New here! Lotus & 325i owner looking to upgrade to M3

[shay2nak]

sup y'all!

I've been lurking on here for a little bit and been thinking about getting an E90 M3 before the V8s get phased out. Only problem is the timing as I've read production will end this year. (Hoping it would have been next year.)

Anyway, with gas as high as it is, I've been torn whether or not to get a M3 or a Nissan Leaf/Chevy Volt since I have a long commute.

I can't decide between Space Grey or Jet Black, but I really like the new Dark Graphite on the new 5.

I have a stock 06 325i in SG and a 07 Lotus Exige which has a lot of work done to it.

I've seen lots of great cars here and hope to be an E90 M3 owner someday soon!

[OC3]

Wow, hawt lookin' Exige!

[1sikbmr]

Get the M3 i bet that long and grueling commute turns into the best time

[Blindside_137]

omg that lotusssss!!!

[cmk227]

My advice... Sell the 325i and keep the lotus. That car just looks amazing.

If you could keep the Lotus and get the ///M just do it. In reference to color I went crazy picking mine and even had doubt the day of delivery. After seeing it on the showroom floor it was all over. The best color ever. A bitch to clean. but I am just happy doing it.

[CrazyJoe]

sick lotus

[sameh]

I drive my M about 2000miles/month. Just today, I put 230 miles on it. Hasn't been a year yet and I have 21K and change. The point of me saying all that is. I love it. You can make my commute double what it is and I'll still enjoy it. I'm a doctor and some times after coming back home (total 60 miles) they call me in and I swear to you that I don't mind it at all just because I'm gonna drive the M. Nuff said.

[CAPSGOD]

Nice Lotus No one here will tell you to buy an electric car If you want a middle ground between power and efficiency try a 335d M-Sport.

[mdosu]

i considered the Prius but then ultimately decided on the M3...seriously? M3 vs Leaf? if it's a commuter car and you need the MPG, then get the leaf, then get the M3 for what it is...

[ooowowizstev]

Nice Lotus

[sameh]

Do you have any idea how many times I opened this thread to see this lotus again and again. Beauty.
What was your experience with it?

[Grail05]

nice lotus like the sector wing.

you will have fun on the M3 but yea its going to break your bank on the gas i pay 450 a month just on gas.... but im loving every minute of it. i will be getting a daily soon. LIke the Smart cant beat 46 MPG car. you know for 14k

[sameh]

Originally Posted by E=mc2

That's like a 335 lease payment!

I put 2000 miles/month on mine and I pay $300 so $450 must mean close to 3000 miles/month!! You can't use this high milage example as an average.

[J08M3]

Originally Posted by Sean05

nice lotus like the sector wing.

you will have fun on the M3 but yea its going to break your bank on the gas i pay 450 a month just on gas.... but im loving every minute of it. i will be getting a daily soon. LIke the Smart cant beat 46 MPG car. you know for 14k

Almost three years worth of gas in the M to equal the price of the smart

[shay2nak]

Thanks for the welcome, guys! I spend a good deal of time on Lotustalk and I'm scared to add this to my list. There are more of you guys = more posts! It will take forever to check both daily.

Originally Posted by SehrSchnell

The Lotus looks great! Get the M3 to commute... if you buy the leaf or the volt you'll save tons of money on gas, but you'll hate life. ; )

i know.

Originally Posted by cmk227

My advice... Sell the 325i and keep the lotus. That car just looks amazing.

If you could keep the Lotus and get the ///M just do it. In reference to color I went crazy picking mine and even had doubt the day of delivery. After seeing it on the showroom floor it was all over. The best color ever. A bitch to clean. but I am just happy doing it.

That's the plan, but I think my dad wants the car. LOL I thought about selling the Lotus a couple times. I must have been depressed on those days.

Originally Posted by sameh

Do you have any idea how many times I opened this thread to see this lotus again and again. Beauty.
What was your experience with it?

hahaaha!

Originally Posted by mdosu

i considered the Prius but then ultimately decided on the M3...seriously? M3 vs Leaf? if it's a commuter car and you need the MPG, then get the leaf, then get the M3 for what it is...

I know, man...it was weird typing it out. LOL All things out the door, no sh*t I would get the M3, but it's a crazy, crazy world we live in.

Originally Posted by Sean05

nice lotus like the sector wing.

you will have fun on the M3 but yea its going to break your bank on the gas i pay 450 a month just on gas.... but im loving every minute of it. i will be getting a daily soon. LIke the Smart cant beat 46 MPG car. you know for 14k

The M3 is going to be twice the price of the other 2 and I really won't spend any money on gas (leaf) as I only drive the Lotus 100-200 miles a month.

I always wanted a M3 and was set on buying an E46 in 2003, but then I heard the Lotus was coming here and I waited to pick up the one I have now. I'm just excited that I'm close to getting another one of my dream cars. I just love the look of the M3 sedan. I'm an aggressive driver and love to use what the car can handle, but I pick my spots. So M3 as a daily will just be a lot easier to live with (acceleration, handling, etc.) and fun.

At least I probably wouldn't mind the Leaf or Volt if they were available in a manual transmission. I hate automatics and flappy-paddle gearboxes.

Another negative is all the mods I've seen on your cars! I won't be able to hold out! I'd do what I did to the Lotus and add bare carbon stuff and drop a lot of weight from the car. Love the Vorsteiner bits! LOL

I don't know...it's a big decision. What's f*cking things up is BMW phasing out the sedan and still keeping the coupe's production. I appreciate high-performance vehicles, obviously; and the M3 is that - with 4 doors, which is what I'm after.

[1cleanm6]

oh gas, i hate the word gas lol

my m3 = 11 mpg

06 jeep wrangler with 33" tires 4 inch lift = 8mpg

me = paying serious money a month for gas lol

get the m3 ull love it !

[duk]

do not get jet black unless u want every swirl and scratch to instantly show after u wash ur car lol

jp... either is great cuz ur in an M!

[NYCMCBM3]

sick lotus!

[sameh]

Originally Posted by duk

do not get jet black unless u want every swirl and scratch to instantly show after u wash ur car lol

jp... either is great cuz ur in an M!

Agree 100% keeping my JB clean is PITA. I'm giving up on it.

[xquizit]

That Lotus looks AMAZING!

Any video clips of the car in action? TIA

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by duk

do not get jet black unless u want every swirl and scratch to instantly show after u wash ur car lol

jp... either is great cuz ur in an M!

haha! I had a black TSX before, so I know how it is. Looked damn good when clean, but that lasts about 45 mins as everybody knows.

The thing with black is that it looks great on ugly cars where you want to hide the lines, but on the M3 there are so many creases, flares, bulges and curves that you don't want to hide them. I wish there were a dark grey between Space and JB. Like Steel Grey on the E46 M3 for a short time it was available. I don't want to pay 3k for a special color when I'm trying to get a new one for around 54-55k OTD.

Originally Posted by xquizit

That Lotus looks AMAZING!

Any video clips of the car in action? TIA

thanks!

I've got a few clips (youtube.com/shay2nak) the Ti GT3 clips are the most recent. As it is, the car has the cup car airbox with K&N filter, header, test pipe and titanium exhaust. the drive by one was with a really loud, no muffler basically, exhaust with stock cat. Next mods are a slightly smaller pulley with a retune for 95 octane. Also routing more air to the intercooler with heatshield to help keep intake temps low.

I'll have to come to one of the meets and check your cars out. I only see stock M3s once in a while.

[008]

My past few fun cars went from an E46 M3 to an Elise to a Cayman S and just got an E92 M3. Only car I regret selling was the Elise. Keep the exige no matter what you do. The RACs look great btw.