CSL as a daily

CSL as a daily

Author
Discussion

mr sagman

Original Poster:

1,718 posts

236 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
quotequote all
I assume some of you guys use yours as a daily drive.. Is it likely to spoil the 'specialness' of the car, or does it turn even the daily commute into a blast.
I have test driven a M3 CS and was very impressed with it, But I feel that 6 months down the line I will be looking for the full fat version and will regret not getting one in the first place.
Have tried the search function but it doesn't appear to be working again, Just trying to work out if the car has any negatives as I cant recall ever reading anything negative about them other than you will get jaw ache from all the constant grinning whilst driving it.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

MrOnTheRopes

1,425 posts

246 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
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I did it for 7 years and it never bothered me! biggrin

aponting389

741 posts

178 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
quotequote all
used mine in the sun, rain, snow and ice as a daily and never had a problem, loved every minute of owning it!

andye30m3

3,453 posts

254 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
quotequote all
I used mine daily, did 12,000 miles in just under a year.

I had a cracking drive into work down some fun A-roads, only issue was it really was a little to easy to end up doing some very high speeds.

I'm not to sure I could use my GT3 every day but the CSL was no problem. Having said that it would be a bit of a waste if you do a lot of driving in heavy traffic.

Yanto

543 posts

208 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
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Its my only car, but doesnt get used in the week...

But, I have done some long trips in it w/out problem - France, Ring, Spa etc.

Taken in isolation (w/out mileage, wear/tear consideration), could I use as a daily - absolutely

Would I want to ? The only thing that would stop me is piling on big mileage up/down a motorway when a daily $hitter would be better.

Dont believe all you read regarding it being too uncomfortable, impractical, too harsh etc..

Chapppers

4,483 posts

191 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
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How about servicing and maintenance costs? I hear they're pretty expensive?

Yanto

543 posts

208 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
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I think pretty much same as E46 M3 as long as you dont damage the CF !!

£60K car....£60K car running costs...

Go into with your eyes open to this (and a warranty) and you shouldn't get any nasty surprises.

andye30m3

3,453 posts

254 months

Friday 2nd March 2012
quotequote all
as Yanto says general running cost are similar to an E46 M3 only things I needed to do to mine (see profile for breakdown) would have been exactly the same as a regular M3.

Inspection 2 can be quite pricy, as are things like tyres and brakes but not really any worse than any other similar performance car.

puntograle

2,622 posts

208 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
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Further to the OP's question, is it ok to leave the CSL parked in a station car park in a relatively safe area? Currently my E39 M5 does so very well with no issues (has been good for over 5 years).

Are there Carbon bits or other parts of the bodywork that can go missing when left all day parked up?

johnnywb

1,631 posts

208 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
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I used mine as a 'daily' for a while, although that meant driving a couple of times a week into central London and then out to meetings and back.

It coped fine. Only thing i found was that it was quite hard work in traffic on two points; 1) you constantly want to open the taps and 2) big wheels and low profile tyres make a very sold ride over the st excuse for roads we seem to have now. Somedays i did like the idea of something with an armchair, but the i put my right foot down and the feeling was gone!

Yanto

543 posts

208 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
quotequote all
puntograle said:
Further to the OP's question, is it ok to leave the CSL parked in a station car park in a relatively safe area? Currently my E39 M5 does so very well with no issues (has been good for over 5 years).

Are there Carbon bits or other parts of the bodywork that can go missing when left all day parked up?
You'll prob get a mixed response to this depending on where you live ! I wouldn't personally, but I am conditioned to inner city east London living ! I actually wouldn't want to leave mine outside my house overnight !

puntograle

2,622 posts

208 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
quotequote all
Yanto said:
puntograle said:
Further to the OP's question, is it ok to leave the CSL parked in a station car park in a relatively safe area? Currently my E39 M5 does so very well with no issues (has been good for over 5 years).

Are there Carbon bits or other parts of the bodywork that can go missing when left all day parked up?
You'll prob get a mixed response to this depending on where you live ! I wouldn't personally, but I am conditioned to inner city east London living ! I actually wouldn't want to leave mine outside my house overnight !
I realise it's a subjective question depending on personal experience and where you live. I am thinking of replacing the M5 with a CSL - love the M5 but thinking of a change just to continue ticking motoring boxes.

Leins

9,466 posts

148 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
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puntograle said:
I realise it's a subjective question depending on personal experience and where you live. I am thinking of replacing the M5 with a CSL - love the M5 but thinking of a change just to continue ticking motoring boxes.
Personally, I try to avoid parking mine on the street, as would worry too much about someone trying to half-inch the front bumper or flippers. Saying that, I'm more worried about parking the Alpina on the street as some day some little f**ker would probably run a key down the side of it just for kicks

CSL isn't ideal for daily stuff, but can be used. I generally choose not to as mine is a weekend/summer toy, and I find there's not much enjoyment from it stuck in traffic. Other than that, I say go for it

darreni

3,788 posts

270 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
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I use mine daily & its great. A little firm over poor roads, but i still love it.

Guess it depends on the area, but not sure i'd want to leave it at a station all day though.

KentChris

9 posts

156 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
quotequote all
I use mine as a daily grind to work and back (around 9 miles each way), as people have said above when the chance to open her up (mind the pun) any minus points are taken away. Changing from a M5 to the CSL is a drastic change I would say in all senses. I would go with eyes wide open. Would I leave the Car in a Train station Car park prehaps not too much risk in all senses.


puntograle

2,622 posts

208 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
quotequote all
KentChris said:
I use mine as a daily grind to work and back (around 9 miles each way), as people have said above when the chance to open her up (mind the pun) any minus points are taken away. Changing from a M5 to the CSL is a drastic change I would say in all senses. I would go with eyes wide open. Would I leave the Car in a Train station Car park prehaps not too much risk in all senses.
How do you mean (genuinely interested)? As in they cater for different segments and therefore are quite different? or do you think I would be disappointed with the different engine characteristics? (I would have thought not). Or that an old M5 is not likely to get much attention parked up as opposed to a top of the range specialist M3...I agree on that.

I also have a 996RS and so in comparison the CSL is still in between the M5 and the RS in terms of levels of focus and practicality (which is its attraction)

///Mike

862 posts

207 months

Monday 9th July 2012
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I am watching this thread closely as its this battle in my head which is the only reason I don't own one already.

I really want to chop my 135 in for a CSL but I am worried about the daily use and the fact that I won't be able to garage it every night.

I keep trying to justify it to myself based on weekly millage. I live in West Berkshire but used to go into London a lot where as now its just one day a week and now I take the train. Basically millage will be office and back twice a week which is 160 miles for both days. A few visits to local clients say 60 miles, one day in the Smoke on the train and one day working from home so no millage. I also have access to my girlfriends Boxter S as she works from home all the time so could use that 1 day a week for an office run etc.

In a nutshell, including the odd trip up north to see my folks I think my annual millage would be about 11K in the car. Since I have been used to doing 25-30 the last couple of years you can see how I am almost managing to justify it to myself now.

Sorry for the boring post, your thoughts and opinions in this thread are very much a part of my potential buying process.

Other things I am trying to get around are the fact that my 135 is fully loaded with the best nav, coms and Hifi of which the CSL has non. Will I really miss them? Probably the amazing hifi yes but not sure about the rest. I just feel that if I am going to own a CSL, now is the time to buy whilst there are still examples out there without high millage that arn't crazy money.

Again, sorry for the mind dump on the internet smile

petery

357 posts

210 months

Monday 9th July 2012
quotequote all
I use mine daily it, I've had it 19 months and done just over 20k miles in it. Taken it round the ring, spa and donington as well. Its fine for use on the road as long as you don't mind a hard ride, I don't like leaving mine in car parks etc. But I have done with no problems.
It wouldn't be a car I'd choose to leave in a station car park everyday as its just a waste. Its a car that needs to be driven properly.

Pip1968

1,348 posts

204 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
puntograle said:
I realise it's a subjective question depending on personal experience and where you live. I am thinking of replacing the M5 with a CSL - love the M5 but thinking of a change just to continue ticking motoring boxes.
The cars as you know are poles apart so I agree it is a big change. I have kept both and love the torque of the M5 and pulling away in 2nd, comfy armchair seats, and quietness on long journeys.

The CSL has a more in your face racey feel to it and therefore is a hard ride with less overall comfort but good soundtrack and ideal for track use.

I suppose it depends what you main or alternative uses will be or do you just want a change and/or to tick the box - ?

Pip

Yanto

543 posts

208 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
///Mike said:
I am watching this thread closely as its this battle in my head which is the only reason I don't own one already.

I really want to chop my 135 in for a CSL but I am worried about the daily use and the fact that I won't be able to garage it every night.

I keep trying to justify it to myself based on weekly millage. I live in West Berkshire but used to go into London a lot where as now its just one day a week and now I take the train. Basically millage will be office and back twice a week which is 160 miles for both days. A few visits to local clients say 60 miles, one day in the Smoke on the train and one day working from home so no millage. I also have access to my girlfriends Boxter S as she works from home all the time so could use that 1 day a week for an office run etc.

In a nutshell, including the odd trip up north to see my folks I think my annual millage would be about 11K in the car. Since I have been used to doing 25-30 the last couple of years you can see how I am almost managing to justify it to myself now.

Sorry for the boring post, your thoughts and opinions in this thread are very much a part of my potential buying process.

Other things I am trying to get around are the fact that my 135 is fully loaded with the best nav, coms and Hifi of which the CSL has non. Will I really miss them? Probably the amazing hifi yes but not sure about the rest. I just feel that if I am going to own a CSL, now is the time to buy whilst there are still examples out there without high millage that arn't crazy money.

Again, sorry for the mind dump on the internet smile
So 8K pa on a motorway commute and 3K on smile miles ?

You seem convinced on a CSL...maybe ask yourself why ?

Strong desire to track ?....yes, but if your serious about tracking, a less expensive option might be Std E46 stripped and modded..

I dont think there are many that have it as a sole daily car now. Some needing to commute daily have an alternative smoker and others that dont just use it for w/e blasts.

Personally, I wouldnt want to put 8K pa on the car simply driving in a straight line on the M4..

Toys (Nav etc) on cars dont particularly bother me - folks got by w/out them in the past. They now become obselete very quickly and ask yourself, if funds allowed, would it prevent you buying a '73 911RS; Macca F1, F40 etc etc...

If its a 6K pa car, mix of weekend blasts, ad-hoc longer journeys and track fun, there are few alternatives at the price.