Evo, E39 M5, E46 M3 or FD2?

ChrisD.

ChrisD.

ChrisD.

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With a budget of £18k max (ideally don't want to spend more than £15k), which would you choose? I know I'm a pain with wanting to change my DC5, and most weeks I have a new potential replacement, but I've been thinking recently and come up with a shorlist. I won't buy till later on in the year as I have other financial commitments at the moment.

  • FD2 - Not too much of a change from the DC5, but cheap to run and service (in comparison to the other 3). Superb drivers car.
  • E46 M3 - always always wanted one. But I am put off by 3 doors and the image of driving one.
  • E39 M5. V8. 'nuff said. Well, 5 doors, excellent on long trips. Bit of a sleeper IMO.
  • Evo - massive pace, but I would want something a bit more refined I guess, and not something I have to service (oil change) every 4500 miles (or is it 4000?)

Uses of car - 30 mile a day commute.
Shopping
Driving to old Lady's (350 mile round trip) once every couple of months
Generic social.

Like to hear opinions and possible alternatives...
 
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From your list, E39 M5 for absolute sure but then I am an E39 fanboy. That is pretty much 100% where I was going to go, but lately I've been thinking about a 335i instead. Have you looked at these? It's softer than an M3, but the performance is very similar and it's more modern and newer.

I dearly love the M5 and want one but... even the absolute newest is now more than 7 years old. Finding a perfect one is not an easy task, nobody will sell you a decent warranty, etc etc.

An £18k 335i will be a 2006/2007 car with average mileage, easily available warranties and £500 away from 370bhp.

That said, it isn't an M3. If absolute driving thrill does more for you than all round ability, you need a 2005 M3 CS.
 
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[TW]Fox;16357713 said:
From your list, E39 M5 for absolute sure. That is pretty much 100% where I was going to go, but lately I've been thinking about a 335i instead. Have you looked at these? It's softer than an M3, but the performance is very similar and it's more modern and newer.
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Can I get a 335i with my budget? I must admit, I am loving the new 3 series shape more and more as each day passes.
 
MilanoChris said:
Can I get a 335i with my budget? I must admit, I am loving the new 3 series shape more and more as each day passes.
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Yes you can, but it will be a 335i SE and not a 335i M Sport. This means it wont have the M Sport bodykit and unless you get one with the Aerokit (Which looks stunning but is very rare) it can look rather ordinary. The 335i SE does, however, have Sport suspension, Sport seats, Xenons, etc etc all standard so the driving experience is of course the same.

335i M Sports are the wrong side of £20k at the moment - so I'm waiting.
 
i think id have the M3 as well, proper manual as opposed to the new quite ancient SMG gearbox (in comparison with double clutch gearboxes) although expensive to run will probably be less hassle than the e39 m5, as already said will be newer and more modern car too.
 
Housey said:
M3 will be newer than the M5, more 'tight' and more fun than either. M5 great car but old now and I think feels it but M3, a good one, still feels tight and modern.
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To be fair both of these cars are from the same generation - so inside a 2003 M3 with 50k on it wont feel any more 'tight and modern' than a 2003 M5 with 50k on it. Infact the M5 is a more 'solid' place to be with better build quality.

I totally appreciate build quality is probably not on the OP's agenda really - and both are well built - but I don't think it's fair to say that the M3 feels modern whereas the M5 doesn't. They are both previous generation cars with more similarites than differences.

There was, remember, only a year between the launch date of the M5 and the M3.
 
[TW]Fox;16357713 said:
That said, it isn't an M3. If absolute driving thrill does more for you than all round ability, you need a 2005 M3 CS.
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I think this clinches it to be honest. I think I'd find myself bored in a 335i after a few weeks.
 
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