flip

Just a thought... would any of you consider trading your 04 RX8 for a 01+up BMW M3? Pros? Cons? I did a search, but no luck... :p

BlueEyes

I found this thread a while back. This guy got the M3 but later sold it and now takes the bus to work!! hahahahahah he lives across the street from me. Anyways, it is a pretty good thread for info on the M3

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ht=%2F%2F%2FM3

ftbraggsrt4

well i dont have a rx8 but i would say yeah. m3 is what performance is all about. number 1 car for how many yrs? but i cant compare a m3 to a rx8 cuz i have nvr driven 1.

grapes

M3 is a nice car but i wouldn't trade an 04 RX8, for a used one with little or no warranty. BMW's are wonderfully engineered autos but lack some quality control and reliability. I've had 2 and wouldn't trade my 8 for anything.

velociti

iTrader: (1)

My brother has an '02 M3. I've gotten to drive that along with an 8 (though only briefly), and for pure smiles I have to go with the M. The 8 is nicely appointed, has a rotary and is quite the handler...but it's just not the same. There is something so nice about having a 333hp/262lb ft engine with a six-speed. That's over 100 more lb/ft torque...I am extraordinarily biased, however. I have an M3 hat, an M3 poster in my dorm room, my best friend has a '99, brother has an '02, I want to buy a '99 in a month or two...But seriously, just drive the M and your 8 back to back and see what elicits the most smiles. They're very different in their approach to sportiness, but equally effective in their own ways. Go with what you like. I say M3.

Rupes

Yes I would.

-Rupes

Overport

Personally, ever since getting the RX-8 I have fallen completely in love with Rotaries...for a fun car I dont know if I will ever own something else. But, if I had the cash I would sure as hell drive an M3 at least. E46 of course...

I dont think I could do it anyway, an M3 and an RX-8 in the garage would be to much bickering, there's no way they would get along with eachother...

RXE16T

The M3's a great driver's car, I probably would trade the 8 for it if the opportunity arose.
Unfortunately here in Australia, the retail price of a new M3 is 2.5x the price of a new 8, so even 3 year old examples are quite expensive.

Psychofox

get m3 plz, i dont want to see more ppl driving RX8

DreRX8

Hard decision--but I probably would trade my RX8 for an M3--too bad I can't have both.

Red Devil

Yey on the M3, Ney on trading the 8 for one.

Intrigue 8

i say yey for the M3

foxman

Rather have an 8 and an $15K modded FD.

DreRX8

oohhhhhhh---changed my vote--I agree with Foxman.

futureownr4sure

I am alone to think that the M3 styling is ugly? I mean, if you guys keep on saying that the EVO8 looks bad, have you really taken a look at the M3 or what?

sjt

if nothing but maintenece alone I could NEVER owned a used BMW.

John V

iTrader: (1)

Background: I owned a 2nd gen FC Turbo for six years. I have driven a couple modded FD's. I now own an E36 M3. Several friends have modified E36s (coilovers, bars, wider wheels, etc). Five of my friends have E46 M3s (a couple stock, a couple not), and I've driven three of them (One SMG, two 6-speed). I've autocrossed an RX-8 with Konis and hopefully will spend all of next year autocrossing an RX-8.

The E46 M3, like the E36, is dead nuts reliable. The only weakness of the E46 is an engine bearing issue which is being handled for free by BMW dealers. I'm not sure what quality control problems people are referring to - none of the cars I've driven have had any problems at all and they are tracked and autocrossed regularly. My E36 has cost me almost nothing in repairs over the 40k miles I've owned it. My FC was a money pit and the FDs were even worse.

The RX-8 is, from a handling standpoint, a wonderfully pure car. With good shocks, it's direct and communicative. I'm a huge rotary fanatic (have built engines twice) and really miss having a rotary, but a BMW inline 6 is the next best thing in my opinion. The E36 is an okay handler in stock form but is too heavy and too tall with a street oriented alignment. The E46 is, in my mind, not a great handling car. It feels nice on the road, but push it hard and it shows its weight. The power of the BMWs is excellent. I still prefer my E36 to all my friends' E46s. It's just .. more fun. Even if it is slower in a straight line The bottom line for me is I have never considered an E46. Great street car, but just not that fun to drive in the twisties.

I think if I had an RX-8 I would miss the inline 6's torque. I guess the ideal solution for me would be an RX-8 with coilovers and a twin-screw supercharger setup. The best of all worlds. Fantastic handling, great brakes, great looks, great interior, and the torque of a big, silky-smooth motor.

Sorry for the rambling.

John V
95 M3 - stock but yet .. not stock?

BMW Man

I traded my '04 RX-8 for a '04 M3 6-sp manual and couldn't be any happier. I have no start-up problems with the RX-8 and this car is damn fast!

markd

I've heard similar concerns about reliability issues, though I can't give any sources directly. A friend and I discussed it once and he said that Consumer Reports, or some similar publication, cited BMW's reliability as lacking over the years, though I believe the focus was more on the 5- and 7-series vehicles.

That being said, for me, there's no question which one I would choose between a 3 and an 8. Barring cost (i.e., insurance, etc.), of course I'd take the 3... but then again, I can't drive a stick, so it's a non-issue anyway :p

Doctor Bob

Damn! Who started this? I am considering doing the same but am tortured by the decision. I wish I could afford both but cannot right now.

Bob

John V

iTrader: (1)

The older 5's and 7's with the V8 engine had some problems with premature engine wear. But we're talking about the 3-series, which really have no known major problems. Even the M3.

Anyway, the two cars really are quite different. If you want massive amounts of power and / or status means anything to you, get the M3. If you like going around corners, get the 8.

John V

bean438

I don't care for the look of the BMW. I would choose the 8.
I believe Japanese cars are supierior to german cars.
Some will dispute this and refer to Japanese quality as "myth".

markd

That seems like a lopsided comparison! But then again, that's why I would hands down take the M3 over the 8. Bob and Flipstream, I'm wondering what your criteria is for choosing between the two. If cost is not a factor (an M3 IS much pricier than an 8, as would its repairs), I personally wouldn't even give the 8 a second thought. John is right in his comparison.

BlueEyes

Dude, I don't want to sound like a douche bag or anything, but you really have to get some new material. Your constant negativity towards all cars that arent japanese based on their quality is getting a little stale.

Speed-ER doc

Good deals on Cobras right now.

My Cobra will eat an M3 and pass it out through its cloaca. :D