New Car : BMW M3 E46
- Thread starter Tom|Nbk
- Start date
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Dec 2005
- Posts
- 11,364
- Location
- Cheshire
350z was nicer man.
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Or not.
[TW]Fox;26721117 said:
Fox is spot on, I've driven countless M3's. On a back country road an M3 on stock suspension is marginally slower than mine, we are talking marginal. If that country road becomes really bumpy then the stock car is faster. In the wet the stock suspension again is faster. Aged old rule of racing, softer gives more grip in the wet. This based on drivers being equal.
However some people want a car to handle how they want it to handle even on the road which might be different to the stock setup, adding coilovers gives you height adjust, so you can set rear higher than front, gets the car pitched better for turn-in but sacrifices exit traction, hence why CSL's have a rear lower ride height to assist with exit traction from corners, same how mine is setup. Then you can adjust rebound/compression to further change handling characteristics and comfort levels. Finally you can fine tune cars balance with roll bars and tyre pressures. Everyone likes a different car setup, some like it twitchy, scary and alive in their fingertips and others like it confident inspiring with lots of grip. Customise suspension and setup can give this.
As a road car stock suspension is very good and should not be changed unless its worn out which in fairness most shocks past 60,000 miles are not performing as they did when new. Or if as above your want to customise the handling to your needs or are tracking it.
For a track car then yep coilovers with much more aggressive spring rates are a big improvement in body control.
P.S. Tom you do realise pressing the sport button only changes the throttle map? It does not to stiffen up or sharpen the handling of the car, it is literally just a more aggressive throttle map.
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This stock brakes with uprated pads and fluid are all you ever need on the road and even the odd trackday, or just upgrade to CSL disc and your sorted. But in completely stock form they fail on track after 2-3 laps, fade which is not really acceptable for an M car, so uprating pads and fluid is really a must if you enjoy pushing it a bit on the road.
Those who upgrade to AP's or Alcon's like me love the bling and are for serious track day machines that are doing 10-20 track days per year as long run it works out cheaper as my Alcon disc will last 25-30 track events and the pads about 15-20. The stock disc and pads have had enough after 4-5 events and that is if you don't warp them before hand.
My car had the recalls all done, engine rods, bearing the whole lot by BMW around 2003 so all done.
Car has being faultless apart from clutch failing at 100k miles and 30+ trackdays, even then clutch wear was minimal, the failure was the release bearing disintegrating. Hopefully it will be back on road soon as guy doing it for me is on holiday now and returns next week.
Knowing the parts manager at a BMW dealer helps a lot with this.
But I am just not one for polybushing, on roll bars it is a good idea as you don't want them flexing and they are unlikely to snap bend or fail.
But the rest of the suspension, especially subframe it for me is just too much for a car which is also enjoyed on the road too and where is the stress going? OEM bushes are rubber to take stress off suspension components, so when you polybush where is the stress going, anyone know?
But I am happy with OE bushings, my car should be a sheer joy to drive when done both road and track, suspension wise it will essentially be a brand new car.
Yes, I realised after I posted that it was a poor choice of wording, for anyone that is wondering the M3 was up for 7k
I've just had loads of M3 goodies arrive, I want my M3 back, missing it now.
glad your enjoying it mate, they are superb cars!
I've just had loads of M3 goodies arrive, I want my M3 back, missing it now.
glad your enjoying it mate, they are superb cars!
What kind of goodies? When are you next on track? Itching to put the fight to this bmw lol, had no brakes last time but now I have Brembos waiting to go on.
I was on track last night in 911 and won fastest lap as timing allowed, had to give the competition a chance by taking the 911, even taking it easy I won with a 1:24.90 lap time. Was taking it easy as was on ceramics, plus I was meant to take M3 but clutch meant could not. My mate in his M3 on slicks was quicker but they were doing timing earlier on or just disqualified him for being on slicks lol. Oh and an Atom with a pro was doing circa 1:20.
If my M3 is back on road next week maybe try something this month or end of September works for me.
P.S. Goodies just all new oem bushes and carbon front grills and side grills for looks and I can get a carbon roof for £445 which is seriously tempting me, love the looks and 15kg saving from up top which sould bring the car sub 1300kg and with 380BHP it's quite a monster, about 1:22 lap time with me driving on road tyres.
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What trackday was that with timing? I bought Harrys lap timer but in the end never bothered turning it on last week, wouldn't really have been good for anything though as I had major brake issues and was only cruising down the straights and not attacking the braking zones at all. Still stayed with this evo which had a lot of weight reduction and slicks though, that much amused me.
Crap driver in the EVO then. I stay with some cars on cooling laps, just means the guy in front cannot drive.
Was a work/supplier event where they'd hired the circuit for the evening, so very relaxed rules and only 17 cars booked on, I was only car on track at times, brilliant time and FREE.
Shall upload stuff in my BMW thread for new bits I got.