[DO444]

So, obviously I’m playing GT7 until my car gets here when I can play GT7 irl.
And really what more are video games but things we would like to do irl.

All of which got me thinking,
If you had a flawless example of these three cars which would you pick and, if you’d like to share, why?

I can tell you right now, if I could get a flawless ‘03 M3 that I knew was like new I’d take that over either the other two. Looks alone it’s the best to me, and although I’ve never driven one I’ve driven late 90’s 3 series and I thought they were out of the park awesome.

Although, that v8 must have been quite something too… I just learned it redlined at 8400rpm (and it came from their at the time F1 program). I’m sure many of you already knew this, but…

8400?!
F1?!
Waaaat?
How fun would that have been.
I’ve missed so much in life.
Still, it’s just the looks alone that clench it for me.
It’d have to be the e46. Something about the way that car looks, it’s nearly perfect to me.

It’s an unfair comparison if the older models are used, and the g80 is new.
So let’s assume they all are like new condition.

Would love to hear from anyone who has actually driven either the ‘03 or the ‘07.
I have never been in either.

Edit: nvmnd, I’d take the 2001 z8. That has to be the most beautiful car that BMW has ever produced and it is deserving of an exotic label just on looks imo. How did I not even know this car existed?!

What a beauty.
wow.

[02M3ForMe]

The G8x drives so much better and solves so many problems that it’s the obvious choice for me since my use case is purely racking up elective entertainment miles versus collecting. I’m happy to leave worries about rod bearings, subframes, VANOS hubs, and throttle actuators behind. I’m also a fan of the new ostentatious looks of the current M3/4; the overall presence and uniqueness of the G8x puts it in another class from the other cars. This coming from someone who has owned literally dozens of E46 M3s and burned way too much time daydreaming on the Roadfly forums back in 2000/2001 as a kid.

[DO444]

Yea I get it.
I think all things being equal, I’d still take a brand new e46 vs a brand new g80, on looks.

But performance is another story.
G80 obviously has the numbers… but if money were no object - then it’s probably e46.

If money were no object.
That’s cool the there is still love for the ‘07 though.
Glad to see that. V8 must’ve been bitchin in an m3.
Never had the pleasure sadly.

[Forzanerazzurri]

What do you want to know

[luckylingy]

I've had (6) E46 M3 6-speeds (of which four new/as new) and an E90 M3 DCT (new); now I DD a G82. I highly respect them all, but time and technology marches on. The G8x interior edges the E46's; the E46 exterior edges the G8x (IMO). For sheer capability, it's no contest (G8x); but for driver involvement, I still fondly admire the E46.

[DO444]

Originally Posted by Forzanerazzurri

What do you want to know

Did you have a v8 m3?
I’d just enjoy hearing about it.
Never been in a car that redlines at almost 9k rpm. Did that thing sound like hell on earth past 6k?

That must’ve required some long roads to really wind out, outside of the autobahn… highway only I guess?

Was it loud as hell?
Weird cause if I’m not mistaken it’s the only time an M3 had a v8, all others were i6 right?

That’s the only BMW I know, i6 and i4 (pretty sure the 328i I drove was an i4).
Just think it must’ve been a crazy engine if it came from their f1 program, even if it was watered down a bit.

I remember driving my buddies 328i, I think it was a 01.
That car was so much fun to me ha ha. One of the best I ever drove.
Used to drive it like a madman all over South Boston late, late in the morning when no one was up, just for fun. Nowhere to really go. I’d make up excuses needing to go somewhere just to drive it lol.

So much fun.
Wasn’t even an M car but it just felt so good.
I miss that… idk how to describe it other than “tank” feel.

The way the car drove kinda felt a little like a tank. That may not make sense. Not that it was overly heavy, but that the manual and the gears it just felt… hmm, Idk you could feel it winding out and almost like grinding. Felt nothing like American cars I was used to.

That’s like all the wrong words. It wasn’t broken or anything. The adjective I would use to describe it was “tanky” or tank like.

I loved it.

Must’ve been awesome to have a lot more power than that 328, even though I thought it was awesome at the time. Probably a good thing I didn’t have anymore hp to be honest. I was already doing 90+ and loving every second of that car tooling around beantown. My friend was alright. He didn’t mind at all.

I will say my 340i is in no way as fun a car to drive as that 328i was, and that is weird. It barely retains the essence of what I remember as “bmw” at all. If you’ve ever driven a saab, those are heavy cars but their engine/transmission feel reminds me a lot more of that 328i than my 340i.

340i is fast, but I can’t feel anything. I don’t feel the gears or the engine or anything. It’s just fast. It’s a great car don’t get me wrong, no problems it looks good and is quick, but I just have to agree with most people who write about cars for a living that it is not nearly as fun.

There’s something missing. You don’t have that “tank like feeling” in modern BMW. Idk, maybe it’s just that my car now is an automatic. I haven’t been in a modern BMW manual.

Does it still retain that feel?
The 328i was a stick and to me it just had the feel of a race car. Winding the gears out was pure joy. I miss the heck out of that.

Can you still drive a modern bmw car primarily on the stick and get away with using the brakes very little?

Maybe it is just the difference between auto and manual that I’m remembering. I haven’t driven a manual in a long time and I almost bought the m3 in a manual, but I wanted Xdrive.

Seriously considering trading in the 340i for a manual of something. Starting to think about a civic believe it or not. They are around 300hp now and I think they’d probably be a blast to drive. Maybe a Supra is a better choice.

I gotta go test one of those.
Really considering it. I got offered 37.5k for my ‘18 340i and I’m starting to Jones for a manual car. I bet that Supra is nice with a 6cyl, but even remembering the 4 in my buddies 328i… man that was fun!

If it is loose and you can’t feel anything, if you don’t feel the gears and the wheels… idk if it even matters if it’s a manual then to be honest.

That’s the best I can do to put into words what I remember about what I liked about driving that 328i. I would imagine the m3 was an entirely otherworldly and dangerous experience ha ha.

Originally Posted by luckylingy

I've had (6) E46 M3 6-speeds (of which four new/as new) and an E90 M3 DCT (new); now I DD a G82. I highly respect them all, but time and technology marches on. The G8x interior edges the E46's; the E46 exterior edges the G8x (IMO). For sheer capability, it's no contest (G8x); but for driver involvement, I still fondly admire the E46.

What exactly do you miss?
What’s missing that you remember that you miss?

And damn that’s a HELL of a lot of m3!
What do you do for a living, buy M cars?
Just kidding man, good for you.
You’re living well!

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by luckylingy

I've had (6) E46 M3 6-speeds (of which four new/as new) and an E90 M3 DCT (new); now I DD a G82. I highly respect them all, but time and technology marches on. The G8x interior edges the E46's; the E46 exterior edges the G8x (IMO). For sheer capability, it's no contest (G8x); but for driver involvement, I still fondly admire the E46.

I agree 100% with your sentiments, although I only had one E46 M3. I last drove one the day I sold that car in the spring of 2012, but remember it as a wonderful driver's car. I sat out the E90 generation and never drove one. I was less impressed with the F80 DCT M3 that I had (although that generation was not in the OP's scenario); it just felt heavy to me. The G80 is of course larger and heavier, but I don't find that it drives heavier. "Technology marches on" is exactly correct, as is your judgement on the looks of the E46 M3. Destined to be a classic, in my opinion, once the beat-up or too heavily modded cars get weeded out.

[Forzanerazzurri]

Originally Posted by DO444

Did you have a v8 m3?

No I currently have an 03 e46 m3 and a 22 g80 m3 comp xdrive.