How long until you got your dream car or a great car?
Discussion
I never really had a single dream car that was ever within reach.
The highlight so far of my driving career was a Z4 M. I sold that this year to buy a house and now own a 335i Coupe but it's so damn competent that I don't want to part with it. I can't think of anything that would do the sound, the speed and the great handling but still get the economy, running costs and the practicality of it.
Damn I've reached adulthood...
I would love a Boxster GTS though.
The highlight so far of my driving career was a Z4 M. I sold that this year to buy a house and now own a 335i Coupe but it's so damn competent that I don't want to part with it. I can't think of anything that would do the sound, the speed and the great handling but still get the economy, running costs and the practicality of it.
Damn I've reached adulthood...
I would love a Boxster GTS though.
I got my "great" car at 23. It's an E36 328i Sport.
Yes they are cheap but bang for buck they have got to be one of the best out there.
I should have bought an E46 M3 instead but buying a house was top priority so the 328i does the job.
My next car will be a 335i so even better.
Yes they are cheap but bang for buck they have got to be one of the best out there.
I should have bought an E46 M3 instead but buying a house was top priority so the 328i does the job.
My next car will be a 335i so even better.
Edited by Dannbodge on Tuesday 27th January 10:42
I was 21 when I got my S2000 (now 23) which was a bit of a dream car, I sold it as I wanted something quicker so bought my immaculate Evo 5 just before I turned 22. An Evo 6 was the dream but I'm glad I bought a 5 as I now think they are so much better looking. I stupidly sold that to come to New Zealand and I'm going to return to the UK next month with no money left! My goal is to buy another S2000 by mid summer.
My realistic dream car is a Noble M12 which I would like to own by 30, I have others but I don't think I'll ever be in the financial position to buy them!
My realistic dream car is a Noble M12 which I would like to own by 30, I have others but I don't think I'll ever be in the financial position to buy them!
For as long as I can remember I have always wanted an E46 M3. For the last 5 years I’ve owned an E46 Sport with the intention of one day having the M3 and in a way it has been a gradual buildup as I accustom myself to E46 ownership, the common issues, the feel of the chassis and how it is on the road both visually and in terms of how people react to a well looked after example.
I recently fulfilled that dream and bought an M3 Convertible
What next? I really have no idea. I don't intend to get rid of this car so will likely just add an electric car when the need for something bigger/family focused is required. It makes logistical and financial sense given the dropping prices and no tax/green benefits.
I recently fulfilled that dream and bought an M3 Convertible
What next? I really have no idea. I don't intend to get rid of this car so will likely just add an electric car when the need for something bigger/family focused is required. It makes logistical and financial sense given the dropping prices and no tax/green benefits.
Came back from travelling in 2002 a the age of 25 and bought a 18mth old Silver Evo VI Tommi Mak edition. At the time it was my realistically achievable dream car. I then bought an E46 M3 which I had always felt was out of reach, followed by a V8 M3 and then a Z4M Coupe which I owned at the same time as the V8 M3.
I recently decided that dream cars encourage me into financial debt that isn't worth the hassle and as such I now have a modified Mini Cooper S (57 plate with 270bhp and 280 lb ft). Loads of fun without the big $$.
:-)
Steven RW
I recently decided that dream cars encourage me into financial debt that isn't worth the hassle and as such I now have a modified Mini Cooper S (57 plate with 270bhp and 280 lb ft). Loads of fun without the big $$.
:-)
Steven RW
Steven_RW said:
Came back from travelling in 2002 a the age of 25 and bought a 18mth old Silver Evo VI Tommi Mak edition. At the time it was my realistically achievable dream car. I then bought an E46 M3
How did you find the M3 compared to the Evo? I'm hoping to run an E46 M3 alongside my Evo but I'm a little worried I'll be left a little let down by the M3StottyEvo said:
How did you find the M3 compared to the Evo? I'm hoping to run an E46 M3 alongside my Evo but I'm a little worried I'll be left a little let down by the M3
Hi,My Evo had dunlop Do1js on it (similar to toyo 888), ds3000 pads, ran 277 at the wheels (315bhp at engine ish) on std ecu, with blitz NUR exhaust and HKS airfilter and lots of cusco strut braces both at the top of the struts and the bottom. It was a hooligan machine. The steering was so direct and fantastic. I had the geo set more aggressively so it was more of an oversteer car on power rather than a 4 wheel crab/slide. I really enjoyed the car however the only real way to drive it was flat out which meant you found yourself driving WAY faster than would be remotely sociably acceptable, even by the average PH'er.
The E46, which I bought as manual black on black 54 plate, was a very mature car and felt more "posh and grown up" all round. I added Ap 6 pots and 4 pots on pagid rs29, CSL 19s on Mich pilot sport 2, Intrax coil overs, the uprated later CSL rear trailing arm bushes and the turner rear bush limiting kit and a super sprint light weight exhaust from CAT back. Where the Evo encouraged bad speeds on B roads, the M3 encouraged you into Motorway mega speeds all the time.
The way you feel the speed in each car is quite different. The steering on the standard M3 rack was slow in comparison to the evo and the stability when driving over B roads was totally incomparable. With the evo able to leave the M3 for dust.
HOWEVER... once you got on to something a little more sweeping with good tarmac, the M3 came in to it's own. The suspension upgrade I put on the M3 made it ride better than standard and be more stable in nearly all conditions beyond the std kit. The rear bush limiting kit with CSL bushes really improves the stability of the car, and reduces the feeling of the back end floating around under hard accel. The noise from the supersprint lightweight exhaust with no centre resonator was great fun too.
What was interesting is the M3 posted a Nurburgring Bridge to Gantry time of 8:12 on road tyres (Mich ps2) and the Evo posted 8:14 on the track focussed tyre (formula R, D01j's) with less weight and more torque and nearly the same BHP. This showed the M3's natural home was on the faster sweeping bends of the Nurburgring and even though it might not have felt as fast as the Evo (less raw) it actually was faster. 4 up with passengers no less than 85kgs each, we posted several 8:23 btg times in the M3.
Which would I have back in the garage? If B roads were my thing.. the evo. If an all rounder was required the M3. A standard M3 doesn't shout about it's performance compared to an Evo, so initial impressions may be that it is too tame for you, but get to know it and have an occasion to top 4th at 8000rpm and quick shift into 5th and feel the pull to the limiter and you may think again. The modifications I made to my e46 M3 really made it a car that suited me much more than standard, especially having come from the Evo.
Hope that helps - ask away anything more specific that you have in mind.
Cheers,
Steven_RW (ps, the Z4M has the faster CSL rack, has manual shift and feels more alive than the E46 or E92 m3s. Add to that it is less stable as well (more twitchy..))
Edited by Steven_RW on Tuesday 27th January 11:26
Edited by Steven_RW on Tuesday 27th January 11:28
Steven_RW said:
Hi,
My Evo had dunlop Do1js on it (similar to toyo 888), ds3000 pads, ran 277 at the wheels (315bhp at engine ish) on std ecu, with blitz NUR exhaust and HKS airfilter and lots of cusco strut braces both at the top of the struts and the bottom. It was a hooligan machine. The steering was so direct and fantastic. I had the geo set more aggressively so it was more of an oversteer car on power rather than a 4 wheel crab/slide. I really enjoyed the car however the only real way to drive it was flat out which meant you found yourself driving WAY faster than would be remotely sociably acceptable, even by the average PH'er.
The E46, which I bought as manual black on black 54 plate, was a very mature car and felt more "posh and grown up" all round. I added Ap 6 pots and 4 pots on pagid rs29, CSL 19s on Mich pilot sport 2, Intrax coil overs, the uprated later CSL rear trailing arm bushes and the turner rear bush limiting kit and a super sprint light weight exhaust from CAT back. Where the Evo encouraged bad speeds on B roads, the M3 encouraged you into Motorway mega speeds all the time.
The way you feel the speed in each car is quite different. The steering on the standard M3 rack was slow in comparison to the evo and the stability when driving over B roads was totally incomparable. With the evo able to leave the M3 for dust.
HOWEVER... once you got on to something a little more sweeping with good tarmac, the M3 came in to it's own. The suspension upgrade I put on the M3 made it ride better than standard and be more stable in nearly all conditions beyond the std kit. The rear bush limiting kit with CSL bushes really improves the stability of the car, and reduces the feeling of the back end floating around under hard accel. The noise from the supersprint lightweight exhaust with no centre resonator was great fun too.
What was interesting is the M3 posted a Nurburgring Bridge to Gantry time of 8:12 on road tyres (Mich ps2) and the Evo posted 8:14 on the track focussed tyre (formula R, D01j's) with less weight and more torque and nearly the same BHP. This showed the M3's natural home was on the faster sweeping bends of the Nurburgring and even though it might not have felt as fast as the Evo (less raw) it actually was faster. 4 up with passengers no less than 85kgs each, we posted several 8:23 btg times in the M3.
Which would I have back in the garage? If B roads were my thing.. the evo. If an all rounder was required the M3. A standard M3 doesn't shout about it's performance compared to an Evo, so initial impressions may be that it is too tame for you, but get to know it and have an occasion to top 4th at 8000rpm and quick shift into 5th and feel the pull to the limiter and you may think again. The modifications I made to my e46 M3 really made it a car that suited me much more than standard, especially having come from the Evo.
Hope that helps - ask away anything more specific that you have in mind.
Cheers,
Steven_RW (ps, the Z4M has the faster CSL rack, has manual shift and feels more alive than the E46 or E92 m3s. Add to that it is less stable as well (more twitchy..))
Some interesting info there for me thanks! As a new M3 owner I found some bits really useful to read. I haven't pulled hard in 4th yet as my old car didn't have a strong 4th and I'm still getting accustomed to the S54. I must try this on the next leg stretching session My Evo had dunlop Do1js on it (similar to toyo 888), ds3000 pads, ran 277 at the wheels (315bhp at engine ish) on std ecu, with blitz NUR exhaust and HKS airfilter and lots of cusco strut braces both at the top of the struts and the bottom. It was a hooligan machine. The steering was so direct and fantastic. I had the geo set more aggressively so it was more of an oversteer car on power rather than a 4 wheel crab/slide. I really enjoyed the car however the only real way to drive it was flat out which meant you found yourself driving WAY faster than would be remotely sociably acceptable, even by the average PH'er.
The E46, which I bought as manual black on black 54 plate, was a very mature car and felt more "posh and grown up" all round. I added Ap 6 pots and 4 pots on pagid rs29, CSL 19s on Mich pilot sport 2, Intrax coil overs, the uprated later CSL rear trailing arm bushes and the turner rear bush limiting kit and a super sprint light weight exhaust from CAT back. Where the Evo encouraged bad speeds on B roads, the M3 encouraged you into Motorway mega speeds all the time.
The way you feel the speed in each car is quite different. The steering on the standard M3 rack was slow in comparison to the evo and the stability when driving over B roads was totally incomparable. With the evo able to leave the M3 for dust.
HOWEVER... once you got on to something a little more sweeping with good tarmac, the M3 came in to it's own. The suspension upgrade I put on the M3 made it ride better than standard and be more stable in nearly all conditions beyond the std kit. The rear bush limiting kit with CSL bushes really improves the stability of the car, and reduces the feeling of the back end floating around under hard accel. The noise from the supersprint lightweight exhaust with no centre resonator was great fun too.
What was interesting is the M3 posted a Nurburgring Bridge to Gantry time of 8:12 on road tyres (Mich ps2) and the Evo posted 8:14 on the track focussed tyre (formula R, D01j's) with less weight and more torque and nearly the same BHP. This showed the M3's natural home was on the faster sweeping bends of the Nurburgring and even though it might not have felt as fast as the Evo (less raw) it actually was faster. 4 up with passengers no less than 85kgs each, we posted several 8:23 btg times in the M3.
Which would I have back in the garage? If B roads were my thing.. the evo. If an all rounder was required the M3. A standard M3 doesn't shout about it's performance compared to an Evo, so initial impressions may be that it is too tame for you, but get to know it and have an occasion to top 4th at 8000rpm and quick shift into 5th and feel the pull to the limiter and you may think again. The modifications I made to my e46 M3 really made it a car that suited me much more than standard, especially having come from the Evo.
Hope that helps - ask away anything more specific that you have in mind.
Cheers,
Steven_RW (ps, the Z4M has the faster CSL rack, has manual shift and feels more alive than the E46 or E92 m3s. Add to that it is less stable as well (more twitchy..))
Edited by Steven_RW on Tuesday 27th January 11:26
Edited by Steven_RW on Tuesday 27th January 11:28
One thing I absolutely love is the full rev range pull in 2nd and 3rd. 1st will activate DSC far too easily in these conditions and even dry (I have 265/30 PSS tyres on the rear).
Steven_RW said:
StottyEvo said:
How did you find the M3 compared to the Evo? I'm hoping to run an E46 M3 alongside my Evo but I'm a little worried I'll be left a little let down by the M3
Brilliant comparison
)I was also looking at Golf R32 Mk4s but a decent low mileage one asks £7,500 which is a very similar price to the M3. I feel as though the M3 is more car for the money.
I have limited experience with RWD and it seems the M3 has a very predictable chassis, I think I'll take the plunge tbh and if the car frustrates me I'll sell. At least I can tick it off my list
robbiekhan said:
Some interesting info there for me thanks! As a new M3 owner I found some bits really useful to read. I haven't pulled hard in 4th yet as my old car didn't have a strong 4th and I'm still getting accustomed to the S54. I must try this on the next leg stretching session
One thing I absolutely love is the full rev range pull in 2nd and 3rd. 1st will activate DSC far too easily in these conditions and even dry (I have 265/30 PSS tyres on the rear).
Great - Rear trailing arm bushes CSL SPEC (the difference being inner part of bush has more metal on it) and the turner rear trailing arm bush limiting kit is the first and best mod for stability.One thing I absolutely love is the full rev range pull in 2nd and 3rd. 1st will activate DSC far too easily in these conditions and even dry (I have 265/30 PSS tyres on the rear).
I know its silly but I called the gears "Big 4, long 5 and massive 6th", showing "140, 168, 168" on the speedo. Used to make me laugh.
- thumbsup*
StottyEvo said:
Thanks for this, I think the M3 may suit my needs as I am looking for something more sedate, something hopefully enjoyable at low speeds. The main worry is the lack of low down oompf, I've just bought a 106GTI stripped&caged with boddies but I'm already frustrated at the lack of power below 6500rpm (and then it just wheelspins at 6500 )
I was also looking at Golf R32 Mk4s but a decent low mileage one asks £7,500 which is a very similar price to the M3. I feel as though the M3 is more car for the money.
I have limited experience with RWD and it seems the M3 has a very predictable chassis, I think I'll take the plunge tbh and if the car frustrates me I'll sell. At least I can tick it off my list
Read up about rear chasis/subframe cracking issues to make sure you don't go in blind.)I was also looking at Golf R32 Mk4s but a decent low mileage one asks £7,500 which is a very similar price to the M3. I feel as though the M3 is more car for the money.
I have limited experience with RWD and it seems the M3 has a very predictable chassis, I think I'll take the plunge tbh and if the car frustrates me I'll sell. At least I can tick it off my list
The M3 is not slow low down, it just doesn't PUNCH the way a turbo evo might. What I would say is the V8 M3 has much less urgency in it's character than the S54 M3 does, so the worst step for you would be to the V8 (though I appreciate a different power band).
I'd say check the quality of the car and check the rear floor for cracks and have a great time in an M3. Purchase price is bargain of the century... (running costs not quite in line!).
RW
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