Seriously thinking about selling my e90 M3 for a e46 M3, convince me not to.

NitroBiz wrote

I know....that is why I got it. I just don't drive it that much and I'm looking for something that looks good and can be whipped around. I recently picked up a '06 VW Golf for $750 for my brother and it's so satisfying to drive. There is something about a smaller engine that feels really good to me, the vibration and feel and feeling if anything breaks it's pretty cheap to fix.

Get a BRZ or Miata?

NitroBiz wrote

I can't find any here in Seattle for less then 10k and those are usually pretty trashed.

Shouldn't stop you, they are meant to be driven.

I think we are getting a little dramatic on our cars, everyone on this forum is.

They are tools, the wear and tear happens the moment we start using them.

Does that mean I don't care about my car? no it just means i'm willing to accept whatever happens to it. Drive it hard and move on, life is short.

Buy a shit box, restore, enjoy that's what I did.

E46's have rod bearing issues as well.. and its a much older car meaning prob going to need more work... just drive your e90... enjoy the material things in life while you can..because tomorrow is not guaranteed

akkando wrote

A ZCP IB e90 M3 is already super rare for one thing.

That is freaking gorgeous!

I would saw sell it and get the e46 one... you will miss it

NitroBiz wrote

I hear what you are saying, I guess I don't have the most confidence when I hear so many people talk about their rod bearings, throttle actuators, engine mounts, thermostat and other misc parts failing.

My suggestion... Do the rod bearings and engine mounts at the same time. I Just did mine a few weeks ago and only had 20,600 miles on the car. My car is supercharged, however would have still done it regardless. Once the RB's are done, these cars have proven to be reliable.

Keep the car!

I forgot to add I had 2 E46 M3's (2003.5' & 2005'). The E9x are simply better cars.

wyatth wrote

I’m one of the biggest E46 fans on this forum, but if you’re afraid of something breaking on the E90 from use, stay far away from an E46.

word

wyatth wrote

I’m one of the biggest E46 fans on this forum, but if you’re afraid of something breaking on the E90 from use, stay far away from an E46.

Agreed

If you're afraid to use an E9X M car, probably the most reliable M car ever built, you should sell it and honestly buy a Camry or something

My X5 has cost *much* more money to get to 100k miles than any of the 4 M cars I've had. It is not even close.

Yeah but the X5 doesn't encourage you to do a bunch of elective surgery on it

Are you better off paying for yet another fuel system failure on an N55 X5 but only replacing tires three times, or tracking the everloving crap out of your E9xM and modding it all the way to the moon in the process...yeah the mods are worth a new M5 but HEY AT LEAST IT DIDN'T BREAK

Seriously though, no. Don't sell an E90M for an E46M unless you know you want to already. E46M's are awesome but you gotta want it for it to be worth it, it has to be a want. IF you have to ask if you even want it, the answer is hell no.

NitroBiz wrote

I guess I'm afraid of breaking something so it just sits in my garage.

So your solution to addressing this concern is to replace it with an exponentially worse platform?

Richbot wrote

IF you have to ask if you even want it, the answer is hell no.

Yup. This philosophy can be used in many purchasing decisions.

NitroBiz wrote

I guess I'm afraid of breaking something so it just sits in my garage.

Perhaps European performance cars aren't for you? I mean there are potential solutions out there for the very small number of problem areas for the S65. Either start doing those or sell the car for something not European. I've heard that GTRs are nice car and I'm sure if you keep them stock or fairly stock, they'll keep themselves together with limited effort.

stop reading internet forums and enjoy the car.

You don't want an SMG transmission, from what I understand.

Freddy Finkel wrote

You don't want an SMG transmission, from what I understand.

SMG

Easy enough to change SMG to manual and you know the motor has never been mechanically over-revved due to a mis-shift.

New2Roundel wrote

Perhaps European performance cars aren't for you? I mean there are potential solutions out there for the very small number of problem areas for the S65. Either start doing those or sell the car for something not European. I've heard that GTRs are nice car and I'm sure if you keep them stock or fairly stock, they'll keep themselves together with limited effort.

I wouldn't say that, I've had multiple VW's and 2 BMW's. I can definitely feel the difference between German and American and Japanese. German is definitely my preference!

pbonsalb wrote

Own a car you are not scared to drive and enjoy it.

Underrated post.

dparm wrote

pbonsalb wrote

Own a car you are not scared to drive and enjoy it.

Underrated post.

Maybe getting something with a warranty then is his best bet.

NitroBiz wrote

I've had my '11.5 for almost two years now and I barely drive it. I guess I'm afraid of breaking something so it just sits in my garage. I wasn't always a fan of the e46 platform but over the past year or so they have really grown on me. I would love to get my hands on a '05 or '06 ZCP Carbon/Black SMG or manual that I can whip around town. Convince me that I'm crazy or I should just keep what I have.

I suspect your car is not exciting you anymore. Sell to someone who will drive it, you know, when the market gets reasonable again

Sephiroth wrote

I suspect your car is not exciting you anymore. Sell to someone who will drive it, you know, when the market gets reasonable again

I'm considering that. I've been looking at VW Golf R's

There’s nothing exciting about a Golf R. I tried and tried to love it, but could never do more than appreciate it, from afar.