Is the E46 M3 CS Worth the Premium?

[[TW]Fox]

Its not so much the performance difference its more the torsional rigidity which affects how the car handles.

Obviously some people don't care about stuff like that so much and claim they wouldn't know the difference anyway. I am one of these people, for example. But these.people would probably be better off with an E93 335i rather than a compromised precision instrument.

This is why the iconic M3 will always be a hard top.

 

[SDK^]

I remember watching the 5th Gear review of the M3 Convertible and liking the open air style. Tiff's comments sum up the torsional rigidity and extra weight mentioned above.

 

[mrk]

Its not so much the performance difference its more the torsional rigidity which affects how the car handles.

Obviously some people don't care about stuff like that so much and claim they wouldn't know the difference anyway. I am one of these people, for example. But these.people would probably be better off with an E93 335i rather than a compromised precision instrument.

This is why the iconic M3 will always be a hard top.

True there is some scuttle over bumpy surfaces, and on a track the coupe is the obvious and better choice. There is no road in the country that you can fully appreciate the handling limits of a coupe vs convertible legally though. So realistically it's never been an argument I've taken too seriously.

Personally for my needs from a high performance car, this was just right. For the next car that might change, but for how I feel about motoring now, this is it

 

[Kenai]

Please don't apply such a blanket statement to us all. I've been a fan of the E46 engine and exhaust note since the first time I ever saw one on the road and knew I'd want one. There's simply no better way to enjoy that as a driver than in the convertible with the roof down. Both formats handle exceptionally well and the coupe is 0.2 seconds quicker. Much of a muchness.

All you've really done there is explain your preference for the aesthetic value of the convertible over outright performance. Aesthetic doesn't just mean looks.

 

[loltim]

Convertibles should always be a 2 seater roadster. They are wrong in any other form.

A proper M3 will always be a coupe IMO.
Z4 if you want the wind through your hair.

I get that the manual M3 will be the future classic though, over the SMG.

 

[mrk]

All you've really done there is explain your preference for the aesthetic value of the convertible over outright performance. Aesthetic doesn't just mean looks.

In most cases with this forum where people tend to refer to it, it does^

 

[Kenai]

In most cases with this forum where people tend to refer to it, it does^

I've never considered it to solely mean looks and I'm sure most people wouldn't, else why not just say looks, much simpler.

As it is, what he said is correct and all you did is confirm it

 

[mrk]

Given that context now, I guess

One thing I really do like about the convertible over the coupe is the seatbelts being on the seat itself, no more need to reach all the way back to get it (put up with that for 5 years!) - Though in the convertible the lord has taken away what makes the coupe seats so great in return for this, the power adjustable bolster pillows!

 

[badgeruk]

I've spoken to a few car dealers/exotics traders recently and I've asked how likely it is a car is to go up in value. Barring the really special, short and medium term, they simply aren't. I have had a lot of Z4M owners telling me my car is going to go up in value because of how rare it is etc, and frankly, its nonsense.

Looking at Z4M prices a few weeks back there are cars with 10k more miles on the them then mine had when I got it going for the same price if not a few k higher. Anything less and you are talking 45k+ miles or just busted examples. That's with mine being the 3rd (I think) most expensive example I saw for sale when I was looking (few months) the 2 above mine were 30K+ as they only had 10k miles on them.

I don't expect to sell it for 50k (even more so doing 10K+ miles a year in it) but I don't expect to lose much given the amount of miles I will put on it. Not that I really care as I got for the brum brumness.

 

[Voxination]

One thing I really do like about the convertible over the coupe is the seatbelts being on the seat itself, no more need to reach all the way back to get it (put up with that for 5 years!)

Those of us with the superior V8 model have a seatbelt butler to do that for us

 

[mrk]

But... "More things to break"

 

[Voxination]

But... "BMW Comprehensive Warranty"

 

[Housey]

The most valuable takeaway from this thread is the existence of a seatbelt butler.

 

[Hades]

Its not so much the performance difference its more the torsional rigidity which affects how the car handles.

Obviously some people don't care about stuff like that so much and claim they wouldn't know the difference anyway. I am one of these people, for example. But these.people would probably be better off with an E93 335i rather than a compromised precision instrument.

This is why the iconic M3 will always be a hard top.

But if an E93 335i is depreciating and an E46 M3 convertible is static or appreciating slightly then there is an argument in favour of the older compromised precision instrument.

 

[wingman]

One thing I really do like about the convertible over the coupe is the seatbelts being on the seat itself, no more need to reach all the way back to get it (put up with that for 5 years!) - Though in the convertible the lord has taken away what makes the coupe seats so great in return for this, the power adjustable bolster pillows!

Those of us with the superior V8 model have a seatbelt butler to do that for us

The most valuable takeaway from this thread is the existence of a seatbelt butler.

Couldn't you have just bought this?

 

[[TW]Fox]

But if an E93 335i is depreciating and an E46 M3 convertible is static or appreciating slightly then there is an argument in favour of the older compromised precision instrument.

The E93 335i isn't doing bad in the residuals stakes really either, plus you get the benefit of an arguably better car in many ways.

 

[mrk]

But if an E93 335i is depreciating and an E46 M3 convertible is static or appreciating slightly then there is an argument in favour of the older compromised precision instrument.

Aye the sole reason the E46 M3 is so revered is because of the engine. As great as a 335i is, it's not an S54 and will never provide the enthusiasm or excitement of one (my cousin has a 335i). BMW will never make an engine like it again, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it's one of the only N/A BMW engine operating at the limits of what an engine from its time was capable of. The McLaren F1 engine took the lead, which was also BMW built.

Roof/no roof preferences aside, they're all going to keep good value the older they get and the fettled with ones slowly erode away leaving just the well kept examples on the road.

Couldn't you have just bought this?

Looks like something someone put together in GCSE Design Tech class

 

[wingman]

Clearly not the last word in design, but didn't think it looked too bad, I'd consider one for my coupe I think.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Aye the sole reason the E46 M3 is so revered is because of the engine.

Really?

The sole reason?

 

[sigma]

mrk you must be one of the few who love the sound of the S54, from the inside of a coupe it sounded a bit... odd to me. Sure, when giving it full beans it sounded great but driving normally sounded strange and wasn't the best of sounds, too raspy for me. I've mentioned this to a few other people and they felt the same.