E46 M3 vs 330Ci Sport

Coasting wrote: However, to say that the M cars of today mean "Marketing" and are wasted because they're just used for motorways and trips to the shops, well what sort of response do people expect to comments such as that?  Stereotypical opinions based on little substance or fact, and quite what that comment is meant to contribute to a community feel on the forums I do not know.

I fear you take this a little to heart m8. This thread has actually turned into a good debate with some thought provoking content and a step up from some of the dross posted. May it continue and I hope you can participate without taking matters personally. If you read my comments in context you'll see I actually have a strong affinity for M cars and any discussion as to where BMW is going with the brand is only healthy. If we didn't love M cars we wouldn't be here.

Chin up, ears open!

At least by retaining a harder edge in some parts of the range BMW can continue to justify the 'M' badge. The absence of a proper 2+2 coupe (ala 911) beign one area I hope the forthcoming M4 addresses. M6 is great but it's a big ol' thang.

M used to so much more than Audi Sport.. now I can't really distinguish the 2 particuarly and no doubt Audi-VAG have benefitted from their successes in DTM and Le Mans.

Well I run an E46 M3 Convertible as a daily drive, and that's exactly what it gets.

It presents no problems whatsoever. 

Yes, we have a second car in the form of a 320d SE, but my wife runs that daily and we might use it on extra long runs with more luggage (because even with the hood tray in the up position the M won't quite carry the same amount as the Saloon).

I actually bought a car (a Subaru Legacy 2.5 V6 Estate) earlier this year with the intention of it being my winter and daily run car, keeping the M in the garage etc until the Spring/Summer months were amongst us or for when the weather for truly awful and I didn't want to get the M filthy.

What happened?  Well short of 2 weeks of driving it and I was as sick as a parrot.  I was missing the M too much and thought of my hard earned cash going to waste in the garage if I had a car I decided not to drive every day.  Hence, the Legacy went (and I made a slightly profit which was even nicer!) and happy days came back in the M.

M BLUR wrote: First question, yes.. of course the E46 M3 is WAY better than the 330ci. But you're asking the wrong question.

Thanks for all your feedback - I understand that the M3 will be better than a 330Ci but I would expect so for a premium of @40%.

Unfortunatley, I don't have pockets as deep as the ocean and have to justify any expenditure. Also, resale is a concern with the E90 looming large. If I bought a M3, I would not dare to take it to a track day in case any damage is caused to the car. So the enjoyment of running a E46 M3 must outweight the cost and enjoyment of running a 330Ci and a E30 M3 for track days.

Also the wife has to drive it  

indeed chaps. A good discussion.

Northener - let us see pics once you've made your new acquisitions.

Best 2 all.

Fair point Shoestring, which makes it all the sadder that BMW don't create a true 911 beater.

Coasting wrote: But they did - the CSL.  I have been in a 911 C4S that was murdered by one.

But against a GT3 or RS? C4S different car - more comparble to the stock M3 except on price.

I look forward to the next gen M3 CSL.. 440bhp will be good if they get it into action quick enough. Power should be keeping pace with Porsche as a rule but M have not increased capacity of the 3.2, which is already pushing it's boundaries and even a racing flowed, blueprinted and balanced isn't going to push much past 400bhp. And that would be awfully peaky with an aggressive cam etc.

Peter Fenwick wrote: Interesting discussion.  Shoestring, you have hit the nail on the head there. Given the choice between a 911 and an M3, if you take price out of the equation, I would always go for the 911. A proper sports car doesn't have a 155mph limiter on it. Also the fact that the 911 was designed from the start as a sports car whereas the M3 is based on an executive saloon.

Ah yes, but Peter, you've forgotten why the 911 wasn't an option for me?

Four seats.  Simple.  That is the big draw.  A survey of buyers who DIDN'T choose a 911 showed that for something like 80% of them it was because they wanted it...but with 4 proper seats.

You know my thoughts on the car.  It's superb.  The 911 Turbo Cab is still on my list of replacements (probably have to be a year or two years old) but even then I'll have to go through the whole 4 v 2 seats, family days out v myself and wife days out debate.

Mind you I've not driven either so what do I know.

If ever you get to a Northeast meet I'll take you for spin...not literally.

As for the original question, I'd go for a 320D, then get an E30 M3 (or a Porcshe 968CS) for the weekend

I would sing the plaudits of the 320d everyday.  We went for the SE Saloon purely because of the 4 doors and that the kids go in that more often than they do mine.  As a workhorse with the ability to cruise at speed and return silly mpg it's simply peerless in my opinion (for the money).  For what the original poster wanted, the combo above seems to fit the bill perfectly.

While I understand the attraction of the E46 M3, I can't see the point in buying one to do the daily comute. I only have a 328 but I have to admit that even it seems wasted on the daily drudge of the 30mph trawl to work. The roads are so busy these days that I hardly ever get the chance to use the power. With an M3 I can only imagine how much more apparent that would be.

So you buy it with the SMGII box...and slip it into Auto when stuck in traffic.

All traffic breaks at some point and even if I only get to flip the paddles down a few times en route it's enough to bring a huge smile to my face - and that makes the daily drive of a M3 well worth it!