Today I got the pleasure of driving my ex-girlfriends fiancies E36 M3. She, not really being a car person wasn't sure of the year, but she thinks that it is a 95 or 96.

Right after doing so I took my Maxima and drove the same route to see the difference. We didn't race them because, one, its not her car and two, she's not quite the driver I am.

Interior

They are very different cars of course. The M3 is more of a drivers car. The controls aren't that easy to find, other than the required ones (blinkers, wipers, shifter). The rest of the layout didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, and I really didn't like it. The guages were small, with very tiny numbers, and hard to read. I don't like the orange on black either, I found it difficult to read compared to the SE guages in my car.

Also, of course, the M3 was noticiably quieter the entire time, even at WOT. It had the stock exhaust compared to my aftermarket one, which I'm sure had something to do with it.

The steering wheel in the M felt like the Maxima's should. Stiff and tight. The clutch was very stiff and required a lot more work than the Maxima, as was the case with the shifter. Accelerator feel felt about the same as the Maxima, very responsive, and braking was a good bit better in the M.

Power

The M3 is completely stock. That being said it didn't really feel faster than my modded Maxima. The power is way smoother from the M's I6. Wow, I though our VQ's were smooth engines, I had no idea.

RWD is a huge plus for the M in this catagory. I tried on a few differnt occasions to get the rear end loose, and just couldn't. Even from the line, I couldn't spin the tires with a 4k rpm clutch drop. He has 245/40/17 Kumho's on the back, not super-great tires.

Honestly I felt that the Maxima has more straight line power than the M. I don't know that it would win many stop light races though, because the M can get off the line so much quicker, and I don't think that Maxima is that much faster that it would catch up.

Handling

On smooth corners both cars handle very well. However if you get into anything thats a little bummpy that M takes over. RWD and the wonderful weight distrubution of that car make it handle like a dream. There isn't much more I can do for handling in the Maxima, its just that RWD is light years better.

Take for example the interchange (between the 490W and 590N for locals) that I used in both cars. Its "rated" for about 35mph. Its a long, uphill sweeping left. The Maxima takes the turn comfortable at about 70. I don't typically give it more, in fear of shifting the balance of the car too much. The M, however, begs for more and more as you go through the corner. It really is a dream on turns like that.


Well, that's it. The car is actcually for sale, for a little more than $20k. I told her I'd pay $15k for it (kinda a joke, 'cause I know he wouldn't take it). If I didn't live in a winter climate, there is no doubt in my mind that I would ditch the Maxima in a second and get a M3.

 

Bahhhh

Race em!

 

ditto, misleading title

 

Somewhat.. more like borring common knowledge thread!

 

That would have been pointless. My ex isn't exactly a great driver, and I would have beeten her regardless of who was driving what car.

 

You know what...maybe it's not "common knowledge" for everyone. Most people seem to think that an M3 can break the sound barrier. I personally think it's a very informative thread about what 15K extra gets you in a car.

 

Thanks Bri. I was actcually quite dissapointed in the power of the M3. I was expecting a lot more, and it just wasn't there.

 

i was lucky enough to have my tennis coaches 98 M3/4 5spd for a weekend during senior year of highschool, wow i loved that car, although i dont like the position of the brake and gas they are too close together, the clutch was nice and the gearbox was amazing, oh and the handling...fuhgetaboutit.

 

The US spec E36 M3 wasnt really that powerful. They ran low 14s down the 1/4. It was more made for handling and to give you semi race car feel. The Europeans had a 321 hp version which was a lot quicker.

 

e36m3 - 95 .. 96m3's are RARE .. its OBD1 takes mods very well .. i know a kid who ran 13.8 with just an intake on his 95m... the car is a drivers car thats why the pedals are close together .... *Heel Toe*.. what mods do you have done to your max ... Also included in the 15G price upgrade is Roadside assistance and other nice things... i love the seats in the m3 the stock vaders are GREAT!... I actually think the orange at night is better ... its almost like being in an jet cockpit... its too cool. The US m3 is a joke compared to the Euro m3 ... thats why the e46 m3 is a big deal over here lol and not that big of a deal in europe. The engadgement point of the clutch on the m3 is far back ... I think its like the hardest car to learn stick on.

 

See the sig.

Yeah, it took me a few trips around the block to get used to. Very different than the Max.

 

More differences....

* Sunroof in the M3 and not a Moon roof...no sunshade which I really would miss.
* M3 has a trip computer with functions like average speed, MPG, total time, etc. A lot like what I think newer Max's have.
* Didn't turn on the radio in the M, who cares.
* Dual electronic climate control in the M. According to my ex it works quite nicely too.
* This is a big one for me...there is no cruise control in the M. What? How could there not be cruise control in a car that nice?

 

if i were you id ditch the UDP for a LTW flywheel

 

Why not both?

 

cant have both .. one or the other ... it mess's something up cant remember ... back to sipping margaritas ... nice day

 

Sure you can, if you're willing to live with a car that's more difficult to drive on the street. Don't know if I'm going down that road yet or not though.