Evo vs. M3

[Jon325i]

why don't you just keep the 318 through college, save money, and when you graduate, properly build the m3 or sell both and buy whatever ricer car you want.

Well said sir. College won't be the place to have a really nice car (parking lot dings, potential theft, the ever-present Ricer fanbois wanting to street race). Just get your 318 fully sorted and dead-reliable for use as a college car. By the time you graduate, these Evos will have depreciated enough to where they will be performance bargains.

Just my

[TomSuddard]

The Evo will feel like a heavy 4WD monster, the M3 will feel like a precision instrument. It's all about what you prefer. I've driven a new GTR, and I have an E30 M3. The GTR was certainly much faster, and had lots of cool computers running it, but at the end of the day I liked the slower M3 much better.

What I'm trying to say is pick whatever suits you. Some people like big heavy cars with lots of power and technology. Others like light cars with little power.

Also, the M3 will be worth more in a few years, the Evo less. If nothing else, wait until after college to sell the M3 and buy the Evo, you'll get more for the M3 and pay less for the Evo.

[tehwickerman]

why don't you just keep the 318 through college, save money, and when you graduate, properly build the m3 or sell both and buy whatever ricer car you want.

yeah this makes sense. I won't be driving much anyway because the town I'm going to college in is really bike oriented so I could just ride to basically anywhere I needed to go. I don't know, I guess after driving the STI my need for speed got pretty uncontrolable. Maybe i'll just boost the 318 and have a rice eater.

[RwMystery]

yeah this makes sense. I won't be driving much anyway because the town I'm going to college in is really bike oriented so I could just ride to basically anywhere I needed to go. I don't know, I guess after driving the STI my need for speed got pretty uncontrolable. Maybe i'll just boost the 318 and have a rice eater.

then buy a sportbike.

[Emre]

I've been driving E30s for years and I used to have a nicely tuned Evo VIII (close to 360 AWHP). The Evo is much, much faster, but it's also much heavier and less interesting to drive. I eventually sold it and went back to my E30.

The E30 is simply more challenging and rewarding to drive quickly. With cars like the Evo/STi/GTR you feel like you're on autopilot: just stand on the throttle and point the nose where you want to go. It's a little boring after a while.

If I were you, I'd keep the 318is for day-to-day use. It's a phenomenal daily driver. And I'd turn the E30 M3 into a dedicated track beast. Best of all worlds.

[KenC]

The M3 isn't all that great to drive, but I'd drive it just for the body.

It handles about the same as your 318is, but is a little faster.

[Holland]

Obviously the smart choice would be to keep the 318, but let's play in your M3 vs Evo game. I personally would build the M3, even knowing it's slower than the Evo. It would be so much more rewarding being able to out gun newer cars in a 20 year old relic. The M3 will be more rewarding and will be a much better car for improving driver skill, especially since it is slower than the new sheet metal. I suppose though I am biased because I am a huge advocate of underpowered cars.

[87e30]

Keep only the 318 and sell the m3. You don't need a project in college, and I bet you'll get burnt out on the m3 if you decide to build it for that long.

Everyone on this site likes to trash newer cars... but there is a reason everyone else on the planet buys them. If you want something "fun" and "rewarding" you still have your 318 which is realistically very similar to the m3. (steering rack and control arm bushings are the only non-horsepower differences that matter that I can think of)

I'd much rather have 10k in the bank than an m3 sitting at home that I'm not driving or maintaining properly because I'm away at school. Plus, you going to leave it at your parents house forever?

Save your money.

(college student)

[ortholithiation]

This is kind of a dumb thread. You seem to have too much money.
You may love cars now but in college you will be TOO busy with school and partying to care. Don't drive a nice car on campus. I say sell everything and don't drive at all and keep the M3 at home. If you have to bring a car use the e30, its low key and won't get jumped on/puked on/ keyed. Most people and girls don't really care about cars in college; if they do driving an old BMW is kind of cool. At your age if you have a nice new evo/sti you will probably come off as a rich douche. There will be crazy nights of madness, do you want to be worrying about your nice new sports car.
If you are an engineer or going to be, join the formula SAE team. If not try to join anyways, it will satisfy your wrenching urges.
The master plan:
I say sell the e30 cycle/walk around town and put the money into building the m3. The next summer build the M3 and when you move out of residence you can decide what to do. The m3 will be a better investment and should potentially increase in value over the years.

Just remember any one with money can buy a fast car. Building/restoring a car the right way is much more rewarding and teaches you many things. You are lucky to own such an iconic piece of motorsport and owning a classic m3 regardless if it is slower than a new sti is way cooler.
Anyways I am rambling. I can clearly remember the urge to have a fast car disappear within the first week of university.

Oh and +1 that fast AWD car on tarmac are kind of boring to drive and feel slower then they really are.

[tehwickerman]

Thanks for all the input guys. I really don't have much money. I worked two jobs for almost two years and saved up a lot... my parents bought my first car which was a jeep cherokee for 2 grand. I put a 4.4 stroker in it, flipped it, made profit. had the money i had saved up and got into the e30 game. flipped a couple cars including an e36 and now i am where i am. i got both my cars at ridiculously low prices. I suppose i'm just in the "boy racer" stage.... big wings and tarbo's seem cool to me right now. I have done a ton of work on the 318 it's basically been completely overhauled and i'm going to school for mechanical engineering so i'm pretty good with cars. its just a matter of funding the m3. i've thought it through and decided to keep it though. once I get out of college I'll be able to find a fast car anytime, owning an e30 m3 is like a peice of history. I love it way too much to give up... even though it's not running. and a faster 318 sounds very appealing. i can thrash the hell out of the 318 so i imagine a car with 100 more horsepower and similar but improved handling characteristics would be very fun.

[evandael]

Can freshman even have cars where you're going? Unless you have mad AP-credits and qualify as a sophomore credit-wise, most campuses are pretty strict with parking permits and whatnot. And it'd be best to avoid douche-status that comes naturally with driving an Evo as a freshman. Chicks prolly won't dig it as much as the other kids that come with daddy's M6's and Range Rovers. And you'll probably get a DUI.

Not to mention a car is a hassle and an expense while you should be studying or mackin' on beezies. Riding a bike around campus is often faster than by car, and you'll get fit. Plus, bikes are fun, and I've met some hella hot chicks that dig going on bike rides..

Sell the 318is. You'll make coin on that, because it's a desirable car. Leave the M3 at home, work during the summers, scour classifieds, and accrue a mad parts stash. When you graduate, if you can't find a job right away, guess what? BUILD TIME!

Just my .02 Wish I was in your predicament.

[der affe]

i have to agree with this^

i would not sell either though, both are paid for, drive the 318i for collage. get it dead relyable over the summer before you start school, find out the car situation with your school and housing, if you can have safe, decent place to park and or store it take it with you, but do the bike thing most of the time. bikes make it way easier to get around campus and go out to drinking parties ECT. you can still get a DUI on a bike in most states though, but i should not effect your DL if you do.

it is always nice to have a car as an option for shopping, dates, and road trips with friends. having a car will put you ahead of the other freshmen who don't have cars with the girls. always a plus.

if your parents don't mind storing the M3 for you, just sit on it, it is paid for so who care if you don't spend $ on it that you don't have because you are in school. by the time you are out of school and have $ to sink into it, you can make a better decision. most likely, they prices will have taken a decent jump by then and it will be harder to find a nice clean car to start on for reasonable $ so you will be better off.

[ethree]

Everyone on this site likes to trash newer cars... but there is a reason everyone else on the planet buys them.

People like new cars because they are new, shiny and don't break all the time not because they're better or faster than old cars and people are stupid they'll buy just about anything if it's sold well.

[E30Nova]

Can freshman even have cars where you're going? Unless you have mad AP-credits and qualify as a sophomore credit-wise, most campuses are pretty strict with parking permits and whatnot.

lol wat?

I've gone to 3 different colleges, and all of them let freshmen have cars. There was no credit requirement.

Matt

[Wh33lhop]

No, he's right. Some colleges do not allow freshmen to have cars.