[QUOTE=M3-ADDICT;1943303]so if michael schumacher drives a E46 M3 in exactly 75 degree weather then he will get a 4.4 0-60

 

The car is undoubtly dated. Both in looks and performance. The interior and exterior is still that of the 90's BMW's. The SMG gear box is garbage in the E46. I think that the quality is also subpar when compared to that of the E92, espacially the interior quality. Performance is also no where near what the E46 sack riders in this thread are spewing out. 4.4 sec 0-60? More like 5.3-5.9 sec in the real world. Besides who looks at 0-60 times? Look at the general looks of the car and it's general performance when compared to it's modern competitors; IS-F, C63, E92 M3, RS4, EVO, STi, C6, etc...

There are much better cars out there for much less money now days. Is the E46 still a great car, yes, it's awesome and will be awesome for years to come, but it's dated. It's time to move on and realize it's no longer the king of the road (not like it ever was) and that there are better cars out there for the money.

 

I agree with this statement.

Even though the e46 M3 has already been out for 6 years, I never once thought the e36 M3's were out dated. And now that the e92 M's are out, I'm still looking for a good deal on another e46 M3.

 

If you don't clearly see that the E36 is dated aesthetically, then you must be blind. It's obviously a car from the mid 90's. That's what we're talking about here, not wether or not the design is classic, wether or not it still looks good, wether or not it's a good performer, but that it's dated technologically and visibly. No HID lights, small wheels, small brakes, interior, etc..

 

The E46 M3's engine leaves something to be desired compared to the E90/92. That alone would make me rather get the newer style. I think in time the new body style will grow on people. I prefer the new look

 

Uhh.. tell that to the people at HorsepowerFreaks who are bolting on turbo kits to get 750 hp with no internal upgrades. Granted, these haven't been tested for years and years of road time, but no blow ups yet that I know of. That sounds like a pretty stout motor from the factory to me!

 

The E46 is a classic BMW in todays more rounded and bulkier looking cars, the E92 doesnt hold a candle to the E46 simplistic and more traditional looks. The E46 turns heads back then and now, just look at the tastefully modified one's which have a CSL sporty appeal.

I dont like the E92 but I prefer the E46 to it for the simplicity and cleaner lines, regarding the 0-60 times a stock E46 would do it in about 5.1-5.2 seconds. If memory serves me right I recall a Magazine once replaced the oem wheels with lighter 18" aftermarket wheels and better tyres, the most they got out of it was around 4.95-5.0 seconds.

 

I realize you can go spend huge sums of money and make anything ungodly fast, but from the factory the I6 333 hp vs. the new V8, the V8 is excellent. It's not fair to compare stock to modified

 

i wasnt a fan of the e92 when i saw its pics at first...then i saw it in person and thought it looked good, not the best looking car out there but very good, def on of bmws current best looking. the e90 m3 though, is uglier than sin! that thing looks wretched!
with regards to how the e92/e90 drives, its like the e46 m3, fun when absolutely thrashing/beating on it, but at slower speeds feels heavier and more lethargic and very mundane and not exciting.
the e92 also DOES leave something to be desired in terms of design.
thats why i ended up buying a cayman S over the new m3. much more passion and an exciting driving experience that the m3 cant touch, even if it isnt as fast as the m3 in a straight line.

 

It's not fair, though I think there are exceptions to this rule, but it's also not necessary. The E46 M3's appearance is dated (meaning that it's possible to tell what time period it was designed in), but it's performance is not.

In real-world usage, the E92 M3 and E46 M3 are so close in performance that I don't see the E92 as being worth the expense of upgrading. Top speed is the (electronically limited) same, real world acceleration by a non-professional driver is so close as to be negligible. We all talk lateral Gs and track times, and about 99% of the production run will sit in commuter traffic its entire life. Indeed, the chief improvements the E92 has over the E46 are the DCT and EDC, which make it a more comfortable commuter as much as they improve its performance.

 

The new M3 does look good and IMO I don't think that E46 M3 is dated. It might be here in couple years tho.

 

In my situation and where I live Id rather take that dated(to some people) E46 and have an other car that I can drive all year long in the winter instead of just owning an E92. Thats what Im doing right now but no E46 since Im waiting for more depreciation and picking up an 03 which will still be on warranty until 2009 (thanks to the recall). Or better yet picking up an M Coupe(06+).It has the same S54 engine,solid performer,newer,rarer and resale value is crap.

 

i'd rather get the '04+ since it has the new LED rear lights. The old incandescent ones really date the car more where the LED lights freshen it up totally.

 

you're blind dude.



That's HELLA dated looking

 

sorry man the interior on the new M3 is not any better than the E46 M3 aside from the electronic navi unit. in fact, the E46 M3 gauges and buttons feel more quality and better put together or in a sense "fresher" than the E92.