thanx for everything guys but im keeping the M. i drove a 2000 S4 and have to say not now but someday will own a S4 wagon...with the M3 mods il just have to take it year by year haha but i think i stick around the forum

 

bimmer - I own a 2001 S4 Avant (chipped w/some other mods - more soon to come) and a 2004 330 ZHP (performance package for non BMW types). A few months ago I was asked by an M3 owner which car I perferred and without hesitation I answered the S4. (he was shocked by the answer BTW) In truth it is not really a simple answer. The BMW is a very fun car to drive - RWD and BMW tight informative suspension are wonderful....however S4 (particularly the Avant) is IMO more "trick" and its just more "diferent" (rare). Also the power is noticibly greater - gobs of torque that allow me to easily pull away/shoot past most anything on the road...the BMW - while nearly as quick...is still just a bit more back in the pack and without the torque in the back does not feel as fast as it really is. (it cruises more easily at high speeds however - though S4 is no slouch there - just BMW really feels at home and relaxed) The AWD is also amazing - in dry wet or snow - particularly the latter two - I rule - and it feels good. As I - so far - only have summers on the BMW - never driven in any snow - but I know it will never come close. It is fine in the rain - but again - not like the Audi - which is supreme. (and I've had intances where I've been forced to really slow down in the wet - and for the Audi - only deep water can faze me at all...) I also enjoy and frequently utylize the extra cargo room of the Avant. I think both cars look great and I get complements about each...but there really are quite a few more BMWs out there...and I've never had anyone get down on their hands and knees and bow furiously towards the Bimmer as I've had with the S4 (Its badged as an RS4 and it was a Brit who thought it truly was one....). Anyway - I know that the M3 is much more on par performance wise with the S4 (though I've kept with even e46 M3s with my 330) - I just know how to eek out the max performance...and I know how fun the 3 series/M3 can be...still for me - my heart is (more) with the Audi...and if it wasn't - considering the $ and aggrivation I've had with it - it would be long gone by now....

 

keep your baby, you will be happy.

 

The E36 M3's are usualy the ones you see with a ton of power. The E46's are equipped with the S54 motor. From an engineering standpoint, it's an AMAZING motor. It revs high and pulls hard all the way past 8,000revs, and it produces over 100bhp per litre. Sure, it's nearly impossible to mod, but it was never intended to be modded. Going with FI on an S54 is simply wrong, in my opinion. If you really want to squeeze some more power out, make sure your connecting rod bearings are in tact (your build date is past the problem dates, thank god), go with some high(er) compression pistons, new cams, Supersprint race headers/cats/exhaust and raise the rev limiter to 9K.... you can also look into getting a carbon fiber plenum and doing an MAF delete. You'll have to run alpha N, but I would imagine you could be looking at around 390bhp, all from a naturaly aspirated, 3.2 liter motor. Not impressive to all the FI guys, but to anyone who can appreciate a NA car putting out those number per liter, it would rule.

PS- You're right about the money... all of this would cost you well over $20k... [8D]

 

Keep the M.