plynchy

Well, tough question.

Had the Cossie for 18 years now, and it's not in the best of health. Nothing serious, just needs a bit of rewiring etc and it'll be fine, but having just bought an E46 M3 yesterday i'm starting to question the Cossie's purpose.

I use it for blatting about in occasionally, couple of track days a year that kind of thing and very little else. Not as keen to work on it as I used to be (getting old, and 2 small kids). It's running 300 at the wheels currently so certainly isn't shy.

Picked up the M3 yesterday, and fuck me, it's superb. Goes like stink, handles very, very well, sounds incredible and would appear to be reliable, very comfy on the 200 mile drive home and at no point did I turn the stereo off to listen for bits falling off.

Almost feel like i'm cheating on the Cossie.....

Also got an S-Max for transporting kids and all there stuff, so no issues there.

Jay,

iTrader: (4)

Another one to the dogs

SteveB

iTrader: (3)

I know that feeling, 12 years owning a Cossie all forgotten now lol

For me Tiffs signature sums it up perfectly..


Steve

plynchy

Don't honestly think I could part with it after all this time, and it's not worth a life changing amount.

Acidburn

but at least people will look at the cossie when its on the road

kosman

keep it,so many ridding em for m3's now,at least you always get to say you've got a cossy in the garage,people tell me they got a m3 and im like meh,but say you gotta cossie and id be a lot more intrested

JamesH

iTrader: (21)

Because you like Cossies

james kiely

iTrader: (5)

it wont be long before your bored with the m3 mate,and have a hankering to get the cossie out again

ram

iTrader: (4)

I had a cossie alongside my old e46 m3 and yes the m3 was the better all round car. loved it infact.

I sold the cossie thinking i didnt need it anymore. i now dont have the M3 anymore but own another saph, what does that tell you.. they are irreplaceble imo. the smell, the buzz, the appreciation. The love never goes away for long

tosh

I was going to do the same thing 3 years ago, I went as far as getting a loan test driving a couple but then couldn't bring myself round to do it, needless to say the loan money is still sitting in the bank and the sapph is still sitting dormant waiting for me to get my arse in gear to get it back on the road, its a love hate relationship, I have owned it since 1990 so I guess it is like selling part of the family "I just cant do it"

rs_traynor

im thinking about selling the cossie for an e46 m3 dunno for sure tho

AstoN_B

iTrader: (1)

All this talk of people possibly selling their saph is beautiful.

Now if everyone could put them up for sale in a few months ill have loads of inspiration and choice. Particularly if you want an S2 worth owning in part ex...

TIFF

Superb Cars in EVERY way..........................

DanCossie

iTrader: (1)

Totally Agree!!!! Not biased at all though


Welcome to the right side

Mike1

The E46 M3s make a fantastic all round sporty car, no doubt.

Thing that makes me smile is that whenever they have these big 'M-car' articles, when they gather all the M3 variants, M5 variants, 1M, M1, M635 etc etc, in mags like EVO, CAR, Autocar etc....they always seem to come to a similar conclusion......the one that is most 'special' for a weekend car is the old E30 M3 ( usually with the E46 CSL right behind ).

And then, you look at the other old articles where they ( sometimes the same journos are involved ) compared that same original M3 to stuff like the Sapphire Cosworth and Merc 190E 2.3-16/2.5-16 .............and the car that came out best........was often the old Sierra

So, Sapphire Cosworth......better than the best M-car ever.....

Seriously though, the M3s are great value, I'd probably have one if it wasn't for having the Sapphire ( plus I can't afford a 1M )

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

i'd be in an M3 if i could afford to buy one, sadly the e46 330 is a thirsty bugger so spending too much on fuel to be able to save lol!

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

They are a nice car.I would have one but im a ford lad through and through.I wouldnt mind having the money sat in the bank to buy a M3 but tbh if I had 10k in the bank.I would be putting that money towards my morgage so that I can get a bigger house with a garage.

DanCossie

iTrader: (1)

You will be surprised mate there probably isn't much difference!!! I drove 110 miles last night, like miss daisy on the M1 and back and got 31 mpg!!! granted drive it hard and the needle goes down quicker than a whores knickers

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

yeah, i believe there isn't much in running costs which is why i want an M3 instead, just with the 330 not giving me more than 22mpg round town abusing it and not much more than 28mpg on a run, it's definitely not making saving easy

DanCossie

iTrader: (1)

Park it up and use a bicycle for a few months lol... you get loads of MPG on those

Rogeyboy

iTrader: (2)

Just read the quote in your sig Dan, Lmfao! Thats proper funny!

I like M3s, but they don't command the respect a cossie does. But Its down to the owner/driver as to what they prefer. Both are special cars, in different ways!

Karl 3dr

iTrader: (9)

I think it depends on what you're expecting from a cossie personally, if you're buying one expecting it to be a match for modern cars in the handling/refinement stakes, or wanting to use one every day you'll be disappointed, but if you're happy to accept that they're old cars now, they're still great imo. You don't need to drive a cossie fast for it to feel special imo.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Defo agree Karl cossies get looks all the time.Properly because people dont see them on the roads as much.Cossies are old sierras at the end of the day but they are such an iconic car.

Paul_RS

iTrader: (4)

M3s are a great car, no arguing that- but the'll never have that 'something special' you get from a Cosworth. Plus M3s are like tampons round here - every cunt has one

I'd love an E36 M3 to go along with my Sapphire, but I'd never sell the Sapphire to own one.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Mike1 ive got a few old mags with the saff cossie in and back in the day the saff cossie always come out on tops.The interiors used to get slated all the time though lol.


The M3s are a good car and are iconic in there own way.Its just a shame ford make some boring cars these days which cant compare with BMs.

Jay,

iTrader: (4)

the only m3 id have is a csl

Mike1

Yes Glenn, I'm sure I've got the same articles

SteveB

iTrader: (3)

For sale...... Ł28k

Jay,

iTrader: (4)

Already blimey man your worse than me

Brendan

iTrader: (1)

ok I have the bmw330d I know its not an m car but it has the m3 suspention on it and it has enough torque to see off most cars.

It is fantastic bescause you can get into it drive 200 miles to work and get out without feeling "oh god I got a days work now" then "i'm driving home" it cossets you, a fantastic ride. No doubt, I will not change mine, but if it goes wrong they are rather more expensive than fords to fix and the proper M3 engine components are eye watering in price! So is labour at a BMW garrage! find a specialist.

MY tiny little fiesta RST just make me smile every lime I get in it! I will probably be berried in it!

Then there is the fact that there are less than 70 late models left (OFAC ecu and electric windows switches in the door) there are only 12 on the road for my year!

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Bloody hell Brenden it might be worth a bit of money in a few years.I do like the fezza turbos.

SteveB

iTrader: (3)

Not just yet..... 996 GT3 is possibly next on the list..


Steve

Jay,

iTrader: (4)

OH thats just cool as fuck do it

rallycross

How did your 330D get M3 suspension? Unless you took it off an M3 and fitted It yourself it's not got M3 suspension.

Rax

iTrader: (1)

Even though on a Ford site,I am not a Ford fan ,tbh I used to like alfas and Fiats because they used to be faster out of the box.
After owning 70 odd cars myself and driven thousands from when we had a second hand car dealership/garage and car hire ,many a moon ago.The only one I wanted was a Cosworth.
Its still the same after owning two.I got the bug for em.My mum has a 30 grand BM,pfffttt .Its not for me,much prefer an old Cossie.
Just like I much prefer my old early 90s rave.Its an era thing,and a Cosworth certainly gives you that imo.Rate big kick up the arse,
HAVE IT . . . . . .

gingeRS

Where's my cheque book

plynchy

Be good to get the cars back to back on a local private road.

stevecfrst1

Ive had both and there both great to be fair, just totally different though and not compareable. A cossie is a weekend toy really and an m3 is something you can just jump in and use whenever. A cossie feels special in a way that an m3 never can/will though, there is just something about them, in a lot of ways its crazy to think that people even think about owning a cossie when there driving a much newer, modern and is most ways better car like an m3. Try explaining it to your mrs

Brendan

iTrader: (1)

when the front bushes started to go I replaced with the the m sport ones (they seemed to be the same part numbers, but I did use Lemforder ones, then when the shocks needed replacing I used some nice Bilstein ones as the standard BMW ones were rather expensive for what there are.

with the initial replacement of the front suspension bushes are integral so you may as well more to the good ones!

beside the sport version of the 330d is very different in handling from the executive one!

DangerousBryan

I've come out of an m3 and into a tt xr4x4. Its slower,more uncomfortable and thirstier. BUT.... It gets nods and waves most times I use it. The noise of the turbos winding up gets me everytime,and the camaraderie at shows. I don't see any other sierras in Sheffield at all. If I could afford both I would have kept the m3 as well and just used the sierra for shows and the odd blast.