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      07-19-2018, 10:41 AM   #2
MattOz
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Drives: Alpina F31 B3
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Midlands

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2011 E90 M3  [0.00]
I've been fortunate enough to own all 3 of your choices. I'll give you my two penneth, for what it's worth. All mine have been manual cars. I'm not an auto 'box fan at all.

The 330i is a nice car, but it does lack a little in the trouser department. It sounds good and goes well enough, but not enough to be exciting. Certainly not a patch on the 335i or S54 lump in the M3.

The 335i is an interesting one. I've had both N54 and N55 lumps and there's not much to choose between them in standard form. I understand that the N54 is more tuneable, but if you're keeping the car OE, then the N55 is perhaps a bit more robust. I also found the 335i to be more fuel efficient than the 330i. Probably because you don't have to rag it everywhere to get the desired performance. When you do use the performance of a 335i, there is nothing in it, between it and the M3. Having tried this a number of times, straighline performance is within a gnats chuff of being identical.

Now, the E46 M3. Buy the right car and you'll be set. Get a late car, so 2005 onwards. I've had both normal and CS models and they're just great cars to drive. If you want something special, then the M3 is the car out of the 3 you have earmarked. Maintenance is more expensive if done properly, but as a proposition, the M3 is arguably the most appealing.

In your position, I'd look to buy the best manual M3 I could, ensuring that it was rust free, had proper service history with preventative maintenance carried out, plus it has the nice to have extras (H/K, nav, heated seats, bluetooth) that buyers want.

I understand the road tax situation in Ireland, but reckon the lower depreciation of the M3 might repay that over the coming years.
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