[Toby22]

i much prefer the e46 m3 over the e92/90 m3 styling. Thats the only reason i would take the e46 over the e92/90.

However most of the e46 m3's i see are either beat up or modded poorly. And when parked next to the newer e92/90, they end up looking dated and busted lol.

[itzjohnnynguy3n]

i know someone who went from e92 to e46 then back to e92 hahah

[m3_love85]

I've owned an e90 M3 6MT for 2 years, sold it to adjust to my financial situations, and picked up an e46 M3 6MT (the only car I wanted to replace the e90 with), and I love both, but honestly, I love the e90 just a "little bit" more. In my honest opinion looks are subjective, but each is unique in its own manner. Performance wise, the e9x M feels more planted and definitely more powerful, especially in the top speed range, not that the e46 M is any slack, with its screaming s54 and balanced handling and lighter chassis, all combined to create a real drivers car as BMW M intended, and the pure rawness of the car and driver involvement is simply intoxicating. I'd like to add though, there is no other car like the e46 M3 out there in it's price range period. It offers driver involvement only the e9x could rival in my experience. Bottom line is, for the most part, the M3 has evolved for the better and it has matured, but still, it may not fit everyone's taste or needs...

[jateshk]

I went from a e92 m3 ib with bamboo to e46 m3 love the raw feel

[FCBuff]

Drove my E46 M3 to the dealer, test drove a E92 M3, then immediately got back into my E46. The quick back and forth between cars gave me immediate feedback with which to make my comparison.

E46 M3 wins in my book. Loved the driver centric orientation of the E46. Love the "connection" with the car in the E46. Love the rawness of the E46. Quite frankly thought the E46 felt pretty much just as fast. I know the E92 will smoke it on the top end, but how often can we get into those upper levels of the speedo???

Anyway, Lovin me some E46 M3

[Cuz5150]

I went from a 09 N54 135i to E46 M3 coupe.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by junker87

Last year, I ordered one of the last E90 M3 with manual, no sunroof, manual cloth seats, ZCP, NAV and SAT thinking I am keeping it for the long haul since it's the last of the NA M3.

It was such a disappointing car to drive that I lease transferred it out after less than a year.

The clutch is such a POS. I don't understand why BMW must make their clutch so soft nowadays that if you are used to driving cars with real clutch like the E36 M3, 996 GT2, E30 325is, that you will basically put your foot through the floor board.

That's not even the worse of it. Even with the enthusiast spec of no sunroof and cloth manual seats, the car was way too heavy. Now, I also had an E39 M5, so I don't have anything inherently against heavy cars. What I do have a problem with is a heavy car with zero torque, which is E90 M3 is.

Yes it has 400HP, but it BARELY has any more torque than the E46 M3 that weighs HUNDREDS of pounds less.

End result? It feels like a dim witted slow steering and even slower seat of the pants acceleration POS.

I know in real life the car is about on par with the E39 M5 in terms of performance. But the M5 was much more fun to drive because I can fling that thing around with my right foot at any moment thanks to its torque.

The E90 even with DSC off has so little torque that you have to really beat on the car to get any semblence of oversteer, think redlining it in 1st, which is ridiculous. And since it's so heavy, I felt like I constantly have to rev the living daylight out of the thing to get the car going, even on the street.

Now that I have been driving the 14K mile 06 ZCP manual that I just bought for a few weeks, I am even more convinced that getting rid of the E90 M3 was the right move.

High revving low torque engine only works when you have a light-ish car.

The E90 M3 is not that, and so, the high revving engine fails miserably in it. If the E90 M3 had came with a modernized S65, it would have been a winner. As it is configured, it is an unmitigaged disaster.

The E46 M3 is just as good as I remembered the second time around.

I saw your comments on another thread that went along these lines and just had to comment now that you're putting the same thing again.

For starters, the E9x M3 is way faster than the E39 M5. Close to a full second in the 0-60.

The E46 does feel more raw, but the E9x hands down destroys it in any kind of acceleration. Look at the stats a bit: S65, max torque 3900rpm, S54, max torque at 5900. Have you driven a E9x vs a E46 back to back switching cars with another driver? It's WAY faster. Also feels less connected until you have some serious weight on the suspension in a turn, where the E9x really shines.

One can say that the E46 M has the perfect amount of feel for them and that it's the perfect car for them, but what you're saying makes no sense whatsoever. Next up someone will be saying their E36 is faster than their E46... Sorry, that is not the case.

When you say "And since it's so heavy, I felt like I constantly have to rev the living daylight out of the thing to get the car going, even on the street", I seriously have to facepalm

[curiouz_g]

When I was buying cars, I felt like the E9X series looked way too....dainty. I've always loved that boxy, muscle car styling of the E46 M3. The engine in it also was another plus for me. Last of the true M engines IMO.

[Obioban]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

I saw your comments on another thread that went along these lines and just had to comment now that you're putting the same thing again.

For starters, the E9x M3 is way faster than the E39 M5. Close to a full second in the 0-60.

The E46 does feel more raw, but the E9x hands down destroys it in any kind of acceleration. Look at the stats a bit: S65, max torque 3900rpm, S54, max torque at 5900. Have you driven a E9x vs a E46 back to back switching cars with another driver? It's WAY faster. Also feels less connected until you have some serious weight on the suspension in a turn, where the E9x really shines.

One can say that the E46 M has the perfect amount of feel for them and that it's the perfect car for them, but what you're saying makes no sense whatsoever. Next up someone will be saying their E36 is faster than their E46... Sorry, that is not the case.

When you say "And since it's so heavy, I felt like I constantly have to rev the living daylight out of the thing to get the car going, even on the street", I seriously have to facepalm

Have you driven an e9X M3 yet?

I completely agree that yes, statistically, it is faster. No doubt. Significantly, too!

But... between the extra isolation and decreased torque, it feels slower at anything other than redline/WOT driving than the 46 M or 39 M.

I don't think he was trying to say that it is slower, just that it feels slower... which I agree with 100%... And is the exact opposite of what i want. That's part of why I have zero desire to switch to an e9X M3.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Obioban

Have you driven an e9X M3 yet?

I completely agree that yes, statistically, it is faster. No doubt. Significantly, too!

But... between the extra isolation and decreased torque, it feels slower at anything other than redline/WOT driving than the 46 M or 39 M.

I don't think he was trying to say that it is slower, just that it feels slower... which I agree with 100%... And is the exact opposite of what i want. That's part of why I have zero desire to switch to an e9X M3.

Had the chance to drive one back to back for a few hours in deserted mountain roads. I'd switch with a nice Z4MC after each couple laps, then back again. In Europe, E9X hands down over Z4MC/E46M because you can actually drive fast, fast enough to make the E9X come alive.

Here in the US it's the other way around: you'd better be getting some entertainment at low speeds from your car else you're effed.
Hence why I don't understand the whining of Americans about 'torque-less' E60 M5s, etc etc. I feel like asking 'what, you actually drive fast?'. Methinks not.

He said he was redlining it on the street all the time. Methinks this is impossible