Introducing the new car.................................

[WhiteGTI]

I wasnt sure, but thought of you when it came up!

Haha thanks dude! Has been ages since seeing you at a meet!! I try to walk past Bob Forstner most days...such amazing cars there!!! 

Certainly has been a while! Oh my, yeah Bob Forstners awesome showroom! Have you been in there yet?

Haven't had the time to go in there yet, it's on the to-do list!!

Bit off Topic, took an E46 M3 in Part exchange today,

2002 02 Reg
SMG
Imola Red
Black Leather
19s
Harmon Kardon
Nav
Heated Seats
Full History
144000 Miles 

Drives great, have a guess what it owes 

Yeah the early cars have no residual value whatsoever!! Lot of recalls/things wrong with the early models though...

Just saw this thread, what a great ride you've picked up Chris! It looks absolutely stunning in that colour as well  can't wait to see and hear it at the meet this week!

Thanks mate, looking forward to showing it to you!!

It goes rather well!....

 

[RobMKV]

Here we go -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260665784079

[Garth]

Here we go -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260665784079

Not sure you got that right pal 
Oh, forgot to say, WhiteGTI the car looks very nice. If I wasn't doing to many miles, I'd have the same thing on my drive too 

[waring192]

Currently have a S3 but have always wanted to pick up a e46 M3. Coming test one in a few weeks me thinks.

[Garth]

Currently have a S3 but have always wanted to pick up a e46 M3. Coming test one in a few weeks me thinks.

If you drive one, you'll want it! I had an 03 plate S3 and took a test drive of an E46 330cd. I part ex'd the S3 for it straight away as the performance and handling were miles better on the Beemer. That was the diesel so imagine how you're going to feel about the M3, which is a complete animal 

[Jules86]

Currently have a S3 but have always wanted to pick up a e46 M3. Coming test one in a few weeks me thinks.

If you drive one, you'll want it! I had an 03 plate S3 and took a test drive of an E46 330cd. I part ex'd the S3 for it straight away as the performance and handling were miles better on the Beemer. That was the diesel so imagine how you're going to feel about the M3, which is a complete animal 

Think he has the new S3 and it's stage2+ so it will probably make the M3 Feel quite tame 

[WhiteGTI]

Here we go -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260665784079

Not sure you got that right pal 
Oh, forgot to say, WhiteGTI the car looks very nice. If I wasn't doing to many miles, I'd have the same thing on my drive too 

Haha thanks mate 

Currently have a S3 but have always wanted to pick up a e46 M3. Coming test one in a few weeks me thinks.

You won't be disappointed!

Currently have a S3 but have always wanted to pick up a e46 M3. Coming test one in a few weeks me thinks.

If you drive one, you'll want it! I had an 03 plate S3 and took a test drive of an E46 330cd. I part ex'd the S3 for it straight away as the performance and handling were miles better on the Beemer. That was the diesel so imagine how you're going to feel about the M3, which is a complete animal 

Yeah you're right, even though they are a diesel they are so torquey and quick. I've read of a lot of people actually moving from M3's to 330/335d's!

[RedRobin]

Yeah you're right, even though they are a diesel they are so torquey and quick. I've read of a lot of people actually moving from M3's to 330/335d's!

.... What, and lose the M3 petrol engine soundtrack!? 

The diseasals can't be that much quicker to warrant losing such aural pleasure. And even if they were that much quicker........

[WhiteGTI]

Yeah you're right, even though they are a diesel they are so torquey and quick. I've read of a lot of people actually moving from M3's to 330/335d's!

.... What, and lose the M3 petrol engine soundtrack!? 

The diseasals can't be that much quicker to warrant losing such aural pleasure. And even if they were that much quicker........

Haha I think many M3 owners get bored of the running costs/petrol consumption! 

[Garth]

The diseasals can't be that much quicker to warrant losing such aural pleasure. And even if they were that much quicker........

Haha I think many M3 owners get bored of the running costs/petrol consumption! 
[/quote]
When I bought my first 330cd, I was actually looking for an M3. In the end it was a toss up between an 02 plate M3 and an 05 plate 330cd. I chose the diesel because it drove just as well but without the running costs. Sure it wasn't as fast, but I don't really drive THAT hard. Once I reampped it, it was just effortless to drive and picked up from any revs in any gear. With almost 400lbft of torque it could pull houses down. The M3 would have been better on track, but for my type of driving, the 330cd was more suitable.
I would still love an M3, but I'd neeed another comfy car as well and I can't justify ANOTHER car on the drive 

[john_o]

running costs yes, but consumption it isnt too different from the ed30 

[WhiteGTI]

120 mile round trip today I managed 27.3mpg, and I wasn't exactly hanging around either! Mixture of all different types of road, and varied traffic/speed/acceleration levels. Quite impressed actually! On a 2 hour motorway journey the other day I managed 31mpg.

When ragging the car, I saw 19mpg, which again isn't too bad.

But you don't buy an M3 for the mpg, so the above is pretty redundant to be honest!

[chungster]

you sure you were ragging it properly then chris? 

think i averaged around 10mpg when blasting round castle combe in a 15mins sesh lol.

[WhiteGTI]

Definitely! 8000revs in every gear on a route which was mostly dual carrigeway-roundabout-dual carrigeway-roundabout! But as it was an average it would have included the journey to the dual carrigeway, which was quite slow and steady.

10! Niiiiiiice!!! I need to try and beat that then! 

[Jules86]

Pfft I did 4mpg in a proper 6 cylinder