Benjithx

So i am thinking of unloading my SI and buying a nicer car. I am very interested in getting a new BMW M3 convertable. I am having a hard time pulling the trigger on a german car because I know little about them and thier quarks. If anyone has one please speak up. Any problems with it?

Also any sweet supercharger kits for an M3
(shameless FI plug)

Thanks guys


Modified by Benjithx at 1:43 PM 8/3/2005

GOTXQSS

Mom bought the smg... For me and any friends I know if your any type of "driver" this is NOT the option to get. Since it sounds to me maybe your new into the M3 thing the smg is there version of an auto. While it doesnt really drive like one besides the clutch pedal it still behaves like a manual car. The shifts are pretty quik and always on the money and would be fun on track or being a commuter. It has launch control that dumps clutch at 2k rpm and gives a decent launch but after running around with a friend in an s2k he outshifted me and pulled on me in EVERY GEAR, EVERY SPEED, DIG,ROLL WHATEVER.. This to me was astonishing being he only had intake and catback. So don't think this is some crazy fast car. Yeh a manual would have made things more even it still wouldnt have beaten him.

Personally, other then the pure jock factor the E46 M3 gives it just is simply not worth the cash. Your talking 60k for a new one and what 70k for a convertible. For a all aroud nice car but by no means anything that will keep you happy 6 months down the road. The interior is classy BMW nothing special. The brakes are incredible always even stock. The handling is PHENOMINAL and very easy to drive at the limit always. Super predictable and for some reason the car just begs to be driven hard. I always find myself in the high rpm's for power and just the nice ride and smooth power you don't realize the speeds your carrying. Plus FI for that car is really out of the question. The motor's are built really to the potential in that form and the power is really nice stock for what it is. Compression is high and boosting a measily 6psi to me wouldnt be worth it. Its more of a fine automobile not worth tinkering with. Id never touch the suspenion unless a track car as stock is just to perfect(hell i had the chace to buy new rear tires and went with stock, just for the balance). LEAVE IT STOCK! BMW HAS IT RIGHT FROM THE FACTORY WITH THIS CAR.


If your still thinking BMW and wanna spend the cash then yeh go for it. BUTTTTT.. I would save the 50k and find a nice clean unmolested E36 car and run that thing. To me alot more fun, cheaper, better "driving machine" and can spend money and make a hell of alot faster then the newer car. Since your talking FI anyway...


This is all coming from a driver who had a bolt-on z06 for 2 years and beat the **** outta it EVERYDAY. Personally if your not a dash molester and don't NEED THE BMW this is THE BEST YOU CAN BUY PERIOD. I dont care what anyone says. 30k 12's all day, reliable, can be made fast as anything later, handling that cant be touched, killer brakes ect.. Alot of car to handle but once used to things it is the most rewarding car ive ever driven. Id definately be checking into these.. Yeh the interior is far from ideal but put some good seats in there and hit the gas pedal and all cheap plastic goes out the door.

Just giving my .02

Muckman

iTrader: (2)

Any FI kits or mods for a BMW will cost you a serious arm & leg. Look at the Dinan supercharger kit. Parts for these cars are outrageously expensive. IMO they are terrific cars to leave stock.

b16sedan

If you're looking for a panty dropper with a great interior, I dig the E46 M3's. Buddy of mine has a black one on 20" CCW's and it gets a fair bit of attention. Fun at HPDE's although you get damned scared of anything happening to it. If you're making 6 figures a year I think it would be a good car, but if the car starts at near or over an entire years salary, you might want to think twice about it.

mamaboy

e30 M3
A4 1.8T FWD B5/B6
S4 Bi-Turbo
A4 2.0T FSI
Audi Quattro with 5 Cyl Turbo motor drool

mrlegoman

From my understanding the supercharger kit for the M3 runs around 10K.

Maintenance for the BMW is going to be quintuple that of your Honda.
But your also going to get quintuple the panties.

agturbo

If your looking for a car thats decently fast stock, awsome handling and a little luxury then you should go for it, i just bought one last year and I love the car, nothing tops it for the price, it's something I can drive around and not have to worry about working on it all the time or having the huge risk of being stolen like hondas and acuras. So far I haven't had any problems yet, I had a 95 E36 M3 and that car always had cooling problems, but the new one is flawless.

As for force induction active autowerkes sells a super charger kit which goes for $9400 - they claim 440 HP at 5 to 6 psi here is a link with more info http://www.activeautowerke.com...t.cfm

Check out http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/ tons of info about M3s on the site..

mrlegoman

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by agturbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...., it's something I can drive around and not have to worry about working on it all the time or having the huge risk of being stolen like hondas and acuras. </TD></TR></TABLE>Really? I would think the M3 would be more of a theft magnet then a Honda. I guess the Honda's are easier to strip and part out though. I guess I never thought about it that much....

Benjithx

good stuff guys

wantboost

iTrader: (2)

we just bought a boxster.... so far its flooded (dont ask), needs a new top control unit, needs a clutch blah blah.

i also drove a new 325ci with the m motor for about 3 weeks. nice car but it was the sport shift, after 2 weeks of me driving it, it would slip on the 1-2 shift.. the sport shift to me is ****, too much delay from flicking the shifter to the car switching gears. also under wot the computer couldnt figure out when or how to shift, so it would bounce off of the limiter in 1st for about 20seconds before slipping into 2nd.

i dont really like the convertible either, the chassis isnt as ridgid and handling is compromised.

if you are getting an m3 get a hardtop, and either get the alpine white or the red... only 2 colors it should be sold in

also, any sort of forced induction method for a bmw is a 10k minimum, most of which lack fuel systems

DaZman69

i just started as a tech for bmw. I have to say they are not nearly as complicated as everyone makes them out to be. The older "boxy" style bmw's (e30 etc) are the real pain in the ***. New bmw cars are as easy to work on as a new honda. I've driven a lot of fast cars, and I have to say that an m3 is the ultimate factory car. Its balance between performance, looks, reliability, and driveability cannot be found in many cars.

As far as forced induction goes, I'm actually going to build a turbo m3. Down the road of course when I have enough money.

It requires new internals, drop in compression, etc. But I wouldn't recommend doing that for an everyday driver. Its gonna be my toy/race car. The cars power, handling, and chassis is just so perfectly balanced and engineered that you are really taking away from the car when you mod it. Be prepared to pay for repairs though. You better have money if you want one as a daily.

Anyone who says an m3 is overrated is full of it.

95GSRTT

an M3 is overrated

sporty240

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GOTXQSS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> a friend in an s2k he outshifted me and pulled on me in EVERY GEAR, EVERY SPEED, DIG,ROLL WHATEVER.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

that seems weird I heard the sMG's shift really fast, not to sound like I dont believe you but basically you're saying s2k w i/e can run a 13.2 1/4 mile??

stizzit

Alot of people cannot appreciate the M cars for what they are, they expect it to be an 11s car or some nonsense. Unfortunatly they dont have the luxury of riding in that car with a professional driver around a road course which is where the car shines.

I'm on H-T because i have a 400hp turbo integra.

I just bought a 330Ci 5spd. While its not fast by any means, it has the torque of a 350 hp honda lol, no kidding. Its also many times nicer to sport around in from day to day. The integra now seems to be good for one thing, going fast lol, i think with some sway bars the 330 would outhandle the integra any day of the week.

For a daily driver, you cant beat the look, drive, and feel of a bimmer. I would never get a vert because for most people, the vert part is a novelty that fades with time. I would love to buy an M3, my wallet just dosent allow such crazyness.

I have been kicking myself for thinking about selling the integra and keeping the turbo parts for one 330ci-T project, can you say 400rwhp and 400ft-lbs torque? yaya!

FritzInTN

Well your best bet is to wander over to the 'Forced Induction' section of BimmerForums.com and SEARCH!

You'll really need to set a budget and pick your chassis before you can get a good answer from anyone. That being said, heres a short summary:

E30 M3 1988-1991 - The 'boxy' ones people mentioned above. I have one and they are a **** ton of fun, but not exactly fast. I'd compare them to a RWD integra type arrrrrrrr, both in performance and hype . 2.3L 4banger w/ itbs (190hp/no torque). There aren't any FI kits available here in the US, however the Swedes across the pond are pounding out 800hp motors like its no big deal. Expect to AT LEAST equal the price of the car when you go to rebuild it.

Unless you are a track junkie, you likely won't like this car.

E36 M3 1995-1999 - I have one of these as well as does my GF. This is probably your best bet considering the price and availability of mods. Most people flock towards the 95s since they are OBD1, however tuning an OBD2 car isn't really a problem anymore. 96+ had a 3.2 instead of a 3.0, nothing special if you are going FI.

Centrifigal blowers suck ***. My GFs car has one and its like every other CF blower; peaky. Active Auto is now selling a twin screw model that actually gives you some meaty torque, but its not head snapping fast (linear power). Expect a solid 380whp with it and a lot o' torque. Low to mid 300whp with a CF blower.

Turbo options are growing by the day, and as you likely know, the kick in the pants from extra torque is addictive. One ride in a turbo M3 at an autox spoiled me. Active Auto has been the mainstay for kits for a while, however overpriced. They use a lame 20g turbo with all kinds of expensive upgrade paths atop their basic kit. Blah. However the guys at ICS have been slapping GT35s, headgaskets, and rods and churning out 550whp+ cars to those same 'money no object' cleintelle.

Technique Tuning offers a kit based on a 60-1 or GT35R for around 8,000 or so. 350-360whp with a stock longblock isn't too shabby. 450whp with a headgasket and some bigger injectors/fuel pump. Also check out the guys at Boostlogic if you want something more bling.

Personally I stripped mine, threw in some cams, caged it, and am hoping for 270whp NA.

E46 M3 - No personal experience here. There seems to be a bit of a 'blah' reaction from the guys who have run the kit from Active Auto and elsewhere. Again, its a CF based blower and peoples expectations get the best of them. Complicated electronics (throttle by wire and dual valve timing (vanos)) means that cheap standalones aren't coming any time soon. You'll find that in general the E46 demographic is a bit more on the 'ricer' side than performance .



Honestly if you want to go REALLY fast and be bling, get a used C5 (in the mid/high teens now), a GTO (LOW 20s) or a used viper, pimp around on DRs all day and spray the house down. You can always turbo it later on if you feel the need for 9s


This is because newer BMWs have a clutch delay valve (CDV) to make for smoother transitions between the gears. Its easily removable, but it was the cause of your problem there, no doubt.

ClubDownforce

Since when is an e30 complicated to work on? Although still not cheap, I've never found my e30 difficult to work on. Car is a pain in the *** because it is old, but otherwise a great car. Boxy=Beautiful.

kleefton

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GOTXQSS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Mom bought the smg... For me and any friends I know if your any type of "driver" this is NOT the option to get. Since it sounds to me maybe your new into the M3 thing the smg is there version of an auto. While it doesnt really drive like one besides the clutch pedal it still behaves like a manual car. The shifts are pretty quik and always on the money and would be fun on track or being a commuter. It has launch control that dumps clutch at 2k rpm and gives a decent launch but after running around with a friend in an s2k he outshifted me and pulled on me in EVERY GEAR, EVERY SPEED, DIG,ROLL WHATEVER.. This to me was astonishing being he only had intake and catback. So don't think this is some crazy fast car.

Th</TD></TR></TABLE>\


Something must have been very wrong there. Either the S2k didn't have just I/E or YOUR M3 was not running like it should, but an E46 M3 is a solid 13sec car trapping well over 100mph, SMG or not, while the S2k is mostly low 14s trapping a little below 100mph.

Rory Breaker

I was in the same boat...I decided the E46 just isnt worth it. It is *very* overpriced IMO. Great great car, just not worth the asking price.

I opted to keep the Integra to blast around in and pick up an E36 M3. I ended up with a 99 with 46k in *mint* condition. Not one ding on the car. Its a far cry from the Integra...not as fast in a straight line, but it hugs the road, feels so tight, still has decent pickup, the A/C blows nice and cold, has lots of little features and amenities Im not used to...its fun to drive and offers a decent amount of luxury. Id skip the E46, keep the Si and go with an E36 and keep it stock. If youve got enough dough for an E46, you'll have plenty to get a nice late year low mileage E36 and build the Si on the side to keep up with most any E46 you'll encounter. Both cars will be a blast to drive in their own way.

Here is mine...join the club!

Si Shane

vader seats are my love

vti2

Are you loocking for a nice and fast car?

Here:





AUDI RS4

I live in germany we have tonīs of M3 and RS4 here thrust me forget the M3 and buy a RS4.
I drove both i know what iīm talking about.

mike1114

iTrader: (1)

buddy of mine local to me has a turbo'd new body style M3, running 10psi, he only made like 274whp, I was like WTF? My turbo GSR has way more power at 10psi.

maybe he just had a shitty tune though.

Benjithx

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wantboost &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the sport shift to me is ****,

i don't really like the convertible either, the chassis isn't as ridgid and handling is compromised.

if you are getting an m3 get a hardtop, and either get the alpine white or the red... only 2 colors it should be sold in

also, any sort of forced induction method for a bmw is a 10k minimum, most of which lack fuel systems</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well the SMG is a must, Anyone who has driven into Redmond, WA at 8am knows what I'm talking about.

And yes a convertible is also a must because everyone should own one sometime in thier life.

And Will, (wantboost) its got to be black

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vti2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
AUDI RS4

I live in Germany we have tonīs of M3 and RS4 here thrust me forget the M3 and buy a RS4.
I drove both i know what I'm talking about.</TD></TR></TABLE>

True i have a hard-on for a RS4 coupe and I think they will hit our mainland next spring, but i am not sure i can wait. I could always trade the M3 in on one.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mike1114 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">buddy of mine local to me has a turbo'd new body style M3, running 10psi, he only made like 274whp, I was like WTF? My turbo GSR has way more power at 10psi.

maybe he just had a shitty tune though.</TD></TR></TABLE>

sounds like something is f'd 274whp is probably close to what they put down stock

great topic for me guys, lots of good reads'

tony1

I had a 97 M3. Cosmos black with a few bolt ons. It was a great car, very fun to drive and very dependable. I had it for about 15k miles, bought it when it had 91k on it and never had a problem with it. My next car was a new 03 350z. Had alignment issues, clutch issues, tranny issues, interior noises, etc. Traded it in with 23k on it. The 6 yr old 100k mile M3 was a much more reliable and problem free car. So I bought another Nissan product. lol Infiniti FX45.

Boltz

Used to own '95 M3 with vaders and and intake. Very fun car, sounds amazing, still pretty quick in a straight line, a beast when cornering. FOund it had been in a crash after a clean carfax report and sold the car a month after I bought it.

My mom now owns a '01 Convertible M3 in silver. It is dope. Sounds unbelievable, looks awesome, practically drives itself. Makes some quirky squeak noise because of the convertable over bumps and stuff which is lame.....

ONE THING I WOULD WATCH WITH E46's. - They had a recall on the connecting rods and bearings, they found out they werent as strong as bmw originally thought/was under the impression of. So because of this all M3's that haven't had the service done yet are on some sort of waiting list.

Since we had one of the first ones, we were one of the first to have the rebuild. The car has 26k on it. about 10k with the rebuild.

A few times we have had problems with some electronic ****, but at the moment I cant remember what it was.


BTW: Throttle response on the E46 is unbeatable. It is such a polar opposite of my civic that its unreal. Slap on the new K&N intake for just over 200$ and call the modding quits. Unless you really want to shell out your money and buy some forced induction from Activeautowerke or Dinan..... just for reference most intakes are over 1k and just a muffler is over 1k on these cars.....

Benjithx

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boltz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ONE THING I WOULD WATCH WITH E46's. - They had a recall on the connecting rods and bearings, they found out they werent as strong as bmw originally thought/was under the impression of. So because of this all M3's that haven't had the service done yet are on some sort of waiting list.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

would like to know more on this

Any way to know if this has been done or not?