I'm going to buy one of these two. The Z will likely be an '03 Touring. The M3 will be in great shape and will have low mileage, i.e. 20000 - 40000. What are your thoughts?

I'm assuming most people will say Z but I'm wondering why. I will say that the Z has a better exterior design. However, having test driven both cars back to back, the M3 handled better.

 

E36. If the milage is the same. If you intend to mod it the M3 is the best route. You can make those things beastly with some modding. It has more aftermarket support than our cars too. The 350z is slowly but surely getting alot of manufacturers behind them and eventually I think that the playing fields will be even. For looks, the Z is the winner hands down in my book. If you want to keep either car stock its a toss up.

 

I pretty much agree with BENJ-AMG with the exception that I was facing the same exact question as you are asking and chose the Z.

The reason I did was that I wanted a new car that was under warranty. Other than that, my primary concern was performance (lower lap times - I do a lot of track events). I think the E36 M3 has a lot of good aftermarket support while the Z has a lot of aftermarket support, of which some is good. What I mean by this is that there are tons of race shops and tuners in the BMW world who care about performance only (no bling) and have raced their products. Right now the Z world has 2 such companies (Performance Nissan and 350Evo.com) but they've only been doing this for a little while and the vast majority of their wares are not designed in-house. The Z being such a great track-tool, I'm sure the support will only increase, and like BENJ-AMG said, I think in a year or two the Z will have better support than the E36 M3.

Now let's see a GAC win!

 

the e36 m3 is a nice car. looks wise, z wins. power wise, z wins. handling wise, if ur z isn't a track, the e36 m3 is solid. however, i could never own a car knowing that it's a "old model." basically, it's the predecessor to the e46 m3 and that car is just wicked. and don't think my opinion is biased because i drive a z, i also have an e46 330. the e36 m3 is a great car, however, it is also almost five years old. mods for that car aren't exactly cheap either. i'd probably go with the z. it's two less seats, but overall i think the car will get tons more looks and the aftermarket in a year will be endless.

edit: i take the point back about not being able to drive a car that is a predecessor.. one of my dream cars is an e30 m3 and i would probably give up lefty to own one in good condition.

 

They are changing the 3-Series for 2005, meaning that they will remodel the M3 also. Think about that before you make your decision.

 

I have to admit I like both cars...I am a fan of E36>E46...but, the E36 is an unreliable car in general - routinely fry MAFs, electrical probs, etc. The E36 is also horrifically expensive to repair and maintain (several friends have had them), and the M3 version is unbelievably costly to keep on the road.

Modding the E36 will get you more HP than the Z...but you could almost buy a Z for what it would cost you to nicely tune an M3.

The Z is a lot more reasonable - still not cheap, but will be more dependable in the long run. Furthermore, the Z motor is simply more fun.

NzZ

 

the track model has the same suspension as the rest of the models...only diff is very slightly wider rear rims and brembo brakes. handling will be about the same whichever model z you have.

 

Wow... post about a Euro car... and the majority of the posts are from Euro owners.

Classic.

I looked at both, drove both...

Then I ended up smacking the E36s around with my new Z.

If the E36 didn't cost SO F'N much to maintain, I'd pick up one as a daily driver and put the Z in the garage.

 

Both great cars but how much is the M3?If near the same price I would always rather buy new.

 

Thanks for the input. Well, I'm looking at pretty good buys on both cars. I found a Brickyard Touring with less than 10,000 miles that the owner is only asking $26,500 for. I found a '99 M3 with every option and only 23,000 miles that the owner is only asking $26,000 for.

I went to make a deal on another BMW today at a local dealership. It was a red with black leatherette '01 330Ci with a Dinan chip in it. They were asking $29,999 but I think I could have got it down to about $25,000. Anyway it was gone when I got there much to my dismay. I ended up test driving a Performance Package '04 330i and the car was great. It ripped off the line and the interior was fantastic. I couldn't afford even a lease on that car though.

I don't think there is any doubt that the Z is more powerful and looks better than the '99 M3. Comparatively, it felt much stiffer than the M. It also felt much more bouncy. This car will be my daily driver so I liked the availability of the backseat in the M.

Anyway, it's a good choice to have and I need to just make a decision.

 

hm. i thought the track model had stiffer springs? it seemed liek they always pulled more g's on the skidpad.

30k for a 01 330 is a rip off. the dinan chip is a POS. if u want true bmw tuning, hit up renn-sport.net. samir is the man. technik stage 1 owns you.

the next generation 3 series is up for a change, however i doubt they will change the m3. the m3 is in it's 3rd of production compared to the other e46 car's 5th. the m3 will probably receive gradual changes, but nothing drastic. bmw generally changes models after 6 years.

my initial reaction to the zhp 330 was that it is a blast to drive. i just couldn't stand how.... luxurious it felt. (compared to modded 01 330) after having a 330, i wanted something radically different. im young. i wanted to have more of a "raw" car. and this is why i chose to go with the 350 rather than the m3 (also the ~100 dollar per month cheaper insurance rate). sad to say tho, i will probably never buy a sports car again until im alot older.. next car will probably be a g500 blacked out, 24" davins. need i say more?

anyways.. i'd skimp on the e36 m3. if you're going to get a new car, get either a 03 350 or an 01-02 330ci. they can both be had for generally around the same price. the aftermarket for the e46 is very expensive however.

 

If it was a new or 2003 M3, I would say get the Bimmer hands down. Being that it is a 99, I would say get the Z. You'll get comparable performance and a much newer car. I just never like buying a car that isn't under warranty, or it's warranty will expire soon.

 

The same dealership has another '01 330Ci on their lot with 42,000 miles. It's certified and they're asking $31,999. That is definitely way too much money. I ran it on Edmunds though and it seems to be coming in at around $28,000.

 

Man, PLEASE don't pay $30k for a 3 year old 330ci. 42000 miles is too much too. Sure its a great car, but I think you would be happier with the e36 or Z. If you can get a Brickyard I would. Very rare color and getting to be very desirable. Since its an '03 I would definately check the tranny and front tires. Make sure they are okay. As far as the 330ci goes, its gonna be more of a "sporty" car instead of a sportscar. If that makes any sense. The M3 and Z really deliver the goods and I can tell you from experience, its alot more satisfying than having a lux car with a good motor and decent suspension. My previous car was an 02 Maxima and I loved it. But once I drove the Z and got a taste for a "tight" well sorted driving machine, I forgot all about the Max and luxury

 

I have An E36 M3 and a 350z - Get The Z!!

If it was an E46 - different story . . .

 

its so funny that u compare these cars b/c my dad used to have a 1999 E36 M3 and now has a 2003 E46 M3. I have a 2004 Touring 6-speed 350z. I driven all of these cars and the Z is way better than the E36 M3. Its faster, more fun and better looking, however the E46 M3 is awesome. Im crazy for saying this but i like the 350z better than a E46 M3 Hey dad has his fav car and I have mine. Go with the 350z!!! You will not regret it

 

I would also toss the Audi S4 in with the mix vs. a e36 m3. Main reason is the 2.7t engine can be very easily modified to generate a rediculous amount of power - plus you've got AWD.

I had a 2.8L Quattro A4 and it was a great car. Wish I'd gotten the S4 (instead of the A4), but at least now I have my 350z. . . He he he.

 

well damn. if the s4 is in the game. shiet.. i'd go with the s4 without a doubt man. insane *** car.

 

the 2.7T S4 w/ a turbo upgrade should have a decent chance against the turbo....

The tunability of the new S4 might be limited. It'll be hard to find from for a turbo kit under that crammed engine bay....