really, it comes down to whether or not you want a more raw car where the overall experience is the most important...or a car that is really comfortable and can definitely be had at high hp while sacrificing a bit of the motoring experience...personally, after driving alot of fast cars, ,I think modded 335s will just be another car with some power where there are LOTS of other cars with LOTS more power...and power games always end in you not winning...doesnt matter who you are...that said, having a brand spanking new car is great...and the 335 is such a wonderful car for that purpose...its fast, fun, reliable...ish..., and will impress many. But..I promise, youll have more fun on any given backroad or track ANY DAY in the M...

 

lol The responses just keep getting better and better. I'm not really sure. Tomorrow I am test driving a 335 when I get out of class! I will have to go to my friend's one day soon and drive his E46 M3. I just wish the M3 wasn't so damn expensive to tune!

 

forget power, just spend some good money on a suspension, and your golden...seriously, forget the power, forget the added sounds, spend 3k on a JRZ street setup and you will have more fun in that car than most people do in thier porsches...promise...best mod EVER


seriously though, thats where the experience just wins over power...and the M3 is full of it. As you get to be a better driver (performance wise), you see more and more how divine the small Ms really are.

 

let us know how it goes since i am in the same boat
it will be my DD but it's from home to campus...back and forth.

i cant comment on LSD.
my first car, g coupe, had LSD so cant imagine a car without lsd...

 

If you got the extra dough get the cab its really nice. M3 can't touch the 335 in a straight line with similar mods. The 335 is turning out to be the best bang for the buck car when it comes to mods. Can't beat the Inline-6 design. Maybe this can be the next Supra tuners car? I heard guys already making 600-700rwhp with the 335 already.

 

shhhhhhh....they still dont know what they are missin...there is more to life than just power...like 3.2l i6 8k redline and Kim K!

 

lol ^ You crack me up. I suppose I should listen to someone who is such a die hard M fanatic huh? :P

Went to the BMW dealership a few mins ago (It's a mile from my house) and finally looked at the 335's with the knowledge in my mind about them that I never had prior to looking before. I have been doing my research lately and really thoroughly appreciate them as a car and their power potential.

What was sitting only a few feet away from the 335i? My beloved E46 M3.

Tomorrow will say a lot when I go and test drive both of the cars. Too bad the 335i (the only one on the lot) is auto. I will definitely be buying 1 of the 2 said cars.

Although the M3 may be a bit older I think looks wise it still turns me on much more than the 335i (at least the one at the dealership) ever could.

Not sure what to do, the M3 has been my dream car for years (literally) maybe I should just be like Wyatt and jump on it now that the opportunity has become feasible. I think I would love the M3 w/ Competition Package and probably have a whole hell of a lot of fun with it. I'm beginning to look over the hp numbers on these cars and try to take them for what they are and what I will enjoy in due time instead of which is fastest from point 1 to point 2.

I will keep you all updated and thank you everyone for the continued responses.

I'm sure everyone thinks I am nuts about hopping back and forth so quickly between the two cars! Welcome to the life of a car enthusiast!

 

Definitely, I'll keep you updated. I dragged you all into this. The least I can do is tell you how this story ends!

 

so many cars to choose from.
i always loved (made a wrong decision and bought g coupe...i should kill myself for that) E46 M3, but life goes on.
i've yet to see 335i at the dealer and hasnt been to dealers since May.
I WAS torn between M coupe and 335i and now I want to hear more about S5 also...
well, you will make a decision before i do so i will look out for your posts

 

Get the E46 //M3 - the 335I is - meh...

You will love the rawness of the 8K bangin I6. As mentioned already - you will get more joy around the bend than street light to street light. First and foremost if you get the 6MT is an SSK!

 

I thought I loved the E46 M3 when I saw one...

Then I drove one to 8K RPM...

I still have a **** eating grin one year later.





Honestly though, the 335i is just another BMW. The M3 is an M3!!!

 

Drive both. You'll definitely know.

The S54 hits some people with such a strong passion, and others not so much. For the rest, the N54 (WHICH I DOUBT HAS MADE 600+ HP) is great with DFI+Turbos.

 

s54 luv here!

 

+1...here too. straight line speed gets old REALLLL fast, but going fast and slashing down back roads doesnt. you can always get a 335, the e46s are much harder to comes by these days (good condition ones that is) so like wyatt said, youve loved the car for so long, you might as well own the car while you have the chance to.

 

I hate generalizing like this...but If you dont find the love in you for that motor (notice i only said motor...), then you may concider getting into other aspects of auto enthusiasm...haha...its seriously a divine entity!