I have been thinking about this forever! Please give me some insight.

Currently I own a track 350z. I have had it for a little more than a year now and I am thinking of either selling it and getting an M3 or keeping it and slapping a S/C or Turbo on the Z.

I hate the interior of the Z and I want something that looks and feels nicer like the M3. But I don't know if its worth to spend about 20K in getting a second hand M3 that only has about 20hp more than my Z (I modded my Z a little).

What should I do?

Superchargers cost about 3000+ and gains about 100 hp
Turbos are generally 5000+ and gains about 150+ hp

I can spend a little more to change the seats and upgrade the stereo a little... but hey.. its still a Nissan

M3 is about 20,000+ (less 27,000 when I sell my Z) and gain about 20 hp + 2 more seats and a nicer interior and sound system... and the new M3 is just around the corner and I am worried about the depreciation...

Can someone PLEASE give me some of your opinion???

 

i would say keep the Z and turbo/sc it.

 

In my opinion, the e46 M3 isn't worth the extra money just for an interior upgrade. It's a nice car, but just not worth the extra cash, in my opinion, unless you just want the BMW name. One of the main reasons I also say this is that the M3 is getting new styling and a V8 powerplant within the next year. It might be worth it to just wait and see what comes of it.

 

+1 I would wait for the new ones, or you will be kicking your self in the *** this time next year

 

What's wrong with the Z interior? It's perfectly made IMO . . . . . or I may be just low class roflmao.

 

You'll also be kicking yourself in the *** when it comes down to repair bills on the BMW...I heard German cars are pricey to fix.

Plus, I'm still mad about WWII, dammit!! LOL

 

you can always upgrade the interior of your z too - i've see some show car z's (pics) that look phenomenal if you don't like the stock look.

 

Must have forgotten about Pearl Harbor buddy

 

I hear ya, Brick-Z....But I don't really trust American Cars and Korean Cars (Damn...we went to war with them too!) are just NOT (AND NEVER WILL BE) an option.

I will say that we REALLY f*cked up Hiroshima when we dropped the bomb...Thousands killed and many more with birth defects (due to radioactive fallout) and other shyt (Therefore, I'd say we got plenty of payback for Pearl Harbor).

Maybe I should wait for Peugeot, Citreon, or Alfa Romeo cars to come back to the US...LOL!!

 

i love the m3. don't get me wrong. and i used to have a 330ci. but there is something about them that i can't put my finger on that would make me never buy one again. performance is great. interior exceptional. it's just that for some reason i have a hard time with the concept of luxary and sport. i guess i am more of a purist. i want a functional interior not a second home in my car. i believe a sports car should have just enough to get the job done. i'm not interested in bells and whistles in my sports car. a driver's car is meant to be driven, not lived in.... IMHO.

even when i had my boxster s a few years back. the interior was very nice and plush. but all functional. no gadgets or bells and whistles. every button and compartment was carefully placed to enhance the experience behind the wheel. not sitting in the parking lot.

 

I sat in an M3 and while it was nice, I really didn't think it was all that much nicer than the Z. Plus, the one I sat in was owned by an ex-Z owner and he said he missed his Z so much more because it was much more fun to drive.

 

You are about 2-3x off on the price of those FI products, unless you are talking about product price only excluding installation.

Add on the right price and rethink FI-Z and M3 again. That might make more sense.

 

The Italians were alllies of Japan/Germany in WWII. So going by that you shouldnt buy Ferraris, Lambos, Fiats and Maseratis. The French were our allies but recently didn't help out with the War against Terrorism. So screw them!

And then there's the North Koreans. Soon you shouldnt be buying Hyundais and Kias.

The best thing to do is to buy CHERY. A car company in CHINA.

 

If I would of pick between the M3 and the Z it will be hard. If u like modifing yur car alot then stay with the Z. M3 are VERY expensive to modify. My brother has one. A good use M3 would be aleast 30k.

 

stash away 10-15grand for repairs if your buying used.

 

Just wait for a new M3 - it will have a V8 engine.

I dont think it is resonable to change the Z for a V6 beemer. Just wait and get the new redesigned one - it should be about 400HP NA. That would be a nice upgrade.

Also if you can afford get a new one (the new M3 will be like 50-60k) - and if you cant just stick with your Z and upgrade it a bit.

 

If the decision is tough for him now because of the cost, telling him to wait for the V8 puts things out of the price range by a whole lot. I don't see that as an option here. My contribution:

M3's keep their value much better than the Z. You might pay more for an M3 but it'll keep much of that price.

BMW's are fantastic cars. But like someone mentioned above...there's something "off" about the luxury sport concept.

BMW's are expensive to maintain. My wife is taking her 325i in this weekend for the 60k maintainence....to the tune of $700 (and that's if she's telling me the truth - but I suspect it's more and she doesn't want to admit to it). Previously she had one of those v8 540i's...it was sweet but we spent a good $1k a year minimum on various things for it.

If the interior is more important than the exterior, get the M3.

If you need to take people out for nice dinner's or work-related things, get the M3.

I, personally, cannot get comfortable in a BMW. My wife has had 2 and I've driven 2 others in my life. In NONE of them was I able to adjust the seats to a point where I was actually comfortable. I just couldn't. There are like 10 options/*****/settings yet I still don't fit in the car right. In her 325i now, I feel too low and it's a total PITA to get in/out of the car.

 

Spend a few thousand and get a custome leather interior made. you might like your self better then . The seats are about as much leather as I want.

 

america went to war with NORTH korea all the korean car companies are from SOUTH korea

you shouldnt buy the car because it sucks

 

If he can not afford it he should not be thinking about m3. I am a firm believer of buying things that one CAN actualy afford. However, we would not grow as an economy if we had people like me