[bmw_jeff]

On a recent dealer service I got a '07 325i loaner with Premium pkg and only 4,000 miles (looked basically new). My wife drives a E46 325i sport/premium in the same color blk/blk. I drove the loaner around for a while and let me say I was less than pleased. Everything about the car is cheap. Cheap headlight assemblies, cheap interior plastics, cheap and rough to the touch leather, cheap gauges, crap hyundai healiner. I could go on and on. The tranny was clunky, the brakes were too grabby, steering was OK but looser than the E46. The car did not drive a well or as "solid" as the E46, and did not sound that great either. Paint finish looked pretty bad. Door locks clunked loudly when unlocked. Inaccessable window switches. What a POS, really. My wife and I were like WTF? We would never buy one of these to replace our E46, even for half the price. We will almost certainly go to Mercedes or Audi for her next car. The E60 5 is the same way, with slightly better materials but not much for $60k! There was only 2 things that were superior to the E46:

1) power, it had like 50hp more and was much faster in a straight line
2) the stock stereo sounded much better than the E46

That's it, and I mean that is all. The E46 is superior in every other way.

What does this have to do with the E92 M3? Everything. The E92 M3 will have a great motor and will be faster than the E46 M3. But it can't run away fast enough from its questionable styling (good from some angles, bad from others) and tacky interior asthetics and ergonomics. If I'm paying 40k plus for a car wether its the 325i or the 70k+ E92 M3, I expect to get a nice interior and styling, not just a great motor. [/RANT]

[mikymu]

yeah...that is the reason why i pull the trigger on mine 06 M3. The E90 3 series design sucks. I am driving a Hyundai rental now and that's about as exciting as a E90 - look and interior finish

[Ginsu Tim]

Originally Posted by mikymu

yeah...that is the reason why i pull the trigger on mine 06 M3. The E90 3 series design sucks. I am driving a Hyundai rental now and that's about as exciting as a E90 - look and interior finish

+1

when deciding which one to get - I sat in the interior of an e90 and then extrapolated the possible design, upgrades, and price of e90/92 m3. there was absolutely way I was going to pay that much for a POS like the e90/92.

[bmw_jeff]

Originally Posted by mikymu

yeah...that is the reason why i pull the trigger on mine 06 M3. The E90 3 series design sucks. I am driving a Hyundai rental now and that's about as exciting as a E90 - look and interior finish

Exactly, same here!

[murdock_]

I got a brand new 06 750Li as a loaner one day and let me tell you... NOT CHEAP... amazing ride quality and interior design/finish.

I also drove a 335i to see what all the hype was about... i found it to of pretty decent quality interior, but i just cant get used to the e90 platform... the e60 platform however i like a lot, but at first did not..

once the new M3 is seen IRL by me ill make my decision about how i feel... stock e46 M3 pics dont look nearly as good as stock M3s do in person, and im sure u all agree here.. ill be willing to bet the new M3 is gonna look like a abolsute sleeping monster.

I dont think the e46 M3 will ever look out dated.. when i see an e30 M3 on the road today i still drool...

i hope the e90 follows in all of its predacesors(sp) paths.