Right on, man. I very much look forward to hearing your thoughts after a drive.

 

I expect to enjoy it, but I'm not expecting it to be like my 911 for the simple reasons of it being a bigger, heavier, and higher center of gravity. The laws of physics usually win.

 

My car CONTINUES to defy laws of physics, I'm tellin' ya!

...or maybe I'm just justifying my purchase!!

 

I'm not ruling out a 2003 M3 I've come across. Are there any major problems that can happen? Like a motor failure in a Porsche?

 

I've got a aging 328i that I consider eplacing every now and then. The new sedans are too much for me with the 996, so would love to have an older couple.

 

Just buy CPO, no matter what you do, buy CPO.

 

 

Gant,

You crack me up. Now the M3 is a sports car?!?! Come on.....

I think you really need to look up the definitions of a "Sports Car", "Sports Sedan" and "GT". Here's a first hint for you, it is not determined by how quickly a car can circle a race track. I'm quite sure that a M5 can get around just about any track quicker than my Boxster, but I'm also sure that doesn't make it a sports car. If a new M3 does hustle around a track quicker than a 997S it may have just a little to do with that small matter of a ton of extra hp. (in fact if you look at ring times, the cars are 1 sec apart.......not too shabby for a 59 hp deficit)

I thought the Motor Trend handling article was interesting for what it was lacking.....sports cars. It had plenty of GT's and Sports sedans but few real sports cars. Why no MX-5, Cayman, 997S or GT3, Elise, Boxster, F430, Z06 or ZR1, and no Lambo?

I'll repeat what has been already said, the M3 is one heck of a sports sedan. The ones I have driven certainly had good power and felt very refined. However, they were all also much less involving (although more comfortable) than my 986 or 996. That doesn't make them bad, however it does make 'em different.

I think most in this thread are just trying to point out those obvious differences between an e46 M3 and a 996. I personally think they are far more different than a cursory look at their similar acceleration times might indicate. Those differences (that are glaringly obvious during a drive, especially on a track) are not so obvious if you just view 0-60 times that look somewhat close.

Just my opinion....

 

and tell me, which one do you own. Oh yea, neither........ get a checkbook then an opinion.....

 

Let's also qualify that the new incarnation of the M3 is a FAR cry better than let's say a 2003. 2 totally different beasts.

That being said...I'm still waiting for the Panamera!

ps. BMW is just a German Buick...Ha!

 

I dunno - this thread is getting a bit argumentative. I've driven the new M3 on a track and I loved it. But... it's heavy, and even per my earlier posts, heavy is heavy... weight is a physical measurement that can't be confused, or corrected (much) in a street car.

Between cars, the new V8 M3 DROVE me to buy my "new" '02 996 C2.... okay, pun definitely intended.

Love both, but wanted one - one that met MY needs. I could be VERY happy, proud, and smiley driving the new M3. But my 996 makes me smile in so many more ways. It's brilliant - for my needs.


In the end, really just choice, choice is good. Don't lose sight of that.

 

+1... amen.

 

I had a 1990 964 that I traded for a 2002 M3. I traded back to the Porsche and now have a 964 race car and a 1999 996. The 996 experience is different than the M3. As a friend said, the M3 is like driving a Caddy compared to the 996. It's just a different experience. Softer would be my term.
The M3 is straight line fast! The brakes don't compare to the 996 at the track, but not terribly noticable on the street.
I too would take a 6 speed over an automatic, but that's me.
Orrin. Ownership of the M3 is about the same price wise as the 996. The 2002 E46 engine did have issues, but BMW stood behind it with a 100k transferrable warranty. Thankfully, I didn't have to test that warranty. To see what kind of issues BMW E46's have had, get on www.roadfly.com and do some research. I'm out of touch with these cars now.

 

Brilliantly spoken

Just buy what you like, none of us are going to have the pleasure or paying for nor driving whichever vehicle it is that you choose.

 

NOPE, M3 OWNERS SUCK AND SO DO THEIR CARSSSSS....... They are slower in every aspect and this horse will never stop being kicked.