Thread: C63 vs M3 vs ISF

This is pretty old debate but I'd love some fresh, simple answers as to which one you would choose. I have a huge mix of answers coming from every which way but I'd be glad to hear some opinions from fellow 4 members. I am on the hunt right now but looking to purchase in early Spring. Leaning towards the C63 (gives me everything I want (class, comfort, power, DD) but having a horrible time finding a CPO. M3 would be great but can't find the options I want within budget and last the ISF is just an overall awesome looking car in my eyes.

p.s. If you have me on Facebook, start bugging me to stop by more often. I love this place still but I've been more of a lurker lately.

I am a bit partial since I have a M3. Not a fan of ISF at all. C63 is nice. There are lots of comparison videos on YouTube.

would you be going for a 4 door M3 / C63, or the coupe variants? if you can find both as CPO's and with warranties, i say just drive both and see which you enjoy more. they're both super fast, sound amazing, luxurious, look great, it really comes down to personal preference. you already have a 3 series, so perhaps you'd be more comfortable in a M3.
personally i feel the M3 has a nicer looking interior.

M3>C63>ISF in my opinion. The M3 and C63 are just beasts, but I'm a BMW lover so the M3 wins it for me.

For me between m3 and c63 drive them both..................I would probably go with m3.

Originally Posted by TurboBaron9

would you be going for a 4 door M3 / C63, or the coupe variants? if you can find both as CPO's and with warranties, i say just drive both and see which you enjoy more. they're both super fast, sound amazing, luxurious, look great, it really comes down to personal preference. you already have a 3 series, so perhaps you'd be more comfortable in a M3.
personally i feel the M3 has a nicer looking interior.

First person that has said that. Crazy!

C63 all the way...... ISF and M3 are kinda tied for me, they both have a lot of great qualities but i feel they dont have the intensity of the C63

Considered the same cars, and I put my money into an M3. 3.5 years later, I don't regret it at all.

M3: If you _really_ enjoy handling and steering feel. Most people can't tell the difference, but those who can love the lightfooted feeling of the M3. Also the only choice if you like to shift your own gears, like I do. The downside for a lot of people is that they feel that it doesn't have enough low end torque. From a stoplight, even I often preferred driving my wife's old 335 than my M3 sometimes. Yes, the revving engine is great, but unless you have the right roads, you can't experience it as often as you'd like.

C63: Close 2nd for me. It's such a beast of an engine and much more low end torque than the M3. It gives you the "pushed into the seat" feeling at any point. It also still has that European/sport feel that I like, but the suspension was just a _bit_ less composed over bumps, when compared to my M3 w/ electronic damping.

IS-F: It's not for me, however, I can see why people like it. Nobody has the interior ergonomics as good as Lexus, IMO. I love the feel over every little knob, especially the turn signals. Also, around town, it's soooo easy to drive, like you're driving a Camry. You forget that your driving a 400+ HP car, and then you hit the gas and the engine comes alive! I didn't like the turn-in and suspension so much for the type of driving that I do, but again, it may be exactly what you're looking for. Finally cost-wise, IS-Fs were on fire sale for a period of time, so you might be able to pick one up for a substantially better price than the others.

Originally Posted by ddigangi

First person that has said that. Crazy!

You must be talking to weird people, man. Probably no one of them has ever been in either. The C63 is like an american car from the inside- plastic everywhere and Xenons are an option.
The M3 has a perfect interior, looks and quality arent even on the same paper. I dont really see how the Lexus fits in this comparision so I'll leave it out at all. The M is the perfect package. Everything esle is just an alternative thats based on individual liking or needs. It offers the best ride comfort and handles better than the C63. The Merc might be more fun due to power and torque figures- most people also prefere the sound. The steering wheel and seat position are rubbish. No manual option. I assume you dont care 4 fuel consumption? If you do- the M is your choice again. If you're going to drive sporty or even trackdays- the merc will just eat tiers and brakes will fade rather quickly. In case you're going to put more power into the car- the M's chassis is much more capable of coping without much aditional modifications. The merc wont.

Originally Posted by [Petrolsexual]

You must be talking to weird people, man. Probably no one of them has ever been in either. The C63 is like an american car from the inside- plastic everywhere and Xenons are an option.
The M3 has a perfect interior, looks and quality arent even on the same paper.

i disagree.... they both look cheap and plasticy... i sat in the M3 and didnt feel it was any better quality than the merc....






for comparisons sake, here is the ISF