e46 M3s are getting cheaper

[spook]

So 6k should find a nice car with decent spec ?

[whiterhino]

Is the smg that awful for say London commuting as a daily?

[pacerpete]

SMG = don't . It's nasty when it works, it is REALLY nasty when it stops working

[bss325i]

So 6k should find a nice car with decent spec ?

£6k is a mine field. You may get lucky but most at this price will be a bit rubbish and will easily eat another £2k in tyres, brakes and an inspection 2.

[pacerpete]

I'm nearly as old as Trevor so I posted twice

[pacerpete]

So 6k should find a nice car with decent spec ?

£6k is a mine field. You may get lucky but most at this price will be a bit rubbish and will easily eat another £2k in tyres, brakes and an inspection 2.

THIS ! You may get lucky but most at this end of the market are ticking bombs. The serious performance for much cheapness attracts lotz of scum who when faced with big bills get them served on pronto. The ideal car will usually have a mature owner (dead cooont, think Trevor !) ) with lots of bills and four quality tyres.

What you really need Chris is a M3 CS , you would then be a serious foooking executive but more importantly,your new best mate Pony would send you regular updates on his throbbing grapes AND undraped pics of his nan AND access to his extensive PHIL COLLINS collection !

[harry_p]

This is what I would want.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... mid=270672

To basic. Nav, heated seats and HK are all a must!

The most basic E46 M3 i have seen was also Imola red but it had cloth and a single slot CD player, no other options! Not even the front centre arm rest.

Who ever ordered it must have wanted an M3 bad and really stretched their budget.

Was on an 02 plate.

Off topic: The most basic E36 M3 I saw was a one owner low mileage 1998 (S reg) Estoril blue.
The chap who ordered it did not put a sunroof/computer/radio or any extras on it. He said it was how he wanted it.

I called him a "tight b.....d" and I bought it from him.

How bizarre, sunroof, computer and cassette player were all standard on uk evos, although I'm sure you could un-opt them, I doubt BMW would knock any money off for the pleasure.

Personally, if I was ordering new I'd have gone non-sunroof, and none stereo, as I hate sunroofs and would rather spec my own stereo setup.

I have also seen an evo without aircon which I thought was pretty odd. So used to seeing the dual climate panel in an e36 that the big round dials look very out of place.

[bss325i]

To basic. Nav, heated seats and HK are all a must!

The most basic E46 M3 i have seen was also Imola red but it had cloth and a single slot CD player, no other options! Not even the front centre arm rest.

Who ever ordered it must have wanted an M3 bad and really stretched their budget.

Was on an 02 plate.

Off topic: The most basic E36 M3 I saw was a one owner low mileage 1998 (S reg) Estoril blue.
The chap who ordered it did not put a sunroof/computer/radio or any extras on it. He said it was how he wanted it.

I called him a "tight b.....d" and I bought it from him.

How bizarre, sunroof, computer and cassette player were all standard on uk evos, although I'm sure you could un-opt them, I doubt BMW would knock any money off for the pleasure.

Personally, if I was ordering new I'd have gone non-sunroof, and none stereo, as I hate sunroofs and would rather spec my own stereo setup.

I have also seen an evo without aircon which I thought was pretty odd. So used to seeing the dual climate panel in an e36 that the big round dials look very out of place.

When i was shopping for an Evo coupe back in '09 i looked at several and one of them, a P reg had no A/C either.

That alone was reason enough to walk away but it was a shed anyway.

[spook]

So how much should one pay for a good CS?

[e30topless]

So how much should one pay for a good CS?

wait a few years Chris they will be fook all

if you really have to have an M3 then 6k will buy a very good E36 M3 or a poor E46, the E36 is going up and the E46 is going down.. no brainer really as they both drive really well

[bss325i]

If anyone is interested, SteSE is selling his E36 M3 Evo saloon, cosmos black with individual champagne leather and lots of money spent!

[Low_E30]

In late 2011, there was a E36 M3 convertible, in Estoril Blue with black leather (rare as most Estoril's came with horrible grey) on a 1999/V reg (last of the line), and with the 6 speed manual (rare as most 1999's were SMG1).... It had just turned 50,000 miles, was very low on ownership and stated FSH, how comprehensive that was, i dont know as i never followed up on it.....

It was with a local dealer, was up for £7995 for about a month, then fell to £6995.... a couple of months later it fell to £5995..... Sat like that for a couple of more months then dissapeared.....

It seemed dear at the time as so many other sh!tters were priced up for half the asking price, I was tempted but had other cars and in all honestly didnt need a third convertible in the collection.... but often wonder how cheap that car will look as time goes on.... Damn!

[suchy]

So how much should one pay for a good CS?

wait a few years Chris they will be fook all

if you really have to have an M3 then 6k will buy a very good E36 M3 or a poor E46, the E36 is going up and the E46 is going down.. no brainer really as they both drive really well

But how much more of a weapon is the E46 M3 over the E36 M3? I've driven neither so have no idea, but I'd be fairly confident in saying the E46 is a league ahead of the E36?

[harry_p]

As an overall package, the e46 is the more complete car.

In pure performance terms, there's little to nothing between them, a fraction of a second here and there in the traditional performance intervals. But actual cars side by side going for it, nothing in it.

E46 will I'm sure be more fondly remembered in the future, it just seemed to capture the public and press in a way te e36 never really did. I'm sure most of that is because it looks different to the normal e46 where as bmw would sell you an e36 318i which looked identical to an e36 m3. Although that can be a good thing depending on your point of view.

[Blitz]

[Simon13]

theres 20bhp difference between e36 and e46? they use basically the same 6 speed box but the e36 diff is 3.23 and the e46 3.64

If you evened the diffs i bet there would be nothing in it. In reality the e36 offers at least 90% of the performance and they're alot better on fuel because they're geared down a touch and are lighter

[bss325i]

Even though they have the same chassis layout, ie Z multi link rear axle, macpherson front strut and wishbone set up, they are like night and day.

The E46 M3 chassis is a lot better than the E36 M3's.

The E46 M3 is pretty much better that the E36 M3 in every way, boot floor aside.

[ross_jsy]

Having driven several of both the difference between an e36 and e46 is huge. It's not like the e36 is bad but the e46 is almost telepathic in the way it responds and is the most confidence inspiring chassis I have ever driven.

[bss325i]

I have to agree with Ross, the steering is closer to the E30 for feel than the E36 is.

[Simon13]

true the steering feel in the e46 is much much better and they feel more darty if thats the right word alot more chuckable. Its pretty vague steering in every e36 i've driven/owned

[zd3bx]

Doesn't have to be an M3.

There's generally a big difference in terms of how E36 feels to drive vs E46.

E36 "feels" very similar to an E30 - it's light, agile and kind of simple.

E46 on the other hand, is like a different car vs E36, and you can tell it's a completely new model, while E30/E36 feel the same'ish.

[harry_p]

I always thought the e46s steering was pretty numb, but I was driving my e30 m3 every day when I drove one, and still had the lancia.

Never compared the two side by side since I've had an e36, and would be pointless now as its a long way from standard.

I would expect a lot of the basic feel comes from the square stance of the e46. The e36 is quite long and thin, the 46 seems a similar length and proportions, but quite a bit wider, which probably suits the fatter tyres it wears. I have always said I think the e36 feels much more pointy and nimble with a more square tyre setup. 225 45 and 15mm spacers all round feels superb.

[bss325i]

I disagree, the difference between an E30 and an E36 is massive compared to an E36 and an E46.

E30's feel prehistoric (in a good way) where as E36's still feel relatively modern.

[bss325i]

Kerb weight for the following are,

E30 325i 4dr 1180 KG
E36 328i Saloon 1395 KG
E46 328i Saloon 1450 KG

So thats a 215 KG difference E30 vs E36 compared to a 55 KG difference E36 vs E46

[bss325i]

I would expect a lot of the basic feel comes from the square stance of the e46. The e36 is quite long and thin, the 46 seems a similar length and proportions, but quite a bit wider, which probably suits the fatter tyres it wears. I have always said I think the e36 feels much more pointy and nimble with a more square tyre setup. 225 45 and 15mm spacers all round feels superb.

E36's definitely feel more narrow. Track and overall suspension geometry is what makes these feel so different yet still having the same layout.

[bss325i]

If you evened the diffs i bet there would be nothing in it. In reality the e36 offers at least 90% of the performance and they're alot better on fuel because they're geared down a touch and are lighter

There is 20 KG difference between an E36 M3 Evo coupe and and E46 M3 coupe.

1550 vs 1570 KG.

This is both cars being "no options" basic models though.

[harry_p]

I disagree, the difference between an E30 and an E36 is massive compared to an E36 and an E46.

E30's feel prehistoric (in a good way) where as E36's still feel relatively modern.

I'd agree with that, e36 was the big leap, e46 was a refinement of the concept. Pretty much an e36 with modernised styling and much nicer interior.

M3s are different though, e36 m3 is like a 328i sport+ with an awesome engine, e46 m3 feels completely different to the rest of the e46 range.

[bss325i]

M3s are different though, e36 m3 is like a 328i sport+ with an awesome engine, e46 m3 feels completely different to the rest of the e46 range.

And i'd agree with that!

[spook]

Excellent thread

[bss325i]

Chris, go and road test one and see what you think mate.

[e30topless]

Chris, go and road test one and see what you think mate.

and give it some beans !! :

lots of great input from E36 lovers here, i merely suggested them as to a budget...
i like them both great cars in their own right, E46 is much more refined and the handling is far more responsive.. the cabin is a very nice place to be and very well put together,

but if it comes down to numbers, a good low miles with full history 46' M3 is what 8-9k? and 5k will buy a lovely E36 M3, Good History is so important on both,

buying a cheap 5k 46' is a really scary gamble

[e30topless]

If anyone is interested, SteSE is selling his E36 M3 Evo saloon, cosmos black with individual champagne leather and lots of money spent!

same spec as this coupe, Lovely.. damn shame it's SMG

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251402258725? ... 1423.l2649

[bss325i]

If anyone is interested, SteSE is selling his E36 M3 Evo saloon, cosmos black with individual champagne leather and lots of money spent!

same spec as this coupe, Lovely.. damn shame it's SMG

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251402258725? ... 1423.l2649

There is an almost identical car to that coupe in the frag yard at ML!

SMG E36's are quite easy to convert to manual if someone really felt the urge to.

SMG in an E36 is horrendous!

[zd3bx]

I disagree, the difference between an E30 and an E36 is massive compared to an E36 and an E46.

E30's feel prehistoric (in a good way) where as E36's still feel relatively modern.

Weird, but I drive my E30 daily and when recently drove an E36, I felt they were very similar, while when I drove E46s they always gave me a sense being more modern, "safer" and definitely heavier

[Simon13]

theres nothing similar between an e30 and an e36 in the way they drive! The e30 is like driving noahs arc (in a good way) whereas a nice e36 feels and drives close to modern cars.

e30 has bags of feedback
no refinement
much lower grip levels


e36 has vague steering
refinement
much higher grip levels