The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T(Vol XVIII)

[ferrisbueller]

GraemeP said:

How do - a Monday teaser you good internet folk may feel inclined to indulge me with. I've never spent more than £15k on buying a car, but may be in a position to realise one of my bucket list ownership experiences. At present the ultimate goal (997 Turbo or GT3/S) is still out of reach (they've all shot up as well), so I want my first M car. I can spend up to £27-30k, and fancy a late competition pack, DCT M3. Is it worth thinking about borrowing £10k to get into an M4? I need to think a little about resale in a few years, possibly to make the Porsche dream real.

Also, if I find a private M3 in the south (Guildford area), is there anyone recommended to do inspections, and ways to get warranty with value??

I looked at buying an E92 competition pack with DCT new but didn't go through with it. The problem you have is trying to save up for something whilst spending money on something which is expensive to buy, expensive to run and depreciates. IMO the competition pack was somewhat limited in its merits anyway - it didn't add much to the car on a day to day basis other than looking better and was arguably not as good to drive on the road.

Personally I couldn't spend £27-30k on an M3, nevermind the £50+ a new one would have cost. Having a quick look suggests an early E92 manual can be had for much less. It will cost around the same to run but depreciate less and the capital you have left over can be put to work investing in something. I definitely wouldn't borrow more. In an ideal world you buy a car which will go up in value but that's tricky.

[p1stonhead]

GraemeP said:

How do - a Monday teaser you good internet folk may feel inclined to indulge me with. I've never spent more than £15k on buying a car, but may be in a position to realise one of my bucket list ownership experiences. At present the ultimate goal (997 Turbo or GT3/S) is still out of reach (they've all shot up as well), so I want my first M car. I can spend up to £27-30k, and fancy a late competition pack, DCT M3. Is it worth thinking about borrowing £10k to get into an M4? I need to think a little about resale in a few years, possibly to make the Porsche dream real.

Also, if I find a private M3 in the south (Guildford area), is there anyone recommended to do inspections, and ways to get warranty with value??

Personally I would go BMW AUC for an M3 for peace of mind up front.

£30k brings a surprisingly large choice of M3's.

Here is a nice 2012 with 30k miles for a shade under £30k with Competition Pack;

http://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/M/4.0-V8/Blackpool/20742...

£100 on a train to Blackpool worth it for me.

Edited by p1stonhead on Monday 13th March 14:25

[ferrisbueller]

olly22n said:

GraemeP said:

How do - a Monday teaser you good internet folk may feel inclined to indulge me with. I've never spent more than £15k on buying a car, but may be in a position to realise one of my bucket list ownership experiences. At present the ultimate goal (997 Turbo or GT3/S) is still out of reach (they've all shot up as well), so I want my first M car. I can spend up to £27-30k, and fancy a late competition pack, DCT M3. Is it worth thinking about borrowing £10k to get into an M4? I need to think a little about resale in a few years, possibly to make the Porsche dream real.

Also, if I find a private M3 in the south (Guildford area), is there anyone recommended to do inspections, and ways to get warranty with value??

At that money id be in an e90 m3 or some sort of pork.

M4 is a big bag of meh.

[GraemeP]

Thanks for swift responses chaps. Olly, I really would like something the wife and daughter can travel in, so Pork needs to be 911. Gen 2 997 might be an option, but we'll see. I know I can buy a cheaper earlier M3, but I'm drawn to the LCI updated cars, as to my mind they still look and feel useable, quality and modern. Comp pack, can't not have those wheels, that arch / tyre gap combo - plus MDM for a few trackdays!!

[ferrisbueller]

olly22n said:

GraemeP said:

Thanks for swift responses chaps. Olly, I really would like something the wife and daughter can travel in, so Pork needs to be 911. Gen 2 997 might be an option, but we'll see. I know I can buy a cheaper earlier M3, but I'm drawn to the LCI updated cars, as to my mind they still look and feel useable, quality and modern. Comp pack, can't not have those wheels, that arch / tyre gap combo - plus MDM for a few trackdays!!

996/997.

I'd 110% go pork.

I wouldn't want to be tracking an M3, personally.

[ferrisbueller]

olly22n said:

ferrisbueller said:

olly22n said:

GraemeP said:

Thanks for swift responses chaps. Olly, I really would like something the wife and daughter can travel in, so Pork needs to be 911. Gen 2 997 might be an option, but we'll see. I know I can buy a cheaper earlier M3, but I'm drawn to the LCI updated cars, as to my mind they still look and feel useable, quality and modern. Comp pack, can't not have those wheels, that arch / tyre gap combo - plus MDM for a few trackdays!!

996/997.

I'd 110% go pork.

I wouldn't want to be tracking an M3, personally.

Yep, thats what pumas and motorbikes are for.

And Berlingos, obvs.

[jeremyc]

Afternoon all. Today I am mostly wanting to buy this. Not from them, obviously.




Just needs the retractable tow bar to be perfect.

[Crook]

jeremyc said:

Afternoon all. Today I am mostly wanting to buy this. Not from them, obviously.




Just needs the retractable tow bar to be perfect.

WALLOP!

[braddo]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Like that a lot.

On the M3 chat I've been surprised how many E90 M3s I've seen at track days the past few times I've been. There seem to be quite a few owners making them more focused for track stuff when they still weigh 1600kg+? They certainly look and sound good, they must be demolishing brakes and tyres though.

Am hoping to have my car on weiss gold wheels shod with Cup2s in the next week or two, looking forward to a couple of track days. My add-on exhaust doesn't seem to help much for the static noise tests, so Bedford is unlikely unless they'll show a couple of dB's discretion...

[Cheburator mk2]

braddo said:

Like that a lot.

On the M3 chat I've been surprised how many E90 M3s I've seen at track days the past few times I've been. There seem to be quite a few owners making them more focused for track stuff when they still weigh 1600kg+? They certainly look and sound good, they must be demolishing brakes and tyres though.

Am hoping to have my car on weiss gold wheels shod with Cup2s in the next week or two, looking forward to a couple of track days. My add-on exhaust doesn't seem to help much for the static noise tests, so Bedford is unlikely unless they'll show a couple of dB's discretion...

Bedford do show discretion on GT3s - was there the week before last. Managed to last the whole day by judiciously applying less loud pedal at the right places.

An E9x M3 with the right suspension setup, brakes and just buckets to drop a little bit of lard could make a GT3 of any generation weep. "Sad" fact of life... https://youtu.be/lkmgh4uyYEQ

[barchetta_boy]

Wouldn't say he was making him weep, the GT3 was holding him up in the corners but I'd put that down to driver skill.

[GraemeP]

Loved that 'ring video, they were pushing a lively pace! I keep looking at the 911's I would opt for; 997 manual turbo, 997 GT3 or GTS, or a C2S with Hartec rebuild (or a dead car at a price I could find Hartec on). I can't really afford the GT*, and I can't find a Hartec C2S. Turbo also realistically a bit high price for me (now seems to be about £60k for an early manual 997.1). I will go drive an E92 and a C2S and see where my heart lies - I'm not in a rush so could wait for the right car.

Presently I think a late comp pack E92 is winning, love the Interlagos one linked earlier.

[ferrisbueller]

braddo said:

On the M3 chat I've been surprised how many E90 M3s I've seen at track days the past few times I've been. There seem to be quite a few owners making them more focused for track stuff when they still weigh 1600kg+? They certainly look and sound good, they must be demolishing brakes and tyres though.

[ferrisbueller]

barchetta_boy said:

Wouldn't say he was making him weep, the GT3 was holding him up in the corners but I'd put that down to driver skill.

Agreed.

Never sure why people put "vs" on these videos. It tends to be the car behind that does the filming that likes to label it as such, especially if the car in front is something faster than theirs on paper thus gaining the maximum ego massage effect.

It's not a race. If it were a well driven GT3 RS is undoubtedly going to see off an M3.

I've driven around the 'ring in various cars and nothing gets your sphincter twitching like some hero thinking that they're in a race and trying to get you involved in their accident which, sooner or later, they are bound to have. Happy to let such talented people have their moment I habitually let them through. What is almost universal is the differential in their speed before/after the overtake.

See also, Belgian motorways.

[ferrisbueller]

olly22n said:

Well fk.

That M3 has left an impression on me. That engine sounds absolutely mega.

They do do a good noise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Juxnj5O-Y

[Crook]

olly22n said:

Never driv'd the ring, but i always find following a lot easier

far easier than sat Nav.

[Cheburator mk2]

If I was the GT3RS owner and had just dropped EUR230k on a new "mota'" I would certainly weep in my helmet because I could not shake off a lowly M3 which is 80bhp down on power and a good 200kg heavier.

The RS driver is also a dick - the fact the M3 has appeared in his mirrors means one thing and one thing only - it is quicker... We are not talking about a good old dice, which I am sure we have all had - Joel, remember the Italian Hinny against the Bavarian Wurst ? - but a guy with an ego so heavy, it actually slowed the GT3RS down.

Anyways, the idea of the video was that the M3 E9x, although boring and blander than the E46 M3 as a driving experience, is a stonking car if you want to go very fast for not a lot of denarii (in relative terms).

[p1stonhead]

Oh my look what Romans have just bought.... That's one of the best looking ones I've ever seen.

http://www.romansinternational.com/car/1380/ferrar...

[ferrisbueller]

Cheburator mk2 said:

If I was the GT3RS owner and had just dropped EUR230k on a new "mota'" I would certainly weep in my helmet because I could not shake off a lowly M3 which is 80bhp down on power and a good 200kg heavier.

The RS driver is also a dick - the fact the M3 has appeared in his mirrors means one thing and one thing only - it is quicker... We are not talking about a good old dice, which I am sure we have all had - Joel, remember the Italian Hinny against the Bavarian Wurst ? - but a guy with an ego so heavy, it actually slowed the GT3RS down.

Anyways, the idea of the video was that the M3 E9x, although boring and blander than the E46 M3 as a driving experience, is a stonking car if you want to go very fast for not a lot of denarii (in relative terms).

Or, in this case, that he followed him through the toll gate? He's no great driver but I don't think the dick label is automatically required.

I've not done a lap of the 'ring in Pork. I have done so in an E92 M3 and let me tell you, and I'm much more of a BMW fanboy than a Porsche one, an averagely driven GT3 is much faster than an averagely driven M3.

I like an M3 but it is a big, heavy, car.

[MattOz]

p1stonhead said:

Oh my look what Romans have just bought.... That's one of the best looking ones I've ever seen.

http://www.romansinternational.com/car/1380/ferrar...

Steering wheel colour aside, that's glorious.