I've owned my 05 G35 coupe for 11 years and my 03 e46 M3 for 6 years. Respect for long time owners. Nice review and I agree, the longer you have a nice old car, the fewer of them you see on the road. So far the BMW has been less reliable than the infiniti, but I love them both.
+Mark Rand Ahh I see, it sounds nice man. I have an E46M with super sprint headers and resonated midsection with that Eisenmann Race muffler. It plays similar notes as yours at certain rpms due to wonderful Eisenmann race muffler but it's got a more frantic, although raspy sound to it. I like the rasp though. You should consider doing the midsection, it really makes a difference. The headers made the biggest difference for me since the E46M had that double cat restriction in the header section to meet environmental regulations in the US. That's why they were rated at 333 here instead of 343 like in Europe, fuck the polar bears though. Freeing up the exhaust on the S54 is glorious.
I met him about 4 months ago in Arizona. He was on his way to a large BMW meet in Cali. He is a super down to earth dude and loves those Clownshoes. Was a great 1 take!
I love when the owner is as excited as this guy is about their car. Good for him. I'm not a huge fan of the Z but seeing him that happy in the passenger seat even is awesome.
My favourite car of any one take so far. That's how much i love that thing, perfection. Massive respect for doing what you are to keep these things alive
Honestly, these are the next bunch of cars to see some serious appreciation. The 911 has gone through it, the 1M has gone through it, and these are going to go through it. I would not be surprised if a really clean low-mileage Z3M costs more today than it did when it was new. I might have to start looking for one of these.
+artsohc The low mileage examples have been selling for more than the msrp price for at least a year now. The most recent S54 coupe has sold for around 80k.
Pops up in my feed 4 years later because I was googling them. My dream car. Now their going for $50,000+ for a clean low mileage car. I should have bought the one years back for $10k. Probably the only BMW that I’ve ever desired.
Probably one of the best owners Matt has ever had on the show! One of my favorite cars EVER is the E46 M3 in LSB and I didn't even know the M roadster was offered in it but with 41 of them sold here I guess that's why, LOL! Great everything with this episode!
My neighbor has a Z3M Coupe and a Z4M. They're so fast and nice. I've driven the Z3M Coupe and a few Z4M's and surprisingly they have a good sound system, which I never expected lol.
What a magnificent example of a Z3M Coupe. Mark's car's suspension, color, exhaust, and S54, all together, are AMAZING! And the coupe, while not a beauty, is such a cute little thing. It looks like the drive was a proper hoot! Thanks Mark, Chucks Tuning and Matt, and Cheers from Charlotte, NC!
+DB Ward You are quite welcome, sir. I think at the time this was being filmed I wasn't 100% sure about selling the wheels, but I think Matt respects the owner's car enough to not burn out! :) New wheels!
Poor Matt .... he's been having the fight of the century with the sound. Thanks Matt for all the great, cool, funny vids! Much appreciated, greetings from Belgium!!
Have never liked the looks and shape of this car but it's one heck of a performer. Seen a few do well at our local autocrosses. Owner seems like a cool guy.
Such a cool car, and so rare with the S54 engine...thanks Matt for this video. I own a S50 Euro-spec Z3M coupe, so if you are in Paris some day, I'd be happy to let you drive it, to complete the Z3M family review:)
Idle hat everyone is talking about the owner gave great background is well spoken and gave a lot of information on the car. He is the owner after all. I wish this was a longer vid.
I have the s52 model and I love it. It's always refreshing to get in and drive. I've had something similar happen when I had my windows cracked, and I heard these kids say "that's the ugliest fucking car i've ever seen". But then at the same time I have a bunch of people who come to ask questions and show love for the car. It's always nice to see reviews of the M Coupe. Really is a great car once you get inside.
Everyone complaining about the dude stfu you're the same people that complain about the guys that are quiet. Great vid, rare m coupe and extremely rare color/ interior combination. I love rare shit
I've spent many a day on that exact road. Should have went down FM3090 but the trip through the national forest isn't bad either. It's no comparison to the roads in some other states but it's the best around the Houston area. The 3 sister near San Antonio area are 10x better though.
This is so crazy. I first saw this video early in 2021 and got the bug to get one to replace the one I had to sell 9 years ago. Fast forward to April and I start the hunt and long story short it was Jon Martin who found the car I bought in Colorado where I was able to fly out and get it, meet him and then a month later rewatch this video and realize the "Legend" that he is
+Motive Artworks I have a 2002 non-M 3.0 Coupe and can assure you that there is zero fun factor lost in the driving experience. The performance difference between a dual vanos 3.0L and the S52 is negligible. Put a decent set of springs or coil-overs on along with good rubber and they become more fun than a grown man should be allowed to have on a public road. If you find one, buy it, and keep it. Coupe Cartel. Never Sell.
i`ve got a z3 2.8 coupe myself. i'm only 23 and its my first and only car. i'm interested in many different cars but i´m shivering thinking about selling the coupe one time cause if this car is gone i'm sure i'll never have the chance to own one again for the rest of my life. it's a damn good car!
Hate hate hate this styling of this car........but I will admit, it sounds fucking amazing. And though I don't care for the style, it's super clean and still a gem...I kinda like the blue too. tl:Dr I didn't care for the car before, now its grown on me a little. Good stuff, keep em coming Matt!
I am normally of the opinion that the S54 doesn’t sound very good, but this is probably my favorite S54 sound ever. Classic straight 6 sound with a touch of S54 rasp.
I remember my friends dad having one when I was like 8 when they first came out. that thing was so fast maybe I was just little but they're badass. would love to tune one
+Gaba meh. whatever happened to the good old DISS... All this "calling out so-called "hating"" nonsense is just a pussified millennial tendency to whine over insignificance. Then when some REAL hate comes along you don't know what the fuck to do. Why? Because PUSSIFIED.
The issue is that if he was "quieter" as they wanted, the same people would be complaining that the review was quiet and awkward. There's no pleasing people.
I live in Boston Mass. and there was a real dark navy colored one for sale not that long ago right near where I live. And it had the S54 motor in it it was an M coupe.
Hey Matt, You did drive the Z4M Coupe actually a few months ago (it's in your one takes). I much prefer the Z4M in terms of styling personally, and in terms of performance, well it weighs the same as the Z3M, but has better suspension design, braking performance and much better steering out of the box. In terms of rarity, in the US there are more Z3M Coupes, but a bit less Z3M s54 coupes. The Z4M is in my opinion much more refined.
+TheSmokingTire hey Matt. Seriously, the audio things are not a big deal. I think everyone appreciates what you do. Kind of sickening to hear people berate you on some "non ultra audiophile recording conditions" things. I obsess over audio on a technical level, and it doesn't bother me at all. People just come on the internet to find something to get angry about. ps maybe I'll have to bring you a (cali) car to drive... eventually.
+mammothfire This owner in this video clearly shows that Matt doesn't have audio issues. Matt either has the microphone placed in the wrong spot, or he just isn't taking loud enough, because I can hear the owner loud and clear.
+WeekEnd133 They have separate mics. If I were in LA I would totally come be your sound guy. I have a weird buddy I could recommend in town though. Beware, he likes Yugos and shit like that. Hell, I own a Chevette. You probably shouldn't keep reading actually.
I recently bought an '01 3.0 roadster. No disrespect, but I prefer the roadster over the coupe. I love the exhaust on this car. the Z3 gives such a throw back driving experience that you really should drive one if you haven't already. I love mine and I will definitely be keeping it. I'll be looking for an M roadster in the near future. Love that inline 6 sound.
We recently bought a "normal" Z3 3.0 (which I'm not allowed to drive), and the previous owner had done a "tall man's mod" too, including re-positioning the seat-rails. That meant that we needed a new interior carpet when undoing that, and BMW is asking some crazy prices.
Love me a clownshoe! I have driven both the z4 and z3 coupes and I prefer the Z4 as it is more refined. But the original M coupe looks better- wouldn't change a thing. Love the deep fish wheels, low stance- just a amazing.
Very nice review. I'm willing to bet a lot of the added acceleration felt was due to the lower diff. Stock they shouldn't feel too different until higher speeds.
There was a Z3M at the local dealer years ago and was tempted, great for hauling the dog around, but I did not pull the trigger....regretted that lack of initiative, both S52 and S54 prices are increasing.
+moeblisss12 It's less raspy than stock, for sure. It's not completely eliminated, but the sound is so much different with the Eisenmanns out the back.
Forgot to list all of the mods in the video. For those interested:
Kinesis K58 3-piece wheels
TC Kline SA coilovers
Ireland Engineering weld in rear camber kit
Eisenmann Race Exhaust w/ 83mm tips
3.73 rear diff
E36 dual ear rear diff mount
Subframe/trunk floor reinforcement
Top Speed catless headers
Clownshoe Motorsports tune
HID projector headlights
LED rear 3rd brake light
DRL module
SS brake & clutch lines
Rear wiper delete
New S54 rod bearings
AKG poly RTAB, FCAB & subframe bushings
UUC Poly engine mounts
aaaand a ZHP shift knob
I've owned my 05 G35 coupe for 11 years and my 03 e46 M3 for 6 years. Respect for long time owners. Nice review and I agree, the longer you have a nice old car, the fewer of them you see on the road. So far the BMW has been less reliable than the infiniti, but I love them both.
Do you have a stock midsection for the exhaust system?
having owned a few s54s, have you done a vanos lock down on any ? also how much difference did SS brake lines make ? mint car
+Juan Galvis Yep. Catless headers in front and Eisenmann mufflers out the back. Midsection is still OEM for now.
+Mark Rand
Ahh I see, it sounds nice man.
I have an E46M with super sprint headers and resonated midsection with that Eisenmann Race muffler.
It plays similar notes as yours at certain rpms due to wonderful Eisenmann race muffler but it's got a more frantic, although raspy sound to it.
I like the rasp though.
You should consider doing the midsection, it really makes a difference.
The headers made the biggest difference for me since the E46M had that double cat restriction in the header section to meet environmental regulations in the US. That's why they were rated at 333 here instead of 343 like in Europe, fuck the polar bears though. Freeing up the exhaust on the S54 is glorious.
These cars are going to be the future e30 m3's
04dram04 Is say they pretty much already are. The S54 in particular.
These will be modern batmobiles the 1m will be e30 m3
Cool guy, it's nice to see enthusiast take criticism and not sound totally biased.
I met him about 4 months ago in Arizona. He was on his way to a large BMW meet in Cali. He is a super down to earth dude and loves those Clownshoes. Was a great 1 take!
I love when the owner is as excited as this guy is about their car. Good for him. I'm not a huge fan of the Z but seeing him that happy in the passenger seat even is awesome.
Once a month I get stuck watching these videos on M coupes, and I t further enforces the feeling that I absolutely need one in my life.
My favourite car of any one take so far. That's how much i love that thing, perfection. Massive respect for doing what you are to keep these things alive
Awesome owner, well spoken and knows what he is talking about and has taken great care of his vehicles. Keep it up
Honestly, these are the next bunch of cars to see some serious appreciation. The 911 has gone through it, the 1M has gone through it, and these are going to go through it. I would not be surprised if a really clean low-mileage Z3M costs more today than it did when it was new. I might have to start looking for one of these.
+artsohc The low mileage examples have been selling for more than the msrp price for at least a year now. The most recent S54 coupe has sold for around 80k.
Dudes just passionate... Ya"ll some hating scrubs
+Dominic Q I think they're just mad that they didn't see his post on Twitter about him coming to Houston so they have to criticize every video.
Lol the car community is like Democrats and Republicans on crack.
Why would anyone hate? Nice Car.. especially the sounds
Pops up in my feed 4 years later because I was googling them. My dream car. Now their going for $50,000+ for a clean low mileage car.
I should have bought the one years back for $10k. Probably the only BMW that I’ve ever desired.
Great looking cars
+Roads Untraveled for funerals
@@RivvBR You depressed?
Probably one of the best owners Matt has ever had on the show! One of my favorite cars EVER is the E46 M3 in LSB and I didn't even know the M roadster was offered in it but with 41 of them sold here I guess that's why, LOL!
Great everything with this episode!
And immediately all I can hear in my mind is Mr. Regular shouting "RARE COLOUR!"
mic'ing the owners! that's such a massive difference! thank you!
+willygoodness Yeah but would like to hear him aswell.
This is how a 6 should sound, future classic
My neighbor has a Z3M Coupe and a Z4M. They're so fast and nice. I've driven the Z3M Coupe and a few Z4M's and surprisingly they have a good sound system, which I never expected lol.
This was a great episode, really like the road too. Thank you Matt.
Awesome to see an S54 M coupe on the TST. I happen to own one as well.
What a magnificent example of a Z3M Coupe. Mark's car's suspension, color, exhaust, and S54, all together, are AMAZING! And the coupe, while not a beauty, is such a cute little thing. It looks like the drive was a proper hoot! Thanks Mark, Chucks Tuning and Matt, and Cheers from Charlotte, NC!
These cars are soooo dope. I didn't realize how rare they were. I never forget I raced one in a Srt-4 and it gave me a run for my money.
Great 1 take. Great N/A I6 engine
I am simple man. I see m coupe I upvote.
Cry my beloved BMW sound, the new M models just do not have that anymore...
Great job representing the model and community, Mark. Also glad to see you didn't let Matt smoke my new tires.
+DB Ward You are quite welcome, sir. I think at the time this was being filmed I wasn't 100% sure about selling the wheels, but I think Matt respects the owner's car enough to not burn out! :) New wheels!
One of the best reviews of the last year!
Thanks for the shout-out Mark!
+Enthusiast Auto Group Anytime! Anyone buys a coupe from you guys after referencing this video, I'll let you know where to send my finder's fee. ;)
There are handfuls of these in Japan but prices are going up all the time. People say they are the next best thing to the E30 M3.
+PacificCoastAuto They are, very similar suspension and weight to e30 chassis.
i6.. favorite engine, regardless of displacement! I really like this guy's mission, of keeping these cars going strong! Definitely a future classic.
These are such badass beamers....why did BMW stop making these? the Ferrari FF kinda reminds me of this car.
Back in the Day, the Coupé was a flop.
And the Z3 itself was stopped since it used a lot of E30 and E36-parts, which BMW no longer made.
Beautiful car and the guy loves his car.
It's good to find such passionate people. I hope to see more of this dudes cars.
Over 300 HP without turbos. BMW rocks!
another great one-take. I have wanted one of these since the first time i saw one. - Should have bought one back when they weren't so expensive ;(
Those wheels looks so great on it
Poor Matt .... he's been having the fight of the century with the sound. Thanks Matt for all the great, cool, funny vids! Much appreciated, greetings from Belgium!!
Have never liked the looks and shape of this car but it's one heck of a performer. Seen a few do well at our local autocrosses. Owner seems like a cool guy.
I am really enjoying this gentleman who owns the car. He is very intelligent and learned in his interests.
Such a cool car, and so rare with the S54 engine...thanks Matt for this video.
I own a S50 Euro-spec Z3M coupe, so if you are in Paris some day, I'd be happy to let you drive it, to complete the Z3M family review:)
Idle hat everyone is talking about the owner gave great background is well spoken and gave a lot of information on the car. He is the owner after all. I wish this was a longer vid.
Great audio with the two mics! Keep it up!
This may be becoming my dream car again
Dude knew exact what he was doing with his car props to him
for the first time in Matt's videos i hear someone who is so excited for his car :)
I rarely say shit, but I was just looking for more Z3M videos. So glad you did another. We never have enough hot hatchbacks.
I have the s52 model and I love it. It's always refreshing to get in and drive. I've had something similar happen when I had my windows cracked, and I heard these kids say "that's the ugliest fucking car i've ever seen". But then at the same time I have a bunch of people who come to ask questions and show love for the car. It's always nice to see reviews of the M Coupe. Really is a great car once you get inside.
Someone in my town has one of these, I didn't realize how rare this color was.
This is so different, and I love it!
Everyone complaining about the dude stfu you're the same people that complain about the guys that are quiet. Great vid, rare m coupe and extremely rare color/ interior combination. I love rare shit
I've spent many a day on that exact road. Should have went down FM3090 but the trip through the national forest isn't bad either. It's no comparison to the roads in some other states but it's the best around the Houston area. The 3 sister near San Antonio area are 10x better though.
This is so crazy. I first saw this video early in 2021 and got the bug to get one to replace the one I had to sell 9 years ago. Fast forward to April and I start the hunt and long story short it was Jon Martin who found the car I bought in Colorado where I was able to fly out and get it, meet him and then a month later rewatch this video and realize the "Legend" that he is
Perfect car, perfect color, perfect sound. Want one so bad.
+Motive Artworks I have a 2002 non-M 3.0 Coupe and can assure you that there is zero fun factor lost in the driving experience. The performance difference between a dual vanos 3.0L and the S52 is negligible. Put a decent set of springs or coil-overs on along with good rubber and they become more fun than a grown man should be allowed to have on a public road.
If you find one, buy it, and keep it. Coupe Cartel. Never Sell.
I love the looks of this car. I find it really beautiful and the rims are also nice
Holy shit this car sounds good!
Only a real enthusiasts can appreciate the looks, rarity and quality of these shoes. Local euro garage owner has 3 clown-shoe M's, pure beautys.
Probably the best car yet
Such an intelligent, and well spoken owner
I think this is the first time the passenger has talked more than Matt. This dude has some love for his car!
i`ve got a z3 2.8 coupe myself. i'm only 23 and its my first and only car. i'm interested in many different cars but i´m shivering thinking about selling the coupe one time cause if this car is gone i'm sure i'll never have the chance to own one again for the rest of my life. it's a damn good car!
+AztecxGer Yeah if you've got a coupe hold onto it for a while..even the 2.8's are seriously climbing in value
Hate hate hate this styling of this car........but I will admit, it sounds fucking amazing. And though I don't care for the style, it's super clean and still a gem...I kinda like the blue too.
tl:Dr I didn't care for the car before, now its grown on me a little.
Good stuff, keep em coming Matt!
oooh yes. the clown shoe is a classic. this thing is sick as hell.
DAT S54 SOUND THO
Could you please bring back the wheelwell links in the description? Great video, great car.
I am normally of the opinion that the S54 doesn’t sound very good, but this is probably my favorite S54 sound ever. Classic straight 6 sound with a touch of S54 rasp.
The sound that car puts out is awesome.
I remember my friends dad having one when I was like 8 when they first came out. that thing was so fast maybe I was just little but they're badass. would love to tune one
I used to test drive for BMW N.A., and that was one of my favorite cars to drive. They're sturdy in a crash too...
M Coupe is purely awesome!!! Love the car and mods. Farah is the man!!
I think Matt secretly has a thing for these cars...just can't admit it because he can't fit in one proper lol
ITT people hating on the owner. Come on people, he actually provided some interesting info on the car and his projects.
+Gaba yeah people will always bitch prolly younger kids.
+Gaba meh. whatever happened to the good old DISS... All this "calling out so-called "hating"" nonsense is just a pussified millennial tendency to whine over insignificance. Then when some REAL hate comes along you don't know what the fuck to do.
Why? Because PUSSIFIED.
The issue is that if he was "quieter" as they wanted, the same people would be complaining that the review was quiet and awkward. There's no pleasing people.
Wow, this is why I own Sennheiser 598 se's, that exhaust note is eargasmic.
Im in Dallas and wish I had my SVX running while you're close. I should be putting the wrx 5spd in soon.
whoa! I enjoyed this road like I was with you guys! Great review!
I live in Boston Mass. and there was a real dark navy colored one for sale not that long ago right near where I live. And it had the S54 motor in it it was an M coupe.
Hey Matt, You did drive the Z4M Coupe actually a few months ago (it's in your one takes). I much prefer the Z4M in terms of styling personally, and in terms of performance, well it weighs the same as the Z3M, but has better suspension design, braking performance and much better steering out of the box. In terms of rarity, in the US there are more Z3M Coupes, but a bit less Z3M s54 coupes. The Z4M is in my opinion much more refined.
really hope you are doing this in a few years still. i have several cool cars but should have something really special done in 1-1.5 years.
What's with the audio levels? Need better mastering @TheSmokingTire
I had to use a different track because my wired lav had a bunch of cracks.
You have to be kidding me. Buy some better speakers. It sounds fine. Christ.
+TheSmokingTire hey Matt. Seriously, the audio things are not a big deal. I think everyone appreciates what you do. Kind of sickening to hear people berate you on some "non ultra audiophile recording conditions" things.
I obsess over audio on a technical level, and it doesn't bother me at all. People just come on the internet to find something to get angry about.
ps maybe I'll have to bring you a (cali) car to drive... eventually.
+mammothfire This owner in this video clearly shows that Matt doesn't have audio issues. Matt either has the microphone placed in the wrong spot, or he just isn't taking loud enough, because I can hear the owner loud and clear.
+WeekEnd133
They have separate mics. If I were in LA I would totally come be your sound guy. I have a weird buddy I could recommend in town though. Beware, he likes Yugos and shit like that. Hell, I own a Chevette. You probably shouldn't keep reading actually.
yeah yeah. yup. that sounds damn good
I recently bought an '01 3.0 roadster. No disrespect, but I prefer the roadster over the coupe. I love the exhaust on this car. the Z3 gives such a throw back driving experience that you really should drive one if you haven't already. I love mine and I will definitely be keeping it. I'll be looking for an M roadster in the near future. Love that inline 6 sound.
Wonder what happend to number 1-10 of his previous Z3Ms....
The car wrote history...
Little correction on the specs, in the MZ3 coupe with the S54 engine only has 315 HP because the cats are closer to the engine
We recently bought a "normal" Z3 3.0 (which I'm not allowed to drive), and the previous owner had done a "tall man's mod" too, including re-positioning the seat-rails.
That meant that we needed a new interior carpet when undoing that, and BMW is asking some crazy prices.
Love the look of the shoe
Lol all these haters are salty because they cant afford something like an M Coupe.
Love me a clownshoe! I have driven both the z4 and z3 coupes and I prefer the Z4 as it is more refined. But the original M coupe looks better- wouldn't change a thing. Love the deep fish wheels, low stance- just a amazing.
Why is the passenger's audio so clear when Matt sounds like he's yelling down a hallway?
Bought my Imola Red S52 M Coupe from Enthusiast, best purchase of my life!
Ahhh my favorite Drift Car, in Gran Turismo! lol.
Mad love for the clown shoe.
Guy is very articulate.
+Danny Hsu one word.... cocaine
+Danny Hsu what does articulate mean?
+CarPassion try google. but it means good at forming thoughts and translating them into words that are in a understandable and clear. basically.
tmacfan16 aaah thank you for explaining its a nice word tbh.
+Danny Hsu I'd say he can't shut the fuck up. But whatever lol.
Great car! Great sound in this video too! Good job
Great episode, thank you Matt!!!
Love that s54 i6 love that lsb I just can't seem to love the clown shoe tho great vid as always 👍
Matt, you're clip-mic wasn't working.
It had a ton of pops and cracks so I didn't use it
TheSmokingTire Ah, makes sense...
Rock on. Great car and a truly enthusiastic owner!
Damn, that engine looks huge in that car.
What an amazing sound. I like the Z4 coupe more, but man what a sound. Great car he has there.
Very nice review. I'm willing to bet a lot of the added acceleration felt was due to the lower diff. Stock they shouldn't feel too different until higher speeds.
wow, that sound is really good
There was a Z3M at the local dealer years ago and was tempted, great for hauling the dog around, but I did not pull the trigger....regretted that lack of initiative, both S52 and S54 prices are increasing.
Love the sound of that S54 engine, beautiful inline 6. :) I prefer the slightly newer Z4 M, but these are cool too.
Do the catless headers cut down on the rasp of the S54 or is the mic just not picking it up in the outside shots
+moeblisss12 It's less raspy than stock, for sure. It's not completely eliminated, but the sound is so much different with the Eisenmanns out the back.
Got Mark, thanks for the reply
Mark Rand Got it Mark, thanks for the reply