Derrick

I dont get it..... You cannot compare a +$50K with one that starts in upper $20's.......are you kidding me! not even close.

I currently drive a 2002 e430 sport ...and just dont want the hassle of owning an expensive EU car and finally understand "VALUE"...

The Z represents FUN+Value

Boomer

I had planned to pick up an M3 in 2000 with my Brother-in-law who was getting a 540. It didn't happen and I'm really glad I didn't buy an M3 or a 330iC even though I have lusted after one or the other for many years. I owned a 78 320i for 2 years and sold it to buy my 72 240Z.

I really prefer 2 seater sports cars to coupes, German or otherwise, my first new car was a 2 seater. Also, I have been driving Japanese cars for many years and they are more reliable than anything else on the road in my experience. So, when the Z came out, I had to have one. My brother-in-law's 740iL has had several problems since they've owned it and they were things which stranded him or his wife somewhere other than home.

I find that unacceptable. If my $70K car stranded me as many times as theirs has, I would get rid of it,Stat. So, whoever you are, buy what you want, but I would run the otherway from an M3 after the plethora of problems, I would not even test drive it! Why ask a 350Z lovers Forum what you should buy if you are not worried about money since you indicate you are rolling in it? I should think asking us would be slumming for you.

frayed

LOL!

jonoz

just wanted to say hello, i'm also driving /living in good ole winterpig...just took delivery of my silver space craft a few weeks ago.My son and i had fun trouncing a boxster and a ferrari 328 while still staying under the 4000 rpm breakin limit!!

LiquidZee

if money is no concern, then the m3,

the Z is nice, but nothing compares to the perfection of the m3...woow its sooo beautiful, so fast, and a much nicer interior

(does not come with a blows sound system

TJZ

Shut up and don't talk again.

jckolnturn

iTrader: (1)

you didn't order a 2004 anything

phreezee

Hey Jonoz,

Always nice to meet a local, we'll have to organize a 350Z meet sometime this summer. Did you get yours at Ortynsky or Birchwood? I ordered mine yesterday (Oct. 19, 2002), and it will be coming for February. It will probably spend 2 months in my garage getting 20 coats of Zaino, and will hit the streets in April with luck, and warm sun to melt the snow! I have a friend with a Boxster S and he's already trying to make an "appointment."

Cheers!

D'oh

My good friend has an M3 Vert with SMGII and has been tracking it for the past few months. He really loves the SMG because it allows him to do the following:

1. Left foot brake
2. "Load" shifts for the corner: He can downshift with the SMG going into a corner, and the car will hold the revs until it is safe to shift. It will then rev match and shift without upsetting the car. While an excellent manual driver may be able to perform similarly with a conventional stick, it really allows less experienced drivers to focus on their line and the feel instead of worrying about rev matching, heel-and-toeing, etc.

If you really want to track the car, the SMG is probably going to make you much more competitive. However, if you like the feel of the clutch, and pulling off rev-matched downshifts while breaking on your own, you'll want to look towards the manual.

Oh yeah, the M3 is more of a car than the Z, but, IMO not as much more as its price would seem to indicate.

Both kick *** (but the Z kicks 1/10th less *** than the M3)!

-D'oh!

robertchen

best way to find out which one you want is... ask yourself:

do you want a 350z? yes or no

do you want a m3? yes or no

simple... if it all comes down to it... buy both.... =), or better yet, buy 2 350z's for the price of 1 and half m3... =)

webcarconnection

I wait for sure because in time you get the 350Z there gona be a lot of aftermarket goodies that can put your 350Z with a lot more HP than the M3 and still more cheap. and the looks of the 350Z are more exclusive, the M3 is a 3 series, is the same look of the 330 and 325 and there are to many out there.

just my opinion!

webcarconnection

Its a matter of opinion, if you want name buy the M3 if you want car value buy 350Z. The point of buying 2 350z for the price of the M3 is good idea too. but in the end a car is a car, I see every day guys changing BMW for Nissan and viceversa, it is a personal decision. I wish you luck and if you buy the M3 I'm sure that you see 350Z in the streets and wish you have a Delorean to go back in time.

Phatmitzu

iTrader: (34)

I would get the M3...but I wonder if with the extra $$ on the M3 can mod the Z car up to a whole different kind of level?

Boomer

I don't agree that a BMW is a higher quality car than the Z even with all the engine failures. Reliability is a very good measure of quality and the new M3 has lost all of its appeal for me with all the failures and I am a BMW FAN! I had decided against buying an M3 even before the Z came out because I couldn't get the equipment I wanted; and there is only 1 dealer in my area and dealers do my maintenance so I always have a record of my transactions pertaining to cars.

So, I don't think BMW has any mistique left for me anymore, when I began reading about all of the hassles owners have had with their U.S. dealers over warranty work in articles posted by BMW owner clubs. Some of them sound like they are talking about Yugos. If you confine your statements to higher quality materials, I think you are correct. I won't dispute that, it is a given. But as a daily driver, I couldn't recommend any BMW to a friend unless he/she had very deep pockets and endless patience, too.