Stand by for what is possibly the longest post I've ever made on PF, however, I did say to Chop that I'd throw down my thoughts about the car after I'd driven it.

I was previously an E46 M3 doubter and there has been a lot of chat on here about how a Saph is a better 'car' than an M3 and how the BMW is a slow boring beast of a car.

At the moment, I've got an EP3 Civic Type R Premier and while it is great on a dry day when I'm in the mood to absolutely attack the country/mountain roads near where I live and as a daily for pottering around; it's a bit frustrating when you're 'semi-in-the-mood' to make progress since there is a lack of mid range urge.

There was a time that I loved thrashing the arse out of my daily cars and have had quite a few nice Hondas in the past; EG6, EK4, DC2, EK9. However after serving a fairly lengthly 'driving holiday' I'm not really keen on keeping these cars on the boil in day to day life since you're piling on a lot of speed as you go up the gearbox in VTEC.

Anyway, the short of it is, I'm looking at replacing the Civic with something which is still useable daily but has more punch in the mid range; the cars I was considering were a MK1 FRS and an E46 M3.

I have been tempted by the idea of an M3 for a while and after making a comment on one of Lambchop's FB photos he said that if I drove up to Chopshire then I was welcome to take his car away for a few days and see what an M3 was like to live with on a daily basis. Fantastic offer.

Well I've just had the pleasure of driving Chop's M3 for about a week and I've got to say that it really impressed me as a complete package.




Engine/Performance:

I remember being 19 (c10 years ago) in my first Impreza Turbo which was running moderate power and wasting a couple of M3's in squirts between roundabouts... and coming to the conclusion that they were an expensive, ultimately quite slow, posh man's toy.

Now, I agree that compared to a 350bhp+ Saph, they are probably going to lose out in a straight line.. I would guess that the power to weight and torque advantage is enough to see that happen.

I was worried that being N/A and heavier than my Civic.. the M3 was going to be very similar to drive and need screwing to the redline to make reasonable progress. I was wrong. The power delivery is a very linear experience and it just continues to pile speed on with the minimum of fuss, it's only when you look down that you realise after ripping through the first few gears that you're on the wrong side of the speedo without much sign of slowing down. Sitting at motorway speeds in 6th gear, burying the throttle gives little reward in the Civic and requires one or two down changes to pick up speed, even moderately, yet in the BMW it happily picks up in 6th gear and is more than enough to nip past whatever was holding you up.

I thought that a nice touch in the M3 was the 'Sport' button, ok it's doesn't add any more power but it makes the throttle response absolutely razor sharp, which adds to the driving experience.

Now, the bad bit..... the noise. I liked the induction note, but wasn't a huge fan of the metallic rattle of the exhaust in the mid range however it howls at the top end and I did quite like that, specially as it was a completely standard intake/exhaust on Chop's car. I do think that the sound from the exhaust suits the engine characteristics well; a raw raspy note for a raw M-power engine.


Interior:

Chop's M3 is a high spec model; comes with the Sat Nav, Heated Seats, HK Stereo, etc and while it is 11 years old now.. it's still very well screwed together, no squeeks or rattles despite covering 73k miles. Compared to some of the newer BMW and Audi, it is looking dated (Sat Nav maps especially), but it's still a very nice place to be and the seats offer a good compromise between comfort on long journeys and support when out for a proper drive.


Suspension and Handling:

I need to start by saying that I'm no driving god or drift hero.. plus, it wasn't my car, so I didn't like to push things too far. I was lucky enough to have a couple of dry and sunny days (rare in Scotland!) to drive the car on some of my local back roads and I found that it was positive and didn't try and spit me into the nearest hedge if I stuck it down a twisty section of unclassified road. I also had the chance to drive it in cold rainy conditions (common in Scotland! ) and it behaved pretty well until provoked, however, seeing the traction control flashing and a wee wiggle from the back end at 95 was enough to put shit stains on my collar. .....as I said, I'm not a sideways maestro but after I felt more confident with the car, I turned the DSC off and found that when the tail broke free, it was pretty easy to keep out there for as long as you wanted and controllable enough to get back in line without too much fuss.


Summary:

Very surprised by the punch of the engine, seems to combine a decent amount of mid range urgency with a fairly addictive amount of shove at the upper end of the rev range... also managed to average 31-32mpg on the dual carriageway to/from Chopshire and even though I had a few high speed blasts and quite a bit of town driving, across a full tank I managed to average c25mpg. Which I think is pretty impressive given the performance on offer.

People that say the M3 is slow (I was one of them!!) probably haven't driven one to it's full extent or are straight line warriors who are used to higher BHP/Torque figures... because without a fair bit of cash thrown at a Saph's chassis, I just don't think you'd be able to keep up with a well driven M3 on a nice twisty section of road/track. Basically, people who say that spunking similar money on a Saph is a better bet aren't comparing like for like...... one is a quick, well made, reliable, good looking car which is comfortable in most/any situation. The other is a quick, reasonable looking car which is good at being parked in garage/at a show looking shiny and making you giggle like a schoolkid when boost kicks in.

I had been considering a MK1 FRS and if I was looking for an evening/weekend car, then the thrill of a turbo and more lairy looks might well have been more appealing... however, given that I want to use whatever I buy more as a semi-daily, then I don't think there is much out there that will tick as many boxes as an E46 M3.




Cheers,
Grant

 

A good write up Grant and nice of Chop too lend you his M3.

 

A good, unbiased review that I absolutely agree with in every sense. Glad you liked it.

The M3 is a great car, perhaps almost as good as the M5 in my opinion, but its horses for courses as its almost the same, yet very different at the same time so M3 lovers will probably disslike the rawness of the M3, and Vica versa, the M3 lovers will not like the size and comfort of the M5.

Always makes me smile when people compare these cars to cossies, they really are in a totally different class as an everyday road car as they do EVERYTHING very well, including the all important "get you to your destination" part of the job. LOL.

 

He's a generous mo-fo that Chop! He's trying to talk me into an M3 too.

 

i had a short drive in mates 54 plate m3 with smg gearbox, boy! i loved the jerky shifts it makes when changing . yunii

 

He's a good lad is Chop - despite what everyone else thinks

 

Good write up, anyone comparing a Saph to a M3 is living on another planet tbh, they are worlds apart.

 

If hes doing jerkey shifts he has no idea how to change gear

 

The E46 is an amazing car for the money they fetch.

 

so in essence, you borrowed someones car, ragged the shit out of it and killed the tyres!

i like it!

chop, when is it my go lol?

 

no mate,he's one pro racing driver that use to race ferrari's for ferrari uk club at silverstone in: F40,360 STRADALE CHALLENGE race car,375gtb 1975.please note its the smg box with paddle shift on steering or gear lever. yunii

 

You can't compare an 1992 ish Ford Sierra with an almost 10 year newer BMW

 

Grant, Brilliant review really enjoyed reading that (unlike so many other biased reveiws).
Chop, Very good of you to lend Grant your M3 for a week! Very nice of you.

Although I can't afford an M3 I can afford an E46 (about 2001/2002) 330i M-sport and this reveiw has solidified my thoughts on the E46 so thanks for that. Yes I know the M3 is vastly upgraded with better running gear and brakes but at least its the same car underneith which gives the m3 such a good base.

 

Yes i know that it is a smg gearbox.. If you keep 5% throttle on gear change you dont get the jerky gearchanges.. I had the same problem in my dct e92 M3 and using the same method when in M sport mode i get slight to none jerky gearchanges.

 

he does on purpose as loves the way it picks speed & gears up.put it this way its way better box than say i-shift in civic or DSG on vw/Audi .
yunii

 

I love the m3
Fantastic car all round fact

Going for a m5 next can't wait

 

I drove a friends M3 a couple of weeks ago and they are fantastic. I'd sooner have one over a Focus RS any day Grant.

Great write up mate

 

Good write up there Grant

I don't understand when people call them slow and they slate them for their power delivery, granted they don't feel quick because of a lack of torque but glance down at the speedo and you'll soon change your opinion and they just keep on and on pulling. The handling is really where it's at and the way the engine delivers it's power really lets you revel in the handling without becoming an issue. I had a focus ST2 before my M3 and I find the M3 a more nimble car and it feels like a lighter car due to the weight distribution.

I had a 350bhp 2 wheel drive sapphire at the same time as my M3 and the sapphire was faster in a straight line but overall I'd expect the M3 to be as quick in the real world and it's a nicer more refined car to be in and more reliable.

 

Well said Grant, enjoyed that

I'm in limbo with cars like the M3 now, want something like it as a quick daily but there's so much out there around £8k (M5, Evo, S2000, Focus RS) I have to say though weighing up you get more for less with the M3's, long as they've been pampered & haven't got buggered subframes!

I think when examples like Lambchops creep towards £9k I'll have to go for one.

 

Is it not still the same old head versus heart scenario though? The M3 is miles more capable, more reliable and undeniably better, but the Saph, well it's a Saph, and it's got a YB, it could kill you or brake down at any moment and it's an idol from your younger days. I bought an Evo to replace my S1, thinking it would be quicker, better and more fun. The evo is for sale. The S1 is back in my garage

 

I was considering an M3 before i ended up getting the Zed, they are a hell of a lot of car for the money! The only thing that put me off is the repair bills if something is to go wrong!

If you can put up with 2seats, go and try a 350z, you wont regret it!

 

Good shout.
I'd have on over an M3 every day of the week.


Good review though

 

good write up and very generous of 'chop to lend you it

 

Great cars, I keep toying with chopping my 530d for one, but doing 500 miles a week just commuting, I really can't justify it .

I would love an E39 M5 as well, but can't be doing with low teens MPG on a daily car

 

Great write up

 

I'll decide when I give Tiffs a beating...

If I hadn't picked up my Focus when I did an M3 and maybe Chops was very much the other option...

 

grant I've drove a few m3 s of most models and do find them a bit boring but do the job ,for an every day toy.don't give you the thrill of a turbo car,

CheeRS stu

 

I have to disagree with that.. A e92 with an evolve system and remap, filter does not get boring.. The noise alone is enough to keep you wanting more.

 

iv always fancied an e46 m3, good right up lad and nice of chop to give you a shot back to the tec no mate haha

 

best of it is you can get a high mile e46 m3 for about 5k now

a rough 1989 saph still does £3500

 

Chops was for sale for £8k IIRC. Nice car!

Grant if it's a daily, why not buy a 330d/335d and remap it? Massive torque and still great on fuel.

Good write up, Clarkson better watch out

 

That's another league to the E46 though really, needs comparing with a GT-R or something...

 

I thought it was 11.5k?! dunno which one I'm thinking of then.... argh why are the best ones other end of Britain FFS

 

I was referring to the remark of.. "iv driven many M3s of diffrent models" so he classed them all the same as boring.

 

Ah sorry yea... was skimming. E92's are different class, finally make the right noises too

 

Driven Ram E46 M3 of here, to be honest I enjoyed it, not for how fast it was. but more how relaxed but picked up speed very well, nicely balanced for a RWD car, MPG is miles better than my Evo.

Though the Evo is not a daily car.

Great allrounder of a car, Look much better than a M5!

 

The M3s are a lovely car.I dont know how people can compare a 20 odd year old sierra with a modern sports car lol.

 

DO IT!



If you want a shot then come and get it

This has been covered but yes it was for sale and I would've taken 8k. Now I'm moving to Oz and it is coming. I'm getting £30k for it there! 5k or less to ship it and taxes.

People do though Glenny boy and it's insanity. People genuinely believe that a cossie makes a better every day car


Anyway I'm glad you enjoyed it Grant. The FRS is a great car but if buying one car then it has to be the M. Good unbiased write up there but I guess it won't stop the haters hating

 

Superb write up and so so true on every count.

I too was in the market for a Focus RS a few months back....looked for a good while until my mate decided he was upgrading from his 04 Plate E46 M3 to a 08 Plate V8 M3......So i got myself a VERY good, genuine E46 M3

After looking about i just couldnt justify big money for a focus RS when i could get a newer BMW M3 for a few grand more.....it was a no brainer.

What i like with my car, which also has all the toys, Sat Nav, TV, HK ect ect....(Oh and its a manual)........is that you can use it as a very nice high end BMW to travel the length of the country and its hassle free, but also you can drive it like a loon and its VERY rewarding, fun car.

Also mine is soon having the "M Track" mode activated in it so the traction control isnt as intrusive......same as the CSL has.......which is more rewarding then the OEM Tractsion control that is a bit harsh and completly cuts the power which can be a little annoying.

 

Chop sticks people who compare the bm and cossies need there heads lookin at.There is nothing wrong with using a cossie as a daily drive.You just cant compare a modern car with modern technology against an old sierra.