Is the extra coin really worth it for an M3 over 335i SEDAN

GUINNESS · #1 03-19-2007, 09:52 AM

Seriously, do you guys think it will be worth it? I'm not sure I see many pros and cons yet aside from the cost factor and insurance. Both will be maintained under the new car policy, both will get good mileage if you don't have a lead foot.

A lot of it seems to come down to a matter of wanting that ///M badge. Like Josh said, with the right tuning, a 335i is going to kick some serious butt, and you'll have money left over. Oh decisions decisions. I guess the main thing I have to get in my head is this isn't even going to be my car and the person would be happy with a 328i.... I wouldn't though

So, what are people thinking here so far... do you think the M3 will be worth the extra money spent over the 335i?

rickp · #2 03-19-2007, 10:23 AM

It's more than an ///M Badge. The M3 will be a completely different car than a 335i - engine, exterior, interior, everything.

Can you save money buying a 335i and tricking it out to be "like" an M3 (performance, looks, etc)? Sure, but i will never be an ///M3. You will probably be out of warranty and you will never recoup your investment if you decide to sell.

My $.02

Wagner · #3 03-19-2007, 10:28 AM

G, wait for the M3 to actually hit the streets with 420+ hp. Plus you don't have to worry about blowing out the tiny turbos on the 335. Though I imagine if you sunk enough dough into the 335 you could make it whoop up on the new M3. Same debate people tried to work with the old 330 sport vs M3. When I had my E46 M3 people would say all the time "well I could do this that or the other to make my 330 act like the M3" I never, never, heard a person say "I can do this that or the other to make my M3 act like a 330"

vinuneuro · #4 03-19-2007, 10:35 AM

Wait and see. I expect the price to be $70k for the E90/92 M3. That's ~20-25k above the 335i. My gut tells me that the M3 won't deliver enough to justify that difference, considering Procede is only like ~1k.

TQ2K · #5 03-19-2007, 11:15 AM

I'm asking myself the same question but the answer has to wait 'til I see the final specs and personally drive the new M3.

GUINNESS · #6 03-19-2007, 11:54 AM

As for resale value and recouping cost, that's not really a consideration at this point in the game as the car will probably be around for quite a few years. And I've always been a believer of the hold onto stock and return to stock before selling, and part out aftermarket goodies. I'm technical enough to return a vehicle to stock with no problems.

The other thing I have to keep in mind, this is Nicole's car, not mine. She doesn't need 300 hp let alone 420 if that's what the M3 is coming in at. Can I use it?? Of course

Honestly, the thought of Nicole with that much power kinda scares me... but I'm a good teacher, and I can make her go to DEs

I guess there's always the option to lease a 335i until the M3 comes out

Issue there would be miles and kids (i.e. keeping the back seats showroom quality).

pseto · #7 03-19-2007, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GUINNESS

Seriously, do you guys think it will be worth it? I'm not sure I see many pros and cons yet aside from the cost factor and insurance. Both will be maintained under the new car policy, both will get good mileage if you don't have a lead foot.

I'm not getting good gas mileage at all in my e92, probably 23mpg on avg. and for the V8 equipt M3, I doubt it would get anything near 17

MY2NDM3 · #8 03-19-2007, 02:43 PM

Every "M" badged BMW is something special. You cannot compare an "M" car to a standard 3 or 5 series BMW. The "M" is going to cost a lot more because of the way the engines are built and all the upgrades to the chassis and the whole car in general. I've seen a lot of comparisions between the E46 M3 and the 335i with it's turbo charged engines etc., It may be as fast as an M3, but at the end of the day, it's still not an "M" car.

Have you considered an '05 or '06 E46 M3? It's a classic which will look great for many years to come, just like the legendary E36 M3.

DINANM3 · #9 03-19-2007, 11:06 PM

I heard the base price on the new M3 will be $58k or around there and fully loaded around $72k. I never get my M3s fully loaded because I track them and never drive them daily or in the winter anyway.so im figuring mine will be in the low $60k range. A similarly equipped 335 would probably be 48k. So the difference for me is 15k between the 2. With that being said I believe the extra cash is worth it for the M3. Its just a totally different animal. Stock vs stock the new M3 will mess up the 335 pretty bad. And even if you mod it you are only going to match power. What about everything else. Like chassis, brakes, susp, interior, different body panels. To make it completely on the same level of the M3, im guessing it would take more than 15k to accomplish. Then you are voiding warranties and stressing the 335.
Just get the M3.

I just ordered a 335 and I have a M3 on order already but they are for 2 totally different reasons. The M3 will stay pretty stock except for bolt ons and some track equipment it will need to run safely. But the 335 is going to be heavily modded for strait up hp. I am also going to put a lsd in it. I will probably drag race it for fun too.

Tell you the truth the 335 is kinda of a waste of money for me since my M5 is my summer daily driver and my X5 is my winter daily driver. But what the hell. I test drove it and liked it so I ordered one. But if I could only have one it would definately be the M3. that 335 may be fast. But It wont feel or sound the same as that V8 M3 with a Tubi exhaust and CAI installed. Also the resale value on a stock M car will be much better than a modded 335i.

SANguru · #10 03-20-2007, 12:38 AM

built to burn a quart of oil every 500 miles? built to have 3 SMGIII replacements before BMW buying it back??? Take it from a guy that pretty much owned every iteration of M cars.. M for marketing. My E60 M5 was a PIECE OF SHIT. E36 M3 LTW had bad tranny mount causing a mishift and blown motor. My E46 M3 had 1 bearing recall and 1 main harness to the tune of 3 weeks in the shop gutted ($18K) replaced due to multiple things shorting out.

Let me ask you, if you can't justify performance as a differentiator, why buy an M? for image? I failed to see the logic behind that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MY2NDM3

Every "M" badged BMW is something special. You cannot compare an "M" car to a standard 3 or 5 series BMW. The "M" is going to cost a lot more because of the way the engines are built and all the upgrades to the chassis and the whole car in general. I've seen a lot of comparisions between the E46 M3 and the 335i with it's turbo charged engines etc., It may be as fast as an M3, but at the end of the day, it's still not an "M" car.

Have you considered an '05 or '06 E46 M3? It's a classic which will look great for many years to come, just like the legendary E36 M3.