BMW M3 or 2001 maxima

Not sure on which to get, the maxima 2001 is a little cheaper..and newer, but for a little bit more i found a nice 97 m3 with 80,000 on it..not sure what to get though..the m3 or the 01.. O_O cons of m3 as i see it..a little higher insurance..and premium gas? Anyone else?

I thought the newer Maximas also require premium gas...? The M3 is a no-brainer if you want sports car performance and after-market support. The Maxima is most likely much cheaper to maintain and repair, plus it is a newer car than the 97 M3.


From http://www.maxima.org:
"Why should I use premium gas? Prices are so expensive these days.
For the 4th and 5th gen Maxima, it is important that you use a premium grade gas (i.e. 91 or greater octane). Using premium gas is not for increasing performance (not directly) or for giving you extra horsepower. What it does for you is to prevent detonation or pre-ignition."

i was faced with the same question a couple months ago accept it was a 95 M3 for 17,500 with 65k miles or an 02 Max. i figured a 2k2 nissan with a warranty was better than a non-certified bimmer. i would have liked the M3 but the maxima seemed more practical. either way you'll get a nice car, I'd look at an 02 if i were you though, the VQ35 is pretty beastly.

You cant compare Front-wheel drive to Rear-wheel drive. I would stay away from an M3 with that high of mileage. People beat the shit out of those cars & they aren't the cheapiest car to repair even if you do it yourself. If I had to pick between a Maxima & M3, I would go Bimmer.

If you can afford an M3(insurance, maint., repair, cost of car, etc) then you shouldnt be worried about premium gas. I think the Maxima would be you best choice.

do you have a nice take off time with the stick 6 spd? any mods to it? lowering etc?

i haven't heard of bimmer owners having many problems with their cars...? just not reported or are they really dependable?

Originally posted by eclypsecl
i haven't heard of bimmer owners having many problems with their cars...? just not reported or are they really dependable?

All cars break sooner or later.

Originally posted by eclypsecl
do you have a nice take off time with the stick 6 spd? any mods to it? lowering etc?
yeah it's got some pretty wide tires so you can just let the rpm sit at like 1500 or so then just dump the clutch and it takes off nice. i just picked this car up like a month ago and i hit a deer so it was out of commission for 3 weeks. i just got it back all nice and new so I'm just about ready to get my intake and start the modding process. the car i had before this was a 1995 maxima se 5 speed with stillen cat-back, y pipe(downpipe), and weapon-R intake and just so you know, your 95 is faster than the 00-01 maxima's are. they took your engine (more or less), and put it in the heavier body of my car. the only real differences are the intake manifold and a variable muffler, that's how they milked out the extra 38 HP.

i still have 65,000 miles left on my warranty so i'm not gonna do any major modifications anytime soon. even with all those mods though this car still feels considerably faster.
i'd get the M3 if you think you can manage it, or get an 02 if you still want something fast. other than that i'd keep the 95. I don't think you'd be all that impressed with a 2k Max.

such a hard decision..any idea if the m3 97 beats the 02 max?

most likely.

i'm just going to buy a 2 cylinder honda and run nos to reach 15mph..:)

:rolleyes: & what 2cyclinder would that be?

the little 2 stroke mopeds :> or lawnmowers..or something haha. e 36 is the way to go..most likely what I will get.15500 for a 97 sounds reasonable.

$15,000 is about average for that car. M3's are sweet rides, had me some good times in those. I hope its manual cpe! The 1st thing you should do after starting the engine is TURN OFF TRACTION CONTROL!:bigthumb:

//\\//\\ 3

M3=RWD=teh win:wink:

Originally posted by Jimster
M3=RWD=teh win:wink:
:werd: *the win*
FWD = no fun
Whats more than RWD in the snow without stupid traction control? ICE?:icon16:

O/T but, I was @ dirt track once & they let spectators "run what you brung." Dude brought out his M3 (brand new) out & made a few nice laps. Then he pushed to much & smacked the wall. After that he rolled her. HAHA stupid fuck! Insurance aint gonna cover that one.

I would like to point out that neither car needs to use 91 octane fuel.

the m3 requiers teh premium 91

Originally posted by eclypsecl
the m3 requiers teh premium 91
so does the maxima

my father puts regular into his, runs fine..then again an m3 is a sports car, not a sedan:)

the owners manual would disagree.