Want to get an M, 96-99 M3 or S52 M Coupe?

Well let me introduce myself and my situation. I am an all around car enthusiast, I have been
working on hondas for 3 years, now I need a mostly stock reliable car that I can take to go off to college. I cant spend much more than 15,000 even after financing. I just today took the turbo system off of my Integra (which I had A LOT of fun with) and consequently lost at least 150hp. I also have a stock 90 CRX Dx, between these two and all of my parts I can pull in close to ten grand. Ever since I saw an M Coupe I have wanted one, I like E36 M3's as well. The M coupes are a little more but I wouldn't mine waiting/saving. What are your guys' opinions? I will be doing Auto-X events and hopefully RR on occasion. I have read about subframe tearout on the coupes, not something that worries me though.

Reply » Want to get an M, 96-99 M3 or S52 M Coupe?

I personally would choose a E36 M3... but thats just me. Good luck and welcome to the 'fest...

Reply » Want to get an M, 96-99 M3 or S52 M Coupe?

...unless you're planning on doing a lot of traveling or hauling 3 friends around, the Coupe isn't meaningfully less practical than the M3. Plus, as you say, you've wanted one since you first saw it. Now's your opportunity. 'Course, I'm biased, I'm in the market right now, myself.

One minor question: why do you exclude '95 M3s?

Reply » Want to get an M, 96-99 M3 or S52 M Coupe?

I have read in grassroots motorsports that the first E36 model year used the regular 3 series exhaust and injectors because it wasn't fully ready, so the injectors are nearly maxed out. I think there was something else, no big deal, I dont think I want a car that old. I want to be able to drive this car a couple years out of college, I dont want to drop 50k on a new car as soon as I start making a real world amount of money.

Reply » Want to get an M, 96-99 M3 or S52 M Coupe?

My first car was an 89 CRX si. I've been through a few others since then, but have had an S52 M Coupe for quite a while. I can't imagine what my next car will be as this one is too much fun and looks better to my eyes than the things that should interest me like Caymans and Z4 M Coupes.

The biggest factor to me is that the M Coupe is fairly raw for a modern sports car, not Elise/Exige raw, but just as much or more than my Miata was and equivalent to an S2000 or FD RX7. It's a riot at the track as it's just as easy to drive with the throttle as the steering wheel.

A good friend of mine has an E36 M3 and we frequently trade cars. I feel like I'm driving an old persons car when I drive the M3. It feels big and floaty and like you're forcing it go fast. It's plenty fast, it just feels like a civilized car that you can drive fast while the M Coupe feels like a fast car that you can make act civilized if needed.

Of course in modern terms, the S52 M Coupe isn't really all that fast, but it's functional, you can floor it in any gear without comical amounts of tirespin and you pretty well know when you're asking for power on oversteer. I've driven plenty of faster cars, but don't enjoy most of them nearly as much as the S52 M Coupe.

You'll have to go fairly high miles and possibly consider a prior collision car to find one in the $15k range, but it certainly can be done and the S52 motor is pretty bulletproof, so that should work fine. I used my CRX for a college car and two seat hatches work great as you have an excuse not to drive everyone around or help with moving days. Just as important, a keg fits in the hatch of the M Coupe perfectly, what more could you need?

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