Conference terri::cars_uk

>>    Is it better than a standard 325 Sport (competent, but bland?), or
    
    I would most surely hope so.
    
    J.R.

Bill, it may be worthwhile checking this/last weeks Autocar&Motor as they've
got a buyers guide for the M3 (and MB 190 16v & Sierra Cosworths). There's
also a lead article on John Lyon driving at over 200mph on an autobahn
in a Diablo.


...Art

    
    Views on the M3.
    
    They ought to get on and finish the damned thing! :^(
    
    I read an article on secondhand M3s somewhere. It said that the 
    steering, especially, was better than a 325 Sport, but that RHD 
    conversions use the 325 rack and so eliminated the advantage, so 
    stick to LHD.
    
    Mark
    
    PS What do they cost to insure?

    
    Thanks,
    
    I've read the Autocar/Motor article - not their best, it just
    didn't convey a feel for the car, or differentiate it from the
    more mundane BMW models.
    
    LHD isn't a problem, I'd view RHD conversions very sceptically.
    
    William.
    
    PS. Art, the article's OK, but I've seen him driving the Diablo
    in Britain - even better. May even get a longer go in it myself.

    I knew a brand manager with P&G that had one a few years ago.
    
    It was bright orange, and seemed to have endless engine problems -
    blown gaskets, injection failures - it did not seem very reliable, he
    did find it fun though.
    
    His name is Nicolas de Chevron-Villette and he now works for Pepsi Cola
    in Paris - why not fax him, he is a car nut.
    
    Paul.

Ahhh Gi'day...�

    I owned one for three years, just handed it back about 5 months ago.

    The evolutions  have  more  power  (220Ps) as opposed to the normal one
    (200  or  195  with  Kat).   They  geared  the damned evolutions higher
    though,  so  although  it's  top  speed is higher (245 versus 235), the
    acceleration is worse.

    The engine  is  a  modern  work  of  art! 2.3l, 16 Valve four cylinder.
    Great  power,  smooth, wonderful reving.  It used to be a skill to do a
    full 7250 rpm shift from 1st to second in the minimum time.  Wonderfull
    0-100  times if you got the change right.  It's got a great rumble, and
    it's very easy to break the 225's loose on take off.

    Stick to the LHD models.  The steering (servotronic) is simply the best
    system  I  could  imagine.   The steering was much better than even the
    other  threes,  it  was  almost  perfect (makes my current Audi S2 look
    toyish in comparison).

    The ride  is ROUGH.  Very precise, but you may find it ROUGH.  Even the
    very  good  roads in Germany (except for city cobblestones) transmitted
    every  bump.   The  ride was very good, but you could feel a matchstick
    under the wheel.  No compromise in that department.  I often wish I got
    the  adjustable suspension option (sometimes you get tired of driving a
    "race car").

    The handling?  Well,  I still haven't made up my mind in that dept.  It
    was  great  to drive and throw around.  The handling was very sensitive
    to  tyre pressure and temperature.  A hot day on tyres set up in colder
    weather, and you could slide it like crazy.

    I was  never  realy  satisfied with the handling.  You would go howling
    through a sweeper, and really felt deflated, because you never knew how
    close  to  the limit you were, and weather you could've taken it 10 Kph
    faster.   I always suspect that you could've but when it broke away, it
    was  like  a  binary  switch.   Because  there  was  no  "give"  in the
    suspension,  you  never  got an idea of when it was about to go.  I end
    for ended it once at about 70 mph.

    I had a few electrical problems.  The air intake seals also went, and I
    think  they  were  going again when I got rid of it.  Watch out for one
    that goes gurumph-gurumph on idle. It should idle smoothly.

    Wind noise was fairly great over about 210 kph.

    I got  the  M3 for one reason.  It was the best value for money BMW you
    could drive.

    The prices went something like:

	325 base	DM 40K
	    Options	DM 20K	    (To make it a bit of a racer)

	M3  base	DM 60K
	    Options     DM 10K

    The prices have escalated to ridiculous levels since then.

    A lot  of the options were standard on the M3.  Even the ones you could
    get  were cheaper on the M3.  You also didn't have to get the expensive
    Motorsport  bodywork  option that you needed on the 325 to make it look
    decent  (takes  away  the chrome).  The 325s then only had about 175Ps,
    although they're now 194 (?).

    Options are  up  to  the subsidiaries to decide, but abs is standard on
    just about every BMW now (certainly 320 and above).

    PS It's  sh*thouse  in  snow, even with LSD.  Although I managed not to
    ding it through three winters on summer tyres.

    
    re -1:
    
    I once made a mistake with one M3 thinking it was 316. It passed
    my 99 hp Golf like I was standing still. 8-)
    
    M3 is surely one of the fastest from 0-60!
    
    
    Cool car, but not for slippery roads.
    
    
    Hannu
    
    

    
    
    re .- a couple
    
    	Autocar reckoned they could get insurance for about 700 squid
    	on an oldish one, cheaper than the Merc 190 2.3 Cosworth and 
    	the Sierra Cossie.
    
    
    	C

    Having owned an M3 for 18 months (traded it in last Sunday for
    something a bit quicker), I thought I'd put in my 2p's worth.
    
    M3 = great car.  As others have said, RHD conversions use the
    comparitively imprecise 325i steering rack, and require knocking about
    of the exhaust manifold.  I found LHD no problem at all in real life -
    the perception is far worse than reality!  Stick with LHD.
    
    They are not hand-built.  The M3 is a production-ised car built by BMW
    but designed by BMW Motorsport.
    
    Reliability?  Not bad.  A couple of minor problems, but it always
    started and always got me where I wanted to go.  Quickly.
    
    Handling is excellent by production car standards.  However, not caring
    about ride quality, I had the AC Schnitzer suspension kit fitted,
    together with Hartge netative camber front mounts and a front strut
    brace.  This made the car handle much better, look great (about a
    couple of inches lower), but you felt every crisp packet you drove
    over!  Overall, I was glad that I had this modification done.
    
    Insurance is quite cheap, if you know where to look.  I went through
    Peart Associates' new 357 plan, and insured mine for about �700 (I was
    24 when I renewed with them, and this quote was about 2/3 what I was quoted
    elsewhere!).  FYI, 0539 730 666.
    
    Power?  Mine was the 215bhp 2.3l with cat.  The BBR chip gives 225-230
    bhp, plus ups the rev limit to 7,800rpm, and gives a more snappy
    response from 4,000+ rpm.  Fair value at around �275.
    
    The ultimate question - would I have another?  You bet.  But I'd
    probably buy a second-hand 2.5l Sport Evo and have the standard M3's
    final drive ratio fitted with BBR's Sport Evo chip to give me better   
    acceleration - mind you, I'm just a speed freak, so those mods wouldn't
    really be necessary for sensible people!
    
    If you want to chat more, call me at HHL.
    
    
    Dave.                                    

>>    the perception is far worse than reality!  Stick with LHD.
    
    I agree with this comment, from when I had an integrale.
    
>>    Having owned an M3 for 18 months (traded it in last Sunday for
>>    something a bit quicker), I thought I'd put in my 2p's worth.
    
    So what do you have now ?  Not a Ford, I hope   ;-)
    
    J.R.

    No, not a Ford.  A Porsche 911 Turbo.  Performance makes my old M3 look
    like a Dinky toy.
    
    
    Dave.

    
    RE.11
    
    	I don't suppose you've got any jobs going at the moment,in YOUR
    department?
    
    	Jealously......Andy....MUFC