Ohh a deal has come up that I can get my hands on a E46 M3, for a very very very good price, which means of course trading in the RX8.

Its a 2002, black, got all the factory extras, like 19 wheels, etc... and its even got decently low mileage on it. BUT the only problem is it is an SMG model. Now I've always been an avid manual driver, I pretty much refuse to own an auto, but SMG isn't really auto and M3's are just damn amazing cars. Anyone here had any experiance with the SMG?

I thikn Im pretty keen, I had a drive a few weekends ago, and its a pretty wicked car, ,but I only had 10 mins in it. I have arranged to take it home for the weekend coming but yeah any thoughts from the RX8 crowd? What would you guys do?

Keep in mind that the price is just a steal! I would almost be stupid not to get it, but its just he fact that its SMG thats getting in the way.

 

unless you are a die hard rotary fan get the m3

 

That's odd. shigginsrx8 had a similar story .

 

In my honest opinion!!!

DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!

That is if you dont mind paying a lot more in Insurance.

Just my two cents.

Everett

 

I had an extensive test drive in an E46 M3 w/ the SMG. So let me put it this way, you should be all over that M3. I'm also a diehard stick guy, but the SMG is the most fun you can have driving a car. The downshifts are amazing. I've driven and owned a bunch of sportscars and the SMG is the best performance feature I've ever driven.

BTW, if you decide against it, let me know. I'll be all over it, if it's really that good of a deal.

 

SMGay.....the e46 message boards even bash the smg owners,saying its not a real manual.What do i think?the M3 is a hell of a car.Id take one with any tranny.BUT,i personally think the smg will take away a little bit of fun that you have with your manual 8.You'll have less of a control type feeling over the car,but i guess the power,sound,and comfort of the car make up for it.You also gotta remember the new 3 series is dropping in 2005,the new M3 will debut 2006.So if you plan on keeping the car longer than that the value of the car is going to drop a lot since the new model will be out.

 

As much as I love my car, if I could have afforded an m3, I wouldn't be owning an rx8. That car is just so much more then an rx8, but also with a steep price. Id' say even the smg is worth it, but I can understand the hesttation. If it was manual, you know this would be a no brainer. I'd say go for it, because that's just simply a better car. Good luck!!

 

I drove my friend's M3 in Hong Kong a few days ago. I tested it on some twisties for about an hour.... went through half a tank.... but it was mad fun. Here is what I think about the M3, hope this might help you out....


SMG
The SMGII gearbox on the new M3 is a bomb. Yes, it would be stupid if miss out on it. I drove my friends E46 SMGII, its a rocket. There are twelve modes for the SMG II, 6 for automatic 6 for semi automatic. It adjust the sensitivity of the throttle, the speed of switching gears, and response from the steering. Its truely amazing.

The throttle blimp it does on every upshift is seamless, unless you are Michael Schmi, its almost impossble for you to beat it. The downshift takes 0.08 seconds to comeplete. That is 1 times faster than a Modena 360 and 10 times faster (more accurate) than me...


Driving pleasure and handling
However, in terms of driving pleasure, I really think its objective. To be truthful, I think the RX8 drives better in the corners. The turn in is better, the braking feel is better, and the communication between the driver and the car is much better in the RX8. Some of you might go, yeah right you punk you have no idea what you are talking about. Well, this is why think this.



The M3 tends to have a slight push under when enter a share corner. The RX8 has it a hint of under as well but its much more prominent in the M3. When push under happens, usually, you just let go on the gas and the car will slowly stop understeering (severe of the understeer). Well, the M3 is much slower in response to that. Smoothness is everything in driving fast and you really have to abide by that rule if you want to drive fast in the car.

Power
Holy mother... that thing is FAST. I punched the launch button and dialed in the maximun sensitivity on the SMGII, the car rocketed off the line like there was no tomorrow. One car length of car rubber was left on the ground, signifying a perfect launch, it took just about 5 seconds for it to reach 60. What more do you expect? I can power slide out of any corner, in almost any gear... the engine is always in its sweet spot...


Well... the verdict...
freaking A, get the M3 today!!!!

 

Yeah I have never owned an auto car, and my old man has autos (gammy knee) and when I drive them they are just so much less fun!
I can't wait to take it out this weekend and see how it goes.

Yeah Redlinin_8 has the point, at the end of the day an M3 is an M3, ya know? Thats whats going through my mind. I will drive it and see I guess.....

Yeah I heard the new 3 series is coming out soon, but this deal is amazing, and I think that a M3 will still hold its value pretty well in a few years time. Over here in NZ, the E36 M3's are still worth a packet if you can get your hands on one. Its pretty hard to find a two year old M3 with only I think 12,000 km's on it too!

More opinions please, I been talking to my friends, but it helps when people you are talking to actually have experience with the car im thinking of giving up! :D

 

With all of the advantages of the M3, I would stay with the 8 because it is a much better looking car.

 

My co-worker has an '04 M3 and it is just ******* insane. I lovethe Rx8 but I willdefinitely admit that the M3 is an allaround better vehicle --and yes maybe even in cornering too. It also has a redline almost as high as the Rx8 does. Amazinglyfun car to drive and mandoes that **** growl. It shoves youinto your seat --especially if you sit in the passenger side-- on WOT w/all that torque and horsepower that it has. Im sure our carwould be capable of the sameif only it had more power down low. Butthe M3 is also 20 grand more so whatthe hell else would you expect?

He always bitches though that thegas mileage is lousy just likeon our Rx8s but Im not surprised about that considering the way he drives his car. The onlything I thinkmy Rx8 has over his M3 is that my exterior is better looking and it turnsmore heads. We bothagree on that butwhenever I tell himthat he says to me looks onlytake you so far.

 

Yea the thing I get most from strangers is that "that car is only $30,000??? no..." The RX-8 is just more rare and head-turning than the M3, which only car enthusiasts can pick out from a normal 3. That being said I would definitely go with the 3...my cousin has one and it's unbelievable. but the 8 is just an all around bargain...and a great lookin one at that

 

Unless you're racing, don't get lured in by raw power. I have an auto (stupid! stupid! stupid!) '02 Z28 that has around 400rwhp. It's a freaking rocket and is a blast to drive but still, there are times when I miss my little 5spd 150hp Integra. Now, I understand that the SMG and an auto are not the same thing at all. Still, it's the fun of slamming the clutch, dropping two gears and popping it out again just to snap me back, hear the wheels spin as I floor the gas that I miss. It's not about actually driving fast, it's about having fun while driving. (at least for me...) I have driven other semi-auto's, granted not all SMG's and none nearly as powerful as an M3, but I felt that the expierience was just not there for me. SMG's may offer the response and control necessary to perform on par with (or beyond) a manual, but it's just not the same.

Sure you could take the bus and get there faster, but on a nice day, wouldn't you sometimes rather walk?

That long test drive should tell you better what to do. Good luck, and happy motoring.

 

Yeah that is definatly one thing that the RX8 is in my mind a better looking car. Not to say the M3 dosn't have its own charm.

I do agree with TheColonel that having fun is more than going fast sometimes (and sometimes they are the same thing!) but its not just the fact that the M3, has more power than the RX8 but its a bit of a total package, if you ask me, the interior is damn nice too!

Also a little understeer in the car can be fixed up pretty smartly, if you don't mind fiddling with such an expensive car that is.......

Cheers for the replies guys, anyone else wanna add an opinion?

 

WOW, i should have posted my thread on this board, lots of responses.
here is the link to my thread on this same subject, it was helpful

https://www.rx8club.com/general-automotive-49/m3-advice-33887/

I decided to get the M3.
and I happen to love the SMG. To each his own.

good luck in your choice, you should do as I did, and drive the cars back to back.

 

All I know is, after taking my 8 out today for an hour driving around town, and all the stares the chicks give me in it... who can ask for anything more?

 

Oh so you got the M3? good on ya!
How do you find the SMG? Is it a good drive? Whats it like in traffic? I have heard that its not that smooth sometimes, any thoughts on it?

 

About the whole looks thing...i think the M stock looks good enough...but if ur an animal like my cousin....than you get on a whole other level......

 

Me no like BMW's... Keep the RX-8

 

dam dat ride is sweet, thats gonna break some necks man. I drive an rx8 all day the stares don't compare to the ones you would get in a M3 its gets attention alright, but you better hope you can break that bread, cause you got to back that up. Nothing worse than picking up a date in a hot lil bmw then driving her home and having to tell her to be quiet because your parents are sleeping.

 

btw those devil eyes are so swwweet :drool

 

not really understanding why you can't tell us the price. but my vote is for the m3 which is obviously a much better car in basically every way.

 

The 2002 + M3s are great cars. I hope it just isnt one of the hundreds of M3s to have their engines blow up. Check out the M3 website and do a search, you will see exactly what I mean.

 

 

why did you paste my response from another thread?