6 months with a V8 M3

[Pep]

So I've had the car for 6 months now, thought a quick clean and a thread might be worthwhile.
I've done about 3700 miles, used in the region of £1100 worth of fuel, 1 set of rear tyres, £7k worth of warranty work, probably lost a couple of grand in depreciation.
So last week I went for a long spin up the Cat and Fiddle and some other decent roads.

Great roads and good fun, although with traction control off you do have to be careful on exits even on dry roads!
This weekend I was down in London, steady drive at 70-80mph gives pretty good MPG!

so after al the miles it was due a bit of a clean up and also transferred my plate over from my bike. The front is way too small but I couldn't find a legal size plate so will be ordering one, bit of an oversight!

Still loving this car so much as it does everything so well. Plans are some Comp Pack wheels in silver hopefully next month along with the new rear tyres, then it needs a bit of paintwork annoyingly, front bumper is pretty badly stone chipped and also 2 big ones on the bonnet. And got reversed into so the back needs a going over as well, but not in a huge rush.

 

[182Trophy]

How well do these things go? Hear a lot of people on PH talking b****cks saying they aren't that quick ect.

 

[ForceIndia]

How well do these things go? Hear a lot of people on PH talking b****cks saying they aren't that quick ect.

If you jump out of a c63, or something modern and turbocharged, the m3 doesn't feel massively quick until you're high up in the revs. They are still very quick cars, but you have to Rev it out to get all the performance. Whereas an M4 feels ballistic due to the on demand torque.

 

[AdDaMan]

Basically, if its healthy and you drive it like a VTEC then they are very quick cars. Drive it like a normal V8 and they arent.

 

[Advikaz]

Epic roads

 

[Al_G]

£7k of warranty work lol?

 

[JackD]

Glad you're not selling! Comp wheels and you're onto a winner.

 

[adamlstr]

Basically, if its healthy and you drive it like a VTEC then they are very quick cars. Drive it like a normal V8 and they arent.

Spot. f**king. On.

I love these so so much. With an Akrapovic titanium full system on, at 8krpm, there aren't many better sounds.

@JoePeps Nice to hear no horror stories, or at least ones you're picking up the tab for.

 

[Pep]

£7k of warranty work lol?

Complete engine wiring loom replacement due to a damaged connector, and then both throttle actuators!

 

[PP200t]

Absolutely beautiful car mate, that was when dirty, clean is something else!!
Really would love the chance of one of these. Won't happen in the near or distant future though I doubt. Will have to try and get a ride or test drive in one some time.

 

[Pep]

How well do these things go? Hear a lot of people on PH talking b****cks saying they aren't that quick ect.

As said above they are brutal if you get your toe down. Can easily be embarrassed by lesser cars if you're not up in the revs or get caught off guard but keeping it up high it's mental.
I've had a few plays with a C63 & an RS5 and there's pretty much nothing between them at all.

As @Sir_Dave will now know the 2 pipe mod on the exhaust sounds incredible but is really hard to capture on a camera. This is a little pop whilst on the cold start, was pretty loud in person! Then the second is through stoke tunnel, couldn't hear myself think!

 

[ColinG]

Awesome car! :up:

Terrible wheels! :down:

 

[Matt W]

This will be epic with the new wheels! Sounds so good.

 

[ColinG]

Some 359M wheels will be absolutely stunning on it!

 

[adamlstr]

Some 359M wheels will be absolutely stunning on it!

See, I massively prefer the 18" wheels on these.

 

[ColinG]

 

[adamlstr]

Touche.

Found these while googling, think they look better than either tbh - no idea what they are! Maybe latest gen X3?

 

[ColinG]

Touche.

Found these while googling, think they look better than either tbh - no idea what they are! Maybe latest gen X3?

Second wheels are the M3 and M4 18" option. Which we don't even get the choice of. I think they look great but both of the 18" options only really work with a drop imo.

 

[Rob]

Nice little write up that, sod that wiring loom work though! Although I imagine outside of warranty a specialist would have just fitted a new connector?

Yes, yes yes yes yes yes, yes.

 

[adamlstr]

Second wheels are the M3 and M4 18" option. Which we don't even get the choice of. I think they look great but both of the 18" options only really work with a drop imo.

Ah, they look good and help keep the E90 modern in that photo. So, chuck a set of 'cooksports' at it @JoePeps ?

 

[Pep]

Nice little write up that, sod that wiring loom work though! Although I imagine outside of warranty a specialist would have just fitted a new connector?


Yes, yes yes yes yes yes, yes.

Thanks.
Yeah a new connector would be the easy job, just BMW aren't allowed to do that apparently.

359's look great, roll on payday!

 

[Sir_Dave]

How well do these things go? Hear a lot of people on PH talking b****cks saying they aren't that quick ect.

They are quick, people on PH talk boll0cks most of the time tbh. Last time someone was comparing the low down torque of an M135i to one ffs.

Basically, if its healthy and you drive it like a VTEC then they are very quick cars. Drive it like a normal V8 and they arent.

If you drive it like a normal car they are very quick (i only tend to go to 4-5k in normal driving), but its just seamless power increase, not kick in the back turbo style shove. If you drive it like a VTEC they are pretty ballistic, with a noise that is just "er mag gawd".

As @Sir_Dave will now know the 2 pipe mod on the exhaust sounds incredible but is really hard to capture on a camera.

Yup, does sound epic. My friend gave it a blip on cold start the other day & the look on his face was hilarious.
I prefer it to the AMG's tbh, less "forced" sounding.

Some 359M wheels will be absolutely stunning on it!

See, i used to be desperate for them, but have grown to love the standard forged ones, they are also lighter than the M359's :wink:
For me, i like the standard look, mine simply blends in with the surroundings, which i like, just looks like a 320d to "normal" folk.

As a bonus, less money spent on wheels = more money for fuel. Which at 18mpg average, i need lol.
To get 30mpg @JoePeps you must have been properly dawdling, i did 23mpg on the way home to Cornwall last!!

 

[chris_p]

Lovely mate.
2K in depreciation is surprising though?! Wouldn't have thought so.

Anyone that doesn't think these are quick needs their head checking, 250bhp/ton. That's the same as a V12 DB9, Caterham Super 7, Audi R8.
Whilst turbo torque feels fast, and can be useful on the daily, proper drivers would prefer N/A linear power delivery all day long.

 

[BoatNonce]

Caterham Super 7

An entry level Roadsport maybe.

Not any of the quick ones!

 

[chris_p]

An entry level Roadsport maybe.

Not any of the quick ones!

Caterham 7 270S. They're all quick, they're Caterhams FFS. Obviously it wouldn't compare to the higher powered variants, totally different machine.

 

[BoatNonce]

Caterham 7 270S. They're all quick, they're Caterhams FFS. Obviously it wouldn't compare to the higher powered variants, totally different machine.

Not a 270, A Roadsport 140.

 

[Addicted]

Nice!

£7k warranty work flol! Reg plate needs sorting out tho

 

[cat171]

I love it Joe! I'd just get the wheels done in silver tbh, Sir Daves car looks spot on.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

I've had 30 out of my Dads lol, yes 70 mph down the M56 first lane all the way to Lymm. Come off the motorway and it dropped to 23 then 19 lol.

 

[Pep]

Lovely mate.
2K in depreciation is surprising though?! Wouldn't have thought so.

Anyone that doesn't think these are quick needs their head checking, 250bhp/ton. That's the same as a V12 DB9, Caterham Super 7, Audi R8.
Whilst turbo torque feels fast, and can be useful on the daily, proper drivers would prefer N/A linear power delivery all day long.

I bought from a main dealer so bet it's not far off when you get a realistic sale price.

@Sir_Dave that was pretty much 75mph on the cruise and then 50mph at the roadworks. Reset it since I filled up last night and it's back to 15.6mpg!

 

[brisa4984]

7k of warranty work??

 

[dan_88]

Really fancy one of these. Need to go and have a go in one

 

[Mr Plums]

I always thought the shape after the e46 was turbocharged, is it the e90?

Nice car mate.

 

[ForceIndia]

I always thought the shape after the e46 was turbocharged, is it the e90?

Nice car mate.

Na v8. Lovely motor.

 

[JackD]

4.0 V8 growling to 8,400 rpm mate! Cracker of an engine.

 

[ColinG]

I always thought the shape after the e46 was turbocharged, is it the e90?

Nice car mate.

It's the shape after the e90 that's turbocharged. The F80.

 

[JD]

Want. But don't want to lose the soft top on mine... any ideas on how good the CC version is?!

 

[Rich-D]

Awesome car! :up:
Terrible wheels! :down:

+1

 

[Pep]

Want. But don't want to lose the soft top on mine... any ideas on how good the CC version is?!

Probably still incredible to be honest, and certainly look better than the E46 cab did.

 

[ForceIndia]

Want. But don't want to lose the soft top on mine... any ideas on how good the CC version is?!

Bit wobbly, but you still get that motor. Dreadful image though, bit like vert versions of the 911, you gain the sky but lose 99.9% of accumulated petrol head points.