M3 CSL or Exige S?

[TTwiggy]

How about a Noble?

[LukeBird]

Personally I don't normally like BMWs, but the CSL is gorgeous and one of the BMs I would ever consider owning.
For me, if the CSL had a manual box then I would go straight for that, but as it doesn't it would be the Exige.

Have you thought about a Seven? If it's a high-days and holidays car that would be my preference over either of those two!

[nonuts]

TTwiggy said:

How about a Noble?

I believe GP doesn't want another car that's going to cost as much as the M5 to run

[Animala]

ManOpener said:

Animala said:

derestrictor said:

My word, the Bank of Wit must be on the phone to The Fed.

Shall we try again?

Fine, the reason being, I hate BMW and I love Lotus, prices and specs aside.

That's a pretty crap reason, though. I don't like Ferrari as a company, or most Ferrari owners I've met, but will admit they're a dab hand at making cars.

So do you have any actual reason for your opinion, or are you a vehicular bigot?

Edited to improve grammar.

Edited by ManOpener on Tuesday 14th December 16:36

I just personally really can't stand them. I think they look boring (except for the Z8), and like yourself with Ferrari, i'm not fond of the drivers, mainly due to the large portion of them that have an extreme lacking in the ability to indicate properly, if atall.

And I have a lot of experience with BMWs as my dad's had them for company cars my whole life. Nothing nearly as hardcore as a CSL or the sort but they've always been Msport models and still just soooooo bland.

P.S. I love Mercedes, so it's not just hatred of big executive german cars either.

[RobM77]

Animala said:

ManOpener said:

Animala said:

derestrictor said:

My word, the Bank of Wit must be on the phone to The Fed.

Shall we try again?

Fine, the reason being, I hate BMW and I love Lotus, prices and specs aside.

That's a pretty crap reason, though. I don't like Ferrari as a company, or most Ferrari owners I've met, but will admit they're a dab hand at making cars.

So do you have any actual reason for your opinion, or are you a vehicular bigot?

Edited to improve grammar.

Edited by ManOpener on Tuesday 14th December 16:36

I just personally really can't stand them. I think they look boring (except for the Z8), and like yourself with Ferrari, i'm not fond of the drivers, mainly due to the large portion of them that have an extreme lacking in the ability to indicate properly, if atall.

And I have a lot of experience with BMWs as my dad's had them for company cars my whole life. Nothing nearly as hardcore as a CSL or the sort but they've always been Msport models and still just soooooo bland.

P.S. I love Mercedes, so it's not just hatred of big executive german cars either.

That's a shame that you seem to have based your opinion of a car manufacturer purely on image...

By the way, the indicating thing is a load of rubbish. I have a bee in my bonnet about people not being bothered to indicate, and I can assure you that there's no real bias at all between different makes of car. People buy cars for such a wide variety of reasons, it seems to me to be rather shallow and prejudiced to make such sweeping generalisations.

You're entitled to your opinion, but loving Mercedes and hating BMW simply doesn't make any sense - they both make such similar cars!

[L100NYY]

Chaps please keep this on topic.

Many thanks.

[spud989]

Depends how much you want to stand out in a crowd too. Remember that 90% of people don't know the difference between the CSL and a 320d. Do you value that anonymity or not?

williamp said:

CSL you say??



Some people want the flash car, the place in the country. I've already got them...

Haha, very good!

[adycav]

GP don't let your previous experience put you off.

Having read your posts on here I think that you KNOW where you need to go next.

Give it another chance, but get a straight one this time...

[Crook]

L100NYY said:

Crook said:

No thoughts of any sort of R500 or some such? May be some sort of mid point between the two. Lightning quick responses to input. Great engine noise but also F/R so very rear end pokeable and pace to match both?

I miss my old R400 oh so very much but the Elise/Exige is that much more usable.

Excuse to post crappy scanned pictures of my old car -

Nicely loosened up after clocking nigh on 20k miles in a short space of time this particular one was every bit as quick as an R500........

To my utter shame, I have never driven one. Elise and Exige and VX Turbo thing. Yes, but never a 7.
GP. I have to say the Exige is a cracking thing. Was the Toymota one but it was fantastic. Very different cars though the CSL and the Exige. Pure track work? I would say Exige. Talking from a point of ignorance about the CSL having only ever driven normal M3's both with and without a gearstick. (The SMG is not the terrible thing people say it is if you are making progress on track.)
The only car I've ever spun on track was the Turbo Vauxhethel. The M3 is immediately accessible. The Hethel cars less so. I think you would have a much greater degree of satisfaction in learning the Exige. To really getting an understanding of it would take a real amount of time. When you can nail it in, through and out every time, every corner it would be so satisfying. If you're looking for the pure driving experience. Which I think you are. The Exige has got to be the way to go.

[L100NYY]

adycav said:

GP don't let your previous experience put you off.

Having read your posts on here I think that you KNOW where you need to go next.

Give it another chance, but get a straight one this time...

Was thinking the same myself funnily enough.

[adycav]

L100NYY said:

adycav said:

GP don't let your previous experience put you off.

Having read your posts on here I think that you KNOW where you need to go next.

Give it another chance, but get a straight one this time...

Was thinking the same myself funnily enough.

I wonder if the gentleman can stretch to a '7. Or a '6 RS.

[ewenm]

My choice would depend on whether I needed the extra space of the M3 back seats and boot. Both are sports/sporty GT cars but approach it from the opposite direction - one is a GT version of a sports car and one is a sporty version of a "normal" car. Which you prefer will be entirely personal to you and only discovered once you've driven both. Up to a year ago I'd have gone for the Exige but now the extra space of the M3CSL would be useful (got a new member of the family and the Caterham is barely used now).

[_Batty_]

M3 CSL, a legend in the making or a stupid mans CS? Will the prices go the way of other Uber BMW's such as the E30M3 of flop like the E36?
This, i believe depends on how the 'box is enjoyed.
I must admit i much prefer the S1 Exige, its almost as if the S2 sold out slightly. Yet im at odds as to describe how. The S1 looks much more the 'mini group 'c' car, and its rarity comes across in the availibility(7 vs 70 odd S2's) and price (both top twenties)
I'd love a K20 'charged' S1, but would it be as useable on a daily D1 session? i doubt it!

[Animala]

RobM77 said:

That's a shame that you seem to have based your opinion of a car manufacturer purely on image...

By the way, the indicating thing is a load of rubbish. I have a bee in my bonnet about people not being bothered to indicate, and I can assure you that there's no real bias at all between different makes of car. People buy cars for such a wide variety of reasons, it seems to me to be rather shallow and prejudiced to make such sweeping generalisations.

You're entitled to your opinion, but loving Mercedes and hating BMW simply doesn't make any sense - they both make such similar cars!

What do you mean it's a shame I base my opinion purely on image? Yeah I wasn't driving those beamers a whole lot but over 20 years of being in the passenger side (about 10 of which I can remember) I think it's safe to say i'm basing my opinion on a bit more than just image. But even if I was, Who would buy a car they think is the ugliest, most depressing looking thing on the planet if it was just as good (or perhaps slightly better) as one you like? I think you have to be quite sad to buy a car you despise in appearance just because it goes round the 'ring a few seconds faster than your first choice.

Yeah I know it's weird I like Mercs but I just simply do, always have.

And also, slight edit, I love Lotus aswell, so that's why I was soo keen to jump in and just say it soo bluntly.

Edited by Animala on Tuesday 14th December 18:03

[MattyB_]

stew-S160 said:

Great Pretender said:

stew-S160 said:

Great Pretender said:

stew-S160 said:

CSL over S2 Exige.
S1 Exige over CSL.

Pour quois?

Pretty obvious really. The S1 Exige would be more of an event than even a CSL. The noise they make is great too, ok, not quite CSL mental, but very good. And for the money of a CSL, you could get a Honda'd/charged S1 Exige which would be quite a bit faster.

Hmmm, not many S1s about though and from what I understand, time tends not to be very kind to them.

Depends on how they are looked after as with any other car.

I picked up my S1 Exige a fornight ago after a long and challenging search - in 6 months I'd seen 3 for sale, the first two went to French guys very quickly, the latter of which sold within hours of going on sale. I finally managed to get hold of one, and I narrowly beat another French guy to that too.

TBH, I'd struggle to find a reason to recommend one in all honesty, given the prices they're fetching. You'll be lucky to find one below £22k thats decent, and I've seen a couple fetch £26k+. The Elise is 95% of the car for <50% of the price, and the S2 Exige is a better car in pretty much every respect, far more usable also especially day-to-day.

[Animala]

MattyB said:

in 6 months I'd seen 3 for sale, the first two went to French guys very quickly,

I finally managed to get hold of one, and I narrowly beat another French guy to that too.

....eh? did I miss somthing amongst my ramblings are was this all just a big coincidence?

[Mermaid]

_Batty_ said:

M3 CSL, a legend in the making or a stupid mans CS? Will the prices go the way of other Uber BMW's such as the E30M3

The E9 CSL is classic, as is the E30 M3. This marriage of the two (sort of) was BMW best effort to get weight down & driving pleasure up.

They are unlikely to go down this route again for the kind of price we all would find affordable.

The CS comparision? The E46 M3 CSL is to the M3 CS what the E9 3.0 CSL was to the 3.0 CSi, and perhaps the E30 Sport Evo is to the standard 200ps E30 M3. Current prices of all these tell a story.

[John D.]

Animala said:

MattyB said:

in 6 months I'd seen 3 for sale, the first two went to French guys very quickly,

I finally managed to get hold of one, and I narrowly beat another French guy to that too.

....eh? did I miss somthing amongst my ramblings are was this all just a big coincidence?

Strong Euro against Sterling is seeing lots of British sportscars being snapped up by discerning Frogs I believe. Fair few Elise/Exige and TVR going over.

[D_T_W]

CSL. I'm slightly biased though, I can't fit in a Lotus, so have therefore never been out in one. However, I'd take the CSL for the noise it makes alone, never mind the fact it's the best looking BMW made in the last 15 years, goes like stink, and have I mentioned the noise it makes?

I think you'd be fed up of the Lotus after 6 months, and you'll just be harking for something with a bit more substance.

I'd also have to agree with Der, there is only one real logical step from where you are, and that's back into the land of rear engined, RWD hilarity. The Lotus, whilst fun, I feel would be a backward step

[Mannginger]

Exige S. Took one around Silverstone the other day and couldn't believe the levels of feel, grip and pretty good power as well. Definitely on the "Want to own" list.

I also see it as a more appropriate "hooning" car for the UK and think it'll handle the smaller roads better.

Having said that 'd also love a CSL as the noise is to die for but on balance the Exige would be the direction I'd take.