[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-e46-m3-is-overrated\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-e46-m3-is-overrated\/","headline":"Why The E46 M3 Is Overrated","name":"Why The E46 M3 Is Overrated","description":"The 2000-2006 BMW M3 isn\u2019t as great as it seems Many have hailed the E46 M3 as an exceptional car, some even going far enough to call it the greatest of all time. Well, we have to say, that\u2019s just not true. Sure it looks pretty sexy for a car that almost 20 years old, but at the end of the day, it\u2019s just an old sports car that\u2019s had its day. Although it pains us to beat down such […]","datePublished":"2019-09-13","dateModified":"2019-09-16","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Why-The-E46-M3-Is-Overrated-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Why-The-E46-M3-Is-Overrated-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-e46-m3-is-overrated\/","about":["BMW","Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":981,"keywords":["bmw","BMW E46","BMW M3 E46"],"articleBody":"The 2000-2006 BMW M3 isn\u2019t as great as it seemsMany have hailed the E46 M3 as an exceptional car, some even going far enough to call it the greatest of all time. Well, we have to say, that\u2019s just not true. Sure it looks pretty sexy for a car that almost 20 years old, but at the end of the day, it\u2019s just an old sports car that\u2019s had its day.Although it pains us to beat down such a coolcar, someone has to step up and separate the truth from the lies. The E46 M3 isgood, but it\u2019s not as good as people are saying it is and we\u2019d like to discusswhy. So before you throw away your savings on a car that you\u2019ve been told is anicon that simply cannot be beaten in its class, just consider that this old BMWM3 may not be the best car in the world. Easy to mistake for a standard E46 3 SeriesUnlike the models that came after the E46 suchas the E92 and F80, the E46 doesn\u2019t really have much going for it in terms ofstyling. Sure, it\u2019s got those sexy looks that we mentioned, but the problem isthat it doesn\u2019t look much different from a standard E46 3 Series. It doesn\u2019t have a big spoiler like the older M3s have and it doesn\u2019t have special aero wing mirrors like the more modern M3s have either. Even the rear and front bumpers are similar to the standard 3 Series, which is quite unacceptable considering the car now costs around 7 times the price of a much slower, almost identical 3 Series. Sure, those that buy M3s are interested in the superior engine, suspension and performance in general, but you also want it to actually look like an M3. Why drive an M3 when it can be mistaken for a puny 316i?Saying that, the E46 M3 does have some littlethings that make it clear that you\u2019re driving a performance BMW rather than acheap one that you found online for a fraction of the price of an M3. It says\u2018M3\u2019 on the door sills, the bonnet is bulkier and more aggressive, the wheelarches stick out more giving more of a \u2018stance\u2019 look and there are four exhausttips at the back rather than two. It\u2019s all still pretty subtle when compared tothe more modern M3s that BMW have produced since the E46, and that\u2019s one of theweak points of the car. Although the car is incredibly fast,especially when you consider how old it is, it doesn\u2019t look special. E46 BMWsare quite common. You see them all over the place, which is great because theyare still gorgeous pieces of eye candy. However, the M3 will blend right inwith the rest of them, unfortunately. The only tell-tale sign that it\u2019s an M3will be that the driver is driving even worse than the usual Bimmer driver (asthe stereotype has us believe) and that you\u2019ll hear that awful exhaust notecoming from the rear.Speaking of…It sounds like a two-strokeFor some reason, the E46 M3 sounds kind ofawful. Sorry, but it has to be said.Much like the sound you\u2019d expect from atwo-stroke motorbike, the BMW E46 M3 sounds tinny, high-pitched and rattle-y.There\u2019s no deep bass to the sound that comes from the exhaust, unlike what youwill find when revving any other M3, but rather a shrill and raspy. At low revs, the car sounds just as good as any other performance car, however once revved up to higher numbers the exhaust goes from a deep, aggressive sound to a noise that can only be compared to a boy-racer trumpet exhaust paired with a crackle remap. That\u2019s why you\u2019ll find that most owners havemodified the exhaust systems or completely replaced them because they couldn\u2019tput up with the high-pitched rattling scream anymore. You may as well forgetthe M3 and just get an E46 330Ci instead, which looks no less gorgeous andcosts a hell of a lot less. For \u00a315,000-\u00a320,000, why not just buy something better?Nowadays, semi-decent examples with moderatemileage will cost you around \u00a315-20k. You can find these M3s closer to \u00a310,000but they\u2019ll be high mileage and may have a few things wrong with them. On theother end of the scale, you can find near-perfect examples for as high as\u00a335,000 that will have barely any miles on them at all. Typically speaking, the E46 M3 is a rip-off. Why spend over \u00a315,000 on an M3 from 2003 when you can spend the same money and get an E90\/92\/93 M3 from 2010? It will be a lot quicker, have more power, more technology and as an added bonus, people will actually look at your car and know it\u2019s an M3! Yes, we understand how classics work. Cars that were once great eventually go up in value thanks to the steady flow of demand and the decrease in supply of good examples. If you absolutely must have an E46 because it\u2019s been the car of your dreams since you was 16, then go for it, by all means. BUT, if you\u2019re just looking for a cool performance car that costs less than \u00a325,000 then there are plenty of other options to consider that will offer you more band for your buck. Why not consider a Porsche Cayman S, a modern Honda Civic Type R, a used Mustang, Audi S3, TTS or Subaru WRX STI?So do you still think the BMW E46 deserves all the praise it gets and is worth the hefty price tag? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why The E46 M3 Is Overrated","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-e46-m3-is-overrated\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]