2006 BMW M3 vs 2011 BMW 1M - Head to Head Review!
I finally had the opportunity to drive truly mint examples of the E46 M3 and E82 1M back to back to find out which "right-sized" baby M car is better!
2006 M3 Competition Package mod list:
Engine:
ACL rod bearings
Karbonius CSL airbox, OE CSL ducting
HTE tuned (MAP) - dyno 330 whp @ 7900 rpm / 250 wtq @ 4100 rpm
Supersprint oversized headers, catted section 1, and resonated section 2
Dinan muffler
Brakes:
OE Porsche (Textar) pads
Porsche 996 brake kit
Suspension:
MCS 1WNR, 400F / 650R
Turner 30mm front sway bar
SDW monoball rear trailing arm RTAB
CMP subframe reinforcement
CMP solid subframe bushings
OE rear diff bushings
Eibach rear lower control arms
Wheel/tire:
APEX ARC-8 18x9.5
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 265/275 stagger
Interior:
Recaro Pole Position on Brey Krause mount, utilizes OE power rail
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Bought an E46 M3 with a Dinan S2 package for 26k and 194k miles 3 weeks ago and I have no regrets. I’ve never driven anything more fun.
This channel is the GOAT. Probably the greatest variety of cars. Although I'd say you moved towards middle class cars and above lately but I'm not complaining about it. I'd love to see more 90s and early 2000s modified cars.
Thanks! I'm always down to review older project cars but I don't get as many offers from owners nowadays
The E46 is so beautiful 😭 I regret not picking up a minty fresh one back in the day. Don't think BMW will ever build a car like it again. Definitely top 5 favorite car of mine 😎
E46 sounds nuts on WOT, a wonderful N/A engine experience.
Still have my e46 m3 over twenty years with close to 160k on the clock and it still feels great. It still brings me joy every time I drive it. BMW really did a fantastic job 👌
I've owned an E46M similar in mods to this one. The one mod that makes a huge difference in this would be the final drive and going to a 3.91. My car stock was 3600lb stock but was lightened down to 3200 with some weight reduction. These were great bargains when sub $20K all day for low mileage clean ones. Just make sure you get the big 3 done (rods, subframe, vanos).
Having driven Chris’s car, I can’t really describe how good it is. Makes my E46 M3 feel like it has a long way to go until it’s setup right. If you want to build the perfect dual duty e46, copy the mod list and add to cart. Only thing I’d mention is the 996 brake does alter the bias a bit. The Renault megane brake solution keeps bias closest to OEM. Build journal has a good write up on it
The smaller (325 mm) AP Racing BBK is the way to go. It’s more expensive than the Porsche swap, but not super expensive like the 350 mm+ kits out there. Also, if you are tracking it, the pads are less expensive than stock. I’ve got this kit on my dedicated track car and my wife’s E36 M3. It’s awesome.
Which way does it push the bias ?
@@Euphorica more to the rear, the brakes came off a 911 which is has more rearward weight distribution
@@shakespeareracing7822 that's actually a good thing. Definitely helps stop the car better (since OEM is always too much front bias )
I had a 2002 S54 M Roadster and I currently have the 1M I bought new. The differences in the motor are striking and it's a really tough call on which one I like more. I think the 1M's modified N54 is much more practical overall, though.
Top class review
Great video. Chris’s e46 is damn near perfection for me. Makes me want a CsL intake for mine so bad.
Both amazing cars but I'd go with the E46 M3. Great review/comparison!
Great video. I owned an E46 M3 and 1M at the same time (my 1M is the car is Doug Demuro’s review in 2017). The perfect car would be the 1M chassis with the S54 engine. The 1M is much faster, better shifter, better brakes, better handling and more steering feel. M3 wins on engine. If they were the same price, 1M all the way but the E46 M3 gives you most of the enjoyment for 30-40 percent less.
So, maybe, the upgrades on the M3 in the video make it the best pick overall 👌
30-40% less is more like 50-75% less
Come on now, the S65 weighs 20 lbs more than the S54 and plugs right into the E82 chassis.
Great video! Thanks.
You might enjoy a Z4M Coupe even more as your personal car, knowing your love for a good sports car chassis. To me, it’s got everything this car has to offer and then 10-20% more on top of it.
As a laguna blue clownshoe owner, I concur 100%. It's a little trickier to master/finesse, but even more rewarding once you (dare to) do!
Agree , the z4m will solve all The problems that he found in the m3 e46
I owned a z4m for many years. It’s not in the same league as the s2k or e46 m3
@@Spectator247 Do you mean that in a good way or a bad way? What sets it apart ?
@@IS300Spartan in a bad way i’m afraid. I’ve owned 2 x s2000s (pre facelift and facelift - both ap1 versions with 9000 rev limit), an e46 m3 coupe and a z4m. All were stock and then mildly modified. The z4m was such a letdown. Overly stiff (even after i installed coilovers with softer settings) and didn’t offer the nimbleness of the s2k or the feel of the m3. It looked incredible though, one of the best looking cars i’ve owned.
Both amazing cars but that e46 with the CSL intake is just pure automotive perfection. A set of cams would make the most of that intake and with a proper remap should put down 360+ to the wheels. A couple of choice mods to dial out the rubbery shifter feel and the car would be absolutely dialed!
You are extremely articulate. It’s like you have the exact right word, all the time. And I don’t have to be a car guy, to know exactly what you’re saying.
Would love to see a review of a 1M with a S65 V8 in it. That will give you the sound and NA response paired with the driving dynamics of the 1M.
Love your channel! The MCS feels like a JRZ because the MCS founders came from JRZ and MOTON. I’m running MCS 2ways on my e28m5 stroker track toy and my 6 speed Dinan S2 e60m5. My MCS loves chewing up the kerbs on the Bustop at BW! 😂😂
I enjoyed this one as those are 2 of my favorite cars and agree with your conclusions. 1m is for collectors and e46 is for the drivers. I think the mods on this one are perfect.... Have you driven the z4m coupe or vert? I prefer the z4m to the e46 because of the quicker steering rack and the shifter, which is the best of any bmw ive driven. Its a bit more twitchy but that makes it more fun
I’d go with the E46. I’m a E91 owner, and personally the E90 M3 is the best looking BMW ever made
Best head to head of all times yeeees 🤘🤘
Fenton, how’s the fatigue factor in this well-damped, full-interior E46? I’m looking at doing a dual-purpose E46 build, but I’m not sure about the balance between analog driving satisfaction and NVH/comfort on this platform. The balance of these is excellent in my M2C, which makes it a breeze to drive to HPDEs. My goal is always to avoid trailering if possible! Thanks for this content, as always.
BMW 05 zhp convertible is the most underrated E46. Not too hard to maintain and enough M power for fun. Cruising around the canyons. Because it's so fun to drive luv taking the longer route home. BMW M3 is a beast but the maintenance is not good. Thanx for the review 😊
The E46 M3 actually came out in year 2000, effectively making it a near 24 year old car at this point. It is, hands down and without question, the best-looking BMW ever made. Like you said, it's timeless. It's also extremely well-sorted and balanced. The induction noise with a CSL intake is, in my opinion, the best induction noise I've ever heard on any car. The 1M simply doesn't compare in the looks department, and its lack of a true M engine is a disappointment. I prefer naturally aspirated over turbo any day. The choice is clear here.
Never liked the e46 headlights and i also hated that the grill and the hood is one piece. I personally think 1m is the best looking bmw.
E90/92 looks better and has a better engine in my opinion
@@TheBb6prelude I agree! E46 is second though
@@JRB41 YES!! Yes indeed.
@@TheBb6prelude Unfortunately, the E9X platform ranks as one of the most unattractive and least sought-after BMW M models. This is evident in its significantly lower market value compared to the E46 M3, and this isn't just a coincidence. The E9X sorely lacks the wide, sculpted, and chiseled aesthetics that make the timeless E46 M3 stand out. Overall, the E9X is a failure, falling far short of the finesse and responsiveness of the E46 M3, and generally, it's soulless. Its only redeeming feature, a V8 engine, ironically turned out to be the most unreliable M engine ever produced. When you juxtapose the E46 M3 CSL's greatness with any model from the E9X platform, the latter seems like an utter farce. They're not even remotely in the same league lol
Love both cars. Also love the e36 m3.
Ive owned the base version of these cars: an 03 330ci & 12 128i (both on koni silvers) and i gotta give it to the E46 for perfect balance. Both cars are amazing, but like u said the swb on the e82 makes it snappy esp on an informal setup as far as tires and proper suspension goes! Tracked and canyon’d both cars too and my point stays… Oh and the e82 snapped on me outta nowhere causing a minor mishap😅 Both cars are amazing drivers cars regardless though, would recommend 10/10!
Would love to see a e36 m3 review. I know you've done a track modified one and a supercharged one back in the early days of your channel, but I feel like you've evolved as a reviewer and I'd love to see your thoughts on a nice OEM or OEM+ E36 M3. Is it a budget reliable M3 like Jason Camisa said in his Revelations video? P.S. Keep up the great work. Have been a big fan since early in your channel history!
I used to own a E36 for years prior to owning the E46 (I am the owner of the E46 in this video). It was pretty much a OE+ basic HPDE build and fun to drive though the E46 feels more special because of the engine. The US S50/S52 sounds really good though, whereas the S54 can sound too raspy/tinny. The maintenance required for the E36 is very similar to the E46 (all bushings go bad, all suspension goes bad, everything leaks, interior falls apart, etc), but the engine requires less maintenance and is more bulletproof than the E46. Have friends with > 200K on heavily tracked E36s still going strong.
@@dreamdrivedriftengine aside, how is the chassis?
Not a big BMW fan, but these are the two of my three fav BMWs (Z4 M is the third). Before watching the review, I would pick the less popular, parts bin 1M, granted it may be more expensive. I find this one far more rare to see on the road in my town.
love both but 1M for me all day long. It's raw and wild. comparing a modified E46 M3 to a 1M is not fair at all. Go get a stock E46 M3 and you'll see that a 1M will leave it in a circle of dust and handles/steers/accelerates/brakes MILES better in every situation.
Fenton, I have to ask. Dollar for dollar, if one has a comfy daily and doesn’t need practicality, is a mild E46 build a superior experience to the M2C? I’m in love with my manual M2C, and have grown to appreciate the S55 for its virtues even though it lacks character. I keep going through short ownership experiences with various additions to my garage (all of which I drive on street and track), but my mild M2C build is always the last man standing. I’m pretty much resolved to keep M2C forever, as a street and track toy. Still, I can’t help myself with thinking the E46 might be worth a swap if doing the right build. What do you think? How do they stack up?
E46 m3 will always be my favourite
with mint e46’s being in the high 40’s low 50’s, curious how it stacks up to a sorted 996 c4s
This is the perfect E46. Suspension, brakes, CSL intake and a pole position. It's perfect
It needs a 4.1 final drive for shorter gearing! and an autosolutions SSK, from what it seems. But then.. yes pretty much perfect, ha
his car, with the additions of what u just stated, and even more, is what's on mine, and to me it is indeed the ideal driver's experience all around! @@mittortz
The 1M can be built up from a 1 series chasis and have someone swap in the N54 engine and drivetrain then adding the rear LSD and bits.
dont even need to swap the engine, just get a 135i
It takes a lot more than adding the drivetrain and rear LSD. You need to take the bodykit, rear subframe, suspension, brakes, wheels...its not easy to make a regular 135i into a 1M.
@@Unicornpirate I understand but most people who drive it on normal road don't really need all of the M stuff. The most important part is getting the body kit and the exhaust tips then a 135i car.
@@Vision33r What? I can't understand what you are saying. The most important part is that a 1M drives very different lol compared to a 135i. That's all you need to know
@@UnicornpirateBecause 1M is tuned for sports motoring and the 135i is just a road car. But usage case for most people is they are going to drive it 99% of the times on civilian roads. 135i will always be soften unless it gets tuned. The hydraulic steering is gone on the 135i.
What a hard choice. I’m a E46M owner but don’t know which one I’d take if the price was the same. 2 best M cars BMW ever made IMO.
How does the e46 m3 compare to your new brz?
Is this Mines Rd in Livermore? Awesome road
Can you compare 981 Spyder vs 718 Spyder (982)? Cannot decide ✌🏻😊
Leaning towards the e46 but a 1m with the s65 swap would be tempting
Not sure how it is on the west coast or wherever this was filmed but on the east here in Atlanta you can find a really nice example e46 under 30 all day long. Even 20-25k will get you a nice example with the big 3 done. And as an owner of one I hate to say it but the bubble has burst on these and will be a while before they go back up in value. So as of now especially compared to a 1M, they are a bargain and is the easy driver’s choice.
Doing a dct swap love the smg but too expensive when it breaks😢
If you walk into a BMW showroom in 2001, there were E46 M3, E39 M5, E38 7 Series, E53 X5. The E46 was more connected (sound /handling) than the 1M, and the later M2/C/CS. Both are great cars but my vote goes to the older E46.
I like the styling of the 1M, but sat next to the E46 M3, it almost looks like a caricature compared to the timeless design of the E46. It's is amazing how well that car has aged, and how timeless the design still is.
Dude, now I HAVE to hear your opinion on a well setup bolt-on Z4M Coupe. It's always been THE CAR in my mind, I NEED to know how it compares to the hundreds of cars you've driven. I trust your opinion and feedback above very other car guy I know. If it truly does fall apart above 8/10 I gotta know. I know you reviewed a race prepped one on track before but I feel like that wasn't really representative. SAVE ME ALL THIS DOUBT PLEASE 😂
LOL someone needs to offer me a Z4 M. I'm just as curious as you.
review a BMW M Roadster!
shame the owner ruined the reactive dials (or whatever its called). having the dash light up when you hit the rev limit, surprisingly one of my favorite things about the car after owning one
Should do a base 135i vs e46 m3. 135i was faster than that M3 at buttonwillow from the factory. The 1m will mollywop the e46 pretty much anywhere.
Looks like it s is original intake system from M3 CSL on the E46, with clap to avoid noise in towns (regulations for streets blabla...), Usually for that configuration if you don't put car in sport mode the clap does not open, that means less air-> less power und much less sound! I have the same oem style configuration in my car. So actually the clap was probably closed (sounds so to me) and the intake is actually MUCH louder :D
It’s a Karbonius with no flap 👍
That thumbnail is brazy
Holy shit Fenton, you just dropping bombs like that out of nowhere?
💣💥
Fenton, you said you like the 1M hydraulic steering better then the e92m3. They use the same rack. Any difference in steering feel is likely due to tires and alignment.
The Wheel Base is a major factor. Driven both cars for over 40 hours, the 1M steering is faster and has more weight.
@@loudspeaker55 that is nice I have driven both cars also, along with a 1M3 which is what I call a s65 swapped 135i with complete e92m3 drivetrain. They all use the same rack. You can verify on realoem the part number is the same e92m3 and 1m
the 1M has the same rack but the ratio is TIGHTER and it's a smaller wheelbase and less weight means rotation feels different.
Yes yes yes, M3 so good! Yes yes yes, M3 so good!
I want a mic under the hood on the radiator support 😮
Video would get flagged for being adult content
@@Zygrenelol
@@Zygreneha! True
I regret selling my e46 M3. Everytime I see one I cry a little. Such a great car. Timeless!! I’ve always wanted to try a 1M, but that’s just too much money IMO. And a decent e46 M3 is pretty pricey nowadays too, at least if I want to keep my current garage and my marriage. I’ll just have to drown my sorrows in my 997.
I have e46m3 cs in my garage 😊👍
Will you review a 370z ?
Z4m will be best than booth , it will be lighter and will correct the loose stearing from de e46
As much as I like this, it just didn't compare to my Z4M. The seating position was waaaaay better, and although less practical, it did this engine more justice.
Painful to watch how BMW went from drivers cars to muscle cars
Seems like all THAT E46 M3 needs is a shorter final drive (for that road)!
For anyone watching you can get a damn decent e46 m3 For 20-25k, don’t need to spend 30-40k unless you want a really mint one.
e46 💯
For sub-$100k, I haven’t been able to find anything equally rewarding to drive in the canyons than an E46. Even an S2000, feels far more twitchy and less composed. The phenomena of truly being able to steer with your feet in the E46 will only be fully understood by those who have driven a properly setup E46, it’s fantastic. Everything feels so natural in that car, just allows you to focus on driving itself!
I’ve had a stock s2000 for a while and picked up a slightly modded E46 (quite a bit less than in the video), and was in fact positively surprised how it behaves on roads and on track when pushed. It makes you think that besides a convertible element, the M3, even being a much heavier car and a 4 seater, appears to put the S2K to shame in pretty much any element. Not something I expected.
that's surprising but amazing to hear! so there's nothing about the s better than your e46m, and the e46m is just outright better in every way all around? @@big-R
@@KuostAthe shifter action is subjectively better on the s2000, the steering rack ratio feels better but the wheel has less feedback. S2000 does feel lighter but at no point it feels faster on track or road, at least not with my original 24 year old suspension. I know a lot of S2Ks have new suspension by now, perhaps that would make the bigger difference. It's also a bit of an unfair comparison because my M no longer has the original suspension.
I traded an 00 s2k for an 03 z06. The ls doesn't have as much character as the f20 or bmw and the interior isn't as well put together/quality. But the driving experience and bang for buck performance/reliability is unmatched. The s2k with good springs and tires changes direction faster at low speed and the m3 needs a chassis mounted shifter and coilovers. The vette needs a thermostat and fans tuned but there's a reason all of my videos are of my c6 zr1 and c6 grand sport, nothing else compares
@@daylatedrift I sold the C6Z to get the M3 because needed more seats. Performance and sound of the Z cars is expected, but I’m still impressed with the 4 seater car that E46 M3 is from 23 years ago. It is slower than the C5Z, but doesn’t really feel that much slower. Had C5Z walk around me on Hockenheim, although it wasn’t night and day difference. Unfortunately the S2000 does actually feel a fair bit slower in the acceleration than these other cars… I still love it though. Z06 is the only real 2 seater sportscar of these 3 (s2k is a roadster and not performance oriented but does well). M3 is the grand tourer with 4 seats yet it drives almost like a proper sportscar, and easily does so with a few mods. I’m impressed.
For driving id take the e46 nothing like a great NA engine.
E46 M3 anyday! Because Im not a Turbo guy 😅
1m HAS hydraulic steering. M3 front subframe/rack
S64 ? And you forgot to mention the vehicle (E46) was a competition package buddy…😮
Enthusiast Auto in Cincinnati has a couple low mileage E46 and they want $92K. Crazy money!!
I had to stop the video when he said the sport button makes throttle too sensitive, I’ve owned an E46 m3 and never drove it without sport mode on….what is wrong with these people
老兄 同la同车 车友❤
Why the f.uck is everyone banging on about Z4M in the comments, that car isn't remotley in the same league (same engine S54 yes but nowhere near the perfection of these two beasts).
What we really need is a 1M with either a s65 or s54. There’s a few out there on KZhead 🤫🫣
How can we trust your judgment when you keep calling the s54 and s64………….
The belt line on 1M is too high. Same as most modern cars, it makes cars so ugly. E46 looks nice and low.
I love my E46 M3, Ive driven both the 1m and the e9x M3 and only the 1m came kinda close to the feel the e46 gives me while driving it. the e9x was very idk how to describe it but dead i guess, great car but no feeling for me. E46 M3 FTW!
I own an orange 2012 1M, completely stock, with about 3800 miles. As you can imagine, I don't use it too much as it starts to be quite valuable and I don't want to damage it ;-)
Hmmmm was the 1M really ever a true M car? I beg to differ.
Absolutely is. One of the best driving chassis BMW has ever made.
not 2006 its 2003
E46 M3 is the last true M-car. Just perfection.
Makes me not want to sell mine
Don't sell then :)
With regards to steering, bmw lost its way.
Please take those bbs rep apexs off the M car 🤢
I'm in a minority, because I think the 1M is an ugly, dumpy, sad-eyed, chopped off rear, horrid thing. My OG M2 is so much more beautiful, faster, better handling, more modern, more practical, and just as raw. The only reason 1M's are worth so much is because they are rare, that is all. It certainly doesn't make them 'great'. Much rather have the E46, a better car in every way.
That one series is so god-awful ugly. Everything about it looks out of proportion and cheap. And I forgot about what an embarrassment that Fisher-Price plastic interior was.
I’m just here to say Torque > High Revving.
Silly child
Tell me you don't know how to drive without telling me you don't know how to drive 😂
Ummm… No
@@bayareaomg Haha I said what I said!
You must live in Texas/Florida type place huh that sucks 😅
M1 looks fat in good meaning.
Why would anyone spend $50k on an E46 M3. Why wouldn't you just buy a new M2 at $65K. The E46 does have engine issues & rear subframe will just tear. Think about it the metal just tears. Metal doesn't tear. Before anyone says I'm a keyboard warrior I've owned 3 generations of M3 including an E46.
Many reasons, looks better, sounds better, revs to 8000, more raw and engaging to drive
The engine issue is just more Rod bearing replacement. The vanos upgrade should just be once and then only need valve adjustment. As for subframe yes it does need to be reinforced. They are kits. There are some other areas too but it would seem the money once puts in the car is holding its value. The NA motor may never come back at this point. Forced induction does have its drawbacks and they are getting to be a dime a dozen. The 65k will drop way down to 25k pretty easy over the years.
More exclusive if find one in good condition. I sold this year my OG M2 2018 and bought a 12’ low mileage 1m in valencia orange. No regrets. More special car. And holds their value.
You have more than one car
very clean e46m3s are 25-30k easily now. the m2 driver's experience all around cannot match the e46m's whatsoever, period. that's why.