siideways

So today marks exactly one month of ownership of my newly beloved C36. And in order to put my evaluation into any sort of context, I’ve decided to compare it against my other love (no, not my wife or infant son, hehe), an E36 M3 which I’ve owned since brand new (1997).

First, the pros: The C36 has a lot more grunt all through-out the power band, which is obviously contributed by the C36’s superior overall torque (284 lb/ft vs. only 236 lb/ft in the M3) and horsepower (276 HP vs. 240 HP). And while it also tips the scales with a lot more heft (3550 lbs. vs. 3250 lbs.), what this translates into is an unparalleled driving experience particularly at speed, where the C36 shines best. It just feels no strain whatsoever at 80+ MPH. I would imagine both the 5-speed transmission’s higher (?) final drive (taller 5th gear than the M3) and larger displacement (3.6L vs. 3.2L) play key roles in this. Speaking of the transmission, the shifting is velvety smooth, with the gearing spaced out just right. Fit and finish is impeccable and NVH is at a bare minimum, offering a much quieter cabin than the M3.

Now for the cons: The C36 definitely gets much poorer gas mileage (~21-22 MPG) than my M3 (~25-26 MPG), and that’s driving with a very light foot! And although I’ve mentioned how smooth and quiet the powertrain is while at speed and under light throttle applications, these attributes disappear in a hurry under WOT conditions. Someone here on the forums had once said that as nice as the C36’s straight six is, it still doesn’t hold a candle to BMW’s legendary S52. This is effectively illustrated at full throttle, when the M104 gargles and groans an unsettling raucous growl as it works its way to redline. Perhaps the C43’s V8 is butter smooth at this process, but the C36 hasn’t quite perfected the tune. Needless to say, in comparison, the M3’s I6 is a well-rehearsed choir that gleefully sings its way to fuel cut-off in a perfect succession of alto and tenor. And dynamically, the C36 doesn’t quite exhibit the handling characteristics of the M3’s confidence-inspiring sure-footedness.

But that’s ok. The C36 perfectly fits the bill (at least mine) for what it was intended, which in my case, was a luxurious, powerful, and somewhat practical (hey, at least it’s got 4 doors and an automatic transmission – these are what sold my wife!) sport sedan that doesn’t yawn me to death during my daily 50+ mile roundtrip traffic-ridden commute. So the bottom line? This vehicle definitely speaks volume in its testament to the quality that I would expect from a marque like Mercedes, and although not as fun to drive as my M3, it is far more comfortable as a daily driver, and that’s exactly what I wanted.~

KJI3jflarryfe93

glad you like the car.

only 240 bhp in a M3?
WTF?
In europe a 1997 M3 never had any 240 bhp!
I think it had 286 or 321 bhp, not sure?

what kind of a car is this you have?
is it fitted with an automatic transmission?

Saaboteur

North American E36 M3s only had 240hp. I think they were all the 3.2L engine?

However, there were about 40 Euro spec cars imported to Canada in '94 with the 280hp 3.0 engine. Cool, eh? I saw one for sale recently.

VeeDubbVR6

The US spec E36 M3's only came with the 240hp motor, some of the euro models have been imported, just a rarity to find ones for sale in decent enough shape to want to buy for the price they hail. The main difference was the VANOS and ITB setup...much like what we got in the E46 M3's over here...

siideways

Yes, all U.S.-bound E36 M3s had only 240 HP, mostly for pricing and emissions reasons. And to clarify, only the 95 models had the 3.0L I6. 96-99 models got a displacement bump to 3.2L, and although power remained the same at 240HP, torque increased from 225 to 236 lb/ft.

503C43 ////AMG

^^^ these numbers are correct. The 95's are the ones you want as they are OBD1 and MUCH easier to tune as there were less emission restrictions. I'll tell you for only having 240 HP they sure are quick. The 50/50 weight distribution is what really makes these cars a blast. I was looking at buying an E36 M3 until I found my C43. I have ALWAYS been a V8 guy and after driving it I had to have it. After owning my AMG I can't see my self buying an E36 (although I do LOVE the body style) now I am AMG ADDICTED.

austinholloman

I am a happy owner of both an 1997 E36 Black on Black 4 door 5spd Auto and a 1998 C43 Black on black 5spd Auto. Both of my cars have H&R and Bilstein setup. The M3 is such a fun car to own and drive, it feels more like a go cart. The Mercedes is much more powerful at any speed and feels like a higher priced car. I couldn't live with out either. M3 takes the cake with fuel eco... 29mpg on the highway ez.... Only thing my M3 has that I wish the C43 did, LSD!!! Makes that car a BLAST to drive hard.

siideways

I thought all C36/43s have LSD?!?

503C43 ////AMG

All of us C43 owners WISH they had LSD's....

appatula

Beautiful writeup! Don't forget about the fold down rear seats for home improvment trips to home depot


Denis on here has a modded LSD on his C36 with a higher ratio(I think around 3). The thing is SOOOO zippy. All that is needed is a LSD from a 16V diff. The internals swap right into the W202 diff housing from what I know.

VeeDubbVR6

Yup, wish we had an LSD...badly!!

austinholloman

No LSD but now that I know where I can find one, it wont be long. The E36 M3's US spec were also very hard to find with LSD. If you have one, consider yourself very lucky.