[MEGA]

Logical statement: A bad owner makes a bad car, but not all cars are bad - as not all owners are bad.

How is this a topic

But Carl and Oli should just get it over with and give eachother a good f*cking behind the bike sheds if you ask me. Get out all that bent up aggression.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

That's not really what I was trying to say. The E46, with Nav and decent options, at the price it is, with the great mpg it does etc (in my opinion) is one of the best high performance daily drive bargains that has EVER been available.

The Z4M for me is more special, because it feels a bit more sporty (a good bit of which will be the roadster aspect etc) so I was just saying as it is also now cheap ish, is a good weekend toy option.

Both great cars, both worthy of recognition, both cheap. The E46 is now cheap enough to be accessed by chavs, but it is not (and never will be) inherently a chavs car. The Birds head tech who fit my LSD has one Kevin was saying - I doubt he would stick with it if it was anything less than everything everyone says it is. Incidentally Kevin also rates the Z4M and E46.

Matt

Couldn't agree more. I bought a nice Ruby Black, Imola Red, Fully serviced Z4M with 23,000 miles in 2011 for £15,999. Car was immaculate except for a few small scuffs on the driver's seat bolster, which I had rectified for £100,00.

I drove the car 2 full cabriolet seasons, usually early on a Saturday or Sunday morning for trips to the coast or excursions around the Yorkshire Moors and Dales.

Maintenance-wise I needed a new tyre after a puncture, but fitted 4 because they were half worn and I didn't want to lose the handling balance, which is really special in this car. Also needed a new sensor in the exhaust after the emissions light lit up (cost way more to find, than to fix).

Other than that, the car was a gem. Total blast with the roof down and singing at 5000rpm and above. Best heel and toe driving I've ever had, especially in Sport, where throttle response was mapped to 'instantaneous'.

Handling-wise the car has really interesting characteristics. Reasonably stiff suspension and huge grip in corners, thanks to the diff., it transitions from neutral to oversteer in a very gradual and controlled way, only requiring the driver to gradually unwind lock....making for incredible confidence when winding it up through the twisties.

I've never owned an E46 M3 but I can tell you that a Z4M may be one of the most fun cars the M Division has ever created....especially early on a Summer morning on a winding Dales road with the sun shining.

Like nearly all here, I eventually decided to try something else, so sold it on with 29,000 miles for $12,500. Probably the best £3.5K I've ever spent

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Fair enough. I'm impressed with the E46, can't really imagine it is that much different, maybe the Z4M was a better car than the actual E46 was?

Given that a lot of the running gear is the same, its probably more a matter of weight distribution.....Z4M is like your '3 with its roof cut off, driven from the back seat.

[A_P]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

From what I have seen with the M3 forum, the unsavoury owners don't keep them long as they don't like the associated costs of a M3.

I am with DXB on this one. A well maintained stock M without all the aftermarket bits is still a great looking car. If the age thing doesn't bother you then it is also a fantastic thing to own.!!!

Beauty is in the eye of beholder and all that.....

[nicktyler]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Nice comments MJ!!

Also Nick the G, you can pick one up for 6k but how good it will be I don't know ( Ido know actually and not good) but 6k is a decent watch that's for sure,

8k-9k could probably get a nice car now and 12k+ a lovely example.

But the car will have a clock in it anyway.

[MattOz]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

No Mattoz, because his is lowered.

Cheeky fecker!

[A_P]

Originally Posted by MattOz

Cheeky fecker!

Are you the one who has the E9X 18's?

[MattOz]

Originally Posted by A_P

Are you the one who has the E9X 18's?

Yup. They're my winter wheels...........

[Nick the Greek]

^ still the best looking M3 imo

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by MattOz

Yup. They're my winter wheels...........

Chavtastic

I'd buy a E46 M3 tomorrow,cracking cars, as are the standard E46.

The E9x (not M3) is now done at the same sort of money or less as the E46 M3,and is rapidly going down the Demon Tweeks/Halfords aisles,catching up with the Nova/Corsa's.

[A_P]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

Chavtastic

I'd buy a E46 M3 tomorrow,cracking cars, as are the standard E46.

The E9x (not M3) is now done at the same sort of money or less as the E46 M3,and is rapidly going down the Demon Tweeks/Halfords aisles,catching up with the Nova/Corsa's.

Do you have any pics of your 46. It sounded lovely.

[CarAbuser]

I would say the E92 is more abused than the E46 M3. The running costs (mainly insurance) of the M put most off.

It's not the standard chavs that buy the E92. It's the ones well into their 20s that still live with their parents that tend to buy them. There's a couple I've seen that have gone for the poor mans M3 approach with a 320i.

The Astra VXR will remain the chav car of choice for a while to come.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by A_P

Do you have any pics of your 46. It sounded lovely.

It was a cracking car (330D),and in many ways I regret selling it.

With the exception of some tweaking from DMS, and the tints, it was bog standard,a real sleeper car that caught many people out

I still look admiringly at a well kept E46, be it standard or the M3 variant,for me, a timeless classic



I sold her for this (First 335D),not all bad I guess :

[Sparky68]

e46 was the best looking 3 by a long way, Id love a e46 M3.



Loved my e46

[A_P]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

It was a cracking car (330D),and in many ways I regret selling it.

With the exception of some tweaking from DMS, and the tints, it was bog standard,a real sleeper car that caught many people out

I still look admiringly at a well kept E46, be it standard or the M3 variant,for me, a timeless classic


I sold her for this (First 335D),not all bad I guess :

Those 330d are bloody quick. I remember a few years back I was in my 330i E90 came out of county oak ( pcworld) turned right and reached the big roundabout and there was an E46 330d behind me and we raced off the lights and turned left and took the long straight down the Ramada and it was right up my arse the whole way lol In fact I probably sure he maybe could've have pulled up beside me if he wanted too. When we reached the roundabout we both nodded and went our separate ways.

Fantastic car. I am assuming it was mapped. but looked just like yours. a sleeper.

P.s your 335d was/is amongst one of my favs on this forum.

[Dannyrado]

Best car i've ever bought for pocket money. They are crazy quick, and stick like nothing else i've been in. I love mine.

[foxy-stoat]

Arrrrr, I remember driving my M3 with the roof down the other week when a big yellow ball was in the sky AND I actually felt some warm air.....I had to take a photo so I can remind myself what that was like !!!



Now sadly for sale but would like to get into a Z4M when I do get another one.

[E90325iM-SPORT]

If i sell my E90 325i in future ,there is only 1 car which i want e46 M3 imola red 03/04 reg. They not chavy jut well made fast and economical m-cars with great sound and lsd . What else you want?

[rich1068]

Originally Posted by foxy-stoat

Now sadly for sale but would like to get into a Z4M when I do get another one.

Link?

[foxy-stoat]

Its in the classifieds on here...thinks its now on page 2!!