Update on my e46 M3 (former S4 owner)
12-03-2001, 01:00 PM
#1
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,891
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Update on my e46 M3 (former S4 owner)
the BIG news:
after five weeks, they're changing my rear differential. so much for the much touted 100% power to one wheel M differential. a BMW North America guy came by to take a ride in the car with me. he didnt even argue. he simply said that they'd get a new differential for me. so, the warranty works (ie, no headaches, no issues with modding, etc) but doesnt it suck when the warranty has to cover parts of the car that should be pretty much bulletproof? 333 hp and the diff. cant take it?
i've got 2300 miles and this car has been, at times a blast to drive, and at times, made me feel like i was driving a worn out old car.
The bad:
1) rattles - many rattles - one speaker was already replaced to take care of my door rattle. got another rattle directly behind me somewhere (B pillar). and another from the rear seats.
2) electrical gremlins - radio (FM) reception jumps from stereo to mono and back and forth. reception overall stinks. i could get 92.7 WLIR (for you LI folks) with my s4 but not with my m3. auto headlamps didnt turn off automatically even in broad sunny daylight!
3) build quality - driver's side door panel doesnt fit flush with the rear quarter panel. it's raised up and outwards about an 1/8". isnt there anything called quality control? funny thing is that my friend picked up a new one right after me. his door doesnt fit flush either. wtf?!
4) clunk from tranny - from what i've been told, the clunking sound from the tranny is quite normal. i do believe it as my s2000 had a noisy tranny as well as my friend's Z06. but for some reason, stepping into this car from an s4 made me somehow feel like this car shouldnt be having these sorts of sounds.
5) my g/f doesnt like it as much as the s4. yeah, this shouldnt really count but every time i mention a problem, she thinks the car is BS. she's an Audi/Porsche girl. fell in love with the s4. loves the allroad and loves the 996... go figure. what's she trying to say? lol
6) trunk space - it's big and wide but it's not high. i had to take my sister's s4 avant to go and pick up a few iMacs. i couldnt fit one iMac into the m3. maybe on the passenger side seat but why make three trips when you can make one? once again, audi saves the day! Avants really kick ***!
the GOOD:
1) acceleration is sick! it's a cross b/w the s2000's high revving four pot and the s4's biturbo. there's quite abit of torque for everyday driving much like the s4 (s4 still feels torquier though). but the pickup really happens after you pass 6000 rpms - all the way up to 8000 rpms. and i dont even want to mention what happens when you hit the SPORT button. that button is evil. it's like having a TURBO BOOST button ala KIT (knight rider).
2) handling is wicked! i've gotten through turns faster in this car than i have with the s4. ironically, although the s4 has quattro to back it up, i still feel safer going fast through the twisties in this car than the s4. go figure. really says alot about this car's handling and it's ability to relay that back to the driver. have gotten the tail to hang a few times. it's pretty adventurous but nowhere nearly as dangerous as doing it in an s2000.
3) seats - yes, they are red... bloody imola red! and i really think they make a great combo with a silver exterior. but they also have these buttons that make the side lumbars squeeze you in tight. no more yanking your seatbelt tight to hold you in. these probably have to be my favorite creature comfort feature in the car.
4) digital cellphone - yes, it costs $1800 but with the new laws around my area popping up about having handsfree phones, i thought it would be a good time to add that feature to the car. it gets integrated into the nav display and the voice activation makes things absolutely handsfree. and i got that cool little sharkfin on the roof of the car. bmw na contacts me via phone if my car's alarm stays on for more than 10 minutes. and many dealerships dont know that. i found out through bmwna when i needed to set up my car's profile in their database in case of emergencies.
4) bi-xenons - useful for not only getting those slow drivers out of your lane but to get some drivers' heads out of their asses.
5) style - it's gotten softer looking than the e36 but it's also gotten quite abit more muscular. things flow better on this car than the e36. fender flares really make a car look badass. i've got a friend's e36 m3 i'm storing in my garage for the winter. e36 looks chiseled, e46 looks sculpted. both look pretty good though.
6) two door - my first audi was a two door (coupe quattro). wish the s4 was a two door. and now, i'm sitting in a bmw two door. i love coupes. the more doors you have, the more you get asked to drive others around. forget that.
7) navigation screen - navigation maps are really nice. voice control allows me to scale, turn on the navigation, and search for hotels, gas stations, etc. this, at least for me, is extremely useful as i take trips quite often.
there you have it, for those that wanted to know my experiences with the e46 m3.
and the price for this?
$55,945 which includes the following factory options:
titanium silver metallic paint
premium package
width adjustable seats
cold weather package
bi-xenons
park distance control
navigation system
it's pretty much fully loaded save for rear airbags and the new SMG II tranny.
and dealer added (extra cost):
1)CD changer (nav system has cassette - this is BS)
2)Alarm - shouldnt this come with the car anyway? my friend's e46 m3 just got broken into last week. i'm sure if he had an alarm, it could've at least prevented the theives from taking EVERYTHING from the car. leaving this option out on this car is BS.
3)HomeLink - should be included
4)Cellphone w/voice activation- the only one that should be a real dealer option.
dealer options cost me an additional $3K.
after taxes, this car is an easy $62K.
so, for you s4 owners considering one, i've laid out the details. it's alot of money for a 3 series. then again, the 3 series is overpriced anyway, so why not the flagship M3? hehe
Do i regret the purchase? not really.
Do i wish i got a porsche? not really. b/c everyone needs to go through growing pains. the porsche is for when i really want to treat myself.
Do i love the car? not really. i would've if i didnt have so many complaints. maybe it'll get better but it certainly hasnt been that ear to ear grin that i got when i first picked up my s4.
Do i miss the s4? yes. especially now that winter is coming. you can always count on an s4 getting you where you want.
Do i wish i had an s4? not really. it's always good to try something new.
Would i buy another bmw? not really. i love the m3's performance. but in any car, there's much more to be desired other than performance.
What's next? Xbox. gotta check out that new driving game.
after five weeks, they're changing my rear differential. so much for the much touted 100% power to one wheel M differential. a BMW North America guy came by to take a ride in the car with me. he didnt even argue. he simply said that they'd get a new differential for me. so, the warranty works (ie, no headaches, no issues with modding, etc) but doesnt it suck when the warranty has to cover parts of the car that should be pretty much bulletproof? 333 hp and the diff. cant take it?
i've got 2300 miles and this car has been, at times a blast to drive, and at times, made me feel like i was driving a worn out old car.
The bad:
1) rattles - many rattles - one speaker was already replaced to take care of my door rattle. got another rattle directly behind me somewhere (B pillar). and another from the rear seats.
2) electrical gremlins - radio (FM) reception jumps from stereo to mono and back and forth. reception overall stinks. i could get 92.7 WLIR (for you LI folks) with my s4 but not with my m3. auto headlamps didnt turn off automatically even in broad sunny daylight!
3) build quality - driver's side door panel doesnt fit flush with the rear quarter panel. it's raised up and outwards about an 1/8". isnt there anything called quality control? funny thing is that my friend picked up a new one right after me. his door doesnt fit flush either. wtf?!
4) clunk from tranny - from what i've been told, the clunking sound from the tranny is quite normal. i do believe it as my s2000 had a noisy tranny as well as my friend's Z06. but for some reason, stepping into this car from an s4 made me somehow feel like this car shouldnt be having these sorts of sounds.
5) my g/f doesnt like it as much as the s4. yeah, this shouldnt really count but every time i mention a problem, she thinks the car is BS. she's an Audi/Porsche girl. fell in love with the s4. loves the allroad and loves the 996... go figure. what's she trying to say? lol
6) trunk space - it's big and wide but it's not high. i had to take my sister's s4 avant to go and pick up a few iMacs. i couldnt fit one iMac into the m3. maybe on the passenger side seat but why make three trips when you can make one? once again, audi saves the day! Avants really kick ***!
the GOOD:
1) acceleration is sick! it's a cross b/w the s2000's high revving four pot and the s4's biturbo. there's quite abit of torque for everyday driving much like the s4 (s4 still feels torquier though). but the pickup really happens after you pass 6000 rpms - all the way up to 8000 rpms. and i dont even want to mention what happens when you hit the SPORT button. that button is evil. it's like having a TURBO BOOST button ala KIT (knight rider).
2) handling is wicked! i've gotten through turns faster in this car than i have with the s4. ironically, although the s4 has quattro to back it up, i still feel safer going fast through the twisties in this car than the s4. go figure. really says alot about this car's handling and it's ability to relay that back to the driver. have gotten the tail to hang a few times. it's pretty adventurous but nowhere nearly as dangerous as doing it in an s2000.
3) seats - yes, they are red... bloody imola red! and i really think they make a great combo with a silver exterior. but they also have these buttons that make the side lumbars squeeze you in tight. no more yanking your seatbelt tight to hold you in. these probably have to be my favorite creature comfort feature in the car.
4) digital cellphone - yes, it costs $1800 but with the new laws around my area popping up about having handsfree phones, i thought it would be a good time to add that feature to the car. it gets integrated into the nav display and the voice activation makes things absolutely handsfree. and i got that cool little sharkfin on the roof of the car. bmw na contacts me via phone if my car's alarm stays on for more than 10 minutes. and many dealerships dont know that. i found out through bmwna when i needed to set up my car's profile in their database in case of emergencies.
4) bi-xenons - useful for not only getting those slow drivers out of your lane but to get some drivers' heads out of their asses.
5) style - it's gotten softer looking than the e36 but it's also gotten quite abit more muscular. things flow better on this car than the e36. fender flares really make a car look badass. i've got a friend's e36 m3 i'm storing in my garage for the winter. e36 looks chiseled, e46 looks sculpted. both look pretty good though.
6) two door - my first audi was a two door (coupe quattro). wish the s4 was a two door. and now, i'm sitting in a bmw two door. i love coupes. the more doors you have, the more you get asked to drive others around. forget that.
7) navigation screen - navigation maps are really nice. voice control allows me to scale, turn on the navigation, and search for hotels, gas stations, etc. this, at least for me, is extremely useful as i take trips quite often.
there you have it, for those that wanted to know my experiences with the e46 m3.
and the price for this?
$55,945 which includes the following factory options:
titanium silver metallic paint
premium package
width adjustable seats
cold weather package
bi-xenons
park distance control
navigation system
it's pretty much fully loaded save for rear airbags and the new SMG II tranny.
and dealer added (extra cost):
1)CD changer (nav system has cassette - this is BS)
2)Alarm - shouldnt this come with the car anyway? my friend's e46 m3 just got broken into last week. i'm sure if he had an alarm, it could've at least prevented the theives from taking EVERYTHING from the car. leaving this option out on this car is BS.
3)HomeLink - should be included
4)Cellphone w/voice activation- the only one that should be a real dealer option.
dealer options cost me an additional $3K.
after taxes, this car is an easy $62K.
so, for you s4 owners considering one, i've laid out the details. it's alot of money for a 3 series. then again, the 3 series is overpriced anyway, so why not the flagship M3? hehe
Do i regret the purchase? not really.
Do i wish i got a porsche? not really. b/c everyone needs to go through growing pains. the porsche is for when i really want to treat myself.
Do i love the car? not really. i would've if i didnt have so many complaints. maybe it'll get better but it certainly hasnt been that ear to ear grin that i got when i first picked up my s4.
Do i miss the s4? yes. especially now that winter is coming. you can always count on an s4 getting you where you want.
Do i wish i had an s4? not really. it's always good to try something new.
Would i buy another bmw? not really. i love the m3's performance. but in any car, there's much more to be desired other than performance.
What's next? Xbox. gotta check out that new driving game.
12-03-2001, 01:12 PM
#2
New Member
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds like you are having fun w/the new toy.....
As far a the problems you have had, thats odd, trust me BMW's are practically bullet proof(so are Audi's). My pops had an 89 525i w/230k on the original clutch, that sure tells you something about quality Anyhow, you should definatly get snows for the winter and that should make driving it in snow less of a task. Lets see some pics of this new car 
12-03-2001, 01:12 PM
#3
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds sweet. But....... well you can read if you want.......
Your ride sounds sweet. While there are definite benefits over an S4 (at least for you), I could never justify that price.
Personally, for that kind of dough, well lets say 10Gs more... I think you coulda gotten a lot more.
I.E. My buddy would have sold you his Schnitz M5 @ 5k miles & pristine. (someone else got it for the same; $72k)
But then again, you said you prefer two doors.
But it sounds right for you.
Personally, for that kind of dough, well lets say 10Gs more... I think you coulda gotten a lot more.
I.E. My buddy would have sold you his Schnitz M5 @ 5k miles & pristine. (someone else got it for the same; $72k)
But then again, you said you prefer two doors.
But it sounds right for you.
12-03-2001, 01:16 PM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,736
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice un-biased opinions...
I never thought that the e46 M3 was worth the money they were asking. BMW is ALWAYS going to be overpriced by a couple thousand IMHO.
Fit and finish of the 3-series is great, but german cars in general aren't as cookie-cutter as, say, a Honda for example. Each car has its own "personality".
Good post.
Fit and finish of the 3-series is great, but german cars in general aren't as cookie-cutter as, say, a Honda for example. Each car has its own "personality".
Good post.
12-03-2001, 01:23 PM
#6
Thanks for the review
I never had the M3 (or any BMW for that matter) in my wish list...from the first time I sat inside one with the spartan cabin.
A good 90 something used one perhaps, but it's sad to see the 'quality' of new German cars like BMW and Audi falling short.
The only 2 other German cars that I would ever consider would be Porsche and MB.
Porsche seems to be focused enough to bring a good quality/bulletproof car and MB I would doubt would let their standards fall due tot he kind of owner they usually get, but still it's a shame.
I have yet to find a 'problem' or quality issue in my gfs WRX (Wagon). I have yet to hear any rattles inside, oh and the best of all: Her turbo is so silent.. so much for the siren being 'normal' on turbos uh?
My next car won't be German you can guess, I like ergonomics of American cars and their electronics/layouts and the solid build of Japanese cars so we shall see what my next car will be.
A good 90 something used one perhaps, but it's sad to see the 'quality' of new German cars like BMW and Audi falling short.
The only 2 other German cars that I would ever consider would be Porsche and MB.
Porsche seems to be focused enough to bring a good quality/bulletproof car and MB I would doubt would let their standards fall due tot he kind of owner they usually get, but still it's a shame.
I have yet to find a 'problem' or quality issue in my gfs WRX (Wagon). I have yet to hear any rattles inside, oh and the best of all: Her turbo is so silent.. so much for the siren being 'normal' on turbos uh?
My next car won't be German you can guess, I like ergonomics of American cars and their electronics/layouts and the solid build of Japanese cars so we shall see what my next car will be.
12-03-2001, 01:23 PM
#7
New Member
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
3000 miles and I also have a few problems with my M3.....
#1 driver door doesn't seem to line up and has a bad clunk when shutting.
#2 Harmon Kardon is good but bad rattle from the back shelf-- (supposedly they have a fix)
Fortunately for me, I don't have any of the differential problems.
I think the trunk is just fine and with the seats that fold down the S4 is only marginally bigger. Also, the M3 has a MUCH more back seat room for tall passengers than the S4!!! I am 6'3" and can fit my friends (they are 6'0"-6'2") in the back no problem. The 4 of us go to lunch often and they like the backseat of this car better than the S4. Getting in and out is much worse though. sorry about the diff...... that sucks.
#2 Harmon Kardon is good but bad rattle from the back shelf-- (supposedly they have a fix)
Fortunately for me, I don't have any of the differential problems.
I think the trunk is just fine and with the seats that fold down the S4 is only marginally bigger. Also, the M3 has a MUCH more back seat room for tall passengers than the S4!!! I am 6'3" and can fit my friends (they are 6'0"-6'2") in the back no problem. The 4 of us go to lunch often and they like the backseat of this car better than the S4. Getting in and out is much worse though. sorry about the diff...... that sucks.
