Take delivery of a Handschaulter- or sell the e46?

[HDdave]

I pretty much know the answer to this already from this forum- but I wanted to float the idea. I bought my e46 back in 2018- smg, TIAG on black, 155k. Spent a butt load of $ on it and enjoyed every second of it. Its got the 6 speed conversion, vanos done, subframe done, and blackstone reports are perfect albeit last record of rod bearings was the factory at 18k miles. Its got the 996 brembo conversion, rs2's, csl style intake, had the seats and door panels redone with M texture, ect.. I have the kit sitting here to do the bearings.. I just happened to also buy a decrepid e90 in the process (factory 6mt).. At this point im 20k into the e90 i bought for 15k lol.. It will be the same deal, rs2's bbk..

I also when the handschaulter was released (i am a huge manual transmission guy), happened to inquire with my dealer about it... I was first to ask, so first on the list. So currently have a black sapphire/ red standard brakes/ gold wheels allocation coming to me.. So that leaves me with the question of do I dump the e46? While yes, I bought every factory part and did the 6 speed conversion right, I will be honest it does not shift that smooth.. A syncro or two (2nd and 3rd) have seen better days. The e90 on the other hand shifts like butter, and personally I think it rides and handles better. Granted I am not a track guy- only because i have no tracks really near me. But I really prefer the e90 in almost every way. I dont really want to keep all 3, I mean i do but I dont.. All roads are leading me towards unloading the e46, with plans to get a lower milage, factory 6 speed one day.

I have not driven any g80 manuals, or really any MT car newer than 08... But the auto, rwd g80 i spent some time in was very impressive. I absolutely hated the dct f80 i drove, but i think that was mainly the transmission- be an auto or a manual, in between is just annoying to me. I was worried about the g80 steering being electronic, but it felt just as good as the e90. Pretty torn here- watching your car get built through BMW's site is a pretty cool process. I dont have any $ into it though and can walk away from it, and still have a paid off e46 and e90. Lmk what yall think

[EthanolTurbo]

Keep the E46 for sure, and maybe swap in a fresh trans from an SMG car. I have driven every G8X car configuration and the G80 6MT is my favorite. It's quite a bit lighter than the AWD + Auto cars, and obviously the CS even lighter still. It should be a really fun car, and the best part is you can sell it for equal/more cash than you bought it for as they will probably be the most desirable G8X other than the CSL.

[02_lsb]

Imola handshifter or bust.

seriously though - you opted out of Imola and Techno? Why?!?

[01SG]

Seems like an awesome daily. Doesn't make any sense to me otherwise with how many much more special cars (or 2 or 3) can be had for the money.

What is your intended use?

[Bimma360]

Seems like an awesome daily. Doesn't make any sense to me otherwise with how many much more special cars (or 2 or 3) can be had for the money.

What is your intended use?

I played this mental game, and honestly I dont think there are many special cars for under $100k anymore. Let alone under $45k.

OP, my concern with the manual would be keeping it in boost between gears. I have never driven a manual one, but my preference would be the auto. A RWD CS in manual with the reduced HP is appealing to me though.

[01SG]

I played this mental game, and honestly I dont think there are many special cars for under $100k anymore. Let alone under $45k.

OP, my concern with the manual would be keeping it in boost between gears. I have never driven a manual one, but my preference would be the auto. A RWD CS in manual with the reduced HP is appealing to me though.

If you must have new, no, hardly anything special period.

If not, man...r8, gt350, v8 or v12 vantage, z4m, s54 z3m, multiple flavors of corvette, cobra replica, elise, 911, boxster spyder...the list goes on and on, and that's not even counting anything before the 2000s.

[02_lsb]

I played this mental game, and honestly I dont think there are many special cars for under $100k anymore. Let alone under $45k.

OP, my concern with the manual would be keeping it in boost between gears. I have never driven a manual one, but my preference would be the auto. A RWD CS in manual with the reduced HP is appealing to me though.

2016ish GT350. If I had to buy an e46 today. I’d buy the GT350. It is better in every metric.

[02_lsb]

If you must have new, no, hardly anything special period.

If not, man...r8, gt350, v8 or v12 vantage, z4m, s54 z3m, multiple flavors of corvette, cobra replica, elise, 911, boxster spyder...the list goes on and on, and that's not even counting anything before the 2000s.

Get the GT350. Skip everything else on this dude’s list. He started strong. Then lost me .

[01SG]

2016ish GT350. If I had to buy an e46 today. I’d buy the GT350. It is better in every metric.

Haha there is no single greatest car, like musicians or women, plenty of great and unique choices, as each of those I listed are! The e46 and gt350 cannot be what the other is, and both are legends in their own right.

Gt350 is a lot bigger by every metric, plus the crappy interior. But then it also picked up where BMW left-they benchmarked the e9x-and that engine....It's definitely the one I would have from that era. My buddy loves his. There's too many great cars to own...

[Bimma360]

If you must have new, no, hardly anything special period.

If not, man...r8, gt350, v8 or v12 vantage, z4m, s54 z3m, multiple flavors of corvette, cobra replica, elise, 911, boxster spyder...the list goes on and on, and that's not even counting anything before the 2000s.

Good, great, and unique doesn't necessarily equal special. And I realize that this is rather subjective so we may just differ anyway.

R8 - Can barely get the V8 manual for under $100k, and I still wouldn't call it special. Need more than $100k for the special ones.
GT350 - Yes
V8 Vantage - No way
V12 Vantage - Very much yes, but not for under $100k
Z4M - NO
Z3M (S54) - Sure
Multiple flavors of Corvette - Stopppp
Cobra Replica - special experience, sure... special car, no.
Elise - Special? That car is so niche, it's either special by default or not special bc of it.
911 - No 911 under $100k is special
Boxster Spyder - I think you missed my under $100k point haha

I will say this. I am a believer that you can modify a car into a special experience, but I still wouldn't necessarily see that car as special per se. And just to be clear the under $100k and $45k numbers I threw up specifically related to the (2 or 3) special cars for the price of a CS comment.

[9kracing]

Is the final version of the Supra special?

[02_lsb]

Is the final version of the Supra special?

The hand shifter is the final version of the Supra.

[moproblems]

The hand shifter is the final version of the Supra.

The final version of the G80 M3 CS is what the OP is referring to.

[01SG]

Good, great, and unique doesn't necessarily equal special. And I realize that this is rather subjective so we may just differ anyway.

R8 - Can barely get the V8 manual for under $100k, and I still wouldn't call it special. Need more than $100k for the special ones.
GT350 - Yes
V8 Vantage - No way
V12 Vantage - Very much yes, but not for under $100k
Z4M - NO
Z3M (S54) - Sure
Multiple flavors of Corvette - Stopppp
Cobra Replica - special experience, sure... special car, no.
Elise - Special? That car is so niche, it's either special by default or not special bc of it.
911 - No 911 under $100k is special
Boxster Spyder - I think you missed my under $100k point haha

I will say this. I am a believer that you can modify a car into a special experience, but I still wouldn't necessarily see that car as special per se. And just to be clear the under $100k and $45k numbers I threw up specifically related to the (2 or 3) special cars for the price of a CS comment.

Yes, I suppose we have very different ideas of what constitutes special. Although I'm not sure by what metric you consider the mass-market modern M3 as special as any of the above. It sounds worse, it's heavier, it's not as rare, it's not as good looking, it doesn't communicate very much at all based on all my observations, although I have not driven the g8x...besides being faster, it doesn't seem to have anything going for it over any of the above.

A low mileage R8 V8 manual can be had well under 100k. It's lighter than the v10 and more approachable on the street.

The V8V is amazing...I'm not sure how you figure a V12V is great and the V8V isn't. Still sounds great, handles and steers better than the 12, still has enough power for fun, and it's cheaper to buy and own.

Same with the z3/4 M. The 4 is only 100 pounds heavier but doesn't tear the floor out and is much higher quality.

Early Boxster Spyders can be had well under 100k.

The Elise is about the purest car money can buy, don't see how that isn't special.

If your focus is track, I'm not sure how you can beat any generation of z06.

And any properly specced 911 of any generation is a special car-just like the old M3s....

You seem to differentiate special experience from special car...fine, but the g80 M3 is by no metric more special than any of these in either way. Just because they gave it a funny name and dropped a tiny bit of inconsequential weight does not make this special edition very special at all IMO. It's a gimmick just like their carbon seats that drop all of 10 pounds.

I suppose panache and rarity are what you are getting at, but I doubt any car guy and certainly no common person will be more impressed by the M3 than an R8/Aston Martin etc. Pretty sure every single one of those sans the 911 is more rare too.

[MTiz]

Good, great, and unique doesn't necessarily equal special. And I realize that this is rather subjective so we may just differ anyway.

R8 - Can barely get the V8 manual for under $100k, and I still wouldn't call it special. Need more than $100k for the special ones.
GT350 - Yes
V8 Vantage - No way
V12 Vantage - Very much yes, but not for under $100k
Z4M - NO
Z3M (S54) - Sure
Multiple flavors of Corvette - Stopppp
Cobra Replica - special experience, sure... special car, no.
Elise - Special? That car is so niche, it's either special by default or not special bc of it.
911 - No 911 under $100k is special
Boxster Spyder - I think you missed my under $100k point haha

I will say this. I am a believer that you can modify a car into a special experience, but I still wouldn't necessarily see that car as special per se. And just to be clear the under $100k and $45k numbers I threw up specifically related to the (2 or 3) special cars for the price of a CS comment.

This has got to be ragebait. I won't even address all the other comments but blatantly writing off every Corvette is straight up ignorant. C5/C6/C7 Z06's are all absolutely fantastic cars. C7 Grand Sport is widely considered one of the best out-of-the-box track toys you can buy. Don't get me started on the C6 ZR1. And lastly, love it or hate it you can get a C8 for $50k, and C8 Z06's with that glorious LT5 are depreciating under $100k.

Corvette slander will not be tolerated.