scooby222

as above,basically i may have a chance to get a new M3 to replace my my00 classic. have been planning an 05 sti ppp or evo 8 260 but now this chance has come up and its tempting,but im not sure how id get on with rear wheel drive. weve got a lot of crappy weather and road surfaces up here!! so,any words of wisdom from people whove been here?

Gutmann pug

No words of wisdom other than I would have one. The new ones look a bit more grown up than scoobs i think.

oakey100

My brother has got one. Well nice and quick. No problems with handling in the wet, traction control sorts it out if pushing hard. If you turn the traction control off, car is still controllable, easy to power slide round big roundabouts!

Make sure you get one with 19" alloys, look **** without. They are worth every penny, go for it!

scooby222

i agree gutmann, thats part of the problem! theres a boy racer inside of me that says the M3s a bit too grown up for me yet. im worried that the sti's ride could be too hard tho,i cant find a dealer with one as a demo yet. also the M3 has all the toys comfort and quality,but still bloody fast. i thought the running costs may be better for the M3,i know the depreciation would be! but every time i hear a flat four rumble past...

EIL132

M3

jonc

I've heard that 18" give it better ride and handling though.

fatscoobyfella

Buy an E39 M5 and scare yourself to death every day...will certainly teach you to drive,the old fashioned way..which of course is the best!!

M3's are a lovely car..i used to have an E36 M3 and my missus still does..Likes been said...Quick,lovely,refined,just watch out for dodgy vanos unit and keep to good coloured,low mileage examples and its a good buy...if bought right and kept right,depreciation wont even come into the equation..

slim_boy_fat

Spoken like a true max power reader....

MJW

Go for it - live with it for a year or so. If you don't like it you can always knock it in later, by which time you should be able to pick up MY05 Scoob cheaper. I don't think the fact that its RWD is much of an issue due to traction control systems, they're pretty forgiving.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

depends if it snows where you live, and do you like to play in said snow? if yes, then no dont buy it, if it never snows, or dosent rain much (then you dont live in england) buy it as their brilliant fun otherwise stick to the scoob/evo

MarkCSC

buy a 911

Senior_AP

Yep. Tiff reckons the 19's **** it all up.

....and who am I to argue with him!!!

AudiMan

M3 - lovely motor, I did hear a service is the best part of a grand !!, still if you can afford to buy etc...

Ian

p.s. I'd have one, either that very dark red or grey.

Adam M

whats this abuot depreciation?

I have heard terrible stories with friends losing over 13k a year.

Dealers pay stupid (more stupid than normal) prices for them, and the second hand market for them is flooded.

I wouldn't on bank on the depreciation not being a major factor.

Mad Gypsy

Have to agree, did exactly that myself. Faster than my 310bhp STi Type R, faster than the M3 (not by much) and handles better than either.
Plus you'll lose much less with this option. Plus those looks!! gets far more attention than a M3 could ever wish for (I see 10 M3's for every 911)

Remember, it's not just a car, it's a 911!

simo

I would'nt bother

had one for a w/end, looks nice, good build quality but not much fun to drive. really need to be flying to enjoy the engine where as the scoob good from the off.

Ref the 911, well thats an other matter . can't comment 1st hand by deffo on my wish list for one day

ADP

Interesting been keeping my eyes on these for ages now - seemed to have dropped in price BIG time - seen 25k milers for £23-5K which is cheap if you ask me. No problem with RWD(Im in an S2000 at the mo) Id struggle to go back to 4X4 though I can see the attraction still to a degree. Lovely cars - lots of toys if specced up well, classy, refined etc - I would still consider a 911, but a good 996 is still 35K + and a 993 is similar money - big cross over there, 993s really holding money these days

NOZZER

I cant believe all these people saying that the M3 is boring to drive, what utter crap, its far more driver orrientated that any of the 3 scoobs ive had(including a P1 for 3 years). Ive got a 52 M3 with all the toys inc smg II.
Its better built, quieter with far more toys, handles better than a scoob and is just as quick if not quicker than my P1.
For example, its nearly 10 seconds a lap around the ring than my P1 and 3-4 seconds quicker around castle combe.
Its by far the best car ive owned.
The trouble with scoobs is that it makes average drivers look good as it nearly does it all for you.
I do agree with the depreciation on the porker though, far better than the M3, although as an overall package, i believe the M3 is better. I had a 996 c4 on order and it just was not practicall, about the same in pace, not as many toys wher as the M3 has all the above.
Great overall package.

MadMark

I used to have an E36 Evo - one of the late Saloons - lovely car that I still miss at times ..... but I'm saving up for an E46 at the moment.
I prefer the looks of the 19's - but the car feels a little hamstrung on them and has loads more feel on the 18's ..... you pays your money .....

Bobby Peru

Wher can you get a 25k miles M3 for £23000, everyone keeps saying this but where are they????

NOZZER

I know, people talk crap!

Bobby Peru

I have a feeling some of the anti M3/BMW brigade spout this nonsense out of wishful thinking about supposedly fragile residuals, look on autotrader and all you'll find is a very leggy 'Y' plate or LHD model, with 18"s and lowish spec, a 25k miles model will likely cost upwards of 25k, mmmmmm, really bad residuals!!!!!!!

Mmmmm

18's or 19's not much difference, 19's slightly harsher ride, I've driven 18's several times and owned 19's (csl has lovely 19's)


Doesn't look as if he's enjoying it that much but it's just the g forces.

Great cars loads of fun, amazingly forgiving, great stability control, but like any very powerful RWD car you can mess it up if you are very clumsy. Although it's much easier to correct than a Porsche and less sensitive to clumsy behaviour.

Cabs are also great, good resale value, 95% of the dynamic ability and on the track can actualy cut it suprisingly well, picks up traction in places the coupe doesn't and vice versa. Been to silverstone with 90 odd other M3s , passed lots of coupes that day and the odd one on other track days.

Almost as practical, fairly rigid with only some flex on the very worst surfaces, the hood can squeak unless it's lubed, but it's a very good hood.

In addition you get all the extra thrills of open air motoring and lots of attention from young ladies (one reason the cab is heavier is that it is fitted with a larger fanny magnet)

Great cars

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

I've had several rides in a mate's BMW M3 convertible (on 19s). Was VERY impressed and would most definately have one.....er, if I could aford it, that is! The egine is almost worth the asking price alone. Go for a manual though, good as DSG2 is, you just can't beat a decent manual for driver involvement.

You'd need to be mindful of the RWD if you had the traction control off, but otherwise you could let it take the strain for you. Even with it off, in the dry it takes some provocation to get it to slide (as my mate delighted in showing me) and gives the impression of breaking away progressively.You would loose out somewhat on the Scoobys anytime, anyplace, anwhere, anyweather, ability though. and you'd miss the flat four burble, great as the straight six sounds.

Other drivers will also hate you, even fellow BMW owners ;-) Seriously though, my mate had four main comments when he went for a spin in the Scooby

1) Fast isn't it, especially for the money, quite obscene actually.
2) Really confidence inspiring, you can push it in ways and in conditions that I wouldn't dare with the BMW
3) Love the community spirit...BMW drivers are such miserable gits!! :-)
4) Oh, and that sound is sooo nice...like an mini V8!!

Either way, I think you'd be very happy!

Best.

Spudgun R32

i sold my e46 m3 with smg a few months back. you'll see that a lot of people, especially ones who like to tinker with their cars (mainly scooby/evo owners) sell relatively quickly.

why did i sell? boredom basically. theres not a lot you are allowed to do to them with regards to warranty, and once used to the speed, it gets dissatisfying.

good points...
-nice interior
-looks smart
-engine sounds good.

bad points...
-everyone, and i mean everyone on the road hates you! be prepared to wait a long time to be let out at junctions etc
-the lovely interior squeeks and rattles. i think my old e36 was better built. satnav was useless, hard not to kerb the 19"wheels, smg box jerky.totally overated build quality.
-image.you may be the nicest bloke in the world, but turn up in one of these and everyone thinks your a ****. sad but true.
- very skittish on wet/damp/icy roads
-residuals. nowhere near as good as youd think they were.

i havent missed mine once since i sold it. the heated seats lately yeah, but everything else? nah, rather stick with japanese cars, much more satisfying in a weird way. just my own opinion, not meant to offend anyone with an m3

imi

I understand what you mean.

Japanese cars in general:

- Better Engineering
- Great Engines
- Excellent Reliability

And these days:

- Very good Build quality
- Good interiors (wow, i thought I'd never say that)
- AND HALF THE PRICE.

Look at the 350Z...WOW OR the Skylines and the Supra....very very good. Plus the Older Honda's ITR, ATR, CRX, Preludes.....

scooby222

well so far it seems to be a thumbs up for the M3 then!!! im in central scotland,so it does snowand rain has been known occassionally...
but i think that i could work with a combination of t/c and self restraint. well the t/c should work anyway
dont fancy a grand for servicing tho,that may need investigation. i wouldnt normally have the cash for this but my dads trying to get rid of a 6 month old 330d and it looks like his only way to get reasonable money is to px it against another bm,so i suggested swapping it and my scoob for a shiny new M3.i am thinking that if im not madly in love after a year then its off back to scoobyland, and will have lost a lot less than an sti in a year. still love the imprezas, but kinda feel if the chance is there i may as well give it a go!!
for all the people suggesting porsches finest i have to say ,without a seconds hesitation but i aint in a position to run or insure one yet(only 26) but i know what i want for my 30th birthday!!
so, off to the bmw garage this weekend i think,theres no way im handing over that sort of wedge without a bloody good test drive!

backdoors

Most jap cars have no style, I'm sorry the Skyline looks ****e, like a 3 year old randomly threw it together

Mad Gypsy

Would agree with you if you hadn't chosen the Skyline as looking ****e. I think it's the best looking Jap car ever. Well the GTR34 is, the 32 looks awful and the 33 isn't much better. But, on the whole, Jap cars do lack style.

Build quality still leaves a lot to be desired and is still nowhere near as good as German (new Mercs are now as well built as your average french crap with four wheels). I have yet to see a Jap car with a nice interior.

But if you want the biggest bang for your buck, it has to be Jap every time.

ARRON BIRD

I cannot and I mean cannot believe that someone has actually got the hood down on a track day...............what is wrong with you
Is it "I`ve got a cab so I`m gonna use it" syndrome??
M3.......been there done that when they first came out.
Do a search and you will find all the ramblings I`m sure.
Do yourself a favour and steal a used CSL off someone for circa £40K.
Were £62 a Year ago....thats the one to go for.