I have a 2000 Dinan s3 5401 with 52000 miles. auto. I am toying with the idea of selling it for a new m3 rag top with smg. Gains would be the rag and smg. I would lose h.p. torque and handleing would be about the same. My car has about 415 h.p. and 400 torque.I would cost me about 25k to make the switch. Do you think it is worth it.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-10/1094551/dinanbmw005.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-10/1094551/dinanbmw013.jpg

Seeing as how I have driven both... if you need the room, keep the 540, if you don't ... get the M3.

Nice car! Keep your car. If you do get an M3 don't get SMG or a Vert. They are pigs.

if you dont need the 4 doors for kids go m3!!! and yes DEF do get the SMG...technology is a good thing dont listen to the die hard 6 speed smg haters lol...no offense to any of you but performance wise the smg hands down wins and its a blast to use the paddle shifters...anytime someone finds out my car has them they are astonished...its an awesome feature plain and simple

Being that your 540i is auto, an M3 will far exceed your current "fun level" by a thousandfold. But your car is nothing to sneeze at, so if you need/like the roominess of it, keep it. Otherwise, sell it and go for an M3 (but preferably not a vert).

I sold my Dinan S1 540i 6-spd for the M3. It handles SO much better because of the M-Differential, the rack and pinion steering, and the fact that it isnt a 3900lb car. Although my car wasnt s/c'ed, the M3 feels so much more alive when you stand on the throttle.

To restate it: If you need the room and/or like an autobahn cruiser, keep the 540i. If you dont need the room and want something sportier (albeit probably slower) get the M3.

PM Sent

all that hard work done to a 540...hmm very hard...get the M3 for the fun...but keep the 540i for practical reasons!

if ur selling ur 540 PM me. lol.

i honestly think you'd miss the torque of your 540, especially with a s/c- the m3 is cool in high rpms, but you can't beat the torque of a s/c'ed from the 540

an M3 will prob be more fun to drive manual or smg, and better for track because its smaller and lighter, but your 540isport looks awesome and is probably faster from

1. the stop
2. the roll
and 3. on the freeway

anyhow if ur selling that 540i PM me lol. that is a nice car i could use it for a DD and turn my M into atrackcar.

get the m3 AND keep the 540! :D

I think it comes down to personal reasons here. Tranny and motor aside... if you have kids, the keep the 4 door. Better for room issues and on those long hauls to grandma's you're going to shoot yourself if you get the M3. If you're just tired of the 540 maybe the change is a good thing. But do your homework man, these two cars are very different.

you can hall kids in an M3....

ive had no problem fitting 3 girls in the back and one in the front, or a friend of mine...

you could seat 4-5 people reasonably comfortly in an m3.....

if you want room, get an X5 or a7 series. those are like boats.

i would think that handling would be better on an e46 m3. i had an e39, and it was a pig on the track. i wouldn't get a convertible. i also like 6-sp MT better than SMG, but that is a personal preference.