OK guys, I"m having some serious thought about selling/trading the 993 in for an E46 M3. I have always loved the M3's and used ones are pretty affordable. I just want another play toy that can also carry my children in the back comfortably and that I can take on trips with my family. The 993 may be TOO impractical for me right now in my life. My wife doesn't like it because it's too low and my kids aren't comfy in the back. No storage for luggage either. I love it for what it is and what it was meant to be but the M3 seems to be everything I need RIGHT NOW. Should I do it? Anyone who has experience with the E46 M3, please chime in. Thanks.

 

I own an e36 m3 at the moment and I went and drove an 05 smg m3 the other day and I must say it is a very impressive car. There is alot of talk about there reliability but IIRC on bimmerforums.com the only real problems were the 2002 and earlier had main bearing problems but there was a recall and all made after 02 are good to go. Also they changed there approved oil for the s54 engine to 10w60. Anyways I have the new M3 broshure sitting right here with me from the bmw ultimate driving experience I went to the other day and the broshure makes me want it bad (clevermarketing). It is a great car. It is really comfortable. Handles awesome. Doubles as a small truck when you lay the back seats down . Very practicle. My suggestion is go drive one if you haven't if it makes since for you life I would do it.

 

If you need the practicality, an M3 is great compromise, but if you drive one you will quickly notice it doesn't have the direct feel of a 911. To me it feels mushy, stock vs stock. I noticed on a friend's M3 that it also had the same annoying characteristic of my ex 330ci (overall, a GREAT car BTW). If you launched from a stop a certain way, the car would get this drivetrain lash rythm going like lurching forward and back...you had to get off the gas to get it to quit. Like so many things, an M3 sounds great on paper, but I think while the reality is good, it's not as good as the fantasy. Still, for your practical needs, one of the best choices.

 

If you do this trade, 5 years from now you'll regret it.

 

Unless your kids are really young, there is very little leg room in the back of an E46 coupe. If you want a little more room, I just bought a 2006 E90 330i with sport package and love it.

 

Why not keep the 993 and get another car that is reasonbly entertaining for the family outings. The M3 just isn't as involving as the 993, and doesn't work as well as a "toy" in my opinion. I would get an A4, 325/330, or something similar that would allow you to keep the 993 as your toy, while having something entertaining for the family outings.

-Steve

 

"Should I trade modded 993 for E46 M3?"
if you have to ask, yes, you should.

 

Thanks fellas, for your candid replies. Much appreciated. Looks like I'll have to do a little more homework before I make a move. Cheers!

 

Sorry to stray off topic for a little bit, but how was the Ultimate Driving Exp.? I am on the waiting list. Worth it?

 

It was really cool. I was on the waiting list too. You will get to drive if you go out there though. They offered me an x3 and I chuckled and said I would wait. They had a 6 series out there and someone broke the tranny. Anyways the whole event was focused on the new 330 which is very impressive. Torsional regidity is up like 60% from the e46 and it is rock solid. Its a bit of a pig in weight but a great car for the family. The main reason I went out there was to meet some of the bimmerforums guys because I never make it to any meets and that was fun alone to put faces with forum names. There was snacks and a putting green. You can take other models around the area for a while to kill time. Like the x5 and z4. It was fun, but you might have to wait.

 

Why not use your Evo for the practical stuff? E46 is still 2 doors, making the backseat a difficult place to get to. M3 is a nice car but I wouldn't trade my 993 for it. I would consider trading the Evo for an E46 M3 or B7 S4... Make it an avant for even more luggage space (I am partial to Audis). If I had to do it over again, I wish I had kept my B5 S4 and added the 993 (instead of selling the S4 to get the Pcar). Never would have gone down the WRX --> Evo path.

FYI, a link discussing the discontinuation of SMG (?) http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e90/6731746-1.html

Jeff

 

I owned an E46 M3 for awhile. Without trying to compare the driving experiences, I would say that except for more head room, the rear seat room isn't that much greater. It depends on the ages of your kids, but as they grow it will be a temporary fix at best and soon you'll be back in the same situation (plus missing your porsche). And its still a 2 door so access is dificult with kids. To me it wasn't nearly as much fun or engaging to drive as the 993 is - but it is a great car. If you have to have something more practical and fun, I'd find another option - because the M3 isn't that much more practical. Good luck

bill

 

A friend of mine bought a 2000 (or was it 2001?) M5 a few months ago for in the low $40Ks. He loves it. I took it out for a drive and the thing has low-end torque that 993 guys can only dream of. The gearshift is a tad vague and rubbery while you do occasionally feel the 4000 lb weight. Having said that, the car comes fully loaded (inc. heated seats, etc.), seats four adults comfortable (not just 2 midgets/children at the back), has 400hp, and has a nice rumbly V8.

If I needed a more practical performance car, I would just go the whole hog and get the E60 M5. They'll also likely be better value 5 years down the road too. I've also seen them at the track. As long as you upgrade the brakes, it'll be just as fun as an M3.

 

The more I read, the more I think I may not want to make the trade. I'll keep searching! Thanks everyone

 

I have an 02' e46 m3 cab and a 97' TT so heres some input:
The m3, for me makes a lot of sense as a compromise. I wanted a cab that had to have a back seat and had to have a 6speed. I came out of a boxster when I got it.
While its less involving then the boxster and not nearly as quick as the TT, its a great compromise.
The back seat can fit somebody up to 5'5" for a reasonable amount of time with a normal sized person in the front seat. I'm 6'2" and can still fit shorter women in the seat behind me (thats a squeeze though). The trunk in the coupe is reasonably large and the newer ones have all the features you could want (nav, bluetoof, ipod prewire).
My m3 has 58k miles and other then the initial little issues has been very good. I had the bearing recall done which led to a o2 sensor and cat replacement, but has since run great.
You ought to drive the car and determine if it would work for you. If you have any way to keep the 993 though, you ought to..especially with all the nice upgrades you've done.