Which way to go - buy an M3 or Mod a 318?

[Mark 42]

OP: from reading your posts, I can tell you now with confidence that an M3 is not for you. Mod your current E30.

I think you're right.

[Xat1cZ]

i bought an m3....



.....e36 m3, bishes.

fail

[dannyyisntt]

Buy both, stop making redundant threads, profit.

[iamsam]

OP: from reading your posts, I can tell you now with confidence that an M3 is not for you. Mod your current E30.

/thread

[slammin.e28]

I bought an M3....



.....e36 M3, bishes.

[D-rock]

^ That look so good!

[robrez]

I've done the "mod a 318 thing. Doesn't make me not want an e30 m3 though.

But the great thing about the 318i is that I get to drive and see it every day in my work garage, instead of seeing it every day in my home garage and only driving it on the weekends.

[Mr. Tasty]

Who would pay 20k for a 20 year old shitbox?

:bow:

[Nick_S]

I would rather have a 24v swapped 318i than an M3. The M3 I wouldn't want to drive year round since they are quite rare. A swapped 318i with a nice suspension setup would likely give the average enthusiast 95% of the experience at a 1/4 the price.

[Xat1cZ]

Who would pay 20k for a 20 year old shitbox?

I know right! .. and get a load of this German 200 hp'd 2.2l POS,

sold for 1.25 million $ .... and get this ... THE FUCKTARD IS 40 YEARS OLDz!! ZOMFGZORS!!1!one!!One1!!!!1!!

[evandael]

Keep your M42. 318i's are special.

Or if you enjoy working on your car and if you have the cash, swap in an S14 and perhaps even the E30 M3 5 lug suspension. A narrowbody M3 would be fairly unique.

[slammin.e28]

Who would pay 20k for a 20 year old shitbox?

Icey what you did there.

[lambo]

They cost a lot. Normally north of 20k for a good one.

Who would pay 20k for a 20 year old shitbox?

[Wschnitz]

Sell me your 318 and buy an m3.

[cferb]

Which one is which?
If I bought a $6500 M3 how much would it cost to build a 325i or 318i that would give it a run for the money in autocross and/or a road course?

I saw a GRM article where they used a 325e, put a new head and some other mods on it, and said it was equal to or better than an M3 (had more low end grunt). Not sure what their budget would have worked out to. Maybe I can scan the article some time.

$6500

I have an old Road and Track comparing the m3 and 325is, they basically said the M3 was only marginally better for the majority of people. If you don't care about the widebody and just want performance, stick with the 318is and mod it, with the M3 you're paying for the collectibility in addition to the performance, so while you may be paying $15k more for one in equivalent condition, you won't be getting $15k in performance out of it, and this is coming from someone who just bought one.

If you bought a 6500 dollar M3 you would be driving an E36.

E30 M's are nice but heavy. Now an S14 in a 318 is how life should be.

Or you'd be parked in the garage making engine noises in your roller