wanting to get a 328i or m3 e36 (would not entertain the evo due to vanos horror storys) i may use the car on a track (1 or 2 times a year)
so my main point would be is it worth having an m3 over a 328i in every day life or does the 328i sport handle and have nearly the performance of the m3? as i know the 328i is cheaper to insure and run and buy! and also does not need a tracker fitted to get a reasonable quote.
always wanted the ///M power but have heard it can cost to keep them running well and would rather have a well looked after 328i sport that a scavanged serviced m3. how much difference is there in the costs?
thanks for any advice my budget is 3,500 and am looking to get one in the next few months
e36m3 3.0 or e36 328i sport
Moderator: martauto
Insurance could well be a deciding factor.
Ste's M52 engined (328) E30 touring was an absolute raving animal with a few mods here and there. A standard E36 328 doesn't hang about either. A nice 328i sport also looks lovely and apart from the mirrors look like an M3.
Regardless, there are some real E36 bargains out there now.
Ste's M52 engined (328) E30 touring was an absolute raving animal with a few mods here and there. A standard E36 328 doesn't hang about either. A nice 328i sport also looks lovely and apart from the mirrors look like an M3.
Regardless, there are some real E36 bargains out there now.
lol don't bully me jon! (i know i can be a pain in the **** for these questions but theres alot of e30 owners on here who know allot about bmw in genral more than me anyway!) i love e30's! but cant justify spending the cash on one as a daily as id be terified of leaving it anyware. gonna have to get an i.s or a sport one day as a garaged stuner, i would however sell my soul if some one would by it for an e30 m3!
if you do the m50 manifold conversion and chip do you get 220-230bhp? as thats not bad going! is there any suspension difference between the ///M and the sport? or is the 328i sport "the m3 minus the engine"? as i have read sumware the gear box on the 3ltr is the same as the item in the sport is this true?
The gearbox on the 3 litre M3 is the same as the 328i.320ise wrote:if you do the m50 manifold conversion and chip do you get 220-230bhp? as thats not bad going! is there any suspension difference between the ///M and the sport? or is the 328i sport "the m3 minus the engine"? as i have read sumware the gear box on the 3ltr is the same as the item in the sport is this true?
I think you know the answer here!
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glenn
- Engine Transplant Services
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i too have owned both, and i agree, there's not enough of a difference between them to warrant the 'm' running costs.old_skool wrote:There's not much really between them in the real world - I've owned both, many times over.
£3500 will generally buy you a better 328 than an M3.
Drive both first.
the 328i sport i owned was a hoot !
They are fun alright!glenn wrote:i too have owned both, and i agree, there's not enough of a difference between them to warrant the 'm' running costs.old_skool wrote:There's not much really between them in the real world - I've owned both, many times over.
£3500 will generally buy you a better 328 than an M3.
Drive both first.
the 328i sport i owned was a hoot !
I have been looking for a good E36 for a long time. I'd really like a M3 GT though.
I disagree, I think that the difference between the two is simply staggering in terms of power, handling, braking, and the styling.glenn wrote:i too have owned both, and i agree, there's not enough of a difference between them to warrant the 'm' running costs.old_skool wrote:There's not much really between them in the real world - I've owned both, many times over.
£3500 will generally buy you a better 328 than an M3.
Drive both first.
the 328i sport i owned was a hoot !
But each to their own.
Building an S50 3.2 Touring.
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glenn
- Engine Transplant Services
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i've had one of those too.old_skool wrote:They are fun alright!glenn wrote:i too have owned both, and i agree, there's not enough of a difference between them to warrant the 'm' running costs.old_skool wrote:There's not much really between them in the real world - I've owned both, many times over.
£3500 will generally buy you a better 328 than an M3.
Drive both first.
the 328i sport i owned was a hoot !
I have been looking for a good E36 for a long time. I'd really like a M3 GT though.
i had 'n901lrl'
another one of those cars i regret selling !! lol
get an m3.
if you get a 328 you'll always be wondering whether you should have gone for it and got a proper M car.
not that a 328 is a bad car, just that the m3 is the real deal. get one while you can get decent ones for sod all dosh. just like i should have done when you could get a solid e30 m3 for £4k
if you get a 328 you'll always be wondering whether you should have gone for it and got a proper M car.
not that a 328 is a bad car, just that the m3 is the real deal. get one while you can get decent ones for sod all dosh. just like i should have done when you could get a solid e30 m3 for £4k
cheers,
harry
harry
true but i dont think i have ever seen a solid e30 m3 under 6.5kharry_p wrote:get an m3.
if you get a 328 you'll always be wondering whether you should have gone for it and got a proper M car.
not that a 328 is a bad car, just that the m3 is the real deal. get one while you can get decent ones for sod all dosh. just like i should have done when you could get a solid e30 m3 for £4k
I was quite surprised to see dameon's and glenn's comments too, especially as they're both s50 e30 types iirc 
My bro's recently bought an m3 evo after owning a 328 (sport individual). Both completely standard, I've driven both quite a bit. My IS was quicker than his 328, his m3 is (obviously!) quicker than my IS. All are very fast on the road and in the real world of course you don't need the extra performance! You don't get the same noise or the same shove back in the seats or the same high rpm performance in a 328. I thought the engines felt pretty different!
In terms of handling and feel, i think the 328 and m3 are completely different. The m3's also a good bit noisier (the exhaust resonates a bit, although quiet around town etc it's not the quietest elsewhere), much more crashy on the suspension, the clutch is tougher and a bit more awkward. My bro made his wife puke on Sunday in the m3 and not by driving like an idiot, just driving fairly spiritedly along the north devon coast. That would never have happened in the 328. As a daily road car, the 328 has some major benefits - it's quieter, more refined, much less jarring on the suspension, better on fuel, smoother, better idle etc. As a performance car there's no competition.
The m3 evo costs about double to insure over the 328, parts are more expensive (£15 per spark plug for instance). I don't worry at all about him having the evo over the 3l, the VANOS can be rebuilt for a reasonable cost if it gets noisy, bolts and filter cost f all, 6 speed box isn't as expensive as people make out if it were to fail, which is pretty rare, otherwise there's nothing particular to the EVO to make it more expensive to run than the 3.0. There are many more tales of the evo spinning shells than the non-evo, I'll be inspecting the crank and doing new big end shells and arp rod bolts to reduce risk of this on his. The sixth gear is really good to have too, and there is a fair difference in power. Oh and over the weekend doing a combination of motorway and spirited A road driving (and letting me drive for a bit = destroying fuel economy ) the m3 returned 32mpg on the OBC. Sixth gear means it can cruise at decent MPG. Obviously it needs super unleaded unlike the 328 and does rubbish mpg in the city.
I really like the m3 as a performance car and a toy, to use daily I'd probably prefer a 328. I think comparisons are difficult, they're really different! I've found myself doing a lot more maintenence to the m3 too, it demands to be looked after in a way that the 328 never really needed. The noise the M3 makes is pretty special, and I never yearned to drive his 328 like i do his m3. whenever I get the chance I have a go in the M! Having said that I also tend to get back into the e30 and it still brings a smile to my face.
My bro's recently bought an m3 evo after owning a 328 (sport individual). Both completely standard, I've driven both quite a bit. My IS was quicker than his 328, his m3 is (obviously!) quicker than my IS. All are very fast on the road and in the real world of course you don't need the extra performance! You don't get the same noise or the same shove back in the seats or the same high rpm performance in a 328. I thought the engines felt pretty different!In terms of handling and feel, i think the 328 and m3 are completely different. The m3's also a good bit noisier (the exhaust resonates a bit, although quiet around town etc it's not the quietest elsewhere), much more crashy on the suspension, the clutch is tougher and a bit more awkward. My bro made his wife puke on Sunday in the m3 and not by driving like an idiot, just driving fairly spiritedly along the north devon coast. That would never have happened in the 328. As a daily road car, the 328 has some major benefits - it's quieter, more refined, much less jarring on the suspension, better on fuel, smoother, better idle etc. As a performance car there's no competition.
The m3 evo costs about double to insure over the 328, parts are more expensive (£15 per spark plug for instance). I don't worry at all about him having the evo over the 3l, the VANOS can be rebuilt for a reasonable cost if it gets noisy, bolts and filter cost f all, 6 speed box isn't as expensive as people make out if it were to fail, which is pretty rare, otherwise there's nothing particular to the EVO to make it more expensive to run than the 3.0. There are many more tales of the evo spinning shells than the non-evo, I'll be inspecting the crank and doing new big end shells and arp rod bolts to reduce risk of this on his. The sixth gear is really good to have too, and there is a fair difference in power. Oh and over the weekend doing a combination of motorway and spirited A road driving (and letting me drive for a bit = destroying fuel economy
) the m3 returned 32mpg on the OBC. Sixth gear means it can cruise at decent MPG. Obviously it needs super unleaded unlike the 328 and does rubbish mpg in the city.I really like the m3 as a performance car and a toy, to use daily I'd probably prefer a 328. I think comparisons are difficult, they're really different! I've found myself doing a lot more maintenence to the m3 too, it demands to be looked after in a way that the 328 never really needed. The noise the M3 makes is pretty special, and I never yearned to drive his 328 like i do his m3. whenever I get the chance I have a go in the M! Having said that I also tend to get back into the e30 and it still brings a smile to my face.
2.1 318is, MS, LPG. 200bhp, 175ft/lbs GONE!
Boxster, e46 m3, e36 sport touring and alpina B3 3.0
That's a pretty fair write up.
I went from 328 to M3, I thought they were completely different, in fact it was only when I hadn't owned one that I thought they were similar.
The M3's engine is completely different, power delivery is in a completely different style, the m52 is a lazy torquey engine, it likes to cruise and doesn't demand high revs, the s50 (in my case) needs to be thrashed, it revs higher and likes to be there. The m52 would give fair acceleration from 2K, at 2K the s50 seems underpowered, your in the wrong gear to accelerate nicely.
Yes the gear box is the same, but that's about it, the different final drive and power curve makes it feel different anyway.
Suspension is different as well, the eccentric control arm bush being shared with the 328 sport is about it. The 3.2 has the concentric control arm bush of other models, but the geometry is completely different. The M3 has different ride height even.
Like I said, until I owned one I thought the 328 and m3 were pretty comparable. I used to chase mates m3's down the road and they didn't seem much faster than my 328, they did just seem like the 328 sport was the m3 without the engine. Once I got one I realised that it couldn't be driven like the 328, I had to learn how it needed to be driven to get the best out of it. It felt different suspension wise, it braked far harder and the noise was far greater. Essentially, the 328 gives a relaxed feel, a feel of comfort and a certain level of detachment from the road (not a bad thing), the m3 doesn't give you a relaxed feel, it demands that bit more attention and you have to actually drive it.
You want a relaxed cruiser that also has some speed, get the 328, you want something that is faster (by a fair whack) and delivers more driver feedback, get the m3.
I went from 328 to M3, I thought they were completely different, in fact it was only when I hadn't owned one that I thought they were similar.
The M3's engine is completely different, power delivery is in a completely different style, the m52 is a lazy torquey engine, it likes to cruise and doesn't demand high revs, the s50 (in my case) needs to be thrashed, it revs higher and likes to be there. The m52 would give fair acceleration from 2K, at 2K the s50 seems underpowered, your in the wrong gear to accelerate nicely.
Yes the gear box is the same, but that's about it, the different final drive and power curve makes it feel different anyway.
Suspension is different as well, the eccentric control arm bush being shared with the 328 sport is about it. The 3.2 has the concentric control arm bush of other models, but the geometry is completely different. The M3 has different ride height even.
Like I said, until I owned one I thought the 328 and m3 were pretty comparable. I used to chase mates m3's down the road and they didn't seem much faster than my 328, they did just seem like the 328 sport was the m3 without the engine. Once I got one I realised that it couldn't be driven like the 328, I had to learn how it needed to be driven to get the best out of it. It felt different suspension wise, it braked far harder and the noise was far greater. Essentially, the 328 gives a relaxed feel, a feel of comfort and a certain level of detachment from the road (not a bad thing), the m3 doesn't give you a relaxed feel, it demands that bit more attention and you have to actually drive it.
You want a relaxed cruiser that also has some speed, get the 328, you want something that is faster (by a fair whack) and delivers more driver feedback, get the m3.
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steerfromtherear
- E30 Zone Regular
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I think what people have said about getting the best value for money out of 3.5k is spot on. You will get a lovely 328i sport with change for that price now. M3s around those prices are a minefield. There are bargains out there but a lot of searching is required.
For example I have owned a 3.0 m3 before and know how well they go. I have just finished a year owning a 328i sport, and sold it looking for another M car. I took out a 3.5k m3 in daytona with flashy chrome bits and council wheels and it was gutless. Up to 70 mph or so Id hazard it wasnt any quicker than my sport. Not indicitive of all m3s but proof that a shit one isnt worth the money.
Those that say a 328 is almost the same as a m3 in the real world havent owned both. Sure a good 328 wont be too far behind off the mark and even around the corners if both on stock suspension but the m3 is a far more raw and involving and as soon as you hit a road with some space and really wind it up into the redline you will leave the 328s a long long way behind.
As for running costs, sure a m3 is more expensive than a sport but Id be happy to bet that the e36 m3 3.0 is the most affordable M car out of the lot, in every way (with exception of m535i but thats not proper). Large numbers sold, lots of aftermarket products and how to guides on the net mean you can own one on a budget.
Thats why I bought an e34 m5, I like to be too scared to use my cars lol.
For example I have owned a 3.0 m3 before and know how well they go. I have just finished a year owning a 328i sport, and sold it looking for another M car. I took out a 3.5k m3 in daytona with flashy chrome bits and council wheels and it was gutless. Up to 70 mph or so Id hazard it wasnt any quicker than my sport. Not indicitive of all m3s but proof that a shit one isnt worth the money.
Those that say a 328 is almost the same as a m3 in the real world havent owned both. Sure a good 328 wont be too far behind off the mark and even around the corners if both on stock suspension but the m3 is a far more raw and involving and as soon as you hit a road with some space and really wind it up into the redline you will leave the 328s a long long way behind.
As for running costs, sure a m3 is more expensive than a sport but Id be happy to bet that the e36 m3 3.0 is the most affordable M car out of the lot, in every way (with exception of m535i but thats not proper). Large numbers sold, lots of aftermarket products and how to guides on the net mean you can own one on a budget.
Thats why I bought an e34 m5, I like to be too scared to use my cars lol.
