Is The M3 "The Poor Man's Super Car"?

[redduck1]

The reason why I pose this question is that there is another thread on the forum about why people love Porsches so much. Is the 911 praised for it's around practicallity (i.e. price, quality, and depenabaliltiy) ? Is it the true next step into a super car, but not so high in the stratosphere that is too high to reach like the Ferarri and Lambo? For me, the 911 Turbo has always been a dream since childhood. I knew that I would not reach my pinnicale unitl I have one. And I'm getting closer all the time to it. But for now, my M3 is good enough for what I want it for and what I can afford at this time in my life. This is my third M3, I've had a E36, E46, and now E92. Loved them all, but I'm always longing for that 911 Turbo. With the price of M3's now reaching almost 80k, it's not too far away from P-car prices, especially if you consider certified pre-own cars under 5000 miles and close to 100K for 2009 Turbos. What do you guys think? Is the M3 that transitional car or are we all just going to buy M3 after M3?

[RandyB]

It seems as though most of the people who come from the M3 go for the GT3 Porsche instead of the Turbo. GT3 is the pinnacle, IMO. The M3 will do nicely for now though.

[Erhan]

I think poor man's super car is the GTR.

As good as M3 is, it is not a super-car level-ish performer. It could be, in GTS form.

[ManAndMachine]

Vette ZR1 can be called a poor mans supercar.

A GTR seats 4 so its disqualified

[Eau Rouge]

Originally Posted by erhanh

I think poor man's super car is the GTR.

As good as M3 is, it is not a super-car level-ish performer. It could be, in GTS form.

+1

[Eau Rouge]

Originally Posted by KTM505SX

Vette ZR1 can be called a poor mans supercar.

A GTR seats 4 so its disqualified

Have you ever seen four of any size seated in a GTR?

[NYCMCBM3]

[ManAndMachine]

Originally Posted by Eau Rouge

Have you ever seen four of any size seated in a GTR?

I can't say I have but a couple of kids would fit for sure

[CalgaryX3]

While I realize it's just a figure of speech, I cringe every time I see the words "poor man" and any BMW product mentioned together.

There are a few such threads over on the 1M forum too. Lets be clear-BMWs are unfathonable purchases to any person who is truly "poor", or part of the "working poor" class who can barely afford a bus ticket, let alone their own vehicle.

Just a pet peeve of mine!
A

[ManAndMachine]

Originally Posted by CalgaryX3

While I realize it's just a figure of speech, I cringe every time I see the words "poor man" and any BMW product mentioned together.

There are a few such threads over on the 1M forum too. Lets be clear-BMWs are unfathonable purchases to any person who is truly "poor", or part of the "working poor" class who can barely afford a bus ticket, let alone their own vehicle.

Just a pet peeve of mine!
A

Well said,you'd be surprised how many people dream of owning M cars,not every man is as fortunate,unfortunately..

[zhangzeyuandss]

poor man's super car is honda civic with 1000 hp.

[shamoo]

^^ Very true.

My question is...what is the definition of a supercar? Price? You can pretty much say anything north of $100K that looks "sleek" can be a supercar, right?

[duk]

poor man's supercar? that's GT-R and ZR1

[scottEdog1]

Not sure why you would put a turbo up there, I guess to each his/her own. The m3 is an NA car and that is what makes the car so special. I love the fact that they are not bottom heavy like a 911. I also love the fact that m3s do not stick out like a 911 car does. Being the the car is not so attention getting, I love everything about BMW m3s coming from an e46 to an e90 I have owned m3 s for some time and I pray they don't go turbo. ...lastly to answer your question I do not think they are a poor mans super car.

[eisenb11]

I don't think the M3 is in the super car zone. I'd think it would need a lower 0-60 (3.9s-4.1s, depending on who you ask, for the M3 is too high) and a much higher top speed and better handling characteristics at that speed.

Based on what I've seen, the M3 can beat the older standard C5 Corvette, but it can't touch even the standard C6, let alone the Z06 and ZR1 variants.

I would consider the ZR1 to be a "poor man's" super car.

[redduck1]

Originally Posted by CalgaryX3

While I realize it's just a figure of speech, I cringe every time I see the words "poor man" and any BMW product mentioned together.

There are a few such threads over on the 1M forum too. Lets be clear-BMWs are unfathonable purchases to any person who is truly "poor", or part of the "working poor" class who can barely afford a bus ticket, let alone their own vehicle.

Just a pet peeve of mine!
A

No need to cringe, it is just a figure of speech after all. I don't know too many poor men that can even get close to a 328i. What I am saying is that, "for me" the 911 Turbo is that super car that is closely attainable coming from an M3. And that I feel that the M3 is a great car, hell, I've owned three. IMO, 911's are much more attainable super cars than the more exotic like Ferraris and Lambos. For me, the 911 Turbo is a super car, Ferraris and Lambos are exotic super cars, they are too high in the stratosphere.

[redduck1]

Originally Posted by eisenb11

I don't think the M3 is in the super car zone. I'd think it would need a lower 0-60 (3.9s-4.1s, depending on who you ask, for the M3 is too high) and a much higher top speed and better handling characteristics at that speed.

Based on what I've seen, the M3 can beat the older standard C5 Corvette, but it can't touch even the standard C6, let alone the Z06 and ZR1 variants.

I would consider the ZR1 to be a "poor man's" super car.

I've driven a ZR1 and many C6 Z06's and even heavily modded Z06's. For me, a super car has to have the speed and most importantly the ability to control that speed. Corvettes are fast but don't handle like Porsches. Corvettes lack the feel of the drive, they're all about brute speed and that's about it.

[KIS]

I believe M3's are the rich man's econo box.

[NYCMCBM3]

if you own a m3 you ain't poor

[BMWBoss]

Before buying my M3 I test drove the Porsche 911 Carerra S...and I must say, though the Porsche handled better to me (might have been the rear engine) the speed really didn't blow the M3 out the water. I had the option to buy the Porsche, but i went with the M3 and I definitely do not regret that decision one bit. In my opinion, it's an overall better car. It's way more practical (*******, and unless you're a car enthusiast, all Porsche's look the same and the design of them is poor and not very appealing.

[Werkz12]

Originally Posted by redduck1

The reason why I pose this question is that there is another thread on the forum about why people love Porsches so much. Is the 911 praised for it's around practicallity (i.e. price, quality, and depenabaliltiy) ? Is it the true next step into a super car, but not so high in the stratosphere that is too high to reach like the Ferarri and Lambo? For me, the 911 Turbo has always been a dream since childhood. I knew that I would not reach my pinnicale unitl I have one. And I'm getting closer all the time to it. But for now, my M3 is good enough for what I want it for and what I can afford at this time in my life. This is my third M3, I've had a E36, E46, and now E92. Loved them all, but I'm always longing for that 911 Turbo. With the price of M3's now reaching almost 80k, it's not too far away from P-car prices, especially if you consider certified pre-own cars under 5000 miles and close to 100K for 2009 Turbos. What do you guys think? Is the M3 that transitional car or are we all just going to buy M3 after M3?

I went from a brand new 911 to the M3. Its not a transitional car-

[dexx]

Originally Posted by NycE93M3

if you own a m3 you ain't poor

It's easy to define poor, it's hard to define rich.. It's nearly pornographic how rich some people are.

But I digress...

M3 doesn't have enough power to be a super car. If it had enough power, it wouldn't have enough traction.

Also still relatively few people can really tell it apart from a normal 3 series, including many M3 owners. That's not super. Joe blow doesn't really know that it costs well over 2 times as much as a base model 3 series, approaching 3 if you get a convertible.