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Picture of your car (2011)
- Thread starter r.j.s
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rezenclowd3
macrumors 65816
Good! That's a good one to get addicted to. Im doing that the 20th of this month and the 24th of next. Debating signing up for an HPDE for this month as well in Pomona.
Now go out and get a FlipHD or Kodak Zi8 along with a headrest mount ;-) I don't see one in your car. BTW 3xx? Which bottom bumper is that?
Now go out and get a FlipHD or Kodak Zi8 along with a headrest mount ;-) I don't see one in your car. BTW 3xx? Which bottom bumper is that?
I did have a camera mount, up by the drivers side sunvisor.
Recorded using Harry's LapTimer app on my iPhone 4, with a Satechi car mount. Be sure to watch it in 720p. Oh, and ignore the bluetooth lady voice and the timer overlay. Haven't figured out setting entry/exit points yet on the app. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBQcNDTmLY8&feature=player_embedded
It's a 2001 325Ci. Front bumper is stock, sport package.
I'm on the other side. I want a fast car. I had no problems with my former E46 M3 or my current MINI JCW as a daily driver. As good as they are at the track, I also love them driving them on the street, even if it has to be slow.
^^^ That'd be perfect then. My '88 E30 325is in post 84 is a slow car that is wicked fun to drive quick. (Actually should be a touch quicker than a stock E30 M3
I still find with the small E30 that I really don't need the trunk space. That's what work truckmail is for!
It is more than just trunk space, which thanks to the battery hump is quite limited in the Z4M. The car has small door openings, so entry and egress is difficult (FWIW I am 5'10" and 175 pounds, and I get my jollies by going for 50+ mile bicycle rides.). Visibility to the rear of the car sucks (tip: aim the inside rear view mirror so that the roof line bisects the middle of the mirror. You get the best coverage that way.) Visibility out over the long hood is intimidating too, and pulling the Z4M into my garage when my other car (330Ci) was parked inside got my heart rate right up there.
The car was challenging to drive fast too. I took the car to a car control clinic shortly after taking delivery, and I autocrossed it regularly. I routinely had that car sideways and backwards in controlled environments. Still, the car would occasionally surprise me while out on the street. I have a fair bit of seat time in an E46 M3, and the M3 is a far more forgiving car.
If I had to do it again, I don't think I would.
rezenclowd3
macrumors 65816
^^ Still sounds great to me. Personally I love long hoods. The closer my butt is to the rear wheels, the cooler I think the car is. As far as driving fast legally (AutoX/HPDE), I bought my E30 to be my beater track car that could be used as a DD should I need to be under my DD working on it. So the Z4M still fits the bill. Though as of late the Z3M coupe has caught my eye... Tried one though (2000) and my E30 really felt just as quick doing the stomp test.
As far as your experience AutoXing your car: I've read the same that it's a handful and unpredictable. Should I buy an M3 like you state is a easier handling car, it will have to be an E30 M3. The E46 M3 is also nifty but IMO still just looks to be too heavy. The newer ones are getting too close to having Japanese car looks methinks outside of being much beyond my price range.
As far as your experience AutoXing your car: I've read the same that it's a handful and unpredictable. Should I buy an M3 like you state is a easier handling car, it will have to be an E30 M3. The E46 M3 is also nifty but IMO still just looks to be too heavy. The newer ones are getting too close to having Japanese car looks methinks outside of being much beyond my price range.
The Z4MC weighs roughly the same as my 330Ci, and both are a couple of hundred pounds less than an E46 M3. The Z4MC weighs more than the roadster (and probably suffers for it).
Be forewarned as to maintenance costs on these cars. They are in a different league from your E30 ($300 for each brake rotor, $600 for the water pump, etc.).
On the bright side, the market for these cars is soft, so you should be able to buy one relatively inexpensively. Make sure you drive one first. Time permitting, our local CCA chapter usually has fun runs after an autoX. If your chapter does the same, you might see if an owner will let you drive theirs.
I also looked at a C6 Corvette and a Cayman S when I bought the Z4. I bought the BMW primarily out of brand loyalty. I probably should have bought the Cayman, but I was concerned about maintenance costs on the Porsche. The Corvette was extremely fast, but I felt disconnected in it.
very nice. got any suspension mods? I'm trying to catch the next solo event nearest to me, I need to put my new sway bar to workThis weekend's fun. I think I'm soon to be addicted.
A stock E46 330ci and E46 M3 weigh about the same, at 3400 lbs. I don't know what the Z4MC weight, but the M3 is not several hundred lbs. more than a 330ci.
My '05 M3 didn't have the moonroof, and it's curb weight was around 3300 lbs. My wife's '03 330ci is 3400+ lbs. To make a couple hundred pounds difference in any two E46 coupes would be extraordinary.
Edit: just looked it up in my old M3 brochure:
official curb weight for an '05 M3 coupe with every option is 3415 lbs.
For my wife's '03 330ci it's 3362 lbs.
'07 Z4MC = 3295 lbs.
So 120 lbs. difference between them.
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(from Edmunds) E46 M3 - 3415
(From my sales brochure) 330Ci - 3285
(From my sales brochure) Z4MC - 3230
(From my sales brochure) Z4MR - 3197
Which is reasonably consistent with my previous post.
edit: FWIW, between an aftermarket exhaust and lighter aftermarket wheels, my 330Ci has dropped 50 pounds vs its stock condition. It was also ordered without a sunroof.
(From my sales brochure) 330Ci - 3285
(From my sales brochure) Z4MC - 3230
(From my sales brochure) Z4MR - 3197
Which is reasonably consistent with my previous post.
edit: FWIW, between an aftermarket exhaust and lighter aftermarket wheels, my 330Ci has dropped 50 pounds vs its stock condition. It was also ordered without a sunroof.
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In any case, the M3 is not hundreds of pounds heavier than a standard 3 series. And a 3 series with auto adds another 100 lbs, which most sold in the US are.
I also ordered my M3 without a sunroof, no Nav and some other wieght-adding options, putting it around 3300. My biggest disappointment with the non-M E90/92 is that you have to get a sunroof. They add expense & higher center of gravity, reduce cabin headroom, and is something else that will go wrong, probably once the warranty expires. On the two BMWs I had with sunroof, I almost never opened them. That could be a deal breaker for me getting a 1 series in a few years. My JCW also does not have a sunroof.
very nice. got any suspension mods? I'm trying to catch the next solo event nearest to me, I need to put my new sway bar to work
Nope! Just stock sport suspension.
If you've never autocrossed before, I highly recommend it!
As for the swaybar, there was a Mini Cooper out there on Sunday that would lift up one back wheel on each and every turn. So entertaining!
That's fairly normal for FWD cars. I posted a photo of a Hyundai in this thread on Bimmerfest with sunlight under its inside rear wheel. Our RWD cars lift their inside front wheels under the right conditions (for example). If there is sunlight under more than one wheel, then that's when things get interesting.
After being burgled and having my red evo 8 stolen i've got round to replacing it with this beaut, only 406 bhp though, love my evo's
No offense but that's hogwash. I've been daily driving mine since I bought it. It fits my lifestyle perfectly as I don't need to drag a bunch of crap from point A to point B. If that were the case, I would definitely not be driving a two seater. And I'm not sure what issues you had with yours but mine is about as perfect as a sports car could be. Sure it has its quirks but what car doesn't? Sounds like it wasn't the right car for you.
I've seen that with people running huge sways in the rear lol. The one I have isn't crazy like that but makes the front alittle more direct, plus I can get a bit of snap oversteer now (fwd
)
No offense taken, there is plenty of room for reasonable people to disagree. Glad you like your roadster. I don't miss my coupe.
rezenclowd3
macrumors 65816
So during lunch I decided to try to sit in my car with my helmet on. Seems my E30 is a bit small for me with the helmet. I can't get the steering wheel close enough, and my feet far enough away from the pedals. The steering wheel is almost hitting my knees, and surely will bugger my hands when I have a tight corner. I need to now go get some Recaros I guess and not use the seat slider mechanism.
I'll also need my sunroof open to help clearances. Oh the joys of enjoying tiny cars when one is 6'3"
Definitely need to swap out my steering rack for a Z3 non-M rack to go from 4 turns lock to lock to 2.7. This first AutoX the 20th sure will be interesting now LOL.
I forgot to bring my helmet when I test drove the car for a full day when pondering purchasing it...otherwise I would have probably just ended up with a Z3MC.
BTW, very good advice above about trying others cars out at an AutoX event. At the least just be a passenger....
I'll also need my sunroof open to help clearances. Oh the joys of enjoying tiny cars when one is 6'3"
Definitely need to swap out my steering rack for a Z3 non-M rack to go from 4 turns lock to lock to 2.7. This first AutoX the 20th sure will be interesting now LOL.
I forgot to bring my helmet when I test drove the car for a full day when pondering purchasing it...otherwise I would have probably just ended up with a Z3MC.
BTW, very good advice above about trying others cars out at an AutoX event. At the least just be a passenger....
The wheels are Liquid Metal Turbine's 22" (9.5" x 115mm) with Hankook Ventus V4 265/35/22.
Nice Merc. Why are you selling it? I would have figured "oooooooooooo yeah!" means someone likes their car, but putting it up for sale with only 500mi on the clock says otherwise.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...radius/1500/page/2/postcode/ec2n1hq?logcode=p
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