MDifficult’s E82 1M Coupe & Ariel Atom 3
Discussion
Good news: Car is all ready and due to be delivered tomorrow morning.
Bad news: Barclays decided to stop my payment in case of fraud, requiring me to call them. Currently been on hold for over an hour to speak to them.
So, I may get the car, or I may be delayed and explode.
A clue? Nah, if i've got to wait in agony, so have you lot!
Bad news: Barclays decided to stop my payment in case of fraud, requiring me to call them. Currently been on hold for over an hour to speak to them.
So, I may get the car, or I may be delayed and explode.
A clue? Nah, if i've got to wait in agony, so have you lot!
Time for another photo....
Important stuff:
- Akrapovic Exhaust
- M Performance Seats
- M Performance Carbon Spoiler
- 28k miles
When I first saw it for sale, I genuinely thought it was this car, a Reader's Cars thread I followed religiously back in the day:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Clearly, it turned out it wasn't that car, but very similar looks inside and out, which is exactly what I was after.
More details, thoughts and info to follow. Suffice to say, I absolutely LOVE it and can't wait to use it properly. Feels like i'm 10 again and it's Christmas Day!
Important stuff:
- Akrapovic Exhaust
- M Performance Seats
- M Performance Carbon Spoiler
- 28k miles
When I first saw it for sale, I genuinely thought it was this car, a Reader's Cars thread I followed religiously back in the day:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Clearly, it turned out it wasn't that car, but very similar looks inside and out, which is exactly what I was after.
More details, thoughts and info to follow. Suffice to say, I absolutely LOVE it and can't wait to use it properly. Feels like i'm 10 again and it's Christmas Day!
MarkS2 said:
Simply splendid
Cheers Mark, still can't believe it's mine! Keep going outside to look at it stevemcs said:
Very nice. Enjoy it. Oh and don't forget the videos of t he exhaust sound...
Cheers, thank you. That's a great idea - as soon as I get the chance I'll dig the GoPro out and see what I can do 
cerb4.5lee said:
I've always loved these. 
I can understand why you're over the moon!
Very nice, enjoy it!
Cheers! Managed to stick 250 miles on it in the first 24 hours and loved every one so far...I can understand why you're over the moon!
Very nice, enjoy it!
Mike1990 said:
Looks fantastic!
Properly love these.
Cheers Mike, thanks. Properly love these.
Carlos24 said:
What a brilliant new addition!
Cheers Carlos, thank you.Time for a little information now I've had a good chance to drive it...
I'm sure like many of you, my PH & Autotrader 'Saved Searches' and eBay saved list is absolutely chock-full of an eclectic mix of dream cars and actual potential purchases. For me, browsing Autotrader, PH and eBay for cars is pretty much a hobby/addiction; one that's got a lot worse due to the COVID lockdown.
However, two cars that have always been on the 'want' list are an E46 M3 CSL and 1M Coupe. For both, I've probably read everything there is to read, watched every YouTube video there is to watch, and 'saved' every car that's come up for sale within about 100 miles. I've had my eye on both but it's becoming increasingly clear that the only way I could afford a CSL is to go for a really leggy one plus, I'd almost certainly want to convert it to manual which feels a bit sacrilegious.
That left the 1M as the attainable dream option but I really struggled to find one I could afford, with the right mix of options, bits and (most importantly) condition & provenance. I'd been watching the one I eventually bought for ages but didn't really think I could afford it.
Three things that combined to make it possible...
1) The GP sold for a really good price. I think it was a very fair price, but in the current market I wasn't expecting it to make what it did
2) The owner of the 1M was prepared to make a deal, probably a better one than I was expecting considering the condition, the exhaust, the seats and the other touches I'll talk about below
3) COVID. I'm sure like a lot of other people, the current situation left me feeling a real sense of... "If not now, when?". A global pandemic is a good reminder to seize the day!
So with all of that in mind, and a bit of man maths (not to mention also putting my motorbike up for sale, and selling on a number of other non-car things that were sitting around gathering dust), I managed to make it work.
I'm not planning to ever sell it (well, not any time soon anyway) - but my hope is that it should hold a big chunk of its value if I don't stick too many miles on it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not buying it as an investment and it will get used properly, but hopefully depreciation should be significantly less than... oh I don't know... and F10 M5 maybe?
With all that out the way, here's some of the stuff about this car that convinced me it was the perfect one for me...
It's mint - I've been over it with a fine tooth comb and it doesn't even look like it's done the 28k it has. I'm almost certainly going down the PPF route to keep it that way and not worry about it.
It's got the M Performance Seats, re-stitched in orange to match the rest of the interior - The standard seats (which I now have in my garage) are okay, but the same as any other 1-series. But these M Performance seats are like rocking-horse-s
te, look amazing, are crazy comfortable, and are nice and low (a real criticism of the standard seats). Absolutely mega.
It's got all-black grills and a carbon M Performance Spoiler - For me, these are the only must-have body mods and finish the car off perfectly.
The previous owner added some amazing touches - As well as the seats being re-stiched in orange, the steering wheel is also in matching alcantara and the seatbelts have been switched to orange which really brightens up the interior nicely. Lastly, a fitted fire extinguisher in front of the passenger seat.
It has an Akrapovic slip-on with the carbon tips - Dear God it sounds amazing. I know adding mid & down-pipes might sound even better but, for me, the slip-on (set to loud) is unreal. Just lovely with the windows shut, and glorious with them open!
I'll give it a few more days before I try and think of how to describe what it's like to drive. Suffice to say... so far, it's incredibly entertaining!
Footnote: If i'm really honest, what finally tipped me over the edge was this fantastic PH Rise & Drive by Dan Prosser. If you're reading Dan... It's all your fault!
I'm sure like many of you, my PH & Autotrader 'Saved Searches' and eBay saved list is absolutely chock-full of an eclectic mix of dream cars and actual potential purchases. For me, browsing Autotrader, PH and eBay for cars is pretty much a hobby/addiction; one that's got a lot worse due to the COVID lockdown.
However, two cars that have always been on the 'want' list are an E46 M3 CSL and 1M Coupe. For both, I've probably read everything there is to read, watched every YouTube video there is to watch, and 'saved' every car that's come up for sale within about 100 miles. I've had my eye on both but it's becoming increasingly clear that the only way I could afford a CSL is to go for a really leggy one plus, I'd almost certainly want to convert it to manual which feels a bit sacrilegious.
That left the 1M as the attainable dream option but I really struggled to find one I could afford, with the right mix of options, bits and (most importantly) condition & provenance. I'd been watching the one I eventually bought for ages but didn't really think I could afford it.
Three things that combined to make it possible...
1) The GP sold for a really good price. I think it was a very fair price, but in the current market I wasn't expecting it to make what it did
2) The owner of the 1M was prepared to make a deal, probably a better one than I was expecting considering the condition, the exhaust, the seats and the other touches I'll talk about below
3) COVID. I'm sure like a lot of other people, the current situation left me feeling a real sense of... "If not now, when?". A global pandemic is a good reminder to seize the day!
So with all of that in mind, and a bit of man maths (not to mention also putting my motorbike up for sale, and selling on a number of other non-car things that were sitting around gathering dust), I managed to make it work.
I'm not planning to ever sell it (well, not any time soon anyway) - but my hope is that it should hold a big chunk of its value if I don't stick too many miles on it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not buying it as an investment and it will get used properly, but hopefully depreciation should be significantly less than... oh I don't know... and F10 M5 maybe?
With all that out the way, here's some of the stuff about this car that convinced me it was the perfect one for me...
It's mint - I've been over it with a fine tooth comb and it doesn't even look like it's done the 28k it has. I'm almost certainly going down the PPF route to keep it that way and not worry about it.
It's got the M Performance Seats, re-stitched in orange to match the rest of the interior - The standard seats (which I now have in my garage) are okay, but the same as any other 1-series. But these M Performance seats are like rocking-horse-s
te, look amazing, are crazy comfortable, and are nice and low (a real criticism of the standard seats). Absolutely mega. It's got all-black grills and a carbon M Performance Spoiler - For me, these are the only must-have body mods and finish the car off perfectly.
The previous owner added some amazing touches - As well as the seats being re-stiched in orange, the steering wheel is also in matching alcantara and the seatbelts have been switched to orange which really brightens up the interior nicely. Lastly, a fitted fire extinguisher in front of the passenger seat.
It has an Akrapovic slip-on with the carbon tips - Dear God it sounds amazing. I know adding mid & down-pipes might sound even better but, for me, the slip-on (set to loud) is unreal. Just lovely with the windows shut, and glorious with them open!
I'll give it a few more days before I try and think of how to describe what it's like to drive. Suffice to say... so far, it's incredibly entertaining!
Footnote: If i'm really honest, what finally tipped me over the edge was this fantastic PH Rise & Drive by Dan Prosser. If you're reading Dan... It's all your fault!
Edited by MDifficult on Saturday 20th June 21:17
Looks fantastic Tom! Looks like the seats are essentially re-trimmed Recaro CS Sportsters – I had pictured something different more like Pole Positions but they do look fantastic and I bet make a massive difference to the standard 1 series seats.
A steering wheel re-trim may seem like a minor thing to do but they really do make such a big difference to how a car feels to drive.
Look forward to a run out in this when it's safe to do so!
A steering wheel re-trim may seem like a minor thing to do but they really do make such a big difference to how a car feels to drive.
Look forward to a run out in this when it's safe to do so!
Lynch91 said:
Fantastic choice, look forward to future updates
Cheers - I'll do my best to find some time to write something at least half interesting! Ben Lowden said:
Looks fantastic Tom! Looks like the seats are essentially re-trimmed Recaro CS Sportsters – I had pictured something different more like Pole Positions but they do look fantastic and I bet make a massive difference to the standard 1 series seats.
A steering wheel re-trim may seem like a minor thing to do but they really do make such a big difference to how a car feels to drive.
Look forward to a run out in this when it's safe to do so!
Cheers Ben, I can't wait for a Sunday Service! You're right - the seats are basically Recaro CS Sportsters, but once re-trimmed with BMW written on them they're suddenly £4,000 a pair A steering wheel re-trim may seem like a minor thing to do but they really do make such a big difference to how a car feels to drive.
Look forward to a run out in this when it's safe to do so!
- Have to say though, I tried the heating out when I did my v.early morning runout on Saturday and they're absolutely roasting. Only downside to the seats... finding somewhere to put the originals! Right now they're tucked up in the garage along with the original exhaust. Don't want to sell them because they'd be near impossible to ever replace, with the embossed headrests and orange stitching. Some BMW office furniture perhaps?
NeilAndHisMini said:
Fantastic! Needed to be something special to follow a GP. And it is. 
Cheers Neil!The more I think about it, the more I realise it really is a cross between the M5 and the GP. Manual, Limited Numbers, Loved by owners, Frameless windows and a Carbon wing like the GP... Endless acceleration, Pro Navigation and split/fold rear seats like the M5!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff