To good to be True? Why is 3.0si more ££ than M?

[Dreamer]

Tom i wasnt answering a question of my own. Ill stand by that statement all day long that the 3.0si is a better everyday road car.

But as previously said a Honda Accord is a better everyday car. Whats your point?

Well, i guess im championing the 3.0si as it really does do 80% of what the M does in terms of performance. Then it costs you 100% less (im estimating, would be interesting to know) a year in bills. Its better suited as an everyday fun-slash-commuter car than an M. Anyone who disagrees on that is blinkered by forum/car disease

Oh and come on Tom a LOT of cosmetic differences? Il stick my auntie Mabel on that task to tell the difference and see if she doesnt say well ones blue :wink:

 

[flimper]

Dreamer, not trying to be inflammatory but have you driven an M? Difficult to be positive about opinions until you have (same reason I can't be sure as I haven't driven a 3.0si)

 

[Woots]

obv im a new owner so not really the right person to comment,
but if the OP had a boxster s (i might have misread that) i wouldnt imagine they would be totally blown away by a 3.0si
everyone has their tastes etc and coupe does make more sense in this country, HOWEVER, i think if i bought a coupe 350 days of the year id be thinking "wasnt a point in haveng the roadster" but on the 10 days where its just a little bit sunny id be thinking "arrghh why cant i put my roof down"
i personally would go for the 3.2 over the 3.0 si cos its more special, i was concenerned tht going from a 2.0 to a 3.2 wouldnt be enough of a change, but the car is totally different, meh im rambling on and prob not really making much sense, but the mpg of the 3.2 isnt much moe horrific than the 3.0 is it really, and its a sports car, imo go for the z4mr, or if you really want a coupe just hold out for a cheapish mc

 

[Dreamer]

Yeah i have Flimper, its terrific But so's the 3.0si. They're not a million miles apart. Ive not taken an M out on a track unfortuneatly so cant compare there, which is undoubtlably where it would make the most difference. But thats not the debate AT ALL.

Im really not trouble making (honestly ) If i dont end up in a Porsche next then it will be an M. Thats just because i like track days and wont do more than 5k a year in it on the road. If that wasnt the case i would keep my 3.0.

 

[tomscott]

Im not starting any argument, I only pointing out the obvious things you have overlooked when buying a car such as an M. The M is for a specific market and the 3.0Si was designed for people that didnt want a hardcore version or couldn't stretch to the M. I think if we had a pole of all the owners who had 3.0Si and upgraded to Ms you would probably find they wished they had done it the first time. At the end of the day the decision is more than whats on paper, its about how it makes you feel and the smile value. Having driven both I can easily say the M is a much better drivers car. Its easy to disagree until you own one.

There are specific reasons and differences a lot of small and big, depends what you want. I will agree that the 3.0Si is a great car and maybe 70% but the other 30% is something special and the 3.0Si just doesn't have it. Which is why the M is more desirable.

I love my M wouldnt swap it for any other variant apart from another M or a 911.

 

[wantanM]

I've never driven the 3.0si but I'll bet its the sweeter car to commute and drive around town. I can find the M tiring to lug around town, the drive train is clunky and the ride isn't great.

Mine is now used as my weekend toy for these very reasons.

However,for me at least the 3.0si isnt special enough to perform as a one car solution. What's more im not sure I'd buy a car like the 3.0 si to commute in. You can almost justify the bad points in the M for what you gain in the good bits, that one awesome drive at the weekend makes it worthwhile.

Excellent point. I would agree. It is tiresome to drive everyday around town. It's attack attack attack approach doesn't make for a perfect daily (not by any means terrible though, just a bit tiring)

 

[Dreamer]

Ah Tom, but when you own one youve crossed the line. Your impartiallity disapears in a cloud of tyresmoke .

I dont think ive overlooked anything. The 3.0si wasnt 'designed' for people that didnt want a hardcore drivers machine, it came before the M. They didnt down-design the M. The M was a later project to cater for that small market and to generate brand image primarily. M's arent there bread and butter as we all know.

I think that pole you talk about would be useless.

Lets talk fridges -

Nobody regrets buying a smeg fridge over a hotpoint *once youve bought it*. You enjoy it, and if you sat there wishing it was a hotpoint then your a weirdo. Its your lovely looking Smeg and your proud!

BUT if you bought the hotpoint it would keep your food cold, look pretty smart and you/your neighbours wouldnt think anything else of it.

You may however pour over pictures of smegs and think how good it would look in your kitchen. All the time knowing it would just keep your food cold like your satin grey hotpoint and not do much more than look better and maybe perform 20% better.

And if you see my point i reckon most (im not saying all) 3.0si owners that have upgraded to an M have done because they had 'top of the range fever'.

Nothing wrong with that, i want a smeg - they're cool.

And as a nice side what you get is a terrific car thats a bit better than a 3.0.
That 30% is a bit dreamy i think Tom, ive driven one and its great but only when your spanking its bottom. Which as i said isnt what you do on a drive to work round the M25.

 

[Daffy]

Sorry, but £500 per year (my difference) is a small price to pay for substantially better noise, brakes, ride (no runflats) and handling (no STUPID electric steering in an ///M) in my book.

Also you can fit GENUINE CSL wheels!

 

[Dreamer]

Why you saying sorry Daffy?

Is that cost just the tax/low mileage petrol difference? I wonder what a new set of discs and pads with a service and new clutch difference would be?

Tyres arent welded to the rims daffy, they can be changed

Anyway guys im not panning the M, far from it, as i said i may well buy one in a few months. But i am a realist.

So why is the 3.0si more ££ than the M? thats the OP's topic. It seems a lot of you are just trying to defend the M rather than answer the question like i have.

 

[daz05]

Its better suited as an everyday fun-slash-commuter car than an M. Anyone who disagrees on that is blinkered by forum/car disease

That very much depends on what you value more the fun or the commuting bit, I'll say again, I just don't think it's special enough as an all in one solution, you're making compromises on the commute and not getting enough car to stir the senses at the weekend.

Big part of the joy of the M is the LSD, the rawness and the noise. The M is a horrible commute in traffic and it is difficult to drive smoothly but it's acceptable on A roads and m way.

The E46 M3 on the otherhand, fills that gap a bit better. A bit softer on the commute but you still get a bit of S54 in your life.

All cars are compromises of factors it all depends on what we value, so no point arguing really.

 

[JaEdBa]

these debates are always a chuckle....clearly trying to decide which is better value for money is virtually impossible, if there was a definitive answer, one of the two would be impossible to get hold of in the market!

i would suspect that, given money is a limiting factor (to most people!), where you appropriate your personal cash is the real decision... the same people who say they wouldn't swap from an m to a non m may well find their sentiment alters slightly when houses and kids start demanding their cash...or maybe not.

 

[JaEdBa]

Ah Tom, but when you own one youve crossed the line. Your impartiallity disapears in a cloud of tyresmoke .

I dont think ive overlooked anything. The 3.0si wasnt 'designed' for people that didnt want a hardcore drivers machine, it came before the M. They didnt down-design the M. The M was a later project to cater for that small market and to generate brand image primarily. M's arent there bread and butter as we all know.

I think that pole you talk about would be useless.

Lets talk fridges -

Nobody regrets buying a smeg fridge over a hotpoint *once youve bought it*. You enjoy it, and if you sat there wishing it was a hotpoint then your a weirdo. Its your lovely looking Smeg and your proud!

BUT if you bought the hotpoint it would keep your food cold, look pretty smart and you/your neighbours wouldnt think anything else of it.

You may however pour over pictures of smegs and think how good it would look in your kitchen. All the time knowing it would just keep your food cold like your satin grey hotpoint and not do much more than look better and maybe perform 20% better.

And if you see my point i reckon most (im not saying all) 3.0si owners that have upgraded to an M have done because they had 'top of the range fever'.

Nothing wrong with that, i want a smeg - they're cool.

And as a nice side what you get is a terrific car thats a bit better than a 3.0.
That 30% is a bit dreamy i think Tom, ive driven one and its great but only when your spanking its bottom. Which as i said isnt what you do on a drive to work round the M25.

haha...i like the fridge analogy!!

 

[Dreamer]

Some great points JaEdba

Its not about VFM though, and if it was the 3.0si wins that. Or DID?? Does it.... now????

This is the interesting crux of the debate now as the purchase price of an M is nearly the same as the 3.0.

As said, it depends on purpose. I think though for 90% of people the 3.0si is the better choice. How many of you get on track or are expert wheelsmen?

 

[tomscott]

I dont think you read my post correctly. But nm. You clearly have your mind made up.

I live in Cumbria so I get to spank it across some of the best roads in the UK. No motorway pile ups for me just amazing A & B roads. The M is probably my favourite purchases ever and only being 23 one of many to come.

I think you just keep telling yourself you made the right purchase but the devil in your head is telling you otherwise which is why you keep telling us. Whats more ironic is that youve made your car look like an M

 

[JaEdBa]

This is the interesting crux of the debate now as the purchase price of an M is nearly the same as the 3.0.

purchase price, agreed. but these are getting older now, so running costs play as important part, if not moreso, in the consideration.

add up 3 years cost of ownership for the pair of them and that'll be the cost to decide vfm...

i had a 10 year old e46 m3 and i got shot as i knew it was due possible a diff, a clutch and maybe 4 tyres in the next 12 months, that's £3k +..

agreed re track days etc, if you work out a pence per mile for everything (depreciation, servicing, 'disaster' correction and mpg) i'd want the more expensive m car to be costing me more per mile on proper miles, not, as you say, the m25!!

 

[tomscott]

Thats why a warranty is important if you push BMW are willing to give 2 year warranties with used M cars for more piece of mind. Got a free 2 year with mine with a bit of persuasion.

 

[JaEdBa]

Thats why a warranty is important if you push BMW are willing to give 2 year warranties with used M cars for more piece of mind. Got a free 2 year with mine with a bit of persuasion.

it's all paid for...nothing in life is free!!

 

[Dreamer]

I like you Tom Your in love with your M, thats clear and for that im happy as the day is long. Posting pics your obviously proud of your car and thats cool.

I absolutely did make the right purchase. I bought the 3.0 because thats what i could afford at the time. Some of us have mortgages and the like to contend with. We're not all 23 living in cheapsville.

This is the point, my 3.0 is soooooo good at its current purpose (Commuting, the odd quick rag around and about 3 track days a year) i can see why someone would have the debate about buying an M considering the similar purchase cost. I know you can see that???

Now that i earn more money than all those years back when i first bought and my outgoings are less and i have lots more money to play with its tempting to buy an M. Or even a 911 turbo. But i can still see why my 'little' 3.0 makes a lot more sense for my current purpose.

And no my car doesnt look like an M, its just got those wheels on.

 

[JaEdBa]

I like you Tom Your in love with your M, thats clear and for that im happy as the day is long. Posting pics your obviously proud of your car and thats cool.

I absolutely did make the right purchase. I bought the 3.0 because thats what i could afford at the time. Some of us have mortgages and the like to contend with. We're not all 23 living in cheapsville.

This is the point, my 3.0 is soooooo good at its current purpose (Commuting, the odd quick rag around and about 3 track days a year) i can see why someone would have the debate about buying an M considering the similar purchase cost. I know you can see that???

Now that i earn more money than all those years back when i first bought and my outgoings are less and i have lots more money to play with its tempting to buy an M. Or even a 911 turbo. But i can still see why my 'little' 3.0 makes a lot more sense for my current purpose.

And no my car doesnt look like an M, its just got those wheels on.

agreed, as i said it comes down to where you appropriate your own cash.

when you have a house etc etc, depreciating assets become less attractive....

 

[aquazi]

Is the op not comparing a roadster to a coupe? I think new the roadster was the same price, if not dearer then the coupe, but they havent held their price quite as well... regardless M or not.

I have a 3.0si, and do i wish i got an M... yes sometimes. When i got my car i was doing 10K miles a year in it, so the 3.0 made more sense... however now i do 6K miles a year in it.. and FML i wish i got an M :roll: