M3 or NSX. What would YOU do?

[bonhamsurf]

I'm struggling with a major decision. Here's the situation...

About 4 months ago, I paid $16,500 for a 2003 E46 M3 Convertible SMG with 79,000, SMG miles including the HRE 543R wheels/rims and a killer DVD/stereo with custom box and 10" alpines and digital alpine amps (1 mono and 1 4 channel).

In the past month I have added
- Supersprint V2 Step Headers,
- Rogue Engineering Mid and X-Pipe with control valve
- El Diable Exhaust,
- Evolve tune,
- Umnitza angel eyes.
- Rear 275/30/19 Michelin Pilot 2 Super Sports
- Carbon Rear Diffuser
- Carbon Front Kidney Grills
- Carbon Side Grills
- Carbon E-Brake Handle

I have already purchased and paid for all the below parts, and am scheduled to have done at the end November these things..
- VT2-500 ESS Supercharger,
- HPF Stage 2 Feramic Clutch,
- HPF Rearsubframe reinforcement and
- all new bushings in the rear.

When everything is done, I'll be about $30-32k into the car. But I'll have a 2003 500hp M3 Convertible that I can drive every day. It currently is and will continue to be my daily car.

The NSX I am drooling over is a 2002 3.2l 6 speed NSX-T RWD Blue with 75,000 Miles in mint condition. Stock Engine with these mods done it car...
- Pride V2 Quad Tip Exhaust
- NSX-R shift knob.
- Exedy Stage 3 Racing Clutch
- Legal Black Window Tint
- Brand New Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec Tires
- Sound System/Subwoofer Upgrade with Navigation and iPod adaptor
- Black rubber floor mats
- NSXClear Smoked Front Sidemarkers
- Interior white LEDs in door panels, dome light, footwell, etc
- LED DRLs on the front bumper
- Lumex White LEDs for parking lights in front headlamps and rear license plate area
- LED DRLs on the front bumper
- Bright Light Tech's Full Bar/GTC Combo/Adjustable LED Tail Lights

He is asking $55,000 for the car, and he will get it, he had 5 offers the first day it was on craiglist and I personally know one guy already applying for a loan.
The Edmunds book value on it is $51,300 for just a stock car, no counting the mods above and the fact that it is already in Hawaii, which would be another $3,000+ in shipping with a risk of damage to the car. It drives like a dream, it sounds sexier than the LFA, and the guy who owns wouldn't meet me if it was even barely raining at all. It's been garage kept, treated like a virgin and when I drove it, OMG!

So, what would you do? Although I have paid for the parts mentioned above, I have not received and can still cancel the SC, and the Clutch, Rear Subframe Reinforcement and bushings are still new in the box, so if I couldn't return, I could sell them. The Supersprint Headers and Exhaust have less than 300 mile on them and I still have all my original parts.
I would have to sell my M3 and my very customized Harley to buy the NSX (I could sell my 1969 Bronco, but that won't happen), but ever since I bought the M3, I haven't ridden my Harley much at all. I would also have to either decide to drive the NSX every day, or buy a piece of crap for every day driving, which I could care less about, since I'd get something that gets better gas than the 12 mpg I get in the M3.
Anyone???? What would you do??

 

[BATMANs]

Do both

 

[shawn110975]

so you flew to Hawaii from North Carolina to test drive a car?

wow.

sell the DD boat and get an NSX thats local.

that guy will never sell it. wants to see what kinda offers he gets before he puts it back into his Virgin Garage and let the thing rot like it has been for years now.

good luck

and 12 MPG LOL I get 6-7 MPG in my NSX as I floor it from stop sign to stop sign Daily

 

[Vega$ NSX]

I'd stick with the M3.

 

[nsx_moda]

get the m3 and send it to hpf for a stage 2 turbo :biggrin:

 

[synth19]

I think many of us will say to get the NSX. However, that's really a personal decision you have to make yourself. Both cars have their advantages/disadvantages. Based on your initial post, it sounds like there are tons of contingencies up in the air in order for you to afford the NSX. Commit to one car and go from there. If you do decide to get the NSX, sell your M3, part it out, etc. Once that is done, then find an NSX (and maybe it will be this one if it's still around).

 

[stevieray122854]

^Agreed. There are quite a few great NSX's for sale although that Long Beach Blue Pearl is only one of 19 that were built that year. What color is the interior? Depends on how bad you want the car, the M3 is nice but there's no comparing the 2 as they are totally different.

One thing for sure, you'll get the double-take factor WAY more with a LBBP NSX than you will a M3 convertible.

 

[bonhamsurf]

so you flew to Hawaii from North Carolina to test drive a car?

My bad, I live in Hawaii now. I need to update my profile.

I love my M3, it's a great car, and if I do the SC install and such, it go from being a great car to a badass car. I know there's a lot of difference between the 2 cars, I've driven NSX's before, and I worship them. If I had an NSX and a GTR in front of me for free, I'd choose the NSX. So many things about it that puts it near perfection.

Funny, on this forum most people so far are saying "M3" and on the M3 Forums they say NSX. It's a total "grass is greener" for most. For me, I know if I pull up to an NSX in my M3, I wish I was in the NSX, but it wouldn't be the other way around.
Maybe smart thing is finish my M3, then save up for a more reasonably priced NSX I can turbo at a later date. Arrrggghhh!

 

[EZdoesIt]

wow, i got a little exhausted reading that post. you need to lock down some priorities and that will help you decide what car you want. You're kind of all over the place dude and had for us to help in any appreciable manner.

The NSX (if left relatively stock) is a better car for DD if you're concerned about mileage. The E46 is better as a DD in just about everything else. The only way you'll get to the NSX's ~24mpg is going downhill in neutral downwind drafting a big semi truck on the back of a flatbed tow truck.

If it was me..I'm with Vega$... I'd get the M3 however the deal breaker is the SMG.

 

[Vega$ NSX]

I recommended sticking with the M3 mainly because I think you'd be stretching yourself too thin financially if you went with the NSX in light of this unstable economy.

As for the cars, it's a toss up either way. You can't go wrong with either pick. There are pros and cons for both.

 

[bonhamsurf]

wow, i got a little exhausted reading that post. you need to lock down some priorities and that will help you decide what car you want. You're kind of all over the place dude and had for us to help in any appreciable manner.

The NSX (if left relatively stock) is a better car for DD if you're concerned about mileage. The E46 is better as a DD in just about everything else. The only way you'll get to the NSX's ~24mpg is going downhill in neutral downwind drafting a big semi truck on the back of a flatbed tow truck.

If it was me..I'm with Vega$... I'd get the M3 however the deal breaker is the SMG.

Some good points, and thanks for the suggestion. If it helps, here's some pics of my m3 and the NSX

 

[OneRedNSX]

6spd over SMG any day!

If the m3 was a coupe with a proper transmission it would be tough...

But around here the convertibles BMWs are for trophy wives...

 

[NSX167]

ask youself FR or MR?

 

[condumbwerkz]

I would stick with the 500hp M3 vert . Many of us NSX owners think the NSX is underpowered, and with 500hp at your feet, this M3 is already a win for you. Good luck with whatever you choose in the end, it's really comes down to what makes you smile at the end of the day.

 

[Big_D]

I would probably refrain from further modifying the M3, since you are having 2nd thoughts about keeping it. Perhaps you should sell the SC and the related parts that are not yet installed to try to recoup as much $$$ as you can and save it towards an NSX.

So did you think the NSX was underpowered?

 

[bfrank1972]

I would go NSX, but not that NSX. I mean it's nice and all, but that's a lot of dough for that car. But my priorities might be different than yours - I wouldn't have gone convertible M3 in the first place (too heavy). Two completely different cars, one is a low slung exotic looking thing, the other is a factory tweaked super coupe. Asking us what we'd prefer probably won't help you much unless you tell us what you do with the cars. Also I imagine if you're getting 12 mpg in your M3, you drive it pretty hard. Drive an NSX that hard and you'll get similar numbers (the two shouldn't be that different in MPG).

 

[EZdoesIt]

If I think about this more...for a guy w/o a family... a stock M3 Cab (E92 or E46) AND a modified NSX coupe would be a nice pair to own simply for the fact that they're both so different.

You get a nice driving daily driver friendly convertible (who cares that it's a little heavy if it's a DD and left stock even if it's SMG) as long as you can have a modified supercharged NSX for the wknds.

I guess this is completely the opposite of what the OP asked for :smile::biggrin:

 

[Ric]

Go with m3 but,

For me, I know if I pull up to an NSX in my M3, I wish I was in the NSX, but it wouldn't be the other way around.

This is your answer here. You know you want the NSX but in order to get that blue one, you will have to sell other stuffs and spend more money for a car that is not as practical as an M3.

Hell for 55k, you can find an early 996 turbo and call it a day.

 

[nsxotic911]

<shakes head><shakes head><shakes head> Some will never learn..

This is really simple. If you have two project cars, you will always be working on them or worrying about both of them. That's not what you want to have on your way to work every morning.

Have only 1 project car and one STOCK car. A turbo does not count as stock. The stock car you drive everyday, the project car you can do all kinds of crazy stuff to as long as your budget supports that.

From the sounds of it though - I'd make the M3 be your DD and the NSX your project car, at least that's what I did....for better or for.......................................worse......

 

[bonhamsurf]

All great points! This is very helpful, so thank you to everyone. I also agree with choosing a coupe over a vert, but the wife wanted a convertible, I wanted a sports car, buying the vert is was put the M3 in my hands without a fight Also, living in Hawaii does give the Vert a little bit of attraction, we have perfect weather year round, and there is nothing like driving my M3 down the coast of Hawaii, pacific ocean blue and sparkling next to me with the top down, for twelve months of 80 degree weather. I'm pretty mid line of the SMG versus the 6-spd. Normally, there would be no question, the 6-speed, but that SMG is way faster than you can shift. THere's a reason the GTR, Lambo's and Ferraris have shifters, they're faster than us now. But for the NSX and all other cars, Manual all day!

I have red and black Wet Okole Seat covers so it's pretty hot. Add in 35% Viper tint on Windshield and 17% Viper tint on the all other glass.

 

[NSX167]

I have drove E46 M3 for awhile, and I called it "Fat Albert" :biggrin: Convertible is fat-fat-Albert.

 

[N Spec]

I personally feel that there is nothing quite like NSX ownership. I do have not the same feeling driving around several BMW extensively, no matter much faster they are, such as a moderately modded 335i for my last roadtrip. Faster sure, but it still does not do it for me.

I would get the "right" NSX that suits your needs; if you want to mod for more power or one that is already modded. Then I would find another daily driver if you have to lug kids/friends around or keep the M3 without all of the excessive mods. That way you can have two vehicles that redline at 8,000 rpm and one of them a mid-engine exotic beauty. You will not regret it.

Also what is this nonsense about the NSX not being able to get 24 mpg? I averaged 26 mpg on my last tank and this was all 20 miles or less city commutes. I only notice a drop in fuel economy when I do not drive the NSX for several weeks. Perhaps this is why people experience poor fuel economy, or they drive like maniacs?

 

[Track Addict]

I don't think that guy will ever sell that '02 LBBP car as it has been for sale so many times.

Unless you have a daily driver if you decide to go with the NSX (and I know a lot of primers that DD their cars) I think you'll regret getting the NSX. Sometimes even just a LITTLE practicality makes a big difference.

That being said, my DD is a Miata. To each their own :biggrin:

 

[funkynsx]

imo i would buy the nsx and supercharge it.
Bm's are too common.
sure you would have a fast bmw if you sc it but i would prefer a fast nsx anyday.:wink:

 

[TURBO2GO]

I've been to Hawaii 4 times now... and man... I have never seen a place with such perfect weather that NEVER changes. Well sometimes it rains, but the temp varies from 81 to 86, and nights are always around 70. Day after day, night after night. Month after month.

Having a convertible M3 is certainly great there... having an 02+ NSX-T there, would be heaven.

Look, here is why you bought a supercharger and all that stuff. It is to make the car more fun. I doubt that you "needed" it because you are a professional race car driver than is losing his lead on the straights of any track.

You have awesome roads there, the NSX is pure joy to drive. Especially a 6 speed targa with a third pedal.

I know some guys here are being practical... and trying to give you good advice... but you can't put a price on joy. And I think a stock 02+ NSX will bring you a lot more joy than even a 500 HP M3 with an SMG.

If you can do it, go for it. Don't aim too low. I am a guy that always gives practical advice. In your case, my vote is to go for the NSX. It's one of those things you will be telling your grand kids about. The days you used to drive that car top off on this heavenly island.