If you ever had to replace your e46 M3

[erickhoyos]

I too had one but mine was a 1987. I freaking loved it, well expect going over bumps in the rain on an exit ramp and the solid rear-end would cause you to poot.

Ahh yes it truly is a testament to who really is a good driver or not. What surprised me the most was the fact that the “weak” T5 was fairly strong (at least for base hp ratings) and I did burnout after burnout and it still held up well. Not surprised that the people online who claimed they broke very easily slammed every single gear at every given chance.

[m3nt0s]

Personally hoping to keep both my M3 and 530i long enough that if/when I replace them, buying any gasoline-powered car is generally impractical.

If I lost the M3 tomorrow and had to replace it with something...honestly have no idea and would probably go with something fun and cheap...

[spnsprt]

Realistically maybe a 981 GTS Cayman or a 997.2 C2S. But if my budget exploded it'd be a GT3 or GT4 of pretty much any generation.

Also seconding the E39 M5 as a great compliment but not a good replacement. I love my M5 and basically daily it, while saving my now unforgivingly stiff M3 for the weekends (kind of regret making it stiff and the 4.10 diff for the street, but it just feels great on track and since I have the M5, I'm gonna leave it that way).

[skristedja]

Short term- manual e60 m5. I've come really close to pulling the trigger a couple times now. Long term- any iteration of gt3. For me, the m3 fills my desire for a fun, livable, great-sounding car. I have also seriously considered re-prioritizing "great-sounding" for "low maintenance, high performance monster" and springing for a Model3P, but I know that electric cars are going to be a dime-a-dozen soon and I'll be able to get a very comparable car for much cheaper in a few years whereas all the great ICE cars are going to get snatched up.

[Str8f4c3]

I'm pretty young and don't have a ton of experience driving performance cars aside from my M3, but I think if I had to replace my M3 (i.e. not add to a collection), I'd want a clownshoe. Still front engine, rear drive, easy to work on, relatively cheap (compared to a Porsche or other newer cars), S54 would be a must, smaller, lighter, and looks just awesome for me personally.

[Arith2]

There is a company that specializes in the 4.0L and are doing R&D on the 4.2L. Our local PCA has a few guys who are dabbling in that. LN Engineering is also developing its own engine. The M96/97 are just so unreliable and they're trying to fix some issues. You can take a base 991 Carrera and turn it into a formidable contestant. There's reliable aftermarket for them. I'm actually setting my next car goal to be a Lotus Exige or Espirit.

[Jickel180]

^^The Lotus Evora is a great option. Not too difficult to work on, and that steering is something else.

If I had to part ways with my M3, I'd probably do it to consolidate the cars into a single 992 GT3 once the dealer ADM hype wears off. Obi's spot on though. I still use the M3 to actually setup my paddock at the local track - it carries the tent, tools, table, floor jack, and chairs, while I can typically only fit a helmet, backpack, and a folding chair in the 991 😆

[simon_c]

Something different that I saw recently at a Cars and Coffee was a Lotus Evora GT. Looks like it would be super fun (although not practical). Thought it looked great and probably handles well and could toss around easily. No idea about maintenance costs, etc.

[liam821]

997.2 GT3.

+1

[Altaran]

I can imagine. I do think it would be fun to learn a new platform and work on that. But those cars are so good stock that I can't think I'd be doing too many things to them lol.

True. On the 991 I wouldn't screw with the internals. 9k revs, 520hp out of 4L and all being perfectly reliable. Doesn't get much better than that.
But.... Nobody to my knowledge has tried a 4.2L build (what they run in the GTE car) 🤔

On the 997 GT3 there's a bunch that comes to my mind.

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[Toby22]

Realistically, in the next 3-5 years, one of the following

1. R35 GTR
2. M2 competition
3. F80 M3
4. FType-R
5. F430 (if they ever get back down to $70k range)

[heinzboehmer]

Actually working on 911s can be just as rewarding. It's just different being a flat engine rear mounted.
You spend a lot more time underneath it 😅

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I can imagine. I do think it would be fun to learn a new platform and work on that. But those cars are so good stock that I can't think I'd be doing too many things to them lol.

[Dave]

I'd replace my convertible with a GranCabrio MC in the same colors (white over red), I suppose, if you held a gun to my head. Even so, I'd still prefer to - one day - recreate the gran touring experience with a full leather interior and S62 inside my current M3 vert. This answer is, of course, completely skewed by the fact that I also have an M3 coupe, so I've never even attempted to use the convertible for purposes remotely M3-like.

If we're only talking about coupes my answer mirrors Obioban's. Except, even having driven 997s, I'm not sure I'd rather have that over just a perfectly modded super-low mileage M3 coupe. Or if I'm going to Porsche, I might prefer the GT4. (That's one I haven't actually driven yet though.) I'm pretty confident, though, that if someone showed up at my door tomorrow and offered me a sub-10k mile GT3 RS straight up for my M3 coupe, I'd turn them down. I guess maybe I'd make the trade, then promptly sell it and buy and build another M3.

Threads like these are one of the few times that I am reminded that I'm getting old but am grateful for, rather than appalled by, it. Once upon a time the E46 M3 was a financial reach for me, and a 2021 Dave of that same mindset would do the same for something newer and more exotic/expensive. Now as I'm about to come into some money (well, I think), I'm much more stubborn and set in my preferences because I'm older, and know I'm not just full of shit when I say that even if I had millions at my disposal, I'd still just buy nicer, better kept E46s. Once in a while I'll appreciate a new luxury car for what it is (mainly comfortable), but otherwise? To me there's nothing that interests me more than what I already have.

The same is true of my girlfriend, incidentally, which also makes me count my blessings... (and keeps me out of trouble, heh).

[BMWahba]

718 GT4. It feels a lot like the E46 driving them back to back, I really enjoyed that car. But yeah, echo most of the things said here, these cars are irreplaceable

[Icecream]

GT3s have really been inflating lately. I remember when a 991 GT3 was $80k to 120k. Not anymore. A GT4 is a cheaper option. Those are more reasonably price and are almost just as quick. Their cornering ability is slightly more, they just need some mods for horsepower

For real. But, with the new ITB equipped GT3 and its new front suspension, maybe the older ones will stabilize in price especially if Porsche keeps building them for another decade. God bless those folks for not giving in haha. Plus, with how incredible the new “regular” 911 is I might be happy with one of those and not feel like I’m missing out on the Gt3 as much. They are just about as perfect as it gets for a daily and they look killer inside and out with the power to match.