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Thoughts on the E92 M3? Who has/had one?

The return of Marty Wild

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Had a little look, couldn't immediately see any threads on them.

Doesn't one member on here have a yellow one in a fleet with a yellow E46?

Reason I ask, is I will be needing something a little bit bigger than the Cayman at some point. And I was wondering about going sensible and getting a B8 S4 or getting something a little savage yet with more seats than a 911/Cayman.

Any wisdom welcomed.
 
You are thinking of Boba Fett. He has run both and he also has loads of experience of the E46 M3 in various forms for comparison.
I like the idea of them but would change the big end bearings as a first job due to horror stories which many say are overblown, but if they go it will cost.
The thing that puts me off them compared to the E46 is that they are bigger, heavier, and more refined, with a lower specific output. The engine is still supposed to be a real gem though.

MC
 
Thanks, MC. Interior of the E46 has always left me cold, a mate had one and I disliked it so, I had never even entertained the idea of getting a BMW until yesterday.

Been doing my homework, some people are saying the big end bearing failure is less than 1%. Reading about it, it did somewhat remind me of the classics we face on here.... bore score, IMS, RMS etc.

It is a consideration for sure, apparently right oil and not ragging from cold along with the first 'breaking in' service around 1k miles should stand one in good stead.

Biggest issue is apparently the TB actuators which are made of cheese and fail, but this is well known about and a relatively easy fix.
 
I owned one for about 2 years. Cant fault them at all. One thing I would mention is that coming from a porsche the M3 wont really feel like a sports car. The M3 has a higher seating position. I can really comment on the rod bearings as I sold my m3 with 38k miles. If I was to do it again I would but the e46 m3 instead of the e92 m3, the e92 m3 is a bit too refined for me. In a straight line I have a feeling it would beat a 996 C2 so they are pretty fast cars.
 
Thanks, E92, how was it on MPG, obviously it's a V8 but I've read differing accounts? Is it much worse than the 997/987s of this world?!

There's no way it wouldn't beat a 996 C2, it's got 420bhp, way more than the GT3s of the 996 era.
 
:popcorn:
 
Is that a contentious statement then? :lol:
 
Just checked the weights, does a 996 C2 really weigh just 1300kg? If so, that is a fair bit lighter than the Beamer!
 
Something like 1300kg vs 1600kg, but then 300hp vs 420hp.
If you are buying a C2 for a drag racer you have the wrong car anyway. The E92 M3 is a nice sporty car with good acceleration, the C2 is a sports car.

MC
 
MisterCorn said:
You are thinking of Boba Fett.
And he'll be along with some pictures of it shortly...

A mate had one for a while and found it dull. I drove it briefly and wasn't that impressed either. That said though, I'd have one over an Audi and there's probably not much else in that "class" that beats it to be fair, it's just missing something :dont know:
 
Cheers, MC. That sort of weight is noticeable, I know it was coming from my R32 that was 1,550 compared to the Cayman's 1,350.

Don't get me wrong people, I know it's no Porker. I don't want to get rid of my Cayman, I love it. I just need rear seats, was all set for an S4 but then realised for similar money I could have the M3.
 
The return of Marty Wild said:
Thanks, E92, how was it on MPG, obviously it's a V8 but I've read differing accounts? Is it much worse than the 997/987s of this world?!

There's no way it wouldn't beat a 996 C2, it's got 420bhp, way more than the GT3s of the 996 era.

I generally got about 18 mpg average which was with a few spirited drives. The maximum mpg I could get (55 mph on a motorway) was 33 mpg. I had a manual car though, not sure if its different to the DCT. They say the DCT is more suited to the engine which I probably agree to, but I'm a manual guy so would never have bought a DCT.
 
I have one as well, absolutely love it, although it is heavily modded from standard, inc bilstein coilovers, AP brakes, uprated roll bars, Full Akrapovitch titanium exhaust, and various cosmetic additions. Its also a manual...( of course..)

I also got my shell bearings replaced as a precautionary measure along with the actuators when I got the car and did all the work, I just wanted to know everything was sorted.....that cost me just over £1,500....

I have had the car 2.5 years and it always makes me smile when I drive it, the engine sounds mega, cant beat the V8, especially with the Akra, it makes a superb car for long range road trips, as well as being very capable round the track. Of course, as pointed out above, its not a pure sports car, but it is still an amazing bit of kit for the money, considering you can get a nice one with 50 - 60K miles on for well under 20K now.....

MPG is another story, but then who cares about that when you drive one of the last great NA V8 engines made?
 
I have some form here having in the last 12 months sold an e46 m3 and an E92 M3 and bought another E92 m3!

E46 was getting expensive to maintain and needed a lot of work to bring up to standard. Gone.

I couldn't fault the E92M3 - I wanted something low profile that I could have fun with - it did this BUT I couldn't find it was what I wanted at the weekend and I hated the paddle box. Its ok having a high revving V8 with a box dropping it into the fat end of the torque for the track, not my idea of control on the road. The only car I have ever had that I didnt feel comfortable in. Gone.

It was chuffing fast though and a 996 will not see which way it goes.

In - we bought a manual four door E92 M3. What a lovely car - so controllable and very practical and better looking than coupe IMO. Cheaper as well.

MPG? Never seen much than 22mpg even driving sensibly.

So M3s great. I did not like auto, I love the manual and a 996 will not live with it in standard form.
 
Cheers Gents, so good feedback in general. So the way I see it, running costs are on a par with Stuttgart's finest... same tax, same tyres, servicing the same... its just the petrol will be worse by the sounds of it.

Would we say there is a limit as to how many miles it should have on the clock? Is it like the Porsche world where they suddenly hit a cliff at 100k miles?

Any must-have options? EDC, the fancy cornering lights?

And I take it a pram and baby stuff fits in the boot ok? The S4 has an obviously bigger boot in pictures.
 

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