The 2000-2006 BMW M3 Coupe, or E46 M3, is often hailed as one of the best performance cars of its era. Reviewers praise its phenomenal handling, a chassis in perfect balance, and its "silky smooth" 3.2-liter S54 straight-six engine, which loves to be revved. It is famous for its timeless design and celebrated as a masterpiece of automotive engineering. Infamously, used E46 M3s often require significant catch-up maintenance. Today, it remains highly relevant as a rewarding enthusiast or road trip car, offering a mature, visceral driving experience, particularly with a manual transmission.
The E46 M3 requires specific, scheduled maintenance (e.g., valve adjustments every 60k miles) and premium oil. Reliability concerns include VANOS camshaft hub failure and SMG pump failure. Insurance costs vary widely, but collector policies can be relatively inexpensive.
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