E46 M3 compared to other sports cars you've driven

[Silbergrau metallic]

I've had the fortunate opportunity to drive some pretty cool sports cars owned by friends of mine, among them a 2015 Porsche GT3, 2018 Lamborghini Huracan, 1999 Ferrari F355, 1986 Ferrari 328, 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo and a 2012 Lamborghini Performante. Initially when my M3 had it's stock exhaust, I was disappointed of how much better these other cars sounded, but then after installing the Supersprint race exhaust along with a tune and Eventuri intake, my car has become one that I find almost equally rewarding in terms of handling, sound, acceleration and general feedback to the GT3 and Huracan and better than the rest of those cars on my list and a significantly lower price, The Ferrari 328 was the worst, felt like driving a Coffin with bad seats and wheels. I also test drove a 2013 BMW M3 and while it was fast, it felt more lumbering in the corners and just not quite as edgy as my ZCP M3 does. Anybody else have similar experiences with other sports cars and how they compared to your E46 M3. I might be a little biased, but for the price, E46 M3 manuals are one of the most rewarding cars you'll ever own.

[cobra]

I have driven a handful of cars, nothing crazy. I really just like the E46's well-roundedness. It's not the most sporty feeling but is still comfortable and quiet inside. It's not the fastest but it can carry 5 people and a trunk full of stuff. It's just a great balanced sporty car that is livable and has a connected feel. I'd rather have that over something more compromised that might be faster or more comfortable.

[Mr.wReckless]

Not that I can compare it to many different cars, 1st gen R8 V8 and 991.2 Carrera T. They were all different (thankfully), but I find the M3 to be (compared to those 2) it's own thing. It has a fantastic engine, feels imo old school BMW and has, through clunks, noises and other flaws & features which gives it character, something I feel the newer cars lack. The newer cars are much quieter and less raw, the "character" is engineered back in, either successfully or not..

For the price I think it's hard to beat, but it does have it's expensive flaws that needs to be looked into (subframe cracks, vanos and rod bearings).

Regards

[maw1124]

I actually don’t consider the E46M a sports car compared to Ferrari and Lamborghini. I have driven both and wouldn’t want to drive either as a principal or near principal vehicle. And I can’t afford to own either for a once every few weeks drive. May as well just burn the money for a BBQ. So that’s how I compare the E46M to those — more livable and cheaper to own. By livable I mean I’m not a kid, so getting in and out, rattling around over bumps, that sort of thing — you know, driving it.

Adding 911s to the mix, they can’t comfortably carry 4 people or even 2 people with golf clubs and luggage, so I’m not really sure why I would own one. Having driven them, until you get to Turbo fitment I can’t come up with anything they do THAT much better than the E46M. 993s look better, sure, but 996 and 997 don’t look better to my eye, nor are they built better or perform much better. The Turbos and GT3 are their own class, more like the Ferrari and Lambo experience than their pedestrian 911 brethren. So I consider the E46M more usable than the pedestrian 911s + better looking, better built and cheaper to own to boot. As you can see I’m not a fan of the sport beetles. When I don’t need to carry golf clubs, some 911 may get the nod, probably a 993 or 996 (I know, I don’t mind the headlights — I’m not a Porsche purist).

For what they do (convertible fitment for me), you’re talking some CLK AMG or a Bentley GTC Speed, maybe an Audi S4/RS4. Other than the CLK AMG, the others are way overbuilt for the purpose — fun, athletic, 4-seater drop top cruising. If you don’t want to buy a Bentley or an RS4 for that purpose, you buy an M3. No one would argue if you bought a CLK AMG, but the E46M looks better.

maw

[Tbonem3]

Viva la E46

[usdmej]

picked up a bone stock s2000 recently and it is by far a better driving experience than the E46 M3. as far as immediacy, sensitivity to inputs, and overall feel it is a much more involved and fun driving experience.

practicality goes to the E46 M3 however. if i'd purchased the S2000 back when i could only own 1 car, i would most likely have been forced to sell it.

the main drawback at this point is that the S2000 a little too small of a fit for me. i've purchased seat lowering rail for the stock seats and I still feel like a sit a little too high up on the car. currently trying to figure out if the aftermarket options get you lower than that. it seems like this car was really built for people 5'8 and under

[lastMleft]

Back in the day I owned a 93 M5 and it was the most in gauging M I’ve ever owned, the E46 and E9x are great too, but that M5 was something special I kick myself all the time about selling if I could go back😔

[jet_dogg]

I have driven a handful of cars, nothing crazy. I really just like the E46's well-roundedness. It's not the most sporty feeling but is still comfortable and quiet inside. It's not the fastest but it can carry 5 people and a trunk full of stuff. It's just a great balanced sporty car that is livable and has a connected feel. I'd rather have that over something more compromised that might be faster or more comfortable.

I've never carried more than three people and that was only a couple of times, nor have I ever seen four people let alone five people in an m3 with a trunk full of "stuff". This is one of those oft repeated knee-jerk responses to the virtues of the m3 that fail to play out in real life. I'd really like to know how often people are doing this because it's definitely not a Socal thing.

I don't even like anyone in the back so my car is basically a two seater. Golf clubs for the older guys sure but people don't buy the m3 for practicality concerns, it's just a benefit they like to bring up on discussion boards.

[repoman89]

I really want to try an S2000. I picked up a new '21 Miata Club earlier this year for the two seat, lightweight, raw purpose built sports car experience. Didn't even consider S2000s because I already own two old BMWs and wanted something that'd have nothing to fix. A local guy has both an S2k and ND2 though and gives the nod to the former, which is impressive because the latter is really good IMO. Better street car than my E46 for sure ... it's more comfortable and composed, easier to drive, less stressful and clunky, but still really playful and responsive. Limits are lower than my M3 but that's not a bad thing on the street. Haven't tried it on the track yet because I haven't installed a roll bar ... likely will next year so I can rotate out of the M3 some events and get a different experience if I don't have a friend, fiancee and/or my dog with me.

I don't have any particular interest in anything more valuable or faster like the Porsches, Lambos etc. because my M3's limits are already too high on the street and I can't afford to drive those types of cars at the track ... so what's the point. That's why I bought something slower and as expected I pretty much always prefer to drive the Miata on public roads.

[DoubleSidedTape]

I owned an s2000 as my only car (in Seattle) and ended up buying my first m3 because I wanted a practical daily. I quickly realized that the m3 in stock form was something like 90% of the fun of an s2000 with 300% of the usability, and just a much nicer place to be.

About six months later I sold the s2000 (to a 17 year old if I remember correctly) and had the m3 as my only car for two years before I bought an x5.

As far as the “sports-car-ness” of the s vs the m3, I use my m3 to go on long road trips to find fun roads, often driving 300-400 miles per day. That’s no problem in an m3 but the longer drives I did in my s2000 got pretty uncomfortable, so I’m very happy that I settled on this platform.

[maw1124]

I've never carried more than three people and that was only a couple of times, nor have I ever seen four people let alone five people in an m3 with a trunk full of "stuff". This is one of those oft repeated knee-jerk responses to the virtues of the m3 that fail to play out in real life. I'd really like to know how often people are doing this because it's definitely not a Socal thing.

I don't even like anyone in the back so my car is basically a two seater. Golf clubs for the older guys sure but people don't buy the m3 for practicality concerns, it's just a benefit they like to bring up on discussion boards.

Mine is basically a beach home cruiser (SoFL not SoCal) so 4 people to the beach, shopping or dinner is it’s base duty… I guess I’m an older guy because 2 people and 2 sets of clubs to the course and back (15mins to an hour each way) is it’s other duty. You know, people actually use these things (cars) outside of chat room props. I actually don’t know anyone who uses these as a primary car. More often they’re the 3rd or 4th f*ckaround car. And who likes to do that alone?

maw

[usdmej]

but people don't buy the m3 for practicality concerns, it's just a benefit they like to bring up on discussion boards.

when i was single/living in an apt, car shopping had me between a blob eye STI, R53 cooper s, and the E46 M3

i chose the E46 M3 and it was mainly because i knew it'd be the most practical/comfortable. I've taken the car camping, snowboarding, and it was part of the coworker carpool rotation (3-4 passengers) for years


not sure if that's the norm tho, especially nowadays as the car approaches collector car status

[DoubleSidedTape]

i chose the E46 M3 and it was mainly because i knew it'd be the most practical/comfortable. I've taken the car camping, snowboarding, and it was part of the coworker carpool rotation (3-4 passengers) for years

I’m sure that was the norm for most first/second owners of these cars. My dad has leased 5-series for 20 years but that job could have been accomplished with M3s if he had fewer kids/we were already grown and out of the house.

[Silbergrau metallic]

I've never tracked my Car, but I'm sure it would be a very engaging experience, since it stays flat through the corners and handles like a Go Cart, accelerates hard, breaks incredibly and since it doesn't have a Limiter can go basically as fast as I dare. I paid $24,000 for my Car, my Friends Porsche GT3 was $175,000 and the Huracan north of $200k are incredible cars to drive, but I wouldn't call it night and day compared to my modified E46 M3 ZCP for street driving. I love a Sports car that has a Raw feel and incredible exhaust sound, the Full Supersprint exhaust did that for me, now I just need to step up to one of those CSL intakes and I'll be set and not have to always be worried like my friends that some idiot is going to crash into my Porsche or Lambo, because while it would break my Heart to get in a wreck with my M3, it's not going to be quite as painful as a 200k Lamborghini.

[cobra]

I've never carried more than three people and that was only a couple of times, nor have I ever seen four people let alone five people in an m3 with a trunk full of "stuff". This is one of those oft repeated knee-jerk responses to the virtues of the m3 that fail to play out in real life. I'd really like to know how often people are doing this because it's definitely not a Socal thing.

I don't even like anyone in the back so my car is basically a two seater. Golf clubs for the older guys sure but people don't buy the m3 for practicality concerns, it's just a benefit they like to bring up on discussion boards.

There was about 6 months where I carpooled to work with 4 other people. So for one week I would drive an hour each way with 5 people in the car, plus our backpacks and stuff in the trunk. The benefit was that I didn't have to drive to work for 4 weeks straight.

Nowadays I don't like having people in the back seat just because it's annoying and I worry they're going to kick the center console and stuff getting in and out. But the car can do it and it handles it great.