Comparison Question:Any former/current late model M3 owners?
03-03-2004, 06:41 PM
#17
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Hi,
I have a 2003 E46 M3 cab and a '95 993 C2, so i guess I qualify, thoughts are as follows:
993 - Like the very best grand cru wine / thorough bred horse, driving experience, feel, handling and requirement to drive it, plus rewarding feedback - fantastic ....... but....... the 993 was my daily driver for four years (put 40K miles on it) its hard work on long drives and when you want to switch off and just cruise or relax, it is continually saying come on, come on, won't let you chill out....
2003 E46 M3 Cab manual, when in normal mode, relaxed powerful cruiser, when that right foot goes down its quick, when the sport button engaged its very quick, but .... doesn't have the feel, its a south african / californian wine versus the very best french, its in contention but not quite there!
However I have run both at Porsche Club track days at my "local track" here in the UK - Castle Combe - and the M3 is much much quicker and that engine really kicks ***, move over 993, 996, 996 C4S and it gives the 996 turbo a run for its money untill the longer straights (you can't beat an 8K red line, 343BHP coming out of the bends) but the grin is not on my face with it
So in summary, I use my M3 for work, 26K miles in ten months since new, its quick, refined and relaxed and will do the business when I need to show that rice burner what real engineering is all about, but when I want fun, a big grin on my face and to really enjoy myself then out comes the 993!
Hope this helps
John
PS, I have a driven the M3 from the UK to Hungary non stop with four up plus luggage (average 120mph across Europe, 1400 miles twelve hours including the ferry!!!) for a two week holiday on the Balaton - try doing that in a 993!
PPS try taking a £44,000 6 month old car to eastern Europe and not being paranoid! - It helped having the steering wheel on the right hand side (cant easily sell it in the Eastern block)
I have a 2003 E46 M3 cab and a '95 993 C2, so i guess I qualify, thoughts are as follows:
993 - Like the very best grand cru wine / thorough bred horse, driving experience, feel, handling and requirement to drive it, plus rewarding feedback - fantastic ....... but....... the 993 was my daily driver for four years (put 40K miles on it) its hard work on long drives and when you want to switch off and just cruise or relax, it is continually saying come on, come on, won't let you chill out....
2003 E46 M3 Cab manual, when in normal mode, relaxed powerful cruiser, when that right foot goes down its quick, when the sport button engaged its very quick, but .... doesn't have the feel, its a south african / californian wine versus the very best french, its in contention but not quite there!
However I have run both at Porsche Club track days at my "local track" here in the UK - Castle Combe - and the M3 is much much quicker and that engine really kicks ***, move over 993, 996, 996 C4S and it gives the 996 turbo a run for its money untill the longer straights (you can't beat an 8K red line, 343BHP coming out of the bends) but the grin is not on my face with it
So in summary, I use my M3 for work, 26K miles in ten months since new, its quick, refined and relaxed and will do the business when I need to show that rice burner what real engineering is all about, but when I want fun, a big grin on my face and to really enjoy myself then out comes the 993!
Hope this helps
John
PS, I have a driven the M3 from the UK to Hungary non stop with four up plus luggage (average 120mph across Europe, 1400 miles twelve hours including the ferry!!!) for a two week holiday on the Balaton - try doing that in a 993!
PPS try taking a £44,000 6 month old car to eastern Europe and not being paranoid! - It helped having the steering wheel on the right hand side (cant easily sell it in the Eastern block)
03-04-2004, 01:07 AM
#19
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Originally posted by '95 993
PPS try taking a £44,000 6 month old car to eastern Europe and not being paranoid! - It helped having the steering wheel on the right hand side (cant easily sell it in the Eastern block)
PPS try taking a £44,000 6 month old car to eastern Europe and not being paranoid! - It helped having the steering wheel on the right hand side (cant easily sell it in the Eastern block)
03-05-2004, 12:32 PM
#20
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I have an E36 M3 (1995) and love it. Sorry I can't give my advice on the E46 M3, but given the 130 engine failures I would stay away from them with a 10 foot pole. BMW in response to a threatened class action suit, extended the E46 M3 engine warranty to 6 years/100,000 miles which is quite good, but the car can become a huge financial liability after that point.
See http://members.roadfly.com/jason/m3engines.htm if you don't believe me. Most of the failures cluster around the November 2001 build date (see "Data Table" link on left side of page), BMW claims to have rectified the problems.
See http://members.roadfly.com/jason/m3engines.htm if you don't believe me. Most of the failures cluster around the November 2001 build date (see "Data Table" link on left side of page), BMW claims to have rectified the problems.
03-05-2004, 02:50 PM
#21
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Nicolas,
I think you're right about the build dates. Our example, which blew an engine at 8000 miles, was built in 11/01 or 12/01 (can't remember exactly).
I think you're right about the build dates. Our example, which blew an engine at 8000 miles, was built in 11/01 or 12/01 (can't remember exactly).