Actually, and certainly for anyone shopping on a budget, the best M3 is the one on the middle, the E46, made from 2000-2006. Its 343PS (252kW) 3.2-litre straight-six was the sweetest engine ever to go into an M3, its chassis the best balanced and I include the E30 in that judgement.Apr 6, 2021
General performance
| Top speed | 280 kph (174 mph) |
|---|
| Est. emissions | 228 g/km |
| Lateral acceleration | 0.89 g (9 m/s²) |
| Downforce @ 200 kph | -18 kg (-40 lbs) |
| 100 kph - 0 | 35 m (114 ft) |
The E46 M3 is one of the great cars of the modern era and arguably the best M3 since the E30. The convertibles are cheap but the market prefers the tighter fixed-roof version. Coupes have been steadily rising, but examples with some miles are still reasonable. Photographs courtesy of Enthusiast Auto Group.Aug 31, 2019
All E46 models will continue to depreciate until the newest ones are at least 20 years old. Then they will stay the same for a few years and then begin to slowly appreciate. For the next several years they are just used cars and will not be viewed as a collectible classic until then.Jan 19, 2016
The E46 M3 came with a 3.2 liter inline-six engine developing 333 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. It could hit 0-60 in 5.1 seconds and had an electronically controlled top speed of 155 mph.Apr 19, 2015
The engine calls for 5.5 Liters (5.8 Quarts), and then adding to the full line if necessary. Check the oil level and top it up. Make sure the vehicle is level to the ground for a precise reading. Close the oil filler cap.
For those people, there are turbos. Horsepower Freaks has a bunch of turbo kits that they can put on the E46, which makes it even better than when it came from the factory. And holy cow it makes it sound amazing too.Mar 7, 2017
Total production of the E46 M3 was 56,133 coupés and 29,633 convertibles. The cars were assembled at the BMW Regensburg factory in Germany, and production was from September 2000 until August 2006, for a total of 85,766 cars.
The E46 is very basic at its core, which helps with quick learning. Although there are some larger issues, like the subframe or lifter-tick, they are, mechanically, relatively reliable. Aside from the common maintenance needs of any vehicle with over 185,000 miles, I haven't had many issues.Jun 16, 2020
BMW produced 85,766 E46 M3 vehicles. Out of 85,766 cars produced, around 56,000 were coupes, and 30,000 were convertibles.May 12, 2021
Overall, the BMW E36 3 Series is a great starter BMW. It's cheap, fun to drive and good looking, while also being a nice slice of old-school BMW, thanks to its delicious hydraulic steering. Sure, it's not the most reliable of cars and it will frustrate you but it's cheap enough to fix and can be wrenched on yourself.Jan 31, 2020
