XxGoppyxX

i went to the bmw dealership yesterday to lease a new x5. there was a 2003 pheonix yellow m3 sitting in the showroom.. so i had to sit in it. i think im in love i have a year to decide if i want to keep my 02 430 or get an m3.

J Lucas

yellow m3?

TNH

M3's are cool, but I'm not too hot on the yellow.

Ahmed

nickv

Buy the M3, such a bad *** car! My brother has an '01 and is selling it next week to buy an '04! The car is so tight feeling, fast as hell, and handles extremely well!

theitalianjob

Go w/ the M3, it handles extremely well

R1CrotchRocket

M3 all the way, hate to say it but before I bought my 01 clk 430, I was desperatly looking for an 01 M3. They were just so much more expensive than the CLK. Their original stickers were very close, as a matter of fact the original sticker on my car was about 56k. I guess the M3 have a better resale value and more coveted. I love my CLK but the M3 is the only car I would give it up for.

Chappy

XxGoppyxX,

How much more would it cost to insure an M3 over your CLK430?

R1CrotchRocket

I am paying $75.00/month for my CLK with $500 deduct at Allstate. Insurance was not the the factor for my decision, I just could not find a deal like the one for my CLK. I bought it for $33,500 starmarked, 27k miles with k2a,k3,k4. Every comparible M3 was at least 40k. Don't get me wrong I love my CLK, it was just my second choice after the M3. The ride, the handling and overall package was superior to the CLK, but not $6500 dollars more superior!!

J Lucas

M3 is a superior car.. To me thats like trading up to a clk55 from a 430.. Its a better car but you gotta pay more...

ldangeli

I am very surprised to see this thread actually for the M3. Looking over previous threads on how it was mentioned that the M3 was a superior car, the initial flaming was un-real.

I am glad to see others who realize the superiority in handling with the BMW.. Dealer by me is having a great deal on them. You want, I'll get you the number.

I almost went with the M3, but took major abuse for it on this forum, so much so, that the thread had to be shut down. The uptight, uneducated, and single minded couldn't accept or listen to the fact that handling, speed, and quality, the M3 is leaps and bounds over the MBZ... Especially for the money.

XxGoppyxX

the reason i got a 430 because insurance on an m3 is more... although it is my favroite car. i love the clk but the m3 is just...

TNH

I chose the CLK because I love the looks over almost any other vehicle. The M3 is an awesome machine, but I would just rather have my CLK.

blackbenzz

The m3 isn't all its hyped up to be, just look at the torque. It's a nice car, but I don't like the way it looks (I like the E36 wayyy more, and my clk even more than that). Plus, everybody is getting one, just like the G35!

allenjdmb

but, briefly, they're not the same thing. Both do a great job of two different things. If you think you're Mickey Schu or Juan Montoya, like to go to the track, shift, and extract every ounce of performance from your street ride, the M3 is a great choice. If you prefer the better build quality, more comfortable ride, a superior top, and that beautiful lazy V8, the CLK is your choice. I have had both. I'm sure I'll own both again. The M3 has more cred with the boy racer types and younger owners, the CLK has more street cred with the money types and older owners. Just depends on where you want to be, both are great rides.

jddumas

well said!

Sleestack

I wouldn't buy a yellow car, but if it works for you, get the M3 if you want more performance. A stock 430 can't compare to an M3 in performance. You can tune your 430 to be much faster than the M3, but it can't handle as well. If you want a sports car the M3 is the no brainer. If you want more of a grand tourer bump up to the CLK 55.

cmykdesign

Whats faster on the road (light to light). A 99-02 M3 or 99-02 430....(factory, no mods).... the reason why I ask not that it matters cause I have a CLK320. I was driving and a M3 99-02 model came up next to me wanting to race. I was thinking if I had a 430 he wouldnt have tried.

2Pac

The M3 is a nice, fast car; but I chose to get a CLK conv. because of the looks you get from everyone. I lowered the car and put some chrome 19" Giovanna rims, and let me tell you, the compliments from girls and guys is amazing. I'm sure an M3 will smoke my car if we raced, but I didnt buy it to race. I bought it to "high-side " (show off) and get attention. I see a miilion M3's but I hardly see CLK. And conv, are even more rare. My 2 cents...

blackbenzz

the M3 stick is supposed to be alot faster light to light. 0-60 of ~4.9 and CLK430 0-60 ~6.0 hope that answers your question.

ldangeli

I think it was said here once prior, the M3 and the CLK were designed for two different things. The CLK is not a racing machine, yet straightline performance is good. M3 is aggressive performance and styling.

SoCalCLK

Exactly! I was once up to my chin in the street racer scene, but as I grew out of it, the CLK defined the luxury sport coupe of the real players.

Both are great, but it is unfair to say that one is completely "better" (whatever that means) than the other. BMW makes a great product, but I will always take an MBZ / AMG product over them anyday.

XxGoppyxX

forget the yellow colour.. i just like the whole agressive look of the m3. if i put a carlsson rs kit on my clk then that wuould be perfect.

J Lucas

Some people post the dumbest things I swear.

If you buy a 50k + m3 just to race people stop light to stop light i feel sorry for you and your self esteem. There is much more to a car than its accerlation numbers.

SoCalCLK

Great observation! Well said. If that were the case, how would the person who just spent 55K+ on a 2004 M3 feel after being smoked by a 1994 Civic Si with a DOHC VTEC B18C engine with 120-shot of Direct Port NOS and a limited slip differential tranny!

If acceleration numbers at a cheap price were all that mattered, there would only be rice rockets and mustangs/camaros on the streets. The BMW M3 is only a more expensive version of these cars.