[Krozi]

If you can deal with a car that be anything but smooth and very raw then jump on a E46 M3. The 335i is definitly a fun car, but the M is a mean little monster.

If I had an extra 30k laying around I would get a Laguna Seca Blue E46 M3 6spd with cinnamon interior, supercharge it, put it in CSL wheels, drop in LED tails, CF wrap the interior trim, and drop in a Rasp-x pipe married with a RPi exhaust.

[valbauer]

E46

[mtla4]

Let me chime in. I own a 2008 135I that I ordered in dec of 2007. I was really hesitating between a 135I and E46 M3. I chose the 135 but if I had to redo it I'd buy the (slower+outdated )E46 M3.
1.The car has a high reving N/A engine
2.Better handling
3.Has a real LSD
4.Cheaper
5.Keeps it's value better.

[DevJ]

M3 FTW

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by mtla4

Let me chime in. I own a 2008 135I that I ordered in dec of 2007. I was really hesitating between a 135I and E46 M3. I chose the 135 but if I had to redo it I'd buy the (slower+outdated )E46 M3.
1.The car has a high reving N/A engine
2.Better handling
3.Has a real LSD
4.Cheaper
5.Keeps it's value better.

Agree with all except I would say acceleration is about the same but the top speed is much greater in the M. Plus, there's a huge difference in high speed stability between the two cars. The 135i is not very stable at high speed (I have 4,000 miles in one...all in Germany). The M is rock solid at speeds well over the 135i's speed limiter.

I would also add the M3 has far more character and is the most modifiable car on the planet in terms of available parts. Keep in mind also the US M3 is detuned due to the exhaust system. The M3 needs a few things to bring it back to the car the designers intended. You say outdated...I say classic. Older can be much cooler. My 7 year old M3 only has 9,000 miles on it and is 99% as new inside and out. Out of curiosity how many miles on your 135i?

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by MVF4Rrider

Agree with all except I would say acceleration is about the same but the top speed is much greater in the M. Plus, there's a huge difference in high speed stability between the two cars. The 135i is not very stable at high speed (I have 4,000 miles in one...all in Germany). The M is rock solid at speeds well over the 135i's speed limiter.

I would also add the M3 has far more character and is the most modifiable car on the planet in terms of available parts. Keep in mind also the US M3 is detuned due to the exhaust system. The M3 needs a few things to bring it back to the car the designers intended. You say outdated...I say classic. Older can be much cooler. My 7 year old M3 only has 9,000 miles on it and is 99% as new inside and out. Out of curiosity how many miles on your 135i?

I only say outdated because some people will call out of production products either outdated or old. I like the E46 M3. The car is fast(Mine is faster due to mods) My 135I has 14K...got delivered in April of 08. Good car but it feels like a GT. I'd be happier in an M coupe or M3.
IMO the E92 M3 is bloated but I'll skip that just because the S85 is a work of art.

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by mtla4

I only say outdated because some people will call out of production products either outdated or old. I like the E46 M3. The car is fast(Mine is faster due to mods) My 135I has 14K...got delivered in April of 08. Good car but it feels like a GT. I'd be happier in an M coupe or M3.
IMO the E92 M3 is bloated but I'll skip that just because the S85 is a work of art.

Yeah the S65's advantage over the S54 is the wider and flatter torque curve in the upper rpm region to redline. Euro spec to Euro spec the difference is much less than US spec S54 to S65. The US S54 is down 17 lb-ft to the Euro version. BMW NA always seems to screw everything up coming here. Still I love the S54 (have two of them!) as it loves to rev and because it has a little less power you can wind it up more often without attracting too much attention. Fuel economy is better in the S54 of course, but has much to do with the lighter bodies they're in. Change the rear diff in the M3 or Z4M and it'll keep up with the new M3. Bone stock the Z4M walks all over the E46 M3. Both are a blast so either is a great choice. I plan to keep mine for decades. I'll go weeks without driving one or the other so each time I get in the "other" it's like new fun all over again!

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by MVF4Rrider

Yeah the S65's advantage over the S54 is the wider and flatter torque curve in the upper rpm region to redline. Euro spec to Euro spec the difference is much less than US spec S54 to S65. The US S54 is down 17 lb-ft to the Euro version. BMW NA always seems to screw everything up coming here. Still I love the S54 (have two of them!) as it loves to rev and because it has a little less power you can wind it up more often without attracting too much attention. Fuel economy is better in the S54 of course, but has much to do with the lighter bodies they're in. Change the rear diff in the M3 or Z4M and it'll keep up with the new M3. Bone stock the Z4M walks all over the E46 M3. Both are a blast so either is a great choice. I plan to keep mine for decades. I'll go weeks without driving one or the other so each time I get in the "other" it's like new fun all over again!

The OP should maybe look at the M coupe. This car is a future classic. The Z3M is still very desirable. Z4M prices seemed to went down a lot lately.

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by mtla4

The OP should maybe look at the M coupe. This car is a future classic. The Z3M is still very desirable. Z4M prices seemed to went down a lot lately.

Agree on the Z4M being a future classic. I bet it will be desired in the future like the E30 M3 is today. Its advantage over other BMWs is the absolute simplicity of the car. Minimal frills. Just strap it on and go! I love the seated position, the thick fat steering wheel and ultra responsive/communicative steering, and the feeling of sitting just in front of the back wheels. I had a new M3 on order but I realized when I'd go to the dealer (Pentagon Car Sales in Germany) I found I couldn't keep my eyes off the Z4M they had in stock. I just did get my order in before the production cutoff. No regrets.

[H Bomb]

M3 def over the 335. i had the E46 m and i drove a few 335 and the M is much more fun car and looks better in my op. you had the 335 bf try the M. it will be CPO so you will have warranty. i never had any problems with mine at 60k miles when i sold it.

mine had mods with a Dinan S2 pack and JRZ susp and Brembros. with that it was even more fun and the JRZ susp was a dream for daily use and handled better on top of it as well. i miss mine for sure

here are some pics

[H Bomb]

more

[H Bomb]

more

[adc]

E46 M3, without a doubt.

I've owned a 335i for 2 years and then went with my current E90 M3. But a colleague just purchased a one-owner 2002 M3 with 85k miles for $18k (!), absolutely superb condition - so I had the opportunity to drive it. It's been a few years since I last drove an E46 M3, but it all came back - what a rush, what an amazing car!

If you get the 335 you will only experience more of the same as before. If left with the stock wheels, tires, suspension and open rear diff it will be a nice, quick, pleasant car - and compared to the E46 M3, utterly boring. Reliability is also likely to be worse than the 2006 M3.

Get the M3, live the high thrills for a few years - what do you have to lose?

[Leozap]

335i coupe. You will thank me later.

[SUB-ZERO]

335i

[330CIZHP]

No questions E46 M3 over 335.

Interestingly, my 330 CI ZHP is more closely related to an E46 M3, but it feels much more similar to a 335 than it does to an E46 M3. 335 feels very similar to my 330 CI ZHP except a feels lot heavier, has much sloppier handling and my 330 CI has a much nicer exhaust note. It does feel a lot faster in a straight line than my ZHP.

The E46 M3 on the other hand is a different beast. When you start it up and hear all the gears, metallic mesh and raspy exhaust note that turns into a metallic howl at high rpms, you know it is something very very special. Even though, the 335 can be made faster easily due to the steroid-fed engine, but E46 M3 has the all-natural genes of pure-bred performance car with racing heritage.

[brandon @ eas]

Originally Posted by 330CIZHP

No questions E46 M3 over 335.

Interestingly, my 330 CI ZHP is more closely related to an E46 M3, but it feels much more similar to a 335 than it does to an E46 M3. 335 feels very similar to my 330 CI ZHP except a feels lot heavier, has much sloppier handling and my 330 CI has a much nicer exhaust note. It does feel a lot faster in a straight line than my ZHP.

The E46 M3 on the other hand is a different beast. When you start it up and hear all the gears, metallic mesh and raspy exhaust note that turns into a metallic howl at high rpms, you know it is something very very special. Even though, the 335 can be made faster easily due to the steroid-fed engine, but E46 M3 has the all-natural genes of pure-bred performance car with racing heritage.

man, if I didnt already have a e46 M3, your post would have just sold me on one

[graider]

Originally Posted by brandon @ eas

man, if I didnt already have a e46 M3, your post would have just sold me on one

haha +1

[Willizm]

Get a 335i if you like modding and getting great gains out of your car. If you are not into that sort of thing and want a car to have for the track, then get the M3. Not to say that a M3 is not mod friendly, but with a tune and some bolt ons for a 335i you will be sitting up around 400hp/420tq at the wheels.

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by Willizm

Get a 335i if you like modding and getting great gains out of your car. If you are not into that sort of thing and want a car to have for the track, then get the M3. Not to say that a M3 is not mod friendly, but with a tune and some bolt ons for a 335i you will be sitting up around 400hp/420tq at the wheels.

Both cars can be improved dramatically, if that's what you want to do (certainly not required). Not sure why all these debates boil down to specs and numbers and "potential" for God sake. Bottomline is the feel/character of the cars are very different, so get the one that you enjoy driving more and the one that will deliver the most pride in ownership from your personal perspective. It's a no brainer for me. But I only have me to please.

[Invester]

ive owned both

a well modified 335 and a modified m3...

the m3 is a monster just so raw compared to a 335

for me it would be a 06 m3 zcp white/red interor over a 335.

The torque on the 335 with a chip is so intoxiating thought

[mtla4]

I would get an 02-03-04 with low mileage.