My new car.... (long post I'm afraid!)
Discussion
Since selling the Chimaera last summer, I have had the displeasure of driving my GFs 1.2 Clio everyday, and as anyone who knows me will agree, all I have thought about is my next fun car...
Well, the wait is over at last and this weekend I collected a very rare 1995 E36 M3 GT - one of only 50RHD ones ever made, and one of only 27 still running I am informed..
It was a homologation special - 3.0 5spd E36 M3, with alloy doors and bonnet, dual oil pumps, baffled sump, upper and lower strut braces, aluminium doors, bonnet and boot, larger rear spolier, very low adjustable front splitter, uprated suspension etc etc.
295BHP and 70kg less than an normal M3...
I also made the rather fortunate move of buying the car from Belfast thus having a 400miles journey via Dublin and North Wales back to London...
The story is below if anyone is at a loose end for the next 3 hours!!!!
What a weekend!!
Flew to Belfast without incident, was collected by the vendor in the M - looked a lot dirtier than I hoped but he said the roads there are filthy!
Cruising back to his house on rather icy roads he never took it above 2500rpm which was quite re-assuring…
Nice chap - after a TT as insurance over there is a killer - he was early thirties with full NCB and paid £3200 insurance for the M3!!
Anyway, looked around the car and it was just as expected - couple of scratches on the rear seats as he had a large boxer that clearly used to be taken in the car, but nothing my leather guys cannot sort. He didn't seem to know much about the GT and was surprised to hear all the differences - The front splitter was fully retracted and on close inspection it was clear why - one side has a HUGE chunk missing - the size of my hand, and the other side was badly cracked.
It really is ludicrously low, and extends 4" in front of the already low M3 front splitter, so is asking for trouble. The car rides lower than a normal M3 to start with, and the extra splitter is about 1 1/2" lower than standard, and before extending 4" forward. Not a good idea in London I think!
Rest of the car looks great - couple of scratched around the keyhole but nothing a bodyshop couldn't touch up if desired.
The first aid kit and toolkit are unopened and as new, the spare wheel is full size M3 rear but on a gold rim - apparently because the 4 wheels are lighter than normal and are forged rather than cast or whatever so he was told by the dealer. The spare is a normal E36 M3 rear but gold so you can't leave it on the car by mistake!
Tyres are Avon ZZ1 - Sort of eagle F1 style tread but not too great on all accounts - they have only done a couple of thousand miles so no point worrying about them yet. Seems to have no problems with grip anyway!!
OK - Driving it.. Steering, clutch and gearchange are wonderfully tactile compared with the blancmange like Clio - gearbox is heavy when cold and frees up nicely once warm - Clutch is of the type that you actually have to press rather than wave your foot near like the Clio… Steering is a little slower than expected, but I guess after the 2.2 turns lock to lock of the TVR most things would be….
Gave the beasty a poke once underway and was quickly aware of why we hadn't touched 2500rpm earlier - 2nd gear, 3000 rpm and the rear end started squirming like crazy on the frosty tarmac… An even frostier glare from Jess suggested I should behave myself until it was a little warmer!!
Cruising down to Dublin on the dual carriageway, my confidence increasing a little inline with the temperature, I took the opportunity to stretch it's legs a little - 5th gear at 50mph soon became 5th gear at 130mph (deserted runway like road with no traffic either way for over 3 miles) and the stability of the car at this speed was incredible. I didn't want to try for anymore as it was still rather chilly and I was still getting a feel for the car.. The torque felt stronger than I expected, especially after the tree pulling TVR.
Took a small detour down some coastal roads and was very impressed by the composure and seemingly endless grip, steering lacked the feedback of the TVR but that is to be expected and allows you to relax a little which suits the car better in my opinion…
Seats are very comfortable and look great too - the leather centres and very grippy alcantatara bolsters hug tightly in the twisties…
Getting on the HSS fast ferry was incident free - minor scrapage from the already scraped splitter but nothing to worry about.
Crossing was incident free if a little choppy, but getting out of the docks at Holyhead was a different matter!!
The speedbumps there were clearly designed to stop a tank and even at 1mph the noise was truly awful - we were in Club Class sort of thing so had priority boarding etc so we were at the front of the queue - took about 10 minutes to get over the 20 or so humps which must have pleased the following convoy no end!!!
Onto the A55 out of Anglesey and unsure whether to concentrate on driving or gaze at the incredible views….. Not been there for years and had totally forgotten what a stunning place it was - Clear blue skies but temperatures just above zero meant I was wary rather than crazy at first - saw a couple of police cars and camera vans on the A55, and fancied some nicer roads, so shot off onto the A5 towards Betws-y-Coed … what a road - spent a few minutes stuck behind a Rover 400 but once onto a clear stretch I passed with ease and started to really enjoy myself… It was still very cold so I was wary of ice, but the composure of the car on roads like these was amazing - speeds were a little higher than perhaps I should in straight lines, but it really was chomping at the bit.. The TVR would have been much slower as I wouldn't have trusted it not to throw me off the roads at times.. The brakes were superb and the engine really came into it's own pulling out of second gear bends….. No hairy moments to mention really apart from when I was passed on a blind brow with a junction at the top by a 330i - my heart stopped for a nanosecond whilst I contemplated what could happen if someone pulled out - what a pratt.
The funniest bit was following an old 205 diesel driven by a local - I wouldn’t say I struggled to keep up but I certainly wouldn't have liked to try and pass him - local knowledge is invaluable without doubt.
Betws-y-Coed was packed with ramblers etc, so shortly after we turned onto the A5104 towards Chester to go and visit Jess's sister….
Temperature was below zero now so I took it easy as the road was patchy in places…
The final run home was on the M6/M42/M40 and it devoured this with ease… There is a little less sound deadening that normal E36s as road noise was higher than in the last M3 I went in - could be the tyres I guess.
Managed 31mpg average on the drive back from Belfast - pretty good considering some of the speeds involved.
On the congestion charged and half term quiet commute this was 18mpg - probably what I can expect in London.
All in all, I am very very happy with the car. I would like to get the front splitter replaced but worry this is a waste of time in London - The supplementary GT handbook states that max speed and fuel economy are impacted heavily if the splitter is fully extended so this is only advised for motor sport. I know from my degree playing with an 850 T5 BTCC model in the wind tunnel just how effective a large splitter can be - The car really doesn't need any extra high speed stability so I think it will stay tucked away for the time being at least….
I am a happy boy.
Pics on the way
>>> Edited by hughjayteens on Monday 17th February 11:12
>>> Edited by hughjayteens on Monday 17th February 12:08
Well, the wait is over at last and this weekend I collected a very rare 1995 E36 M3 GT - one of only 50RHD ones ever made, and one of only 27 still running I am informed..
It was a homologation special - 3.0 5spd E36 M3, with alloy doors and bonnet, dual oil pumps, baffled sump, upper and lower strut braces, aluminium doors, bonnet and boot, larger rear spolier, very low adjustable front splitter, uprated suspension etc etc.
295BHP and 70kg less than an normal M3...
I also made the rather fortunate move of buying the car from Belfast thus having a 400miles journey via Dublin and North Wales back to London...
The story is below if anyone is at a loose end for the next 3 hours!!!!
What a weekend!!
Flew to Belfast without incident, was collected by the vendor in the M - looked a lot dirtier than I hoped but he said the roads there are filthy!
Cruising back to his house on rather icy roads he never took it above 2500rpm which was quite re-assuring…
Nice chap - after a TT as insurance over there is a killer - he was early thirties with full NCB and paid £3200 insurance for the M3!!
Anyway, looked around the car and it was just as expected - couple of scratches on the rear seats as he had a large boxer that clearly used to be taken in the car, but nothing my leather guys cannot sort. He didn't seem to know much about the GT and was surprised to hear all the differences - The front splitter was fully retracted and on close inspection it was clear why - one side has a HUGE chunk missing - the size of my hand, and the other side was badly cracked.
It really is ludicrously low, and extends 4" in front of the already low M3 front splitter, so is asking for trouble. The car rides lower than a normal M3 to start with, and the extra splitter is about 1 1/2" lower than standard, and before extending 4" forward. Not a good idea in London I think!
Rest of the car looks great - couple of scratched around the keyhole but nothing a bodyshop couldn't touch up if desired.
The first aid kit and toolkit are unopened and as new, the spare wheel is full size M3 rear but on a gold rim - apparently because the 4 wheels are lighter than normal and are forged rather than cast or whatever so he was told by the dealer. The spare is a normal E36 M3 rear but gold so you can't leave it on the car by mistake!
Tyres are Avon ZZ1 - Sort of eagle F1 style tread but not too great on all accounts - they have only done a couple of thousand miles so no point worrying about them yet. Seems to have no problems with grip anyway!!
OK - Driving it.. Steering, clutch and gearchange are wonderfully tactile compared with the blancmange like Clio - gearbox is heavy when cold and frees up nicely once warm - Clutch is of the type that you actually have to press rather than wave your foot near like the Clio… Steering is a little slower than expected, but I guess after the 2.2 turns lock to lock of the TVR most things would be….
Gave the beasty a poke once underway and was quickly aware of why we hadn't touched 2500rpm earlier - 2nd gear, 3000 rpm and the rear end started squirming like crazy on the frosty tarmac… An even frostier glare from Jess suggested I should behave myself until it was a little warmer!!
Cruising down to Dublin on the dual carriageway, my confidence increasing a little inline with the temperature, I took the opportunity to stretch it's legs a little - 5th gear at 50mph soon became 5th gear at 130mph (deserted runway like road with no traffic either way for over 3 miles) and the stability of the car at this speed was incredible. I didn't want to try for anymore as it was still rather chilly and I was still getting a feel for the car.. The torque felt stronger than I expected, especially after the tree pulling TVR.
Took a small detour down some coastal roads and was very impressed by the composure and seemingly endless grip, steering lacked the feedback of the TVR but that is to be expected and allows you to relax a little which suits the car better in my opinion…
Seats are very comfortable and look great too - the leather centres and very grippy alcantatara bolsters hug tightly in the twisties…
Getting on the HSS fast ferry was incident free - minor scrapage from the already scraped splitter but nothing to worry about.
Crossing was incident free if a little choppy, but getting out of the docks at Holyhead was a different matter!!
The speedbumps there were clearly designed to stop a tank and even at 1mph the noise was truly awful - we were in Club Class sort of thing so had priority boarding etc so we were at the front of the queue - took about 10 minutes to get over the 20 or so humps which must have pleased the following convoy no end!!!
Onto the A55 out of Anglesey and unsure whether to concentrate on driving or gaze at the incredible views….. Not been there for years and had totally forgotten what a stunning place it was - Clear blue skies but temperatures just above zero meant I was wary rather than crazy at first - saw a couple of police cars and camera vans on the A55, and fancied some nicer roads, so shot off onto the A5 towards Betws-y-Coed … what a road - spent a few minutes stuck behind a Rover 400 but once onto a clear stretch I passed with ease and started to really enjoy myself… It was still very cold so I was wary of ice, but the composure of the car on roads like these was amazing - speeds were a little higher than perhaps I should in straight lines, but it really was chomping at the bit.. The TVR would have been much slower as I wouldn't have trusted it not to throw me off the roads at times.. The brakes were superb and the engine really came into it's own pulling out of second gear bends….. No hairy moments to mention really apart from when I was passed on a blind brow with a junction at the top by a 330i - my heart stopped for a nanosecond whilst I contemplated what could happen if someone pulled out - what a pratt.
The funniest bit was following an old 205 diesel driven by a local - I wouldn’t say I struggled to keep up but I certainly wouldn't have liked to try and pass him - local knowledge is invaluable without doubt.
Betws-y-Coed was packed with ramblers etc, so shortly after we turned onto the A5104 towards Chester to go and visit Jess's sister….
Temperature was below zero now so I took it easy as the road was patchy in places…
The final run home was on the M6/M42/M40 and it devoured this with ease… There is a little less sound deadening that normal E36s as road noise was higher than in the last M3 I went in - could be the tyres I guess.
Managed 31mpg average on the drive back from Belfast - pretty good considering some of the speeds involved.
On the congestion charged and half term quiet commute this was 18mpg - probably what I can expect in London.
All in all, I am very very happy with the car. I would like to get the front splitter replaced but worry this is a waste of time in London - The supplementary GT handbook states that max speed and fuel economy are impacted heavily if the splitter is fully extended so this is only advised for motor sport. I know from my degree playing with an 850 T5 BTCC model in the wind tunnel just how effective a large splitter can be - The car really doesn't need any extra high speed stability so I think it will stay tucked away for the time being at least….
I am a happy boy.
Pics on the way
>>> Edited by hughjayteens on Monday 17th February 11:12
>>> Edited by hughjayteens on Monday 17th February 12:08
- one of only 50RHD ones ever made, and one of only 27 still running I am informed..
If this is write-off accidents rather than mechanical problems and at that rate of attrition, you may only have a maximum of about seven years left, or a 1 in seven chance of pegging it every year. enjoy them!
R
)! 
Well done mate, sounds like you knew what you wanted and was prepared to wait for the right car?
Anyhow, if funds allow, dump the tyres! Sounds drastic I know, but if there the same type of Avon that I had on my Type R Accord it will make the car 30% better by changing to something like GY F1. The steering became a revelation, the car had grip for the first time in the wet, the ride improved and turn in was vastly improved. Just my opinion and experience.
Paul
Anyhow, if funds allow, dump the tyres! Sounds drastic I know, but if there the same type of Avon that I had on my Type R Accord it will make the car 30% better by changing to something like GY F1. The steering became a revelation, the car had grip for the first time in the wet, the ride improved and turn in was vastly improved. Just my opinion and experience.
Paul
My leather guys..... Now that would be telling!!!
Nah - the gusy who own www.leathercare-renovations.co.uk redid the seats in my last car and they were phenomenal...
I think the tyres might be killed off on a trackday - can't justify £600 or so on some new boots when these are so new even though I know they are cack..
Nah - the gusy who own www.leathercare-renovations.co.uk redid the seats in my last car and they were phenomenal...
I think the tyres might be killed off on a trackday - can't justify £600 or so on some new boots when these are so new even though I know they are cack..
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