yeah my experience with bmws makes me love my g more and more. i will say that i have not driven the newer m3s, m5s or anything of that sort… but they are just not my cup of tea.

 

The E46 M3 is sick, but it will cost you a lot more to own in the end. I'd say wait until your a little older and can more easily afford it. You don't want to be throwing that much percentage of your income towards a car.

 

I was in that same boat M3 vs G35c obviously I ended up getting the G35c.

A friend of mine has a BMW her father is a mechanic and he HATES working on her car. Her alternator needed to be replaced I've replaced alternator in VW's, Toyota's, Jeeps and its usually a matter of disconnect, unbolt, swap and your done. On the BMW you have to remove parts in the engine bay just to be able to access the alternator and then put those parts back. That process makes what should be a 30-45min job and 3hr job.

When I was signing the papers when purchasing the G35c I told the sales person that I was considering an M3. He said they are great cars but once that warranty is over they will kill you in parts and labor costs.

That is was steered me away from the M3.

 

I think you hit it spot on. Im considering keeping the G and just start modding the hell out of it

 

You must not be familiar with German cars... Anyone will tell you they're great... When they're not in the shop. Lot's of electrical problems - more than just the radio going out (window motors in G35 aren't electrical related; it's mechanical, caused by bad brushes). If you can deal with having wacky windshield wipers, doors not locking, headlights randomly flickering, random check lights going off, etc,etc (though, those are extreme examples but certainly not out of the norm) then more power to ya. German replacement parts are also a ton more expensive than Japanese so if something breaks or wears out and you need to replace them, expect to shell out $$$$... If you can't comfortably fund the car's high maintenance costs, don't do it. Don't forget insurance either. GL finding anything reliable less than $300 a month for a 20-year old with a BMW sports coupe. Also, if you depend on it for DD and you happen to run into many problems with it, you're screwed.

I love German cars and I wouldn't have a problem owning one and I'm certainly not putting them down, but I will make sure I have the income and back-up if I ever pull the trigger on one (which I will, one day). But after hearing some of the stories, I'm staying away until then. Not worth the risk and gamble @ 22 years old and still in college, especially if it's out of warranty.

My family used to own two BMW's. Have you ever tried to even change the spark plug on one of those? Just getting the damn engine covers off those things was a chore, lol. German engines are something else...

 

I love the e46 M3 and I couldn't justify it when I bough my G35. The M3's engine is strong as they come, but they are a handful to maintain outside of that. If Maintenance is your main worry, keep your G. If you're ready to carry some extra cash for additional work here and there, step up and get the M3.

Keep in mind that you're young and you've got many more years to own that M3.

 

I had a e36 328i and my little bro currently has an e36 m3 coupe and after five years of owning one the biggest setback for me was trying to find a respectable mechanic to work on it. Many will openly admit they have no clue how to work on them, others will pretend they do then cause more problems. The guy I finally found and trusted charges my little bro $400 for tune up without oil change so upkeep is insane. And, If you go to the dealership make sure to bring your wallet.
How many thousands of nissans have gone through your favorite mechanic's lift? Now how many bimmers? Just something to think about...