BMW E46 M3 vs 325ci - Do You Need The M Car? 

I’m not convinced in calling the M3 a 332i. There is too much that differentiates the s54 from the m54, the ITB, the sound (with mods), 100hp+ difference in peak hp, 1500rpm increased redline, an LSD, wider tires and flares, better cooling. I am also an owner of all of these models including 330. Good to find 325i love. They are great cars for the money and so customizable. I’m glad it was my first car.

Love my E46 330, with a manual box it's pretty hard to beat price wise for a daily driver/fun car without compromising on comfort and usability

Good comparo, I agree with all your points, I have owned the M3 and some of the lower spec models and I still had a heck of a lot of fun in the 325's etc! Value for money is a good thing, that is where I will be heading to with cars in the future! ( I still spend too much on cars atm haha)

Love the value comments. Often overlooked how much car you can get for money sometimes

I owed a new E36 325i (141kw) it was a fantastic engine, really loved it. I couldn't get enough of revving the engine out in 3rd gear. I replaced it with an E46 323i (125kw), but I thought the 2.5l engine performed exactly the same as the 141kw motor in the E36. I then went to the E46 330i (170kw) drove it for 10 years, loved it, would have married it if I could have and still regret selling it. I wanted the E46 M3, but the price was to steep and the 330i was more than enough car for the road. The 330i was the 1st non M3, 3 series to be capable of 250km/hr. It even had serious under body aero usually reserved for exotics. I think the M3 motor was in a whole another category compared to the 325i & 330i. You don't need all that power on the road, but boy would I have loved an E46 M3. I differ in opinion with you about the 4l V8. I drove one and to me it felt less powerful than the E46 M3. I was left very unimpressed. (Carwow raced all models of M3's against one another and the E46 beat the V8 which backed up my impressions). Bottom line, you won't be disappointed with the 2.5 or 3.0l motor discussed in the video. The M3 was and still is selling at too much of a price premium, but that is what happens with Halo cars from any brand. The in line 6, naturally aspirated BMW motors rock.

I daily drive a 2003.5 330Ci 6 speed manual coupe and my weekender is a 2002 M3 manual coupe. Agreed with other comments here, in no way is it a “332Ci”. The driving experience of the M3 is so much more visceral. I absolutely love my 330 for how easy and comfortable it is to get me around town but it is in a different league entirely driving-experience wise. You will never get the same enjoyment out of an M54 as you will out of an S54, period.

Noticed the weird marks on the driver side door at 1:49, my e46 had an identical mark from the previous owner! No idea how it would happen.

I have the 325ci manual but convertible. It does sound rather nice with the roof down and loves the twisty nz back roads where it lives in 2nd and 3rd gear and 4-6k rpm.

Is the M3 intake stock? It sounds very good

Why do I want a bmw now.

The 2.5, 3.0, 3.2 & 4.0L versions of BMW's you have reviewed, I sampled or owned in a different country so the spec of the cars where slightly different. While I was always impressed by the performance of all those motors, the one thing that still stands out in my mind was the feel and braking performance of the brakes on my standard E46 330i. The wheels were different (off BMW Z9), non sport seats and the brakes weren't high lighted as special. I suspected that they were off the older E36 M3, but never looked into it. Having such confidence inspiring brakes is nearly as enjoyable as a great engine for me. After the 330i I purchased a F10 335d and was taken by the enormous brakes it came with that were so much larger than on smaller engined 5 Series. Much to my disappointment the feel and performance was extremely mediocre and no where close to the 330i.

The M3 vs a Barra Turbo would be an interesting comparison especially a FG variant.

I do love the E46 and I would have thought a better comparison would have been 330ci vs m3. I love the m3 but for nearly the same amount of money (if was factory manual) you could get an epic E39 M5

Nah, the M3 definitely is something else

Wish it was M3 Vs 330i

Not keen in the rear subframe issues these models have tho

So, to all the people who drive an S54 and feel like the M54 isn't that far behind. SERVICE YOUR VANOS. There's an abyss between a healthy S54 and a healthy M54.

Is the M3 a fantastic car? Absolutely yes. Is it value for money? Hell no. But value isn't the reason you buy a M3.

_i would say worth every cent…but I’m a Honda guy 😁_

Accord cl9 is still faster then 325ci even 328ci