RE: BMW M3 (E92) Competition manual: Spotted
Discussion
A new car would also be covered under warranty, have a modern ICE system and be a good amount more powerful. I agree though, the price isn't stupid. A little overpriced, but good haggling will probably see a few quid off.
Do you need more power, and a more modern ice? These have more than enough grunt, and one Radio 2 is set you never need touch the dial again!
To my mind, a driver's car has to be manual. There is simply no interaction with paddles, and no challenge to drive it well. Autos are cruisers and old people cars, not sports cars. The obsession with feeling like an F1 driver, and getting that fraction off a second is meaningless.
Do you need more power, and a more modern ice? These have more than enough grunt, and one Radio 2 is set you never need touch the dial again!
To my mind, a driver's car has to be manual. There is simply no interaction with paddles, and no challenge to drive it well. Autos are cruisers and old people cars, not sports cars. The obsession with feeling like an F1 driver, and getting that fraction off a second is meaningless.
MDMA . said:
I'd like a standard saloon in Silverstone. Think they look much better than the Coupe.
Well it is a small world! That is my current car, purchased from Jamie Robinson in Nov 2017. Absolutely tremendous car. Mon to Fri my wife uses it for the family duties (not the best use of a 17mpg V8 manual, granted) but then at weekends it's all mine!!R400TVR said:
To my mind, a driver's car has to be manual. There is simply no interaction with paddles, and no challenge to drive it well. Autos are cruisers and old people cars, not sports cars. The obsession with feeling like an F1 driver, and getting that fraction off a second is meaningless.
If the choice was between paddles and an S2000 box, an RX8 box or even a 350z box then I'd agree but unfortunately you have to have an M3 gearbox. I tested both before I bought mine and having been a die hard manual fan i didn't hesitate to go for the DCT.R400TVR said:
[quote te=aaron_2000]
Do you need more power, and a more modern ice? These have more than enough grunt, and one Radio 2 is set you never need touch the dial again! mitchaw said:
I'm 16, but I mean that sounds like a good price to me, though still a large sum for a 6 year old car.
Put it this way, if a new car came out with rear-wheel-drive, a 4.0L V8 and 400+ hp, it would be double that. Easily. This car has always been one of my favourites.
And besides, most people would say that a manual would decrease value, which is in some ways correct, but to some, having a manual transmission pushes it's value UP, so it's very much down to your opinion.
A new car would also be covered under warranty, have a modern ICE system and be a good amount more powerful. I agree though, the price isn't stupid. A little overpriced, but good haggling will probably see a few quid off. Put it this way, if a new car came out with rear-wheel-drive, a 4.0L V8 and 400+ hp, it would be double that. Easily. This car has always been one of my favourites.
And besides, most people would say that a manual would decrease value, which is in some ways correct, but to some, having a manual transmission pushes it's value UP, so it's very much down to your opinion.
To my mind, a driver's car has to be manual. There is simply no interaction with paddles, and no challenge to drive it well. Autos are cruisers and old people cars, not sports cars. The obsession with feeling like an F1 driver, and getting that fraction off a second is meaningless.
"Put it this way, if a new car came out with rear-wheel-drive, a 4.0L V8 and 400+ hp, it would be double that."
RWDan said:
"I'm a die hard manual fan" and "I bought a dct" don't really belong in the same sentence do they, lol. Obviously not a die hard manual fan. 
He said having been a die hard manual fan. I'm a big fan of a manual gearbox, but having had a Z4M and then a E92 M3 after(both manual)...they seriously made me question why I love manual gearboxes so much for sure.Two pedal cars bore me to death, but after experiencing those two manual gearboxes I found it easy to understand why BMW sell so many more Auto/DCT instead.
cerb4.5lee said:
RWDan said:
"I'm a die hard manual fan" and "I bought a dct" don't really belong in the same sentence do they, lol. Obviously not a die hard manual fan.
He said having been a die hard manual fan. I'm a big fan of a manual gearbox, but having had a Z4M and then a E92 M3 after(both manual)...they seriously made me question why I love manual gearboxes so much for sure.Two pedal cars bore me to death, but after experiencing those two manual gearboxes I found it easy to understand why BMW sell so many more Auto/DCT instead.
To be fair I was pretty surprised how poor the manual was but having already decided I was going to get an M3 there was no way I was going to suffer the wrong gearbox just to have 3 pedals. The DCT is a much better choice for this car IMO.
yonex said:
3795mpower said:
Well, around 2 years ago I was hunting a 4 door E90 M3.
In the end I got a low miles m135i and haven’t regretted it.
Let’s get one thing straight a V8 M3 beats an m135i hands down on steering feel,
Balance and engine noise.
But I couldn’t get past £555 a year tax and sub 20mpg average.
The deeper I dug about rod bearing issues the less enthusiastic I became.
They also eat throttle actuator assemblies.
I would like to hope that the revisions made to crank and bearings on these later
Run out cars improves their lifespan somewhat.
Only time will tell.
It’s not just random parts, it’s all parts subject to M tax. Tyres, sub 20 mpg, brakes etc.In the end I got a low miles m135i and haven’t regretted it.
Let’s get one thing straight a V8 M3 beats an m135i hands down on steering feel,
Balance and engine noise.
But I couldn’t get past £555 a year tax and sub 20mpg average.
The deeper I dug about rod bearing issues the less enthusiastic I became.
They also eat throttle actuator assemblies.
I would like to hope that the revisions made to crank and bearings on these later
Run out cars improves their lifespan somewhat.
Only time will tell.
However, it’s a 400 HP V8, an exotic V8, not an old US lump so to be expected. If I ever bought another I’d take it to my local place (DM Worx) and have them change the bearings. Actuators aren’t a huge cost really, unless you want to give the work to a BMWMD. Once fixed, they’ll last the lifetime of the car pretty much.
The 135i is a great car but the lack of LSD and compromised damping holds it back. When fitted with some Bilsteins, ARB’s and a Quaife diff it’s night and day, you can actually use the power rather than bouncing and spinning it away
The E90 M3 chassis is far more planted and stable, the front end is absolutely heroic for such a heavy car. The balance is great because of the lack of torque, especially in the wet, it’s just so linear and revs forever.
Agree with the posts saying that the e90 is the better looking car. For me it certainly is and looks more purposeful. A car I considered when I was choosing what car to buy next, but ended up in an E60 M5.
chow pan toon said:
At least someone can read
To be fair I was pretty surprised how poor the manual was but having already decided I was going to get an M3 there was no way I was going to suffer the wrong gearbox just to have 3 pedals. The DCT is a much better choice for this car IMO.
Understood. But did you try more than one manual car? The one you tried might have had a bad gearbox, as really none could be described as poor. I've driven at least 3 others and none were poor but my own car does have the best feel of those I tried, I love it! To be fair I was pretty surprised how poor the manual was but having already decided I was going to get an M3 there was no way I was going to suffer the wrong gearbox just to have 3 pedals. The DCT is a much better choice for this car IMO.
JonnieD said:
chow pan toon said:
At least someone can read
To be fair I was pretty surprised how poor the manual was but having already decided I was going to get an M3 there was no way I was going to suffer the wrong gearbox just to have 3 pedals. The DCT is a much better choice for this car IMO.
Understood. But did you try more than one manual car? The one you tried might have had a bad gearbox, as really none could be described as poor. I've driven at least 3 others and none were poor but my own car does have the best feel of those I tried, I love it! To be fair I was pretty surprised how poor the manual was but having already decided I was going to get an M3 there was no way I was going to suffer the wrong gearbox just to have 3 pedals. The DCT is a much better choice for this car IMO.
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