E36 M3 or E46 330Ci

[E30PCT]

One major reason i'm asking is because i'm finding incredibly hard to find the exact M3 i'm looking for, ex. Hellrot or Imola Red, Black Vader Seats, M-Contour Wheels, Harmond Kardon Stereo system....well the big one is the color of the car actually...i live in central Pa and a red M3 coupe is like finding a needle in a hay stack. so my question is, should i be patient and wait for the M3 which i long for, or go with a 2001 330Ci, i know, the technical specs for each by heart, but i test drove a 96 M3 so i know what thats like, but i havent had the chance to drive an E46 yet. exactly how much do they differ in the "drivability and fun" factors? i'm also aware that an M3 would be more expensive to maintain...i just really need to get out of my 286k E30....which is still running strong by the way!! so if anybody can help me out, i'd appriciate it...

[4evrwyntr]

I'd say wait for the m3, but I'm biased.
It really does depend, in this situation, on how long you expect that e30 to last you. This might not be a question of want, but necessity (as I think you've already realized)!
However, think about shopping across state. For the price of shipping, you just might be able to get an m3... Hell, my m3 originated in a PA showroom floor before being bought, of all things, by someone in Chicago!
Guaranteed the e46 will be a softer ride. You will probably (I don't know as I haven't driven an e46) feel a little less of the road due to the more intrusive assists. Unless you get the performance package (re: sport package), you will probably see a downgrade in the e46's handling with regards to the e36. The speed ... I think the m3 might be a touch faster, although power is only slightly less in the e46 (weight has a lot to do with it...). I would get an e36m3 before an e46 non-m, and an e30m3 before an e36 non-m. However, I would get an e46m3 long before considering all else. Maybe. It's a tough call because you could always get the e36m3 s3-m3 Dinan kit. Meow.

[///M Power]

Wait for the M3. What kind of miles are you looking for? I know it's ard to find that hellrot anywhere but I think I just saw one a couple pages back on bimmerforums.com classifieds. I think it mightve been in the midwest (OK or Nebraska) or maybe it wa son the east coast, possibly pennsylvania. Although reason i didnt want it was th ehigh mileage. But the color wa sbeautiful


Oh shit I just remembered, it just got sold like a day ago or something. My bad. I think it mightve been in Kansas.


Wait for the M.