E46 M3 or 3.2L NSX?!

[ST]

Just wanted to get some feedback between these two fine vehicles I am presently exploring to purchase.

Which one would you pick (even with the bias on this board) and why?

 

[nsxtasy]

I think it's hard to evaluate a car that isn't on the market yet. We don't have any reports from those who have owned and lived with both cars.

There are comparisons with the E36 M3 at http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Reference/comparisons/bmw.htm

 

[Lud]

What do you want from a car? If you'd like the E36 M3 better than the NSX if it had more power you'll probably prefer the E46.

But given the very different feel and design goals of the M3 and the NSX I don't think there is really as much overlap as there appears to be on paper.

 

[GBM]

I saw the new m3 when i was in europe in june and i have to say, they are sooo awesome! The styling is fantastic, the interior top notch. The only complaint i had about them was the space in the wheel wells above the tires, but this can be easily fixed by the springs soo many companies will be coming out with. In terms of bang for buck i would get the new m3.. its at least 25k less, and has 40 more horsepower from the same displacement. I read the new m3 is actually quicker than the m5 0-60 and 1/4mile but the factory listed it as slower as to justify the 30 grand more for the m5. I think the next gen nsx would be a better comparison to the e46 m3, its not really fair comparing 10yr old technology (as advanced as it is) to stuff thats brand new.

 

[ST]

Luxury, comfort, and power are my strong buying points right now. I don't prefer one either way at this point, since they are so comparable (beyond the pricing of course). Please elaborate your comment about "different feel and design", because both vehicles elicit driving excitement and handling excellence more than just raw hp and straightline performance. I think fundamnetally they are very close in nature to one another, albeit the NSX is more associated with exclusivity (something which the new M3 will also be initially).

Originally posted by Lud:
What do you want from a car? If you'd like the E36 M3 better than the NSX if it had more power you'll probably prefer the E46.

But given the very different feel and design goals of the M3 and the NSX I don't think there is really as much overlap as there appears to be on paper.

 

[Lud]

Originally posted by ST:
Please elaborate your comment about "different feel and design", because both vehicles elicit driving excitement and handling excellence more than just raw hp and straightline performance. I think fundamnetally they are very close in nature to one another

I am curious if you have much seat time in both cars?

 

[ST]

NSX yes....E46 M3...no one has!

Though I've been in the E46 3 series. Are you implying the NSX is far superior in handling or....??

Originally posted by Lud:
I am curious if you have much seat time in both cars?

 

[Lud]

Originally posted by ST:
NSX yes....E46 M3...no one has!

Though I've been in the E46 3 series.

I assume you mean E36 at the end there? That is what I was asking. Obviously I did not expect you had been in the E46. There are a lot of cars in the 3-series and they feel very different. So to be very specific, "Do you have much seat time in both the E36 M3 and the '97+ NSX 6-speed"?

Are you implying the NSX is far superior in handling or....??

No, I didn't imply anything about either one being better. Both cars are quite capable and at this level "better" is very subjective and probably has more to do with the owner and what they want from the car than the car itself. Which is what prompted my original question.

You said you want luxury, comfort and power. Both cars have those three things, though I think the NSX gets the edge in comfort and power. The E46 cars may change that but the overall feel of the car will still undoubtedly be different.

So you need to look at that and at the other things you want from the car... Do you want four seats? Do you have to worry about scraping driveways with the NSX's lower clearance? Do you want the fairly understated look of the M3 or the more flashy look of the NSX? Do you need a trunk that's a decent size? You get the idea.

What I was saying is that I and all the other people I know who have driven both cars think the they feel very different in pretty much every respect: seating position, sound, steering feel, throttle feel, road feel, weight distribution, etc. In short, they give very different driving experiences.

Which is not surprising because they were designed with different goals and philosophies.

Getting back to your original question of which one I would pick, again it would depend on what I wanted it for:

For a two-seat weekend fun car (second or third car) I'd pick the NSX.

For a daily driver that performs really well AND if I did not have (or plan to have) another weekend-fun sports car I'd get the M3.

I know some people own both the NSX and M3 but I personally would not buy both.

While it's hard to base recommendations on a car that's not out yet, from all reports the E46 sounds similar to the E36 but beefed up all around so I'm basing my comments on that.

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 11 July 2000).]

 

[nsxtasy]

I saw the new m3 when i was in europe in june and i have to say, they are sooo awesome! The styling is fantastic,

Huh? It looks like all the other BMW's on the road. Hardly "fantastic". Try turning heads with a BMW...

 

[David]

You can get the new M3, buy everything in the Dinan catalog for it and still save thousands versus the NSX. And, you will have a car that will smoke almost anything stoplight to stoplight.

Keep in mind that BMW is almost certainly being conservative with the performance numbers for this car, as it is already encroaching on the M5.

 

[GBM]

huh? The m3 has HUGE aggressive fender flares on it, chrome side vents, clear blinkers.. it hardly looks like a plain 3 series, all it needs is a big wing on the back and it could be a dtm car.

 

[NSXY]

This silly banter wears me out.

Let's see...Which actress should I marry: Ashley Judd (NSX) or Tori Spelling (M3)? Bla, bla, bla...

Let's see....Which singer should I marry: Mariah Carey (NSX) or Minnie Pearl (M3).

HELLO!!! EXCUSE ME, but if people can't see with there own eyes the obvious differences between two such completely different cars, there's a screw loose somewhere!!

I own and drive an NSX, and am looking also to buy an M5, but I have no temptation to compare them, because they simply are not comparable!!!

Give me and other NSX Primers a break with these silly comparisons, PLEASE!!!

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by GBM:
huh? The m3 has HUGE aggressive fender flares on it, chrome side vents, clear blinkers.. it hardly looks like a plain 3 series

Sure could have fooled ME.... which means 99 percent of the drivers on the road wouldn't bat an eye.

 

[GBM]

yeah the ones who know nothing about cars wouldnt, but thats who we're trying to impress right?

 

[maomaonsx]

My impression of the NSX:
"wow, amazing mid-engine sports car from Japan."

My impression of the M3:
"wow, a sporty ...sedan!!! I rather have a Benz"

the only M3 that is fun(for me) is the E30. the E36 is a sell-out(especially the USA version of the tuned 328...) and the E46 is the biggest sell-out in the BMW history. WTF is with the chrome grill, dual muffler on an I6?



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