RE: Spotted: BMW M3 CS

[0836whimper]

SidewaysSi said:

I find the E46 M3 an odd car - the standard car is a bit too blunt and heavy and whilst I have heard good things about the CSL, I am not sure I would want the SMG?

Saying that I didn't get on with the manual box in the standard car. If only the CSL was 200KG lighter and had a "proper" gearbox...

Just test-drive one and all becomes clear.
The regular M3 is like a taxi in comparison.
And if you don't believe me, test drive one and report back.

[s m]

darreni said:

The SMG box in the CSL is the exact same box that you find in the manual M3, but with hydraulic actuation.

I use my CSL daily & the box is fine around town or on a charge.

If you've not driven one, its nothing like a standard M3.

Heres a list of CSL specific parts, not all of them as there are many other changes, the battery is different, all of the brake calipers are CSL specific as are springs & dampers, boot floor, trim, drive shafts, etc etc.


BMW OEM M3 CSL PARTS PRICE LIST
OEM PART DESCRIPTION OEM PART NUMBER CA RETAIL PRICE INC VAT
19" CSL FRONT WHEEL EACH 36 11 2 282 650 £494.70
19"CSL REAR WHEEL EACH 36 11 2 282 999 £494.70
CSL BOOT LID PANEL 41 00 7 895 884 £932.64
CSL ROOF PANEL 41 00 7 895 382 £1,263.20
CSL REAR DIFFUSER 51 12 7 895 985 £940.91
CSL REAR VENT WINDOW N/S/R 51 36 4 334 945 £96.00
CSL REAR VENT WINDOW O/S/R 51 36 4 334 946 £96.00
CSL REAR WINDSCREEN 51 31 7 895 441 £570.57
CSL FRONT BUMPER CONVERSION (Includes flippers, bumper shocks, slide mounts, tow eye cover and 2x grille) £4,401.42
CSL FRONT CARBON CORNER SPLITTERS (PAIR) "51 11 7 896 379
51 11 7 896 380
" £686.54
CSL N/S WING GRILLE 51 13 7 895 913 £65.72
CSL O/S WING GRILLE 51 13 7 895 914 £65.72
CSL AIRBOX CONVERSION inc smg relocate kit £6,842.06
CSL EXHAUST MANIFOLD 1-3 CYL 11 62 7 833 500 £865.95
CSL EXHAUST MANIFOLD 4-6 CYL 11 62 7 833 643 £865.95
CSL FRONT PIPE INC CATS 18 30 7 833 673 £1,212.50
CSL INTERMEDIATE EXHAUST (X-PIPE) 18 10 7 833 503 £663.48
CSL REAR SILENCER 18 10 7 833 504 £712.95
CSL INLET CAMSHAFT 11 31 7 835 041 £665.12
CSL EXHAUST CAMSHAFT 11 31 7 835 043 £520.24
CSL FRONT BRAKE DISC CONVERSION INC CARRIERS "34 11 2 282 445 x1
34 11 2 282 446 x1
34 11 2 282 619 x2
" £777.97
CSL TIE RODS (PAIR) "32 11 2 228 785
32 11 2 228 786
" £315.75
CSL FRONT N/S FRONT WISHBONE 31 12 2 229 453 £319.55
CSL FRONT O/S FRONT WISHBONE 31 12 2 229 454 £319.55
CSL REAR TRAILING ARM BUSH (PAIR) 33 32 6 770 817 £41.53
CSL TRACK CONTROL ARMS (PAIR) "32 11 2 228 785
32 11 2 228 786
" £315.75
CSL LWR REAR WISHBONE (PAIR) 33 32 2 283 074 £125.61
CSL STEERING WHEEL (EXCL AIRBAG) 32 34 2 282 502 £649.91
CSL STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG 32 30 6 757 891 £547.71
CSL STEERING RACK 32 13 2 282 647 £1,236.75
CSL CARBON FRONT CENTRE CONSOL 51 16 7 896 359 £803.46
CSL N/S/F CARBON DOOR TRIM 51 41 7 895 581 £4,889.58
CSL O/S/F CARBON DOOR TRIM 51 41 7 895 582 £4,889.58
CSL N/S/R CARBON QTR PANEL TRIM 51 43 7 895 579 £1,067.00
CSL O/S/R CARBON QTR PANEL TRIM 51 43 7 895 580 £1,042.76
CSL N/S/F SPORT SEAT ??? 52 10 0 303 831 £2,570.51
CSL O/S/F SPORT SEAT ??? 52 10 0 031 830 £2,570.51
CSL REAR SEAT CONSOL 52 20 7 896 297 £518.96
CSL REAR SEAT CONVERSION INC ALL FRAMES + COVERS
52 20 7 896 800
52 20 7 896 227
52 20 7 896 929
52 20 7 896 930
52 20 7 896 807
52 20 7 896 808
" £3,621.47

prices inc vat and are correct as of the date 19/6/12
prices may change inline with bmw.

Great post - the battery alone saves 5kg over the normal M3 one - it's actually the same as the one in the R53 Cooper S

[eMpowered]

Rahul uk said:

This thread is getting too much for me. Time to get the M3 out of the garage and take it for a drive.

Agreed - just decided mine will be taking me to work tomorrow, so it better not snow again!

[SidewaysSi]

0836whimper said:

SidewaysSi said:

I find the E46 M3 an odd car - the standard car is a bit too blunt and heavy and whilst I have heard good things about the CSL, I am not sure I would want the SMG?

Saying that I didn't get on with the manual box in the standard car. If only the CSL was 200KG lighter and had a "proper" gearbox...

Just test-drive one and all becomes clear.
The regular M3 is like a taxi in comparison.
And if you don't believe me, test drive one and report back.

I am sure it is not a bad drive but at current prices, I would find it hard not to go for a GT3. And yes, the standard car is a taxi!!

[Spyder3400]

I loved my CS (weight of E46 aside), but agree with SidewaysSi the manual gearbox IMO let the E46 M3 down, it's loads better when hot but still very average when compared to a manual Porsche for example.

SidewaysSi said:

I find the E46 M3 an odd car - the standard car is a bit too blunt and heavy and whilst I have heard good things about the CSL, I am not sure I would want the SMG?

Saying that I didn't get on with the manual box in the standard car. If only the CSL was 200KG lighter and had a "proper" gearbox...

[P2BS]

Gruber said:

Huge fan of the CS.

Shame that one has been "improved" with chav tat.

The 'BMW Autohaus Muenchen - M-Power' plate surrounds kind-of say it all. Who buys tat like that? The seller, obviously.

Back on topic, my friend (and fellow PHer) had a CS back when they were near-new. His was Interlagos Blue, grey leather, with the SMG box. More M3 than CSL for sure, but still a very nice car.

[gsrgeoff]

I'm on the lookout for a CS at the moment if anyone has one and is thinking of selling up.

[Al 450]

I'm a regular E46 M3 owner and I drove a GT3 last week. I would love to drive a CSL but the SMG box is a deal breaker for me. I've driven plenty of SMG equipped cars and even the best are just not involving enough. It would have to be very very good to persuade me to buy one over the GT3. Having said that I was surprised at how special the regular M3 feels so the CSL must be fantastic. Worst thing about the M3 is definitely the vague steering, complete lack of feel unless you are pushing on.

[Hellbound]

SidewaysSi said:

0836whimper said:

SidewaysSi said:

I find the E46 M3 an odd car - the standard car is a bit too blunt and heavy and whilst I have heard good things about the CSL, I am not sure I would want the SMG?

Saying that I didn't get on with the manual box in the standard car. If only the CSL was 200KG lighter and had a "proper" gearbox...

Just test-drive one and all becomes clear.
The regular M3 is like a taxi in comparison.
And if you don't believe me, test drive one and report back.

I am sure it is not a bad drive but at current prices, I would find it hard not to go for a GT3. And yes, the standard car is a taxi!!

It's incredible that the standard M3, a car Chris Harris has lauded as the best car ever, is being compared to a generic Taxi.

Wow. There's certainly a gulf between most of us PHers and the select few who think such things.

[Dogtown]

I had a 55 plate SMG CS and it's still my favourite M3. There's something that looks just right about the e46 M3 and i think the CS was made extra special by it's carefully chosen extras.

[MattCSLnut]

LARK F1 GTR said:

... what does that badge on the steering wheel say ? I can't make it out.

"I is CHAV" probably

[MattCSLnut]

Kong said:

Gruber said:

kambites said:

The idea of an automatic M3 just seems wrong to me

I think the mistake here is to view SMG as an automatic.

Don't do it, you will be here all day!

Edited by Kong on Wednesday 5th December 12:24

[Baz Tench]

'Standard M3 is a taxi'

I love the way some PH posters get carried away sometimes. I agree about the steering, as it does feel a bit numb sometimes, but that engine and the general set-up more than makes up for it IMO.

[MattCSLnut]

Inverted said:

Ive had mine 2 years now. (Its the longest ive ever kept a car) and I always take great pleasure in letting people experience the CSL that think its just an M3 with a few fancy bits. I like that to most (even some people who think they are a petrol head) its just an M3 then they come out in it and completely change their views.

I thought I may fancy buying one, then I had a passenger ride in one around the Ring. Like you say Game over bought one, 4 months later.

...oh and CS is 98% CSL...dream on.

Mine's almost a carbon copy story to yours except I've had mine for over 3 years now (which is super long for me)
Numerous Ring PAX laps in an enthusiastically driven, one off (at the time) White CSL and you can guess the rest

Edited by MattCSLnut on Thursday 6th December 01:11

[isaldiri]

Gruber said:

Having also owned both, I'd agree entirely.

The e92 is a great cruiser that really knows how to pick up its skirt and fly when provoked. But it feels a bit (dare I say...) soft compared to the e46 CS.

There's also the 20% fuel economy difference between the two, which works in the e46's favour.

Would agree with this. While I have not owned a e92, I have driven a few quite extensively but have no incentive at all to change my CS for one.

Also, while I really like the CS, I completely agree with the post somewhere above that says one is dreaming if you think the CS is 95% of a CSL. The CS is a great car but a CSL it most assuredly is not.

[s m]

How much weight does the aircon system add to a CSL? Most had it added back on as a NCO didn't they?

[kambites]

s m said:

How much weight does the aircon system add to a CSL? Most had it added back on as a NCO didn't they?

Well IIRC the Elise's AC system weighs around 35kg all in and I can't see this being any lighter, since it's got three times the cabin volume to cool. So probably something like 50kg?

[SidewaysSi]

Hellbound said:

SidewaysSi said:

0836whimper said:

SidewaysSi said:

I find the E46 M3 an odd car - the standard car is a bit too blunt and heavy and whilst I have heard good things about the CSL, I am not sure I would want the SMG?

Saying that I didn't get on with the manual box in the standard car. If only the CSL was 200KG lighter and had a "proper" gearbox...

Just test-drive one and all becomes clear.
The regular M3 is like a taxi in comparison.
And if you don't believe me, test drive one and report back.

I am sure it is not a bad drive but at current prices, I would find it hard not to go for a GT3. And yes, the standard car is a taxi!!

It's incredible that the standard M3, a car Chris Harris has lauded as the best car ever, is being compared to a generic Taxi.

Wow. There's certainly a gulf between most of us PHers and the select few who think such things.

I maybe mistaken but I don't think he said it was the best car ever, more the best all rounder of the past 10 years which is very different.

I did want to love the car but I found it too heavy, steering lacked feel, pedals were fine but could be better set up and it did not have enough low speed spark.

Yes, the engine was fine but again, not as exciting as my daily ITR. I am sure it would be better on track but for the possible 911 running costs, it was not for me.

If I had 10k, a family and could only have one car, I may have got one knowing it was the best compromise. But I am fortunate to be able to run more than one car so I went elsewhere. A fine car, but too compromised IMO.

[kambites]

SidewaysSi said:

If I had 10k, a family and could only have one car, I may have hot one knowing it was the best compromise. But I am fortunate to be able to run more than one car so I went elsewhere. A fine car, but too compromised IMO.

It's not the sort of car that I'd buy for myself unless I needed four seats. I did try to persuade the wife that she wanted one last time we got her a car, but she preferred the Octavia, mostly because it was more practical. It's such a shame they never did a touring version.

[s m]

darreni said:

Heres a list of CSL specific parts, not all of them as there are many other changes, the battery is different, all of the brake calipers are CSL specific as are springs & dampers, boot floor, trim, drive shafts, etc etc.


BMW OEM M3 CSL PARTS PRICE LIST
OEM PART DESCRIPTION OEM PART NUMBER CA RETAIL PRICE INC VAT
19" CSL FRONT WHEEL EACH 36 11 2 282 650 £494.70
19"CSL REAR WHEEL EACH 36 11 2 282 999 £494.70

Are the rears bespoke only to the CSL? Or used on the CS as well? Were there special lightweight versions originally for the CSL that have been superceded now and the same rears are specced for CS/CSL on replacement? Are the CS wheels that look the same actually lighter overall than the CSL as they only run an 8x19" version at the front?
Were the CSL Cup tyres significantly lighter than the Pilot Sports?