M3 V8 Questions

M3 V8 Questions

Author
Discussion

phatgixer

4,988 posts

250 months

Sunday 20th January 2008
quotequote all
Super Ted said:
Hi,
I have been looking at a new M3 Coupe and have a few queries.
1. Do they all come on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres? They seem a bit extreme for what is intended of the car. I have a 997S currently and these tyres are used on GT3's and sometimes get the blame for an accident in the wet.
2. I really liked the red fox leather (not extended package), but it was in the showroom. Is it a bit much on a sunny day and do BMW customers turn their noses up at resale time?
3. Is the car going to feel much quicker than a 997S? Seems similar weight, but with a V8 does it feel a bit steadier? My Aston was supposed to be more powerful than the 997, but felt slower?
4. Is the standard sound system OK? I currently have Bose in the Porsche.
5. Are the electronic dampers worth £1200?
6. Dealer has a car in stock - does anyone get discount on M3?

I really like the solid feel, leather quality and technology in the car. Bluetooth, iPod, USB connections are things we dream of in Porsches!
1) I think they are now standard fit, but are dfferent to the focused items fitted to the CSL. New tread and compounds.
2) Red fox is utterly foul. Don't do it. Extended leather is superb, but make it black, beige or silver.
4) Standard sound is a bit weedy. Go for the DSP option, not the mad 17 speaker thing.
5) Yes
6) If it is red you might as it is such a revolting shade...biggrin


Edited by phatgixer on Sunday 20th January 20:32

squeezebm

2,319 posts

206 months

Sunday 20th January 2008
quotequote all
Have SSII and FOX RED and love it,makes it different from the usual black,std stereo needs an upgrade and the EDC is worth the money imo plus i think it is going to be one of those got to haves when re-selling!!

edb49

1,652 posts

206 months

Sunday 20th January 2008
quotequote all
Super Ted said:
3. Is the car going to feel much quicker than a 997S? Seems similar weight, but with a V8 does it feel a bit steadier? My Aston was supposed to be more powerful than the 997, but felt slower?
4. Is the standard sound system OK? I currently have Bose in the Porsche.
5. Are the electronic dampers worth £1200?
6. Dealer has a car in stock - does anyone get discount on M3?
3. The car is quicker in a straight line than the 997S. The engine is relatively flexible, so it feels quite quick even at lower revs.

4. Upgrade one notch on the speakers and get a USB interface if you're into your digital music.

5. Yes.

6. Probably get some small discount, yep.

housemaster

2,076 posts

228 months

Sunday 20th January 2008
quotequote all
I am not convinced the M3 would be quicker than a C2S myself, I think I would choose the C2S for a proper controlled run. I had a run with a C2S up to about 150mph on a runway in my GT3 and there was little in it, and I know how much quicker a 997 GT3 is to an E92 M3, and there is little in it between a 997 GT3 and my 996 GT3 Mk2 if FT was anything to go by, so I would expect a C2S to be slightly quicker, not that it matters anyway, both are fecking quick! biggrin

Vixpy1

42,625 posts

265 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
1) Its too expensive
2) Its too expensive
3) Its too expensive
4) Its too expensive
5) I'm not bitter at all i can't afford one.

Pugsey

5,813 posts

215 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
Super Ted said:
Hi,
I have been looking at a new M3 Coupe and have a few queries.
1. Do they all come on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres? They seem a bit extreme for what is intended of the car. I have a 997S currently and these tyres are used on GT3's and sometimes get the blame for an accident in the wet.
2. I really liked the red fox leather (not extended package), but it was in the showroom. Is it a bit much on a sunny day and do BMW customers turn their noses up at resale time?
3. Is the car going to feel much quicker than a 997S? Seems similar weight, but with a V8 does it feel a bit steadier? My Aston was supposed to be more powerful than the 997, but felt slower?
4. Is the standard sound system OK? I currently have Bose in the Porsche.
5. Are the electronic dampers worth £1200?
6. Dealer has a car in stock - does anyone get discount on M3?

I really like the solid feel, leather quality and technology in the car. Bluetooth, iPod, USB connections are things we dream of in Porsches!
1. I don't think that they're the same spec as those found on 997GT3 but in any case there is a lot of utter crap talked about these tyres. Go on to the Porsche forum and you will find that anyone who has actually owned a 997GT3 - me included - rave about the tyres wet weather ability. Only excessive standing water is a problem but tell me any wide tyred performance car where it isn't. My M3 is absolutely awesome in the grotty conditions we're having at the moment and definately faster and more secure a to b than a 997S.
2. Hideous. IMO. smile
3. I'd say that staight line performance is identical to 997S. However because the car delivers it differently and is slightly less 'on edge' or 'alive' than a 911 maybe the Porsche will FEEL quicker. It isn't though. I think in gear times for the grunty V8 - say 40-80 for example - will actually be quicker.
4. Not a hifi nut so wouldn't spend the money but people who are say it's worth it.
5. Dampers are 100% worth it. They are NOT a gimmic.
6. Friend has just got £2k discount of a new pre specced car. It was a cancelled order and very very high spec which may mean it was going to be hard to shift I guess.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 21st January 10:19

Zod

35,295 posts

259 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
The tyres are not PSCs. They are PS2s. (FWIW, I drove my CSL on PSCs through winter and found them fine).

MrOnTheRopes

1,425 posts

247 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
Zod said:
The tyres are not PSCs. They are PS2s. (FWIW, I drove my CSL on PSCs through winter and found them fine).
They're coming with the Cup+ tyres on now smile

Zod

35,295 posts

259 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
MrOnTheRopes said:
Zod said:
The tyres are not PSCs. They are PS2s. (FWIW, I drove my CSL on PSCs through winter and found them fine).
They're coming with the Cup+ tyres on now smile
Hmmm, wonder if they come in M5 sizes.....

phatgixer

4,988 posts

250 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
MrOnTheRopes said:
Zod said:
The tyres are not PSCs. They are PS2s. (FWIW, I drove my CSL on PSCs through winter and found them fine).
They're coming with the Cup+ tyres on now smile
Arrr, "Mr on the Dope" has smoked in. biggrin

Quite right. See my rather erudite post further up.

I thank you.

phatgixer

4,988 posts

250 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
housemaster said:
I am not convinced the M3 would be quicker than a C2S myself, I think I would choose the C2S for a proper controlled run. I had a run with a C2S up to about 150mph on a runway in my GT3 and there was little in it, and I know how much quicker a 997 GT3 is to an E92 M3, and there is little in it between a 997 GT3 and my 996 GT3 Mk2 if FT was anything to go by, so I would expect a C2S to be slightly quicker, not that it matters anyway, both are fecking quick! biggrin
Housey, have you been at the class A's, again? biggrin

My 996RS is every bit as fast as a 997 GT3 (proven a number of times on track and on Autobahn - he who stomps first, wins..). My M3 has just the same amount of shove as the RS... So, on that science, I would say that the M3 is as fast, if not faster than the low spec (relatively speaking) C2S...

The BMW really pulls well in the higher speed ranges. It is really noticeable at 100mph plus how quickly it piles on speed.



Edited by phatgixer on Monday 21st January 17:28

housemaster

2,076 posts

228 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
Gayers the lora ya, you know an RS4 is where its at! biggrin

Have a look at this, E92 vs 997 GT3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0hVJgMQ2VA seems quite a bit quicker on THIS instance.

I know that my GT3 was as quick at Fighting Torque as the 997 flavour once we got to 100mph, and getting there I was quicker due to a better start too, though he was catching me slightly all the time until we hit the 100mph region where it levelled out. Having sat behind a fellow M-Torquer in his C2S (on another runway of course) at close to 150mph, I know how close mine and his were, I was catching him, but VERY slowly.

So my si-ence is clevera than yours.

RS4 for the win mind...............NOT!








Mind you, perhaps it could just be that white is faster? smile

Edited by housemaster on Monday 21st January 18:17

housemaster

2,076 posts

228 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
I also think this thread shows that M-Torque must be offline hehe

MrOnTheRopes

1,425 posts

247 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
housemaster said:
I also think this thread shows that M-Torque must be offline hehe
Yep, gotta slum it somewhere biggrin

edb49

1,652 posts

206 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
housemaster said:
I am not convinced the M3 would be quicker than a C2S myself
I'm 100% convinced the E92 M3 is quicker than 997 C2S, this comes from empirical evidence at a VMax event smile

DoctorD

1,542 posts

257 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
phatgixer said:
The BMW really pulls well in the higher speed ranges. It is really noticeable at 100mph plus how quickly it piles on speed.
You can take a horse to water, but cannot make it drink...

How's that licence of yours? Have you still got that 'return to sender' label from the DVLA.. laugh

housemaster

2,076 posts

228 months

Monday 21st January 2008
quotequote all
edb49 said:
this comes from empirical evidence
Is he the Stig?