E36 M3 vs. E46 M3

[ScotcH]

I've had e36 M3, e46 M3, and now e90 M3. Hands down, the e90 is the best of these ... it's heavy, yeah, but it's just better in every way. having said that, I do regret not keeping my Alpine/Modena e36, or my Carbon/Cinnamon e46. They were all special in their own way. If I had to only have one, it would probably be the e90 ... with both the e46 and e36 a close second, lol.

Looks-wise only, the e46 is hard to beat. I think BMW basically peaked in the early 2000s. The e90 is almost as good, but it's starting to show the ugly side of modern BMW. The e36 is ok, but nothing special.

[MParallel]

E36 M3 EURO 3,2:
Curb Weight 3175
Horsepower: 321 @ 7400 rpm
Torque: 236 ft-lbs. @ 3600 rpm

...

Since this got kicked up, might as well correct the above torque figure as it's quite off.

It makes 258 ft-lbs (350nm) @ 3250rpm

But even more impressive if you ask me, is that it makes at least 236 ft-lbs (320nm) from 2600-6200 rpm, making it a very tractable engine, which is just as happy for driving around town or wringing it out on the track.

[TechnicalViolet]

I've had e36 M3, e46 M3, and now e90 M3. Hands down, the e90 is the best of these ... it's heavy, yeah, but it's just better in every way. having said that, I do regret not keeping my Alpine/Modena e36, or my Carbon/Cinnamon e46. They were all special in their own way. If I had to only have one, it would probably be the e90 ... with both the e46 and e36 a close second, lol.

Looks-wise only, the e46 is hard to beat. I think BMW basically peaked in the early 2000s. The e90 is almost as good, but it's starting to show the ugly side of modern BMW. The e36 is ok, but nothing special.

The sound of the e90 is one of the greatest sounds to reach my ear.

I do like the sounds of the e36,e46 but man that e90 is

[Steve1998]

I have owned both for a long time. The e46 is much more serious, faster, heavier, stiffer. The e36 is more playful, easier to see out of and drive. Both are great.

E46 intake sounds with the carbon airbox blow away the e90. The v8 exhaust noise is definitely the best of any M3.

I have only ridden in the e90, but I do not see how you can compare that car to an e36. Worlds apart. The e90 felt sterile as a passenger, very insulated, and thus far removed from the e36-and this was at full bore on the track. The performance was insane though, my instructor was chasing down not as well piloted GT3s. The e90 seems like an m5 chassis with an m3 engine. Definitely want to own one, but not to replace the e36.

[pbonsalb]

E90M3 is a great car if you like E36 and E46 but want something more modern. I have had an E36M3 for 17 years and sold my E90M3 last year after 10 years. Did not have an E46M3 but think I would have liked it as well — modified of course like my other cars. Now I am more into comfort and straight line performance and have an F90M5. I also like the AWD to put the power down under more circumstances since I drive in rain and snow and cold.

[aeronaut]

You wanna talk about engine sound? S85 V10 vs S65 V8, I think just on sound I'd pick the V10. Both are visceral and fantastic.

[pizzaman09]

It's simple for me, the e46 looks like a bar of soap in my eyes. The M3 is a bit better with it's bumpers, but it's just not as sharp as the e36.
From a driving perspective, I drove both when shopping for an M3. At the time I was replacing an e39 M5. I wanted a more raw and exciting experience that made you work for the power. The e46 felt exactly like a smaller e39 M5, very refined and smooth, just stiffer. The e36 felt raw and exciting. I fell in love with the way the e36 drove. Additionally, I am a fan of the e36's interior, super driver focused and purposeful. The e46 interior just felt like a cheap version of the M5.
The e46 is undoubtedly the better performing vehicle, but it's not as exciting on the street, which is where I drive it 95% of the time. I do autocross, and regularly run against an e46 M3, the e46 usually beats me by a second unless there are lots of slaloms, then the super narrow e36 shines. Both are great cars, can't go wrong with either.

[pbonsalb]

S85 M5 and M6 are terrific, but you must be prepared for expensive maintenance or spend more for an example that has already been done. S65 M3 also sounds great but is less scary in terms of cost to repair and maintain.

I probably would not have sold an E39 M5 for an E36 M3, but that is me. I had an E39 528i for about 10 years while I also had my E36 M3 and every time I got in the E39, I thought about how much more solid and substantial the E39 was. Would have been perfect in M5 form. But obviously not as good at autocross or on a track.

[MParallel]

Comparing an E36 M3 with an E39 is pushing it. That is one class above and a generation later. I now daily an E39 530i and yes, it's a vault compared to the E36. But no surprise there. Mine also has the double glazing.

As nice and comfy as it is, I would never give up my M3 for an M5.

[Steve1998]

The E46 interior is one thing I disagree on. Every single material is higher quality than in the E36. My door panels are not coming off, and the glove box has never sagged. Furthermore, it maintains the driver focused design, looks appealing, and is nicer than anything else that was in its class at the time.

[pbonsalb]

Comparing an E36 M3 with an E39 is pushing it. That is one class above and a generation later. I now daily an E39 530i and yes, it's a vault compared to the E36. But no surprise there. Mine also has the double glazing.

As nice and comfy as it is, I would never give up my M3 for an M5.

What if you had a 240 hp 6750 rpm USA M3 with a 5 speed?

[MParallel]

The E46 interior is one thing I disagree on. Every single material is higher quality than in the E36. My door panels are not coming off, and the glove box has never sagged. Furthermore, it maintains the driver focused design, looks appealing, and is nicer than anything else that was in its class at the time.

Let's talk about the fantastic rubberished surfaces that were all the rage back then and look like everything is nibbled on by mice. I'm no material expert, but I really wonder if it's that much different. ABS is ABS and compressed wood fiber or whatever these doorpanels are made off is that. Maybe they used better glue, maybe the E46 is newer and it just takes time.

Look at my 24 year old E36 interior. It's like brand new. I'm sure geographic location/climate can help or worsen things. Daily parking in Nevada dessert will not help vs an always garaged car in mild climate, sure. No E36 glovebox sags. It sags not of wear, but because people, and this includes BMW mechs, don't know how to correctly remove it, which breaks two tabs, causing it to sag. Having the lock and striker on two separate parts sure is a design flaw in my eyes, but will not cause the sagging by itself.

What if you had a 240 hp 6750 rpm USA M3 with a 5 speed?

Sure the engine helps, but is not the be all end all deciding factor. With everything I have no being equal bar the engine, I'd still pick the E36, simply because it's a car I very much like. It could even be a 328i and I would still choose that.

Been dailying my old E36 328i cabrio for a few weeks now and it's needed its 'MOT' and to not have it standing still for months, and it fealt like coming home.

Now an F10 M5 or M6 GC...that could tip me over.

[Steve1998]

My coupe was garaged all its life, and it is a luxury package with the much improved door panels. They have still seemingly shrunk and started to pop off. My sedan did not have that issue, but it was much cheaper feeling.

The e46 does not have that big a problem with the rubberized coatings. It is on a few center console parts. Meanwhile, the steering wheel, door panels, dash, gauges, trim (sans wood, which I like on the luxury package), and console are all better quality than the e36. Sitting in them back to back, it is impossible to deny the e46 has a significantly more upscale look and feel.

And then the steering wheel controls. Although, I seem to have an easier time finding the proper position in the e36...

[MParallel]

Panels are all the same, but I understand you are talking about the insert. Yes the real leather inserts are much better than the vinyl ones. With the E46 everything is newer, so should be better. But liking better is a matter of taste.

Steering wheel controls. What about them? That the E46 has them? That's one of the easiest retrofits to do on the E36. I have steering wheel controls since 2009 (Radio, Cruise and carphone) and yes, it's a big plus.

[Henn28]

I had both, in my younger days and liked my E36 sedan better, mostly because I am partial to sedans. The E46 was a high strung beast in my opinion, and lots of fun too, but the E46 seemed a bit more composed to me somehow, while being more engagin. Maybe due to less weight, but granted I owned them in different places. My black/black E36 was my "family" car in a place where every road was smooth as glass and finding a pothole was a major emergency, and I owned my red/black E46 coupe after moving to a place where the roads are absolute shite. In fact I sold it after hitting a pothole that I was surprised didn't make a tooth come out. So not a scientific comparison by any measure.

I will say the sound of the motor in the E46 winding up to 7 or 8k made the hair on my neck stand up...beautiful.

Couldn't go wrong with either and I wish I still had both of them.

[Steve1998]

Steering wheel controls. What about them? That the E46 has them? That's one of the easiest retrofits to do on the E36. I have steering wheel controls since 2009 (Radio, Cruise and carphone) and yes, it's a big plus.

Excuse me, I meant the tilt and extension adjustment of the actual wheel.

Another thing is the sun-visor. And my glovebox in the e36, the actual panel is coming off. It is the stupid glue.

Which one you like better is absolutely subjective. The e36 has a cool style, and I could see how one might prefer it. But higher material quality it is not.

[MParallel]

Extension would be a bonus, but tilt is a must have.
No problem here as tilt was available here till end of production and standard equipment for most.

[RBNetEngr]

Extension would be a bonus, but tilt is a must have.
No problem here as tilt was available here till end of production and standard equipment for most.

Yeah, I think some safety issue in the USA made BMW stop putting the tilt wheel on E36s. I’m sure a retrofit was/is possible, if parts are still available.


-rb

[blckstrm]

The better / worse part of this discussion is silly.

There are differences. Some of those are pros/cons, but some are just personal taste. Some cons are easily mitigated, some pros are a two-edged sword. And the weight of both the pros and the cons is determined by personal taste (or modification plans + budget).

I've never had another STREET car to compare my car to, but a friend recent bought a 97 that's (on paper) nearly identical to my car that he's refreshing (mostly stock).

And it's SO DIFFERENT from my car - despite being the "same car" - it makes me laugh when we spend too much time debating this.

Certainly different starting and ending points from stock to fully modified (whatever that means to you), but there's a lot of overlap in the middle in feel, comfort, lap times, etc.

[69dart]

I prefer the e36M it feels much lighter & predictable + reliable,power in the e46M does’nt feel that impressive till your 120+ mph + luxury=weight

[MParallel]

Yeah, I think some safety issue in the USA made BMW stop putting the tilt wheel on E36s. I’m sure a retrofit was/is possible, if parts are still available.


-rb

Make that an overzealous DOT.

If it was unsafe, it would have been taken off the option list worldwide.

US cars also have these super not handy panels below/behind the glvebox and the kneetrim under the steering wheel.

[fasteddie313]

I have a salvage title 95 M3 with <120k miles on it that I paid $4,XXX for..

The clearcoat failed.. The headliner fell and I tacked it up.. I have done some engine and suspension work to it, maybe $2k..
The door panels are junk, the vaders are very nice but are not very comfortable..

Its extremely easy to work on nd very reliable.. I DD it when I need a reliable DD (imagine that)..

Their is nothing like a real cable operated throttle..
I don't care what you say, I have never liked an electronic throttle in anything..
Had an 11 328ix 6 speed for a while just now, wasn't as fun to drive as the 95 M, slower in every direction, tons of crap technology I have no interest in having, always scared some of it would stop working, crap throttle, and the damn thing randomly caught on fire under the dash and totaled..

Nope.. I'll keep the 95M..
I love how simple and easy to work on it is, everything just always works and is not scary complicated, and is exactly the gocart I need to zip around with..

Front right strut is a bit soft these days.. Oh no..

To me its a driver.. It's not a beater, but I can wring it out in gears and enjoy it knowing the engine likes it, I'm not worried about stone chips or hitting a pothole or going down a dirt road or dirty shoes etc..

I can just drive it all the time, anywhere, drive the crap out of it, and enjoy my drives everywhere I go in it..

A garage queen with perfect paint and all sorts of complicated electronics is not what I want..
I want nothing to do with OEM touchscreens, phone connecting, adaptive headlights, rain sensing wipers, ELECTRONIC THROTTLES, automatic transmissions, power seats, etc. etc..
It does have too much plastic bodywork though..

It's my AK47 car pretty much..
Need something that just works, does the job, and is plenty of fun?
Grab my M3..


Kinda feel bad for you all that have super nice E36 M3s or whatever but DD a pickup truck or some FWD automatic crapbox..
I feel bad for myself when I have to drive such things..



E46 M3?
I've been in a ZHP E46 plenty to know that I'd rather have my 36.. And that 328XI.. And my 530xi.. And just drove a USP B6.. An Allroad at 25 psi.. Etc..
Makes me realize how much I like my M3..

My turbo Porsche is faster and more fun all around, much more fun modding, but not so much "everything works" (except speed)..

Love almost everything about my 36, but I'm not a "keep up with the Jonses" type guy..

[marcva]

E36m...4 doors.

[blckstrm]

It's my AK47 car pretty much..
Need something that just works, does the job, and is plenty of fun?
Grab my M3..

I can't help myself here - too much crossover potential.

An E36 M3 is an AR, not an AK.

Hondas are AKs. Never service and use for eternity while grossly neglecting them. It takes money and effort to make one the equal of an out-of-the-box AR, and they lack certain desirable traits inherent in an AR no matter how much you try modifying them.

And on the M4 as an M3 side of the argument (lol - see what I did there?).

DIY mod-ability, versatility, precision, feel, power potential - it's all there. Even the "unreliable" urban myth. They'll stand up to far more abuse and are far more reliable than people give them credit for, but perform best when cared for. They punch FAR above their weight.

....

Lol - that's about as disagreeable as I get!

Seriously though, I don't know how you avoid driving these when you have one. I rolled over 260k last week. My wife keeps bugging me to get a newer, nicer car. Why? If I did that, I'd have to DRIVE it and leave the M3 sitting. I don't get to drive enough as it is right now.

[scoobiedoo2029]

Seriously though, I don't know how you avoid driving these when you have one. I rolled over 260k last week. My wife keeps bugging me to get a newer, nicer car. Why? If I did that, I'd have to DRIVE it and leave the M3 sitting. I don't get to drive enough as it is right now.

i know i love this car im at 192k miles and i had a fleet of sports cars when i bought this thing... i cant deal with e30 m3's i had one, it rotates to fast, has no torque ,an makes you apprehensive like a 911 without the benefits . ... and adults in the rear seat is an equal insult. and now they are expensive. i hated my e21 323, i couldn't ever push it, the body motion was to unnerving. i loved e28's i killed 4 of them an put over 500k miles on e28's. then they got expensive. and the e30/e28 semitrailing arm suspension has its issues. if you catch a bump on your inside wheel off camber is massively an issue. an e36 this is completely irrelevant the Z axel rear absorbs it with no "roll oversteer"

the e46 feels big, heavy, an more GT car. the e36 is still an angry little knife fighter like an e30. and when you consider the classic sports car performance envelope the e36 is a holy %#@ if it came out in the 1980's but its feel is much more relatable to classic sports cars. while the e46 was an attempt to take the same engineering to the modern level, its a POS modern sports car from a 2020+ perspective. and a terrible feeling gigantic classic sports car.



ive been car shopping for 7 years now, and given the average car loan in 72 months, i could have anything on the market you can drive frequently. its all soulless junk for instagram points and i hate the attention. i have my etype registered as a normal car not a antique/classic so i can drive it in the dark to be left alone. only stancetards and awesome bmw people say anything about my e36.
im shopping for a prewar car...... f$#@in goggles and bicycle wheels. kinda looking for a MG TC to rebuild as a boat tail.



the e36 is a OMG e30 era car. the e46 is a pretty crap e90+ era car.