why do you think the CSL only came in SMG?
I drive mine daily and it's sublime... just happens that I am looking at a CSL this week
James
Low milage ones are not always cheaper in the long run, it usually just means that they've had no major work done, so you'll end up forking out the money when the common faults on e46 M3's occur!
Oh, and don't get a manual - why do you think the CSL only came in SMG?
I drive mine daily and it's sublime... just happens that I am looking at a CSL this week
James
having had a few m3's with the straight 6, and just driven the M5 e60. Id avoid the SMG, it only really feels good when you are giving it the full beans. Otherwise smg box feels a little odd in my book..
wife has the e46 m3 as a daily driver - great car, 22 mpg (short runs), servicing outside of bmw is far cheaper, watch for sticky calipers, coil springs (rear), warped discs.
Cream of crop would be a manual CS, truely an all time great..
wife has the e46 m3 as a daily driver - great car, 22 mpg (short runs), servicing outside of bmw is far cheaper, watch for sticky calipers, coil springs (rear), warped discs.
Cream of crop would be a manual CS, truely an all time great..
I would not get an SMG purly as its my preference but there are plenty of owners of SMG that really rate them.
Try them both and make your own decision.
Also read the horror stories about SMG gearbox failures. They are more common than you may think. I actually know a dealer than changed an SMG to a manual after repeated fualts with the SMG system and the costs of a new SMG box.
Try them both and make your own decision.
Also read the horror stories about SMG gearbox failures. They are more common than you may think. I actually know a dealer than changed an SMG to a manual after repeated fualts with the SMG system and the costs of a new SMG box.
You will pay a fair premium for a CS over a standard M3.
Which ever you go for look for a FSH (including receipts), warranty and a well looked after car. If your budget stretches to a good CS go for it as most people believe the CS is a better car. If your budget gives you a choice of a ropey CS or a good standard car go for the standard.
Take all the "had to replace SMG box" comments with a pinch of salt, generally if there are any problems they are with the actuator which is a fairly small job and would be covered under warranty. The E46 M3 is a high performance car, the running costs and repair costs reflect this.
Let us know how your search goes, good luck!
Which ever you go for look for a FSH (including receipts), warranty and a well looked after car. If your budget stretches to a good CS go for it as most people believe the CS is a better car. If your budget gives you a choice of a ropey CS or a good standard car go for the standard.
Take all the "had to replace SMG box" comments with a pinch of salt, generally if there are any problems they are with the actuator which is a fairly small job and would be covered under warranty. The E46 M3 is a high performance car, the running costs and repair costs reflect this.
Let us know how your search goes, good luck!
I've had my CSL for around a month and use it as a daily driver, I wasn't at all sure how i'd get on with SMG but after a month of getting used to it I quite like it now. It does seam to work best when you going for it and I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like on track.
Given the choice in an ideal scenario I'd probably go for a manual but this wasn't an option on the CSL, as I still see the SMG as an unnecessary expensive part which can fail, so with a manual there's one less thing to go wrong.
although having said that In my opinion I'd buy the best car thats available be it manual or SMG.
check rear springs - £couple of hundred to fix and I've been told not to expect my new one's to last much more than the 2 year warranty period
Recent inspection 2 - big service expect to be around £1k at an indy
tyres - on the 19's best part of £500 a pair
brakes - I believe these are also around £500 a set
I'm also told that rear bushes need replacing quite often.
I'm not sure how spec effects the prices any more but I know when my boss was selling his around 5 years ago people wouldn't even consider cars without the Harmon Kardon and sat nav.
Given the choice in an ideal scenario I'd probably go for a manual but this wasn't an option on the CSL, as I still see the SMG as an unnecessary expensive part which can fail, so with a manual there's one less thing to go wrong.
although having said that In my opinion I'd buy the best car thats available be it manual or SMG.
check rear springs - £couple of hundred to fix and I've been told not to expect my new one's to last much more than the 2 year warranty period
Recent inspection 2 - big service expect to be around £1k at an indy
tyres - on the 19's best part of £500 a pair
brakes - I believe these are also around £500 a set
I'm also told that rear bushes need replacing quite often.
I'm not sure how spec effects the prices any more but I know when my boss was selling his around 5 years ago people wouldn't even consider cars without the Harmon Kardon and sat nav.
If its a daily driver I'd go with the standard M3. I've had mine now (E46) for nearly a year and its clocked up 10k in that time. Bought it on 32k.
Biggest bit of advice is buy on condition and attitude of the owner, rather than spec or price. They can cost a bit if they go wrong, but find a decent one and it should be cost effective motoring (apart from the fuel economy)
Mine has set me back the grand sum of £140 for an oil service at BMW and £85 for a battery in one year. Not bad given what the car is capable of.
Biggest bit of advice is buy on condition and attitude of the owner, rather than spec or price. They can cost a bit if they go wrong, but find a decent one and it should be cost effective motoring (apart from the fuel economy)
Mine has set me back the grand sum of £140 for an oil service at BMW and £85 for a battery in one year. Not bad given what the car is capable of.
andye30m3 said:
Given the choice in an ideal scenario I'd probably go for a manual but this wasn't an option on the CSL, as I still see the SMG as an unnecessary expensive part which can fail, so with a manual there's one less thing to go wrong.
Amen to that.nottyash said:
I would not get an SMG purly as its my preference but there are plenty of owners of SMG that really rate them.
Try them both and make your own decision.
Also read the horror stories about SMG gearbox failures. They are more common than you may think. I actually know a dealer than changed an SMG to a manual after repeated fualts with the SMG system and the costs of a new SMG box.
Really? On an E46 or an E36? You do know that the gearbox on the manual and on the smg cars are exactly the same? Can't see a dealer doing a conversion on an E46, would involve far too much work and cost.Try them both and make your own decision.
Also read the horror stories about SMG gearbox failures. They are more common than you may think. I actually know a dealer than changed an SMG to a manual after repeated fualts with the SMG system and the costs of a new SMG box.
sjj84 said:
Really? On an E46 or an E36? You do know that the gearbox on the manual and on the smg cars are exactly the same? Can't see a dealer doing a conversion on an E46, would involve far too much work and cost.
Yeh, not a main dealer but a place in S
horpe that does specialist cars. My friend bought a Z4 3.0 from him and he told us about it.Sounds like a lot of trouble, and yes an E46.
The Ferret said:
If its a daily driver I'd go with the standard M3.
Why, in what way is the standard car better than a CS?! Have to admit I'm biased but having owned a CS as a daily driver for 4 years and 55k miles I've nothing but praise for the car; I don't doubt the standard car is also an excellent machine but if you can find a good one I'd say the CS is well worth the price premium (which shouldn't be more than about 10% anyway).JNW1 said:
Why, in what way is the standard car better than a CS?! Have to admit I'm biased but having owned a CS as a daily driver for 4 years and 55k miles I've nothing but praise for the car; I don't doubt the standard car is also an excellent machine but if you can find a good one I'd say the CS is well worth the price premium (which shouldn't be more than about 10% anyway).
Purely down to the fact that the premium for the CS over the Standard M3 (which appears to be more than 10%) is justified by mainly by the steering rack and wheels. Things that for me weren't justified for a daily driver.Not knocking the CS for a minute, its a great motor and a improvement over standard, but are the improvements really needed for a daily driver?
If budget is an issue then its worth considering, if not then the CS makes just as much sense.
ortontom said:
my thoughts - if youve commited to buying an M3 you may as well get the best you can get. CS's I would are going to hold their value and be easier to sell on to......Its the best M3 in my book.
I was thinking of a CS next as I really prefer the look with the alloys and the fact it has uprated parts, however the ones I have seen has suade steering wheels and it put me off. They have no multi function wheel, so I take it the CS is lower specced than a normal M3? No cruise etc?One of the things I really liked about my M3 was the steering wheel.
nottyash said:
I was thinking of a CS next as I really prefer the look with the alloys and the fact it has uprated parts, however the ones I have seen has suade steering wheels and it put me off. They have no multi function wheel, so I take it the CS is lower specced than a normal M3? No cruise etc?
One of the things I really liked about my M3 was the steering wheel.
AFAIK, same high spec as the normal M3. I agree about the steering wheel - get bobbly and unsightly. I would replace with a leather one if it's possible.One of the things I really liked about my M3 was the steering wheel.
The fact you lose the multi-function steering wheel is quite a big deal for a daily driver in my opinion.
Sounds insignificant, but stereo controls, telephone controls and (to a lesser extent for me) cruise control are very useful functions to have.
For me personally, the only thing I think the CS has which is useful is the quicker steering rack.
However, this is because I always intended to fit the (wider front) CSL wheels, and upgrade the brakes and suspension anyway. Therefore my car is now better than CS in all bar the steering rack. (and resale value after being put back to standard, obviously)
If you are going to leave either car completely as standard (which most people will), I'd say you have to decide firstly how much you'd value steering wheel controls.
If the answer is 'not much' then it's simply a matter of whether the other little upgrades are worth the higher premium.
Sounds insignificant, but stereo controls, telephone controls and (to a lesser extent for me) cruise control are very useful functions to have.
For me personally, the only thing I think the CS has which is useful is the quicker steering rack.
However, this is because I always intended to fit the (wider front) CSL wheels, and upgrade the brakes and suspension anyway. Therefore my car is now better than CS in all bar the steering rack. (and resale value after being put back to standard, obviously)
If you are going to leave either car completely as standard (which most people will), I'd say you have to decide firstly how much you'd value steering wheel controls.
If the answer is 'not much' then it's simply a matter of whether the other little upgrades are worth the higher premium.
Looks like a standard M3 for me then, maybe with the CS wheels.
I really hate this pay more for less culture.
An 04 plate M3 manual in blue with 71000 miles on just sold for £10600 on ebay. It even had sat nav.
Thing that put me off was the sellers advert reason for sale was he needed the money, and it was too fast for a 3 month old baby as it was hurting its neck???
Makes me think twice when dheads word adverts in this way. Still cheap though.
I really hate this pay more for less culture.
An 04 plate M3 manual in blue with 71000 miles on just sold for £10600 on ebay. It even had sat nav.
Thing that put me off was the sellers advert reason for sale was he needed the money, and it was too fast for a 3 month old baby as it was hurting its neck???
Makes me think twice when d
heads word adverts in this way. Still cheap though.Edited by nottyash on Thursday 10th February 19:51
Wanting a quick sale is a perfectly fine thing to say when selling a car but arguing it was too fast & hurting his babies neck?? WTF seriously!! What a C&*K
The M3 is perfectly capable of accellerating smoothly and very slowly if driven by someone who isnt a complete tard.
I bought mine with the CSL wheels with it and upgraded the bushes, TCA's and brakes myself. I wouldnt want a CS now but it is definately true that they hold their money better and have a better resale.
The M3 is perfectly capable of accellerating smoothly and very slowly if driven by someone who isnt a complete tard.
I bought mine with the CSL wheels with it and upgraded the bushes, TCA's and brakes myself. I wouldnt want a CS now but it is definately true that they hold their money better and have a better resale.
Edited by BenGismo on Thursday 10th February 20:00
BenGismo said:
Wanting a quick sale is a perfectly fine thing to say when selling a car but arguing it was too fast & hurting his babies neck?? WTF seriously!! What a C&*K
The M3 is perfectly capable of accellerating smoothly and very slowly if driven by someone who isnt a complete tard
Exactly, so thats why I never even bothered bidding.The M3 is perfectly capable of accellerating smoothly and very slowly if driven by someone who isnt a complete tard
ortontom said:
my son was fine in the m5 or the M3.......
anyway i thought the CS had some sort of M-button, what does that do, plus arent the front brakes upgraded too?
10k for a 2004 thats good - i was hoping to get 10ish for the wifes 2003 soon...
It's got M-track mode, which is an additional setting on the DSC. It allows some slip, but stops you going too crazy.anyway i thought the CS had some sort of M-button, what does that do, plus arent the front brakes upgraded too?
10k for a 2004 thats good - i was hoping to get 10ish for the wifes 2003 soon...
Not sure exactly when you'd use it though really. On track you'd have it fully off generally, although it might be a useful setting for a wet track? I haven't tried it so don't know how much 'fun' it actually lets you have.
Yes, the brakes are slightly upgraded. The calipers are the same, but the discs are the slightly larger ones from the CSL. An improvement, but the standard M3 brakes are good enough purely for the road, and the CS ones aren't really up to hard track work. (Even CSL owners tend to upgrade the brakes if they do a lot of track work.)
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