id be the first to admit it if it wasnt… stock for stock the e36 has better feel, the stock m3 i drove i wasnt a big fan of… but with coilovers, the exhaust the seats and the smg trans i like the feel and responsiveness of my car more then the e36
e36 is lighter and offers way more feedback. thats why its the most popular bmw for racing. Sure you can take any car and make it handle great and offer feedback but the e46 is just too heavy.
I dont see why the e92 m3 curb weight of 3600 lbs is that bad.