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Thread: Custom "M3" performance?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    kingsport, tn
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    nothing cool :(

    Custom "M3" performance?

    So I've been looking for a 95 m3, and trying to get a lower price, which i know is kinda hard, but I haven't been having much look. I did run into something interesting, and I was just looking for a few opinions. I found a 97 318ti that had an m3 engine/tranny swap. He wants 12k, and it only has 63k miles on it, which is extremely nice. My question is, how do you think it will compare to a real m3? I know it has the same engine/tranny, so it will be comprable, and it also has m3 exhaust. But as for the rest, I don't really know. I don't really know about the handling on the 318's, so I'm not really sure. Do you think I should consider it a cheaper alternative, as I'll save in the initial buy and I would imagine the insurance won't be quite as high. Or should I just hold out on that great m3 deal I've been looking for? BTW ive been looking for 6+ months, so maybe its just me getting impatient. Thanks for any help!

    Edit: And dont get me wrong, I've seen quite a few good deals on the forums here, but my location, East TN, isn't exactley a hotspot for m3 sales.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    362
    My Cars
    E93 335is
    consider this scenario: you pay cheaper insurance because it's a 318ti VIN. you get in an accident or the car is stolen. Do you think the insurance company gives you a penny over their estimated value for a '97 318ti? nope.

    I had this problem with a '95 325is I bought from a guy who'd swapped out basically everything for M3 parts. I got KILLED by my insurance company's settlement when it was totalled in a hit-and-run. Learned the hard way.
    Previous: 88 Porsche 944 S2 mint! | 02 Dinan E39 M5 | 07 335i 6mt sport | 06 MX-5 6mt LSD | 95 M3 | 95 325is Dinan S3

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    kingsport, tn
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    nothing cool :(
    Hmm...

    Good point. *sigh*

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    360/PDX/PHX
    Posts
    3,995
    My Cars
    2013 ///M3 ZCP
    Travel and get the right car, it's so worth it.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    6,885
    My Cars
    don't ask
    The 318ti has a completely different rear suspension (the old out of date e30 bits), so no you will never really get m3 performance. Whether that is a good or bad thing is going to be your opinion, but I say keep looking and find the right car.
    -Peter

    Current toy: none
    Past cars: 88 M3, 99 M3 x2, 04 M3, 91 NSX, 06 S2000, 01 911TT, 06 Exige, 00 NSX, 04 GT3

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