BMW M3 Owners

[quote]Growing_Boy wrote:
Convertible = Homosexual[/quote]

ironically, this is the gayest post ever.

For the northeast, a BMW M3 is not the year round car for you. If you must have an M3, then get yourselves a cheap 4wd for when the weather gets shi^*y. Jeeps and old Subarus are a dime a dozen in New England. You will thamk yourself when the salt and crud on the roads are eating the cheap 4wd instead of the Beemer.

For my 2cc the original 4cyl M3 is the best. Its got that 80’s charm, and more of a seat of your pants feel to it.

I had a older 525i, and with performance tires that thing was anything but docile in the rain, I could barely control it with my spirited driving most of the time. I couldn’t imagine an m3 in snow. Unless you have a $0 copay on your insurance I’d advise you both hit up a snow rally instructional driving course.

[quote]Tyrant wrote:
I had a older 525i, and with performance tires that thing was anything but docile in the rain, I could barely control it with my spirited driving most of the time. I couldn’t imagine an m3 in snow. Unless you have a $0 copay on your insurance I’d advise you both hit up a snow rally instructional driving course.[/quote]

Nah nah nah man…let him pose `n crash!

That shit is funny as hell! <grinnin`>

I disagree somewhat with the snow comments, as it ALL comes down to tires.
An M3 on stock wheels/tires will be terrible, yes. But an M3 on thinner wheels and snow tires will be quite good.

I have a '97 E36 M3. She has 178k miles on it and still runs like new, and fast. Ive taken her 135 mph once, dont drive like that since Ive become a dad.
Definatly getting an E46 next, someday when i can justify dropping the cash for it.
Mine drives fine in the snow… what little snow Va Beach gets.

The newer M3 (08 and up) is the first body that I’ve liked over the M5.

However, as swiss and RSGZ said, the RS4 is a nicer sports car and the S5 is simply stunning - to drive AND to look at, both inside and out. Audi has been hitting home runs with their styling as of late. I’m really impressed.

Dude, if you’re going to drop 70k+ on a sports car and want AWD, go for a Nissan GT-R. I don’t think any other car comes close for the money. Oh, but try finding one, first.

The E46 M3 has to be one of the greatest cars ever built. Fantastic at performance, but smooth and stealth for just regular cruising. Extreme handling that will make you puke…Oh i love it. I don’t have one right now, but planning for it in 2 years after I get out of medical school (hopefully). Since the E46 is obviously discontinued, and the new redesign has come in, prices for the 01-05 have dropped, and there are great deals everywhere if you knew where to look. Where do you live btw?

If your in Southern Cal, fantastic place to get great deals. Important thing is to find one with low mileage (even at a higher expense if you can afford), because I hear that it has electrical problems quite frequently, especially with their SMG transmission. Also, for that reason, I suggest a manual trannie. If you don’t know it, learn. SMG is a great invention in my opinion, but I’ve had a few friends with M3 SMG become faulty after a few months. The mileage of theirs was 60k+ mileage at least. And these guys were the absolute best at taking care of their cars.

[quote]CoreyK wrote:
I disagree somewhat with the snow comments, as it ALL comes down to tires.
An M3 on stock wheels/tires will be terrible, yes. But an M3 on thinner wheels and snow tires will be quite good.
[/quote]

Im sorry but it does not ALL come down to tires.

Tires can significantly impact the traction on snow yes but rear wheel drive is rear wheel drive. Traction control will help but you’re still looking at a MORE dangerous option than a front wheel drive and definitely compared to a 4 wheel drive.

[quote]Cowboy_69 wrote:

I know jack shit about cars but I did find it amusing that the OP is buying a car…yet its his GIRL whos got relevant questions to ask regarding the purchase.

Carry on :D[/quote]

The reason she had the questions is b/c I already know a large amount about the car and the questions she had were basically things that owners could answer. Never owned an M3 therefore couldn’t give an appropriate response.

:smiley:

Well this weekend we are going to go drive a 330CI as well as an M3 (330 first then M3) in order for her to see which one she wants.

If we go with the M3 it will be running the best snow tires, have plenty of sandbags in the trunk and be driven very carefully for short runs only. (in the winter)

and i got a flat today, it made me wish i had a new car! lol

[quote]CoreyK wrote:
I disagree somewhat with the snow comments, as it ALL comes down to tires.
An M3 on stock wheels/tires will be terrible, yes. But an M3 on thinner wheels and snow tires will be quite good.
[/quote]

And why on earth would you be putting thinner tires on a performance car? MAYBE if you had a set of good weather rims and tires and then a set for winter, but for every day driving? That would reduce your overall performance and not exactly what a M3 owner would want.

[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
CoreyK wrote:
I disagree somewhat with the snow comments, as it ALL comes down to tires.
An M3 on stock wheels/tires will be terrible, yes. But an M3 on thinner wheels and snow tires will be quite good.

And why on earth would you be putting thinner tires on a performance car? MAYBE if you had a set of good weather rims and tires and then a set for winter, but for every day driving? That would reduce your overall performance and not exactly what a M3 owner would want.[/quote]

Uh, thinner tires = better traction/handling, and thus better performance.

There is less tire well to flex around when the body of the car rolls (with thinner tires, I mean).

[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
CoreyK wrote:
I disagree somewhat with the snow comments, as it ALL comes down to tires.
An M3 on stock wheels/tires will be terrible, yes. But an M3 on thinner wheels and snow tires will be quite good.

And why on earth would you be putting thinner tires on a performance car? MAYBE if you had a set of good weather rims and tires and then a set for winter, but for every day driving? That would reduce your overall performance and not exactly what a M3 owner would want.[/quote]

Why do you think most sports cars, especially exotics, come with really big rims (19" +) or low profile tires? That’s also why the ride quality is HARSHER, but it means the car handles better, too.

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
CrewPierce wrote:
CoreyK wrote:
I disagree somewhat with the snow comments, as it ALL comes down to tires.
An M3 on stock wheels/tires will be terrible, yes. But an M3 on thinner wheels and snow tires will be quite good.

And why on earth would you be putting thinner tires on a performance car? MAYBE if you had a set of good weather rims and tires and then a set for winter, but for every day driving? That would reduce your overall performance and not exactly what a M3 owner would want.

Why do you think most sports cars, especially exotics, come with really big rims (19" +) or low profile tires? That’s also why the ride quality is HARSHER, but it means the car handles better, too.[/quote]

Uh I guess I should have been clearer in my post. When I was talking about thinner tires I meant rims. I was wondering why you would take the nice large rims and low profile tires off the M3 and replace them with thinner rims and snow tires. That would make your performance suck like you said, defeating the purpose of the car.

you have to deeply consider that here in MA winter is majority of the year.

but at the same time TBH theres really only a few blizzards every year and outside from the blizzards the streets are typically plowed and sanded.

I drove the entire winter in my rear wheel drive car with summer tires on. Pittsburgh has plenty of both snow and hills. So you can’t drive like it’s summer dry pavement. Slow down. You’ll get there anyway.

[quote]swissrugby67 wrote:
CoreyK wrote:
I disagree somewhat with the snow comments, as it ALL comes down to tires.
An M3 on stock wheels/tires will be terrible, yes. But an M3 on thinner wheels and snow tires will be quite good.

Im sorry but it does not ALL come down to tires.

Tires can significantly impact the traction on snow yes but rear wheel drive is rear wheel drive. Traction control will help but you’re still looking at a MORE dangerous option than a front wheel drive and definitely compared to a 4 wheel drive.[/quote]

This is where I have to disagree…

I drove a 98 Z28 for 5 years in washington state winters over the pass between central washington and seattle and drove it to go snowboarding in Canada…

Proper tires, a set of quality low-profile cable chains, and not being a retard are all you need… I drove that thing on solid sheets of ice because of the studded tires and chains… I have seen AWD cars (audis, subarus, trucks and SUVS) get stuck in crap I didnt because I had the PROPER tires and had respect for what I was driving on…

Get a set of extra wheels that are narrower then stock and get the smallest tires that fit on them… Get Quality High performance studded snow tires (if your state allows studs) and get a set of easy to put on low profile cable chains and your set…

Also, rear wheel drives are not going to automatically kill you in the winter… INFACT, a study published by the Society for Automotive Engineers a few years back showed that while rear wheel cars go into skids easier they are MUCH easier to control, turn into the skid and slowly let of the gass and you will regain traction… Want to know what to do when your front wheel car looses traction? Hold on to the steering wheel and pray to your gods cause there is not jack ass crap you can do…

Keep weight in the back, keep the gas tank full (lots of added weight) and youll be fine…

AWD cars are always fun, but in the end get what you want… besides, a 1k old school mitsubishi or toyota truck from the 80’s can be had for less the 1k bucks… use that on really crappy days if you have too…

If you do get it, get the supplies above, go to a large parking lot when it snows, and learn how to respond, do it until its second nature, and your all set…