[Editor's Note: This article originally ran in the November 2007 issue of Grassroots Motorsports.]
M3: It’s a simple alphanumeric designation that gets sports car enthusiasts all hot and bothered. For two decades, the BMW M3—the sportiest variant of the company’s smaller, 3 Series line—has been the upmarket but still attainable king of the sports sedan realm.
The sheet came off …
Easily the perfect M3. Best sound, highest redline, most NA power, sedan/coupe/vert all offered, perfect balance of luxury and performance, and surprisingly reliable. I love the S54, but having an iron block inline six sticking way out front is less than ideal.
My idea of the perfect m3 weighs a little less than 3600 lbs, but the v8 is a hell of a NA swan song!
The M3 is still amazing, but let's not pretend BMW hasn't watered down the ///M badge by putting it on damn near everything including SUVs these days. I see 20+ M-badged BMWs every day in my commute (and S/RS-badged Audis, and AMG Benzes) It used to mean the car was really rare and special. These days it's not rare at all, it just means you have a lot of cash.
These aren't criticism-free, but the the 4-door version is pretty high on my list for a kid-hauler where the weight isn't as much of an issue. Overall nickle-n-dime-you-to-death reliability seems higher than the turbo sixes, but they do seem to have a couple of big-ticket items that commonly need to be addressed. The throttle body actuators break and the rod bearings were apparently shipped with too-tight tolerances from the factory. That said, I haven't found any other modern 4-door V8s with a manual transmission that I could afford and are desirable to the household. The SO doesn't like G8 GXPs as much as I do.
irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:The M3 is still amazing, but let's not pretend BMW hasn't watered down the ///M badge by putting it on damn near everything including SUVs these days. I see 20+ M-badged BMWs every day in my commute (and S/RS-badged Audis, and AMG Benzes) It used to mean the car was really rare and special. These days it's not rare at all, it just means you have a lot of cash.
The 'M' status was devalued when it became an option package that gave you a few things like steering wheel, seats etc. You got M Sport And you see owners that haven't even paid for the option package sticking an 'M' on their cars in a rather pathetic attempt at self aggrandizement.
The last real M cars may be the E85/86 in the mid 2000s. but there are cases to be made for slightly later ones like the E90/92/93 M3s
In reply to wspohn :
You'd be crazy not to count the E9X chassis as a "real" M car. These things on track are just sublime; the drive weigh lighter than they actually are. Sure, the turbo stuff has lost it's way a bit, but the last naturally aspirated M car is a real M car. A swan song of what BMW could do before emissions and soft rich people changed the direction of the brand.
irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:The M3 is still amazing, but let's not pretend BMW hasn't watered down the ///M badge by putting it on damn near everything including SUVs these days. I see 20+ M-badged BMWs every day in my commute (and S/RS-badged Audis, and AMG Benzes) It used to mean the car was really rare and special. These days it's not rare at all, it just means you have a lot of cash.
It just means you live where there are a lot of people with a lot of cash 
I saw an RS3 once.
wspohn said:The 'M' status was devalued when it became an option package that gave you a few things like steering wheel, seats etc. You got M Sport And you see owners that haven't even paid for the option package sticking an 'M' on their cars in a rather pathetic attempt at self aggrandizement.
The last real M cars may be the E85/86 in the mid 2000s. but there are cases to be made for slightly later ones like the E90/92/93 M3s
I have a 1996 318ti with the M appearance package that you probably are not going to be a fan of. M3 front bumper, rear bumper, side skirts, steering wheel, interior, etc.
I've owned every generation of M3 made through this chassis. They are all very cool cars, in very different ways. The e90 M3 I owned had been prepped for light track work and it was simply stunning to drive. The noises it made with the aftermarket exhaust were truly amazing.
In reply to dyintorace (Forum Supporter) :
Which exhaust did you use? Inquiring minds and all that...
Also, man that car looks great. The want is STRONG.
I love these and have always been planning on getting one when they've depreciated to an affordable level, but they've held their value frustratingly well.
In reply to rothwem :
You can pick them up all day for around $20,000 or much less if you're willing to travel to a good deal. That's pretty darn cheap for what you're getting.
350z247 said:In reply to rothwem :
You can pick them up all day for around $20,000 or much less if you're willing to travel to a good deal. That's pretty darn cheap for what you're getting.
Under 20k? I've seen them but they're rare and usually have a whole bunch of miles/owners/accidents on them. Most of the ones I'd be interested in buying hover around $25,000, which does seem like a lot of car for the money but its still too rich for my blood. If I'm spending 25k, its got to be daily-able, and I just don't trust one of these for that purpose with the rod bearing and throttle actuator issues hanging out there.
In reply to rothwem :
Agreed. I've been keeping my eye out for one for several years--the cheap ones all have super high mileage and/or rebuilt titles.
In reply to rothwem :
You only need to replace the rod bearings once and replacing the throttle body actuators isn't really that bad. I would have no issues with daily driving a 4 door E90 M3. Most of the cars at $25,000 should already have most of the big maintenance items done already as it makes them easier to sell. I certainly wouldn't have one as my ONLY car, but as long as you have some form of second car, they're great.
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