A comparably equiped E90 M3 will cost right around $65,850. That will include:
Base Price $54,575.
-Premium Package: Power folding mirrors, universal garage opener, digital compass mirror, BMW Assist, Novillo Leather interior and choice of three optional interior trims. - $1900
-Technology Package: EDC, M Drive, Comfort Access, and navigation system - $3250
-19" wheels with performance tires in mixed sizes (style 220) - $1200
-Enhanced Premium Sound - $1900
-Sunroof - $1050
-Cold Weather - $750
-iPOD - $400
-PDC - $350 (because the RS4 has it)
-Metallic Paint - $475


A comparable RS4 is $71,260. Not sure if that include delivery, which BMW prices usually include.

That's around a $5,400 difference. You've complained about the cost of the M3 and the weight of the M3, but the RS4 is considerably higher on both accounts. I understand it's 4 wheel drive, but you also mention only crappy drivers drive balanced cars. Just trying to understand where all the hate is coming from. An E36 M3 owner would say the E46 is fat and for the extra cost, could put a blower in and have as much power or maybe an AA turbo and make some BIG power, while saving 200 lbs.

I am not by any means saying the M3 is the ultimate car, but between the C63, ISF and RS4, it'll likely be the cheapest and lightest, and possibly the fastest around a track, though the 63 will likely blow it away in a straight line.

 

You sound like an arrogant *** who thinks just because he has tracked some cars he knows everything. GTR? You haven't driven the GTR, so how do you know? It has run pretty fast ring times. I think a GTR is faster than a stock 996 gt2 around the ring. I believe it is faster than the z06 also. I would consider that same league.

7:38.54* Nissan GT-R
7:42.9 Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06
7:46 Porsche 996 GT2

Whining about being rich? Self pity? Some people don't want to buy a car to drive daily and a car to drive on the track. What is the big deal? How ignorant do you have to be not to understand that. Just because you can afford two, does not mean you want to buy two sports cars. Just because you have 4 sports cars doesn't mean everyone else wants four.

I have been reading these forums for awhile and people like you make me not want to post here. Why does it matter how many m3's I have? I have driven an e30 m3, e36 m3 and e46 m3. I have not driven the e92 m3, but see that it is a good car from reviews and what not. I am not going to bash it because it does not fit my uses for a car or it is a little heavy. It is still a good car. Your argument about a used 996 tt is pointless. There are many cars I would rather have than a used 996 tt. A 996tt isn't even that much faster than the new m3. Many people do not want used cars. I would take a new c6 and keep the change any day of the week. I would also take an e92 m3 or GTR over a used 996 tt. I do not care if the 996 tt maybe be slightly faster around the track. I believe the m3 ran an 8 min ring time with an avg driver. The 996tt ran a 7:56. 4 seconds on an 8 min track? There are other things that make a good car, not just how fast it goes around a track. Many people like the free maintance and 50000 mile warranty they get with a new bmw. Many people may even jsut like the look of the new m3 or the sound of the v8. Maybe they don't like the sound of a flat 6 or how prosches have basically looked the same for the past 50 years.

BTW my e46 has not been to the shop once, aside from maintenance. My friend tracks his e46 a lot and has had no problem whatsoever with his. He owns a 997 gt3 now and loves it, but still enjoys his e46. He does not think it is a bad car for the money. If you look in consumer reports the e46 has higher reliability and resale than the 996. If I wanted to spend 130k on a car I would get an r8, 997tt or 997 gt3, but if I wanted to spend 65k I would get the e92 m3. It is personal preference. I think the z06 is a great car for the value, but just do not like how the car feels and I do not like the interior. The GTR is also a great car, but looks like a teenagers car.

We should rename this thread. Let's bash on the new m3 because we drive porsches and they are better for the trank. No wonder those z06 guys hate many of the porsche members on this forum.

 

no hate, just dissapointment in the new m3.
i found this interesting, the lexus is-f, slaloms faster than the e92 me, its just as fast to any point whether is be 60, 100, 150 mph. it has more room and will prob be price right around the same price as well. to me thats a car id like to own. it doesnt pretend to be something it not. and, its weight dist is about the same as the m3, 52/48. and itll have every amenity you can think of and a motor that will respond much better to mods in all likelyhood.

 

sorry to break it to you but the 996 GT2 actually ran 7:42 (http://www.motortrend.com/features/c...ck/index1.html) (check page 2 for times), and the GTR didnt run a 7:38, it ran a 7:50 test by sport auto. the 7:38 time was never substantiated or corraborated and was propaganda fed by nissan. its a great car, but its no 911 turbo.

 

*Unsubscribes from this nonsense*

 

BMW makes killer factory rims.

 

Yeah, what's up with that anway? I thought BBS made all their wheels and I've heard they're going under...

 

+1

This went from a useful thread into a useless ego war.

 

You will be surprised at how many 996 Turbo and GT2/3 owners came from E46 and E36 M3's.

It speaks volumes of the direction that BMW is going with their M cars.

 

then Z06 never ran 7:42 because it ran 7:49 by the same sport auto. I do belive it ran 7:38.... And even "IF" it was lil moded I still give much respect to a car that ran so close to Z06,996 GT2 ETC. Gt-r is great car, some people just too afraid to say that NISSAN GT-R is Great achievement in a car industry.

 

The reason why I asked how many track days have you had, and how many M3's have you tracked, is exactly because of your answer here.

That GTR time is unsubstantiated.

More than that, the reason why it's not in the same league, is because first of all, it is far too heavy. Second of all, it's AWD, so it is far less involving and takes way less skills than what is required to get the GT2 or the Z06 to go fast.

Go drive a high powered RWD car and switch off DSC/PSM/whatever on the track, and you will understand.

So, I am ignorant, arrogant, ***, etc. You know, calling people names doesn't improve your argument.

And you were the ones that brought up the ridiculous notion of affordability. A 65K car should not be a question of affordability. When I had my M3, it was my only car, and what a pain in the *** that was. Whenever it was in the shop, I was at the mercy of either the dealership or the rental car company.

It matters because you clearly are basing your opinion on the M3 on paper, when many here who have moved on or still have it have first hand knowledge about what they like and don't like about their M3's. And many serial M3 owners are disappointed at the direction it's going. So, how many M3's have you had? And how many M3's have you tracked?

The M3 ran 8 minutes with an average driver?

Quit bench racing and go out to the track. As far as braking goes, it is a fact that the Nurburgring never see track temperature in excess of 115 degrees, which is what you would get at 1:30 in the afternoon at places like Button Willow, THill, and the like in the middle of July. This is why it sucks to have a car with lots of go and no stop, like the M3. It basically has the same braking design as the E36, only the E36 weigh significantly less.

Maybe one day you will grow out of this "if it's got a roundel, it's god's gift to motoring" phase. And it is laughable that you would even use the free maintenance as an argument. Do you know what the oil analysis on 15K mile oils coming out of the S54 looks like? And BTW, if you have been around here a while, then you must know that I also don't care much for the M96 equipped P cars. There are good cars from every brand, in this case, it just so happens that there are many that are better than the E9x M3.


Well, I am sure all the SMG cab M3's have no reliability issues either. I suppose aside from the blown engine, shredded diff, broken drive shaft, and leaky *** guidebolt in the engine, it's a reliable car. I am glad that your friend tracks his M3, ask him what his oil change interval was. I got free service every 7K miles, IIRC. If he tracks his car, he should get similar results. And if that is so, then he got lucky with his 100% stocker M3.

I don't care for M96 P cars either. Like I said, I am a car guy, not a brand guy. And consumer reports?

What you don't get is that we are not bashing BMW's, but BMW's cobbling together of a POS and ripping people off by putting a racing/motorsport/etc facade on a car that has none of that capability.

Shame really, considering that the E30 Evo and the E36 S50B32 also wear the same M3 badge.

 

GTR is a great car in its own right. But it just is not in the same league as the GT2 or the Z06. Ditch the AWD and lose about 600 pounds and remove all the trick driver's aide, and the GTR will have a chance to be mentioned in the same sentence.

This is why the Gallardo, while a fine car, is also not in the same league as cars like the GT2/3 or the Z06.

 

BMW's make you look like a hero on the track, because it is so easy to drive.

I mean, I passed E46 M3's in the fast group in my E30 with its thundering 160HP engine for crying out loud.

But those same people passed me in the 996 Turbo with their E46 M3's.

Why? Because P cars are harder to drive fast. And really, what's the fun in going fast if it's not you that's doing it?

 

So a car that is harder to drive fast around a track, is a better car? A car that is easy to drive around a track because of it's balance is a bad car. I don't know what to say to that.

Anyhow. You are missing my whole point. My point is that most people will not use the m3 for the track or will only use it occasionally. It is not designed to be a SPORTS CAR, it is a luxury sports coupe. The GT2 and Z06 are sports cars. I have not driven the e92 m3 so I cannot say how well it brakes or goes around a track, but from the reviews I have seen it does fine. It beat the c63 and rs4 around a track. Those are the cars it is marketed against. Heavy luxury sports coupes. BMW did not intend to make the m3 compete with z06's or gt2's. It is not a "sports car". You guys are comparing apples to oranges. Compare the m3 to a c63, rs4, or is-f(ugliest car I've seen in years). Those are the cars it is suppose to go up against and those are the type of buyers that will buy the car. You track guys won't. Period. No one is arguing that the m3 is better around a track than a 996tt, 996 gt2, or z06. It isn't and most of it's buyers could care less. The car is designed to be a luxury sports coupe that can be tracked every once in awhile if people wanted to. Sure it isn't going to be blazing fast around a track like a z06 or gt2. Tiff drove it around a track and he seemed to have no complaints. And yes I am basing it off of someone else's review because the car hasn't arrived in the US for me to drive it yet. And yes I have driven an e46m3 around a track and have autocrossed one. The brakes weren't great, but I still had fun and the car did a great job for what it is, a luxury sports coupe.

 

Great price...