BMW choices, which and why

aussiesmg wrote: We are getting off track here, RWD manual either 335i or E46 M3. I am going that route or I will stay with the Elantra, it does a wonderful job but 12 hours a day at the wheel meas I am ready for something more my style

E46 M3 then. It's awesome. It's lighter. It's engine is a pinnacle of NA straight-sixery that makes all the right noises. It's the last of the "pretty" BMWs. It might be a bit maintenance intensive compared to an Elantra but it will make you smile everytime you put your arse in it and when you park it - you will look back over your shoulder at it and admire it.

The 335 is a fine car too - but it's not a love affair car.

After a big string of BMWs I'll go with the newer is better to live with mantra. Every time I've gone to a newer model it's been an improvement in comfort and dynamics with the exception of an E28 (maybe just sentimentality, but I loved that car).

bigdaddylee82 wrote: The 330i ZHP for obvious reasons, 90% of an M3 without the M3 price/insurance and you can get it with 4 doors. There's a guy that works at our favorite local pizza/bar who drives a red sedan ZHP, I drool over it often. Make mine a white 4 door manual. - Lee

Eh, I'd disagree with the "90%" thing. It's only got 2/3rds of the power, and a much lower redline. The more I learn about E46s, the less enthused I am about the ZHP. The prices are ridiculous compared to what's just a little bit more than an appearance package. Yeah, it's got a 6-speed box and a different set of cams, but both of those could be added for far less than people are selling ZHPs for. If it had an LSD, even, I'd be all over that. But it's not sufficiently different to justify the substantial price difference.

Don't get me wrong, the cube interior trim is dead sexy, and I love the M-Tech 2 bumper. But both of those can be added to any 330i.

I'd definitely go for a well-maintained 330i over a same-mileage ZHP and save a few thousand. I've seen good 330s go for about $6-7k, whereas a similar ZHP would be in the $11-12k range.

I would go for the 335i to pile on the miles, it's a nicer car to live with daily and will hold up better in the long term. At some point you will do a water pump, high pressure fuel pump and a pair of turbos so those things need to be part of the budget.

01-02 Z3 M coupe......you get a hatch to put things in, and can outrun every baddie in a c5 vette trying to catch you.

OK, I'm being unrealistic there.....but I don't have an opinion on either the 335 or the e46M

In reply to ansonivan: PMed you mate

The e46M is a bit stiffly suspended and short geared so it is a bit buzzy for highway cruising. Although I like the e46M over the 335i cuz it looks cooler and it's an M but if racking up miles on the highway were the goal, I think the 335i would be more enjoyable.