how was your move from E36 to E46

[Reno]

what was your first impression when u test drove an E46 for the first time?


i test drove 2000 328ci yesterday and i donno what to say

it felt much bigger and more goofy than the E36

the sales man was driving with me so i didnt really had the chance to check what this car "have to offer"

im planing on move to the E46 anyway

i just hope i get use to it

[Vic328CSi]

Really? You felt that much of a difference?

I went from a Titanium silver '97 328i Cabrio, 5spd, sports packs to a Arctic silver '00 328Ci with practically the same options, except the convertible top. I really didnt feel much of a difference in drive feel.

Are you sure you are comparing similarly optioned E36 and E46? Obviously a E36 with sports pack will handle much better than a E46 without one.

[Reno]

actualy the E46 is much more loaded than my E36

i didnt drive fast or took sharp curves to check the handling, im sure its great tho

i drove for like 10 min and didnt pass 80km/h (sux i know)
cause he was with me

i was about to take it alone when my dad said, go take the car, tear the tires have fun, of course he was kidding but the sales man got spooked so he was like "i need to come with u cause of insurence issues, wait!" (insurence my ass)


so u liked it on the first time u set in it?

[marcio]

My first impression was the same as yours. The E46 felt heavy and bloated. I had the two cars side-by-side for two months, and I started liking the the E46 more and more as time went by. It's more like a luxury car compared to the E36. The E36 feels more sporty like (and I went from a E36 non-sport to a E46 sport). The most obvious difference after some time is that the E36 has sharper turn-ins, but the E46 is more stable at high speeds and fast turns. I wouldn't go back.

[marcio]

Really? You felt that much of a difference?

I went from a Titanium silver '97 328i Cabrio, 5spd, sports packs to a Arctic silver '00 328Ci with practically the same options, except the convertible top. I really didnt feel much of a difference in drive feel.

Are you sure you are comparing similarly optioned E36 and E46?

Well, FWIW, you went from a bloated boulevard cruiser to a coupe. Your new car is probably 200 lb *lighter* than your old car. If his E36 is a coupe or sedan, he test drove a car that is probably 200 lb *heavier* than his current car. If so, your experience is very different than his.

[LateApex]

I recently replaced my '98 E36 M3/4 with an '04 E46 330i w/ZHP. Before the M3/4 I had a '95 M3 coupe, a '92 325is and before those, an '86 325e. So you might say I'm a 3-series old timer.

When I moved from the E30 to the E36, I thought the new car was heavy, isolated and not much fun to drive compred to the Eta. But the E30 had 135K+ miles on it and it was time to go. My distain for the E36 last all of maybe 15 minutes. Once I grew used to the size and weight, I noticed the E36 was far more smooth, polished and predictable handling a car. The fact that it trounced my Eta in performance helped too. Wasn't long before I was very, very happy with it. Of course when the M3 came along, I was smitten with the E36.

The E36 to E46 move is very similar for me. The ZHP is far more quiet and refined compared to any of the E36s and is ridiculously easy to drive fast. It is more stable at speed and in the twisties. It is easier on a long trip. The climate control is better. The seats are better. The quality of the E46 interior is on another planet compared to the Playskool plastics of the E36.

Is there anything I miss about my E36s? Yes, plenty. The E36 felt more lively; a little on the raw side. It transmitted more information to the wheel and the bottom of the seat. The car was constantly talking to you. The E46 is a little more reserved. Of course, the E30 was a total chatterbox compared to the E36, so the progression continues in the E46. I presume the E90 will continue with that trend.

[mbanks21]

I went from a 99M3 cab to a 00328Ci and RIGHT BACK to a 98M3 cab.

[Serbonze]

I traded in my 1997 E36 328i for a 2002 E46 330ci (both with sport and premium packages) without test driving it.

I'm much happier with the E46. Visually, I think the E46 is a cleaner looking car. I didn't mod the E36 at all (other than M3 Luxury wheels).