I currently drive a 2003 BMW 330xi. It's a great car, albeit a little underpowered. I am in the market for a daily driver and cannot decide between a 2004 BMW M3 or a 2004 Mustang SVT Cobra. If I trade in the 330 to Ford, it will be an even trade for the SVT. If I trade it in to BMW, I will owe them $20k extra for the M3. Keep in mind, I will drive this car everyday and intend on putting snow tires on it during winter because I live in New York. My girlfriend says I'm crazy to go back to a Mustang but I loved the Cobra when I test drove it. I have been to both dealers everyday for the past week trying to decide but I can't. Money is not a factor but I simply cannot keep two cars at the present time in my condo garage. BTW, I drive about 15k miles per year and I am a 33 year old professional. I asked this same question on the Cobra forum and most of them actually said to get the M3 because the Cobra is only better than it in a straight line. Any input you have would be appreciated.
Help me decide between Cobra and M3
- Thread starter AWD330XI
- Start date
Lets see BMW? Ford? Hmm, this is a tough one. [bmwkick]
BMW baby.
One more thing. Don't think the SMG is forgiving in the snow/bad weather. People have misconception of how the SMG works/feels during driving. Just because it "seems" to be partially an automatic don't let this fool you. It is anything but. You have to actually drive it to see what I mean.
BMW baby.
One more thing. Don't think the SMG is forgiving in the snow/bad weather. People have misconception of how the SMG works/feels during driving. Just because it "seems" to be partially an automatic don't let this fool you. It is anything but. You have to actually drive it to see what I mean.
you say you are a 33 year old professional.. you need a Professional car.. think about the M3 for not only its power, its handling, and its appearance.. but for its unique appeal to people like yourself that work very hard for what they have.. the M3 is for the prestigious driver.. it is for the person that deserves it.
Get the M3.. There is no other choice..
Get the M3.. There is no other choice..
Hey I resent that a little bit.......I know plenty of people that work hard for what they have and they "prestigously" drive their Opel Corsa's, Fiat Punto's, and Ford Ka's. Just because you or someone else has a M3 DOES NOT mean you deserve it. I know some very, very hard working people who work in food service(dare I say they work harder than most of us any day just to get by) who would "deserve it" based on those merits. A "professional" is a bad way of putting it. Lets call a dog a dog and say a 33 year old "with a good paying job or inheritance or whatever". Not saying that you or the poster doesnt "deserve" it or work hard. But....you know what I mean. That statement was almost bourgeois.........
That being said get the M3 just because I love that car and I dont love the Mustang....(although the exhaust note on the mustang makes me want to pound my chest and tell the world how big a man I am!)
That being said get the M3 just because I love that car and I dont love the Mustang....(although the exhaust note on the mustang makes me want to pound my chest and tell the world how big a man I am!)
The people who told you that the Mustang is a straight line car were 100% right. It's totally insane that the Mustang STILL uses the same basic rear suspension design as the '60s Mustangs. That means wheel hop, poor cornering, etc. Even the NEW Mustang will have a solid rear axle. Independent Rear Suspension will be available only on certain high end models according to Motor Trend. BMW has been building IRS forever.
I know someone who runs a 2003 Mach I for AutoCross. He has to rebuild the rear end every year because the pseudo-limited slip differential clutches wear out due to all of the cornering under power. You won't need to worry about this unless you race, but it's ridiculous for a car that is touted as a Sports car.
If you want to hear engine & exhaust noise, you can't beat a 'stang. But the M3 really is a much better car all the way around. I have driven various Mustangs as rental cars. When I bought the 330 ragtop, the Mustang ragtop was never even considered - I thought it was that bad.
I know someone who runs a 2003 Mach I for AutoCross. He has to rebuild the rear end every year because the pseudo-limited slip differential clutches wear out due to all of the cornering under power. You won't need to worry about this unless you race, but it's ridiculous for a car that is touted as a Sports car.
If you want to hear engine & exhaust noise, you can't beat a 'stang. But the M3 really is a much better car all the way around. I have driven various Mustangs as rental cars. When I bought the 330 ragtop, the Mustang ragtop was never even considered - I thought it was that bad.
I think the cobra is an amazing car - but if you look at the overall quality (ie the cheap plastic interior of ALL fords versus a BMW interior) and then even the sportyness - I'd rather have the feel of the M3. I've driven 2 or 3 ford cobra's back home becuase people had rich parents. It definitely had power, but it felt mushy in the corners. This is brand new! I would take the handling of MY crap box 88 325is over that of the cobra.
I also prefer the sound of the M3. I love its super high rev's, I love it's very high-tech sound. It is an extremely well tuned engine, where the cobra is JUST displacement.
My room mate (who thinks the vette is the absolute best car in the world and said GM buids the very best engines in the world..... I'm not kidding) is convinced that a 6 liter GM V8 in the new Vette will last 10 times as long as the "over stressed" 3.2 in the M3. I would beg to differ.
Off topic... His car has GM's 3.1 liter V6 pushing about 140 hp. It has 60k miles on it and runs about as good as my car, which is 2.5 liters, pushing about 170hp does. I have more torque too.
How many miles does my car have? 178,000. That's right. I redline it every day and it's just a solid engine.
I also prefer the sound of the M3. I love its super high rev's, I love it's very high-tech sound. It is an extremely well tuned engine, where the cobra is JUST displacement.
My room mate (who thinks the vette is the absolute best car in the world and said GM buids the very best engines in the world..... I'm not kidding) is convinced that a 6 liter GM V8 in the new Vette will last 10 times as long as the "over stressed" 3.2 in the M3. I would beg to differ.
Off topic... His car has GM's 3.1 liter V6 pushing about 140 hp. It has 60k miles on it and runs about as good as my car, which is 2.5 liters, pushing about 170hp does. I have more torque too.
How many miles does my car have? 178,000. That's right. I redline it every day and it's just a solid engine.
Well, it's true that the car you finally decided on should be based on how you feel and who you are as a person in personality and self-conception. I have a Honda Civic and it doesn't look too bad for an 18 year old young man enjoying his life not worrying too much about life or the later future. I wear ties and suspenders most of the time now and I know that I don't fit the whole raced out Honda Civic look. Whenever I'm out driving and come across a brand new white or gray ///M3 I can't help but see myself in one of those. They're sporty and for me, they just fit who I am inside and appearance-wise. I wouldn't see myself in a Cobra not because it's not a good car. Well, I take that back, I think the BMW quality is much better. I just see the personality of an ///M3 in a different league. Just think about the feeling of the drive and the styling you find yourself in. Forget the speed. At a red light next to a Porsche or Corvette won't mean S**T if you have a Sheriff right behind your ass. It'll still feel great for me leaving that red light in a BMW even if it's not a high speed thing.
Last edited:
![[hatchet]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_hatchet.gif "Hatchet [hatchet]"){kind=icon}
A good friend of mine just graduated from college and got a good job, so he was faced with a simila problem, except his was between the G35, Mustang Cobra, or M3.
He went with the Cobra. He has had many problems with it; it really has not been reliable for him, gas mileage is horrific, it really is not comfortable (he's really tall), but at the end of the day he likes the roar and the feel the car gives him, so he's happy.
It seems like the fact that you're posing the question on a BMW board may already demonstrate what side you're leaning towards....
I forget who said this, but "often times when we ask other's opinions, it is not so that we can make up our minds, it is so because we want to understand our pre-existing choice."
Personally, I'd go with an M3 only because I like the fact that maintenance would be paid for, I could rip on my buddies, and I love the look of them; but all that is for you to decide.
Good luck; either way you go, I'm sure you'll be happy.
Sean
He went with the Cobra. He has had many problems with it; it really has not been reliable for him, gas mileage is horrific, it really is not comfortable (he's really tall), but at the end of the day he likes the roar and the feel the car gives him, so he's happy.
It seems like the fact that you're posing the question on a BMW board may already demonstrate what side you're leaning towards....
I forget who said this, but "often times when we ask other's opinions, it is not so that we can make up our minds, it is so because we want to understand our pre-existing choice."
Personally, I'd go with an M3 only because I like the fact that maintenance would be paid for, I could rip on my buddies, and I love the look of them; but all that is for you to decide.
Good luck; either way you go, I'm sure you'll be happy.
Sean
![[cheers]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_cheers.gif "Cheers [cheers]"){kind=icon}
I don't think the Mustang sounds that good. It's just insanely loud and obnoxious and growls a lot. It doesn't seem like the car was actually "tuned" to produce a nice exhaust note....it's just loud.
But the M3 sounds like a race car...from the inside the noise from the inline 6 sounds amazing, and from the outside the exhaust note just screams "race car".
But the M3 sounds like a race car...from the inside the noise from the inline 6 sounds amazing, and from the outside the exhaust note just screams "race car".