Bmw e46 M3 vs 135i Msport coupe

[AveshanM3]

Hi guys

I have a bmw e46 m3 and love the car to bits but she has reached the 10 year mark and the cost of maintenance is one of the reasons im considering letting her go. I was looking at a 135i and was wondering if you guys could shed some light on which is a better car in terms of performance, drivability, handling etc

 

[Magneto]

Hi guys

I have a bmw e46 m3 and love the car to bits but she has reached the 10 year mark and the cost of maintenance is one of the reasons im considering letting her go. I was looking at a 135i and was wondering if you guys could shed some light on which is a better car in terms of performance, drivability, handling etc

Handling, M3.
Performance, at altitude - 135i, at coast, very close.
Everyday driving, 135i.

You will probably get a 135i with some motorplan left, so keep that in mind.

 

[Del-Bosc]

Hi guys

I have a bmw e46 m3 and love the car to bits but she has reached the 10 year mark and the cost of maintenance is one of the reasons im considering letting her go. I was looking at a 135i and was wondering if you guys could shed some light on which is a better car in terms of performance, drivability, handling etc

Got to ask yourself what you want from the car, a 135i will never be an M car. Pretty close but missing that pose when on the limit. The M will drive better and give you a feeling of occasion but the 135i will pull like a train and with minimal mods outrun much bigger cars.

 

[AdiS]

Hi guys

I have a bmw e46 m3 and love the car to bits but she has reached the 10 year mark and the cost of maintenance is one of the reasons im considering letting her go. I was looking at a 135i and was wondering if you guys could shed some light on which is a better car in terms of performance, drivability, handling etc

Got to ask yourself what you want from the car, a 135i will never be an M car. Pretty close but missing that pose when on the limit. The M will drive better and give you a feeling of occasion but the 135i will pull like a train and with minimal mods outrun much bigger cars.

I agree. It really comes down to what you value in a car. An e46 M3 will always deliver on the purist aspects of the drivign experience - throttle response, high revving linear power delivery, sound, precise handling, communicative steering, etc. This of course comes at a cost - theres a comfort compromise, an interior technology compromise, and the maintenance costs.

A 135i is appealing in its own right, and I would say is a better daily driver in that it has fewer compromises (as far as daily drivers go). Its newer, and generally is more tuneable than an M3. I have heard some maintenance horror stories though, but you can probably find one with motor plan. The power delivery, sound and throttle response are very different (in my mind, worse), and it is not as focused a car.

If you can forgo the pure driving experience that the M3 delivers, then a 135i is a good option. Just ask yourself what you value most in a car.

Also, drive them back to back.

 

[Xack]

Iam sure the 135i is a great car , iam looking for one to join my //M too, but the sound of this damn e46 //M3 jus sends tingles down my spine everytime i push it, mine has been decatted tho. Handling like nothing ive ever owned, it literally corners flat around a corner, mines been lowered (eibach, hard as hell)and i know you already know what i just said, but still i kinda understand why you thinking of selling, sometimes i dont drive my car for weeks, battery would go flat, cos sometimes she gets a bit much,lol, my car is always angry. So id say the 135 is not a bad replacement at all, like the guys said above.:=):..its a whole lot less angry(in stock form) , easier day to day, economy is definitely not better, ride is softer and you can find a nice one with some MP left at a good price.

you gonna miss her tho, somedays youll kick yourself for letting her go,lol

Goodluck

 

[AveshanM3]

Iam sure the 135i is a great car , iam looking for one to join my //M too, but the sound of this damn e46 //M3 jus sends tingles down my spine everytime i push it, mine has been decatted tho. Handling like nothing ive ever owned, it literally corners flat around a corner, mines been lowered (eibach, hard as hell)and i know you already know what i just said, but still i kinda understand why you thinking of selling, sometimes i dont drive my car for weeks, battery would go flat, cos sometimes she gets a bit much,lol, my car is always angry. So id say the 135 is not a bad replacement at all, like the guys said above.:=):..its a whole lot less angry(in stock form) , easier day to day, economy is definitely not better, ride is softer and you can find a nice one with some MP left at a good price.

you gonna miss her tho, somedays youll kick yourself for letting her go,lol

Goodluck

Haha im pretty sure im gonna kick myself if I let her go bud. My cars decat as well that damn noise it makes is just to good to let go and I know its a sound a 135i is definitely not going to make but its also a great looking car. Thats the thing about an M car its just so fun to drive

 

[Magneto]

The sound on the 135i is pretty darn good!

 

[cOlDFuSiOn]

Keep the ///M they are becoming a rarity in good condition! :coolShake:

 

[Zound]

I've been waiting for this question to pop up for a while now... Interesting discussion

 

[cOlDFuSiOn]

It's a no contest in my mind - it's a downgrade..

M car > pretty much anything else... :coolShake:

Which is why one is joining my stable soon! :rollsmile:

 

[Fuzz@tinyNET]

Tuning platform: 135i

The combination of everything amazing in this world - the M3

While both are great cars, the M still has that little extra... Send the M in for a performance back box and some software, that will kill any doubts that you're having :rollsmile:


Sent from my iPhone 6+ using Tapatalk

 

[AdiS]

There is another aspect to consider - a well looked after E46 M3 manual (not SMG) is likely to appreciate in value. Already in the last 6-8 months, values have ticked up about 10% at least.

Even if they don't appreciate, they certainly won't depreciate any further.

That definitely won't be the case with a 135i.

 

[Xack]

There is another aspect to consider - a well looked after E46 M3 manual (not SMG) is likely to appreciate in value. Already in the last 6-8 months, values have ticked up about 10% at least.

Even if they don't appreciate, they certainly won't depreciate any further.

That definitely won't be the case with a 135i.

This is true, ive seen the same thing

 

[AndreasSA]

Sell me the M3 and get a 135i....:clapper:


You are not aware of the differences of these two cars! You can't even compare them...

I would agree to most of the comments given here!

 

[Tehwalleth]

Sell me the M3 and get a 135i....:clapper:


You are not aware of the differences of these two cars! You can't even compare them...

This man gets it.

 

[AndreasSA]

I know it cause I had/have them all....M3E30....M3E36....M3E46....M3E46CSL....M3E92....335i E93......1M....M235i....

You just can not compare a normal BMW model with M badges with a real M, they are too different!

P.S.: I like both types..... for different use!

 

[hoosain]

Keep the M and buy the 135i
I have the e36M 3.2 and the 335i FBO just so that I have the best of both worlds
The 335i puts a bigger smile on my face when all 290wkw and 600 torques are unleashed

 

[Magneto]

When you get a 135i and you feel that boost you go hey this is good. Then when you get used to that boost level and you want a bit more, you can tune your 135i for very little and you will forget what car you had previously.

For everyday driving the 135i is good. Great actually. I don't see the fuss over this topic. Maybe I am just a turbo type person.

If you track your car, you will miss your E46 M3.

 

[AdiS]

To reiterate, given the subjective nature of individual preferences, it is not a question about which car is better in absolute terms, but rather a question about which car meets the individual's preferences.