The BMW M3 - Pure Driving Pleasure

Author's Rating:

Pros: Safety, race engine, high-limits handling, track capabilities, seats 4, cargo space, sport interior with luxury

Cons: Curb weight, questions on long-term reliability of drivetrain, 1-2 shift difficult to master, heavy clutch

The Bottom Line: 
If you want speed and practicality, look no further than the E46 BMW M3

Author's Review
Introduction

I've had my car for 1.5 years now so this is a good time to give an epinion on the longevity of the car for the used or CPO car buyers. I own a 2003.5 M3 with a build date of June 2003. If you are looking at 2003 M3's, 2003.5 is very important to look for. A build date of May 2003 or later is a 2003.5. The end of the 2003 model year production included significant improvements, like LED rear lights, an OEM strut tower brace included, and better engine build quality. The engine tech service bulletins pertaining to the M3, none of them apply to the 2003.5. These engines are the best of the entire production run and still carry the 6 year, 100k mile engine warranty. If buying used you want these cars.

As for the car itself, it is the best sports car/coupe/GT you can buy at this price. It's not the fastest in it's class, not the most comfortable, and overall not the most reliable. However, it does all things well across the board for a sports car and has the ability to haul 4 people with plenty of cargo space. That is a rare combination. Plus, my 2003.5 has had no problems at all mechanically...most of the serious engine problems were with the 2001-2002, by 2003 most of the problems had been ironed out.

Body/Paint

The styling of the car is beautiful yet low-key. It looks like a regular 3 series coupe, but gets a few parts that are distinctive. The quad tailpipes, rear fender flares, side gills, rear lip spoiler, and M badges are all subtle styling cues. What really sets off the car when you are in someone's rearview mirror is the bulge in the hood and the wide-mouth front spoiler. The best angle to view the car IMHO is straight on or the front quarter.

I have imola red, which is a non-metallic paint so it doesnt have the flakes. However, this is a great color because it is a dark lipstick red in dim light and brilliant red in bright sunlight. Great color exclusive to M models.

Interior

I have grey leather interior which makes the car feel more open and cooler than the typical black. It can get visibly dirty so cleaning and conditioning of the leather is important. Also, quality rubber floor mats are necessary for the rainy months. The seats have good lateral support for track time and the nappa leather is much more supple than the regular 3-series. The seats arent comfortable for long term driving. If you have the choice, try to get lumbar as an option it can do wonders for back support.

The radio remains the biggest downfall of any new BMW. The stock radio is awful, the upgraded optional audio system is awful, you cant win. Your best bet is to get the base system and shop for a quality aftermarket installer to get what you want. Avoid Harmann/Kardon, it is a waste. Otherwise, interior fit and finish is superb. This is where BMW really excels both inside and out, everything is precision-made and fits together perfectly. It really does make the interior stand out from most other carmakers.

Drivetrain

The engine is worth every penny in the upgrade from the 330i's 3.0L. The 3.2L in the M3 is basically a race engine for the street. Natural-aspiration and VANOS variable valve timing are a match made in heaven, much like the VVT on Honda VTEC engines. Where VANOS beats honda is in the flat torque and horsepower curves. The power coming out of the S54 engine in the M3 is instantaneous and remarkably linear. Whereas the VTEC is peaky and comes on strong after 4.5k RPM, the S54 responds more to throttle position. Light throttle application and you get a mild, quiet, and smooth response similar to most BMW inline 6 powerplants. Great for cruising around town. Squeeze the pedal to the floor and the rush is intense. 1st gear blows by in a flash, 2nd gear gets you to 60 in under 5 secs, and 3rd will get you to 100 in 10-11 secs. Driving through the gears at full throttle is truly an experience. The throttle-by-wire accelerator combined with individual throttle bodies for each cylinder gives instant response and wide grins.

Remarkably, my engine consumes no oil after 20k miles. I owe it to a meticulous break-in procedure using a combination of constant gear changes to achieve engine braking for the first 1200 miles with continually varied low to midrange engine speeds. This really gets the piston rings seated in the cylinder bores and does well for long-term health of the engine. Highly recommended break-in method for any engine.

While the engine is greatness, the tranny takes some getting used to. The Getrag 6-speed is precise, but a bit notchy getting into 2nd. The action is not as clean as the 5-speed in the regular 3-series, and in the end it isnt as enjoyable. Honda transmissions have a better feel than the BMW's by far. The clutch is heavy and gives a good workout for the left foot and the engagement point is in a very narrow range of pedal travel which can make it tricky to learn, but in the end having a true manual is more enjoyable than any automatic. SMG-II is nice, but for long-term ownership I would opt for the manual because it's a simpler system with less parts to malfunction over time and gives better acceleration from a dead stop because of the difficulty in launching an SMG compared to the manual. The slower 0-60 times for SMG compared to the 6 speed manual are due to the time it takes to launch the SMG.

Handling

Make no mistake, the ride is rough...but it's still a great compromise of maximum handling and comfort. When you take high and low speed turns, the ride is definitely worth it. With OEM Michelin Pilot Sports the ride is quiet and the handling is superb.

At the track the car can do it all. While it isnt as competitive in A-Stock autocross because of the weight, driving this car on a road course at speed is simply awesome. There is some understeer because of the narrow 225/45 front tires, but if you swap to 245 the understeer is lessened greatly. Power-on oversteer is easily initiated with throttle application and is very controllable with the independant rear suspension even on uneven pavement or with quick elevation changes. The handling limits on the car are extremely high and I dont have the skill to safely take the car there, but the M3 gives a driver of any skill great confidence on the street or at the track. Drive it long enough and it becomes an extension of yourself...a true driver's car. Driving fast and with precision is very easy, which can give the driver overconfidence and lead to potential accidents. If you stay within your limits at first and steadily learn more to increase those limits the experience is extremely rewarding.

Conclusions

The verdict: this car is an import sports car bargain. While you may get beat in the turns by AWD burners like the Subaru STi and Mitsu Evo, the RWD M3 is still a bargain with all things considered. The overall package is worth the price because of the blend of performance, luxury, and styling that the Sub or Mitsu, while great cars, cannot meet. Its real competitor is the C5 Corvette, and it compares very well in interior finish as well as track performance. No Porsche in the price range compares to the M3, only when you get to the twin turbos like the GT3 does the M3 get soundly beaten. However, all things considered I'll take the M3 for everyday driving pleasure and the occasional track day. Truly the best of both worlds!