Originally Posted by
tuckerware
For perspective, I've owned some other pretty capable sports cars like a 997 C2S and a GT350 but also had at least some seat time in lots of other cars...NSX, 996 Turbo, etc. 996 GT3 is among the best I've driven.
The E36 is has a a few mods and mostly fully built street suspension. AA Intake, Dinan Chip, AA Exhaust, F&R Strut Braces, F&R adjustable sways, GC Camber plates, & PSS9 Coilovers. So, some tangible improvements over stock.
That being said, my E36 M3 is the best canyon car I've ever driven. It has all the power you need without getting stupid fast and the most beautifully balanced chassis/suspension setup. Utterly neutral and communicative but still very supple to absorb real world roads. Plus great visibility while being relatively small and light. And I'd argue anyone with decent driving skill can get in and instantly feel comfortable at a pretty good pace.
Now, they are becoming a bit of a PITA. Of course the cooling system sucks so I went full aluminum radiator and expansion tank along with electric cooling fan. The door cards are possibly the worst engineered in the history of door cards. And now that it is a "classic" seemingly normal parts like door seals are $400+ or even worse NLA. My car is way too nice to track out but I totally get the appeal as it becomes less and less practical to keep stock. At least the motor is easy to work on and pretty bulletproof.
The E46 is a much nicer place to be and in ZHP trim is very close in power plus has an extra gear and tighter steering rack. Even carrying around a couple hundred extra pounds I would think that with similar mods you could deliver a similar experience without a lot of the old car headaches.