My 2006 M3

[exdeath]

Neat, a silver 5th gen 3 series.
Literally every bachelor in my city has one of those.

Edit: I would drive one if I could afford it.

At least it's a M. An M is a sight for sore eyes in the endless sea of raman eating high school/college kid wanna be upper middle class ballers rolling in their $4,000 318s, 323s, 325s, etc with spinners and neons.

My motto is "No -V, Zxx, SRT, AMG, M, COBRA, etc No care."

 

[Gillbot]

I tried to talk my wife into an M a bit back, then she saw the price. Now she has an '11 escape instead. </sad>

 

[MotF Bane]

I tried to talk my wife into an M a bit back, then she saw the price. Now she has an '11 escape instead. </sad>

Heh, that's a pretty unique cross shopping.

 

[alkemyst]

Neat, a silver 5th gen 3 series.
Literally every bachelor in my city has one of those.

Edit: I would drive one if I could afford it.

Nice edit, but a 26,000 mile 5th gen M3 with competition pack and 6 speed manual isn't owned by many.

Even the people at Vista which has both a 1M, Frozen Gray M3, and a few 7 series in the nearly $200k range loved the car.

It's rare for it's condition as well as an M3 is nothing like a normal 3 series.

 

[Safeway]

First of all, hello alkemyst.

But to the point. Nice car. I loved my E46 M3, in black. I ended up selling it and picked up an Audi S5, which I am passing on to my wife as soon as I can find a 2012 M5 with ~5,000 miles on the clock. I loved the E46; it was much more enjoyable to drive. I just felt that the interior felt dated.

Yes, this post alkemyst.
__________________
Elitist cycling attorney from Texas.

 

[alkemyst]

I just felt that the interior felt dated.

This is sort of why I like the E46 more than the E92.

I loved the trim and seat finishing, but the dash and it's layout/controls just felt out of place in a performance coupe.

Being that the E92 didn't feel that different in power/performance and in a way felt more disconnected, made the E46 my main choice.

If I could stomach less than 18MPG and as low as 10MPG, the M5 and CTS-V (2nd Generation) would have been more contenders.

1.5 months later I am extremely happy with my choice.

 

[Safeway]

This is sort of why I like the E46 more than the E92.

I loved the trim and seat finishing, but the dash and it's layout/controls just felt out of place in a performance coupe.

Being that the E92 didn't feel that different in power/performance and in a way felt more disconnected, made the E46 my main choice.

If I could stomach less than 18MPG and as low as 10MPG, the M5 and CTS-V (2nd Generation) would have been more contenders.

1.5 months later I am extremely happy with my choice.

Right on. It truly is an amazing car. The best I've driven to date, enjoyment-wise.

As for my next vehicle, I have driven a CTS-V, but found the driving experience horrid. Not because the car feels cheap or handles poorly; it is amazingly responsive and smooth. I didn't like it because I couldn't see the road while driving. Blind spots everywhere. Low seats and a high waist line. It felt like I was going to hit every curb.

I also drove a friend's 2006 M5. The driving position was stellar. The view was clear and unobstructed. Waiting for a gently used, sub-10k 2012 M5 should save me from $25k in instant depreciation.

 

[jlee]

Right on. It truly is an amazing car. The best I've driven to date, enjoyment-wise.

As for my next vehicle, I have driven a CTS-V, but found the driving experience horrid. Not because the car feels cheap or handles poorly; it is amazingly responsive and smooth. I didn't like it because I couldn't see the road while driving. Blind spots everywhere. Low seats and a high waist line. It felt like I was going to hit every curb.

I also drove a friend's 2006 M5. The driving position was stellar. The view was clear and unobstructed. Waiting for a gently used, sub-10k 2012 M5 should save me from $25k in instant depreciation.

Yeah, I agree on the CTS-V's view...I'm glad I'm fairly tall. It's not bad enough for me to dislike the car, though - the drive is so good...

 

[SpatiallyAware]

This is sort of why I like the E46 more than the E92.

I loved the trim and seat finishing, but the dash and it's layout/controls just felt out of place in a performance coupe.

Being that the E92 didn't feel that different in power/performance and in a way felt more disconnected, made the E46 my main choice.

If I could stomach less than 18MPG and as low as 10MPG, the M5 and CTS-V (2nd Generation) would have been more contenders.

1.5 months later I am extremely happy with my choice.

Wow so a ~5mpg difference is what kept you from getting a new m5 or new cts-v over an e46??

 

[Sluggo]

Right on. It truly is an amazing car. The best I've driven to date, enjoyment-wise.

Shouldn't you have said M-azing car?

 

[alkemyst]

Wow so a ~5mpg difference is what kept you from getting a new m5 or new cts-v over an e46??

The M5 would have been a 8MPG difference. Instead of paying $500-700 per month in gas costs I'd be looking at $1100-1350.

The 2009 CTS-V would have been at least 5MPG and another $15k to buy.

I drive about 2000 miles per month, the minimum i will ever drive in a month is 1500 miles...this past month I hit 3000 miles, but there was a lot out of the ordinary due to the holidays.

Also on top of the extra costs, the total cost is also having to stop to get gas every 3 days already. The M5 would probably have me refueling daily.

There are also other pros and cons that went into this...but the gas costs of the M5 get into brain damage money to me once a car enters the 4 figure per month range.

 

[Pantoot]

Waiting for a gently used, sub-10k 2012 M5 should save me from $25k in instant depreciation.

Just a nitpick, but there will not be a 2012 M5 in North America, they are going to start with 2013.


Out of curiosity, what do you get for mpg with the m3? You are right about having to fill up almost every day with the 5, the low fuel light seems to come on at about 175 miles.

 

[Safeway]

Just a nitpick, but there will not be a 2012 M5 in North America, they are going to start with 2013.


Out of curiosity, what do you get for mpg with the m3? You are right about having to fill up almost every day with the 5, the low fuel light seems to come on at about 175 miles.

True, true. Thank you for the correction.

I usually hovered around 19 to 20 MPG combined with my E46 M3. Sometimes better.

As for the 2006 M5 I had the pleasure of driving around California, I think I managed to hit 8 MPG for one particularly heavy-footed city tank. For pure highway driving, from San Francisco to Los Angeles, it was a more respectable 18 MPG.

The 2013 M5 should see huge improvements. The move to the Twin-T V8, auto-engine-stop, cylinder deactivation, etc. should increase highway economy to 28 MPG. That's pretty amazing in my opinion.

 

[alkemyst]

Out of curiosity, what do you get for mpg with the m3? You are right about having to fill up almost every day with the 5, the low fuel light seems to come on at about 175 miles.

Driving briskly, I am averaging nearly 20mpg. If I shifted sooner I could probably push it to 23-24.

90% highway...average speed about 45 mph

 

[Safeway]

Driving briskly, I am averaging nearly 20mpg. If I shifted sooner I could probably push it to 23-24.

90% highway...average speed about 45 mph

Thank god my "commute" is only 4 miles round trip. I usually fill up every other week.

 

[Safeway]

<The E46 M3> truly is an amazing car. The best I've driven to date, enjoyment-wise.

I recant this statement.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=32876676&postcount=46

 

[alkemyst]

Thank god my "commute" is only 4 miles round trip. I usually fill up every other week.

that used to be my commute for 5+ years, about 6 miles round trip.

 

[Q]

Nice M alky, congrats

 

[AMCRambler]

At least it's a M. An M is a sight for sore eyes in the endless sea of raman eating high school/college kid wanna be upper middle class ballers rolling in their $4,000 318s, 323s, 325s, etc with spinners and neons.

My motto is "No -V, Zxx, SRT, AMG, M, COBRA, etc No care."

Forgot LSX

 

[exdeath]

Forgot LSX

-V and Zxx cover CTS-V and Z06/ZR1/Z28/ZL1. :biggrin:

 

[alkemyst]

Yeah no need to include the LSX trucks and SUVs.

 

[ultimatebob]

This car is considered to be a "modern classic" now. If Alky kept it in good condition, it would still be worth something!

A modern day Mustang GT or Camaro SS (or even a dual motor Tesla Model 3) would slaughter it in 1/4 mile drag race, but that BMW has some style.

 

[repoman0]

This car is considered to be a "modern classic" now. If Alky kept it in good condition, it would still be worth something!

A modern day Mustang GT or Camaro SS (or even a dual motor Tesla Model 3) would slaughter it in 1/4 mile drag race, but that BMW has some style.

Plus no attainable production car will ever sound like this again:

That induction roar amplified by the carbon airbox makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up and is just ridiculous in person. Other cars might be faster but that noise at the track combined with perfect hydraulic steering and relatively light weight (especially with some easy mods) is really, really fun. Prices are rising for a reason, but I'll put mine into a tire wall first

edit: Also, this thread is wild. Every longer term owner of an old BMW that I've met is really pretty chill and nothing like the OP.