M3 970 miles in

[adsgreen]

Yeah the new m5 is looking mighty impressive.
I do hope Audi don't screw up the next rs4/6

[DuncS3]

Ok - had the running in service yesterday.

BMW dealers let me supply my own oil - significant cost savings there (ordered from Opie Oils - excellent service).

Drop car off, service as you would expect from a premium car dealer - took a 1 series loaner - ugly as hell but drives excellent . Tell dealer to vacumn my car only, no wash.

so I turn up to pick it up - all done except:

car is washed (I can live with that but still - I'm sure they wiped the sponge on their jeans when it fell in the gravel (joke))
they tell me my oil filler cap wont seal properly and they have one on order, should be in tomorrow but car is okay to drive. I had read about this 'fault' on another forum and I said, look, not teaching your guys to suck eggs but have they cleaned it (there are issues with it getting a vacumn seal). So drove home, check under bonnet - oil on engine and plastic parts and underside of bonnet - take off cap, clean it up so the rubber seal is dry, drive to work - still some oil but 95% less than before.

Now I can use the POWER button - wow different car except its been wet and lots of traffic so not explored too much but on way to work I noticed a slight loss of traction at 7k rpm in a straight line...

going to be an interesting experience over the winter - will book myself on a driving course I think...

Cheers

[edge]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArtic ... rs/256784/

I actually quite like that

Hey DuncS3,

does the M3 actually produce the BHP that BMW say or does it faulter a little like the RS4?

[DuncS3]

I am not aware that it has issues like we did.

I test drove an M3 in the dry - pretty similar to my RS in performance but I thought unscientifically it had a little bit more top end but that was just butt dyno, in one car out of the other.

[edge]

I dont think it does, just curious thats all

Stunning car, am a huge fan of them!

[ARSEY4]

The power button does nothing to performance only sharpens up throttle response. You can alter settings via idrive to have sports or super sports but basically you are altering the throttle travel and nothing else, the M5 was different I beleive in that it did unleash extra BHP. With my non edc car you could change the srevo assistance to sports which just added a bit of weight to the steering. Atleast the sports button on the RS4 opened up the flaps as well.

[Steve_C]

The power button does nothing to performance only sharpens up throttle response.

+1, it is just the throttle response AFAIK. But you can program the M button for the suspension stiffness, steering weight, throttle response, gear change speed/timing, DSC on/off (there are several settings for each so you can personalise the car to your preferences).

I actually think the M3 is better in the lower/middle revs than the RS4 but not as good as the RS4 at the top end (acceleration and sound wise).

Am loving the fact that the car can read out my emails/texts to me while I drive along - have you got that function working yet, Dunc?

[DuncS3]

NO!!

I get so many emails maybe its overloaded the system

realise power button isnt extra BHP but when you have been running the car in, it does transform the car

[Steve_C]

NO!!

I get so many emails maybe its overloaded the system

It may take a while to sync if you have alot of emails but you should still be able to go into the Messages option within Office where it will say something like 'updating messages'.

[DuncS3]

Steve - my RS was standard and put out 290 according to MRC - wasnt yours decoked etc?

the M3 feels scary fast to me atm still, or could that be because it can lose traction between 5-6k whilst driving in a staight line (in rain again)!

[adsgreen]

It's surprising how a little "movement" in the car under power really unsettles your perception of driving.
First time driving a TVR Tuscan S was enlightening... fish tails under braking and acceleration and lurches from under to oversteer in a heartbeat. Completely different to what I was used to but the key point is that you so learn to adapt and get used to the moving.

[lengster1]

290 dont you mean 390? Not getting power down even in a straight line? You must be questioning the move surely? Sliding and drifting is great when your ON IT and in the mood but having to put up with it catching you out in anything other than dry conditions just annoyed me when i had an e36 m3.Are the new ones more predictable with all the gizmos to overide these situations? Mind you thinking back the traction system hacked me off too as it would cut in and say no when id commited to an overtake and really annoy me to the point i didnt bother with it unless dry.

[lengster1]

I can relate to adsgreen re the tuscan too as i recently had one,different animal though and more predictable because they are wild all the time with no traction as such.

[Steve_C]

Steve - my RS was standard and put out 290 according to MRC - wasnt yours decoked etc?

the M3 feels scary fast to me atm still, or could that be because it can lose traction between 5-6k whilst driving in a staight line (in rain again)!

Yes, I'd forgotten that mine was decoked, MRC filter and remapped to 434PS so I'm not comparing stock with stock which I guess you will be.

[Steve_C]

290 dont you mean 390? Not getting power down even in a straight line? You must be questioning the move surely? Sliding and drifting is great when your ON IT and in the mood but having to put up with it catching you out in anything other than dry conditions just annoyed me when i had an e36 m3.Are the new ones more predictable with all the gizmos to overide these situations? Mind you thinking back the traction system hacked me off too as it would cut in and say no when id commited to an overtake and really annoy me to the point i didnt bother with it unless dry.

I've only driven mine in the dry/damp and don't have any problems getting the power down (apart form when I tried launch control but that's another story!) I have the DSC half off in the dry/damp.

In fact, I may go out for a drive now just to see, as its pretty wet outside.