Finally got it...:P E46 M3

[Koing]

You guys have probably been hearing me wh0ring out the E46 M3 for a few years now. I finally bought one due to insurance being somewhat reasonable now .

I got the S2000 May/ June 2008 due to the M3 being ridiculous for insurance at the time (£3k) and couldn't justify it.

Also saved at least 7k from not getting it back in 2008

Seller pics, I'll clean it properly when the weather gets better.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27380623@N06/sets/72157623121895578/

2002, 51 plate
SMG
52k miles : needs Insp I in 12-14k miles time
sat nav (cd based though )
tv
HK sound system
park sensor and other features
Recently had front discs and pads changed and rear pads
4 new conti's all around
FBWMSH
1200 service done
all recall work done
£13k

Doesn't have
heated seats
electric folding mirror
strut bar
bluetooth

I've done 45miles in it so far and have avg 17mpg or so...I did spend about an hour in stop and go traffic coming back from London picking up the car. Took 2hrs to get back! Doh!

Initial thoughts after 45miles:
-SMG is pretty cool so far, the sport button is cool! The throttle response is much better, the other settings are for if your lazy or have no foot control.
-lift off the accelerator a bit after the gear up or down and it's smoother at lower revs, at top revs it doesn't matter so much?
-left foot going towards the non existent clutch pedal at junctions still
-from little usage of the fully auto mode it seems okay. Not sure what people are bitching about it for? what did they expect?!
-SMG tidbits that I did not know
--gears down for you but won't gear up in SMG mode or whatever the mode is called
--you can access a launch control mode but you can only do it 6x as you will be wrecking the clutch...
-HK sound system is really good, better then the sound on the S2000 which is surprisingly good imo.
-Wheels and tyres look cool! Better in person then in pictures. I avoided all cars with 18"
-Sat nav is pretty crappy, TomTom is MUCH better, I'll see about updating my software to make it more user friendly
-lots more button and creature comforts then the S2000 and is overwhelming at first (auto wipers, auto lights, auto dimming rear mirror, auto tilting passenger side mirror, park distance sensor, cruise control - the car feels like it's going FASTER when cruise control is on?! A very odd sensation the car driving without my foot on the accelerator, electric chairs - very configurable

The only negative so far is that the steering wheel feels very vague relative to the S2000. I suppose I'll get use to it and the S2000 has a really good steering wheel feel imo. Feels weighty and I know where I am, also the fact that I've driven it for 20months and done 2 track days so I could push the limits as far as the boys would allow me! The S2000 seems to feel much easier to drive at the limit even without TC. The M3 TC has been kicking in every so often on the wet/ semi wet roads. It'll be interesting to see how much it'll cut in on a dry race track.

But to note the owner owned a Lotus Elise before and he said his S2000 test drive was disappointing. He said the steering wheel feel was poor. The Elise he had didn't have power steering but then it's also about 900kg or so.

I haven't been booting it due to the wet/ semi wet roads and I'll want to get more familar with the car first. I should have Brands Hatch booked up for the 25th January which will be the perfect chance to test the car out properly. I can go as hard as I'm willing to go!

It's like the S2000 with it's high revving nature but it hits the limiter much faster and it's the same but using a higher gear. Gear 3 in the S2000 is like gear 2 of the M3.

I'll update later when I have more experience and confidence with the M3 but I prefer the steering feel of the S2000.

Koing

 

[CurseTheSky]

Looks nice, but there's just one problem...

The steering wheel is on the wrong side!!!

I'm sure if you call the dealer they can have that fixed immediately...

Nice car, enjoy.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Great car/colour combo. I like murder leather!

BLUR OUT THE NUMBER PLATE IN THOSE PICS.

Fantastic motor, though. PM me if you want any info on upgrading or using any of the electronics, as I know it can be a little daunting as there is so much going on.

Also, you can add the bluetooth module as nearly all cars have the wiring for it, you just need to buy the ULF module and the internal aerial. As with all these items the car will auto-discover the new part and it'll appear on the Nav monitor and operate via the steering wheel etc.

Welcome to the club!

/0

 

[Fenixgoon]

SMG? *cries*

beautiful car though. the E46 is *THE* M3 IMO.

also, what's the deal with blurring out the plates? i do it too, but i don't get why it's so important to do so.

 

[DivideBYZero]

There is an issue with plate cloning. An evil-doer will use the plate on their dodgy car so that an automatic plate recognition systems will not go off, as Koing will have insurance and tax all paid up, won't have stolen his car, etc. Mr Evil-do'ers car will not, and would set off all the available alarms. Twice!

 

[Koing]

Great car/colour combo. I like murder leather!

BLUR OUT THE NUMBER PLATE IN THOSE PICS.

Fantastic motor, though. PM me if you want any info on upgrading or using any of the electronics, as I know it can be a little daunting as there is so much going on.

Also, you can add the bluetooth module as nearly all cars have the wiring for it, you just need to buy the ULF module and the internal aerial. As with all these items the car will auto-discover the new part and it'll appear on the Nav monitor and operate via the steering wheel etc.

Welcome to the club!

/0

The pics are actually on his flicker I haven't taken any pics as the weather is poor and I haven't cleaned it yet. I'll blur future pics but surely they'd have to prove that the plate was on my car right? But I guess it'll be more work for me to prove that it wasn't my car.

Cheers for the offer. I'll PM you! Lots of buttons and gadgets relative to the S2000!

I'll look in the bluetooth option but I'll want to check out a few other things first like the intravee and if the mk4 unit is that much better after I update my mk3.

Hey can we meet up sometime so I can see your car?

Cheers guys! It's really sweet to finally own it

Koing

 

[EightySix Four]

Congrats Koing, beautiful car. Drive it hard

 

[amdhunter]

Nice car!!! SMG = Boo though. You should have gone with a straight manual.

The acceleration in that thing is a monster though, and the only car EVER that I've been scared in when someone was driving it. It was an SMG-trannyed M3. That thing is fierce. One of the best cars I've ever had the pleasure of riding in.

 

[Koing]

Congrats Koing, beautiful car. Drive it hard

17.6mpg in

Nice car!!! SMG = Boo though. You should have gone with a straight manual.

The acceleration in that thing is a monster though, and the only car EVER that I've been scared in when someone was driving it. It was an SMG-trannyed M3. That thing is fierce. One of the best cars I've ever had the pleasure of riding in.

The S2000 has a sweet gearbox! So I wanted to see what the SMG was all about. I've never driven a manual M3 in fact. I may switch up in a year or two and see how the manual one feels. But I really like the SMG so far. It behaves in town and gives me power when I want.

I have 6 throttle reponses with DSC and another option with no DSC

Have you ever driven an SMG car? It's a bit different but I like it so far from what little experience I've had. Probably about 60miles in total so far.

The acceleration is very nice. Like the S2000 but everything is using one less gear so I get the same acceleration in the S2000 in say gear 3 as I do in the M3 in gear 2 but it does rev very quickly and seems more responsive which I like. Doesn't quite have the weighty steering feel of the S2000 though...but I'm looking in to underdrive pulleys which can give it a more weighty feel and a slight power increase but I'm more for the weighty steering feel. It feels a bit light to me coming from the S2000.

Koing

 

[SSSnail]

Congrats man! The S2000 is nice, but screaming atop of your head going anywhere gets tired after a while.

 

[amdhunter]

Have you ever driven an SMG car? It's a bit different but I like it so far from what little experience I've had. Probably about 60miles in total so far.

Koing

Nah, only ever been a passenger in one. It's scary how fast it can accelerate. It is also crazy how thumpy the gearbox is in normal traffic on it's most aggressive setting also...that would scare the hell out of me. hahaha

 

[drnickriviera]

There is an issue with plate cloning. An evil-doer will use the plate on their dodgy car so that an automatic plate recognition systems will not go off, as Koing will have insurance and tax all paid up, won't have stolen his car, etc. Mr Evil-do'ers car will not, and would set off all the available alarms. Twice!

Can't the bad guys just walk outside their house and get 50 plate numbers in a minute?

I figured BMW would have used the high on board computer display. Does it display all the info on the nav screen?

 

[overst33r]

It's weird that you think the S2000 has good steering feel, since it's widely regarded as one of the most numb steering cars out there...

Great color combo btw

 

[Pariah]

also, what's the deal with blurring out the plates? i do it too, but i don't get why it's so important to do so.

Tinfoil hat paranoia.

 

[EightySix Four]

In the UK there was some articles about students making fake plates with their professor's plate info on them then speeding through all the cameras causing the professor to get multiple speeding tickets.

 

[punjabiplaya]

In the UK there was some articles about students making fake plates with their professor's plate info on them then speeding through all the cameras causing the professor to get multiple speeding tickets.

Or people in Japan wearing Bill Oddie masks.

 

[Pariah]

In the UK there was some articles about students making fake plates with their professor's plate info on them then speeding through all the cameras causing the professor to get multiple speeding tickets.

Sounds like a tinfoil hat created story. In the unlikely scenario that it is true, the plan didn't work, and that's why you heard about it. Traffic cameras take a picture of the whole car, not just the license plate. So in order for that prank to work, you would have to find a car that looks exactly like the car you copied the plate off.

 

[ViviTheMage]

How's driving in downtown London? If I recall, you lived in Kensington area?

 

[DivideBYZero]

Sounds like a tinfoil hat created story. In the unlikely scenario that it is true, the plan didn't work, and that's why you heard about it. Traffic cameras take a picture of the whole car, not just the license plate. So in order for that prank to work, you would have to find a car that looks exactly like the car you copied the plate off.

Plate cloning is real and very simple as you can just order a plate with whatever you want online. Crooks just copy a valid plate from a similar vehicle and use that, that way it won't ping as a marked car on the ANPR cameras that most police traffic vehicles have. Not only that, the speed camera story is also true. Fake plate means you can blow past any red light or speed camera you want.

Not tin foil, real.

 

[DivideBYZero]

The pics are actually on his flicker I haven't taken any pics as the weather is poor and I haven't cleaned it yet. I'll blur future pics but surely they'd have to prove that the plate was on my car right? But I guess it'll be more work for me to prove that it wasn't my car.

Cheers for the offer. I'll PM you! Lots of buttons and gadgets relative to the S2000!

I'll look in the bluetooth option but I'll want to check out a few other things first like the intravee and if the mk4 unit is that much better after I update my mk3.

Hey can we meet up sometime so I can see your car?

Cheers guys! It's really sweet to finally own it

Koing

Yeah we really should meet up.

Also, I'm getting 27mpg, and I always have my foot right in it! But I know how it is with a new car, until you get used to it you're always 'trying it out' and also you haven't done any motorway miles yet, which it excels at.

Order of electronic priorities should be:

- update Mk3 Nav OS
- Intravee install
- Bluetooth ULF module
- Mk4 if the CD unit is not up to snuff for you

I'll take a look and see if I still have the Mk3 update CD images on any of my systems. If I do then we can do this during our meet, as it only takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Is you menu all in light blue with White text? Just trying to get an idea of how old the software actually is. Mine was ancient, V16! Now running V32 in 3D Perspective with a custom ///M boot screen.

 

[DivideBYZero]

OK, just checked and I still have the Mk3 Update image and the Key CD image to upgrade your Nav unit.

/0

 

[StageLeft]

Seems inexpensive and looks good, but I hope you have money saved in case that tranny needs work.

Plate cloning sounds extremely stupid. If you were pulled over for any reason and the cop ran the plate he'd see it registered to somebody else. I guess you could try and say that person is your brother or something but if he asked for insurance and was smart enough he'd see that the insurance is in your name but the car supposedly registered in somebody elses.

 

[Koing]

It's weird that you think the S2000 has good steering feel, since it's widely regarded as one of the most numb steering cars out there...

Great color combo btw

Interesting. I just like the weighty feel of it, it feels good, planted and gives me confidence. It may be crap for others but I'm cool with it but I don't have that much experience. Only the S2000 and the M3. The M3 I'm still getting use to it and I've also driven an A3 and S3 on long road trips. The S3 felt okay, more weighty from my memory then the M3. The M3 feels far too light imo.

In the UK there was some articles about students making fake plates with their professor's plate info on them then speeding through all the cameras causing the professor to get multiple speeding tickets.

LOL

But surely they check that the number plate was pared to XXX car? I'd hope it wouldn't be too difficult to dodge it.

Nah, only ever been a passenger in one. It's scary how fast it can accelerate. It is also crazy how thumpy the gearbox is in normal traffic on it's most aggressive setting also...that would scare the hell out of me. hahaha

Depends on the driver and gear settings. Was he taking his foot off the throttle for gear shifts? That helps smooth it a lot at lower rev's. Around down you can use slower gear changes and it's less thumpy but feels less responsive. I guess it's nice to have the option.

Congrats man! The S2000 is nice, but screaming atop of your head going anywhere gets tired after a while.

The S2000 is loud on the motorways but I listen to loud music so it's okay.

How's driving in downtown London? If I recall, you lived in Kensington area?

It was okay for me. Just use the throttle correctly. It'll be jerky if you hammer first gear and then stop in a few yards. I don't live in Kingstinton. Thats uber expensive. I live in Surrey. 30mins by train in to London

Yeah we really should meet up.

Also, I'm getting 27mpg, and I always have my foot right in it! But I know how it is with a new car, until you get used to it you're always 'trying it out' and also you haven't done any motorway miles yet, which it excels at.

Order of electronic priorities should be:

- update Mk3 Nav OS
- Intravee install
- Bluetooth ULF module
- Mk4 if the CD unit is not up to snuff for you

I'll take a look and see if I still have the Mk3 update CD images on any of my systems. If I do then we can do this during our meet, as it only takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Is you menu all in light blue with White text? Just trying to get an idea of how old the software actually is. Mine was ancient, V16! Now running V32 in 3D Perspective with a custom ///M boot screen.

eah the combined should be better. But oh well, got to pay to play. But if it was say 10mpg that would be savage!

Good order of things for me to do. The bluetooth ULF module is pretty dam pricey! I'll need to do more research on it.

It'll be good to meet up so I can check out your car and see how your mk4 is.

I think the menu is grey/light black with white text (definitely has white text). It's back from 2001/2002 I think. I don't think the mk3 does 3d Perspective

Koing

Koing

 

[DivideBYZero]

Yeah, you won't get 3D with the Mk3, but it's not the end of the world.

 

[Koing]

Yeah, you won't get 3D with the Mk3, but it's not the end of the world.

Some euro mapping would be good for a road trip!

Koing