# Choices - BMW E46 M3 VS VW Golf Mk5 R32 Supercharged



## Alfa GTV (Apr 18, 2007)

Okay Poll time, what would you buy?

BMW E46 M3 - Coupe variant, manual

VW Golf Mk5 R32 Supercharged

Both same mileage, both same price, about same age.

Go.......


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## rf860 (Jul 24, 2011)

Easy one that. M3


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

The M3 for me.

VWs are very popular on here. A lot will vore for that. 

What spec is the Golf? One thing to add a supercharger, but you'd need to spend money elsewhere to cope with it.


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## Cmak444 (Dec 21, 2013)

M3 for me


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

Easy m3


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

R32 would be amazing with a charger

Hmm

But then I love m3s


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## marko343 (Jul 3, 2013)

Easy, M3


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

I went golf, purely cause of the sleeper aspect.


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

E46 M3 for me.

A guy I know has a supercharged stage 2 M3, it's running 600bhp and 515Nm :thumb:


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

A Citroen C6.


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

M3


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## MengWalton (Feb 17, 2013)

E46 m3 not only is it better they will start going back up in price soon and they are regarded by many as the best model m3 ever made


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## vick (Jan 1, 2011)

E46 m3


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## madstaff (Jun 4, 2012)

Factory built M3 or R32 with bolt-ons??

M3.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

I don't like Golfs, however I voted for the Golf because it has a supercharger and is different


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## jamie_s (Jul 10, 2009)

M3, I have a z4m and the s54 is an amazing engine.


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

That's a tought shout as there's something very satisfying about having a 'normal' kind of hatchback that can shock people in far more expensive cars. 

That said as an overall car I'd pick the M3 purely as I prefer it overall but a supercharged R32 would be epic and rarer too.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

R32 for me, much more useable and I think the E46 is a tad dated and practically supercar costs in consumables.


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## TubbyTwo (Apr 14, 2011)

M3 without fail. Far more fun than the golf. 

And yes I have driven both, the M3 is just perfect.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

We are still guessing about the Golf here. 

All we know is it's supercharged. I see that means it will be around 390bhp. 

Too many aftermarket modifications turn out to be unreliable, certainly in the long term. 

With over a 60% hike in power, the car will also need other parts uprated to make it capable of dealing with the extra power. 

It is designed as a 240bhp car after all.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

Kerr said:


> We are still guessing about the Golf here.
> 
> All we know is it's supercharged. I see that means it will be around 390bhp.
> 
> ...


It will deal with the extra power with a clutch.

Brakes may need something doing IF it ventures on track, road use just some better pads would be fine as they are a 14" disc anyway.

Traction won't be an issue.


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## e32chris (Sep 21, 2011)

torque steer in the golf 
power slides and drifts in the m3
m power all the way


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

M3 for me thanks.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

They're both big and heavy, but the m3 looks better and if you like the rasp, sounds better.

Personally I think the r32 just is too quiet and dull. I can't believe the r32 would be cheaper to maintain after supercharging it than a standard m3.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

PugIain said:


> A Citroen C6.


What happened to a 407?


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## vwgolfmk5 (Jul 4, 2013)

r32 all day long, my name says it all


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

RisingPower said:


> They're both big and heavy, but the m3 looks better and if you like the rasp, sounds better.
> 
> Personally I think the r32 just is too quiet and dull. I can't believe the r32 would be cheaper to maintain after supercharging it than a standard m3.


I'm sure it would have a milltek on it, they sound pretty damned good with one on.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

e32chris said:


> torque steer in the golf
> power slides and drifts in the m3
> m power all the way


The Golf won't torque steer, pretty much grip and go in a standard one (4WD remember when required) and a supercharged one will almost certainly have a reconfigured haldex controller for even more RWD bias.

But yeah an e46 M3 steers very well straight out the box as it was designed with the correct drivetrain layout in the first place.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

robertdon777 said:


> I'm sure it would have a milltek on it, they sound pretty damned good with one on.


They really don't, miltek is very quiet and very little different to oem.

I think supersprint on the m3 sounds pretty damn good, but the pricing of those systems isn't in the same ballpark.

M3 can be tuned albeit for a lot more money, nothing is cheap to do right on an m3, csl airbox conversion is epic too.


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## AaronGTi (Nov 2, 2010)

Supercharged R


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

How had the r32 been charged, stacked gaskets? Full bottom end rebuild with low comp pistons? Any extra work on the car? Suspension brakes?

Im 55% M3 atm


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Here's a thought, to those that answered golf, how about if it were gti vs m3?


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

Could be a CL or match couldnt it!


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

RisingPower said:


> What happened to a 407?


The one with the red leather interior? 
Everyone ignored my comment but you lol


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## horico (Jul 17, 2010)

If they are both in comparable good condition then M3 easily. I know little about the R32's but with the ///M you need to get a good un! Don't mention subframe issues or cog of doom whatever you do!


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

PugIain said:


> The one with the red leather interior?
> Everyone ignored my comment but you lol


I'm always ogling your post-s.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

RisingPower said:


> I'm always ogling your post-s.


Thanks... I think..


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## E110at (Jan 19, 2014)

Iv owned an m3 smg and for that reason I choose the golf, m3 was terrible to drive smg gearbox in my opinion is shocking if it's not an auto why make it just have the manual, so many things can go wrong with it subframe vanos suspension smg pump and all cost a fortune to fix. The e46 does look a bit dated and performance wise didn't do anything for me.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

RisingPower said:


> Here's a thought, to those that answered golf, how about if it were gti vs m3?


Then I would keep my money. It's the supercharger and sound of the v6 which make me chose the r32. The m3 doesn't look any more special than a 320d


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

E110at said:


> Iv owned an m3 smg and for that reason I choose the golf, m3 was terrible to drive smg gearbox in my opinion is shocking if it's not an auto why make it just have the manual, so many things can go wrong with it subframe vanos suspension smg pump and all cost a fortune to fix. The e46 does look a bit dated and performance wise didn't do anything for me.


My thoughts exactly, never owned one but my old neighbour had a few.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Shaun said:


> My thoughts exactly, never owned one but my old neighbour had a few.


I think there are a lot of faults with the m3 to be fair, some especially concerning like vanos and subframe failures, but I think that was more prevalent on the earlier models.

Saying that, I did have a lot of issues with my m3, but at least when it wasn't in the shop or in limp mode, it was sort of fun, until I got sick of the rasp :lol:

I still can't see a supercharged golf as being reliable though...


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

R32 with a supercharger will be a nice car, comfortable for everyday use, will sound great and will go quick with plenty of power on tap will be a right sleeper and discreet, M3 is a very common car R32's not many around.
I find the build quality is higher on VW'S.


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## STEALTH K3 (Dec 29, 2006)

Do you have a links to the cars


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Trip tdi said:


> R32 with a supercharger will be a nice car, comfortable for everyday use, will sound great and will go quick with plenty of power on tap will be a right sleeper and discreet, M3 is a very common car R32's not many around.
> I find the build quality is higher on VW'S.


An M3 is very common and a Golf isn't? I was eating my tea when I read that.

There is 227 M3s on Autotrader with 3.0-3.9l engines. This means lots of earlier models as well as the E46 in question.

There is 200 R32s with a 3.2 l engine.

The R32s aren't popular. Nice engine but too slow and costly for what they are.

A supercharger might make it interesting, but you could face all the issues of a car that isn't right. Having 60% more power will cause issues.

Once all the rough ones are gone, the M3 will be a classic for obvious reasons.

The R32 won't.

Not even going to entertain the build quality part.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

SteveTDCi said:


> Then I would keep my money. It's the supercharger and sound of the v6 which make me chose the r32. The m3 doesn't look any more special than a 320d


The M3 stands out far more from a 320d than the R33 does from a standard Golf.


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

M3 is in a completely different league to a golf. Regardless of spec.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Kerr said:


> An M3 is very common and a Golf isn't? I was eating my tea when I read that.
> 
> There is 227 M3s on Autotrader with 3.0-3.9l engines. This means lots of earlier models as well as the E46 in question.
> 
> ...


I do agree with you on the power stats when modifying, will the R32 able to handle all that power I am sure it will but will not be fully posed and as agile as a M3 would be, there will certain factors lacking no doubt here.
Another note he M3 will run circles round the R32 on handling wise no issue here, but a R32 modified with a supercharger will be something special and unique to the driver, vice versa if the M3 had a supercharger and it will blow the socks off many cars on the road, it will be power stormier and turn whirl winds the other direction.
It's personally preference alot of my mates drive BMW'S and M3'S and on has C2.7 Alpina in Grey and a M3 Evo, and must admit the handling is alot superior and more satisfying to drive but for me VW has done it for me during the years in ownership.


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