[Dan335i]

My SA gave me a price of 60,200.00 for an M3 coupe w/Met paint,leather,aluminum trim,EDC (electronic dampning control).

[Year's_End]

Are those all the options that that M3 has?^^^

If so, no deal. If it's a little more loaded than that, then yeah, I think it's reasonable. Sure, why not.

[jaaz]

Originally Posted by dr325i

Are you serious???
e46 M3 was $60k when it came out which was almost 60k Euro...
WHy would Germans give us huge discounts ($38k Euro) on this version when EVERYTHING in this world went up???
Realize that the Dollar is worthless today and if it continues this way our lives will get tougher and tougher...

Yet the "Germans" can "let us have" a loaded 335i for around US$48k? 95% of my 2008 335i was built in Munich. Perhaps that will change, but for the moment at least 2008 335is are built in Germany. I don't hear too many people complaining about the US$48k price for a 335i.

Whatever the reason, BMW has priced a loaded M3 at US$70k and not too many people seem to think it's a bargain. The real question is the one raised by edmunds.com here:

"The 2008 BMW M3 might have the grunt to challenge the Porsche 911, but it doesn't quite have the finesse or the emotive appeal. Indeed, you end up wondering whether it's worth paying such a premium over the brilliant BMW 335i coupe."

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=121566

[Dan335i]

It has more options to bring the price to 72k. But its things i dont need or want.

[vbmw335]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Loyalist

I test drove the new M3 as well, and I wouldn't say that it feels as raw as the e46 M3, but it definitely feels much more composed. Refined is the word that comes to mind. It just feels so solid and fluid. I took it up to about 7k as well repeated times. I realized that you need to rev it, and to be quite honest if you're going 40-45, and you blip the throttle, pop it in 2nd, and the thing goes like hell! I dunno what the OP's talking about. I guess he has a V2 or something. I drive a stock 335i and this definitely felt faster. The leather, the carbon weave, the VERY visible power dome when you drive, it all felt like it was definitely a league higher than the 335i. Trust me. The versatility is amazing too. I messed around with the M Drive settings like crazy.

This car pretty much justifies its price in my opinion. Well, as long as you don't currently own a 335i. I think a piggyback is a more efficient solution for 335i owners, but if you have a 330i, or something else in this class and are looking to move forward, I wouldn't hesitate in the least!

I'm also willing to answer questions regarding it.

I was comparing to a V2 335i esp the ones with DP,Intake and DR...its no match a V2 is much much faster atleast in the straight line.

[spacedogg]

Originally Posted by lvwirelessguy

A turbo car feels too artificial. I’ll take a high revving ///M car over a turbo car anyday

Originally Posted by Spazdoc

psssht! psssht!

Spazdoc...is that supposed to be the sound that a blow off valve makes?

[UltimateBMW]

Originally Posted by vbmw335

Maybe after break-in it will get better.

I think that is a given, implied by the phrase "break-in". Especially, when your only revving up to 5.5k/8.4k. Or did you just thrash it anyways?

As for the torque, don't forget how flat the torque curve is. It may not get up to peak until 3k rpm, but it stays there alllllllllllll the way to near redline. Plus, 3k rpm on a car with a 8.4k redline isn't that bad. Especially once you start off the line in 1st gear I doubt you will ever dip below 3k rpm again on any type of circuit or hasted driving stint.

[Spazdoc]

Originally Posted by spacedogg

Spazdoc...is that supposed to be the sound that a blow off valve makes?

Just to hear the spooling with hard driving is quite nice. My wifes Jetta was a little more vocal, but I am splitting hairs if I claim disappointment with the 335i sound signature.

[Gripster]

Originally Posted by M3This

yea your missing the feeling of boost. I have often heard people say once you drive a turbo car you will always drive a turbo car and I can say thats 100% true for me.

This is so true. I always felt that my 330i was too smooth to feel quick after my frantix little WRX. On paper the numbers are similar, but the power delivery in the Subaru brings with it a sense of urgency that my E90 never had - EVEN though in most situations the 330 will be quicker. I refuse to drive a 335 because I know I will love it and eat several $k to trade up from the 330.

As others have said, the M3 V8 needs to be driven hard to out do the 335 massive low-down torque. The N54 is a spectacular powerplant and BMW needed to add 2-cylinders to beat it!

[Spazdoc]

Originally Posted by Gripster

As others have said, the M3 V8 needs to be driven hard to out do the 335 massive low-down torque. The N54 is a spectacular powerplant and BMW needed to add 2-cylinders to beat it!

A lot of other car manufacturers have the extra two, and they come short fo the 335i.

[Robert]

The question whether M3 is worth the extra $x dollar above the top end 3 series is as old as when T-rex first step foot on earth.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by vbmw335

Although I have been the biggest fan of M cars esp E46 M3….I must say this one fails to impress. Why would they make it softer than a E46 M3 …it lacks the raw appeal of an M3. Maybe it will shine better in the track …but for most of us it will be hard to justify additional 20k when you can get a used 997s or a 996 turbo and call it a day.

To quote my cousin Charlie, typically during football season, AAAUUUUUGH!

Sorry, but so many people seem to miss the point of the M-cars, especially the M3. It's not a sports car - it's a sports sedan. If you're cross-shopping it with the Porsche 911 turbo, you're missing the point.

[aaronb]

Don't forget the weight. The e92 m3 tips the scales at over 3700lbs. Get two passengers and you're 4000+....

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by aaronb

Don't forget the weight. The e92 m3 tips the scales at over 3700lbs. Get two passengers and you're 4000+....

I heard that the true curb weight of the car is actually around 3450lbs or somethin like that.

[E82tt6]

Originally Posted by bobbo

The question whether M3 is worth the extra $x dollar above the top end 3 series is as old as when T-rex first step foot on earth.

The differnce is, this time the price gap is bigger than ever, and the performance gap is smaller than ever. IMO, BMW priced themselves into territory where they cannot compete.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by E82tt6

The differnce is, this time the price gap is bigger than ever, and the performance gap is smaller than ever.

Is it? The E46 330 has 225hp, the E46 M3 had 333 - 108hp difference.

The E90 335 has 300hp, the E90 M has 414 - 114hp difference.

[E82tt6]

Originally Posted by epbrown

Is it? The E46 330 has 225hp, the E46 M3 had 333 - 108hp difference.

The E90 335 has 300hp, the E90 M has 414 - 114hp difference.

Except that the 335i actually has more like 350hp. There's a reason BMW under-rated the car so much, and it was to make the marketing arguement you're making right now. Let's work off of trap-speed instead.

4-6mph of trap speed isn't that much compared to the 10-13mph difference seen in the E46, and ~10mph difference in the E36 (and we got the slow version!).

Handling is also better, but IMO, the gap there isn't as big as it was with the E46 either.

[Year's_End]

350hp's pushing it...quite a bit actually. The N54 is underrated, but it's not that much. I'm thinkin ~320-330hp tops.

You're paying for a versatile car. The M3 can be as comfortable as an everyday ZSP 3 series, or it can be as stiff as a track-ready car (although it ain't no track car).

[335xi]

Originally Posted by epbrown

Is it? The E46 330 has 225hp, the E46 M3 had 333 - 108hp difference.

The E90 335 has 300hp, the E90 M has 414 - 114hp difference.

The performance difference of 225 vs 333, is much more significant then 300 vs 414.

[dArNeLLi]

I just drove the m3 today at a dealer close to my work.

I definitely noticed the lack of '1st gear/2nd gear pull' compared to my SSTT 335i, the handling is pretty sweet, it holds on pretty well in turns, brakes were awesome in hard braking/down shift situations

the car itself, isn't as astonishing as the e46 330i vs m3, the fenders to me didn't seem all that much more wide

sitting in the cockpit, i felt perfectly at home, not much different than your standard 335i coupe, the full grain leather on the lower sections is nice, and a little chrome bezel on the gauge, but it generally wasn't all that impressive, especially with SF BMW charging 85K and this dealer charging 71K

i cannot justify the additional 20K for this car, it just doesn't have the aggression of the e46 m3

*note, as others commented, the sound is awesome, but I hear the IS-F sounds better??

[sflgator]

Now this is an E92 M3 I would gladly take over a tuned 335i; except for the fact that it probably costs > $200k and may not be legally driven on public roads.

http://www.autospies.com/news/BMW-Re...cations-28698/

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by dArNeLLi

I just drove the m3 today at a dealer close to my work.

I definitely noticed the lack of '1st gear/2nd gear pull' compared to my SSTT 335i, the handling is pretty sweet, it holds on pretty well in turns, brakes were awesome in hard braking/down shift situations

the car itself, isn't as astonishing as the e46 330i vs m3, the fenders to me didn't seem all that much more wide

sitting in the cockpit, i felt perfectly at home, not much different than your standard 335i coupe, the full grain leather on the lower sections is nice, and a little chrome bezel on the gauge, but it generally wasn't all that impressive, especially with SF BMW charging 85K and this dealer charging 71K

i cannot justify the additional 20K for this car, it just doesn't have the aggression of the e46 m3

*note, as others commented, the sound is awesome, but I hear the IS-F sounds better??

Oh well I guess I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this. I though the fenders were much wider, especially when I pulled my car up next to it.

I also thought the interior was amazing. The steering wheel, the seats, the guages, the LEATHER, it all just felt like a good step up.

Though I do agree with you on the justification of the extra 20k.