RobCarden

whats the verdict on these then?

IF i was to out the cossie i think i might look at one of these...

much difference between 3.0 - 3.2 - EVO ?

is VANOs a common problem? anything else?

all 6 speed?

do they come with traction control?

HOT RGB

I had E36 Evo Convertible, it was shit hot mate, cant remember about the traction control, but it was 6 speed, and was lethal in the wet and in the snow, well....you might as well get the bus..., good buy though careful about servicing costs...

Rich

cfoster

I would personally get the 3.0 M3. Owned both an M3 Evo Coupe and Convertible and didnt really rate them. However a mate of mine had a 3.0 one and adores the thing! (Dan Visteon from here). Also cheaper to buy!

Chris

rog

iTrader: (2)

I believe it was only the Evo ones that were 6 speed, could be wrong, the vanos units are a common problem from what i've heard and expensive to replace, as well as the servicing costs. A friend of mine had the normal M3 (non evo) it was a nice car, until it ended up in a field.

wildheart

iTrader: (4)

Mate has an Evo

Very nice car to drive

Apparently they bought out the evo because the 328's were as fast as the 3.0 M3

tonyturbo

328's are as slow as fook. i raced 1 in standard cossie. come of roundabout an nearly run into the back of him. couldnt get passed him soon enough.

Dragon

M3s are fantastic cars - the 3.0 was a 5 speed, and the 3.2 was a 6 speed. I've not driven the Evo varient so I don't know how they compare but I absolutely loved the 3.0. I've had several BMW six pots and liked every one of them. Smooth, lots of torque, nice leggy gearbox and they sound awesome IMO. They handle well in the wet as well as the dry. Get one, you won't be disappointed!

I know there were some reported faults with the Vanos units but I'm not sure it was classed as a common problem.

328 is slow? Compared to what? Oh, silly me, it's not an RS so it must be slow

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

Evo and 3.0 are both top cars

328's are not as slow as fook

SteveB

iTrader: (3)

How can a 193bhp 328i be as fast as the 286 bhp M3 3.0????


From what i've read etc the M3 seems to be 1 of the best all round cars to buy.....

Once watched a documentary about Mick Doohan the ex multi 500cc motorbike world champion and he was showing all of his toys off and opened his garage to show everyone his favorite toy....... E36 M3 and this is a man who could probably have any car he wishes.......

Nick b

I have an 3.0 M3 and its a superb car
Top quality build, fast, reliable (thats done it now ) and a pleasure to drive.

I am shit in rear wheel drive cars, but you will only lose the back end if you are being stupid!!!!!!!!!!


Nick b

Dragon

LOL

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

my cousin has a evo convertible - not as quick as the cossie but nevertheless a brilliant car

His VANOS unit fooked up and a BMW dealership wanted 2 grand to fix/replace it he eventually took it to another dealership Heathrow BMW and they fixed the VANOS unit which only cost him a couple of quid as the bit that broke was worth about 2 pence

JoeE30

I have a 328ci and belive me it would beat a std cossie.

Mine is an e46 so looks a lot different but basicly the same car. Really nice would have a bmw for everyday use over any RS. First and last point, i dont have to worry everytime i give it a little bit thinking that it will break.

Dan

I love them, both the 3.0 and the 3.2 M3's, my mates had a few BMW's and his dad has had loads, all wicked cars and went like fcuk!

Hi old man's got the ZM3 Coupe at the moment with Schnitzer everything and 3k BBS wheels, looks stunning!

You'll enjoy it mate! BTW, Whats a Vanos Unit!?

Azrael

TO make it simple enough - BMW's v-tec, or VVT-i. But from what I remember it's technically more similar to Porsche's system.

zaki

how would an e 36 evo hold up against a stage 3 2wd cossie?

Mike1

In terms of interior quality, build quality etc I'd concur but I don' t believe a std 328ci would be any quicker on the road or track than a std 2wd Cossie from my own personal experiences.

Dan

Not sure if it would beat it, but would be very similar, their good handling, well good all round cars mate, cossie might have the edge on it cos of the Turbo, but i'm sure it wouldn't get canned!

Cheers Jakob, expertly put for a dinlow like me!

wildheart

iTrader: (4)

My stage 3 cos is slightly faster than my mates M3 Evo

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

i pissed all over my cousins M3 when i was running greens - he got a headstart as i was waiting for my turbo to spin up but once it was on boost it was goodbye M3 cousin could not fookin believe it and was gutted

RichardPON

I ran at the Pod against an M3 when I was T3 and greens, and there was absolutely nothing in it.

I love M3s - the straight line performance isn't what does it for me - it's the brilliantly balanced chassis

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

Comfy, fast, good looking, reliable, well built, classy.... the list goes on!

Benn 304R

Thats a good description of me Porkie, Thanks m8, I love you to

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

RichardPON

FPMSL @ delusional Benn

Benn 304R

Oi

Thats how Chelle dscribes me aswell i have you know

Dragon

I think you've got your answer now Rob - it looks like you'll have to change the Dagenham rocket for a Nazi built M badge

SIJ

Does any1 know the 0-100 or 0-120 time of the E46 m3?

Oranoco

Great cars, superbly built and well balanced.

Personally wouldn't touch any BMW with a very long bargepole. I just hate the image of the damn things.

simonc

I had an M3 3.0 coupe for 2 & a half years & could not fault it, the build quality was excellent, still felt tight at 120k & never used any oil. Had my 3dr cossie at the same time as the M3 , when the cossie was running at 290bhp (greens T3) it was slightly quicker in a straight line but not by much, the M3 was quicker point to point as it was far more stable at high speeds/cornering. Keep thinking of selling the cossie all the time & the only car i would replace it with is a M3 E36 as they are a real performance bargain for the money Ł5k upwards. Sold my M3 a year ago to Danvisteon on here who loves it

BUY A M3 3.0 COUPE E36 YOU WILL LOVE IT

Simon.

BEC_400

Yeh they are good cars but they can be a bitch to put right if you buy a bad one and very costly indeed, absolutely no different from a cossie regardless of quality ect.
I just fit a manifold on a 3.0 one because it had cracked.Ł800 please and that was the rear section!

The vanos can go on both the 3.0 and evo,the 3.0 will be cheaper because it only has single vanos and there are a few other bits that go, such as MAFs,cats,lambda,s.The main issue is really oil leaks on the engine ŁŁŁŁ.

I really prefer the 3.0,they rev much better than the evos and feel just as powerful.The box is also much slicker on the 3.0 compared with the notchy evo 6spd.
The evos however are better built and have more toys.

simonc

If you had all those problems you must of bought a shed . I wouldn't even consider buying a another M3 without full main dealer hist , don't touch any chaved up M3's either, its got to be bog standard. Are you sure you didn't have a cossie lump in your M3 (oil leaks) . Maybe i was lucky then, mine never suffered any of the faults you mention, i had 30k of trouble free motoring Just paid for main dealer servicing (expensive) & tyres ŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁ

Simon.

PhilM

What do people reacon to the e36 320? Worth buying over the 318 for an everyday runabout? Maybe the occasional lap round Combe?

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

I find it shocking that someone with an Escort Rs Turbo can say he wouldn't buy another car because they have a bad image?!?!?!?!?

Seriously thats weird mate! you obviously enjoy and love your RST and thats why you have it! It clearly doesn't bother you that 'some' people see them as a teenagers Chav shed!

Why should that be any different in another car??? genuine question mate. I buy cars because I like them and I like driving them, sod what others think!

Azrael

POrkie

EIL132

Love it

Oranoco

I can appreciate the M3 is a tool but I just don't like them. I've never been into BMW's (bar the original E30 M3). That doesn't mean I don't respect them as I do.

When we went for a new car after the demise of the 2i we could have had a BMW. Because of the badge and it's image of "tosser" we chose an Audi instead as we felt it to be a more understated car. And before anybody mentions it I'm well aware of the "boy racer" image of my RST but I'd rather be labelled a boy racer than tosser.

Just my thoughts so please don't anybody take offence as that's not my intention. I was asked so I answered

jameswrx

Had a 3.0L, was a very nice car.

To give an idea of performance..

A work mate took me to pick up my M3 when I bought it in his 95 WRX subaru which is modified and 'feels' quick (remap, full exhaust, 1.3bar, etc circa 290bhp) On the way home we had a lot of 'tests' and they were vertually identical right up to an indicated 140mph (on the test track we found). What suprised me was my mate saying when I took off from a standstill he nearly couldn't keep up (thought the wrx would eat the m3 up to 60)

Also I had a WRX wagon running 1bar and had a drag off a roundabout onto a dual carraigeway with an e36 evo m3 and it went past me like I was standing still.

They don't feel that fast at first, but when you get used to the power and forget about the hit you get from a turbo they are really fast cars.

I've currently got an E46 323i which I thought would be an old slug but even that gets a tramp on, wiped the smile off a few boy racers faces.

Sorry for the swearing earlier in the post (wrx)

jameswrx

surely they go hand in hand