5 Reasons Why The BMW M3 (E46) Is Better Than The BMW M5 (E39) #Blogpost

30 Dec 2015

When it comes to high performance cars, BMW M has been dominating for years. I’ve been a huge fan of them and that’s why I chose both the E39 M5 and the BMW M3 E46 ZCP as my daily drivers. So, they’re both practical and they’re both capable of being daily driven, and that could lead to a confusion. So, which one’s better? Well, I’m here to tell you. Let’s kick off with the E46 M3.

I will write a reversed version of this article soon

1. It's Smaller

The small size of the E46 is an upside and a downside. Okay, so, what are the advantages of being smaller? Well, first, your car is lighter and lighter means better power to weight ratio, better handling. Second, your car is more nimble and nimble means you can go around corners better and you can fit around the tight spaces of the crowded city.

Disadvantage: Less practical

2. It's Available As A Convertible

Yep, it’s available as a convertible. And convertible means that you can enjoy the air blowing through your head and enjoy a nice cruise around the beautiful Californian roads. The soft top is an automatic system so you don’t need to fiddle around opening and closing the top.

Disadvantage: Top only can be operated when stationery

3. It's Available with SMG

If you say SMG is a useless piece of garbage, you can get lost and leave us alone. Now that we got rid of the SMG haters, let’s talk about the advantages of the SMG. “Aw, you know the SMG is more expensive”, “It’s not as fun as the manual”. Good point, but let’s look at it this way, if you’re stuck in traffic, the two pedal SMG is very, very nice because you don’t need to play around with the clutch pedal here and there, second, in my opinion, the SMG is smoother than the manual. Really feeds the power very well, and it shifts really nicely.

Disadvantage: Maintenance

4. Because S54, Baby!

Oh, yes. The S54. Not much to say about this engine but, it has a smaller engine so it gets a better fuel economy. It makes 333 hp and 260 lb-ft torque. It’s definitely a very good engine.

Disadvantage: Down on power when compared to the M5

5. It's Loved By TeamCT

Adnan (M3 E46 BaeMW CSL wannabe), John (LSB M3, 540i/6), Alex (E30, E36), and Gabor (E46), owns a BMW, and even a moderator , AvoxJake owns an M3 (F80). Is there anything else that you want me to say?