AgentDSS

Hi,

In a month I'm planning to get my first car. I'm fortunate to have my parents buying it. I've been researching for the past 4 months on the car I really want to get and will be practical. Cars originally ranged from Jeeps, to Mustangs, to S2000s! I've pretty much narrowed it to a new 02/03 TL-S or a 98/99 BMW M3. Both are considered "sport sedans" in my eyes and that is what I'm looking for.

I could get the TL-S for about 29k in DC area (see other thread about that!) or a M3 in pretty good condition for under 28k. Now I know you are all gonna want to know about me to help determine the choice. I'm gonna go out and say that I'm a highschool student but please spare me the talk about responsibilities and how I should NOT have either car. I've been through that with my parents and many..MANY message boards.

Both cars are practical for my daily life as a HS student and still look good and drive fast My dad is being a little bit of a weirdo about a new car (who could blame him?) and originally wants me to get a used one for under 30k. Obviously the M3 is still a great choice, but we all know that M3s are much more expensive to maintain and I bet insurance is a b!tch. Again, try to imagine which would be better for highschool in both practicality and "coolness" And not just a parent's view! Let me know your comments on both so I can finally make a good decision. Thanks!

-David

AcctCanc05

i'm not sparing u anything i'm 20 gonna be 21 yrs old and my first car was a 1988 white ford taurus with a custom sound system, no a/c, things breaking all the time and was in the shop , every other day. I think u should go for used and old just so u can appreciate your first new NICE car like ours more.

numbaonexstunna

hmm.... I think the only problem with bimmers is the electrical problem invovled when you get a bimmer, i know a lot of people that have bought bmw's and they have a lot of electrical problems with the consoles & all that...also, no one wants an old body style M3 when the new one came out...if u get a TL and put headers on it, im sure you'd be up there with old m3's.....also its just more bang for the buck....

and maitenance is expensive as hell on the m3's especially since there would be no more warrantee if you purchase one in the 20's with a lot of miles on it

jyang411

david-

hmm.. i don't know what to say. Unlike nike1678, I didn't ever technically have a "first" car, so I'm not going to be as rude as he was. My Tl-S is... probably a first car, though i share it, and I'm also older than nike1678.

Regardless, My friend just picked up a used 98 M3. It's black on black and the ride is awesome. Now, honestly, unless you can find one in meticulous condition, I'd go with the TL-S. The reason I say this is because I feel the M3 style is kind of outdated. Though they're only maybe 4 or 5 years old, the looks don't seem as elegant and impressive as the TL does,..or atleast in my opinion.

Other reasons I feel this way are the interior. The TL is more spacious, and more roomy, but the tight leather, and red guages on the M3 are nice as well.

I don't feel I can make this decision for you, but if i could give a recommendation it would be to go with the Tl-S. Yes, it's a bit slower, but with a little adjustment, your TL will be just as quick.

goodluck.
jyang411

AcctCanc05

i wasn't that rude, i was tellin it like it is.

DJ Iceman

I think you should go for the TL-S because it's a winning package and it would be brand new with four years of warranty in front of you plus many more years of rock-solid Acura performance after that.

That being said, the other people who said the last gen M3 looks tired or whatever--that's BS. The M cars NEVER go out of style--that's why they hold their value so well. If you choose to go that route, I can't say I blame you...

paultl

get a 99 lexus gs400


powerful and reliable.......


300hp/310 pounds of torque...cant complain!!!

RedLined

I don't think you can go wrong with either car. I don't think the old M3 is outdated at all. They still turn my head when I pass one, but that's just me. If you're looking for more room, maybe the 4dr M3 will do but it's definitely not as big as the TLS. I think overall the M3 would be more fun to drive but knowing how I was in high school, maybe it's too much fun. If you do go with the M3, I'd try to find a certified used one so you get a warranty out to 100,000 miles. I know there are plenty of used M3s available in the DC area so I'm sure you can find a reasonbly priced one at one of the dealerships. I'm also sure you have already but it not, check out the Washington Post classified ads. Loads of dealers advertise their used stock there.

Again, as far as practicality or coolness go, you can't go wrong with either one.

I know you asked not to hear it but I'm gonna say it anyway. Be responsible with either car. Some kid just got killed on the road near my house last night. Driving too fast, lost control, went airborn and hit a tree.

SL1200MK4

If you ever plan to do autoX, track day, and stuff like that. Go with the M3, but make sure it's a 5spd.

It's hard to find one in mint condition... so, good luck...

The TL-S is not a sports car... just keep that in mind. comapred to the M3, it's gonna feel like a big boat... yet compare the TL-S to the camry, the TL-S is hell lot sportier. It just depends on what you want from your car.

Keep in mind that 4-5 years later, the TL-S will still be a nice car. The M3 will most likely to be too costly to keep. So, if you are not gonna keep the car for more than 3 years. Go with the M3... Any longer than that... Get the TL-S...

EmuMessenger

Definitely the TLS!

Although, I am well beyond high school, I'd much rather have a smoking sedan with XENON lights than a 2nd generation M3 with yellow (halogen) head lights!

PsyKotiC RydeR

wow, ur way beyond high school and color of light is what makes u decide which car to get.

you can always get HID's later on. If i were ya i would get TL-S paying about the same price you'll get a new car and warranty and it wont be as fast as a m3 but wont be so slow either.

AgentDSS

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm definitely aiming for the car I've researched for months...the TL-S ! But as a backup..the M3 seems to be a great choice aswell. I've seen some well kept M3s on some eBay auctions which look awesome even though its last-gen. I kinda like the "meaner" sharper body look of the older E36 series than the softer look of the new E46s.

lilboykorea

gs400 seems like a good idea...

AK_MOBBER

get an older car so you can learn car mechanics by fixing your ride up when it breaks... Or else you'll be like my friend with his new car, "How do I change my oil/shocks/tire???" Just my opinion...

why don't you... BUY BOTH OF THEM!!

DAY Type S

Hey guy,

Dont discredit yourself- I had to pay for my own cars and had cool cars growing up - My parents wouldnt buy me a car cause i was a "F" Up-

So, You probably did somethin to earn this car - Go with the BMW- Yeah, it has an old body style but you will either appreciate BMW's or hate them, CK engine lights and heavy maitenance bills especially if you plan to drive hard with your buddies at all hours of the night-

As for the Acura its awesome but it lacks certain refinements and you definetely know the difference between german and Jappanesse engineering that is performed right here in Ohio-




Objects in mirror are closer than they appear

Las Vegas TLS

Knowing what the new M3 is, I just don't think I could take that many steps backward and buy and older M3. Although it was a very nice car, the new M3 just blows it out of the water. The new 330i, performance wise is pretty close to the old M3. It does seem like the big problem with German cars are the electrical system. In my opinion the best bet with any BMW is to lease it new for the duration of the warranty or three years. Honda sure does build a realible car....

DallasTypeS

I've owned both.

I leased a 98 M3 Coupe. Black with tan interior. Sweet ride. Don't know that you can mod the Type-S to get that kind of torque...but with that kind of torque and handling ability comes the $1300 every 8-10,000 miles for new tires....

And before people jump on me about moding the Type-S, for about $1200 bucks you can take the M3 to 340 hp/320 torque...

Also, the clutch *will* need replacing between 40 and 60K miles...and depending on the wear, that's a $2000 job.

AC's not that great in the M3.

But, if you can get past all that, then I think it's a cooler car than the Type-S. I definitely got much more attention in it then in my WDP Type-S.

Type-S kills it on creature comforts (seats, trunk, AC, stereo, finish, etc...)

IMO

503TL-S

Here is the deal....My experience comes from being a E36 (95-99) M3 owner to a '03 TL-S owner. Both cars are great cars no doubt. You don't lose too much in terms of straight away power with the TL-S versus a 5 spd M-3. The tough thing for me was the fact that the M-3 had no warranty and let me tell you that European cars no matter how expensive they are.....are not as reliable as Japanese cars. A New TL-S has a 4 year warranty. Let me tell you about the M3. It is a cool car that will never go out of style. In terms of "cool factor" granted driving a BMW in High School compared to an Acura is a pretty big difference. With the Acura you could be seen as any other ricer kid but a BMW shows people you have $$$$ which seems to count alot now days. But the only problem is the M3 will tend to have problems. here are a few chronic problems most M3 owners live with to own the car. First off the cooling system sucks. The car has a tendency to have a weak cooling system, water pump, thermostat housing, radiator, and hoses. Be prepared to replace some of that. The scizo gas gauge. What that is the gauge in the dash cluster doesn't read correctly. what happens is the sensor on the fuel pump that sends the signal back to the dash gauge gets dirty and basically stops working correctly. this is very common. finally as for earlier model M3s (95-96) the car gets pretty touchy when you rev the motor too high. If you over rev the car you have a higher possibility of valve and piston kiss and BOOM good bye motor. My brother still has his 98 M3 and so far it has been pretty good to him. Just a few issues with the A/C compressor going bad after oh 3 years but other than that seems to be holding together. If you want more info on BMWs go to Bimmerforums.com.
I made my choice to switch mainly because I change cars like underwear, so I knew there would be time to sell the car and look at it this way 3 years down the road you have a 8 year old BMW or a 3 year old Acura. I think the 3 year old TL-S would be easier to sell. I was also tired of taking the M-3 in to be fixed every other month. don't get me wrong the M-3 was a great car and will give you image points with other high schoolers but I'm 27 and unfortunately have to fund everything on my own. I made the switch to the TL-S because for the $ it is the best car that combined performance, luxury, warranty, reliability and style not to mention the ability to do aftermarket upgrades as well.
you may also want to add in a used 98 GS 400 as well to your choices. That is a great car too.

Good Luck on making your choice.

kbryan

yeah the GS 400 is hot!! you can even put 20's on that thang. 300hp with mad torque. it's like the best of both worlds. ask daddy for one of those. either way it doesn't really matter bimmer or acura I mean it's not like you paying for either one so who cares about getting it fixed if you like the bimmer get that. i was going to get a 530 myself but i couldn't deny all i was getting with the tls. i mean dude you really get a lot for your money and on top of all that, jap. quality, (priceless!!!!). i mean who cares if you got a bimmer if its always in the shop. you don't want to always tell your friends oh dude my sh!t is in the shop again. Hot date? nope not tonight, my sh!t is in the shop. this is what you call a good problem, hmmm should i get the bimmer or the acura. anyway good luck and i'll see you in my rearview mirror sometime soon. peace

Chrisfast

I own a 98 M3 and an 02 Type S. The Type S is the first non-BMW I've bought in almost 5 years. Everyone telling you that you can make the Type S faster than an M3 with anything other than a Supercharger or Turbo is wrong. A lot of the power of the E36 M3 comes from immediate torque and the gearing in the car. The M3 runs a 0-60 in 5.3 seconds. That's bone stock. There's no way a Type S can keep up with that, unless it has forced induction. As far as problems with the M3, watch for the over-rev. You can only do this by missing the gear intended and going to too low of a gear. I have had no major problems with my M3. Sometimes I get squeaks and rattles, but I also have had my Acura in the shop for the same thing. The maintanance is expensive, but the M3 will last just as long as an Acura. I say go for the M3. The Type S is wonderful too, but it's not an M3. Nothing is!

-Chris

hemants

First and foremost, drive both cars and decide which you like better.

If you are going on lower long term cost then stick with Japanese. If you want people to know you are made of money then get the BMW (I don't know why you would want to, it's not like YOU earned it with your own money).

If you're considering an M3 then you should also look into :

used Audi S4 (with a chip it will eat an older M3)
used GS400
new WRX
new TLS
new G35

Good luck and remember you've got many years ahead of you and this is not the last car you will own! I say that because cars are basically a waste of money and car purchases are "sticky upward". ie. once you raise the bar, it'll be hard to lower it on a subsequent purchase.

My $0.02

eazy_d23

I also had that tough decision when I was about to buy a car. Deciding between a new TLS and a used GS400 in my situation. But if you think about it, when your on your own after high school or college.. the car you buy now could be a down payment to something even better in the future... like a NSX.. E55 or M5 or M3... etc...

When that time comes your gonna wish that the car you are getting now will trade in for a good sum of money... now I would expect that a 4-6yr old TLS would resale better than a 10-12 year old BMW... even if it is a M3...

Now if money is no issue and your parents plan on buying your next car for your college graduation... Just go with the M3.. not as practical as far as future trade in value.. but just more fun in the mean time.

AgentDSS

hey,

thanks guys for all your comments. I'm more than definetley going to encourage the TL-S purchase. It would be plain retarded otherwise

BTW, WRX is too damn tiny for me! I'm 6' 2" and 220lb

hemants

Kool, also if your dad is hooked on a used car, you could always look for a used TLS or CLS. Now that the CLS will come in a manual, you might find lots of CLS on the market.

Good luck and happy driving!

1SICKLEX

How about we get an "A" in English first, then worry about buying 40k cars.

DJ Iceman

Sometimes you infuriate me, 1SickLex, but other times you crack me up!

AgentDSS

oh sh!t..i can't believe i made those mistakes! I'm usually scrutinizing all my work before I post!

hokkked onn fonics werkedd fore mi!

1SICKLEX

:smokin: , hey, some of ya'll have a sense of humor!

Dude you are young, which means you'll be beating the crap outta your car. Get something reliable and fast. Something you can count on. Nothing bugs young rich kids more than their 50k car in the shop on weekends, WHEN IT IS TIME TO FLOSS .

Me being stupid, I'd get the M3. Understand though when you drive good cars young, you CAN'T go back to driving anything else. SO you'll need an M5 by 22, a Z8 by 28 etc etc.

You can use it for motivation.

91M5

You guys should all know my answer. Hmmm, a 4 door automatic that dad's buy (like me) or a great handling sports sedan with a manual transmission? That should be an easy decision for a teenager. Buy the M3 and learn how to drive. Hit some BMW car control clinics and eventually a driving school. It is an incredibly capable car in stock form and will teach you about real driving (rwd).

Maintenance is not that bad if you make sure and take it in for all its scheduled maintenance. Based on some of the advice above, you should be getting a Corolla.

Make sure you get white or silver, much better for your driving record.

Recently, a local guy here going back to grad school sold his '97 or '98 for like $24k with all the go fast goodies already on. It had 50k miles and was perfect.

There are so many sources for cheap parts and resources for owners of M3's. It is likely that if you hooked up with your local Bimmerheads you would run into someone that would be happy to help you maintain or modify the car. Despite what some people think, I have found BMW enthusiasts very willing to do that type of thing.