E46 or e92 m3

[Sconley]

I'm in the market for a new car and have narrowed it down. My price range is 15-20k.. highest 22. IMO I favor the e92 but would it be worth getting a lower priced e92 over a well kept e46?

[pbonsalb]

I think the E92M3 is the better buy. A lot more car, faster, handles better, modern, comfortable. But if you want an older more classic car, the E46M3 is a great car. You can find decent E92M3 for $18-22k, around 10 years old and around 100k miles. Excellent value.

[Obioban]

Daily and value a comfortable car? e9X

Weekend car or value involvement over comfort in your daily? e46

Consider in people's responses that you're on an e9X M3 forum-- the people posting here are the people that have chosen the e9X. So, I'd expect answers to skew a certain direction.

[M_Chronos]

e46 M3 daily driver for many years; just replaced with e92 M3. You will likely find a better e46 for that money. No doubt the e92 is just a better car; the e46 is the one you remember. At that price range I would go e46. Also lots of years left to find used e92s to switch up to. You need to experience life with an e46.

[tdott]

If you are planning to get a SMG E46, I would say forget the E46 and only consider a E92 DCT.

Manual E46 M3s in good condition are getting harder to find. IMO the e46 has more problem areas (vanos, rear-subframe, rod bearings) whereas the S65 it's really only the Rod Bearings, TA to a certain extent but not really because they can be replaced when they go and won't take out your engine. So reliability would go to the E9x imo. I prefer how the multi link suspension rides in the e9x, it's more stout compared to the weak e46 rear suspension. Im not a fan of e46 interiors, too much plastics that are usually beat up unless you find a really clean example.

After owning one, I'd be hard pressed to want to spend close to the same money on an e46 vs e92, just not worth that much to me, the e9x is just a better value imo. If they were in the 10k range then sure, but those ones are going to be beat to hell.

[M_Chronos]

My e46 is an SMG. 30k very happy miles with it.

[Obioban]

Some people are happy with SMG.

For those that aren't, converting it to manual is pretty well documented at this point (and it is a conversion, not a swap-- as the SMG and 6mt are the same trans).

[Sconley]

Originally Posted by tdott

If you are planning to get a SMG E46, I would say forget the E46 and only consider a E92 DCT.

Manual E46 M3s in good condition are getting harder to find. IMO the e46 has more problem areas (vanos, rear-subframe, rod bearings) whereas the S65 it's really only the Rod Bearings, TA to a certain extent but not really because they can be replaced when they go and won't take out your engine. So reliability would go to the E9x imo. I prefer how the multi link suspension rides in the e9x, it's more stout compared to the weak e46 rear suspension. Im not a fan of e46 interiors, too much plastics that are usually beat up unless you find a really clean example.

After owning one, I'd be hard pressed to want to spend close to the same money on an e46 vs e92, just not worth that much to me, the e9x is just a better value imo. If they were in the 10k range then sure, but those ones are going to be beat to hell.

It's hard to find a nice e92 for 18k

[Obioban]

Originally Posted by Sconley

It's hard to find a nice e92 for 18k

It's also hard to find a nice e46 for 18k, at least if you want 6mt and/or coupe.

A reasonably nice SMG vert could be had for 18k.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by Sconley

It's hard to find a nice e92 for 18k

Be patient. Will be a 2008 or 2009 with at least 100k miles. I have seen them advertised in the $19-22k range. One had the rod bearings done and throttle actuators replaced. The cheapest I have read of is $12k.

[Sconley]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Be patient. Will be a 2008 or 2009 with at least 100k miles. I have seen them advertised in the $19-22k range. One had the rod bearings done and throttle actuators replaced. The cheapest I have read of is $12k.

I haven't seen any that cheap but idk how well kept a 12k 09 would be..(I'd prefer 11+ but)

[pbonsalb]

You can buy a 10-13 — but expect to pay more. You can read about the $12k 09 in the 170k mile rod bearing thread.

[tdott]

Originally Posted by Sconley

It's hard to find a nice e92 for 18k

While one in the 18-20k range will most probably be an 08 with higher miles, they are usually in much better shape than 80% of e46s you normally see for sale.

[DiegoM3sa]

6 speed E46 coupe.

[Siajoon]

S65 all day long.

[Montaver]

You are somewhat in pricing 'no mans land' there for M3's. E9x's at that price level are certainly going to be well worn, whilst good E46's in that price range are hard to find.

They are also quite different cars, the e9x being heavier, with newer tech, more luxurious and 'GT feeling' but noticeably quicker. The E46 has more inherent mechanical weaknesses, but its feels more 'classic' BMW and its a perfect size for backroad driving. Cant really go wrong with either car really!

[M3R1]

Having had both and looked for a bit for the "right" one. I paid a premium for a perfect condition car. Personally I would not buy either unless it had impeccable service history. Word of advice, stretch your budget a bit and find a gem. If you are comfortable at $20K look at cars in the mid $20's and see if you can get the price down a little.

GL

[Sconley]

Originally Posted by M3R1

Having had both and looked for a bit for the "right" one. I paid a premium for a perfect condition car. Personally I would not buy either unless it had impeccable service history. Word of advice, stretch your budget a bit and find a gem. If you are comfortable at $20K look at cars in the mid $20's and see if you can get the price down a little.

GL

That's the plan!!

[Richbot]

I love the e46m but it’s not a great handling car stock. At 7/10ths super fun and it’s all harmonious. Start pushing and the nose becomes disobedient followed by lurid slides once you finally find the front grip. It’ll make a good driver question his sanity

Modded, a riot. All the good stuff a wide front wheel and some camber does on the e9x, it does double on the e46

If you’re not going to leave it stock, E46 is a great choice. If you are I think it’s a bit of a mistake because in the end a good example of each will cost about the same.

SMG is great fun, fuck the haters

[BimmerPaul]

I just sold my e46 with 82,700 miles which I replaced with an e92 and they both are way different. I had the SMG and had no issues with it. But I also did the software upgrade with EAS. I owned my 05 e46 since 08 and enjoyed every second of it. No issues with it whatsoever. If I had the room in the garage I would have kept her. But the e92 is a superior and better sounding machine. You need to test drive both and that'll have you decide.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by tdott

While one in the 18-20k range will most probably be an 08 with higher miles, they are usually in much better shape than 80% of e46s you normally see for sale.

Soo much this. I will always love the E46 but the E9X is better in so many ways.

If I had to buy a 100k car and choose between the E9X and the E46... E9X every day. I already had an E46 from 80 to 180k miles and it cost more than the GDP of a small country to take it there

[New2Roundel]

First off, both cars are legit old at this point in time. The newest e9x series M is 6 years old, with the oldest being over 10 yo. It's also on the verge of being two generations old. So both the cars are old, analogue experiences compared with the current time.

So I think what it comes down to isn't so much the generation of car, but what you can get for the money. A $22k e9x M3 is going to be fairly questionable, which is not what you want going into an M car experience. I don't know the e46 M market very well, but it's my understanding that a $22k M3 will be in pretty decent shape.

Unless you're hell bent on one particular generation of the car (and I can understand why someone would prefer one generation over the other), I would just focus on finding the best condition car for the price.