E46 or e92

I currently own a f10 m5 for a daily driver. But I?m itching for a fun weekend coupe to mess around with and hit the canyons with

Can?t decide between e46 or e92. Obviously e92 is more updated and more power but e46 is more classic and I love the linear power on the e46. And being that my f10 is dual clutch, I?m leaning towards manual for these cars. I wouldn?t mind dual clutch again on the e92, but I know the SMG sucked on the e46. So the e46 would be manual for sure

If you have the F10, go for the E46. I love my E90 and everything about it but it's my daily so the creature comforts and updated interior over the E46 is desirable. If it were a weekend car, I'd be driving an E46 for sure. That chassis and engine is extremely engaging and rewarding, not that the E9x isn't, I wouldn't give mine up, but I think you understand what I'm saying

EnVe46 wrote

If you have the F10, go for the E46. I love my E90 and everything about it but it's my daily so the creature comforts and updated interior over the E46 is desirable. If it were a weekend car, I'd be driving an E46 for sure. That chassis and engine is extremely engaging and rewarding, not that the E9x isn't, I wouldn't give mine up, but I think you understand what I'm saying

So I think what you?re trying to tell me is the f10 is so updated and smooth in a sense , that it will be a good change up to drive the e46? Because maybe the e92 might resemble more of the f10 for me?

I would get an e92. Im not sure there is anything an e46 beats the e92 in. It definitely has a smooth linear powerband.

With that said an F10 and an E92 are nothing alike. An M4 and an F10 are much closer.

dmk08 wrote

I would get an e92. Im not sure there is anything it beats the e92 in. It definitely has a smooth linear powerband.

With that said an F10 and an E92 are nothing alike. An M4 and an F10 are much closer.

This.

Yes, the E92 has a linear high revving naturally aspirated power band like the E46. Very predictable and controllable. E46 will be more raw and you will feel more of a connection with the road. They have their issues -- valve clearances must be adjusted, rear subframe can tear, vanos breaks, rod bearings. Get one that has been sorted. Traction control is better on the E92 if you convert to the Euro MDM but maybe you are good enough to drive without traction control in the canyons. Tough decision. I think the E92 and F10 are so dissimilar that I would get the E92 unless you really want an older manual trans car that is more raw and in which you feel the road more directly. Both are easily modded with lots of aftermarket support. You can get an E46 to stock E90 power levels and I think that would make it pretty entertaining.

If you can find a well sorted e46 6mt go that rout, or you could get the SMG and convert it to a 6mt. The e92m are heavier and less engaging I love my e92 though and wouldn't trade it for the world:thumbsup: good luck to you.

The e46 M3 and e92 M3 are more similar than different, but there are differences. I have owned both, and love both of them. What you need to do is drive both of them on the sorts of roads you anticipate driving on once you are the owner and see which one speaks to you with a clearer voice.

E9x > E46 in linear power any day.

I used to have an F10 M5, E92 M3 and E46 M3 and if I had to pick to sell only 1 it would be the E46. It just feels old and dated, I'm sure some will feel the same way as me while others absolutely adore the E46. At the end of the day its up to you what you want as your desires might be different than ours.

Either way can't really go wrong.

yeah_knee wrote

EnVe46 wrote

If you have the F10, go for the E46. I love my E90 and everything about it but it's my daily so the creature comforts and updated interior over the E46 is desirable. If it were a weekend car, I'd be driving an E46 for sure. That chassis and engine is extremely engaging and rewarding, not that the E9x isn't, I wouldn't give mine up, but I think you understand what I'm saying

So I think what you?re trying to tell me is the f10 is so updated and smooth in a sense , that it will be a good change up to drive the e46? Because maybe the e92 might resemble more of the f10 for me?

Correct it's more so are you looking for a more raw stripped away feeling cause typically the older Ms will give that over a newer model. The idea is that the F10 being a more updated model with more recent comforts you MAY find the E9x chassis is similar. If your goal is to get something completely different an E46 would be my suggestion.

If I could get an E46 in a four door with everything else M3, I would. I love my E90 there's really nothing I would change on it, the timeless look of an E46 is awesome to me. However, as my daily I appreciate the newer nav, seats, DTC, etc... The E46 M3 will always be one of my favorite cars even if it's dated and slower, it's just flat out fun. It's the same reward I feel from driving a 240sx. It's by no means remotely close to an M3 but it's just fun. That's what matters most for me and my opinion.

Both are really good cars. I had an E46 for 100k miles. Then I got an E92, lived with both for 3 years and finally sold the E46 and got a second E9X.

The E92's powerband is even better than the E46's. Few NA engines have ever been built with a torque curve as flat and wide as this one.

E92. The exhaust note on canyon roads and fun drives is what makes it superior.

I've liked both and that's a hard call. One thing is traction control on the e46 at least mine is horrendous can't take a single corner without it freaking out buy it's also a stripped track car on slicks

pbonsalb wrote

Yes, the E92 has a linear high revving naturally aspirated power band like the E46. Very predictable and controllable. E46 will be more raw and you will feel more of a connection with the road. They have their issues -- valve clearances must be adjusted, rear subframe can tear, vanos breaks, rod bearings. Get one that has been sorted. Traction control is better on the E92 if you convert to the Euro MDM but maybe you are good enough to drive without traction control in the canyons. Tough decision. I think the E92 and F10 are so dissimilar that I would get the E92 unless you really want an older manual trans car that is more raw and in which you feel the road more directly. Both are easily modded with lots of aftermarket support. You can get an E46 to stock E90 power levels and I think that would make it pretty entertaining.

I had an E46 M3 with all its attendant problems. I don't think that I would recommend driving it with DSC off. With traction control off, I can most generously describe the E46's handling as "Twitchy".

Here's another E46 forum.
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65

E92 manual stripper all day.
Perfect compliment to your F10 M5.
Yin and yang.

yeah_knee wrote

I currently own a f10 m5 for a daily driver. But I?m itching for a fun weekend coupe to mess around with and hit the canyons with

Can?t decide between e46 or e92. Obviously e92 is more updated and more power but e46 is more classic and I love the linear power on the e46. And being that my f10 is dual clutch, I?m leaning towards manual for these cars. I wouldn?t mind dual clutch again on the e92, but I know the SMG sucked on the e46. So the e46 would be manual for sure

have you considered an M roadster or m coupe?

Patrón wrote

yeah_knee wrote

I currently own a f10 m5 for a daily driver. But I?m itching for a fun weekend coupe to mess around with and hit the canyons with

Can?t decide between e46 or e92. Obviously e92 is more updated and more power but e46 is more classic and I love the linear power on the e46. And being that my f10 is dual clutch, I?m leaning towards manual for these cars. I wouldn?t mind dual clutch again on the e92, but I know the SMG sucked on the e46. So the e46 would be manual for sure

have you considered an M roadster or m coupe?

M Roadsters are surprisingly quick. You sleep on one of those and you will be playing catchup. It seems to be just one step behind the M3 in every area but a driver can easily make that up as I witnessed at an enthusiast run last weekend. Man that dude could drive.

I've had a couple of e46's. The chassis and power is much better on the e9x not to mention the V8 music. Having an M5 you might be underwhelmed with an e46, although it would be cool to still have one for nostalgia purposes.

BOOF-M3 wrote

M Roadsters are surprisingly quick. You sleep on one of those and you will be playing catchup. It's seems to be just one step behind the M3 in every area but a driver can easily make that up as I witnessed at an enthusiast run last weekend. Man that dude could drive.

I've always liked the funkiness of the Z coupe M's.

+1 on the E86 M Coupe.

I'm personally a sedan kind of guy. Even though my E90 will only see one additional person at a time, I still want the sedan. With that said, I came awfully close to getting the M Coupe. M3 in a funkier (I think cooler) layout. Something about a long nose with a fat tail....

I have just had a hard-on for the E39 M5 for so long that I went nuts with the E90 M3 - it's just a newer E39! Couldn't say no when the E90 I have been looking for nearly 3 years finally came up. I about gave up on the search and "settled" on the E86.

I think if you want a more opposite side of the spectrum for a toy, a two door S54 might fit the bill better.

I love the look of the e46. If I'm not mistaken that due to the extra weight the e92 is not faster than the e46. I might be wrong on that. I think there is a 300 pound weight difference.

Dr. Dre wrote

I love the look of the e46. If I'm not mistaken that due to the extra weight the e92 is not faster than the e46. I might be wrong on that. I think there is a 300 pound weight difference.

Actually the weight difference is closer to 200 lbs., and the e92 is quicker, both from the seat of the pants and from test results (I have had both). The difference isn't dramatic, but the extra 81 bhp and shorter gearing more than make up for the extra heft. Lastly (a point I forgot to mention earlier, but which has been raised by others) is the fact that the e46 M3 has a very obtrusive stability control. Overcook it accelerating in a corner and the power is cut. The e92 M3 lets you put the tail out, even with the stability control operational.