There’s nothing quite like the feeling of returning to reality after a weekend you’ve anticipated for months. Every year, I look forward to my return trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee for the Riverside Spring Meet where I catch up with all my childhood friends, make new ones, and enjoy some of the best builds the East [...]
The BMW E46 325i was one of the more popular options when it was new, but as the chassis is now twenty years old at its oldest, these lower-trim 3-series examples have fallen from favor. The 330i and M3 tend to attract more attention, but that means these less-desirable versions are more affordable than ever. [...]
We have a lot of love for the E46 chassis here at ECS. Truth be told, it used to be a black sheep, of sorts because it sat in the middle between beloved classics and contemporary performance models in BMW’s lineup. The E46 was a drastic change in visual design for BMW, with a rounded [...]
The BMW E46 M3 has always been considered one of the most celebrated dedicated performance platforms. It’s powerful, rear-wheel drive, includes a limited-slip differential, was equipped with either a manual transmission or a single-clutch automated manual, and checks all the boxes for enthusiasts. However, as with any high-performance BMW built with cutting-edge technology, there are [...]
The E46 M3 is considered the last analog M3 and is still used today as the benchmark quintessential sports car. With a celebrated history, massive enthusiast community, and astounding aftermarket support, it has maintained relevance and still commands a premium price, even for SMG-equipped examples. Despite all those positives, and the 333bhp S54 power plant [...]
After I witnessed what was possibly the worst example of ‘car enthusiasm’ at Ocean City last weekend, Chattanooga Tennessee’s Riverside Fall 2020 was as wonderful an experience as it always has been for me and an opposite experience to H2Oi. Riverside is my hometown show. It started in 2014 and has been a staple in [...]
After endless amounts of research, reading the social media posts, watching the videos, and preparing myself for H2Oi, I felt like I had a grasp on what to expect in Ocean City for the annual ‘unsanctioned’ event. What I found was something entirely different, yet exactly the same, as everyone had described to me before [...]
The E90 335i is a car that surprised everyone, especially BMW, with its performance potential. Shortly after it hit the market, tuners were jumping at the non-M car. The reasons they skipped the M3 and went for the 335i were the astounding capabilities the N54 possessed that allowed it to reach high horsepower figures with [...]
There are quite a few characteristics of the E36 M3 that made it famous. It has incredible balance in terms of power and handling, it has a rigid chassis, bulletproof engine options between the two US-Spec and one ROW-spec engine, they look freaking sick with proper fitment and some simple exterior upgrades, and they have [...]
Remember when you could buy a BMW E36 M3 for like $5k? Yeah… those were the days. Now, good luck finding one in any sort of condition that doesn’t make your eyes bleed for less than $15k. If you were one of those lucky few who snagged an E36 M3 at rock bottom used prices, [...]