jimmy wrx

Has anyone got one or has test drove one ? How do they score against the scoob ? I have test drove a 996 c4 and I don't rate it till after 70

Is the beamer a lot of hot air ....ie too big for the bhp ,handle like a flump ?

RS Grant

I have taken a couple of them on now...

One was a first E46 in black, beat him from rolling 2nd gear to the middle of 4th gear. I stopped at next roundabout, to wait for traffic, so he caught up with me and pulled level, I looked over with a HUGE smile on my face... and the guy looked over smiled back and gave me a thumbs up, how very "un-BMW-driver-like"

The other was a new silver E46 (LED Rear Lights), he put foot down coming off a roundabout at about the middle of 2nd gear, he went for it first and as a result pulled a car length or two on me, which I reeled back in towards the end of 4th gear.

Used to think that they were untouchable in anything other than another "Supercar" however, I must say I was a wee bit disappointed that it didnt stomp all over me... 343bhp, RWD... Have to say, that even though I have a Firestorm B/B on my car, I could still hear the silver one... and it sounded very very nice!!

My car is a MY99 UK Impreza PPP with a couple of mods, does the standing 1/4 mile in 13.3secs @ 105mph at Crail, Scotland.

Cheers,
Grant

DazV

(sigh)

For an answer to this question do a search on here for "tedious debates M3 versus Impreza"

For the record, I've owned a PPP'd MY00 + scoobysport full exhaust, an e36 M3 EVO and an e46 M3

2 very different cars, yadah, yahdah....4x4....RWD....yaddah...power..to...weigh t....yadah...TURBO....yadah....GRIP....yadah...val ue...for...money....yadah....

Bottom Line: The rice box keeps up to 60 then the M3 drives away.

Mmmmm

As above

Better geared higher up

Handles well

But best of all has great change up lights that come on as you hit the power peak



The lights alone make it well worth the extra money

RS Grant

Those lights are very cool!!

I am just posting my own genuine, honest personal experiences, where my "Rice-Box" not only beat it past 60, but continued right round to well over a ton...

I'm sorry if that steps on some peoples toes round here... But to be honest, I dont give a ****... So sigh all you like mate...

Cheers,
Grant

bloke

Had a play with one on track vs my PPP'd MY99 when I had it, and tbh it did put a few car lengths on down the straights but luckily the driver wasn't too great so was easy to reel back in under braking and through the *ahem* twisties. I would think a well driven one would have bu99ered off tho.

Franko

I agree with RS Grant.
The scoob is capable of keeping up with the M3 even at the top end. I did in my MY98 sti on the M1 and own a E46 M3 too.

I would say the M3 is more of a gentlemans car and the scooby is more of a raw power machine.
Build quality on the M3 is waay better than the scoob and i'd say its more reliable too.

davyboy

The older the classics get, the faster they go huh?

tiggers

For the love of God not again - do you people not know how to use search?

The M3 vs Scoob debate has been had on here more times than I've had hot dinners.

Those who own a Scoob say the Scoob is best.

Those who own an M3 or like most have never driven one, but who have swallowed BMW's marketing BS say the M3 is best.

There is no right or wrong answer - it's horses for courses.

tiggers.

davyboy

....and everyone of the threads has a post by tiggers going on about something or other..............

NACRO

and also a lame interjection by Mr. Chav davyboy the Porsche bore who can't afford a proper one................

davyboy

Edited to keep thread on track.

GCollier

If you didn't rate the 996, I doubt you will rate the E46 M3.

Six months or so ago I test drove an M3 (new baby, was considering something a little more practical than the porsche 996 C2 I have). I was very disappointed in the M3 after all the hype. Compared to the porsche it felt badly built, lousy engine note, didn't feel as fast (less torque + more weight?), uninvolving steering. So I kept my 996...

tiggers

Thanks Nacro,

You beat me to it.

Cheers,

tiggers.

davyboy

Back on topic

A mate at work has one, and it is the most fantastic road car - it has everything you would want, fantastic interior, stereo, power, noise. Not the best track car in the world - but if you don't do track days, I would say they are great!

Unfortunately someone deceided to hit it with a hammer the other day! Bonnet and window need replacing

Skittles

Assuming, unlike many people posting here, your interest in a car runs deeper than "I blasted it in 2nd to 4th, therefore it is a crap car" rubbish:

I swapped my E46 M3 for a 996 C4. I found them fairly similar cars, so I wonder if you will like the M3? This is not massively surprising as they are both comfy refined coupes, with similar engine characteristics (i.e. torque/BHP). The build quality on the M3 is better, the 996 feels more special due to a more unique shape. The M3's engine is phenominal.

All this boll*cks about twisties.... The M3 has great grip, and as good GRIP as the Porsche C4, which has better grip than a Scooby as IMHO it is better balanced etc. Traction in the M3 can suffer on wet roads but it has a great DSC system to stop you going into a tree.

PaulMc

Davyboy, said friend doesn't own a black one with small white or silver stickers (I think) on some windows. If he lives in a small market town beginning with 'B', I heard and saw the damage the ******* did early one morning to several cars aswell as the M3. Lovely car! I live about 10 houses from him.

davyboy

Yes, thats the one!

RS Grant

Ok, assuming that you are referring to my first post..

Firstly you dont have the slightest idea how deep my interest in cars runs mate..

Secondly, I am posting my genuine experiences, no lies, no exaggeration and no bull.. Just what happened. If you dont like the fact that my sub 10k "rice-box" kept up with your overpriced german car then thats fair enough, but in all fairness thats a problem you should try and deal with yourself, without posting drivel on an internet forum to make yourself feel better.

Finally, not once did I actually say that the M3 was a rubbish car. In fact, I'm pretty sure that if you read my post properly then you will see that I have got a great deal of respect for them, hence why I had a HUGE smile on my face after having a run against the black one, and why I was a little disappointed in the performance of the M3.


Cheers,
Grant

Dapster

I think what Skittles meant is that the relevance of the "blasted him on the bypass" type posts in answering the question of how good the M3 is is similar to saying what colour pants you were wearing at the time.

Old_Fart

I've a 996 C4S and it really is only entertaining when caning it on a twisty B road..and at that point it is very entertaining indeed However 'A' road or motorway cruising in it leaves me cold...I still think a good 'classic' STI is more fun more of the time.
Saying you test drove a 996 and didn't rate it till after 70mph makes me think you were drivin in straight lines though, no offence intended..
C

Skittles

Think you need to take a chill pill... and quick.
Do a search on the numerous Scooby vs M3 debates, you'll see what I'm talking about.

"If you dont like the fact that my sub 10k "rice-box" kept up with your overpriced german car then thats fair enough, but in all fairness thats a problem you should try and deal with yourself, without posting drivel on an internet forum to make yourself feel better"
Thanks for the psycological analysis; perhaps if you read my post you'll realise I don't actually own an M3.

In any case, evaluating a car's performance based on beating it in a road race is hardly an objective comparison. It could be you are a better and/or more committed driver, but then again it may be the car. You will never know for sure unless you drive both on the same stretch.

Skittles

Hello Tiggers - long time no hear... You have been rather quiet these days.

camk

...quote of the decade....magic

RS Grant

I read your post, and you previously owned an E46 M3... Before your C4S and that was what I was referring to in my reply.

Didnt realise that the Search function had re-appeared since the re-style, my apologies.

I see your point... I hope you can appreciate my reaction due to the comments made regarding the validity of my post.

Consider the Chill Pill taken...

Cheers,
Grant

Skittles

Sure can mate. No hard feelings I hope.

Oops, good point!

RS Grant

Nah no hard feelings... Its all part of the "Scoobynet Banter" isnt it!!

Cheers,
Grant

PPPMAT

The M3 is a great car. Sure its quick in a straight line but on everyday roads a well driven scoob will keep up. Above a ton, the M3 is quicker - no question. Its also great fun around the twisties if you like powerslides and opposite lock. My only ctiticism is you do feel the weight a bit.

I own one and so am biased - its perfect for me at this time. No doubt you can buy a scooby and make it quicker for less money but you can say that about almost any car.

B ritish M iddleclass W ***ers

stone-islandM3

Haha, I've got an E36 M3 and just about most cars on the road beat me-probably cos most of the time I've got wife & kids in the car and drive it like a poof.

C

Thats just it...

The M3 doesnt exactly have the best image in the world these days, but it's a damn sight better than the Subaru's...

It's the whole ownership prospect you have to take into account, not just the fact that your baked bean tin could sneak ahead of him in a 'race' (do you know if he was even giving it everything?)

All you have to do is sit in an M3 to realise it's actually had some money spent on it when it was made whereas IMO you can only describe a Scoob as 'cheap'

Plus the M3 will hold it's value like a Subaru can only dream of these days.....