e30 m3 or e46 m3

Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:42 am

i'm sturggling to understand why so many people think an e30 m3 is hard to live with every day

Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:53 am

I have an e46 and an e30 (not M3s though) I see it as simple as this

E30 M3 is an appreciating classic, not for everyday use (unless its short journeys for mileage)
E46 M3 will continue to depreciate but is more suitable for everyday use

Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:03 am

johnt0709 wrote:I have an e46 and an e30 (not M3s though) I see it as simple as this

E30 M3 is an appreciating classic, not for everyday use (unless its short journeys for mileage)
E46 M3 will continue to depreciate but is more suitable for everyday use

Mileage doesnt make a blind bit of difference......unless its a 10k mile brand new motor.

As long as you have a file of reciepts and stamps to prove its been looked after every miles of its journey, it could have 200k miles on the clock and it will still be worth a lot of money.

Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:43 pm

Falkster wrote:Point raised loads of times, people (ones that probably haven't driven LHD before) usually say they wouldnt want to drive LHD in this country.

I had no issue getting used to it and I find it a better drive....dont know why.

I agree totally, there is just something about LHD, the brakes are much better too!

Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:09 pm

tomson wrote:
Falkster wrote:Point raised loads of times, people (ones that probably haven't driven LHD before) usually say they wouldnt want to drive LHD in this country.

I had no issue getting used to it and I find it a better drive....dont know why.
I agree totally, there is just something about LHD, the brakes are much better too!

I also agree, it's like.. it's more exotic

BTW, Harry, I'd rather have your Metro GTi 1.8 on TB's

Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:23 pm

tomson wrote:
bss325i wrote:
tomson wrote:I suspect almost everyone who has commented on this thread has never owned either, including myself, let alone both to compare them!
That deffo includes me but i have owned expensive E46's and plenty of E30's so can draw comparisons.

That and working in a BMW dealer gives an insight in to the running costs of newer BMW's.
Owning for a short period of time and running for several years are different things though Barry. ANY BMW maintained correctly will be expensive, new or old!

The Alpina isn't the only E46 i've owned.

Like for like, parts prices are more expensive on E46's and there's alot more parts.

Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:28 pm

ShepsEvo3 wrote:
BTW, Harry, I'd rather have your Metro GTi 1.8 on TB's

cheers!

it's a right laugh, sadly it's not been on the road for 3 years. shame really as up to a ton it's as quick, if not slightly quicker than the m3. I've also mentioned emerald ecus to you in the past, and that's the car it's currently on

not massively powerfull as it's still on the standard head, but it weighs well under 800kg and sounds insane

Sat Dec 12, 2009 8:08 am

The compromise here would be an E30 M3 with a S50B32 lump fitted

Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:49 am

tomson wrote:The compromise here would be an E30 M3 with a S50B32 lump fitted

Do you remeber that black RHD one that was for sale a year or so ago?

Had BBS RC's on it.

Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:03 pm

w17led wrote: I have to disagree with bss325
Tax for 6 months cost me 118.50 on 2004 m3.
It gives upto 32mpg on the motorway doing 80 all the way and down to 22 mpg round town.

Thats no worse than a M20B25 or a S14!

w17led wrote: It depends on what tyres you go for, i have falken fk452's all round which are great for fast road use and cost me 500.00 all in for a brand new set.

I stuck tyres on 4 17" wheels last month. Total cost including fitting - £410. If you've got 10k to drop on a new car, you're not gonna be THAT bothered about 90quid extra for appropriate rubber to keep your toy on the Black Stuff. lol

w17led wrote:The prices are steady now, if anything have firmed a bit.
E30 M3 looks better to me, but the e46 m3 is abetter car all round without any doubt.
There is not one thing the e30 m3 does better than the e46.
Also if you need to go somewhere nice, it would feel better to pull up in a e46 than a e30, say to a wedding.
Dont get me wrong e30 m3's are great but most only have them as a investment.

The E46 is more comfortable to drive by far! I've driven both (granted, only for about an hour each) but the E46 is an easier car to drive in everyday terms. Okay, I cant comment on what the cars are like to drive on the ragged edge, but we're talkign about a car to be used everyday, right? I dont know about anyone else here, but I don't drive my car on the ragged edge every day. Its just not safe to do it with so much traffic on the roads now.

320ise wrote: i dont think this is a fair thread! as an e30 is sooo different to an e46! i have driven e30,e36,e46 you could compare the 36 and 46 but the e30 really is totally different its slower has none of the modern stuff the e46 has like sat nav etc. 9 out of 10 people on here will say e30 because its e30zone!

I must be 1 out of ten then.

Me personally.... I'm looking at selling a couple of my bicycles over the next 3-5 months and possibly getting a E46. (3 bikes will pay for a decent E46 M3) My mileage is likely to be coming down next year, so that wont be a deciding factor, even though the real-world figures dont differ from what I get from my 325 now. The 46 will be a much easier car to drive in everyday conditions and when i do, do the longer journeys, I'll be able to get out of the car at the other end and be fresher and less tired that I would be in the E30s.

If I was after a pure weekend toy though, I wouldnt be spending 10k on one, I'd be looking at more than double that much.... and I dont think I could validate that sort of money on a car for the weekends only.

Just my 2p of course

Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:41 pm

I would take the E46 every time. I really don't like the look of the E30.

Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:42 pm

another 2p;

I haven't owned an E30 M3 but do own a reasonably well sorted E30 325 which handles nearly as well as my E46 M3. The E46 has a whole load more grip though and twice the poke but I enjoy driving one as much as the other, which is what it's all about. As for E46 M3's being expensive to run? only if it breaks or you get dealer inspections done or you break it; then it's expensive and there is no point hiding that but I guess the E30 will be just the same.
I wouldn't swap the E46 for an E30 M3 as much as I like the idea of owning one, I did seriously consider it but just reckon it can't be that much better than the 325 with some choice mods. I fully expect to be flailed for this

Seeing they seem to cost about the same money; what would you rather have, an E30 sport evo or as E46 csl?

Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:46 pm

Oh and this tax lark, try taxing a 51 plate M3 or newer when April comes. £400+ a year!!!!

I got a feeling i won't be buying anything that new for a long while.

Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:14 pm

bss325i wrote:
tomson wrote:The compromise here would be an E30 M3 with a S50B32 lump fitted
Do you remeber that black RHD one that was for sale a year or so ago?

Had BBS RC's on it.

Cant say I do actually Barry, why, have you bought it?

Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:38 pm

In your situation,
I'd buy the E30, even as a daily,
The Mrs would buy the E46

Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:02 pm

e30 m3 i love them but i would love one with a turbo the size of jordans tits haha

Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:54 pm

M3ben05 is completely right.
If all your going to do it use it at weekends buy an e30 m3. If you're intending on more of a daily use then e46 m3 as it's got the modern touch. Saying this my M3 has started every single time I have asked it to, the only problem I had was a rotor arm breaking down on me due to a manufacturing fault.
They are robust and will put up with it all.
The LHD aspect is easy to live with, it takes a little while to get used to and road position etc but it'll soon come as second nature just don't get in the passenger seat in a busy petrol garage.. you just look a tool.

As for fuel, I couldn't give a toss how much/little mine uses in fuel because at the end of the day it's a car you want to put fuel in and not one that makes it a chore. A car I like is a car that doesn't make me lose my smile as I see the needle approaching the empty mark again.