C32 or M3 SMG
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Long beach
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
C32 or M3 SMG
Those are the two cars im looking at right now. Saturday i will have one. What do you guys think i should go with. Both have 43k miles on them M3 is a 02 and the C32 is an 03. Any feedback would be great Thanks.
#6
MBworld Guru
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Diamond Bar, CA
Posts: 22,007
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
6 Posts
white and whiter
C32 you get: comfort, easier to drive, easier to mod, torque, and praticality. people will buy your stock parts when you part them out.
M3 you get: sportier look, fun to drive, slightly better gas mileage, and the engine that sounds better. engine's harder to mod, but you get better resale. no one wants stock M3 parts because they don't fit on other 3-series.
M3 you get: sportier look, fun to drive, slightly better gas mileage, and the engine that sounds better. engine's harder to mod, but you get better resale. no one wants stock M3 parts because they don't fit on other 3-series.
Trending Topics
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: OC, SoCal
Posts: 2,318
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
08 S65, 06 M3 CS(stick), 02 BMW X5 4.6iS, 07 R1 Raven, 08 F-450 4x4, 08 CooperS JCW
Stop being a hater, newb.
Anyways, to answer the OP- I would pick the M3 ahead of the C32 if it were a manual but seeing as it seems you're avoiding stick shift then the C32 is clearly the better choice. It has v fast shifting auto whereas the M3 can deliver fast shifts but they are rough, SMGII is bug laden and not particularly involving.
So given your options- i'd say C32.
Anyways, to answer the OP- I would pick the M3 ahead of the C32 if it were a manual but seeing as it seems you're avoiding stick shift then the C32 is clearly the better choice. It has v fast shifting auto whereas the M3 can deliver fast shifts but they are rough, SMGII is bug laden and not particularly involving.
So given your options- i'd say C32.
#10
Stop being a hater, newb.
Anyways, to answer the OP- I would pick the M3 ahead of the C32 if it were a manual but seeing as it seems you're avoiding stick shift then the C32 is clearly the better choice. It has v fast shifting auto whereas the M3 can deliver fast shifts but they are rough, SMGII is bug laden and not particularly involving.
So given your options- i'd say C32.
Anyways, to answer the OP- I would pick the M3 ahead of the C32 if it were a manual but seeing as it seems you're avoiding stick shift then the C32 is clearly the better choice. It has v fast shifting auto whereas the M3 can deliver fast shifts but they are rough, SMGII is bug laden and not particularly involving.
So given your options- i'd say C32.
Anyways, I guess you've missed my point.
What I was trying to say is - asking which car one should get; a Mercedes or a BMW on an Mercedes forum - I am pretty sure the majority result will most likely favor a... Mercedes.
shanetoast - sorry my first reponse to your post was not very helpful. My sarcasm is set a little too high lately. Anyways, I probably can't help you much. I am hoping guys that have both or have had one or the other at one time can chime in. Seek them out and they can probably give you the best opinion.
#11
MBWorld Fanatic!
M3 vs C32
Well, I owned a 2001 M3, and traded her for a 04 C32. As such I can easily tell you C32 is the way to go.
Better drivability, can you say LOW end torque.
Better seats and interior
Better radio
Better Gas mileage
Okay, I think the M3 may have been faster on a road race course, however I will confirm this later this month after taking the C32 to Beaverun.
Am I biased, YES because the C32 is a BETTER car all the way around.
Having owned both, its an easy choice IMO
Good luck
See Yeah
Well, I owned a 2001 M3, and traded her for a 04 C32. As such I can easily tell you C32 is the way to go.
Better drivability, can you say LOW end torque.
Better seats and interior
Better radio
Better Gas mileage
Okay, I think the M3 may have been faster on a road race course, however I will confirm this later this month after taking the C32 to Beaverun.
Am I biased, YES because the C32 is a BETTER car all the way around.
Having owned both, its an easy choice IMO
Good luck
See Yeah
#12
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: D.C. METRO AREA
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Nissan GT-R cobb/midpipe/ic piping/wastegate actuators/tials
if you were going for a manual m3, i'd say m3 all the way. the smg...stay away. if you're looking for one that is comparably priced to a c32 it will probably have higher mileage and abuse. the smg system is a ***** to fix if anything goes wrong.
oh and from the above post..no way the c32 gets better gas mileage then the m3.
oh and from the above post..no way the c32 gets better gas mileage then the m3.
#13
MBWorld Fanatic!
oh and from the above post..no way the c32 gets better gas mileage then the m3.[/QUOTE]
I can only tell you about my cars, and MY 2001 M3 NEVER got better then 20 mpg. It was SO bad, I actually took it to the dealer to see if something was wrong with the car. I know I drive with a lead foot, and yes I take my toys to the track, so I expect poor milage.
However, when I traded the M for the C32 out of St louis, I drove the C32 back, averaging 80, and the cars computer said I was getting 25.4 mpg. I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE THAT IN THE M, PERIOD!
Oh well, to each his own, but I will never go back to BMW, IMO
See yeah
I can only tell you about my cars, and MY 2001 M3 NEVER got better then 20 mpg. It was SO bad, I actually took it to the dealer to see if something was wrong with the car. I know I drive with a lead foot, and yes I take my toys to the track, so I expect poor milage.
However, when I traded the M for the C32 out of St louis, I drove the C32 back, averaging 80, and the cars computer said I was getting 25.4 mpg. I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE THAT IN THE M, PERIOD!
Oh well, to each his own, but I will never go back to BMW, IMO
See yeah
#15
MBWorld Fanatic!
#17
MBWorld Fanatic!
However, when I traded the M for the C32 out of St louis, I drove the C32 back, averaging 80, and the cars computer said I was getting 25.4 mpg. I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE THAT IN THE M, PERIOD!
I went from BMW to Mercedes too.. I chose the C32 over an M3 for a few reasons. Wanted an Auto, needed 4 doors, and there are a ton of M3's in town with women drivers.. LOL.. I would say 60-75% of the M3's I see have a chick behind the wheel..
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2002 C32, 2011 VW GTI
[/QUOTE]
I can only tell you about my cars, and MY 2001 M3 NEVER got better then 20 mpg. It was SO bad, I actually took it to the dealer to see if something was wrong with the car. I know I drive with a lead foot, and yes I take my toys to the track, so I expect poor milage.
However, when I traded the M for the C32 out of St louis, I drove the C32 back, averaging 80, and the cars computer said I was getting 25.4 mpg. I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE THAT IN THE M, PERIOD!
Oh well, to each his own, but I will never go back to BMW, IMO
See yeah[/QUOTE]
You must drive like Grandpa George because my '02 C32 gets about 20 MPG on the highway (steady 80 MPH cruising) and 16.5 in my urban every day commute. That's in line with the EPA figures. Our '06 RSX Type-S, by contrast, gets 25 MPG in the exact same urban commute. Pretty substantial difference! My '97 M3/4 with the 240-horse S52 engine got about 21 MPG in the urban jungle. Gas mileage isn't this car's strong suit.
As to the M v. the C32, I can only speak to the E36 M3 v. the C32. It's a tough choice because they're very different cars, despite their deceptive "on paper" similarities. Most people here summarized them accurately -- C32 is more luxury, more comfortable, less edgy, etc. Depends on what you want I suppose. Put most simply, the M3 is more like a sports car and the C32 like a muscle car. The C32 can be a relatively uninvolving driving experience when you're not getting on it. This is not an insult because sometimes that's just fine.
I'd never buy an SMG BMW though. If you're leaning towards the M3, definitely hold out for a standard manual. They're more plentiful, it will be cheaper to buy, more fun to drive, and certainly less costly to maintain.
I can only tell you about my cars, and MY 2001 M3 NEVER got better then 20 mpg. It was SO bad, I actually took it to the dealer to see if something was wrong with the car. I know I drive with a lead foot, and yes I take my toys to the track, so I expect poor milage.
However, when I traded the M for the C32 out of St louis, I drove the C32 back, averaging 80, and the cars computer said I was getting 25.4 mpg. I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE THAT IN THE M, PERIOD!
Oh well, to each his own, but I will never go back to BMW, IMO
See yeah[/QUOTE]
You must drive like Grandpa George because my '02 C32 gets about 20 MPG on the highway (steady 80 MPH cruising) and 16.5 in my urban every day commute. That's in line with the EPA figures. Our '06 RSX Type-S, by contrast, gets 25 MPG in the exact same urban commute. Pretty substantial difference! My '97 M3/4 with the 240-horse S52 engine got about 21 MPG in the urban jungle. Gas mileage isn't this car's strong suit.
As to the M v. the C32, I can only speak to the E36 M3 v. the C32. It's a tough choice because they're very different cars, despite their deceptive "on paper" similarities. Most people here summarized them accurately -- C32 is more luxury, more comfortable, less edgy, etc. Depends on what you want I suppose. Put most simply, the M3 is more like a sports car and the C32 like a muscle car. The C32 can be a relatively uninvolving driving experience when you're not getting on it. This is not an insult because sometimes that's just fine.
I'd never buy an SMG BMW though. If you're leaning towards the M3, definitely hold out for a standard manual. They're more plentiful, it will be cheaper to buy, more fun to drive, and certainly less costly to maintain.
Last edited by Slater126; 05-02-2007 at 11:12 PM.
#19
Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Palm Desert
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
02 C32 Amg - Green Filters, Less Resonator, Also 2003 BMW E46 M3 19" CSL wheels some exterior mods.
i have both.
easiest way too look at it.
C32:
the good:
Better made car hands down. interior finish, solid feel, easy to drive. Hauls *** and easy to mod. feels amazing when floored but around town its civil if needed. Torque for days. - better paint, windows, heated seats work better.
the bad: outdated look, every C-class from 04' up has the same body kit. sleeper (good I guess). boring to drive at times. Headlights are rubbish.- no WOW factor. enigine sounds like a airplane. nav is trash with no real options.
M3:
the good:Looks awsome with right wheels. ( general public perception) that it is the fastest car BMW makes. Girls dig it more. Comes off as a more "sports" car than the C32. handles great and great response. high rpm. engine sounds amazing. brakes are good. aggresive stance. SMG is fun once you learn it. most reliable car i have ever owned. not a single problem ever. C32 has never given me problems but I feel in the future it easily could. better wheels. Gets more "respect" from other car enthusiast.
the bad: absolutely rubbish interior. Peels, leather fades and wears fast. exterior paint is rubbish. weather stripping is garbage and falls off. windows never seal to perfection. honda mugen cars wanna race all day. did i mention the interoir is rubbish. expensive to maintian. aftermarket is a ripp off. alot more I just can't remember it.
I think the M3 is more fun to drive but certainly has its quirks. but if I wanted a car that gave me the perfect experience i would drive a S-class.
The C32 is a great car. I get mad at BMW for making a great car but such crappy materials for the interior and exterior.
I have no kids. If you have any kids get the C32.
BTW:
I drive SMG and it is a hoot. i drive it hard at times and soft when I need too. it's just fun and cool. All my previous cars (other than C32) have been manual - but traffic made me change my mind. Most people who nock the SMG have never owned one. really most smg owners find that once you know how to drive it, it is the best. New technology isn't always embraced. the important thing is realizing how it works. it's the exact same tranny as the six speed ,only controlled electronicly. thru paddles shifts. hard to explain the particulars but after my first month in the car I felt I made the right decision. it was just as fun as a 6 speed but no left leg cramps in traffic and more interesting to drive. .. dunno - don't take your first test drive in a SMG car as your final decision maker. drive SMg car in different setttings to see how it behaves. ... only then will you
easiest way too look at it.
C32:
the good:
Better made car hands down. interior finish, solid feel, easy to drive. Hauls *** and easy to mod. feels amazing when floored but around town its civil if needed. Torque for days. - better paint, windows, heated seats work better.
the bad: outdated look, every C-class from 04' up has the same body kit. sleeper (good I guess). boring to drive at times. Headlights are rubbish.- no WOW factor. enigine sounds like a airplane. nav is trash with no real options.
M3:
the good:Looks awsome with right wheels. ( general public perception) that it is the fastest car BMW makes. Girls dig it more. Comes off as a more "sports" car than the C32. handles great and great response. high rpm. engine sounds amazing. brakes are good. aggresive stance. SMG is fun once you learn it. most reliable car i have ever owned. not a single problem ever. C32 has never given me problems but I feel in the future it easily could. better wheels. Gets more "respect" from other car enthusiast.
the bad: absolutely rubbish interior. Peels, leather fades and wears fast. exterior paint is rubbish. weather stripping is garbage and falls off. windows never seal to perfection. honda mugen cars wanna race all day. did i mention the interoir is rubbish. expensive to maintian. aftermarket is a ripp off. alot more I just can't remember it.
I think the M3 is more fun to drive but certainly has its quirks. but if I wanted a car that gave me the perfect experience i would drive a S-class.
The C32 is a great car. I get mad at BMW for making a great car but such crappy materials for the interior and exterior.
I have no kids. If you have any kids get the C32.
BTW:
I drive SMG and it is a hoot. i drive it hard at times and soft when I need too. it's just fun and cool. All my previous cars (other than C32) have been manual - but traffic made me change my mind. Most people who nock the SMG have never owned one. really most smg owners find that once you know how to drive it, it is the best. New technology isn't always embraced. the important thing is realizing how it works. it's the exact same tranny as the six speed ,only controlled electronicly. thru paddles shifts. hard to explain the particulars but after my first month in the car I felt I made the right decision. it was just as fun as a 6 speed but no left leg cramps in traffic and more interesting to drive. .. dunno - don't take your first test drive in a SMG car as your final decision maker. drive SMg car in different setttings to see how it behaves. ... only then will you
Last edited by vic32amg; 05-03-2007 at 12:03 AM.
#20
If you're looking at the M3 DSG and C32, you might as well take a look at the Audi S4 (B6). V8 noises and in terms of performance and comfort, it's probably between the M3 and the C32. And if it matters to you (i.e. you drive in rain) it is also AWD.
#21
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: D.C. METRO AREA
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Nissan GT-R cobb/midpipe/ic piping/wastegate actuators/tials
stay away from audis. they are problematic, expensive to fix, and in my opinion- expensive vw's. i do have to admit my b5 s4's were animals but i would never ever buy another.
#22
Super Moderator
Vic, great and informative comparison! (I love your driveway btw )
I saw that the OP had made the post on e46 and it's funny how the opinions/comments weren't as objective as they are here on mbworld.
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=468611
(I've linked it to them as well.)
I saw that the OP had made the post on e46 and it's funny how the opinions/comments weren't as objective as they are here on mbworld.
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=468611
(I've linked it to them as well.)
#24
MBWorld Fanatic!
I was in your same boat two years ago.
I needed the 4 doors so I went for the C32.
The 02's are a bit outdated but with a few mods you'll refresh its look.
Also, check for insurance quotes on both cars.
I needed the 4 doors so I went for the C32.
The 02's are a bit outdated but with a few mods you'll refresh its look.
Also, check for insurance quotes on both cars.
#25
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Bay Area SF
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Silver 2002 C32, Silver 2006 CLK 350
LOL thats funny.... If I was driving an M3 I would say BMW are better cars! Its all preference at this point.
Everyone talks about M3 are so great on the track but most of those guys would never take their M3 with 19inch rims on it.
if you drive it everyday then the C32 is the way to go.
fun to drive= SMG M3
Ride comfort = c32
everyday driving= C32
tracking the car= M3
modding the car= c32 would be cheap to mod but you can spend more on M3 and make it faster
resale value= M3 would have a better resale till the new M3 is out then it will tank
faster on a 1/4 mile= cold day C32 hot day M3
interior= C32 hand down just better seat
this to me is just my opinon.... I dont street race cuz Tickets are just Expensive
Insurance would be cheaper on a C32
if your buying both cars without warranty you will be paying up the *** if need repair.
Everyone talks about M3 are so great on the track but most of those guys would never take their M3 with 19inch rims on it.
if you drive it everyday then the C32 is the way to go.
fun to drive= SMG M3
Ride comfort = c32
everyday driving= C32
tracking the car= M3
modding the car= c32 would be cheap to mod but you can spend more on M3 and make it faster
resale value= M3 would have a better resale till the new M3 is out then it will tank
faster on a 1/4 mile= cold day C32 hot day M3
interior= C32 hand down just better seat
this to me is just my opinon.... I dont street race cuz Tickets are just Expensive
Insurance would be cheaper on a C32
if your buying both cars without warranty you will be paying up the *** if need repair.