Bavaria in the bloodstream, or: Is the E46 BMW M3 for me?

by Frank Cruz on April 16, 2014 at 10:58 pm

Our Frank Cruz is lusting after an E46 generation BMW M3. (Darren photo courtesy Flickr/WIkimedia Commons)

Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series by our Frank Cruz, who is currently shopping for a car to replace his recently totaled Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Enjoy!

One of the most amazing exhaust notes I have ever heard is a supercharged BMW E46 M3. The M3 is on my list of prospect cars, and for good reason.

The styling of the M3’s is phenomenal. This along with build quality and impressive performance keep this car’s value decently high. Chances are if I get an M3, I won’t have much left to invest in modifications, so what would I do with the little I could use?

I would get at least a cat-back system, such as the Supersprint exhaust used by the beemer in this video. Of course if I had enough, I would get a whole exhaust system along with the Fabspeed headers and VF Engineering Supercharger setup. I would probably put a resonator in to quiet down the exhaust some, and run a cut-out setup instead. I’ve learned being loud in your daily driver isn’t very fun.

I would prefer a six-speed over the SMG transmission, and a hard-top as opposed to a convertible. Imola red would be my first color choice, followed by the stunning Laguna Seca blue.

I’ve found some in my area, but once spring came, most disappeared.

Currently, I’d say the top two options are the rare four-door SS Cobalt, or the E46 M3, but there are still other possibilities lingering in my mind. Both have their bells and whistles, but some of the more sophisticated tech in the BMW and the better build quality make the M3 more appealing. Some may not care about the ability to spray their headlights with washer fluid, but I think it’s part of what makes a “classy” car, such as the M3. The premium stereos in BMWs have many great reviews, so if I were to find an M3 with one, this would be a bonus.