Well the 3 day weekend is over completing the longest drive and time in the car since purchase. All seats occupied and the boot filled until not even a shoe box would fit either!
500~ miles covered and the Asteroid Smart didn't skip a beat (I use the stock Bluetooth music player and Waze for navigation). I am quite chuffed with it and am happy to keep it even after the Android Auto one is released. It will save me the faff involved of removing those centre vents and things again I guess. I'll only update it once I've reached the limitations on what it can offer me in the future.
As for the car, well it's been everything I have expected.
I had 4 adults in the car with the boot full of suitcases and equipment for the drive up and down from Stoke. The S54 doesn't feel like it was being weighed down. Overtaking uphill was effortless and I know big engine diesel or petrol Bi-Turbo owners will look at the 365Nm and go "lol" but the way in which the power and torque is delivered and the duration of that delivery and the noise makes it thoroughly enjoyable.
I had people of all ages asking for passenger rides, girls seem to like it the most and make it known
p), and rear seat occupants remarking at good levels of comfort on a long drive. The only niggle being some seat fold faff to tend to as per any coupe. It also served as a bridal car for a short moment at the bride's request, roof down, which was pretty cool.
I'm really impressed with how the E46 M3 Convertible satisfies many uses from utility to fun and just generally cruising up and down wherever, while at the same time seating 4 in comfort and having boot space when the roof is up. I'm glad I finally got one and as per my Op, I cannot imagine wanting to get rid in mere years to come, at least not while I still enjoy a manual gearbox anyway.
I've been in the E92 and while it's more modern design inside, I still think the E46 cabin has a more nicer direction to the quality of materials used. The doors are heavy, the door handles inside have weight to the pull, the seat backs are padded and not hollow plastic, the plastic sills are all smooth and solid instead of scratchy light plastic - List goes on.
Tomorrow I'm coding the Bi-Xenon flasher mode in exchange of the default E46 Halogen = flasher, and also a few other bits (walk me home duration, triple indicator, additional comfort access and lighting stuff etc).
I know some will comment amongst themselves about it being the "wow M3" phase but that passed within a week and since then I've been looking at where it maybe doesn't quite satisfy my uses in any given scenario that pops up during the week/month - I haven't found one yet
I also love how you can tailor the E46 to your own tastes and all without straying away from what mostly looks completely OEM to the untrained eye.
Anyone thinking of maybe getting an E46 M3 and then going for it will hopefully have no regrets, providing you avoid the many ropey ones out there
