BMW 1M in Valencia Orange

[McSam]

Trtj said:

Very nice car. Question, why is a square set-up better in Winter?

For limit handling in the dry, you want a slightly wider rear tyre on a powerful RWD car. This is because when you have all the tyres loaded up and then try to power out of a corner, you demand traction from the rears on top of their already-high cornering load. If they're not superior to the fronts, this leads pretty rapidly to overloading the rear tyres, giving you oversteer, hence the original setup on the 19s.

In snowy (and, less dramatically, wet) conditions, though, the key factor in how much grip you have is how effectively your tyre can cut through the useless surface and get traction on better-compacted snow or tarmac beneath. For a given vehicle weight, the narrower the tyre, the more pressure it'll exert and so the better it'll break through to a grippier surface. That's why winter tyre setups are generally narrower, and why you want them to be an equal width all around. It's assumed that, in the snow, you won't go trying to wind the car out of a corner flat-out in second, so additional rear grip is not needed and instead you want balance in neutral (no power or braking) conditions.

This does have the side-effect the OP noted, that in more normal conditions you'll get quite a tail-happy car as that dry balance is compromised! It's more than worth it, though, especially on a car like this. Driving to the conditions is one thing, but having a big reserve of grip is very handy when other drivers around you start doing all the stupid st they tend to do in the snow!


Anyway, cracking car and it looks great in that colour. I read through and was very pleased to see how much use it's getting how many miles have you done now? Have you got used to the power delivery, or does it still feel properly quick?

[anomaly]

Thanks for that, really informative. I guess I am used to the power now but it's more than enough for me: on winters this afternoon in the dry it lit up the rears in 3rd in a straight line! This is one reason why I've no inclination to modify it. Others are that it's my daily and needs to be reliable, I don't track it and I hope BMW knew what they were doing building it and I don't think I know any better!

[anomaly]

McSam said:

how many miles have you done now?

Just turned 54,000

[anomaly]

First snow drive today on the Pilot Alpins and the first day I'm pleased with them. Pulled off some quite impressive hill starts on serious gradients. Yes, they will slip if provoked but as long as you're sensible they make driving this car in the snow a doddle.

[james64]

Very nice. Great to see one been used properly

[anomaly]

I test drove an M4 this week as there are some good deals to be had. I was actually very impressed but have decided to stick with the 1M. The M4 felt bigger (obviously) and more grown-up. The twin-clutch gearbox was seriously impressive. The car sounds fantastic - better than the 1M actually. Overall though it just felt less special and and I couldn't currently bring myself to part with the 1M. This and the fact that the M4 is unlikely to hold it's value anywhere near as well as the 1M means that I be sticking with this a while longer.

[Exitus]

Pretty sure I've seen your car around - especially in the medical center car park!

I certainly agree with you about the winter tyres - I have a set on my M135i, and it makes the car surprisingly drivable in the snow, as long as you're gentle. Good at standing water too.

[Court_S]

Glad to hear that your still getting on with it.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the M4 because I think BMW are struggling with staying the smaller coupes. The 6 looks great but I don't like the 2 or the 4. The new M3 looks amazing, much more I posing than the M4.

Good to se that the cars getting used too. I think the residuals won't be too bad...I was in Sytner Nottingham last week and they had a black one for sake at £42k (no idea on mileage as I wasn't paying that much attention).

[anomaly]

A sad day has come and the 1M is going. Despite what I said earlier, due to a change in circumstances it is now in the classifieds. It'll make a great car for someone...

[cerb4.5lee]

GLWTS but also sorry it has to go and the ad looks good, these are such a lovely rare car with cracking residuals too.

[anomaly]

Exitus said:

Pretty sure I've seen your car around - especially in the medical center car park!

I certainly agree with you about the winter tyres - I have a set on my M135i, and it makes the car surprisingly drivable in the snow, as long as you're gentle. Good at standing water too.

Ha! I've been spotted. I'll keep an eye out for your M135i.

[6OD]

[4340BB]

Stunning 1M.
I also agree about the M4. They look just like any other 4 series rep mobile.
The M3 on the other hand is stunning. I think it's to do with the bigger glass area at the rear of the car.

[thrashermax]

Great to see that you've used her and enjoyed it. I did 40,000 miles in my CSL, sold her last month... I'd love a 1M, I'm waiting for a high mileage example to turn up... yours is getting there on the miles.. good luck with the sale... what are you getting next? You've a great car history so far.

This is my special toy


And this was my CSL...

[anomaly]

Change of plan, again. Despite coming close I haven't sold it. I had inherited a Boxster S from my dad and was going to sell the 1M to release some capital. The thing is, I couldn't really get on with the Porsche. Despite the roof down and the sun shining it wasn't really a patch on the 1M. Perhaps it was hampered by it's tiptronic gearbox but I couldn't really see myself in it for long.

So the 1M is staying, yay! Another trip is planned to Germany and perhaps beyond in June. Booked the tunnel tickets and taking the tent to wherever pleases us for two weeks. I'm quite tempted to visit the Nurburgring but am a little apprehensive given some of the horror stories I've read, the insurance issues and my lack of track experience. We'll see.

[anomaly]

thrashermax said:

Great to see that you've used her and enjoyed it. I did 40,000 miles in my CSL, sold her last month... I'd love a 1M, I'm waiting for a high mileage example to turn up... yours is getting there on the miles.. good luck with the sale... what are you getting next? You've a great car history so far.

Thanks for that. Your CSL looked fantastic, must have been one of the higher mileage ones. Interesting car history you've had too!

[anomaly]

http://www.bmwblog.com/2015/04/22/bmw-1m-the-ultim...

This sums it up perfectly

[anomaly]

Just picked up the car from Sytner. For the past few weeks it has been a bit lumpy when accelerating and on three occasions under hard acceleration in third gear it has misfired badly and the engine light has come on. It required a new coil pack and spark plug on cylinder 5 and is driving beautifully again. It is also MOT time and pleasingly it passed with only one advisory: a nail in one of the new Supersports. I'll see if it can be repaired. I also took the opportunity to have the front pads replaced as there was only a predicted 2000 miles left on them.

Next week we're off on another Roadtrip. The plan is: Luxembourg, southern Germany, Austria, Hungary, meeting up with a friend in Ukraine and returning via Poland and Berlin. This may change a little though as we go along.

[ChrisBuer]

Fantastic!

I love 1M's! I sold mine last October and I maintain that it was the best "all-rounder" I've owned yet. It does everything so well and with it being rare, I got back almost what I paid for it.

I'll continue to enjoy reading your thread

(My old 1M)

[anomaly]

ChrisBuer said:

Fantastic!

I love 1M's! I sold mine last October and I maintain that it was the best "all-rounder" I've owned yet. It does everything so well and with it being rare, I got back almost what I paid for it.

I'll continue to enjoy reading your thread

(My old 1M)

Sorry you've left the fold but the Exige is a more than worthy replacement!

Had the "nail" pulled out today and it was little more than a stud about 3mm deep so no harm done, all good!