BRZ vs 2004 BMW m3?

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by swift996

I sold my e46 M3 shortly after I received my BRZ.

The M3 is an absolute great value for performance. Especially if you like a little curb appeal and nice interior. It's noting over the top but classic BMW. The M3 has great power, a great chassis, sound brakes, and loads of lateral grip (I had 275s in the rear). My only knock is it's 3350-3400 lbs. So you feel the mass through turns. It's not as fun throwing around in turns as the BRZ was.

The other thing is maintenance. It will be more expensive. BMW parts carry a premium. The biggest thing is finding one that has been well maintained. They will run for a long time as long as they are maintained well. The VANOS system needs to be adjusted pretty frequently and is an expensive job. Otherwise, the M3 is great but I was happy with the BRZ. Although I ended up supercharging the BRZ because I missed the power.

Yeah the E46 is a pig. The E36 isn't much lighter but it feels like it's half the weight of the 46. I do love the power that the 46 has, just never loved driving them (except for highway use, they are fantastic highway cruisers).


The E36 M3's are much cheaper to maintain also. I thought about selling the BRZ and E36 and just buying a new M4 or a newer E92 M3.. until I checked prices on parts and mods.. ugh no thanks.

[Mikem53]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

Yeah the E46 is a pig. The E36 isn't much lighter but it feels like it's half the weight of the 46. I do love the power that the 46 has, just never loved driving them (except for highway use, they are fantastic highway cruisers).


The E36 M3's are much cheaper to maintain also. I thought about selling the BRZ and E36 and just buying a new M4 or a newer E92 M3.. until I checked prices on parts and mods.. ugh no thanks.

I had an E36 for 13 years.. No major issues. Although the VANOS system was developing the infamous rattle. I'm sorry I sold it and got the 335i. The 335i feels like a tank.. It's geared better for the hwy than the M was..and is more refined and faster.. But the M felt quicker and more nimble, smaller..
I hardly drive the 335 anymore.. I take the FRS almost all the time.. Just love the lightweight feel and its rawness.. Less is more..
I recently changed out the fluids in the 335i. Had to suck fluids out since there was no drains as they are "lifetime" fluids.. I took off all the covers underneath to get to everything.. I still can't even see the turbos from down below or up top.. This is one car I wouldn't keep too long after the warranty..

[swift996]

BMW put on the freshman 15 and never looked back

[rxlynn]

Originally Posted by Teseo

Maybe BMW cuz women like it

Depends on what sort of women the OP is trying to attract

[Twin4Life]

A student? Buying a 10 year old E46??? Haha!!! What will you drive when its in the shop?

[DeeezNuuuts83]

BRZ, especially if it's going to be your only car. Without even swiping at the M3, no matter how you spin it, it's going to be a ~10 year-old daily driver, and you don't want to deal with any potential hassles, whether it's more significant maintenance intervals that put the car out of commission for however long or if it's repairs of stuff that is either wear-and-tear or just broken. The BRZ is far less likely to need such attention, and even the maintenance that you'll have to do is pretty basic and relatively inexpensive for a while.


One car is going to get you into less trouble than the other... 200 hp vs. 333 hp. Guess which one. Pretty important if you're college age.


Speaking of which, not that pre-judging is good/fair/right, but even though the BRZ is newer, I'd probably not jump to as harsh conclusions if I saw a college kid in one compared to if I saw that same kid in a used E46 M3.

[dpgfunk]

M3.

[abraxis]

What do those 4 miles look like?

[cdrazic93]

M3 pros: great car, drives like a true sports car, very large market for supporting mods.

m3 cons: BMW. and insurance and maintenance

BRZ pros: same as M3, slightly less fast, but will not get you in trouble as fast, nor will it cost you in insurance...

BRZ cons: slower than the M3

[Mikem53]

German cars... Fun to drive.. Not fun to own..

[aznatama]

Just remember, maintenance for a 60-80k car is still the same, regardless of how much the car has depreciated. You can get an old Ferrari or Lambo for 30k, but you'll still be paying the maintenance of a 100k car.

The M3 will likely cost more to insure, use more gas, aftermarket parts will cost more, proper maintenance will cost more, consumables will cost more (tires, brakes, etc.)...

You're a student, unless mommy and daddy are spoiling you, get a cheap used car and save your money.

[Diode Dynamics]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

BRZ pros: same as M3, slightly less fast, but will not get you in trouble as fast, nor will it cost you in insurance...

BRZ cons: slower than the M3

Slightly less fast? You mean significantly faster correct?


Nick C.

[Pandanoid]

Originally Posted by Mikem53

German cars... Fun to drive.. Not fun to own..

I second this, sure a well maintained German car will be able to run strong in the 250k kms but if you're looking for a car to drive in the long run, the service is big $$$$. I owned a German vehicle throughout High school a few years back and I can tell you this...

Fun as hell to drive until you go in for your service and you find unexpected problems. Fun as hell becomes fun + worry now that you understand the $$$$ that this car needs. Ultimately, if you're a student who pays for the maintenance and the car, you're not going to have that much fun in the long-run.

On the other hand, if your parents pay for everything without a hassle... M3

Otherwise as a prior owner of a Audi S4 B7 as a student in high school who had to pay up the unexpected. I'm sitting in my '15 FRS and love every second of it.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by Diode Dynamics

Slightly less fast? You mean significantly faster correct?


Nick C.

It was later for me lol. What I mean is the BRZ is not as fast as the m3, in which case you can roll through the brz gears more often in a sporty fashion than an m3 without breaking the law.