RE: BMW E30 M3: Time for Tea?
Discussion
Baryonyx said:
I often think I've logged onto Mumsnet by mistake when I see posters saying things like "you have rev it to make progress, what a chore".
No mums net can get b
hy! I also didn't say it was a chore, the speech marks should have ended before ......A Ferrari 360 or 430 can be scintillating at the red line but sometimes on the road you also want low down grunt and my E30 had a few down sides for ME, it didn't feel any more powerful than my 325 and this was probably due to low down torque....it just didn't satisfy as a road car and I had a track day prepared 911 so the M3 went.
It also wasn't THE best handling RWD car, it was good and VERY forgiving and controllable but there are far better handling cars depending on what you classify as handling.....I think the poster may be talking about the wonderful balance of low ish grip and just enough power for the grip....brilliant balance but many cars would easily out handle one.
g3org3y said:
If we're doing Petrolicious videos, this E28 M5 video is worth a watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQKOsDi5HsU
Sounds bloody awesome!
Yup, 400k miles by the original and only owner and it still looks mint - gotta respect the hell outta that! Sounds bloody awesome!
One of the things I discovered is that on first aquaintence the E30M3 does seem a little underwhelming. It is only when you start to put some load into the chassis that it comes alive. To do that you need to stir the engine as by modern standards thay are not fast. But is doing so the car really comes alive and can be made to dance to what ever tune you like, aside from big power oversteer as the power isn't there. They are certainly not like a modern car which flatter to decieve. I've driven plenty of modern stuff that on first aquantence, feel really up for it, sporty, direct. But, when you think this can only get better when you start pressing on, they just don't get better and are exposed as being lead footed. Golf R32 was a prime example of this.
Cotty said:
You can't get or not get LHD, it is what it is.
+1It doesn't mean that you at lacking as a driver if you don't feel comfortable in LHD, life is interesting as we have different choices and preferences and the M3 would have been better on the road with an extra 100lbft of torque....in my opinion, I loved looking at my M3 and totally understood how special it was and had some wonderful 10/10ths drives in it but to me it missed a few vital ingredients compared to other special cars and it would have been a crime to swap it to RHD and modify or convert the engine so I sold it......I am off to find a birch to whip myself for crimes against motoring law.
Still let's not ruin this thread. I thought the private plate police would have been the haters first on this thread. As I said initially Great vid, great car....and I like the plate too for the record!
For many I think they forget that E30s are now heading for 30 years old, they will not and should not feel like jumping into a new car, and there is part of the charm for me
BTW, the Alpina B6 3.5S was an "M3" with a good chunk of extra torque
Caddyshack said:
+1
It doesn't mean that you at lacking as a driver if you don't feel comfortable in LHD, life is interesting as we have different choices and preferences and the M3 would have been better on the road with an extra 100lbft of torque....in my opinion, I loved looking at my M3 and totally understood how special it was and had some wonderful 10/10ths drives in it but to me it missed a few vital ingredients compared to other special cars and it would have been a crime to swap it to RHD and modify or convert the engine so I sold it......I am off to find a birch to whip myself for crimes against motoring law.
Still let's not ruin this thread. I thought the private plate police would have been the haters first on this thread. As I said initially Great vid, great car....and I like the plate too for the record!
I think the "lack of torque" aka "need to rev the nuts off it" argument has been levelled at M-cars for years, but that's what makes them great IMO. Their high-revving nature is (was!) a natural characteristic and something that I think they should be praised forIt doesn't mean that you at lacking as a driver if you don't feel comfortable in LHD, life is interesting as we have different choices and preferences and the M3 would have been better on the road with an extra 100lbft of torque....in my opinion, I loved looking at my M3 and totally understood how special it was and had some wonderful 10/10ths drives in it but to me it missed a few vital ingredients compared to other special cars and it would have been a crime to swap it to RHD and modify or convert the engine so I sold it......I am off to find a birch to whip myself for crimes against motoring law.
Still let's not ruin this thread. I thought the private plate police would have been the haters first on this thread. As I said initially Great vid, great car....and I like the plate too for the record!
BTW, the Alpina B6 3.5S was an "M3" with a good chunk of extra torque
Mermaid said:
also with a chunk of extra weight at the front.
Yes indeed, you quoted me before I had a chance to change M3 to "M3" 
I'd still love one thoughIt comes from the days when there was a discernible difference in focus between Alpina and //M, but they seem to be heading on a collision course lately
Cotty said:
Some are just coming up for 20 years, production ran from 1981–1994. Mine is 1992 on a J plate.
Yep, my own E30 is a '91. But the design is 30+ years old now. I think people can expect too much from cars like this when judging them against the more modern stuff, and in so doing missing out on the essence of them. But then I don't really "get" most of the new cars on the market, so it's really each to their own I supposeBaryonyx said:
Caddyshack said:
sometimes on the road you also want low down grunt
When you're towing, maybe.
Untitled by clarkyboySE, on Flickr
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff