Hey everyone, just a quick question. I"m about to purchase a black E46 M3 convertible. I am trying to determine whether I should get the coupe instead of the convertible. I live in great weather so its nothing to do with that, but with performance. I know that the convertible is going to be a little slower, but is it slower to the point where its worth getting the coupe instead? I"m not going to race on a track a lot, so i figured it really wouldnt make much of a difference in that way. So should i get the coupe instead? I personally want a convertible, but i dont want to drive a car that is much slower just because it is a convertible. Thank you for your time.

no, if you have to even ask the question you will never be able to tell the difference, ive driven both, and i couldnt tell unless i was driving the thing on a track.- everyone on the forum just thinks they are mario andretti and they need to have the "ultimate racing machine" they even argue that not having a sunroof is a plus because it keeps the chasis tighter lol????? granted, they are right, about it, but its such a small difference the regular person would never be able to tell.

The convertible is just a heavier because it has steel bars so the thing dosent snap in half.

If you live in good weather and its a weekend car get the convertible

Thank you very much. I figured there wouldn't be a big difference but its reassuring to hear that from someone who has driven both.

i wish i went with a Convertible.

Absolutely go with the vert! I drove both and bought a 03 Carbon Black Vert and I love it. I can't imagine having the coupe. The vert is a really fun car and the chicks dig it big time!!:D

thanks everyone

I also bought just 2 weeks ago an 04 carbon black vert and love it as well. I agree that, outside of a track enviorment (I have a 96 911 track car) you probably won't notice the difference. I will say that the car definatley feels every bit of its 3800 lbs. Also I will say that it does have a bit of flex but I do love it so far.

Mike...funny I have a 2000 540 Dinan and was/am planning on selling it but man the car just goes and sticks. The M has the same hp but about 65lbs less tourque and the 540 just feels so much more powerful. The 5 just pulls from 2k on (power any any gear at any time) were as the M needs to be up in the revs to get the power.

Thinking that for the 17k I might get for the 5 I might just want to keep it...I fear that i will regret selling it.

Jamie

i wish i had a vert still, although we have had only a couple sunny days....yeah in san diego....but most of them are spent at work or in the class room.

congrats!

funny I have a 2000 540 Dinan and was/am planning on selling it but man the car just goes and sticks. The M has the same hp but about 65lbs less tourque and the 540 just feels so much more powerful. The 5 just pulls from 2k on (power any any gear at any time) were as the M needs to be up in the revs to get the power.

Thinking that for the 17k I might get for the 5 I might just want to keep it...I fear that i will regret selling it.

Jamie
I am feeling the same way about my 97 540. From a roll the 540 pulls on my M3 vert that I recently bought. My 540 made 311 ft/lbs at the wheels on the dyno, so it is making about ~100 more lbs than the M3. It isn't much faster but it sure feels a lot faster. I am having a tough time deciding whether I should sell it since I would only get 11-12k for a 97.

Running out of garage space.....again.

Thank you very much. I figured there wouldn't be a big difference but its reassuring to hear that from someone who has driven both.

I have a E46 M3 cab and love it. However, you should know that if you want to take it on the track you will be limited as liability changes make it very difficult to find courses that allow convertibles (except in Canada). Enjoy the cab. In terms of extra weight, it's true but you will still have a lot of car with a big limit to explore.
R.

Hey everyone, just a quick question. I"m about to purchase a black E46 M3 convertible. I am trying to determine whether I should get the coupe instead of the convertible. I live in great weather so its nothing to do with that, but with performance. I know that the convertible is going to be a little slower, but is it slower to the point where its worth getting the coupe instead? I"m not going to race on a track a lot, so i figured it really wouldnt make much of a difference in that way. So should i get the coupe instead? I personally want a convertible, but i dont want to drive a car that is much slower just because it is a convertible. Thank you for your time.

there you go.

You might want to look at the insurance premiums if there is a difference. Also I believe the coupe has more rear leg room if that's an issue. I've had both and enjoyed them. Regardless, any type of "M" is good.

GL on your choice:cool

haha good point. But thank you everyone so far. I can't believe how awesome this website is. Its awesome that there is a pretty close knit bmw family. So to everyone that has posted so far, thank you.

if you're going to track it at all, coupe. like other posts said, i will be nearly impossible to find a good track in the lower 48 to take a vert.

having said that, i went with a vert (bought it this weekend). I missed the freedom of putting the top down that I had with my old Alfa Romeo Spider and RX-7. buy stock in banana boat, because I'm redheaded and slathering up like there is no tomorrow!

It's rare to find 'vert owners that wish they had a coupe, but not vice versa.

True story.

Vert is good for pleasure...I tried both convertible and coupe...coupe is stiffer and FELT better for spirited driving (turns, pick-up, etc). A personal choice though...I went for coupe but live in midwest.

I would get a coupe cause its cheaper and spend the money i saved on mods.

Vert all the way! It is like driving a safe motorcycle. You feel the speed! The right chicks do did it. Your buddies will dig it. You will spend hours just driving it. Warm summer nights looking for adventure.

not to be a downer: Don't think about tracking it, just about everything you may want to do with it is out of the question. That is a sad fact. But get on the freeway when most sane people are sleeping or getting ready for sleep, and get the rpms way up and leave the world behind.

I would get a coupe cause its cheaper and spend the money i saved on mods.
Actually, the price is a wash with used cars. At times, it almost seems the verts are more plentiful on the market, actually. When I bought mine, I couldn't find hardly any low mileage Imola Red coupes. Plenty of Cabrios, though.

The vert is a really fun car and the chicks dig it big time!!:D

Mostly the ones over 50yo. .:rolleyes

no, if you have to even ask the question you will never be able to tell the difference, ive driven both, and i couldnt tell unless i was driving the thing on a track.-

I've driven both, and I certainly noticed the difference. It' hard to hide close to 400 extra pounds. IMO for a vert, I'd get a 330. An M3 verts power to weight ratio is about equal to a 350Z, and I figure most buy M3's for total speed, handling and awesome looks.:)

I've driven both, and I certainly noticed the difference. It' hard to hide close to 400 extra pounds. IMO for a vert, I'd get a 330. An M3 verts power to weight ratio is about equal to a 350Z, and I figure most buy M3's for total speed, handling and awesome looks.:)



power to weight ratio isnt that important.

my friend has his dads cabrio down often, and they feel the same to me. and to him.


if anything the coupe feels a lil less harsh when going over unfortunate road bumps.....thats really all.

for the part on speed, handeling and looks, i cant count them number of mom's i see driving m3 convertibles.

Vert is off by a hair. And the beauty of owning a vert is with a hardtop you can convert it to a coupe. I get compliments with my hardtop on all the time. I have it on now and its gonna be on for a little while and its 85 degrees outside..loll

from my searching the verts actually seem to be a little bit cheaper then the coupes.

but after owning an e36 vert i cant deal with the cowl shake even if it is minimal.

vert + hardtop is the sexiest lines for e46 though.

Vert is off by a hair. And the beauty of owning a vert is with a hardtop you can convert it to a coupe. I get compliments with my hardtop on all the time. I have it on now and its gonna be on for a little while and its 85 degrees outside..lollPreach it brotha!
:buttrock

http://www.teampointless.com/apictures/Mtop3.JPG
http://www.teampointless.com/apictures/Mtop4.JPG
http://www.teampointless.com/apictures/Mtop5.JPG

how do you convert a convertible to a coupe? is there just a hard cover that you buy and put on top like you could do with old Merc sl's or do you need to actully need to like take it to a body shop and get stuff done?

Get real

how do you convert a convertible to a coupe? is there just a hard cover that you buy and put on top like you could do with old Merc sl's or do you need to actully need to like take it to a body shop and get stuff done?
Hardtop is an option. it simply fits on the car when the ragtop is folded. Look closely at the pics I posted.

Vert all the way! with ht!!

Hardtop is an option. it simply fits on the car when the ragtop is folded. Look closely at the pics I posted.

Thank you for answering my question and not being a dick like ffchun.

I personally just picked myself up a vert, and let me say.... It's one thing in life I think I will never regret!! Loving every sec of it. You can't go wrong w/ the top down during the warm summer nights (which is just around the corner).

Hard top option for me will come in the near future.

thank you everyone who has responded. I decided on a carbon black on black 6sp convertible which should arrive on a truck in 2-3 days. Thanks for all your advice.

thank you everyone who has responded. I decided on a carbon black on black 6sp convertible which should arrive on a truck in 2-3 days. Thanks for all your advice.

you will love it.

Congrats you will love it!

How do i post my pictures???