Is it just me?

yellowperil · 04-30-2014, 06:07 AM

I've owned an '05 M3 (E46) for 3-4 years and I never liked it.

3.2/ 6 speed. Should be nice but I can't warm up to it all. The Porsches I've owned have spoiled me I guess. Just wondering if any one else owns one and LIKES it?

My wife seems to love it, so that's the "raison D'etre" for this car.

livi · 04-30-2014, 06:18 AM

I have had my eyes on a E36 M3 for as long as I have daily driven a garden 320 E36. Really love that car and figured the M3 E36 version would be a blast. Maybe it would give me the same bland affection as your E46.

yellowperil · 04-30-2014, 06:33 AM

For several yrs I owned a 1990 (E30) 325 IS and loved it., Small nimble and very driver friendly. This thing I have now is the opposite of those three things.

Big and awkward with a heavy feel to it., Some people may like it though.

I'm not a big guy, small in fact and that might be why I don't like it. I just don't fit this car at all.

yellowperil · 04-30-2014, 06:40 AM

This one I liked!

livi · 04-30-2014, 07:41 AM

That is a Beauty! The Beamer evolution kind of resembles that of the 911. More blunt by every iteration.

sand_man · 04-30-2014, 07:45 AM

I had a nice 2006 with 6 speed manual. I really liked the car. It was no 930, which I owned at the same time, but it was a joy to drive on trips. Despite mine not giving me a lick of trouble, there seemed to be a lot of strange and expensive failures being reported by other owners; VANOS failures, rear subframe failures/issues, to name a couple. Perhaps it was all internet folklore or the case of a few isolated incidents tainting the model, but I decided it was time to sell, while everything was sound. I changed jobs and was commuting a much longer distance and decided that most of the value in my car resided in the low mileage. But bottom line, I liked the car.

sand_man · 04-30-2014, 07:47 AM

I seriously considered an E92 M3, but the allure of the 993 was too much to resist.

yellowperil · 04-30-2014, 08:26 AM

Glad to hear you liked yours, sand_man.

yellowperil · 04-30-2014, 08:30 AM

Here's the other end of my 325, if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have let this car go and wouldn't have bought the M3. At the time I thought, oh I'll get to like it.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Quote:

I have had my eyes on a E36 M3 for as long as I have daily driven a garden 320 E36. Really love that car and figured the M3 E36 version would be a blast. Maybe it would give me the same bland affection as your E46.

I loved driving the E36 my folks had. Awesome quiet comfortable car that could go psycho in a moments notice. Tons of fun to drive and awesome power. However they are approaching 20yrs old and not exactly the most reliable. Couple that with BMW build quality issues during that time.... I'd have a hard time buying one for myself. I've heard the E46 is awesome, but it's definitely not a car that's for everyone.

SiberianDVM · SiberianDVM's Garage

I have a 1999 E36 M3 that I bought a little over a year ago. One or more of the several previous owners did some track mods: coilovers, OBDI intake, tighter steering rack. It's taken me some time to warm up to it, but now I love it. The engine has plenty of torque and will wind on out. I put a decent stereo in it, fixed a few broken electronics, had a dent fixed, and drive it. Love the functioning A/C.

I need to get some new tires and brakes on it and then take to the track.

oldE · 04-30-2014, 11:16 AM

Dennis,

Is the problem that the newer car is too competent/effortless and you have a feeling of disconnect compared to the older ride?

Best
Les

yellowperil · 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldE

Dennis,

Is the problem that the newer car is too competent/effortless and you have a feeling of disconnect compared to the older ride?

Best
Les

Not IMO, competent and effortless is not how I'd describe it. Heavy is the one word I'd use. Lots of power, but not driver friendly. But as I said maybe just me. 19" wheels also IMO TOO big. 275/30/19 on the rear. 245/35 front/19. Some might think the bigger the better, but I think there is a limit for some cars. IMO. Plus I'm OLD, lived in parts of 8 decades. Man, that's the problem right there. Holy cow !!

atcjorg · atcjorg's Garage

I am really sorry you don't like the m3 , yes porsches are much more "involving" so in the spirit of helping a brother out I'll give you 5k (U.S.) for it and I'll even fly out and drive it back so you don't have to mess with shipping. If there is anything else I could help you with please just pm me

Nostril Cheese · 04-30-2014, 01:12 PM

I put an M3 engine in my E30. Best of both worlds.

VaSteve · 04-30-2014, 02:12 PM

A local guy has an e46 M3 engine in an e30 M3 chassis. Wow. What a hoot!

yellowperil · 04-30-2014, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atcjorg

I am really sorry you don't like the m3 , yes porsches are much more "involving" so in the spirit of helping a brother out I'll give you 5k (U.S.) for it and I'll even fly out and drive it back so you don't have to mess with shipping. If there is anything else I could help you with please just pm me

If that's all it's worth I'm in bigger trouble than I thought. Don't send the money just yet.

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

I had a pristine '98 e36 M3 for @ 5 years that I just sold recently to get the 996 and also have an e46 M3 and while I do love it, it is night and day difference over the e36. Kinda reminds of the difference between an 84ish model 911 versus a 993.

ZOO · 05-01-2014, 01:56 AM

I love my E46 M3 far more than the Elise I owned before it It is so versatile as an enthusiast. It is a competent and competitive autox car, and a fantastic car for HPDE and time attack. It also works well for distance driving and all around utility. I can bring my kids. I can carry a set of spare wheels and tires.

Are you enjoying its stratospheric redline? It would be dull if you never explored VANOS.

T77911S · 05-01-2014, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellowperil

This one I liked!

got one too. an 88 is. paid $850 for it. i love it. fun to drive, AC works, heat works.
very cheap cars. my tranny didi not have any oil in it when i bought it. i did not know until i took a trip and the gearbox went out. lost 5th, second made a heck of a racket. drove it 200 miles home. then drove it another 5 months.
$200 for a used gear box.
when i pulled the bad one out, the front bearing wa GONE! literally. there was shrapnal in the housing but no bearings. and not a drop of oil in it.
impressed the heck out of me