JonsilvZ

It was a black 04 M3 coupe SMG with 13k miles. I tried the sportiest manual mode. Starting of is easy. It stays in neutral before moving forward or reverse. It sounds really raspy which is good. When foot to the floor and shifting, it feels quick as my manual mode in my Z. Its a nice car but I wouldnt trade my Z for it. For 50k I would get something much quicker. Preferably Japanese. The price I payed for my Z, is definitely a bargain!

cehome

iTrader: (7)

You're just blind by your Japanese bias that's all.

s0nz

LOL at cehomes comment.



i would trade in the Z any day for a BRAND NEW m3, but mine would be the 6speed not the SMG. I wouldnt take a used bmw, dunno what people do to em....

OZ-Z

The M3 is way faster than a 350Z..rides better too..But not as fun to "toss around the road" and not as cool. I own both, lucky me.
i never let my wife drive my Z as she can't see over the dash (5'0")...But I driver her 6spd M3

JonsilvZ

I say this because the most reliable cars are Japanese. In general they do come on top. Thats a fact.Most people think German cars are trouble free. But they do have more problems then domestic or Japanese. I do have the $ to get a 50k car but I wouldnt spend it on a German or domestic. Come on I could get a Z06 right now which could blow away any car in its price range.
BTW when the e46 first came out the motors have been blowing up. I said to myself this car is not for me.

Spideynw

He meant to say he would not trade his Z and then pay the extra 20k for it. I am sure he would trade his Z straight across for it, then sell it, and either buy a new Z or something else in the 50k or less price range.

Santacruzslick

iTrader: (12)

I don't really like bimmers...theyre way too common around here. The Z is different! Different I tell you!!

Poizon

iTrader: (4)

M5

ZZtopp

iTrader: (1)

Are we talking about cars?

Skrill

I used to own an SMG M3 and I would like to know what kind of crack you smoke when say that SMG in S5 of S6 mode (not sure which your were in -- you just said he fastest) is as "quick as" your 5AT in manual mode with WOT.

Trust me -- your slush box is about 10x slower than the SMG in its fastest shift mode (which shifts in less than a 1/10th of a second). It's faster than any human, and far, far faster than any manu-mantic AT.

The 5AT is a great AT -- but it is not meant to be (nor is it) a competitor to a true sequential. Personally, I drove a 5AT loaner for a while and felt the tranny to be sluggish on downshifts and upshifts manual mode. But the auto mode was great for cruising.

Here is a pic of my SMG -- it was a beauty:



Gratuitous red leather shot:



I loved that car -- but I love my Z just as much. And my Z is honestly more fun on a racetrack.

NickyBlue_S

I disagree BMWs are very reliable and run strong and smooth for a long time. ONe of my friends has a 97 528 or 530 and it has 160K miles on it and runs and feels strong adn smooth. Also if you need something fixed under warranty BMW is great they fix pretty much everything w/ out fighting with you. Go to Acura or Nissan adn you have to fight tooth and nail because they try so hard to void warranty as much as possible.

ThrillZ

Skrill - she truly was a beauty.
Did you trade her in for the Z?

Stock for stock, like for like, there is NO WAY a 350Z can match an M3.

You could put Michael Schumacher in my Z, and my mum (the worlds worst driver, unless it's demolition derby and then she is world-class) in my M3, and the Z is losing everytime.

Seriously though, a stock Z is NO match for a stock M3 - ever!

Skrill

I really liked my M3 -- but it was my only car and I decided I wanted a car for a track and something more practical for the daily. So for the price of my M3 -- I have gotten a Z and have a 2005 Xterra Offroad 4x4 on order.

As for the M3 v. Z. You could not be more wrong. On a proper road track -- the Z pumps out almost equal lap times as the M. The Z is 200 lbs lighter and that equates to better cornering speeds and later braking zones. M3 has a lot more grunt, but the weight it carries hurts it.

Check out this article and note the lap times the Z and M3 posted around Willow Springs (the Z actually puts out a slightly better lap):

Road and Track Comparo

My own experience in my Z (which I have added Stoptechs to and SSR Comps with big street rubber) v. my mostly stock M3 -- the Z is just as quick around Willow Springs. I notice that down the front straight my M3 could get to low 130s, where the Z was closer to low 120s. But the Z makes up time in the complex corners and in the high speed sweepers (lighter weight = higher cornering speeds).

And trust me -- Michael Schumacher in a Z versus anyone not a pro driver in an M3 (stock v. stock) -- Schumacher wins by miles. In fact, I would bet that me in my Z versus you in your M3 around any road track -- and I will win, every time.

In fact -- take any SCCA Spec Miata driver (126 hp) versus you in your M3 and the Miata wins every time. I myself have been passed by Spec Miata at track days when I had my M3.

Lesson to be learned: It's the driver ... not the car.

ThrillZ

I may agree with you around a track, but I was talking about stock for stock, in the REAL world.

350Z STOCK vs. M3 STOCK with equal drivers = you cannot tell me the 350Z is the quicker car???

If so, you need to call Munich, because BMW must have slipped the 3.0 I6 in your M by mistake!

My daily commute never takes me around Willow Springs.
Is that exit 4a or 5a off I-294?

Skrill

The more you write, the more it's clear to me you don't really understand anything about what makes cars fast.

Road and Track shows that the stock Track Model Z vs. SMG M3 (with equal drivers) is a virtual dead heat (in the REAL world), at a place you would test such things (a road track). As for regular road driving on whatever interstate -- neither car is anywhere near it's limit, so it's not a real test.

It seems to me what you are really writing about is straight line speed -- which yes the M3 is faster (better gearing, and an 8k rpm redline makes this true). But straight line stuff is for the kiddies. I have no time for it. And if all you care about is straight line -- you wasted your money on the Z and M3. Any decent Mustang SVT or Corvette will roast you. Neither the M3 or the Z is a good quarter-mile car.

Have a nice day.

Edit: One more thing -- originally you said "Seriously though, a stock Z is NO match for a stock M3 - ever!" -- I have shown that this is certainly not the case. The Z and M3 are well matched on a road track. And your statement is laughable.

KingofScion

In typical driving conditions of I-88 or i-294 or whatever, there is no fast car, it's always jammed...

Sorry, I love my Z, but the m3 in real world driving will always win given equal drivers

Skrill

Please define "real world driving" -- I don't get it. Are you saying that the M3 is faster -- but just not on a race track. It makes no sense.

ThrillZ

Skrill, I had some respect for you at the start BUT it is you that is laughable and obviously have NO IDEA what the hell you are talking about.

As I have stated to educated people on this board before, I love cars, I love my Z, BUT I am realistic. I am not so biased towards my car that I make ridiculous comments that only destroy one's credibility.

Idiot + No credibility = Worthless opinion

It is obvious to me that the picture you display was NOT your M3 at all, and that you have most likely never ever driven one, because if you had you would not make such idiotic comments like you do, which only make you look like a fool and discredit you.

I know that 0-60 times are not the be all and end all, and I know the Z nor M3 is the quickest out there BUT I am sensible enough to know where each car stands in real terms. Most people never drive their cars on a track you fool. And I for one do not go around racing everybody on the street thinking I am at Monaco. (which I can tell from what YOU write, is what type of idiot you are = boy-racer)

Don't tell me, next your going to tell us that our Z's are faster than a GT3 on the track also!

First class ***-clown alert people - watch out.

(From someone who loves his Z and his M3 but is realistic to where they stand on the automotive food chain.)

ThrillZ

Thank you KingofScion, someone with some sense for a change.

And you are damn right about that freeway comment - I might as well use a skateboard traffic sucks so bad.

ThrillZ

Skrill, you are obviously NOT the brightest bulb in the box are you?

You need to sell your car and put that money towards an education my lad.