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Author Topic: Introducing the new car.................................  (Read 18463 times)

Offline WhiteGTI

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Introducing the new car.................................
« on: September 13, 2010, 09:28:31 am »
So...the GTI went a few weeks ago, twas a sad, sad day. Got the price I wanted and it went to a nice person, so overall I was pleased. I was being very picky with the spec of the M3, and had been looking loosely for over a year. I think only about 3 or 4 came up in the year that actually fitted the bill. Having sold the GTI I was now faced with potentially a lengthy period of time without a car...not ideal but I could live with it....

Originally I wanted a grey M3 with red leather....turns out this is a pretty rare combo when combined with the other specifications that I wanted. So I decided to drop the red leather and consider other colours, with the view to get the car re-upholstered in a red leather of my choice at a later date. I felt that this would be a brilliant idea as it would really freshen up the interior of the car (bear in mind these cars are 4-5 years old as it is), and bring back that new car leather smell again! Plus I can get a slightly different shade of red as I felt that the BMW red leather was a tad too bright.

Coincidently a couple of days after selling the GTI, this M3 came up. Spec was right, age was spot on and so I went to view it! Full Service History, good condition inside and out, no strange noises/knocks. I'd done my research and I knew what to look out for, and the car seemed perfect. The deal was done!!!!

Picked it up on Friday, i'll let the photos do the talking...















Thanks go to DomT for the great photos  :happy2:

Spec includes: Sat nav, digital TV, bluetooth, electric memory seats, heated seats, electric folding mirrors, armrest, cruise, multi-function steering wheel, xenons, LED rear lights etc etc etc etc...!

Overall I'm very pleased....the car can only be described as savage and relentless....a constant ever-growing pull right from 1500 revs all the way until 8100rpm. The noise is just insane!!!!! (even more so when I get the exhaust and intake  :evilgrin:) I suggest that anyone who hasn't been in, or driven one of these to do it, it is like nothing else I've ever driven. I was a tad worried that it would feel slow compared with my GTI due to the difference in power delivery and when my GTI was in it's prime at around 250ish hp it felt rapid, but the M3 would leave the GTI compltely and effortlessly for dead! You can really feel that extra 100hp!

Anyway, enough of that. Hope you approve, and like it or not I'll be sticking around on here  :innocent:

Chris  :happy2:
2008 Golf GTI - Revo Stage 2 NOW SOLD

2006 E46 BMW M3 - 343hp
2000 Lotus Elise Sport160 - 160hp

Saint Steve

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2010, 09:33:52 am »
Very nice Chris!. Hope you enjoy it. Looking at your reg plate, is it a former Lease car?

Offline MAT ED30

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2010, 09:36:37 am »
Very nice Chris!. Hope you enjoy it. Looking at your reg plate, is it a former Lease car?

was thinking the same  :smiley: driven a few of these myself and have to say they are good fun if not a tad thirsty  :signLOL: but they are a joy to drive so good on you  :congrats:

Mods yes but way too many to stick in this little box

Offline Sunglasses Ron

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2010, 09:36:46 am »
Nice choice Chris and I can understand why you wanted the grey and red combo as it looks mint..  :happy2: Looks like you have a minter there too  :drool:
As for the noise, they do sound nice I have to say (old man use to have one), nice and raspy. But I have to say the CSL takes that noise to a different level after having driven one a couple of weeks back..  :drool: What a motor!!!  :surprised:

Just be sure to use all 8100rpms from old girl to get the full potential out of her..  :happy2:
« Last Edit: September 13, 2010, 09:38:26 am by Sunglasses Ron »

Offline chungster

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2010, 09:37:16 am »
Beautiful Chris. Fancied one myself but too many of them around these days and someone at work decided to get one also so plan was scrapped lol. You gonna put a carbon airbox on it to make more noise?  :smiley:

Offline markymark

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2010, 09:37:35 am »
Nice one Chris, looks great, I hope you enjoy it!

Offline WhiteGTI

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2010, 09:45:38 am »
Thanks for the comments!

Yeah it was an old lease car, it's had one owner since new which is quite rare for the M3. It belonged to the CEO of the company I believe, it's had a full BMW Service History, and it had an extended warranty put on it until earlier this year. It doesn't appear to have been in any accident at all (by looking at the paintwork/trim edges)! Also, it has spent most of its life doing motorway miles, which I also like  :smiley: :smiley:

How could you all tell that it was a lease car?! lol!! Because of the company name on the no. plate? Any positives/negatives with lease cars?
2008 Golf GTI - Revo Stage 2 NOW SOLD

2006 E46 BMW M3 - 343hp
2000 Lotus Elise Sport160 - 160hp

Offline Sunglasses Ron

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2010, 09:46:28 am »
Just been having a butchers on PH classifieds and found this...  :surprised:

Is this bloke for real or what? 37k for a E46 M3?????

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/213133.htm

Would clearly save myself 3k and get this  :drool:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1840115.htm

Or

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2049080.htm
« Last Edit: September 13, 2010, 09:48:36 am by Sunglasses Ron »

Offline WhiteGTI

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2010, 09:48:12 am »
Sorry, I should have said my mod plans in the first post:

CSL airbox
Alpha-N remapping
Supersprint headers, X Pipe and Lightweight Race Exhaust
Pulley, cams etc..
CSL front bumper, rear bootlid and rear lower splitter
CSL wheels
Coilovers
AP Brakes
This list goes on.............

I don't want it to appear that I'm trying to make a CSL wannabe....i just really like the styling of the CSL. I would have gone for a CSL, but i didn't want the SMG gearbox, so a normal M3 it was!
2008 Golf GTI - Revo Stage 2 NOW SOLD

2006 E46 BMW M3 - 343hp
2000 Lotus Elise Sport160 - 160hp

Offline WhiteGTI

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2010, 09:49:11 am »
Just been having a butchers on PH classifieds and found this...  :surprised:

Is this bloke for real or what? 37k for a E46 M3?????

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/213133.htm

Would clearly save myself 3k and get this  :drool:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1840115.htm

Or

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2049080.htm

Hahaha! Yeah they have been selling that M3 for £37K for about a year now! You think they would have got the hint.....  :grin:
2008 Golf GTI - Revo Stage 2 NOW SOLD

2006 E46 BMW M3 - 343hp
2000 Lotus Elise Sport160 - 160hp

Offline Sunglasses Ron

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2010, 09:50:53 am »
Sorry, I should have said my mod plans in the first post:

CSL airbox
Alpha-N remapping
Supersprint headers, X Pipe and Lightweight Race Exhaust
Pulley, cams etc..
CSL front bumper, rear bootlid and rear lower splitter
CSL wheels
Coilovers
AP Brakes
This list goes on.............

I don't want it to appear that I'm trying to make a CSL wannabe....i just really like the styling of the CSL. I would have gone for a CSL, but i didn't want the SMG gearbox, so a normal M3 it was!

Hope you've got deep pockets Chris?  :scared: That's a nice list there, but certainly not cheap.. I'm sure someone told me that the CSL airbox is about £3k from your dealer, or something stupid like that..  :surprised:

Offline WhiteGTI

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2010, 09:53:58 am »
Yeah the costs amount up pretty quickly....! It will all come in time really. Yeah from BMW it costs c. £3000. There are replicas around that are pretty much the same which cost £1000-£1500, with proven 20-25hp gains!

 I don't plan to ever sell this car, I've wanted one my whole life and I think it needs to be in the car collection indefinitely. That may sound unrealistic but I hope it can be done.  :smiley:
2008 Golf GTI - Revo Stage 2 NOW SOLD

2006 E46 BMW M3 - 343hp
2000 Lotus Elise Sport160 - 160hp

Offline 182_blue

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2010, 09:54:41 am »
Nice car, as stated thugh not cheap especially when it goes wrong, a mate just spent 3k repairing his !!

Offline WhiteGTI

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2010, 09:55:04 am »
Nice car, as stated thugh not cheap especially when it goes wrong, a mate just spent 3k repairing his !!

Was it the diff??
2008 Golf GTI - Revo Stage 2 NOW SOLD

2006 E46 BMW M3 - 343hp
2000 Lotus Elise Sport160 - 160hp

Saint Steve

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Re: Introducing the new car.................................
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2010, 09:56:01 am »
Arval are a lease company that my works Sky use. I have one of their fuel cards in my wallet :smiley:

With lease cars, they are normally as you say for workers cars that will generally use the motorways for daily commuting.That would explain higher mileage yours has chris. Which is best as you say.  :happy2:

Service schedules are normally keep well up to date aswell. Lease co's are quite on the boil in that department.Main dealer service as well so, as its former keeper doesnt have to pay out of his own pocket  :happy2: