M3 or 350z
11-13-2009, 04:29 AM
#42
have you driven both cars?
if not, i would do that and i think the answer will be eveident. The M3 is way better built, much more fast and tunable, luxurious and so forth.
I was in a similar situation but i made the mistake of picking up the Z because everytime I see an E46 i drool! German engineering FTW!
Search GIAC tune E46 M3 on youtube, you'll be surprised what a 800 chip can do. Thats german cars for you.
if not, i would do that and i think the answer will be eveident. The M3 is way better built, much more fast and tunable, luxurious and so forth.
I was in a similar situation but i made the mistake of picking up the Z because everytime I see an E46 i drool! German engineering FTW!
Search GIAC tune E46 M3 on youtube, you'll be surprised what a 800 chip can do. Thats german cars for you.
11-18-2009, 08:25 PM
#46
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I used to have a Phoenix Yellow M3, then a silver S4 and I currently own an 07 ZR.
If you want a head turner from the general public then the Z will do it for you, but car enthusiasts will appreciate the M3 more. I get more looks in the ZR then I ever did in the M3 but people who love cars loved the M3.
If you think you are bored of the Z, then you will be bored of the M3 even sooner. I found the M3 too luxurious, if possible, too refined to be a true sports car, but a demon when you push it. That is probably why it is such a great car, to quote Luda, it’s a “lady in the street but a freak in the bed”. Truthfully the general public wouldn’t even blink an eye at the M3 until they have a ride in one.
The M3 will definitely cost more to maintain and run. But the M3 is still a head turner in my eyes, I still find myself gawking at them when I see one on the streets.
If I had my choice I would have kept the S4 and the ZR, but the S4 was killing me in gas mileage so I gave into a TSX as my DD instead.
I went from:
Then to:
And now:
If you want a head turner from the general public then the Z will do it for you, but car enthusiasts will appreciate the M3 more. I get more looks in the ZR then I ever did in the M3 but people who love cars loved the M3.
If you think you are bored of the Z, then you will be bored of the M3 even sooner. I found the M3 too luxurious, if possible, too refined to be a true sports car, but a demon when you push it. That is probably why it is such a great car, to quote Luda, it’s a “lady in the street but a freak in the bed”. Truthfully the general public wouldn’t even blink an eye at the M3 until they have a ride in one.
The M3 will definitely cost more to maintain and run. But the M3 is still a head turner in my eyes, I still find myself gawking at them when I see one on the streets.
If I had my choice I would have kept the S4 and the ZR, but the S4 was killing me in gas mileage so I gave into a TSX as my DD instead.
I went from:
Then to:
And now:
I thought about picking up an S4 Avant with six speed before I got my Z, but I would have ended up with one that was close to, or out of warranty. The maintenance and potential repairs for that car is terrifying relative to what Zs cost. The M3's maintenance really isn't so bad because you can DIY in many cases. An oil change is $80 (That synthetic castrol ain't cheap) but you only do it once a year. Even the valve adjustment doesn't look very hard. It comes off as expensive because people on the BMW boards aren't exactly mechanically savvy...being the same kind of people who pay $400-1100 to have their car simply looked at (Inspection II) and in some cases think the oil drain bolt is proprietary (It's a large Torx, iirc).
The only things you'd have to worry about are electronics module malfunctions, the trunk harness in some E46s, RTABs, the rear subframe mounting points. If the car's been lowered, check the swaybar mounts in addition to the above.
11-19-2009, 07:53 AM
#47
New Member
M3 just looks like a regular BMW 3 series coupe, most people can't tell them apart. So, basically an M3 isn't going to impress hardly anybody. The 350Z is a head turner that can't be matched for anything double its price.
Go sit in an M3 it's not that cool. A 350Z is a car every enthusiast envies.
Go sit in an M3 it's not that cool. A 350Z is a car every enthusiast envies.
11-19-2009, 10:38 AM
#48
M3 just looks like a regular BMW 3 series coupe, most people can't tell them apart. So, basically an M3 isn't going to impress hardly anybody. The 350Z is a head turner that can't be matched for anything double its price.
Go sit in an M3 it's not that cool. A 350Z is a car every enthusiast envies.
Go sit in an M3 it's not that cool. A 350Z is a car every enthusiast envies.
You have obviously never been in a M3 let alone driven one. So do you think the enthusiast in the GT3 Porsche envies a 350z? Seriously?
A real enthusiast knows exactly what a M3 looks like and envies it for it's engineering, refinement and performance, not just for it's looks. Trying to compare these two cars is like Apples to Oranges. I love both my 335I and my NISMO but for VERY different reasons.
11-19-2009, 11:32 AM
#49
I hope this post is a joke. You have obviously never been in a M3 let alone driven one. So do you think the enthusiast in the GT3 Porsche envies a 350z? Seriously? A real enthusiast knows exactly what a M3 looks like and envies it for it's engineering, refinement and performance, not just for it's looks. Trying to compare these two cars is like Apples to Oranges. I love both my 335I and my NISMO but for VERY different reasons.
You have obviously never been in a M3 let alone driven one. So do you think the enthusiast in the GT3 Porsche envies a 350z? Seriously? A real enthusiast knows exactly what a M3 looks like and envies it for it's engineering, refinement and performance, not just for it's looks. Trying to compare these two cars is like Apples to Oranges. I love both my 335I and my NISMO but for VERY different reasons.
11-19-2009, 06:44 PM
#50
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When I was looking at roadsters this year I had narrowed it down to the 350Z roadster and the BMW Z4"M" roadster, both 2006 models. I was dead set on the M over the Z and I drove them back to back and the M definately has more power, with plenty of power low on the curve as well. But the Z was quite a bit cheaper and parts and maintenenace were cheaper as well. But I still really miss the M engine, the sound and the feel is so much more pleasing than the Z motor, did I mention its fast?
The Z was a better daily car, the Z4M really had no storage or decent drink holders at all. The Z was almost as much fun as the Z4M and about $9,000 cheaper. I don't think the Z4M would be any better at Autocross than the Z and aftermarket parts for the Z4M was very very limited.
Still wish the Z had that M engine.
The Z was a better daily car, the Z4M really had no storage or decent drink holders at all. The Z was almost as much fun as the Z4M and about $9,000 cheaper. I don't think the Z4M would be any better at Autocross than the Z and aftermarket parts for the Z4M was very very limited.
Still wish the Z had that M engine.
11-20-2009, 08:11 AM
#52
New Member
I hate threads like these. They're about as interesting as "which car would win in a race?" threads.
Get a Toyota Corolla.
Get a Toyota Corolla.
11-20-2009, 12:52 PM
#54
When I was looking at roadsters this year I had narrowed it down to the 350Z roadster and the BMW Z4"M" roadster, both 2006 models. I was dead set on the M over the Z and I drove them back to back and the M definately has more power, with plenty of power low on the curve as well. But the Z was quite a bit cheaper and parts and maintenenace were cheaper as well. But I still really miss the M engine, the sound and the feel is so much more pleasing than the Z motor, did I mention its fast?
The Z was a better daily car, the Z4M really had no storage or decent drink holders at all. The Z was almost as much fun as the Z4M and about $9,000 cheaper. I don't think the Z4M would be any better at Autocross than the Z and aftermarket parts for the Z4M was very very limited.
Still wish the Z had that M engine.
The Z was a better daily car, the Z4M really had no storage or decent drink holders at all. The Z was almost as much fun as the Z4M and about $9,000 cheaper. I don't think the Z4M would be any better at Autocross than the Z and aftermarket parts for the Z4M was very very limited.
Still wish the Z had that M engine.
True, like I said above, it really is like comparing apples with oranges.
11-20-2009, 01:39 PM
#55
Registered User
E46 M3 motors are weak. Tend to break and performance suffers as the miles build.
Rear end is garbage. This guy on youtube drag raced his stock e46 m3 on stock tires and the axles splined got wasted POS.
Rear end is garbage. This guy on youtube drag raced his stock e46 m3 on stock tires and the axles splined got wasted POS.
11-20-2009, 05:30 PM
#59
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I recently just sold my 03.5 M3 to buy a 350z and i couldnt be happier, trust me, if you like the way your Z drives, you will HATE the way the M drives. Japan > Germany 
11-20-2009, 05:35 PM
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[QUOTE I test drove both as well and I prefered the NISMO over the Z4M. I fell in love with the Porsche Boxster S, but it was a little out of my range.
QUOTE]
Funny how everyone is different. I also drove a Boxster S knowing it would be the most agile handling car on the track. It was definately the most refined of the 3 but I preferred the edgy M motor over it. I felt like the Boxster S felt about like the 350Z but the 350Z was cheaper and much cheaper to maintain. Plus no snob appeal.
Although I may own a Boxster one day down the road, it is a well designed performance machine.
Ok, I screwed up the quote thing on this reply also.
QUOTE]
Funny how everyone is different. I also drove a Boxster S knowing it would be the most agile handling car on the track. It was definately the most refined of the 3 but I preferred the edgy M motor over it. I felt like the Boxster S felt about like the 350Z but the 350Z was cheaper and much cheaper to maintain. Plus no snob appeal.
Although I may own a Boxster one day down the road, it is a well designed performance machine.
Ok, I screwed up the quote thing on this reply also.
Last edited by jbh1; 11-20-2009 at 05:39 PM.