[jacksonite]

I am stuck in between two cars. I need some advice...help me out guys


I am trying to decide between a e46 M3 and a 2013 370z. What are the pros and cons for both of them and which path do you think i should take?

Thanks!!

[phrozen06]

What does your heart say. Thats what matters.

[Bimmer Nerd]

Both are great cars. But I'd definitely go with an E46 M3.
My friend has a G37s (essentially the same thing) with KW V3's, Volks, Exhaust, air intake, oil cooler...ect. But the car doesnt seem to be as well composed as my E46 m3.

Interior is far better than my M3 though, thats for sure.

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Nerd

Both are great cars. But I'd definitely go with an E46 M3.
My friend has a G37s (essentially the same thing) with KW V3's, Volks, Exhaust, air intake, oil cooler...ect. But the car doesnt seem to be as well composed as my E46 m3.

Interior is far better than my M3 though, thats for sure.

I had the old 350z and the interior was utter garbage. A coworker bought the new 370z and it was a little better but nowhere near my E92 M3 interior or my E86 M. Not even close.

However the 370z looks good with a kit and nice wheels. I would go with the newer car in the Nissan. But for looks the E46 M3.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Nerd

Both are great cars. But I'd definitely go with an E46 M3.
My friend has a G37s (essentially the same thing) with KW V3's, Volks, Exhaust, air intake, oil cooler...ect. But the car doesnt seem to be as well composed as my E46 m3.

Interior is far better than my M3 though, thats for sure.

Wrong here. My friend is a BMW fan and has a great Zhp but stated looking into the 370z lately for his new car. After doing some research the g37 is a shame compared to the 370. The 370 is a track monster from the specs and what I've gathered. The 370 laps the nurburgring faster than the csl...there are other impressive facts but ill let you do your own research. Drive both and see what you like. Off the top of my head a big pro would be warranty and minimal maintenance for the 370. A con would be the e46 is a classic car in all aspects and the end of the day is a quality BMW car versus a Nissan. But do your hw, drive them, and see what makes you happy. That's all that matters

[sensi09]

Isn't there a pretty big price difference between the two. For a 2013 370Z, I believe the price is pretty close to an 08 e9x M3.

[Chriskm3]

I've owned 3 Nissan z350s in my life. Amazing cars. The 370 is a far better car then the 350z. I also owned a e46 m3 with Dinan goodies and I tell you that was one amazing car to drive aswell. Drive both and let your heart decide. Keep in mind though BMW schedule 1 and 2 service pricing for the e46m3 is alot more then of z370
Let us know what you decide

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by sensi09

Isn't there a pretty big price difference between the two. For a 2013 370Z, I believe the price is pretty close to an 08 e9x M3.

Compare apples to apples.

2013 E92 M3 MSRP:$60,100 - $68,750

2013 370z MSRP: $33,120 - $37,000

= not even close.

2008 E92 M3 VS 2008 Nissan 350z... About the same separation in pricing that year.

[sensi09]

Originally Posted by Endless619

Compare apples to apples.

2013 E92 M3 MSRP:$60,100 - $68,750

2013 370z MSRP: $33,120 - $37,000

= not even close.

2008 E92 M3 VS 2008 Nissan 350z... About the same separation in pricing that year.

A brand new 370Z is being compared to a used e46 M3.

A brand new 370Z depending on model is close to 40K......a used a 2008 e92 M3 like I mentioned is just about 40K as well.

Quite a fair comparison IMO

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Nerd

Both are great cars. But I'd definitely go with an E46 M3.
My friend has a G37s (essentially the same thing) with KW V3's, Volks, Exhaust, air intake, oil cooler...ect. But the car doesnt seem to be as well composed as my E46 m3.

Interior is far better than my M3 though, thats for sure.

The G37 is a very different car than the 370z. The biggest difference is the weight... the G37 coupe is 3700 lbs. The 370z is 3200 lbs. When you drive the two back to back, the difference is huge. The G37 feels very slow and doesn't feel sporty. The 370Z feels sporty. One is a luxury highway cruiser, the other a agile sports car.

[kcalhoun27]

there should be some merit given to the fact that you are comparing a used car to a new car. dont get me wrong, in this case I would chose the e46. but, im a very DIY kinda guy, and newer cars arent made for that any more. the pros/cons that are most crucial, as i see it, are these:

M3 -
-pros -
-its an M
-has a very good forum presence with a lot of smart, well informed members to help if you have an issue
-build quality, for the most part, pretty good.
-interior is still nice, despite being dated
-DIY friendly, very limited computer interaction required
-though subjective, its a freakin beautiful car

-cons-
-its used, and you have no idea how. despite someone saying they babied it, who can truly say. i find it flat out impossible to believe someone bought an M and never romped it even once. if they did, why bother?
-age doesnt really benefit anything besides wine and cheese, certainly not a car
-parts are still pretty expensive, considering the age
-mechanically, there could be problems, and its your dime
-the build items that arent great(subframe, vanos, etc.) are a serious concern

370Z

-pros-
-new!
-you can pick the colors, and options. no shopping and hoping
-WARRANTY, i think that speaks for itself
-also a good looking car, though i prefer the subdued 350, but id drive either

-cons-
-limited forum presence, at least for 2013 models
-premium price for go fast goodies
-you wont be driving a bmw, and lets be honest, there is something about saying that that just seems to mean you like driving more. im not going to get into whats better and blah blah blah, but ive loved my 3 bmws, and ill have more before its all over

so, you have a choice. as stated before, you need to drive both. maybe a paint color will be your decision maker. maybe the handling, or quick turn in. no one here but you can answer that. GL

[Z K]

Originally Posted by kcalhoun27

370Z

-pros-
-new!
-you can pick the colors, and options. no shopping and hoping
-WARRANTY, i think that speaks for itself
-also a good looking car, though i prefer the subdued 350, but id drive either

-cons-
-limited forum presence, at least for 2013 models
-premium price for go fast goodies
-you wont be driving a bmw, and lets be honest, there is something about saying that that just seems to mean you like driving more. im not going to get into whats better and blah blah blah, but ive loved my 3 bmws, and ill have more before its all over

Ok, you obviously do not have any knowledge about the 370Z or even non-BMW cars in general...

The 370Z has been out since 2008. There is a large forum presence online. It is not quite as popular as the 350Z but it is still not small.

For DIY, it is easily much more easy to work on a 370Z or any Japanese car over a German car. Much less electronics to deal with and mechanically uncomplicated. Also, no electrical gremlins and buggy sensors to deal with. BMW are great when they work but a pain to deal with when things go wrong. If you are looking at used cars, the Japanese car always trumps the BMW in maintaining resale value and reliability.

As for "it's not a BMW"... BMW has made some good cars, it also makes a lot of duds and crap. Nowadays it mostly sells cars based on marketing and brand appeal. Just because a car is a BMW doesn't make it good and there are a ton of quality cars from other manufacturers that are great to drive. I would not have the M3 if it wasn't a good car to drive. The other stuff they sell do not interest me at all.

I am not a big fan of the 370Z but it has it's merits. Don't look down on other cars just because it's not a BMW.

[Ricfutures]

I would also consider road noise levels if this is going to be your DD. I used to own a 350z and the road noise levels were terrible. I hear that it isn't that much better in the 370z. The cabin in the E46 should be better. I know for certain my E92 M3 is much better in that respect.