E46 M3 vs. E90 M3 vs. E90 335i

[Chriskm3]

[
e9x M3's are also a lot more reliable and require less maintenance than the e46, so there is a bonus there.[/QUOTE]

The service will lol you on the e46 m3. God with the 335i. Great cars. Great power. Easy to mod.

[Lorde]

E46 M3. Don't get SMG for godsakes.

[Chriskm3]

I have seen e46 m3 for 12000 - 15000 locally. Very common during summer season.

[dmw16]

Originally Posted by EricEst1978

Thus far, I have test driven an 08 335i. It was stock, and in pristine condition.

I have not test driven either M3 at this point, specifically because the 08' models which were in my price range weren't local and I only started the E46 as an alternative a day or so ago.

I may be way off since I've only driven 1 of the 3, but I envisioned the E46 M3 is a middle ground between the 335i and 08M3 in terms of performance, etc.

Really appreciate your thoughts guys. As a point of reference, I am upgrading from a 2010 VW Jetta, so either of the options are going to blow that away in terms of performance and amenities I'd imagine.

I don't think it's good to think of it as 335 followed by E46 M3 followed by E92 M3. The E46 and E92 M3's are very different cars than the 335.

The 335 will provide excellent usable power and is nice for long trips. Fairly quiet, comfy, but still fun.

Both M3's are going to be stiffer and louder and in some ways have less usable power until you really lean into them. The charm/appeal of the M3 is that they are performance cars. They need to be rev'd to get the true feeling from them.

[Curt2000]

2010 CPO M-Sport 335i, for 35k you can get one with low miles, CPO warranty and even have $$$ left over for a 2yr maintenance plan. You will not be disappointed!

[1MtoM3]

Originally Posted by JAM3S

Get a 2006 E46 ZCP....... I still miss mine.

This..!

[Obioban]

Originally Posted by EricEst1978

The vehicle will be my daily driver, and my first BMW. I want a vehicle that will provide a modest amount of luxury and creature comforts yet be enjoyable to drive... I'm sure 999/1000 people would spout something similar if asked what they want in a car...

so, help me understand what you mean--and I'm not trying to be a wise ass.

I want something I will have a blast driving. I won't be going to the track or anything and don't intend to do any substantial modding--maybe programming/exhaust if necessary.

hope this helps.

You just need to drive all three and experience them for yourself. The e46 M3 is the stiffest (suspension) and loudest of all four generations of M3. It's a very raw car. The 90 is faster, but much more... civil. If you're looking for a car that can be driven like a normal car, yet is absurdly fast when pushed, it's the e90. The 335i is comfortable, quiet, and torquey. It can be modded to be faster than either of the above for minimal money.

The e46M and e90 have very different feels. The S54 feels like it's going to explode at 8000 rpm, the S65 feels like it's just getting into its stride at 8400. The e46 is always an event (which isn't always a good thing), the e9X can settle down and be a normal car (which can be boring). Very different machines.

The 335i has ZERO appeal to me, but some people love some cheap turbo power. I hate lag, torque, and lack of reliability, so... not for me.

I suspect the total cost of post purchase ownership is about the same between the e46 and e9X. The e46 may require a bit more upkeep (we'll see as people start to put more miles on the e9Xs), but that get balanced out by the e9Xs thirst. I drive like a complete ass in my e46 and get 19mpg average and low to mid 30-35 mpg on highway trips.

[davesaddiction]

Originally Posted by Obioban

The 335i is comfortable, quiet, and torquey. It can be modded to be faster* than either of the above for minimal money.

* in a straight line

[Obioban]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

* in a straight line

yes, absolutely 100% that is what I meant.

[VCMpower]

I have owned all 3. Still have E46 M3 supercharged and E92 M3 supercharged. The 335 E92 with sports package is a fantastic car and "I" feel more enjoyable and exhilarating in most ways over the E46. Hence, I would give the 335 a go. If you go E46, go coupe.

Originally Posted by EricEst1978

I have been toiling over a new car for a few weeks now and am facing a bit of a dilemma.

Given that I have never owned a BMW, I thought I'd consult the experts here in the hopes of gaining some new perspective/information.

Here goes.

My ceiling for this purchase is $35,000 out the door, and not a penny more. Ideally, I'd find something in the $25-30k range.

It seems as though I could probably find an 08' M3 with about 40-50k miles for around $35k. Presumably this type of vehicle would be out of warranty.

It seems like there is a decent number of e46 M3's to be had in the 50-60K mileage range for around 25k.

Lastly, there's an abundance of 335i's, many with some time remaining on the warranty for $25-30k.

I have been waffling like a politician on these 3 choices and an hoping some of you might be able to give me some food for though which will help me make this decision.

Thanks Millions!

[eclause13]

Originally Posted by cposk

Up your budget 5k and you can easily find an 08 E90 and add another 4 years/50k miles to the warranty. That's what I did.

+1 did that to my last e92 and they replaced my whole trans!!!

[sensi09]

It should be mentioned that stock for stock, the e9x M3 is much more comfortable than the e46M3.

I agree that you should save a tad more and get e9x M3 with warranty to save yourself some hassle. Something like this would catch my eye http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=804822

Oh and I don't follow the prices on the e46, but surprising if they can still fetch close to 30K with 08 M3s now coming in the low 30K range.

[EricEst1978]

I am not really in a position to up my budget to 40k at this time, or in the next 5-6 months which is when I absolutely must replace my existing car due to lease issues.

I am looking now because I am in a position to pay off the remainder of my lease for about the same amount of negative equity I have in it based on the terrible residual position I am in on the lease.

I have about 8 months and 7 payments with about 8k mi. left on my lease and am presently averaging about 1600 mi a month which means I will be over mileage in 5 months and be looking at around $1200 in mileage penalties if I keep it to term.

If I wait another 4 months I could probably have another 2-3k to put down but that seems trivial at this point in terms of bettering my options... I'm not planning on financing more than $35,000 as I am budgeting for increased maintenance/ownership costs and do not want my auto expense to negatively impact my disposable income.

Anyways... appreciate the feedback guys.

[RizOne]

If you don't need the room, get Z4M or Z3M coupe's with S54. They are much more fun than the cars you mentioned and will hold their value in the long run. The E90 is great but seems a little out of your budget.

[Obioban]

Originally Posted by RizOne

If you don't need the room, get Z4M or Z3M coupe's with S54. They are much more fun than the cars you mentioned and will hold their value in the long run. The E90 is great but seems a little out of your budget.

A good condition s54 z3m coupe may be out of his budget.

[EricEst1978]

I don't need 4 doors but I do need a backseat to toss a carseat in occasionally.

We have an SUV which is the dedicated family car but occasionally my son and I go to the gym or running errands so a backseat is a must.

[mdosu]

you can get a 50k mileage E46 M3 with extra cash in your trunk...

BTW with an out-the-door price (including taxes) comes out to about $33.5k before tax (depending on your location), which is a insanely high price for a high mileage E46 M3.

[PinkFlamingo]

I would check out enthusiastauto.com for E46 M3's. The seem to get a lot of well kept low mileage cars but they only have manuals , no SMG's.

Not sure why someone said the M's are not as comfortable as a 335. My E92M is way more comfortable than my 335 with sport. The M has more comfortable seats, less harsh suspension and no run flats make a big difference.

[dan99]

It's hard to find a quality (decent miles) on an e9x m3 for that price range and so in that regards, I'd go with the e46 m3.

[Venom]

Originally Posted by EricEst1978

I have been toiling over a new car for a few weeks now and am facing a bit of a dilemma.

Given that I have never owned a BMW, I thought I'd consult the experts here in the hopes of gaining some new perspective/information.

Here goes.

My ceiling for this purchase is $35,000 out the door, and not a penny more. Ideally, I'd find something in the $25-30k range.

It seems as though I could probably find an 08' M3 with about 40-50k miles for around $35k. Presumably this type of vehicle would be out of warranty.

It seems like there is a decent number of e46 M3's to be had in the 50-60K mileage range for around 25k.

Lastly, there's an abundance of 335i's, many with some time remaining on the warranty for $25-30k.

I have been waffling like a politician on these 3 choices and an hoping some of you might be able to give me some food for though which will help me make this decision.

Thanks Millions!

I was in the same situation last year and ended up picking a e82 135i. N54 is more easily tunable than N55 if you want more power. If you look around, try to get one before summer because prices are usually higher in the summer and lower in the winter. In the end its up to you, just giving you another option. It all depends on what you want the car for and what you would use it for.

[EricEst1978]

I took a look at that enthusiast auto site and the prices seem to be high, pushing 30k for most of the E46's

I will keep scouring the web--at this point I am looking for a solid e46 or a 335i m sport.

Those seem to be the best options at this point. I will try to find one of each locally and try to take them for a spin.

[EricEst1978]

Originally Posted by Venom

I was in the same situation last year and ended up picking a e82 135i. N54 is more easily tunable than N55 if you want more power. If you look around, try to get one before summer because prices are usually higher in the summer and lower in the winter. In the end its up to you, just giving you another option. It all depends on what you want the car for and what you would use it for.

Use is daily driver for me that is a blast to drive and something that I can toss a carseat in occasionally.