Just driven new M3 saloon...oh no....

[dick_dastardly71]

I actually found my first 10 mins with a new M3 quite underwhelming. This was on a 24hr test drive but by the end of the drive it was under my skin. Initially thought it was all a bit flat and suffered from a fairly weak torque output. It was only after experiencing the performance over 5,000 rpm that it all started to click. Combined with the practicality of a 3 series and a better ride than 'normal' RFT shod beemers (EDC on normal) just makes it the perfect car for me. The family fits in it at the weekend, it's refined and cosseting commuting in heavy traffic, but get off the A roads and hit the M button and it turns into something special.
Coupe all the way for me though.

[guyh]

On a slightly different topic, I'm after a E92 M3 Coupe, the million dollar question is when do I buy? I can get a good one for £33k now, or do I wait until they are £29k. But then in that time I could have enjoyed it I suppose.

Thoughts?

[taffyracer]

if you wait till they're 29k then they'll obviously only be worth 29k so you're not gaining anything other than an older car wiht more miles and possibly lower spec, they're not going to slide much more so if you can get one for low 30's that has a decent spec and is low miles then jump at it, great car, only wished i waited!

Edited by taffyracer on Tuesday 23 December 21:21

[Frik]

mat205125 said:

No wonder they are dipping below £10k now. No surprise - what kind of tosser would covet one of those so much they have bookmarked the PH classified section?

I love the shape of the E46 more than is healthy. Could well be the next Frik purchase, though I'll wait until the good ones are under 8k...

[darronwall]

why the hell dont they make a touring m3 surely it would be a better seller than the 4 dr,if they did i would have one yesterday

[guyh]

taffyracer said:

if you wait till they're 29k then they'll obviously only be worth 29k so you're not gaining anything other than an older car wiht more miles and possibly lower spec, they're not going to slide much more so if you can get one for low 30's that has a decent spec and is low miles then jump at it, great car, only wished i waited!

Edited by taffyracer on Tuesday 23 December 21:21

I ll take your advice and get one then!

[waremark]

But don't expect to average 22 mpg unless most of your miles are fairly legal on main roads.

[-Z-]

Yep my average over 1.3k miles is 16.2mp!

[dick_dastardly71]

darronwall said:

why the hell dont they make a touring m3 surely it would be a better seller than the 4 dr,if they did i would have one yesterday

Just get a 335d and re-map it. As we all know on this forum, it'll be miles faster than an M3 anyway! Takes me hat...

[968CSReading]

dick_dastardly71 said:

darronwall said:

why the hell dont they make a touring m3 surely it would be a better seller than the 4 dr,if they did i would have one yesterday

Just get a 335d and re-map it. As we all know on this forum, it'll be miles faster than an M3 anyway! Takes me hat...

Dont you mean faster than a M5, 997 Turbo etc etc , everything falls in its wake.

[dick_dastardly71]

968CSReading said:

dick_dastardly71 said:

darronwall said:

why the hell dont they make a touring m3 surely it would be a better seller than the 4 dr,if they did i would have one yesterday

Just get a 335d and re-map it. As we all know on this forum, it'll be miles faster than an M3 anyway! Takes me hat...

Dont you mean faster than a M5, 997 Turbo etc etc , everything falls in its wake.

[bungle]

M5Dave said:

dan101smith said:

Cat D

Press preparation.

Not necessarily a bad thing, as the warranty will take care of any issues, but it's fair to say it's probably been ragged a bit more than average.

Edited by M5Dave on Tuesday 23 December 14:23

Are you assuming it is press prep 'cos it's cheap? Doesn't state it anywhere. Will be driving past Sytner Solihull over xmas, wonder what price they would deal at...??

[MC99]

on the topic of 33k or wait till they hit 29...well they will and probably quickly, however I bought my EDC'd e9x coupe M3 a few weeks ago and I'd rather have it now and enjoy it than scan the ad's and wait to see when I can spot one for 29k...but it's about budgets and experiences...I'd rather blow the budget and experience it now...just IMHO...

They are awesome, the engine is a masterpiece, the noise and go above 6,000 rpm is particularly compelling..EDC is a must for me, 18s or 19s is a choice that splits some people (looks, ride, handling), as for colour..that was least important to me..

[M5Dave]

bungle said:

M5Dave said:

dan101smith said:

Cat D

Press preparation.

Not necessarily a bad thing, as the warranty will take care of any issues, but it's fair to say it's probably been ragged a bit more than average.

Edited by M5Dave on Tuesday 23 December 14:23

Are you assuming it is press prep 'cos it's cheap? Doesn't state it anywhere. Will be driving past Sytner Solihull over xmas, wonder what price they would deal at...??

If you go to the BMW website and find the car there, it has Press Preparation listed in the additional equipment section.

Edited by M5Dave on Thursday 25th December 01:13

[Zod]

Just remember: cars are (in 99.9% of cases) not investments. An M3 is for fun. Fun costs money. Pay and enjoy.

Just don't pay too much.

[foresterlad]

The value of 2008 M3 saloon's will be 3,000 euros's in 2015 at which point the car you buy will have been replaced by the first electric M car and we will have joined euroland at a 2 euro's to the £. In the meantime I will continue to enjoy my M3 saloon confident in the knowledge it has lost far less money than my house did in one month.

[waremark]

M5Dave said:

If you go to the BMW website and find the car there, it has Press Preparation listed in the additional equipment section.

Edited by M5Dave on Thursday 25th December 01:13

Which may well mean that it goes faster - on the Drivers' Republic site you will find details of Jethro Bovingdon's press fleet manual saloon accelerating a fraction quicker than my DCT Coupe.

[-Z-]

waremark said:

M5Dave said:

If you go to the BMW website and find the car there, it has Press Preparation listed in the additional equipment section.

Edited by M5Dave on Thursday 25th December 01:13

Which may well mean that it goes faster - on the Drivers' Republic site you will find details of Jethro Bovingdon's press fleet manual saloon accelerating a fraction quicker than my DCT Coupe.

On behalf of my ex-press fleet saloon:

There is evidence that this is a repeatable phenomenon. Someone has the ex-top gear M3 Coupe and that recorded the highest bhp of any standard m3 yet tested at Surrey Rolling Road I think it was.