Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire picks up an E46 M3

[jet_dogg]

Manual coupe, proper.

Even though I don't really watch or care for him anymore the video was decent.

[maw1124]

I am now subscribed to The Smoking Tire. I never knew who the guy was but he just said basically verbatim what I was thinking about this car when I bought mine over 10 years ago, also as a 40th birthday present to myself. Actually that year I bought this and another car, which is now worth several multiples what I paid for it, and I can't put enough miles on it to change that reality.

"A great 7/10ths car." Perfectly stated. Hats off to the guys who are looking for 10/10ths and 11/10ths. I'll see you at the 24 Hours of Daytona race. I might drive my M3 over with the top down and my hands free, more or less.

maw

[sina]

Damn mint condition TiAg is actually really hot

[cornerbalanced]

https://youtu.be/rxn5860e4Vw

Review is out. Matt rebukes some of the hate he has received for his original Fiesta ST vs. E46 review. Pretty good review in my opinion!

[maw1124]

I actually find the vert to be way more of a detractor than the SMG. With practice, the SMG can be driven around. On track, I don't find SMG to be worse than the 6mt, when it's not overheating.... The vert is closer to an e39 M5 in weight than an e46 m3 coupe, and the additional chassis flex is apparent just pulling out of my driveway. The M3 coupe is closer in weight to the CSL than it is the M3 vert-- and weight is THE thing that makes the CSL so great.

I think this is it exactly, once I put my own preference aside and think about it. If I was looking for the zippiest, most nimble E46 M3 it would be a SMG coupe. I'd obviously skip the 300+ extra pounds of weight, and I can't row gears faster than the SMG can clip through them.

But I was looking for the zippiest, most nimble, luxury-ish, 4-seater convertible, which put this one against the CLK 63 AMG and Audi S4 (for the $25k I was willing to pay to fill that fairly limited spot). Of those, the sure fire history making, soon to be classic E46M obviously won, not the least of which because I already owned an Audi with the 4.2 engine from the S4 and a blistering fast AMG sedan at the time. I really liked the CLK63 but it was "yet another V8" and I was looking for something different. And I like the idea of owning classic cars before they were classic.

Of course, that's all more germane to my peculiar circumstances than anything having to do with "market" thinking, except that there may be more people out there like me than the hard core enthusiast crowd realizes. Someone is buying all these SMG verts and they're not going RNM (or getting "back door reserves from shill bidders").

maw

[oceansize]

e60 M5

I had no idea you recently purchased one, just went over to the build journals and read the background. Nice, I did consider an e60 M5 when I bought my low mileage W204 AMG, both can be time consuming lol.

[Obioban]

What is your opinion of your wagon compared to your coupe? Or perhaps a better comparison would be to a coupe closer to stock form or similarly modified. I've still got wagon envy and I'm hunting for coupe but then I think maybe I should just buy a wagon. ugh.

The wagon is only ~70 lbs heavier than the coupe (and that's mostly negated if you remove the spare tire and cargo net), and is stiffer than the coupe (as in, in non M wagon vs non M coupe, the wagon is stiffer-- add in the M bracing and the M wagon should be stiffer... and feels like it is).

It drives extremely similarly to a stock M3 coupe (which I'm reasonably familiar with-- my brother has a <50,000 mile, pretty stock (18" RG-Rs and Koni Yellows) ZCP.

... That said, mine is likely going up for sale once I get the e60 M5 maintenance up to date/this spring. I'm going to revert the M3 coupe to DD status, as I no longer see a point of saving it for the future-- I think we only have 10-20 years left of gas cars being viable street cars, so no point in keeping miles off it.

[oceansize]

I actually find the vert to be way more of a detractor than the SMG. With practice, the SMG can be driven around. On track, I don't find SMG to be worse than the 6mt, when it's not overheating.

The vert is closer to an e39 M5 in weight than an e46 m3 coupe, and the additional chassis flex is apparent just pulling out of my driveway. The M3 coupe is closer in weight to the CSL than it is the M3 vert-- and weight is THE thing that makes the CSL so great.

What is your opinion of your wagon compared to your coupe? Or perhaps a better comparison would be to a coupe closer to stock form or similarly modified. I've still got wagon envy and I'm hunting for coupe but then I think maybe I should just buy a wagon. ugh.

[Obioban]

I love all E46 M3's-- Coupe or Convertible, Manual or SMG. It's my favorite car ever made by a decent margin.

But I will not be convinced an SMG Vert is a better driving experience than the Manual Coupe. It's objectively worse in literally every way, and the numbers reflect that.

A convertible manual on a nice spring day is probably a great experience. The SMG2 is just not a good gearbox.

I actually find the vert to be way more of a detractor than the SMG. With practice, the SMG can be driven around. On track, I don't find SMG to be worse than the 6mt, when it's not overheating.

The vert is closer to an e39 M5 in weight than an e46 m3 coupe, and the additional chassis flex is apparent just pulling out of my driveway. The M3 coupe is closer in weight to the CSL than it is the M3 vert-- and weight is THE thing that makes the CSL so great.

[MTiz]

I love all E46 M3's-- Coupe or Convertible, Manual or SMG. It's my favorite car ever made by a decent margin.

But I will not be convinced an SMG Vert is a better driving experience than the Manual Coupe. It's objectively worse in literally every way, and the numbers reflect that.

A convertible manual on a nice spring day is probably a great experience. The SMG2 is just not a good gearbox.

[t44tq]

Are you saying that it isn't a fact that manual coupes are worth more? It's purely subjective which one you like better, as I said. But the majority of enthusiasts have a clear preference for the coupe/manual.

You might not have read back. I was simply making the point that it isn't some illegitimate reason that the manual coupe is more desired. Whether or not those reasons are significant to you personally is irrelevant next to the majority opinion that they are the best expression of this car.

I'm not talking about the value of the car, just which is the "best" version.

I like E34 Elektas as well, but not everyone likes a wagon, nor does everyone like green.

I don't think majority opinion really matters other than how it affect value. Buy what you like and drive it.

[Carbon_m3]

When you overspend and end up in a Tiag car.

LOL

He big mad 😡😂😂

[pawa_k2001]

I’m not sure values going up is a good thing 😜

This. It just makes enjoying our cars more expensive. Buddy of mine just blew up his F22c on the S2000, his eyes started to water when he found out the cost of a decent used replacement.

Values going up are only good for people trying to sell or collectors.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cornerbalanced]

Why the hate for Matt Farah? He's a pretty lovely guy in person, unlike a lot of "influencers" / journalists...It seems like his MO is to buy fun cars that will appricate over time, and drive the shit out of them...I can respect that.

I also might be one of the few people who think his orginal E46 (vs. Fiesta ST) review was fair. Especially for being posted 8 years ago, before the considerable E46 craze.

[01SG]

Considering that this is purely subjective, why does it matter?

I have an S54 clownshoe, so I didn't feel bad about getting a manual convertible, because it's totally different from my other BMW.

If you read a lot of the contemporary reviews, there is mention that the convertible makes for a great GT car and allows you to enjoy the engine sound more. Yes, it's overweight and definitely lacks some rigidity, but it's still pretty darn good to drive.

Are you saying that it isn't a fact that manual coupes are worth more? It's purely subjective which one you like better, as I said. But the majority of enthusiasts have a clear preference for the coupe/manual.

You might not have read back. I was simply making the point that it isn't some illegitimate reason that the manual coupe is more desired. Whether or not those reasons are significant to you personally is irrelevant next to the majority opinion that they are the best expression of this car.