Back to BMW.

[gregrego]

As some of you know, I'm looking to get back into a BMW, I tried a few different cars, but in the end, the BMW suits me the most I find. I want to have a good balance of all aspects of a car. Performance, luxury, looks, drive-ability, and practicality. I used to have a 325ci, and although it was very slow, I still really enjoyed driving and owning the car, and the luxury aspect of the vehicle.

Now I'm stuck with what direction to go in...

I don't want to make payments on an E90/92/93 M3, they would leave me pretty tight every month...

I realllllllly want a hard top convertible, or convertible with removable hardtop.

I will be driving the car year round.. and possibly commuting to fort mac and back with it... (if it comes to that I may buy something else cheap on fuel to go back and forth)

I cannot afford a mercedes anything so don't even go there, their cars are also all very ugly to me.

An E90/92/93 335i is my goal, but finding one with all the options I want proves to be a battle (6 speed, navigation, black wood grain/carbonfiber, saddle or black leather), but the dinan stages are very sexy.

I think I need to drive a 335i and an E46 M3 to really figure out what I need..

Please help.



**Edit

I should also state what I plan to do to the car, I do plan to put some stylish wheels on it, and possibly some performance addons. A 335i would receive Dinan treatment, whereas an e46 M3 would get some HPF loving, nothing crazy just pump it up a bit.

I would also want to track the car a few times a year.

[gregrego]

I think Jaymez can give me good insight, seeing as he has owned both a 335, and m3. Hope he see's this thread!

[signature7]

You should take a good look at Rages car , I'm really tempted to make an offer just because of how unique it is and the type of person who owned it before. I usually would never consider used but it's well documented and treated as new as it comes to used.

[nightfx]

A 335i is a lot more practical imo.

An M3 is an M3, much more raw.

Since you want the better all round car I'd get the 335i which has more than enough power with a Dinan reflash. (I may be biased )

[911fever]

M3 doesn't feel very fast compared to the 335, and if you chip the 335i you'll be almost able to run with stock E90 M3's. But don't get me wrong, both are awesome awesome cars and I hope to be in an M3 in a year

[rage2]

Originally posted by gregrego
I should also state what I plan to do to the car, I do plan to put some stylish wheels on it, and possibly some performance addons. A 335i would receive Dinan treatment, whereas an e46 M3 would get some HPF loving, nothing crazy just pump it up a bit.

I would also want to track the car a few times a year.

My HPF Stage 2 M3 Vert is fully done, everything you can do to it has been done. And I'm letting it go for cheap to get into an R8 or SLR hopefully before the summer's over. The only thing that doesn't meet your criteria is "nothing crazy". The HPF stage 2 is pretty damn fast, and I've driven a lot of fast cars.

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/304343/fs...e-hpf-stage-2/

[gregrego]

Originally posted by rage2

My HPF Stage 2 M3 Vert is fully done, everything you can do to it has been done. And I'm letting it go for cheap to get into an R8 or SLR hopefully before the summer's over. The only thing that doesn't meet your criteria is "nothing crazy". The HPF stage 2 is pretty damn fast, and I've driven a lot of fast cars.

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/304343/fs...e-hpf-stage-2/

That's a beautiful car, but I don't want anything that heavily modified, I want something relatively stock, like I said I will be year round driving the car, and possibly travelling to fort mac and back (500km drive 4-6 times a month)

I'm now leaning toward the 335 mainly due to the warranty, and potency of the dinan flash + upgrades. It's still a problem trying to find one with the color/option combination I want..

[thetransporter]

new bmw 7

[pinoyhero]

Easy choice, 335i. More daily drivable, will stil have warranty and is immensly tunable.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by pinoyhero
Easy choice, 335i. More daily drivable, will stil have warranty and is immensly tunable.

Yeah

[RC-Cola]

I voted for the E46 Coupe due to the fact you see WAY TOO MANY 335i in Calgary.

I agree that it makes the more practical sense to purchase, but if you wanted a practical car to drive to Ft Mac regularly you should be buying a Camry or Accord.

The E46 is still the best looking BMW built and there are lot's of mods available to make the car a sleeper or more your own.

No offense on anyone who owns a convertible on Beyond, but the vast majority look like they should be owned by a chick (Rage's car is one of the few exceptions)! and are totally impractical 9.5 months of the year.

[benyl]

Even a stage 1 HPF kit will cost you upwards of $15K-$$20K. And a stage 2 doesn't make it any more "heavily modified" than a Stage 1 car.

So if you are planning on going the E46 route, rage2's car is a bargain.

You can't really beat the fuel economy of the N54 given the amount of power it puts out.

If you can deal with the problems that the E9X car present, that might be an option, but I don't think all the problems have cropped up yet.

I don't know what to do with my E92. I have already had to replace injectors and I am convinced the fuel pump is going. The new 335is is tempting.

I wouldn't want an E9X out of warranty...

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by RC-Cola

No offense on anyone who owns a convertible on Beyond, but the vast majority look like they should be owned by a chick (Rage's car is one of the few exceptions)! and are totally impractical 9.5 months of the year.

Why are they impractical 9.5 months of the year? They can still be driven, and are sometimes better insulated as well. Not to mention the few exceptions that are lighter than there Coupe equivalents.

[benyl]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo


Why are they impractical 9.5 months of the year? They can still be driven, and are sometimes better insulated as well. Not to mention the few exceptions that are lighter than there Coupe equivalents.

The E93 is 300 - 400 lbs heavier than the E92.

The E46 cab is louder inside than the E46 coupe.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by benyl


The E93 is 300 - 400 lbs heavier than the E92.

Didnt say anything about the E9Xs, I just said in general there are a few convertibles lighter than the coupe equivalent.

[benyl]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo


Didnt say anything about the E9Xs, I just said in general there are a few convertibles lighter than the coupe equivalent.

Yes, but this thread is about the E46 vs the E9X cars.

[911fever]

Originally posted by benyl

If you can deal with the problems that the E9X car present, that might be an option, but I don't think all the problems have cropped up yet.

I don't know what to do with my E92. I have already had to replace injectors and I am convinced the fuel pump is going. The new 335is is tempting.

I wouldn't want an E9X out of warranty...

really? that goes against what a lot of people are finding, good reliability in the E90 vs the E46. The E46 suffered from rear subframe issues, coilpacks, electrical issues, fast tire wear, weak rear struts, etc etc. The E90 seems to be more reliable tbh. The injectors and the fuel pump were both a recall on the 335i if I believe, but once replaced, aren't they pretty reliable?

[RC-Cola]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo


Why are they impractical 9.5 months of the year? They can still be driven, and are sometimes better insulated as well. Not to mention the few exceptions that are lighter than there Coupe equivalents.

I wasn't thinking about weight, but my general impression is you lose the vast majority of your trunk space, the noise levels and as the car ages they tend to leak. seals go.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by RC-Cola


I wasn't thinking about weight, but my general impression is you lose the vast majority of your trunk space, the noise levels and as the car ages they tend to leak. seals go.

I thought you were referring to how most people don't put the roof down often etc. Tops don't tend to leak if you take care of them properly in my experience. Whos buying a E46 or E9X for trunk space anyway

[redline]

My e46 still has warrenty for another 3 years and i have not had a single issue with it... great car