Discussion
Had a good look around a Black/Fox Red one today, get a drive shortly. But I have to say it is a great looking car in the flesh, all pumped up looking, makes an S5 and RS4 look positively dull and out of date by comparison. Interior was excellent too, seats fab and nice soft leather not some of the rubbish I've seen in a few other BM's. Got to hear it idling and revving and it sounded fab too.
Was told about six months to get one if ordered now, bit different to the 18 months I'd been hearing around the place.
Question for all you other BM lovers, what is it with the paint quality on new BM's? It's truely appalling the level of orange peel in the finish. I had this in my new CSL at the time - a friend took great delight in showing me it.
I didn't think it was too bad (on grey) and put it down to the robots but when I got my current 996 where the finish is like glass it's something that starts to stand out like dogs balls.. Very poor! This black car was exceptionally bad.
Still, lovely car and will sell loads once people start to see them in the flesh I think. Will wait for the test drive of course and if that goes well think I might be tempted by a White/Fox Red version. Still trying to make up my mind on what to plump for next but this is very tempting!
Was told about six months to get one if ordered now, bit different to the 18 months I'd been hearing around the place.
Question for all you other BM lovers, what is it with the paint quality on new BM's? It's truely appalling the level of orange peel in the finish. I had this in my new CSL at the time - a friend took great delight in showing me it.
I didn't think it was too bad (on grey) and put it down to the robots but when I got my current 996 where the finish is like glass it's something that starts to stand out like dogs balls.. Very poor! This black car was exceptionally bad. Still, lovely car and will sell loads once people start to see them in the flesh I think. Will wait for the test drive of course and if that goes well think I might be tempted by a White/Fox Red version. Still trying to make up my mind on what to plump for next but this is very tempting!
I had a good look over one on Friday night and I was mightily impressed. It's not just a modified e92 it really is a new car.
Test drive is booked for next Saturday at 2.00, can't wait.
All the paint problems are being blamed on the VOC free formulations that are now being used. We don't suffer from orange peel on our BMs but the 335d has very soft paint and the bonnet could do with a respray after only 6000 miles due to the stone chips. The 120d with 13000 on the clock seems OK though.
Regards
Chris
Test drive is booked for next Saturday at 2.00, can't wait.
All the paint problems are being blamed on the VOC free formulations that are now being used. We don't suffer from orange peel on our BMs but the 335d has very soft paint and the bonnet could do with a respray after only 6000 miles due to the stone chips. The 120d with 13000 on the clock seems OK though.
Regards
Chris
Spent a few hours driving around in Ecurie25's new M3 today.... I'll post the photo's up here in due course
A few thoughts about the car....
Positive:
I does look good. Just enough muscularity to the bodywork, and some nice unique detailing in the front & rear bumpers. That bonnet hump looks good too, and is surprisingly visible from the drivers seat.
Predictably, and with the caveat that the car is still in its run-in period (ergo haven't explored full rev range), the engine seems great. Good power from low-medium revs, and feels like there is the promise of electric top end. Time will tell. Nice noise. Overall the engine feels just like a junior version of the epic M V10, albeit with perhaps a little more mid range (relatively).
Chassis extremely composed, resists understeer resolutely for a relatively heavy car... indeed its natural balance actually feels slightly tail-led under power. Just in line with what the mags have said recently then really.
Rides very nicely. With EDC in normal mode its much, much smoother riding than our Z4Coupe was when it had run flats all round, even with full EDC its very firm but compliant. A truly comfortable car day to day.
.....which kind of leads me to my negatives:
Where's the excitment? Where's the joy of being behind the wheel of an 'M' car? It does all the smooch around town stuff with aplomb, and of course possesses all the practicalities of the standard car..... but then if you want around town comfort then get a 335d auto and enjoy 35mpg+ instead of the (frankly rubbish) 13.8mpg I saw.
The seat IS too high. First thing I did when I sat in it was push down on the adjuster. Nothing happened. I guess you'd get used to it over time, but in a sports model I feel you should have the option to get down on the floor - they spent all that cash on a composite roof and proclaim it lowers the CofG... well newsflash guys, if you drop 75kg of driver a couple of inches nearer the floor I bet its cheaper and has more effect.
My instant reaction to the steering was 'too light', I still stand by that but I generally find steering weight something I 'tune' into after a few miles. Its accurate and reasonably quick, but it told me nothing of what grip levels were, nor what road surface I was driving over - please BMW, some feedback would be nice!!
Gearchange was .... bland!? Little to say about it, cant really criticise it.... but in a way thats definately a minus point for me. I expected something akin to the chunky stubby shift of the Z4 but its much longer throw and moves with a less mechanical feel to its action.
Interior. Bar the seats, no different to an M optioned standard coupe. Only thing to distinguish it as the de facto M3 are some plaques on the door shuts.
Not enough engine sound. For me the compromise is 50% too much towards refinement - I'll bet that engine has a great exhaust note but I'd like to hear more. Here is a car that would benefit greatly from an exhaust valve a-la 430 / Vantage! Maybe that last few rpm's reveal all, but I say it should be more 'available' if thats the case.
So not an overwhelmingly positive impression, sadly. Its a 'nice' car, thats for sure but its character is wrapped in too many layers of refinement for my liking. I suspect if it was my car, and I could afford the rear tyres (oh, and the bl00dy fuel bills!) it would be a great fun thing to spend all day sideways in but you cant drive like that the whole time, and sometimes you'd like more interaction for less driver effort. Perhaps a long drive on a country road would leave a slightly different impression but I doubt I'd ever grow to love it, its just not that kind of car. Bring on the CSL!!!
The other view:
What the hell else can you buy for £50k that:
Accomodates 4 + luggage
420bhp
looks great
super-useable
well equipped
handles
decently screwed together
large dealer network
long service intervals
If your criteria for your next car is similar to the above then in the absence of the RS4 its hard to see much past the M3. Perhaps the C63 will change that but for now, you just cant argue with its fitness for purpose. But honestly, 13.8mpg is crap, even around town and running in.
A few thoughts about the car....
Positive:
I does look good. Just enough muscularity to the bodywork, and some nice unique detailing in the front & rear bumpers. That bonnet hump looks good too, and is surprisingly visible from the drivers seat.
Predictably, and with the caveat that the car is still in its run-in period (ergo haven't explored full rev range), the engine seems great. Good power from low-medium revs, and feels like there is the promise of electric top end. Time will tell. Nice noise. Overall the engine feels just like a junior version of the epic M V10, albeit with perhaps a little more mid range (relatively).
Chassis extremely composed, resists understeer resolutely for a relatively heavy car... indeed its natural balance actually feels slightly tail-led under power. Just in line with what the mags have said recently then really.
Rides very nicely. With EDC in normal mode its much, much smoother riding than our Z4Coupe was when it had run flats all round, even with full EDC its very firm but compliant. A truly comfortable car day to day.
.....which kind of leads me to my negatives:
Where's the excitment? Where's the joy of being behind the wheel of an 'M' car? It does all the smooch around town stuff with aplomb, and of course possesses all the practicalities of the standard car..... but then if you want around town comfort then get a 335d auto and enjoy 35mpg+ instead of the (frankly rubbish) 13.8mpg I saw.
The seat IS too high. First thing I did when I sat in it was push down on the adjuster. Nothing happened. I guess you'd get used to it over time, but in a sports model I feel you should have the option to get down on the floor - they spent all that cash on a composite roof and proclaim it lowers the CofG... well newsflash guys, if you drop 75kg of driver a couple of inches nearer the floor I bet its cheaper and has more effect.
My instant reaction to the steering was 'too light', I still stand by that but I generally find steering weight something I 'tune' into after a few miles. Its accurate and reasonably quick, but it told me nothing of what grip levels were, nor what road surface I was driving over - please BMW, some feedback would be nice!!
Gearchange was .... bland!? Little to say about it, cant really criticise it.... but in a way thats definately a minus point for me. I expected something akin to the chunky stubby shift of the Z4 but its much longer throw and moves with a less mechanical feel to its action.
Interior. Bar the seats, no different to an M optioned standard coupe. Only thing to distinguish it as the de facto M3 are some plaques on the door shuts.
Not enough engine sound. For me the compromise is 50% too much towards refinement - I'll bet that engine has a great exhaust note but I'd like to hear more. Here is a car that would benefit greatly from an exhaust valve a-la 430 / Vantage! Maybe that last few rpm's reveal all, but I say it should be more 'available' if thats the case.
So not an overwhelmingly positive impression, sadly. Its a 'nice' car, thats for sure but its character is wrapped in too many layers of refinement for my liking. I suspect if it was my car, and I could afford the rear tyres (oh, and the bl00dy fuel bills!) it would be a great fun thing to spend all day sideways in but you cant drive like that the whole time, and sometimes you'd like more interaction for less driver effort. Perhaps a long drive on a country road would leave a slightly different impression but I doubt I'd ever grow to love it, its just not that kind of car. Bring on the CSL!!!
The other view:
What the hell else can you buy for £50k that:
Accomodates 4 + luggage
420bhp
looks great
super-useable
well equipped
handles
decently screwed together
large dealer network
long service intervals
If your criteria for your next car is similar to the above then in the absence of the RS4 its hard to see much past the M3. Perhaps the C63 will change that but for now, you just cant argue with its fitness for purpose. But honestly, 13.8mpg is crap, even around town and running in.
Well I got to drive one. Best seats I've tried in a car period, so comfortable. Nice interior.
As for the drive, well it broke down! Overheated. So didn't get much chance to gun it but I was not impressed. Uninspiring engine note and a huge lack of thrust compared to my old CSL.
Made me think the CSL is a definite future classic.
The best thing about the car was the seats and the ride quality, but left me very cold feeling like what a lot of journo's have written - that it doesn't feel like an M car, and unfortunately I'd have to agree. So much for initial impressions.
As for the drive, well it broke down! Overheated. So didn't get much chance to gun it but I was not impressed. Uninspiring engine note and a huge lack of thrust compared to my old CSL.
Made me think the CSL is a definite future classic.
The best thing about the car was the seats and the ride quality, but left me very cold feeling like what a lot of journo's have written - that it doesn't feel like an M car, and unfortunately I'd have to agree. So much for initial impressions.
jellison said:
£51 Grand for the 4 door thing - Would anyone REALLY PAY their own money for one of this......
Me for one thanks.
Picking mine up tomorrow.Trackdeamon - think your post pretty much covers exactly why I'm buying one as my daily smoker. It'll do the job and be a little bit more fun than an RS4 if I fancy a bit of a hoon in the middle of an a to b grind. If I wanted a more focused CSL I'd buy er - a CSL.
Pugsey said:
jellison said:
£51 Grand for the 4 door thing - Would anyone REALLY PAY their own money for one of this......
Me for one thanks. Picking mine up tomorrow.Trackdeamon - think your post pretty much covers exactly why I'm buying one as my daily smoker. It'll do the job and be a little bit more fun than an RS4 if I fancy a bit of a hoon in the middle of an a to b grind. If I wanted a more focused CSL I'd buy er - a CSL.
Zod said:
Pugsey said:
jellison said:
£51 Grand for the 4 door thing - Would anyone REALLY PAY their own money for one of this......
Me for one thanks. Picking mine up tomorrow.Trackdeamon - think your post pretty much covers exactly why I'm buying one as my daily smoker. It'll do the job and be a little bit more fun than an RS4 if I fancy a bit of a hoon in the middle of an a to b grind. If I wanted a more focused CSL I'd buy er - a CSL.
God I'm going to be miserable this weekend...............new car, favourite road, it'll be hell I tell you. Hell.PS. Just come back from ten days/2500 miles through France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy in the 430 and had a great time chasing a new M3 up and down a couple of passes. It seemed to be trundling along very nicely I must say - save for a few whisps of smoke from the brakes at one point!
Edited by Pugsey on Friday 12th October 12:19
Deutscher - oops, yes I am. I may have misread his post and have to apologise. I thought he was knocking the M3 (in fact I still have my suspicions!). I was the one repeating "must read the question properly in future" after exams too!
Went to look at the car today - very happy with colour thank goodness. Picking her up tomorrow!
Went to look at the car today - very happy with colour thank goodness. Picking her up tomorrow!
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