Well, my friend losted his 94 GSR while back due to accident ,bought a 95 M3 w/ 67k miles for $17k.
Its a very solid car with much, much torque. Suspension also were nice and tight even at this milege at stock form.
Highway cruises can get in trouble easily because u don't feel the speed at 5th and just punch it without much sounds.
After an hr of crusing yesterday, tonight I went out to get gas in my R and what M3 didn't have is the RAWNESS light feel and sounds which i am used to! Anyway, M3 is fun but R still rule for me!

 

M3's are AWESOME. I've driven a '99 E36 M3, and man the one thing that I loved about the car was the TORQUE!! It's freaking amazing. Especially in 1st gear. The car handles incredibly cause of RWD, but one thing it needs improvement on is the gearing. It seems like that its not in its powerband throughout shifts. My R felt WAY stronger up top; but I do miss the torque though. But its a RWD car that I would consider as a next purchase, but never a replacement.
-importtuner

 

you still can't rev it to 8400

the M3 is an awesome car. I picture it as being a car with a slightly more reformed ride....I'll probably get one when I'm older.....

 

haha interesting.....


m3s are nice. but R>M3 in many many ways....

 

M3's

 

i beg to differ. M3>R, what's your explanation?

 

Oh geez, at this again...ill sum up all the threads like this one right now, M3 is faster in straights and DAMN good in the corners. In the end, the R does very well for what you pay for it, and the M3 does just as well but with the added luxury and added cost.

 

Man, I love E36 M3s. They are so smooth, so fast, so refined. That inline six is such a pleasing motor, with great throttle response and a thick powerband, not to mention the kind of sweetly guttural exhaust note that only inline sixes are capable of making. The ride/handling compromise is virtually non-existant as the stock suspension is both tight and comfortable (OK, maybe a 55 year-old Road & Track editor would find it a bit rough, but not I). The car speaks to you with a mechanical honesty that I absolutely covet. And it's pretty damn quick too. If I owned one I wouldn't do a thing to change it, and that's about the best thing I can say about any car.

But, that said, I think the R is more fun to drive. Maybe not as capable, but more playful. The R feels like a 10-month-old Husky tugging on its leash. It is a co-conspiritor in driving fun. And for me that's what it's all about.

 

the e36 m3 i drove felt very heavy and kind of felt 'floating' at highway speeds. i agree with the 'amazing torque' statement though, i really like the torque and interior.

i prefer the itr though, much more fun to drive.

 

i have a '98 e36 cosmos black m3 that i bought to replace my stolen/stripped '98 CW R. (see sig). i love the damn thing! but i must admit that the R was more fun to drive. however, i'm very happy with my m3 and i'm not sure if i would trade it for the R. =P in either case, they're both AWESOME cars. i'm currently trying to learn how to drift, a lil' trick the R doesn't really perform well. RWD 0wnz0rz! the m3 is faster in the straights, can achieve speed faster and with less effort, and the steering doesn't feel as loose as the R's at speed. however, the R feels better into and out of the corners. i guess it's all up to you all to decide. just drive them both and see which you like better! to each, his or her own!

EDIT: also keep in mind that the 95 had a 3.0L engine while the 96-99 had a 3.2L. and don't forget the type R of m3's! the m3 lightweight!!!


[Modified by LiKe_WhOa!, 9:52 AM 8/6/2002]

 

The price range between the cars is pretty big.......... R>M3 for me