Quandary and modded E36 M3 mini-review

Right, so I met up with the bloke who has an E36 BMW and wants a Mazda RX7 twin turbo. Drove both back to back (we both did) and it does leave me in a bit of a quandary.

The RX7 is probably slightly faster, more raw in its feedback and possibly more involving, but also a lot more tiring to drive. The M3 is smoother, more quiet despite an aftermarket induction kit (a proper one, not a filter that sucks in hot air from the engine bay) & exhaust and more refined but it doesn't seem to have quite the same racetrack refugee feeling to it. Trouble is, do I need another racetrack refugee or don't I?

Anyway, the mini-review. No cup holders and I didn't try to find out if the dash was soft-touch or not. Pretty quiet and refined and pulls hard all the way up the rev counter, the limiting factor being limited talent and too many coffin dodgers on the road. Build quality seems OK (certainly less rattly than the RX7 interior-wise), feedback is OK and the suspension is reasonably compliant given that it's running Leda suspension all around. Guess that sorted out the rattles that these things are prone to as well...

The quandary - head says the RX7 has to go sooner or later because I can't take it with me to the US anyway, and an E36 M3 is easier to flog than an M3. Heart says, I'd probably want to keep the RX7 even though I shouldn't, but I may get really shafted when I have to sell it quickly... Oh, and the additional benefit of the M3 is that I can most likely flog the A8 as it does have four reasonable seats and enough boot space, even though it doesn't have both at the same time.

What says the panel?

Reply to
Timo Geusch
Loading thread data ...

Ueh?

Don't buy the M3, flog the RX7 and stach the money. Keep the A8 as it is the most easy to sell in a hurry.

Spend the (by then) greens in the US on something sensible like a Mustang Shelby or a 900HP-Toyota Supra. You might even get on of those monster-SUV's who's value seems to half by the day. ;-)

Tom -not in a panel - De Moor

Reply to
Tom De Moor

Oh bugger, I blame the lack of caffeine. That should've read "an E36 M3 is easier to flog than an RX7". Which it is, by a considerable margin.

Actually it isn't over here, unless I sell it very cheap. Which I really don't want. Their ability to generate massive bills is legendary and depresses secondhand values.

Thanks but no thanks - Ann already has a Jeep Cherokee, that's about as SUV as we need. I'll probably buy something reasonably small like another MX5 first (to calm the insurance initially) and then see if I can get Ann to agree to an NSX. Hence the question recently :).

Reply to
Timo Geusch

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.