I agree

 

e46 is my fav body style M! I absolutely LOVE IT!

And now that the prices have tanked, I will probably pick on up in a year.

 

My car still turns heads daily....And few cars will hang 0-60 and thru the twisties......Beautiful styling, 5 time Engine of the year for its class (3.2 litre) and one of the nicest interiors ever......Cant go wrong.....

 

Almost picked up a Dinan one 2 years ago(low mileage, priced too high). I will pick one up in 2009 I love that car

 

e46 m3 DOES NOT do 0-60 in 4.4 secs. ~5 +/- is right.

i think the e46 m3 looks outdated compared to the new one, buts its still one of the best designs bmw has made. they have new hits here and there, but for the most part, the new cars dont evoke the 'i like it right away', they have to 'grow' on you before you start to like them, for me anyway.
performance-wise, it doesnt stand a chance against the new m3 in any aspect.

 

[quote=djantlive;1942720]The convertible does it in 5.4 Seconds because all the weight. The Coupe does it in 4.4-4.6 depending on the different atmosphere and driver.

 

This guy is ^^^

But i drove a buddy of mine's E46 recently and i'll admit it does feel slower to cars i've driven lately and especially my 2 own. Having had one i remember how fast it was the day i picked it up brand new in 2001 but fast forward a few years later time does take a toll and technology has improved as well. The horsepower wars keep going but i still miss that car and must say it is one of the best designs bmw has put out in the past 10 years. Amazing car and will stay a true classic.

 

I don't get everyones hang up on power, after experiencing all of the power one could ever want, I find myself saying who in the hell cares?! It's not what I am after anymore, yes sometimes thrilling but you can hardly use it!

E46 M3 is fantastic, and I can still drive a bone stock one and be content with its power, it's just a fantastic overall ride and driving experience!

 

EXACTLY!!!

I have had 4-5 people the past few months comment on my car (I park underground at a condo complex close to the elevator). They say "nice car...what year is that?". I think most just know it is a 'shiny BMW' and that is about it. Some will try and guess year 2002/2003...when I tell them it is a 97, they can't believe it. Again, not enthusiasts by any means, but they obviously 'liked' the car.

The car has been VERY well maintained and garaged it's entire life. So I agree, I don't think it is the design that is dated, I think it is the faded paint and general condition that makes the car look dated.

My 11 yr old black leather interior looks great, and the leather still feels good.

There is a thread on here somewhere about a guy who restored a beautiful white E30 M3. That car looks AMAZING!!! I could care less that the design is 20 years old.

As far as E46 M3 goes... The E92 has about the same 0-60 time. The E46 looks aggressive and will still look great years from now....if well maintained.

SoCal

 

No.



The E92 M3 is clearly the faster car, but I mean anything sub 5 second 0-60mph... you're sweatin' if one steps you to you because if that "slower" car gets a jump, it'll be a while, well into reckless driving territory, till you catch up and pass it.

The E46 M3 design is the best looking M3 ever made, but it doesn't have the latest smooth, flush body panel fitment as the newer cars. This is most evident in how the front and rear bumpers attached to the quarter panels of the car. The E46 M3 was made in an age where the plastics don't fit as flush and weren't designed with more flair.

The design update gap between the E36 and E46 M3 was revolutionary. The E36 M3 absolutely looks dated. The gap between the E46 M3 and E92 M3... small.

 

i agree with you martin! power is good, but any car in the 13 second range (1/4 mile) or faster will get you in plenty of trouble in short time.
my cayman S might not be the fastest car out there, but my god the speed through corners and turns is UNREAL! and VERY FEW cars can even come close to matching its capabilities in said setting. its def fast too (fast enough for sure) but not 911 turbo fast.
"power is nothing without control"
you def cannot use all these 400, 500+ hp cars on these roads, at least not to their fullest.

 

Totally disagree! The change between the E36 and E46 was evolutionary; the changes for the E90/E92 are revolutionary.

 

yes it's an outdated car. but it can still look damn good.

 

you are out of your mind bro . it will take a FIed e46 to keep up with a bolt on evo or sti. a C6 vette will **** on NA e46s. upcoming 370z tops off the scale at 3000lb with 330hp. these are CHEAP cars... you don't wanna look at c63, isf, gtr and such

i love e46 m3, especially the way they look, but sorry you gotta face the reality, its performance is getting outdated.

 

[quote=M3-ADDICT;1943303]
Are you kidding me? I had a M3 and no way (when it was stock) would it do 0-60 in 4.4 seconds! where the hell are you getting this info ?