View Poll Results: Which is the Best M3?

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  • E30 (1985-1992)

    39 27.08%
  • E36 (1992-1999)

    56 38.89%
  • E46 (2000-2006)

    32 22.22%
  • E90/92/93 (2007-2013)

    17 11.81%
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Thread: The Best M3

  1. #51
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    E36 is good.

  2. #52
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    E36 is the best M3??? Rightttttt... Let's see what Automobile Magazine has to say about that... oh wait.

    Last edited by reelizmpro; 04-01-2014 at 06:40 AM.
    "I'd probably take the E30 M3 in this case just because I love that little car, and how tanky that inline 6 is." - thecj

  3. #53
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    323i E30 is offline ⅂!ʈө !ƨ l!ʞө ɐ ʇөlөbµouө
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    Voted E30, because E30.
    ^ true story



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  4. #54
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    Automobile tested only 3 of the 5 M3.
    Last edited by pbonsalb; 04-01-2014 at 01:19 PM.

  5. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post
    Automobile tested only 3 of the 5 M3 (although 1 of the 2 missing ones is excusable because it is not released yet).
    Did they completely forgo testing the E36 with the group? How is that a complete test?

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  6. #56
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    They did not test the E36 or E9x. I thought the article was pretty lame.

  7. #57
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    Because they know the e36 is the undisputed champion and would blow the others away.

  8. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by bladerealm124 View Post
    Because they know the e36 is the undisputed champion and would blow the others away.
    This sounds like the most likely reason.

    Avusblau 1994 Euro M3 --> Journal Here
    Lagunagrün 1991 331iS-->Journal Here

  9. #59
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    Yall already know where my vote goes
    95 Hellrot/Modena 332is, 287k chassis 143k S52, 6 speed 420g, DS2's, 3.23 LSD, 97+ facelift, 96+ climate control conversion.
    98 Alpine white/Black and Tan, 328i Sedan 226k chassis 163k M52, Auto to 5 speed ZF manual swapped, E46 sport seats, 2.93 open diff, style 30 wheels, OEM M3 catback, nothing special here

  10. #60
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    Let's see....

    • E9x and F80/F82 are hugenormis. Very nice cars, but some of the small, sporty charm of the M3 is lost. The 400+hp cars put the M3 in a different category imo. They seem more like an evolution of the E39 M5 than M3.

    • E46 ...great car, but fake fender vents, an exhaust note that makes me cringe and a rear bumper that reminds me of a diaper.

    • E36 is all about being understated. Looks dated, but in a good way. Easy to live with (no valve adjustments, realitively inexpensive wear items). Best sounding of any generation M3 imo.

    • E30 looks great and is fun to drive, what more could you want?


    I grew up lusting over the E36 so I doubt that will ever change.
    Last edited by Sammyzuko; 04-03-2014 at 10:44 AM.

  11. #61
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sammyzuko View Post
    E46 ...great car, but fake fender vents, an exhaust note that makes me cringe ...
    E36 ... Best sounding of any generation M3 imo.
    E46 M3 fender vents are functional and the E46 M3 particularly the CSL is widely regarded, even by E36 purists, as the best-sounding BMW ever made...
    And you are saying a slightly tuned-up M52 sounds better than an S54.



    E36's are great but this level of fanboyism is quite sad. I am not sure which IS the best but the US market E36 M3 is definitely not the best - the title of "best M3" has to go to a car that was at least fitted with a real M engine.

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  12. #62
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackxs View Post
    E46 M3 fender vents are functional and the E46 M3 particularly the CSL is widely regarded, even by E36 purists, as the best-sounding BMW ever made...
    And you are saying a slightly tuned-up M52 sounds better than an S54.



    E36's are great but this level of fanboyism is quite sad. I am not sure which IS the best but the US market E36 M3 is definitely not the best - the title of "best M3" has to go to a car that was at least fitted with a real M engine.
    I've heard from owners who've popped them out that they don't go anywhere.
    The idea of best M3 is going to vary greatly. They're all excellent cars, I was simply stating my opinion of what's best for me.

  13. #63
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sammyzuko View Post
    I've heard from owners who've popped them out that they don't go anywhere.
    Dont believe everything you hear

    The right fender vent opens to where the ECU is and draws out hot air keeping the ECU cool. Many people actually say the driver's side is functional too... it wasnt designed to be, but the fender shell underneath has a hole in front of the grill and the grills have holes and air could pass through, so it stands to reason that the driver's side may also draw air out, albeit rather inefficiently.

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  14. #64
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    Arrange the cars by weight... lightest to heaviest.



    That is the correct order.

  15. #65
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackxs View Post
    Dont believe everything you hear

    The right fender vent opens to where the ECU is and draws out hot air keeping the ECU cool. Many people actually say the driver's side is functional too... it wasnt designed to be, but the fender shell underneath has a hole in front of the grill and the grills have holes and air could pass through, so it stands to reason that the driver's side may also draw air out, albeit rather inefficiently.
    I think it is the E9xM3 that has the fake fender vents. I have not pulled mine out yet, though I plan to in order to paint them black, but I understand they are fake.

  16. #66
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    e46 m3 all the way for me. Love the body and love the drive. As for the note, it's an acquired taste but if you can't learn to appreciate it than you could always have it changed (full exhaust?). Still no? Well, we all have our own tastes. Either way, Bmw did a great job on all the M3's IMO.

  17. #67
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    E30 > E46 > E90 > Most any other BMW > E36

    Sorry, the E36 is downright ugly, to the point where I could not drive it because of how UGLY it is.

  18. #68
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post
    I think it is the E9xM3 that has the fake fender vents. I have not pulled mine out yet, though I plan to in order to paint them black, but I understand they are fake.
    Not sure about the fender vents but I know the hood vent/intake on the E92 is functional (at least on one side), so I could excuse the fender vent being fake as by then it was part of the M design

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  19. #69
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    1. E30
    2. E46
    3. E9x
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  20. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackxs View Post
    Not sure about the fender vents but I know the hood vent/intake on the E92 is functional (at least on one side), so I could excuse the fender vent being fake as by then it was part of the M design
    Yes, the driver's side E9xM3 hood vent is a vent from the airbox; the fresh air duct into the airbox is actually in the bumper with additional ducts behind the front kidney grilles. It is a good enough system that you do not see many aftermarket intake replacing the stock airbox.

    The passenger side is a dummy with a sealing flap on the underside. I removed mine for whatever that is worth to provide some venting of heat above the headers on that side when the car is moving, but I have not verified how well that works.

  21. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post

    Yes, the driver's side E9xM3 hood vent is a vent from the airbox; the fresh air duct into the airbox is actually in the bumper with additional ducts behind the front kidney grilles. It is a good enough system that you do not see many aftermarket intake replacing the stock airbox.
    The fender vents on the e9xm3 are considered functional by bmw. The new m6 and the x6m both have fake vents.
    It is interesting how bmw avoided sucking too much rain water in through the hood vent by modifying the air box and ducting for drainage. Take a close look at it all sometime when you have it out.
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  22. #72
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    Having owned both an e36 and e46 m3 and driven an e90 m3 for a couple days I have to vote the e46. E e90 is a great, amazing, fast and well handling car but I'm personally more keen on the size of the e46 as well as the aesthetics. Also I love the way the s54 sounds over the s65. The e9x is a better car at the end of the day but the e46 suits me better.

  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post
    I removed mine for whatever that is worth to provide some venting of heat above the headers on that side when the car is moving, but I have not verified how well that works.
    Probably isnt doing anything positive for you since the area above the hood in front of the windshield is a positive pressure zone, so by opening that vent you just let the air push into the engine bay, where it will create significant turbulence and drag as to exit from the top of windshield down through the engine bay to the bottom of the car is a much longer distance than simply flowing over the windshield, therefore this is negatively affecting the aerodynamics. Air is always flowing over the headers anyways, the only thing this actually does is let hot air escape out of the engine bay at idle when not moving. Even this is arguable because of the way the vent is designed will prevent air from escaping smoothly and the overall design of the hood would allow heat to escape at idle anyways.

    I would seal it back up. Hundreds of well-paid BMW engineers probably know better than you. Just sayin.

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  24. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackxs View Post
    Probably isnt doing anything positive for you since the area above the hood in front of the windshield is a positive pressure zone, so by opening that vent you just let the air push into the engine bay, where it will create significant turbulence and drag as to exit from the top of windshield down through the engine bay to the bottom of the car is a much longer distance than simply flowing over the windshield, therefore this is negatively affecting the aerodynamics. Air is always flowing over the headers anyways, the only thing this actually does is let hot air escape out of the engine bay at idle when not moving. Even this is arguable because of the way the vent is designed will prevent air from escaping smoothly and the overall design of the hood would allow heat to escape at idle anyways.

    I would seal it back up. Hundreds of well-paid BMW engineers probably know better than you. Just sayin.
    The center of the hood vents are about 18 inches from the base of the windshield. I figured that would be before the positive pressure. I assumed those hundreds of well paid BMW engineers at least properly located the vents. I think you are making opening the passenger vent sound worse than it is. The vent is tiny. Even if you are correct on the airflow, the result of opening the blocked vent is not going to be "significant turbulence and drag." If it is there, it is going to be relatively minor. As for the driver's vent, my understanding was that it was a vent for the airbox to prevent too much pressure from the dumper and kidney ducts at speed, not a duct to bring fresh air into the airbox. In other words, I am not sure air is pushing into that vent and creating turbulence, because, like you say, well paid BMW engineers designed it. My guess on the blocked passenger side vent is that it is there for symmetry on street cars and BMW blocked it to prevent water from draining onto the valve cover and headers. I'll look into it more. I think the subject has come up before on e90post.

    Checked e90 post and there is nothing definitive. There is mention of the Bernoulli effect in that area. There is also talk of air being pulled in at high speed. Others have noticed water going out in the rain at high speed. Some have removed the passenger vent and felt heat coming out but obviously you can't do this at speed. Others said car makers map the under hood temps and design ducts and vents accordingly. Some supercharger kit makers remove the passenger vent cover.

    As I admitted originally, opening the vent may not do any good. I also think it does no harm. Wound like to see whether BMW opens it on the GTS version of the car. I would close mine if BMW keeps it closed on the GTS.
    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by cdmbmw View Post
    The fender vents on the e9xm3 are considered functional by bmw. The new m6 and the x6m both have fake vents.
    It is interesting how bmw avoided sucking too much rain water in through the hood vent by modifying the air box and ducting for drainage. Take a close look at it all sometime when you have it out.
    The fender vents on my E90M3 appear to have a plastic plate across the back of the grille. I have not had them out yet to see if there is any gap around the edge of that plate that might let air through.

    I have had the airbox out and have studied it. Obviously, it is BMW car wash approved despite the three direct and unbaffled openings into the airbox. It has the drainage covered and the excess positive pressure covered. The only change I made to the airbox area was to run an aftermarket filter and intake elbow and larger kidney grille ducts. The merits of all those are subject to debate on e90post, but if nothing else, I enjoy the induction noise and I needed a new filter anyway because my 08 had the charcoal sock.
    Last edited by pbonsalb; 04-09-2014 at 12:03 PM.

  25. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post
    As for the driver's vent, my understanding was that it was a vent for the airbox to prevent too much pressure from the dumper and kidney ducts at speed, not a duct to bring fresh air into the airbox. In other words, I am not sure air is pushing into that vent and creating turbulence, because, like you say, well paid BMW engineers designed it.
    ...
    It has the drainage covered and the excess positive pressure covered.
    Excess pressure? Sounds like free forced induction to me!

    FWIW the issue is not the Bernoulli effect (that is how an airplane wing generates lift), its the vortex that is created between the front top of the car and the top of the windshield. I havent seen an E90 in a wind tunnel so I dont know exactly the effects of removing a vent, never claimed to, just some food for thought

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