Does anyone have one as I'm curious as to what they are like for handling especially in the wet when pushed. I'm after a little comfort and quality so I'm thinking about buying one on a 55 plate.

 

Speak to Knoxville aka Gav Renshaw mate, he has had a couple and can drive pretty well!

 

Gav has the csl doesn't he?
I've not had the normal m3 but I've had the csl and it was the best car I've owned
Lawsy on the mlr used to track his aswell

 

He had an M3 before the CSL!

 

.....can't beat a csl

 

I had a 54 plate on 19" Continentals. In the wet on smooth roads it had as good traction as you could expect from RWD and nice handling. On bumpy roads that any Subaru would laugh at in the wet it was atrocious as it ran out of suspension travel and couldn't keep the tyres in proper contact with the tarmac so was unpredictable, slow and not fun. I am no driving god, I would say I am average, but I don't know what a skilled driver could do when the tyres won't stay on the tarmac. I believe they are better on 18s.

 

I've got a 2003 manual M3 coupe. A very different car to the 2005 wide track sti I had. On smooth roads wet or dry they are very planted all be it can't be pushed as hard in the wet as the impresario could.
Good tyres make a massive difference it had bridgestones on when I first got the car, which I thought were very good. However have just had Michelin super sports put on the rear and it feels so much better.

 

I've got a facelift coupe on the M3-specific continentals and before it came off the road for the winter, I took it on a memorial run through some very testing roads up here (Scotland) with around a dozen or so Imprezas from the SIDC. If I'm honest, I was expecting to be quite out of my depth on the run, given that there was a combination of 3xx and 4xx bhp Subarus surrounding me on what is arguably their ideal roads.

Well, given my personal ability behind the wheel is at best above average and not a talented wheel man by any stretch, the M3 kept pace with these lads and at no point in the day did I feel the car was lacking in ability or pace to keep up with them. I was extremely impressed and so were the rest of the lads on the run.


Cheers,
Grant

 

I had an 04 plate smg and it was ****, dull to drive did not feel that special at all, from what I have been told that was my fault for buying the SMG.

 

SMG box in position 6 with DSC off in sports mode, with 8000rpm to play with and a brutal throttle, lightning gear change and rear wheel drive....... and it was dull?

Blooming 'ell mate you must have some crap roads and curcuits where you live.

 

Steve,
Weird innit...... some say they are dull. I'd suggest the driver needs to learn how to drive. lol

SdB had one (SMG) as a daily hack (rain or shine) and he raved about how good it was. Much better than he ever expected, and we all know he can peddle.

 

Do keep up guys thread is over a year old

 

And?

 

after owning one have to agree, compared to scoobs they are pretty dull for a weekend car.

 

That's not what i want to hear Tidgy! I am just in the middle of purchasing one.

 

Shaun, I bought a 59 plate 530d for a little comfort and some ridiculously good mileage. Too many horror stories on the M3's

 

Cop out

 

I still want an M3 but the newer model

 

o dear,,,,, lol only joking hahaha

dont get me wrong, they are very nice cars, they are pretty rapid and a darn sight more comfortable than scoob. They just lack something compared to scoobs to me. Really depends on personal taste though.

Had i been using mine as a daily still it would have stayed

 

Considering making the leap myself. Something about the E46
M3 I can't get out of my head. Will I regret it?...

 

No you won't . It's fantastic bit of kit in the right drivers hands.

 

 

Would it seem quite muted & dull compared to a widetrack STI mapped to 330bhp?

 

personaly i would expect it to be yes, but its very much a personal taste thing

 

You're not getting that rush like from a turbo car. But it can be just as fast in the right environment.
It's a very dynamic and adjustable chassis compared to the scoob.

 

I always wanted an E46 M3 but comments from people that have owned them make me sad lol.

I do love the turbo shove so I'd probably hate one.

I did have the E36 M3's years ago and they felt so slow. I found one cheap and went a fair way to get it, it totally matched my mates 280bhp wrx from standstill upwards but to drive it, it felt nothing. Actually driving it around in the following months you really wouldn't imagine it was the performance pinnacle of the 3 series range.

 

They have a mind of their own. I've had 3 now all with smg. Ive come back to a Scoob because I got to the point where I daren't push it hard. It stepped out on me twice not expecting it, once changing lanes on motorway at 70 and other was going from 4th to 3rd doing 30. That's with traction on

 

Really? Sounds like the rear subframe was hanging off

 

No had repair done at BMW. If there under 10 years they will repair it.

 

I went from an low mile E46 M3 with a great spec prior to my current blobeye.

The M3 was a great car, went well, handled great,comfortable for a long journey etc etc but just missed having a turbo to be honest. On full chat with the traction off it was a great drive but just not the same as the kick in the back you get from a similar power turbo car.

To be honest the only thing I miss about the M3 is hanging the **** end out, apart from that I enjoy the subaru a lot more. Guess im just a chav at heart!

Cheers Ross.