[CollinsE90]

I currently have a 2001 330i Msport ZSP, and so far i have spent about $2000 on getting it running the way a true enthusiast wants it to run...

Here's my dilemma...

I want more power, in the means of a e46 ///M...i just dont want to get it and spend $1000's on repair work because id be in the same situation

i would just do a ESS supercharger on mine but its a AT, and i want a 6MT because i want to start going to the track every once in awile and have some fun, not like a immature kid though to try the be the cool kid with a fast car, i actually enjoy the drive, and the taking corners with precise stability etc...

The reason i want the ///M is because i really cant afford a 335 except for the early builds and i dont want to fool with the hpfp issues... and the ///M 333hp will be plenty, esp. if i add headers, exhaust, tune etc...

Im young and in college but make decent money and can afford a e46 ///M. but if it will be in the shop every other week ill be able to pay for it but have no money for anything else, but im also worried my current car is going to have future problems because the prior owner didnt do ANY maintenance work at all after the CPO ran out so there is no telling whats about to go...

Should I take my time and try to find a VERY well maintained M3, or just keep my current one and wait a few years, but what worries me about that is cars are going ECO-friendly(smaller forced injection motors), which i want raw power, maybe a HPF stage 1 in the future

Dont try to flame as im not set on anything just trying to get some objective POV's and see if my instict's are correct

Collin

[Blake]

if i were in your situation, i would find a clean e46 m3, like you said, and go from there. the e46 m3 is a fantastic car just as itself. there are things to this day that i like more than any e92 in the e46 m3.

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by Blake

if i were in your situation, i would find a clean e46 m3, like you said, and go from there. the e46 m3 is a fantastic car just as itself. there are things to this day that i like more than any e92 in the e46 m3.

coming from you with your experience with cars, that's pushing me towards the ///M

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=752965


i want this car because of how well this(53 year old) kept it up but i dont want imola because i dont like to advertise myself as much as possible, especially in a M3, i dont like to be seen as much as possible from people or police, because i dont care what people think, i love these cars and can careless if anyone knows i own it...

Im looking for a Silver grey(space grey in e9x terms) or AW M'er for around 20k, 6MT if you guys know where any are, i would love to get one from an enthusiast lightly modded bc i dont buy other people's racecars...

[Perpetrator]

I had an E46 M3 ZCP, and it was def one of my favorite cars. Each drive will bring a smile to your face. With that said, the only warning I can give you is that it is very expensive to squeeze any more power out of it. You already have an N/A car, so you know how it goes. Mods for an ///M can empty your pocket quick. Other than that, the E46 M3 is pretty solid in terms of reliability. Stick with a 6MT and 2003.5+ model and you should be ok.

PS - if you can swing an 05-06, then I would recommend finding one with ZCP.

[Blake]

that's a very clean e46 m3. low miles and very well maintained. price is OK but you could probably wiggle another $1-2k off that.

[Blake]

Originally Posted by Perpetrator

I had an E46 M3 ZCP, and it was def one of my favorite cars. Each drive will bring a smile to your face. With that said, the only warning I can give you is that it is very expensive to squeeze any more power out of it. You already have an N/A car, so you know how it goes. Mods for an ///M can empty your pocket quick. Other than that, the E46 M3 is pretty solid in terms of reliability. Stick with a 6MT and 2003.5+ model and you should be ok.

PS - if you can swing an 05-06, then I would recommend finding one with ZCP.

+1 on about everything. don't buy a bmw to add power cheaply, because it doesn't work that way (except the 335, but you'll be running through fuel pumps like tanks of gas). if you want the most power you can get as cheap as possible, perhaps consider another brand. we all know that HPF is the most power you can get out of an e46 m3, but it comes with a very hefty price tag.

also +1 on the 2003.5+. i have a buddy with an 01 m3 vert and it's been nothing but problems. i have another buddy with an 05 coupe that has >100k miles and hasn't had a problem in years.

electronic gremlins will always be the bane of any bmw, but the e46 drivetrain is about as reliable and solid as you'll find on any car.

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by Perpetrator

I had an E46 M3 ZCP, and it was def one of my favorite cars. Each drive will bring a smile to your face. With that said, the only warning I can give you is that it is very expensive to squeeze any more power out of it. You already have an N/A car, so you know how it goes. Mods for an ///M can empty your pocket quick. Other than that, the E46 M3 is pretty solid in terms of reliability. Stick with a 6MT and 2003.5+ model and you should be ok.

PS - if you can swing an 05-06, then I would recommend finding one with ZCP.

the guys on e46f say otherwise, they say they are money pits in terms of reliabliity, and yeh i know how NA's go thats why i want the ///M, i really want a 335 with the JB3, but i dont want to deal with the hpfp, and a CPO would to expensive for me

Originally Posted by Blake

that's a very clean e46 m3. low miles and very well maintained. price is OK but you could probably wiggle another $1-2k off that.

yeh but the imola is turning me off, cop nightmare

but its exactly what i want in terms of being taken care of

[Blake]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

yeh but the imola is turning me off, cop nightmare

but its exactly what i want in terms of being taken care of

i'm not really a fan of red cars either (except of the ferrari variety), but you could always repaint it to LSB.

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by Blake

i'm not really a fan of red cars either (except of the ferrari variety), but you could always repaint it to LSB.

if i painted it this would be my choice

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

[Blake]

oh lawd

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by Blake

oh lawd

my words exactly, looks like hulk shit out a car

[radix]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

yeh but the imola is turning me off, cop nightmare

but its exactly what i want in terms of being taken care of

Don't worry about the cops. Red cars get ticketed proportionally to the percentage of red cars on the streets . Grey cars are the real cop magnets. No, I'm not joking.

[ghosthi32]

i was just looking at e46 m3s lol.

i saw a bright orange 2006 on autotrader

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by ghosthi32

i was just looking at e46 m3s lol.

i saw a bright orange 2006 on autotrader

i limited the search to 05, but the green one is horrible, his shifter looks like a red dildo

[ghosthi32]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

i limited the search to 05, but the green one is horrible, his shifter looks like a red dildo

i'd burn that green one if i saw it


edit: heres the orange. http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by ghosthi32

i'd burn that green one if i saw it


edit: heres the orange. http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

that one isnt bad at all except for the bright orange

[GreenPlease]

The S54 is solid so long as you get a 2003.5 or later build. Very solid. 333hp should be more than enough for the occasional trip to the track. If you want to add power, skip headers, exhaust, etc. and just save up to get a supercharger from AA.

[TTexan]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

Im young and in college but make decent money and can afford a e46 ///M. but if it will be in the shop every other week ill be able to pay for it but have no money for anything else, but im also worried my current car is going to have future problems because the prior owner didnt do ANY maintenance work at all after the CPO ran out so there is no telling whats about to go...
Collin

Not flaming here, but I consider "affording" a car an all inclusive sort of deal, IE maintenance costs.

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by TTexan

Not flaming here, but I consider "affording" a car an all inclusive sort of deal, IE maintenance costs.

Just bc I said I can "afford it" doesn't mean I'm stretching every penny for it, don't think its necessary to post my W2 on here

[TTexan]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

Just bc I said I can "afford it" doesn't mean I'm stretching every penny for it, don't think its necessary to post my W2 on here

What does posting your W2 have anything to do with it?

Sigh. Buy the M3, seems to me you would be happier with it in the long run.

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by TTexan

What does posting your W2 have anything to do with it?

Sigh. Buy the M3, seems to me you would be happier with it in the long run.

im just saying i dont feel the need to put how much money i make on here, bc it doesnt matter, i wasnt asking if you guys think i can afford it, just which would be a better move


but ive decided to start my journey looking for my for my baby, im going to have it by next summer and just get a 05-06 ZCP, i could get one in a couple months but id rather wait(save money) and get what i really want, esp. since im going to be tracking it, ZCP will be a big plus for racing

[CollinsE90]

im so fucking pissed right now, go to wal-mart and when i turn the car off and the yellow oil light comes on, dont even care what it means just know it isnt good...take the oil cap off and drop the SOB to the bottom, have to get under the car to get the cap and i see oil all over the under carriage, the oil wasnt too low but im so fed up with this fucking car, i almost want to go to another brand