If you're buying a used M3, I would rather have the Evo.

If the M3 is brand new, then I would go for the BMW. Sure, you can invest $15k into the Evo and turn it into a really fast car, but it won't have a warranty and wouldn't have a nice interior and the image that the BMW brings to the table.

Just because Evos are easier to mod and can be made faster than a M3 does not mean it is a better car. It just makes it a faster car.

 

e36 m3 is much nicer looking than e46 m3...

 

and cheaper to mod

 

A stock 05 Evo is substantially faster = Horsepower@rpm 271@6500 Torque lb-ft@rpm 273@3500
Curb Weight, lb 3108, 0-60 mph, sec 4.8
1/4 mile, sec@mph 13.4@103.0 600 ft slalom, mph 68.9
60-0 mph, ft 108 Top Speed, mph 155

Compared to the M3(E36)= Torque lb-ft@rpm 236@3800/258@3250 Curb Weight, lb 3250
0-60 mph, sec 5.5/- 1/4 mile, sec 14.0@98.6/-
60-0 mph, ft 112/- 600 ft slalom, mph 67.0/-
Top Speed, mph 140/155

M3 is definately a nicer car, but the Evo is the better performer! Can't go wrong either way.

 

Interestingly enough, our west coast Muellerized-EVO hero Kent Jordan, who killed the SCCA NorCal ITE class this year by winning every single race and beating Vipers, Porsches, Ferraris, etc. etc., just bought a new race car. Guess what? An E46 M3. I was there last friday when Kent, Mueller and the Road Race Chassis team were testing the car at Streets of Willow racetrack in SoCal. Go figure.

 

Depends upon what he's planning to do with it, and how crazy the build will be. If he wants to dominate ITE with the M3, it's gonna take some serious money and is going to be an uphill battle even then. That said, is he switching to another class? The Comp package E46M3 is supposedly a very good choice for T2.

 

an M3 with the replacement bearing service performed, blew recently

check out RF forum E46M3

 

My last car was an 05 E46 M3. I loved that car, it was an amazing blend of style, power, and fun to drive. I had a bunch of little problems with it, but nothing that wasn't covered under warranty, though.

Personally, I wouldn't want to own an E46 m3 out of warrant. I had an e36 M3 earlier (supercharged) and I loved that car too... but it really feels like an older car, even compared to the evo.

My Evo MR is nowhere near as nice a cruising car, but it is more tossable than the m3. When I got the m3, it felt like it really needed some suspension bits right out of the box, terrible understeer and slow steering, etc.

They are very very different cars, as everyone said. The Evo responds to mods a lot better, for $5k you get about 20 hp in the M3 if you're lucky. Mine was pretty quick, stock vs stock, the m3 is faster than an evo. However, it doesn't take much to make the Evo quite a bit faster. The m3's brakes are suck. The stereo is terrible, even the HK system.

Anyway, the M3 is almost twice the cost. It really depends on what you want. If you want to pull rug, the m3 is much better for that. If you want to have fun at a track day with very little mods, the Evo is better.

 

http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums...7215476-1.html

 

Our M3 is already built to Grand Am Cup GS class specs, with Motons, 4 stage dry sumped motor, efi technology data and ecu, 17 x 10 wheels, alcon brakes etc.

Our Evo program is still going forward, with the winter testing program starting up next week.

As far as speed between makes, it is no contest: Evos > M3s

 

John, have any pics of your m3?

 

http://socalevo.net/gallery/displayi...lbum=260&pos=4

http://socalevo.net/gallery/displayi...lbum=260&pos=2

 

Here are a bunch of pics another EVO guy took at the event. There should be some pics of the M3 in there; it's silver with orange trim; but the ones John already posted are better of the M3; this links shows some EVOs.

http://www.socalevo.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=256

 

 

I'd like to own both really. An M3 & STi, or an M3 & EVO IX.
If it were a CSL, no doubt i'd take it in a heartbeat.

They're undeniably beautiful cars; magnificent.
Especially the black ones!