S3 to M3....is it worthwhile ?

[MattS5]

A while back I thought of changing my S3 to an S4, wanted a little more room + the V8 soundtrack to go with it.
I really like the idea (safety) of quattro, but I dont think I'm ready to go to the S4 (b6) and its too understated (in my opinion) looks.

It leaves me with the option of a car I've always wanted, the e46 M3, but my worry is the rear wheel drive, coupled to 340bhp.

My budget (£20k) should get me an 02 plate with reasonable mileage ( less than 40,000) from a private seller.

I drove an SMG this morning in the filthy rain, which was interesting. Not sure I could live with the gearbox, or more importantly, the worry of the mechanical horror that could possibly go with it. It was also quite fun in the wet, not madness, but pulling out of junctions or accelerating away would see the traction control really doing its job, cutting the power and keeping things in check.
I didn't think I'd initally like the back end stepping out, but when it happened, it felt pretty much ok, and to be honest, could be quite fun at lowish speeds when you'd had a chance to get used to it.

So, question is, would it be a wise move changing to an M3, or would I be shelling out near on 8k for a car the same age, same mileage and not much else?

Anyone else gone from S3 to M3 or know anyone who has done it ?

 

[mattyboy199]

i would imagine running costs would be double the s3, a service is 1k from what i ve read but depends where you go i suppose.

 

[ChriS3]

Reliability would concern me, but it is on my list of options after my S3. They look good, sound good. Haven't had the chance to drive one yet, but I stilll want one.

 

[S3Steve]

I love the E46 M3 and have been tempted to swap mine for one on a couple of occasions. If i was you i would wait till after the new V8 M3 comes out and see what happens to the prices of the older model hopefully they will come down a bit.

 

[mad max]

mrc can tune the s4 up to 500 bhp got to be very tempting surely

 

[Vron]

Do a search on reliability before you buy.The extended warranty is expensive - from memory it is around £1000 (same as Porsche) but with Porsche you dont have to pay an excess on any claim whereas with BMW M3 you do. I personally think BMW coupes have a bad image but that is just my opinion - shame because they are a great car.

 

[Ess_Three]

Do a search on reliability before you buy.The extended warranty is expensive - from memory it is around £1000 (same as Porsche) but with Porsche you dont have to pay an excess on any claim whereas with BMW M3 you do. I personally think BMW coupes have a bad image but that is just my opinion - shame because they are a great car.

I think the BMW warranty is £1080, so a shade dearer than Porsche's (now £895)...and as you say, BMW has an excess...

I don't like the image of BMWs either - especially the 3 series...but the M3 is a great car.

Personally, I'd not have the SMG...it's a tad rough...the manual is more of a drivers car in my view...and that's where the M3 scores.
The S3 is a numb, inert, boring car to really drive...the M3 isn't.
The M3 takes more learning, more control but ultimately it will reward in ways an S3 can't even think about.

RWD may be a problem if you use it all year round and get bad weather...especially coming from a quattro...you'd have to be the judge of that.

Basically, you'd need to drive one and decide...
If you want a car you have to really put the effort in to reap the rewards...it's a far better car.
The brakes are crap though.

 

[Ess_Three]

mrc can tune the s4 up to 500 bhp got to be very tempting surely

A 500BHP barge that still won't go round corners...

 

[buckas]

do it, e46 m3's are lurvly! hopefully my next car

 

[leecs3]

the new 335i sounds very interesting, potential torque monster

 

[jonS3]

I've been thinking about swapping to an E46 M3 for a little while, but reliability, insurance, and servicing concerns me. i think what i'm trying to say is that affording to buy the car isn't the issue, it's the running costs, plus the more I drive my S3, the more I don't want to get rid of it!

plus you see so many of the E46 M3's about on the road...

 

[daz2347]

Im in tha same postion been looking around for an M3 for about 3 months, but not sure.
my choice would be SMG simply for the down shift engine blip... however the other comments are right it takes some getting used to (sports mode and level 6) works best true boy racer mode! mind you at 38 not sure i should be thinking like that any more

However that being said, i did for the first time get to race one the other day and to be honest the M3 was disappointing.

but they do sound nice a look the B locks

steel grey, red leather, stainless steel trim, sat nav...

 

[Ess_Three]

I've been thinking about swapping to an E46 M3 for a little while, but reliability, insurance, and servicing concerns me. i think what i'm trying to say is that affording to buy the car isn't the issue, it's the running costs, plus the more I drive my S3, the more I don't want to get rid of it!

It wouldn't put me off...
Early cars will have had the recall work done by now - if it was applicable - and later cars have the engine 'issues' sorted, from what I'm led to believe.
Everyone I know who's had one has had no problems at all with their M3.

Servicing shouldn't be too far out of line with what an S3 costs to service.

A chipped S3 driven enthusiactically will also return similar MPG to an M3.

The S3 is more usable more of the time (rear any fool can drive one...all weathers) whereas the M3 takes time to learn.
And will always be worse in bad weather.
And the brakes are afwul.
But will always be a better drivers car.

plus you see so many of the E46 M3's about on the road...

Maybe that's just where you live.
I see far more S3s than M3s.
And sadly, S3s are now so cheap that the Chavs are getting hold of them..so you are starting to see some abominations...it seems the M3 is holding that 'crowd' at bay for the time being.

 

[MattS5]

Lots of interesting comments, thank you.

I liked the downchange throttle blip on the SMG, but that whole gearbox worries me. I'd prefer the manual too for reverse parking etc.

Servicing doesn't seem to bad, around £800 for the 1 service and £1000 for the 2 service, they seem to come round about every 12k. (at 5 years old, i'd probably take to a specialist anyway as I wont have a warranty)

When I spoke to the dealer today, he told me that the new coupe isn't out till Dec, thus values will probably hold reasonably well this year, but I'm sure it will be released before then and prices may soften.

Tyres are expensive at around £750 a set for the 19"'s but it wont get ragged anyway, so they should last 15k I'd hope.

I don't dislike my S3, in fact I like it very much, but after 2 years of ownership, I feel the need for something different.

I have a friend who has had a manual M3 for about 6 months (2002 model), so will get a ride in his to compare the 2.

Reliabilty - As with anything, it all depends on how they've been treated/serviced etc. It seems the 1200 mile service was really important, so if its not been done within 300 miles of the 1200, BMW wouldn't even stand by any warranty claims. Thus it needs to have been done on the button, or walk away.
I'm thinking there must be a few one owner, sub 40k mile, manual cars out there. I just need to search them out, and then try and asscertain the life they've had when talking to the owner whose selling. (thats one thing I like about buying privatley, you do get to see the original driver and understand how they used to treat it).

Colour choice would have to be (in order) Mineral Grey, Silver and then Black. All with black leather. It must have 19"s, but not worries about Sat Nav or much else. At least that should open up the chances of finding one easier.

 

[god_thats_quick]

my choice would be SMG simply for the down shift engine blip...

Are you serious?

That's what your feet are for, it's called driving!:icon_thumright:

 

[Ess_Three]

Are you serious?

That's what your feet are for, it's called driving!:icon_thumright:

That's the right answer!!

Far more pleasure from mastering heel-toe than any box of electronics can ever provide...

 

[tok2850]

Well I have just picked up my S3 so dont have much to compare on performance/driveability etc but I have owned a few M3s in the past and given my financial situation changes I think I would get one again. The E46 BMW is a very very common car but the M3 still is something special when you see them on the roads With the gearbox it really depends on you, where you drive, what you enjoy etc. I have had the manual and the SMG. The manual was great but driving through London became a real pain, the SMG on the other hand, okay wasnt and never can be as involving as a manual, but my god it is fun!! you really have to practice with it and make sure you have the right gearbox updates from BMW (it makes such a difference if the updated firmware or whatever they refer to) is on there, much smoother and much more responsive. If I got another it would be a SMG (the auto mode on there is just not worth ever going into, so if you are buying the SMG for that I wouldnt even bother) I would personally take both a manual and SMG out for a nice long test drive and you will know what you enjoy more. The handling overall I found to be pretty good (saying that until this and my last car all have been RWD) but I personally found the M3 very forgiving, and I wasnt shy with the car.... In terms of insurance its not far off what I am paying for the S3, petrol on a full tank I got about 300 miles (mainly town driving) servicing averaged about £1000 a year. The rear tyres I replaced every 6 months and fronts once a year. In terms of reliability as others have mentioned what updates or problems were issues should have been sorted by now, BUT I would not buy one without buying warranty. Every one I have owned (and all purchased from BMW) have had work done under warranty which would have otherwise left me divorced (well not married but divorced from my girlfriend !! I really would recommend that very strongly on warranty, its not the kind of car most people sit there cruising in, its a fun car and its a car that would have had its balls shafted every time the driver wanted to impress their friends or new passenger or on track days. Yes the car is built for that, but just from previous experience...
If 4 seats are not an issue then one car that is great for same performance and slightly lower price is the M Coupe, great fun car and feels more involving than the M3 to drive, just not practical for most though...
for the price the M3's are going at thats a serious bang for the buck!!