Loseit

iTrader: (1)

So...i had some time to kill ( a lot of time) for like the last week. I am getting the car itch real REAL bad. Actually, i get kinda depressed (?) about it. I am graduating from residency (yeah!) in July and have a pretty sweet job lined up already. But, I am a newly wed (all good) and the proud owner of a mortgage (2 actually).
My car is at 93K and running perfect. I have no good reason to sell it besides the fact that I want something else. These factors are telling me not to buy the car ... it isn't practical (the indian in me).
But man.... I always said I would buy a car when i became a doctor....
I actually don't know why I decided to to vent here.... but that is the background
Anyways, since last Thursday I have been going on a test drive marathon.

I am interested in a 2 door coupe, preferably in a 2+2 configuration, with a manual tranny . I really miss a manual transmission. I can't get myself to buy a 4-door ...so they are pretty much out.

1) E46 M3 ... this is one of my dream cars...it fits the bill perfectly. 2+2, luxury and reasonably reliable (so it seems esp thee 04-06 cars) I don't here as much about the electrical gremlins.... although the sun roof wouldn't open on one of the cars I drove.
It is amazing,m the prices really dropped on these cars when the 335 came out. I had never actually driven an M3 prior to this. I drove a couple of manual transmission 330's (incl. Jesal's) but never an M3. The car is sooo mechanical. And, i mean that in a good way. It is visceral. The engine evokes the same kind of emotion as hearing a boxer engine (to me at least). I really like the sound. The ride was smoother that I thought it would be. I have read so many people write about banging up their kidneys in an M3. One of my friends downgraded to a 330 because he couldn't take it. BUT, that was in Boston where potholes can swallow small cars.
I couldn't believe how the thing corners. WOW !! It is like there is glue on the tires. Amazing. Going around a turn at 50mph with that mechanical symphony is really amazing. The only thing that was kind of a negative is that to get some kinda "oomph" I had to rev the shit out of the engine...which was fine with me because it is not my car :P I really liked the car, though. And there are a lot of slightly used cherry cars for sale. The back seat is almost useless. One cool thing I saw in this car is that the back windows open with this little hydraulic arm.
2) Next was the 2006 GTO As some of you know ( or maybe not) I love this car. I think it is one of the most underrated cars of all time. My friend that I took with me on the test drive hates American cars. He always buys German....like one of our friends on this board He was impressed with the interior...he could not believe that it was that nice. He said that he felt it was a little nicer than the M3. I don't know about that but it is nice, good materials, good build quality. Handling although pretty good is a little on the softer side with a little bit of body roll, but very predictalble. The engine sounds awsome. I love that V8 rumble. Driven nicely it will give you the same kind of mileage as the M3. How's that for cool? The problem with this car is 1) Trunk space 2)My wife HATES it. I mean absolutely hates it. I dunno why. I know that the Pontiac front end has a lot to do with it. But, you can pick one up for around 25K and change that front bumper to the Holden one which is real sharp. The car is smooth. Drives like baby. The power is intoxicating. Interior noise is at a minimum. WAAAAY quieter than my CL-S.
3) Porsche Cayman S : The dealer convinced me to drive the car. 6K miles for 50-55-k... i forget exactly. This car istays planted when you drive it in the twisties. . It is pretty sweet....there is no body roll whatsoever. The throws are super short in the gearbox. I kept trying to do a "long" throw like the Bimmer and GTO. It was pretty funny. The car sounds amazing as well. It does, however, get a little "boomy" inside. The engine sounds magnificent but, it is LOUD! I don't think I could live with that every single day. Decent trunk space (for such a small car!) The interior is pretty nice. I drove a dark blue one with a dark blue interior....not my first choice of colors but hey....it's a Porsche. The car feels pretty clausterphobic. You are sitting down "in" the car. Kinda like a Mustang (05 and up). I dont like that feeling.
All in all pretty nice car though, just not for me. Atleast not as a daily driver. Plus it is a strict 2 seater.

4)On Monday i drove the 2007 335 coupe. Went to Westmont BMW because the had one in stock. Silver with black interior, however, it was an auto. Which is fine because I just wanted to get a feel for the car. This was the only dealership where the salesman wanted to come with me. He was kinda snotty .. the whole "your buying a BMW" kinda guy. Please...it is a rich peoples honda civic.
Anyways, i digress...if i were to buy one it would not be from him.
The car looks OK. The rear end looks to thick. I sat in one in the autoshow and really liked the interior. For some reason I wasn't as impressed this time around. The car felt smooth but, I was expecting a little more. A little more of what? I am not quite sure. A little more BMW, perhaps. I didn't think the interior was up to an almost 50k car. The flat dash kills me as well.
The handling is smooth. I didn't get to push it like the other cars but I got on it a little. There is just a hint of turbo lag. Maybe the auto trans was killing it....i dunno. The power was pretty linear but it doesn't give you that "oomph"...kinda like the RL. Even though it has 300 horsies and all that torque (unlike the RL)It didn't feel all that powerful. I didn't connect with the car like I did with the E46 M3. I don't know how to explain it. From what I have read the performance of the two are pretty similar but the M3 feels like the more complete package.

And now the A5/S5 and g37 will be here soon. I have to decide how much cash I wanna burn. The 335 feels like I am throwing away money, for a car I really didnt like that much. I wanna drive a manual tranny car and see how that feels.

Whatever I get has to be pretty reliable as I will be driving from hospital to hospital....i won't have time to take it in all the time. It needs to comfortable and be fun to drive.

Ok, that is long as hell. I apologize in advance for grammatical and spelling errors. I just kept typing. Now my hands hurt.

afici0nad0

nice reviews

Crazy Bimmer

So when ya buying the m3, should drop in prices when the new one comes out.

Already can get them for around 35k used with low miles.

revitupwriteitoff

nice reviews, man...thanks for taking the time . My cousin is finishing her residency also, & is quite elated.

On the other hand...the phrase sounds...interesting.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

I haven't decided that ... didn't you read about my dilema


Have you driven the new 335's yet? What do you think?

Oh and I will be asking for some advice when the time comes....

ilitig8

Although I love my M3 my advice is simple.

Wait for the second year E92 M3.

I know its a lot more cash but you will have some time to build up reserves, the second year will have fewer issues and the car will be so much more than the E46. Further, the E92 will give you years of being the M3 king and you will be less likely to roll out of the E46 as the sight and sound of the new ones wafts through your cranium. Even now I am looking at the E92 specs with lust, despite having promised myself that I would wait 2 more years and buy either a P, L or F car something inside keeps saying screw it and become do what I have with every earlier M3 and get one!

You have put a lot of time in school and I understand the desire to "treat" yourself but I think you would be happier in the long run waiting for the E92. Then again I am transfering me to you...

On the 335, I have driven one and although impressive I would not trade my M3 even for one despite it being worth a little more. If you do decide to get an E46 try al least driving a CS if you can find one, having bought mine in 04 I didn't have the option but would have gotten it had it been an option then. However, I probably would not have gotten a CS if it was to be my daily.

Good luck on the search.

PS do the crazy thing and preempt the mid-life crisis, get a Cayman and send it down to Ruf and have the S/C 3.8L conversion done, about 35K BUT it give the chassis the 440hp it deserves, then go huntin' TTs on track days... mmmm tasty.

Crazy Bimmer

Well you seem to just had a bad dealer experience when driving the 335. I say give it another try when you have a better experience/salesperson. I have hated a nice car because of that same reason before.

Oh and no I havent driven it. I refuse to since I still like my A4.

Maybe I will soon and its not suppose to FEEL fast. Its suppose to feel smooth and tame but the low end torque should have been a big difference between that and the m3.

If i was you, I would save the cash and get a used M3. You seem to have fallen in love with it already. Plus the M3 is known to be reliable and has a history to look at. The 335 does not and we dont know how well it will hold up over time.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

What is the CS? is that the competition package?
What exaclty is in the package besides the wheels? My understanding is that the suspension upgrades are throughout the line....



On another note....did i mention in my review that the windows in the 335 do not open in the back?
The only reason I like CLK's (the latest body style) is that the back windows go all the way down. Like the 70's coupes. It is a great feeling.

BTW, jesal....my fav is actually the GTO...but that is probably not gonna happen

Another question..... Since the E92 has the carbon fiber roof....will sunroofs be availabe? That is kind of a deal killer if it doesn't. Do the M6's?

The plan I am formulating right now is buy the E46 M3, drive it for a couple of years until the e92 M3 kinks get worked out and then possibley upgrade to that. Plus in the 2008-2010 year range there are a lot of really nice cars coming out. Like the new Camaro (i can't let go of muscle cars!!!)

daemonicus

i've driven the cayman S and the 335i coupe back to back and honestly, i stepped out of the cayman thinking "heh, nice car" and then i got out of the 335i and thought "where can i get $45k NOW?" Imo, if you're going to buy a porsche, get a 911, you wont be disappointed. i think the reason the 335i appealed to me more was the fact that it was not only a very fast coupe (i drove the manual btw, completely different than auto), but also that it could double as a daily driver. it's an extremely quiet, smooth, luxurious, ride but when you want to have a little fun, it's all there for you. you mention turbo lag in the auto but i'll tell you, the manual changes all that. the power was instantly there when i wanted it and the car just kept pulling through each gear. if you can find one, i'd definitely recommend you go drive it.

all in all, it's just the ultimate package, for me. everyday practicality with the power of the M3. what more do you need?

AMGala

iTrader: (4)

The Indian in me is suggesting that you reward yourself by paying off one of those mortgages early.

synth19

Loseit, congrats on finally finishing... I'm the type of person who doesn't really like to drive an older model car once the new design is introduced. I personally would wait until the new M3 comes out. But it's a matter of preference.

bigman

SSSHHHHH dont let the secret out. Depending on what car i buy my wife, i may pick one up. I am waiting for the G8 to come out to see if i get my wife an SUV and me a used M or 06 GTO, OR get teh G8 and keep the grand cherokee. The trans Am will never be sold.

aesir11

If you really did the GTO that much get it. I've seen a few GTOs here in Scottsdale done right and WOW. They sound and look great. Besides, you're already married and the car is for YOU, not for her. 25k for a car just isn't that much and look at what you get! It's a lot of fun for what you get. So you get a little treat for yourself and a little financial responsibility at the same time.

As far as waiting or not. As long as you can cover your bills (student loans, kid expenses, travel expenses, whatever) and can still afford the car, get it. Shit you've been in school for how long? Live life it may not be here tomorrow...just don't go overboard.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

dammit....me too

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

I was like that as well but two things have changed 1) I have become cheap bastard as time has gone, the depreciation on new cars is brutal. 2) I like a lot of some older cars better than the new ones. Eg. The old CLK looks waaay better than the new CLK.

I try to stay in the current body style as well, but....as of right now E92 isn't doin anything for me.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

did you buy one?

synth19

How about the new GTR coming out???? G37?

Crazy Bimmer

I personally think its overkill unless you plan to track drive this thing. Plus they seem hard to find.http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=105396

I know you love the GTO but as soon as you said your wife HATED it, i knew not to even bring it up. Come on, we know how it works.

Thats what i think you should do as well. Get a used E46 M3 and pay off some of your student loans. Then when the e92 m3 is out for a bit, then you can pick one up. You will still have a blast in the M3 even if the new one is out. I mean look at the E36 M3s, they still look damn good and they came out in 95!

S14 n Tsx

those are some good choices...

ilitig8

Technically it is the Comp package in the US most of the E46 community calls it the CS (for Club Sport) as it is called in the UK, it was a 4K option and included:

19-inch BBS forged alloy wheels
Specially tuned suspension for the Competition Package
More direct steering ratio of 14.5:1 (from 15.4:1) allowing quicker turn-in
M-Track Mode (similarly to the CSL model) with a button mounted on the steering wheel
Compound cross-drilled rotors from the M3 CSL model and larger front rotor of 13.6 inches (from 12.8 inches)
Alcantara steering wheel, gear lever and hand brake

Negatives included loosing steering wheel audio controls, no cruise control and the cross drilled rotors can be noisy in slow speed driving. The package was a bargain since the standard 19" wheel option was $1700 so for $2300 you get the rest. Crazy's post mentioned larger tires, I am pretty sure the width is the same but only larger in that that are 19", I am pretty sure they are the same 225/255s that came on my car. They could be difficult to find but worth a drive/look if you see one available when you are looking.

As for a moon/sun roof in the E92, my guess is it will be there BUT I am not 100% sure.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

G37 is on the list!

There are a couple of Competion package M3's for sale in the area. Maybe I'll check em out.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

What is the upkeep on a used 911 like?
Aren't they supposed to be pretty reliable?

aesir11

Porsche's are better than I believe all but BMW for German reliability. With that said, they really aren't that reliable.

I drove a Boxster S for a few years. According to the dealer I serviced my Porsche at, the average life span for clutches and brakes on a Porsche is 30k miles. I hit that pretty much head on; however that was a tough 4 grand to eat. Clutch replacement ran ~$1700 and the brakes ran ~1500. A few months after the warranty was up I had to replace something in the fuel lines for $400. The gas tank was reading a quarter tank when it would be empty. It's been a few years, but so I can't totally remember the service schedules. I didn't drive very often at the time (maybe 8-9k a year) so once a year I alternated services that ran ~$300 and ~$800. If you drive 12k a year expect to do ~1000 a year in maintenance. I had the convertible top replaced once under warranty. Without the warranty it would have been a $2000 replacement.

I would not recommend a Porsche to anyone on a strict budget especially preowned. Parts and labor are not cheap.

bkknight369

Wouldnt the 911 be more reliable than the boxter, since they've been building it for so many years?

CLpower

You're wife sucks, if it wasn't for mine I wouldn't have even test driven the GTO and would be in an STi or Evo

daemonicus

i thought this was pretty interesting.

aesir11

Nice, I was actually looking for that list the other day. Consumer Reports has a TOTALLY different list. I find that really interesting. What I do see as interesting is that the American cars are actually middle of the road for both lists.

I'm starting to change my opinion of them more and more.

aesir11

Beneath the covers they're still using a lot of the same parts bin. The whole front clip of my 01 Boxster was the same as the 98-00 911.

daemonicus

honestly, i dont find Consumer Reports to be a very reputable guide for research.

PoshRacer

The Porsche Cayman S is a sweet car, but if you had to compare it to the M3 the BMW comes out on top.

Porsche 911 vs M3 is a different story though.

daemonicus

you sure about that? there was an a comparison a while back in car and driver (or motor trend, not sure which) where they compared the M3, 911, and Corvette and the M3 came out on top by a pretty significant margin, iirc.

aesir11

From a performance standpoint I'll back that. A week after I bought my Boxster S a buddy picked up an M3 and let me drive it. I hate to say it, but it made my Boxster feel a bit docile on the street. I know the Boxster is great on the track, but I spend most of my time on the street.