E46 330ci vs M3

Dr House · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:23

Bargain if you ask me
http://www.usedcarsni.com/76267956?grtkey=1317154945_777d493d85f365b844693950d09d57b3

the guy has been trying to sell it for ages so you may be able to get a bit of the price

Will Gill · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:23

shoes said:
So I see - I think I need to find some more in the flesh and see what I like interior wise.

The g/f wasn't liking the idea of a red interior either

I did say 8k, but i'm thinking i want a beaten up 325 to skid around buxton etc. for fun times

just so you know the imola red interior is a pain in the arse to photograph, its a lot darker in real life than it is in the majority of the pictures

mine turns me on at least twice a day

[TW]Fox · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:23

shoes said:
I don't want to be a drift king, I want to have a laugh in a car I don't really care about. Hence the ebay suspension parts and near-dead car

This bit seems a bit random, the costs of running and insuring two cars is more than you'd expect.

Fr0dders · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:24

PMKeates said:
Fox spends all day crunching numbers and balancing books, and shrieks with delight when he finds a new way to improve the tax situation of his clients.

Then, he wakes up, and cries quietly to himself knowing he will never have that which he desires.

lol so true.

Poor poor fox

Crizzy · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:25

Do you realise the costs involved in regularly taking your car on the track? It's properly expensive stuff (well to me anyway), you have the cost of using the track, the consumables (tyres, petrol etc) track day insurance, car transport costs if the car isn't road legal... the list goes on.

I agree with thepeteh, just get a nice car to keep as your pride and joy.

Crizzy · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:27

Will Gill said:
just so you know the imola red interior is a pain in the arse to photograph, its a lot darker in real life than it is in the majority of the pictures

mine turns me on at least twice a day

I've found this with the red leather, same with the ST220, never looks great in the photos but in reality it's pretty nice!

Will Gill · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:29

Crizzy said:
Do you realise the costs involved in regularly taking your car on the track? It's properly expensive stuff (well to me anyway), you have the cost of using the track, the consumables (tyres, petrol etc) track day insurance, car transport costs if the car isn't road legal... the list goes on.

I agree with thepeteh, just get a nice car to keep as your pride and joy.

FYI my insurer gives me five tracks a year included in my £527 premium

http://www.competition-car-insurance.co.uk/contact.htm

Housey · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:31

Life's too short for cheap shoes, buy the M3.

I'm not sure that made sense, but buy the M3.

[TW]Fox · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:31

Housey said:
Life's too short for cheap shoes, buy the M3.

I'm not sure that made sense, but buy the M3.

He has a £6-8k budget. I really dont think buying the M3 is the answer.

shoes · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:31

Crizzy said:
Do you realise the costs involved in regularly taking your car on the track? It's properly expensive stuff (well to me anyway), you have the cost of using the track, the consumables (tyres, petrol etc) track day insurance, car transport costs if the car isn't road legal... the list goes on.

I agree with thepeteh, just get a nice car to keep as your pride and joy.

Nearly dead part worn tyres / fuel is irrelevant for half a day's drifting, it's not like you're solidly on track the whole time / last drift day I went to was £10 for the whole day less two hours in the middle for a small competition session, 4 cars running at a time, 3/4 laps then off and back of the queue - i'd say about 25% of time on track 75% of time queueing.

One of the guys I was with who was running a 325 used one set of rears during the half day (part worn) and less than 1/2 tank of fuel.

The only issue I can see is insurance, I'll have to see what admiral's multicar policy is like for 2k miles a year or something.

Will Gill · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:32

for an M3 you can buy 18" wheels with tyres for about £2-300 for the track

Crizzy · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:33

Will Gill said:
FYI my insurer gives me five tracks a year included in my £527 premium

http://www.competition-car-insurance.co.uk/contact.htm

That's pretty good but having a separate car to take to the track is going to cost a small fortune compared to the occasional day out in your only car. Also if you had a separate track day car surely you would want to be out in it at every available opportunity.

Housey · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:34

[TW]Fox;20168708 said:
He has a £6-8k budget. I really dont think buying the M3 is the answer.

I want forum entertainment, I want fire and tears, I want told you so's and arguments, THIS IS MOTORS.

Buy the M3.

Will Gill · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:34

Crizzy said:
That's pretty good but having a separate car to take to the track is going to cost a small fortune compared to the occasional day out in your only car. Also if you had a separate track day car surely you would want to be out in it at every available opportunity.

thats on my m3

shoes · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:34

[TW]Fox;20168708 said:
He has a £6-8k budget. I really dont think buying the M3 is the answer.

I agree. If the costs were say <10% more then perhaps, but 'massive' puts me right off. The 330 is a sensible outlay for what I want IMO and I'm prepared to pay for it.

Cheers for all the advice guys!

Re the drift thing - it's something I really want to do and it's available to do cheaply enough for me to afford these days, so I'm going to do it.

Personal choice - less pub, more skidding

Crizzy · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:35

Will Gill said:
thats on my m3

To be honest as you can afford to run an M3 and occasionally track it we are talking different financial languages anyway

[TW]Fox · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:42

shoes said:
Re the drift thing - it's something I really want to do and it's available to do cheaply enough for me to afford these days, so I'm going to do it.

Do it with something other than an E30 325i then - they cost a lot for what they are, and you don't seem bothered what it is provided you can drift it, there are going to be better choices for a cheap drift car.

NickXX · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:43

[TW]Fox;20167890 said:
If you are in the sub £10k budget you'll buy a fantastic 330Ci or a much older M3.

Unless you really *want* an M3, you'll likely find a 330Ci is 70% of the car for 50% of the costs..

The problem is, the 30% is where all the excitement is...

What is your car history OP? I would suggest driving both as although the 330ci is a good car, the M3 is something special.

Crizzy · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:44

shoes said:
Re the drift thing - it's something I really want to do and it's available to do cheaply enough for me to afford these days, so I'm going to do it.

Personal choice - less pub, more skidding

Fair enough, considered an MX5 instead?

MeEsH BaKkA · 27 Sep 2011 at 21:48

shoes said:
I agree. If the costs were say <10% more then perhaps, but 'massive' puts me right off. The 330 is a sensible outlay for what I want IMO and I'm prepared to pay for it.

Cheers for all the advice guys!

Re the drift thing - it's something I really want to do and it's available to do cheaply enough for me to afford these days, so I'm going to do it.

Personal choice - less pub, more skidding

I would definatly avoid an M3 if you fancy going side ways for extended periods anyway.
Sure they are superb at it but would be rather pricey on petrol and tyres, and if you ended up busting engine or diff mounts then it would most definatly be sobbing time.

If you want something fast that sounds great and fun for the occasional empty damp roundabout drift (y0) then save a few grand more and buy the M3 as no doubt it will feel more special.