E36 M3 / E46 M3 for track?

[shigs]

Hi Guys,

Want to start getting myself into track days.

I've noticed E36 M3 prices have gone up since i was last in the market and E46 M3 prices have come down quite alot...

So the question is, do i get a good E36 M3 for around £4.5k or buy a cheap E46 M3 for £5.5-6k

either car will be stripped of its interior down to the essentials.

What do you guys suggest and why?

[shane@mbtech]

Hi Guys,

Want to start getting myself into track days.

I've noticed E36 M3 prices have gone up since i was last in the market and E46 M3 prices have come down quite alot...

So the question is, do i get a good E36 M3 for around £4.5k or buy a cheap E46 M3 for £5.5-6k

either car will be stripped of its interior down to the essentials.

What do you guys suggest and why?

An E46 for 5-6k will be a fucking turd:thumbs:

[Mike R]

You should get a CSL, the track is what they were made for ;).

[CraigMillwardCroft]

An E46 for 5-6k will be a fucking turd:thumbs:

:hahaha::hahaha::hahaha: don't hold back your thoughts :thumbs:

[rstoughy]

E46.
I'm going to be in the market for one to strip and cage from next month.

[northernjim]

F'kin ell- have you had your old shed for 5 years now Paul??!!



:partyman:



As for the question.... E46 :-) they aren't too shabby on track really

[rstoughy]

F'kin ell- have you had your old shed for 5 years now Paul??!!

Mental is it Jim, 2nd longest car I have ever had.
Had one of my Cosworths for about 11yrs but it spent most of that off the road :banghead:

Had the CSL out for a B-Road blast beginning of this month and the love for it is still firmly there :)

[///martin]

E36 M3 is my choice for race/track car but now if i will start to build race/track car my choice will be E46 M3

[billyboysm3]

Id happily go for either but the e36 would have to be manual where as I Would
Get a e46 as smg. Try and pick one up that already has coilovers and bbk.

[shigs]

E36 M3 is my choice for race/track car but now if i will start to build race/track car my choice will be E46 M3

Hi Martin,

Why is this?

[///martin]

Hi,
because the E46 M3 is more modern new chassie and just for shape:)
E36 M3 is more lightweight and almost same chassie like E46 M3 is not too diffrent for build and upgrade.
If can't pust a lot of money for my E36 M3 Chassie now i will buy E46 M3 for same upgrade:)
If you want see my race car build thread and possible to help with some info,parts etc just write me:)
P.S.Here is thread:
http://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10414&page=3

P.S.1 After few days i will have one ATE E36 M3 brake kit,fully refurbish and powder coated brake calipers with Goodridge braided hoses,full set EBC Yellowstuff brake pads+double vented track Zimmermann Coat Z brake discs almost on 350 miles like new if you thing will be good for you just send PM.
Good luck!

[GregorJP]

I run an E36 track car and have had long discussions concerning the question you have asked. My conclusions have been:

- Parts for the e36 will be cheaper overall, and it will be easier to fix and run over time. For example, the gearbox on our e36 blew up at the Ring last year and it was cheap and easy to replace.

- If you're a relatively amateur driver (and most people are, despite what they may think), then the difference between a well set-up track car and any sort of road car is such that you will have hours of fun in an e36 and won't need the power of an e46.

- Those that set up and race e36s have told me that they are slightly more reliable because there is less to go wrong. They also tell me that the e46 will also ultimately be a fair bit quicker when driven by someone who knows what they are doing.

The other lesson I learned is that if you're going to get a track car, unless you are extremely choosy about how you want it built and set up, it's a lot less expensive to buy a car that has already been raced properly in a series than it is to buy a shell car and do everything from scratch. I bought our e36 track car already built and it was a real curate's egg - a really strong and new engine, great exhaust and brakes and lots of nice durables, but ultimately it was not a great shell and the cage needs taking out and doing properly.

In your shoes, I would be on racecarsdirect searching for a ready built car that has been raced in a series. It will ultimately cost you a lot less money.