Anyone else who just can't get rid of their M3?

[MiamiE93Vert]

Almost 10 plus years and don't know what else I would get. For the price there is no comparison and I am addicted to the sound of my engine with my Evolve valve exhaust. Perfect combination with the E93.

[pbonsalb]

I agree with not being able to find another practical daily driver that would be of interest remotely close to the value of an E9xM3 (meaning $20-40k). Have had my 08 E90 just short of 10 years. Thinking about adding a supercharger and updating the CCC to CIC and driving a few more years.

If your E9x is just a toy and you don’t need practicality, maybe a Cayman or Corvette or some older classic car would be a possibility.

We did just get a new car for my wife. She had an E70 X5 4.8i, then an E61 535xi. We looked at X5 40i MSport but while it was decent for an SUV, it did not handle great and power was unexceptional to me though probably fine to most people and certainly more than adequate. We did not try an X5 M50i, but I probably would have liked that power. Those engines don’t have a great reputation for reliability.

We ended up buying a 2021 Cayenne S after driving the base Cayenne, S and GTS. Even the base Cayenne was better than the X5 (and should be since it costs more). The GTS actually underwhelmed me in terms of power. I expected more. Handled nicely. My wife did not like the exhaust noise. We bought the S, which handles well and has enough power to be entertaining. I would have liked the Turbo but the car is really for my wife.

[JackieChiles]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I agree with not being able to find another practical daily driver that would be of interest remotely close to the value of an E9xM3 (meaning $20-40k). Have had my 08 E90 just short of 10 years. Thinking about adding a supercharger and updating the CCC to CIC and driving a few more years.

If your E9x is just a toy and you don’t need practicality, maybe a Cayman or Corvette or some older classic car would be a possibility.

We did just get a new car for my wife. She had an E70 X5 4.8i, then an E61 535xi. We looked at X5 40i MSport but while it was decent for an SUV, it did not handle great and power was unexceptional to me though probably fine to most people and certainly more than adequate. We did not try an X5 M50i, but I probably would have liked that power. Those engines don’t have a great reputation for reliability.

We ended up buying a 2021 Cayenne S after driving the base Cayenne, S and GTS. Even the base Cayenne was better than the X5 (and should be since it costs more). The GTS actually underwhelmed me in terms of power. I expected more. Handled nicely. My wife did not like the exhaust noise. We bought the S, which handles well and has enough power to be entertaining. I would have liked the Turbo but the car is really for my wife.

Great choice, we have a 2020 cayenne base that we bought new and it’s just unbelievable for an suv.

Pasm / sport chrono make the base car super sharp for what it is and it makes the most of its power due to the excellent transmission programming. And it’s handling is world class.

I wanted to get an s but since it’s for my wife we didn’t spend the money, and instead got the options we wanted like the sport design kit and the spider wheels.

As for the m3, no competition at the price point.

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by JackieChiles

Great choice, we have a 2020 cayenne base that we bought new and it’s just unbelievable for an suv.

Pasm / sport chrono make the base car super sharp for what it is and it makes the most of its power due to the excellent transmission programming. And it’s handling is world class.

I wanted to get an s but since it’s for my wife we didn’t spend the money, and instead got the options we wanted like the sport design kit and the spider wheels.

As for the m3, no competition at the price point.

We had a 958 diesel since new and the handling characteristics will put many cars to shame. Recently test drove a GLE and an X3M and all I will say is this; GLE is a boat and X3M is a fast but dull machine.
We ended up getting a fully optioned(PDCC, RAS, PSE, leather seats etc) Cayenne S 2.9. Turbo was a consideration but it was unnecessarily fast for an SUV, and you would have to go to the gas station twice as much. Besides, Cayenne S was much more fun revving out each gear.

It's not about power people, it is how the power is delivered. You know, just like BMW used to do so well...

[malrash]

Originally Posted by kyrix1st

We had a 958 diesel since new and the handling characteristics will put many cars to shame. Recently test drove a GLE and an X3M and all I will say is this; GLE is a boat and X3M is a fast but dull machine.
We ended up getting a fully optioned(PDCC, RAS, PSE, leather seats etc) Cayenne S 2.9. Turbo was a consideration but it was unnecessarily fast for an SUV, and you would have to go to the gas station twice as much. Besides, Cayenne S was much more fun revving out each gear.

It's not about power people, it is how the power is delivered. You know, just like BMW used to do so well...

Agree. selling my 958 diesel with sports package and air suspension for my super fast panamera turbo wagon would rank as one of the biggest automotive related mistakes of my life...and I have made quite a few. The low end torque of the the diesel, worked magic with the suspension damping and the 18 ways. My wife's top dog BMW SUV with a 5K DHP suspension upgrade is several notches inferior to that 958 Diesel. Looking for a Cayenne GTS or S as well.

Oh and coming back to the topic, I've sold an e9x M3 twice since 2011 and now in my 3rd. If I sell this one, anyone who knows me well will tell you I 'll come back a 4th time.

[pbonsalb]

The panamerica gran turismo wagon looks pretty nice to me. Why aren’t you thrilled with it? What about the new E63 AMG wagon?

[malrash]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

The panamerica gran turismo wagon looks pretty nice to me. Why aren’t you thrilled with it? What about the new E63 AMG wagon?

Nothing wrong with it. Its the perfect DD but the power delivery of its boosted V8 is too easy. Before you know it, you're in danger of loosing your license. That is why I dropped the idea of getting a 992 TTS, even though my build was near lock. These cars have evolved to such a high level, that the true determinant of having fun with them is whether you can get them to a track or a dragstrip.

One should have a boring ever reliable comfortable car like a land cruiser for a daily, and a e9x M3 or a Porsche GT car for a fun escapade. Maybe a Type R on the side if the GT car/E9x is non-manual. My 2 cents

[pbonsalb]

I suppose if I had an hour commute every day in heavy traffic, a fun car would not often be fun, but I don’t have such a commute so I would like my driving time to have the potential to be entertaining. No chance of me buying a boring and reliable car to drive every day.

I’ll probably look at used Panamerica GT Turbo, RS6 wagons and E63AMG wagons in a couple of years, but I may go for a 991.1 or .2 Turbo instead. We just bought a Cayenne S for my wife so we need to wait on the next car. I might keep the E90 M3 and also have an E36 M3 that I built and turbocharged that I might keep. They are both old but still entertaining.

[Captain Starbucks]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I suppose if I had an hour commute every day in heavy traffic, a fun car would not often be fun, but I don’t have such a commute so I would like my driving time to have the potential to be entertaining. No chance of me buying a boring and reliable car to drive every day.

I’ll probably look at used Panamerica GT Turbo, RS6 wagons and E63AMG wagons in a couple of years, but I may go for a 991.1 or .2 Turbo instead. We just bought a Cayenne S for my wife so we need to wait on the next car. I might keep the E90 M3 and also have an E36 M3 that I built and turbocharged that I might keep. They are both old but still entertaining.

I wonder about this too. I do have a commute that often sucks. I mention this because whether or not people can compare these two cars, for the same money, you can buy a pretty sweet used Panamera. So by default, "what can I get for $30k that is awesome" you CAN compare them. Panamera's are absolutely awesome. Not as fun to drive as an E90 M3, but they don't suck.

I was at the Porsche dealership yesterday because a buddy is shopping for a 996 C4S and they of course had some used Panamera's. I drool over them every time I see them.

The difference is that you can actually sell a used E90 M3. Prior to covid, I'd see the same Panemera's sitting on used car lots or ads on the internet for upwards of a year. I've had my M3 for sale twice (kept both times) and had more than a dozen inquires in the first 12 hours. And I was asking a shit ton of money!!!

[94jedi]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I suppose if I had an hour commute every day in heavy traffic, a fun car would not often be fun, but I don’t have such a commute so I would like my driving time to have the potential to be entertaining. No chance of me buying a boring and reliable car to drive every day.

I’ll probably look at used Panamerica GT Turbo, RS6 wagons and E63AMG wagons in a couple of years, but I may go for a 991.1 or .2 Turbo instead. We just bought a Cayenne S for my wife so we need to wait on the next car. I might keep the E90 M3 and also have an E36 M3 that I built and turbocharged that I might keep. They are both old but still entertaining.

So this was exactly what happened to me. I had a 6 speed, slicktop E90 that was a blast to drive...except in traffic. I commuted daily at the time and I just got tired of inching along at a max of 45 mph on the highway. I sold the E90, bought an F10 M5 and that did the trick but at the sacrifice of "fun" when not in traffic. It was an ok compromise for a while, but I missed the e9x platform so I bought an e92, eventually sold the M5, and haven't looked back. *Disclaimer - I'm WFH now w/ covid so that plays into my decision. Still, I don't think I'll ever not have an e9x in the stable. They're just too good.

[MT/RWD]

I owned and E92 M3 in 2008, sold it in 2010 for 997 GT2, sold the GT2 in 2012 for 2008 low milage E92 M3.. it's still with me, with KW cs, AP racing brakes, Apex wheels, recaro seats, sway bars and weights below 1.5tons.. still aero and diff upgrade to be added, and she will stay with me my whole life❤

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

The panamerica gran turismo wagon looks pretty nice to me. Why aren’t you thrilled with it? What about the new E63 AMG wagon?

I do not know if this is intentional but pretty funny.

I drove an 15' LCI Turbo for an extended period of time (1000 km) and I wasn't too impressed by the power delivery. Handling was okay for an AWD, it feels RWD most of the time until you get to 140kph+ where it feels like it has some parasitic loss from the drivetrain. Interior quality however is unparalleled at the current price range (not a big fan of synthetic leather on modern Mercedes) Trunk space is not good vs. E92.
E92 M3 felt much more nimble and raw and pulled harder at higher speeds.

E63S (not the non-S) will be a definitive step-up except for the weight.

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I suppose if I had an hour commute every day in heavy traffic, a fun car would not often be fun, but I don’t have such a commute so I would like my driving time to have the potential to be entertaining. No chance of me buying a boring and reliable car to drive every day.

I’ll probably look at used Panamerica GT Turbo, RS6 wagons and E63AMG wagons in a couple of years, but I may go for a 991.1 or .2 Turbo instead. We just bought a Cayenne S for my wife so we need to wait on the next car. I might keep the E90 M3 and also have an E36 M3 that I built and turbocharged that I might keep. They are both old but still entertaining.

I have a feeling you will get a nicely optioned E92 M3 DCT in the end...

[pbonsalb]

I think I would prefer a DCT. My manual trans days may be mostly over.

[G80indy]

I'm also WFH, and drive the stable to heat thoroughly the fluids. CTEKs all around 😳😄

[Shrike360]

Hah, I'm actually looking at ditching my 535 wagon for a 958.1 Cayenne Turbo. Very nice having a daily cruiser/ hauler and keeping the M3 as the toy. Wagon's being a complete piece of work. First, it had an oil leak that sprayed onto the belt and sent oil everywhere. Then the battery and ECU compartment flooded with water, I dried it out and replaced the relays and battery. As soon as I replaced the battery, it started misfiring. Now I just need to replace the leaky oil line and replace the tailgate module before I put it on the market.

Tested a CTT last weekend, fantastic car for everyday use. Quiet, super luxurious, a nice V8 rumble (reminded me of an AMG), alarmingly quick and adept at handling for the size. Will wait for one with the right options to scoop up, this one had almost nothing. The green over beige color combo was amazing, though. Very drastic difference getting back into the M3; feels so raw and connected. Should make a fantastic car combo.

[lancerr]

I was just pondering this myself. 09 e92 m3 with 70k miles on it. Its affordable (my payment is under 500/month), fast, dependable, versatile, moddable.

I don't know what other sports car has 400+ hp, track capable, lets me pickup 3 adults from the airport with their luggage, fits 4 wheels, haul furniture from ikea and lumber from home depot and still looks amazing 10+ years after it was made.

[14_deltaM3]

So funny to read that so many others here see the uniqueness of this car and it’s value.

COVID has me bored and I constantly look for the next thing, but when push comes to shove, nothing fits my lifestyle like the M3 unless I spend 3-4x more.

I really do think about the Giulia QV a lot, though, and it may bring the exotic-ness that most of the m3s counterparts or alternatives lack.

[_X]

Originally Posted by 14_deltaM3

COVID has me bored and I constantly look for the next thing, but when push comes to shove, nothing fits my lifestyle like the M3 unless I spend 3-4x more.

I think Covid has be doing the same thing more and more. I keep finding myself looking at Vipers, 996 and 997 Turbos, GT3s, AMG GTs, Nissan GTRs, etc. As I have gotten more into tracking, I am also starting to consider giving up the manual and just getting an e92 M3 DCT. Decisions decisions.

[94jedi]

Originally Posted by _X

...As I have gotten more into tracking, I am also starting to consider giving up the manual and just getting an e92 M3 DCT. Decisions decisions.

Just to go faster or less to worry about while you drive? I'm getting into tracking my M3 shortly, it's a manual and I've always been a manual guy...besides the two things I mentioned above, what are your thoughts on why you'd go DCT?

[Bartledoo]

Originally Posted by _X

I think Covid has be doing the same thing more and more. I keep finding myself looking at Vipers, 996 and 997 Turbos, GT3s, AMG GTs, Nissan GTRs, etc. As I have gotten more into tracking, I am also starting to consider giving up the manual and just getting an e92 M3 DCT. Decisions decisions.

DCT on track is just one more thing to worry about keeping cool to function properly.

[G80indy]

It's funny that when the E9x models came out I really didn't like them - especially the sedan! I thought all E90 models looked bloated, even the M, considering I have an E46 sport with a nice stance, which is timeless.
Turns out that the E92M styling has also reached "Keeper Status" and has long term cool factor.
.... the keeper status on both of these cars directly correlates with the fact that neither one has navigation or a bunch of packages, and are fairly lightweight enthusiast builds plus tasteful mods...
Oh....
and are manuals 😉