Discussion
yonex said:
cerb4.5lee said:
My brother in law had a go in a 997 turbo and he loved it to bits and he has a E93 M3, agree regards the Diablo and to me they are draw dropping for sure.
You want to hear the two pipe mod. It actually sounds like a V8 now 
Very similar to stock (apart from cold start) but has this raspy tone, it's the perfect mod. Noise on demand but no drone or unwanted attention when you're taking it easy.
http://www.paulscarwelding.co.uk/
Paul took about 3 hrs to carry out the work, great guy to deal with. He reckons he has modded around 280 M3's, out of this a dozen were four door. It confirms my belief that the spec is comparatively rare.
cerb4.5lee said:
Good stuff and chuffed you are pleased with the mod!
It is deeply childish but I am very much looking forward to the tunnels around Conwy and the cold start off of the ferry 
There's a bike in the boot under the pile of kids stuff and a crate of decent plonk for the family, a reminder of why a 911 wouldn't be as useful. Flash on the phone shows up the base of Jerez black. It needs a proper detail, something I will attend to when I return in a few weeks.
Not a bad average on a run. It was rammed with luggage and family. Topped up the oil before we left, I reckon it's using 300ml/1000 miles which seems pretty reasonable. We actually saw 28.1 before the traffic. Drove into a Gaa game kicking out from the park and it took ages to clear Dublin. It's a great GT really.
Decent journey only interrupt by some asholes on the way to (I assume) a meet a Gaydon. There was a pair in M5's that came past us like we standing still (85). Caught them later on, they were sat at 60.
Decent journey only interrupt by some asholes on the way to (I assume) a meet a Gaydon. There was a pair in M5's that came past us like we standing still (85). Caught them later on, they were sat at 60.
Had a problem with the puncture warning flagging up which made me itch a bit :/ pressures just 2 psi off so maybe the ABS is in a twist. Otherwise it's performing famously out here. Incredible roads and for sure the place we'll end up. Shameless picture of the drive
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 20th August 19:50
So all back in one piece. The weird tyre fault just went away and no other dramas. On the return journey I had some very childish times with my 6 year old in the tunnels, and with the odd standing start from a toll booth I know it's not a particularly exotic car but it drew a bit of attention in Dublin and I didn't see another on the trip.
The exhaust mod is without doubt the best money I have spent on pretty much anything, ever
It's not all good news though. The brakes are now feeding back a bit of light judder and the pads are glazed I would think as they feel a bit dead. I'm looking at options to go the whole hog and change the front setup entirely. It's just too much car for the brakes to be like this. Tyres will be needed sometime in the near future, the front edges have lost their bite and the steering is suffering for it. I expected it to go through these things so it's not a problem....apart from money
Fuel consumption continues to be ok. Oil hasn't moved since the small top up. I had some reservations but it's starting to get under my skin now and the plan to switch to a 911 after 6 months might need a rethink.
I know it's not a particularly exotic car but it drew a bit of attention in Dublin and I didn't see another on the trip. The exhaust mod is without doubt the best money I have spent on pretty much anything, ever
It's not all good news though. The brakes are now feeding back a bit of light judder and the pads are glazed I would think as they feel a bit dead. I'm looking at options to go the whole hog and change the front setup entirely. It's just too much car for the brakes to be like this. Tyres will be needed sometime in the near future, the front edges have lost their bite and the steering is suffering for it. I expected it to go through these things so it's not a problem....apart from money
Fuel consumption continues to be ok. Oil hasn't moved since the small top up. I had some reservations but it's starting to get under my skin now and the plan to switch to a 911 after 6 months might need a rethink.
Bad week.
Returning from Caterham I picked up an ugly stone chip on the bonnet, it's left a small dent as well. Then yesterday something caught the nearside front at work, nobody saw it etc, etc. I was pretty pissed about it but it'll get fixed. In other news it's annoyed me now so it's living with the M button on and fuel consumption has been chucked out the window, I just can't be assed. The Caterham is coming anyway. The exhaust mod continues to make me smile and the brakes continue to confuse. The temptation to swap it for a CS E46 is quite strong as is the pull of a Maserati. The Caterham will bring order to the garage I feel.
Next week bodyshop quotes...nothing like spending money for no reason :/
Returning from Caterham I picked up an ugly stone chip on the bonnet, it's left a small dent as well. Then yesterday something caught the nearside front at work, nobody saw it etc, etc. I was pretty pissed about it but it'll get fixed. In other news it's annoyed me now so it's living with the M button on and fuel consumption has been chucked out the window, I just can't be assed. The Caterham is coming anyway. The exhaust mod continues to make me smile and the brakes continue to confuse. The temptation to swap it for a CS E46 is quite strong as is the pull of a Maserati. The Caterham will bring order to the garage I feel.
Next week bodyshop quotes...nothing like spending money for no reason :/
Agree on the fuel consumption, I have an Impreza which is nowhere near as exotic or powerful and its MUCH worse on fuel than your M3. I just think if you want to drive it you have to pay the fuel and if you can't afford the fuel then worry.... Until then make some V8 thunder and have a smile on your face!
Back from the bodyshop. Going to have the whole bumper and bonnet painted as there are a few chips etc. The guys at DM gave me a few ideas about making the car a bit more edgy which sound good and something to look at. There is a vast amount of tuning stuff out there and loads of ways to empty your wallet! If I'm keeping it for a while then it'll have to have a BBK, that's a decision to be made when the new toy arrives. It is coming just a question of spec and dealing with a scary number
Another trip to Ireland so time to update. The car is still doing well, it served as rapid transport to Holyhead, funeral car, sandwich wagon for a christening and general transport. Not the brightest Xmas but that's how life goes sometimes. That's the thing with it, just a 3 series and apart from the wheels (and if you don't drive like an ass) nobody looks twice.
The brakes, which I've been ignoring and not been hard on are really s
tty now, I'll book it in tomorrow as its making fast driving nigh on impossible. The ignition keys dropped into the fag lighter (second car I've had this happen) and have blown the fuse somewhere as all the auxiliary stuff isn't working. Having to rely on the frankly ridiculous BMW satnav reminds me why I don't. The 6 year old was feeling a bit glum after a bumpy ferry journey and being trapped in the back for a few hours so I swapped places and the other half drove. First time in the back, not a bad place to be apart from no arm rest, what is it with BMW and their crazy notion of all the saloons having split seats as an option against the coupe all standard fitment? Had a few compliments in Ireland about its noise and I still think it's one of the things that make the car now, it's loud enough to know what it is but just this side of yobbish, borderline at cold start. It feels pretty rapid as a passenger
We followed a newish 911 and as much as I fancy one it wouldn't make this trip we've just done with all the crap in the boot. Still looking at at a replacement sometime but it's such a good all rounder and i have got used to the fuel, the next service, tyres etc might be a bit sobering though I'll check the trip tomorrow but it was showing something like 23.5 after 650 miles of motorway and two weeks of short journeys, I don't think that's too bad overall. I'm not sure where it is value wise and TBH I'm not going to look, the warranty runs for a good while longer so I'll be keeping it into the summer I would think. The bonnet and bumper are still waiting, I can't see the point until I sell it really as knowing my luck it'll get chipped, knocked again, it's not that annoying now I've attacked it with some cutting type stuff.
Next step is a clean. It's pretty manky.
The brakes, which I've been ignoring and not been hard on are really s
tty now, I'll book it in tomorrow as its making fast driving nigh on impossible. The ignition keys dropped into the fag lighter (second car I've had this happen) and have blown the fuse somewhere as all the auxiliary stuff isn't working. Having to rely on the frankly ridiculous BMW satnav reminds me why I don't. The 6 year old was feeling a bit glum after a bumpy ferry journey and being trapped in the back for a few hours so I swapped places and the other half drove. First time in the back, not a bad place to be apart from no arm rest, what is it with BMW and their crazy notion of all the saloons having split seats as an option against the coupe all standard fitment? Had a few compliments in Ireland about its noise and I still think it's one of the things that make the car now, it's loud enough to know what it is but just this side of yobbish, borderline at cold start. It feels pretty rapid as a passenger We followed a newish 911 and as much as I fancy one it wouldn't make this trip we've just done with all the crap in the boot. Still looking at at a replacement sometime but it's such a good all rounder and i have got used to the fuel, the next service, tyres etc might be a bit sobering though
I'll check the trip tomorrow but it was showing something like 23.5 after 650 miles of motorway and two weeks of short journeys, I don't think that's too bad overall. I'm not sure where it is value wise and TBH I'm not going to look, the warranty runs for a good while longer so I'll be keeping it into the summer I would think. The bonnet and bumper are still waiting, I can't see the point until I sell it really as knowing my luck it'll get chipped, knocked again, it's not that annoying now I've attacked it with some cutting type stuff. Next step is a clean. It's pretty manky.
The view that every M3 owner dreads but everyone else enjoys
The clock lost about 20 mins last week and then returning back from the station a warning about 'increased discharge', which sounded painful. I switched the charger from the Atom to the BMW and left it overnight, the next morning it was fine. On the way home though it went into limp, reduced power wasn't undriveable so made it back ok. Obviously first port of call was a new battery. Sod going to BMW's oiks so I used DMWorx, they're very good guys. New battery was around £150 and the 'coding'
(the most tragic and unbelievable use of what is a complex job used to describe adding a mere serial number or hitting enter on a sub menu) £20, therefore £200 or so all in. The crap the display lit up with was fairly complete. Tyre warnings, low fuel, every DSC type fault, battery, engine faults....
I remember having a dead battery on an old Mini once. Every day I used to bump it down the hill, a good few months that went on until it started misfiring and I got bored with problem. £20, 5 mins and it was back on the road.
Apart from that the 'drug dealers car' (as next door refer to it) is plodding along merrily depleting the worlds oil supplies and making the most wonderful noises. I had a wobble the other week with an i3, and also the 135i but the cost to change to the i3 is too much and the 135i is too small for my needs. I was seriously impressed with the pace of it (135) but it was a bit sterile and the suspension was a bit bland after the E90. On the same day we went to the Merc dealer to look at a GLC (great name for a mercedes bus) for the other half. They kindly gave me the keys to an A45AMG. It reminded me of my old DC2, way, way faster obviously but it was so loud, crashy and attention seeking I really couldn't have one. Seriously rapid car though, hugely impressive and no doubt effective.
There are those that say the E90 has no torque, is a reps car, is too bland etc but as yet I haven't found a replacement. It reminded me how competent it is overall after driving all these new cars, not to mention how much more character the S65 has. The brakes are still not sorted and I am now toying with smaller wheels.
The clock lost about 20 mins last week and then returning back from the station a warning about 'increased discharge', which sounded painful. I switched the charger from the Atom to the BMW and left it overnight, the next morning it was fine. On the way home though it went into limp, reduced power wasn't undriveable so made it back ok. Obviously first port of call was a new battery. Sod going to BMW's oiks so I used DMWorx, they're very good guys. New battery was around £150 and the 'coding'
(the most tragic and unbelievable use of what is a complex job used to describe adding a mere serial number or hitting enter on a sub menu) £20, therefore £200 or so all in. The crap the display lit up with was fairly complete. Tyre warnings, low fuel, every DSC type fault, battery, engine faults....I remember having a dead battery on an old Mini once. Every day I used to bump it down the hill, a good few months that went on until it started misfiring and I got bored with problem. £20, 5 mins and it was back on the road.
Apart from that the 'drug dealers car' (as next door refer to it) is plodding along merrily depleting the worlds oil supplies and making the most wonderful noises. I had a wobble the other week with an i3, and also the 135i but the cost to change to the i3 is too much and the 135i is too small for my needs. I was seriously impressed with the pace of it (135) but it was a bit sterile and the suspension was a bit bland after the E90. On the same day we went to the Merc dealer to look at a GLC (great name for a mercedes bus) for the other half. They kindly gave me the keys to an A45AMG. It reminded me of my old DC2, way, way faster obviously but it was so loud, crashy and attention seeking I really couldn't have one. Seriously rapid car though, hugely impressive and no doubt effective.
There are those that say the E90 has no torque, is a reps car, is too bland etc but as yet I haven't found a replacement. It reminded me how competent it is overall after driving all these new cars, not to mention how much more character the S65 has. The brakes are still not sorted and I am now toying with smaller wheels.
cerb4.5lee said:
Very sorry to hear this and I hope you get it sorted as easily as possible.
Hi, thanks for that. It's just a car, tbh I kind of expected it to rain one day and knew there were potential bills around the corner, especially given the complexity of them. It's is totally why I bought approved used rather than saved a few grand privately, In one way I really hope it's the actuators, and both of them. The worst case would be a 'glitch', I will lose patience with an intermittent fault for sure! I was speaking to a guy who lost a compression on one cylinder and was faced with a new engine, £15K that cost him, or at least the insurance company. It's a high stakes game. Anyway let's not feel sorry for me, I've got it booked in and once home, it it limps back ok, will probably take the Atom out. A few miles in that ill forget all about the various 'bongs' and alarms in the Bavarian monster
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