The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T(Vol XVIII)
Discussion
p1stonhead said:
ferrisbueller said:
s m said:
Agreed - a 1 coop ins next on my list of BMs. Feels a lot more together than an E46 Coupe. I prefer the steering on the E46 to the 125 but would like to try a 135i coupe to see what the steering is like on that.
Probably get used to it I guess though
Probably get used to it I guess though
WTF were they thinking when they signed that monstrosity off?
Sadly despite the turbo and manual gearbox that there is no demand for they never really came into my price range unless I had a massive car loan
s m said:
p1stonhead said:
ferrisbueller said:
s m said:
Agreed - a 1 coop ins next on my list of BMs. Feels a lot more together than an E46 Coupe. I prefer the steering on the E46 to the 125 but would like to try a 135i coupe to see what the steering is like on that.
Probably get used to it I guess though
Probably get used to it I guess though
WTF were they thinking when they signed that monstrosity off?
Sadly despite the turbo and manual gearbox that there is no demand for they never really came into my price range unless I had a massive car loan
Edited by p1stonhead on Monday 27th November 07:18
Patrick Bateman said:
Oh how I long for another- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-M5-E39-Facelifted-A...
Great cars. Would love another go in one, or as a ownership prospect (assuming I could have some pork / a lotus as a more focussed foil). The M5 used to be the centre of BMW in my opinion - combining the tech, the luxury and driver-focussed sporting ability that the brand stands for (you could say the same of the M3, especially in E36 and E46 forms). Shame they have lost something with the current model - a great car by any objective measure but subjectively not as appealing as E28-E60. Wouldn't kick one out of bed as a DD but I expect a whole order of magnitude more ruinous than the models that went before (licence if nothing else!).Now this I can get seriously excited about:
Blueprint said:
Narrow-nosed 3.8 on 'stars. Winning at life.
Bin the pram handle and don't bother to wrap it, thanks
(Yes, I know an E46 M3 is a better bet for DD duties, but the S38 is epic and I love E34s).
Diesel Meister said:
Narrow-nosed 3.8 on 'stars. Winning at life.
Bin the pram handle and don't bother to wrap it, thanks
(Yes, I know an E46 M3 is a better bet for DD duties, but the S38 is epic and I love E34s).
Was taken around the Ring in a well driven 3.8 S38 6-spd - the noise! Even now, 8 years later the hairs on my arms are standing as I remember that engine working hard... They really don't make them as they used to...Bin the pram handle and don't bother to wrap it, thanks
(Yes, I know an E46 M3 is a better bet for DD duties, but the S38 is epic and I love E34s).
Cheburator mk2 said:
Was taken around the Ring in a well driven 3.8 S38 6-spd - the noise! Even now, 8 years later the hairs on my arms are standing as I remember that engine working hard... They really don't make them as they used to...
My very first ///M experience was having the reach of 3rd gear demonstrated in a freshly run in S38B38 - black with grey interior. It looked epic, accelerated vividly but the winner was the range of noises it emitted whilst so doing - it was indescribably complex, alive, menacing and yet musical 
One of the greatest engines of all time in my view - and BMW has made a few (not just S-designations either). Shame it seems to be more focused on the objective technological excellence at the expense of some of the emotion. Different eras and regulations I guess... The M88 and S38 howl is incredible and one of the great automotive engine noises imho. My M635CSi is a beautiful noise, as was my E34 M5 Touring but the cherry-on-top for me is a friends blue-printed M88/1 in his E26, just a fabulous aural treat and just centimetres behind your ears.
E24man said:
The M88 and S38 howl is incredible and one of the great automotive engine noises imho. My M635CSi is a beautiful noise, as was my E34 M5 Touring but the cherry-on-top for me is a friends blue-printed M88/1 in his E26, just a fabulous aural treat and just centimetres behind your ears.
Just about the only sixer I've heard to match an S38 for presence is the venerable M88. The M1 is a tidy wrapper for it and as you say (and one of my favourite things about an MR layout) is that the engine is right by your lug holes, all the better to appreciate the complexity and range of aural majesty (I'm a sucker for induction roar combined with the howl of some expensively race-honed reciprocating parts). Lots of nice big sixes in the BMW back-catalogue. I mourn their passing. Heck I even loved the mini boat-anchor M20B25 in my E30 - not fast or frugal but characterful and lazily lusty and didn't mind some revs (mainly noise about 5.5krpm
)In fact I'm super tempted to find a good E28 / E34 with an M30B35 and breath on it a little - the main drawback is that nice examples of older cars are often as a much as an E90 and for DD duties the newer car would be hard to ignore.
Around 9-10 years ago interesting cars were being practically given away. Now it seems that every single one has a few kilos of used bank notes under the back seat and wipers made of platinum, despite in many cases the mileage and condition being not much different. I exaggerate for effect, but still...
An M30B34/5 is a trusty lump, well worthy of the term 'bomb-proof', and well capable of pushing along an E23/4/8, E32/4 and even E30 to indecent speeds still. The issue is tuning them to anywhere near an M88; simply put, it can't be done for a road car. Alpina and Hartge got 260bhp-ish out of the M30 but it won't touch an M88 or S38 for howling pace unless you blow into it. I passed up the opportunity to obtain a pretty decent rhd 635CSi turbo last year, yet another one that 'got away'.
Love a BMW 6cyl, and for me the S38B38 was the best of the lot. It just seemed so bespoke and special
Unfortunately these days I've felt that the M division has almost tried to move more into the Alpina space. The adoption of turbos was probably unavoidable, but I'm just not sure they are offering enough "M-ness" anymore. A recent bit of time spent in a new M4 has done little to change this opinion
Unfortunately these days I've felt that the M division has almost tried to move more into the Alpina space. The adoption of turbos was probably unavoidable, but I'm just not sure they are offering enough "M-ness" anymore. A recent bit of time spent in a new M4 has done little to change this opinion
Edited by Leins on Sunday 3rd December 23:16
E24man said:
A few Alpina owers are echoing the same thoughts regarding the divergence of Motorsport and Alpina, not just the engines but also the suspension; soon the difference might only be bits of bodywork and interior design.....
Agreed. It's hard to think of ways they can differentiate now given the evolution of the breed over the last decade (or two).With a bit of de-chaving this could make a phenomenal sleeper. According to the seller only one ever built as Coupe.
https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id...
https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id...
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