paRRRker

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 88 rex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The perfert thread!!

I've been pricing and hunting down 97-98 M3/4/5 sedans for a little while now. Pretty much sure I want Helrot Red w/black.

Any owners here have any complaints or hesitations about high milages M3's? Most seem to be b/w 80k and 100k miles and that makes me nervous on anything any than a honda. It would be a DD only. </TD></TR></TABLE>

No complaints here. My E36 M3 just turned 132,000 miles! It still pulls like a red headed step child. Dyno'ed it recently bone stock and it was stronger than most low mileage M3's! Burns hardly any oil at all. Just make sure you get one with maintenence records, good owner, never been wrecked etc.

Everyone thinks BMW cost are ridiculous to maintain, but so far, I think it is more than reasonable. Maybe because I do most of the work myself...

eg6kid.

you should go for the itr.

less miles.
newer car.

m3- might have some rust problems.
depending if the owner garaged it or not.
but im guessing he did, since its a rare car.

but i would go for the itr.

99DCteG

you posted this in the ITR thread.. What response did you think you were going to get.. ITR all the way!!!!

B_Something

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gsr-2nr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">**** on the POS m3 and take the R</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had a 95' E36 and will never have another. They look good, but mine held up nothing like the R did to abuse.

dc24me

I realize this is an old *** thread, but this definitely deserves a bump because times have changed since 2002.

Since the OP's original post, E30 M3 prices have skyrocketed (a 50k mile E30 M3 would be well in the SIX-figure mark, no?), ITRs were named best FF car of all time by Evo magazine and ITR prices seem to be going up a lot within the past year. It's been out for a while, but it's R&T and we all know about the 97R with 10K last year.

Acura Integra Type R Buyer's Guide

Seedc2

iTrader: (1)

I wish I had purchased an E30 M3 during the origination date of this thread...

1223

whynotboth.jpg



Brothers from different mothers. One of these days I'll get some good photos of them together

Tom B

Type R for me. Honda, not Acura as they weigh too much. Hehe.

From what I've seen of reviews of the E30 M3, it's a bit tame, not very exicting, dull engine. E46 or E92 are the M3's I'd consider.

white rocket

Great seeing this thread again. Yes, times have certainly changed. The E30 M3 rewards those who drive it on the limit. That's when it really comes to life. Same feeling from the ITR. Owners like 1223 know this. The raw mechanical nature of the car is why they are so popular. These cars are momentum cars, not big power monsters. It's fun driving a "slow" car fast rather than trying to reel in the power and maintain it.

I too wish I scored an E30 M3 for $12-$15K back 5 years ago. Hindsight is a *****.

1223

I don't know that I would call the engine dull - the car is surprisingly slow, but the motor has a lot of character and has a great grumble at idle for a little 4-cylinder.

I had an E90M, I traded it for the E30. As white rocket said, I learned with that car that I'm a "slow car fast" kind of guy. That's not to say I don't miss the E90 from time to time... ridiculous engine note and the best factory wheels ever fitted to a car, in my opinion. This is my old car. 2011 sedan, competition package, 6-speed, no nav, cloth seats, no sunroof.

A D NOH

@xtrac1

xtrac1

iTrader: (2)

While each has it's pros and cons, the E30 M3 is my choice.

Bitanga

I see me.

dc24me

1223, what is your take owning both? Your E90 was spec'ed out PERFECT.

thadon805

iTrader: (3)

op,

Why don't you test drive both and see for yourself what you would like?

dc24me

The OP made this post in 2002.... a lot has changed since then.

j13

iTrader: (2)

If someone was in the market for an e30m3 for racing (or any older car) they better get something that's been well maintained.. Unmaintained older cars literally fall apart once driven aggressively. So much dry rot on bushings and all other rubber parts etc.. Plus a fresh proper engine rebuild with some go fast bits can be almost the cost of a high mileage itr. Honda for the win, engines are cheap, available, and can be swapped in and driven, in a day

Todd00

I take it you haven't looked at the price of "well maintained" E30 M3's lately, have you?

1223

Can't argue with motor cost. An S14 rebuild, even just to stock 2.3L spec, is a 5 figure job these days. If you go toward 2.5 Evo spec (especially if you want the OE BMW motorsport parts) you're going to nearly double that. That's hard to stomach for what is, at the end of the day, a 230-250hp motor that doesn't come alive until 4-5k rpm. Some people give the B18C5 a hard time about being gutless in traffic/around-town driving, but I assure you it's got more pep than the S14.

In semi-related news, I just fitted 17" BBS LMs and lowered my M3.

dave7

Yea 1223, you should sell the Mazda and buy my S2k AP1.

1223

Interestingly, I've never even driven an S2000. I love my MSM though, I don't know that I'll ever be able to sell it.