pippyrips

Before i start i have used the search button button didn't find anything so here goes........

went to my local BMW dealership today and was pleasantly surprised at the price of a nearly new M3 so does/has anyone had one and how did you find them?? Also how do you rate the SMG gearbox over the standard manual?

Finally what is the MPG like comapred to a scooby??

thanks

Lust4Life

Think you'd be better off here (You'll need to register and no offence meant to Scoobynet) although there are a few guys on here with one.

www.bm3w.co.uk

I prefer my M5 personally

Cheers,

Phil

Lust4Life

Oh, yeah - check out the cost of extending the warranty now (went up 13/1/05) in the light of the engine recalls

Phil

Nevetas

Hi pippyrips,

I've had 2 scoobies now, fancied a change really, and needed a car to go into Germany / Spain / Portugal quite a few times a year, so picked up an M3 last week. Only had it 2 days so I'm not ready to do a review yet.

But here are some sites I found the best:

http://www.bm3w.co.uk
&
http://www.m3forum.net
&
http://www.carfreaks.net/

I think warrenty is now £732 up from £560 IIRC.

As for MPG I'm getting anything from 17-20 at the moment depending on what I'm doing, but I have not used Launch Control yet

I really like the SMG gears, I'm going to Germany about once a month at the moment and having an auto box when doing the run from Calais > Germany will be very nice, as will cruise control. However I would recommend a LONG test drive, as it may not be for you.

I wish I could help more, but I'm still finding new buttons each time I get in the thing

There's some pics on my website, need to take some better one's though...

www.nevetas.com

Also here are some M3 related vid's:

www.nevetas.com/downloads

Good luck with your search

towzer

I've just got an M3 to replace my 911 C4S, whilst it's no 911 it's very good and has 4 seats plus a thing called a boot.

Phil

pippyrips

nevetas - thanks mate - was on an m3 forum yesterday and thought i recognised your user name on there! do me a favour and let me know how its going in a week! - i got a test drive booked for a manual and a smg - oh goody

phil what have all the engine recalls been for?

wbm3

Some info about the recalls here:

http://www.mbmw.com/recalls.htm

pippyrips

well i test drove the M3 today - well 2 of them to be precise. Firstly took an '03 manual out and was pleasantly impressed. Was very nice not to have to deal with turbo lag - the tourque thoughout the rev range was great - but is nothing when compared to how awesome they sound when at full chat going through a tunnel

Then took out a SMG gearbox which is my favourite of the 2. Took a few minutes to get used to it but after that its great ficking through the padels coming down a slip road.

Was planning to get another scooby but think i might be getting something different next

George W Bush

I've just got one...'03 M3 in Titan Silver..

First impressions are fantastic..it is definately not like a scoob or Evo..handling is superb but RWD, so totally different experience, no doubt scooby would leave me for dead on a wet road. Not so sure in the dry.Interior quality is better..by a mile

Must admit it feels a bit more grown up...cant quite explain it??

Totally different cars in every way.

pippyrips

george,

did you go for an smg or manual?

NOZZER

I bought a smg last january, loved it since, on track the smg is the business, a lot quicker than people think. Great around the ring as well. Will be back there 1st aprill for the weekend.

pippyrips

so how relaible is the smg?? there is obviously more potential for things to go pear shaped

Fuchsrohre

I've just had my warranty renewal notice through:

£720

Definitely adviseable to do - here's a run down on what mine's had since I bought it a couple of years ago:

1. New rear differential - started to "squeak" when cornering
2. New air flow sensor - lost all power one day overtaking - could've been v.nasty!
3. New cooling system - first one destroyed itself and pi$$ed all over the engine bay

That little lot would've cost me £3000 at least, so you can see why the warranty comes in handy.

wide

Thought you were sticking with Subaru not going RWD on a beemer!

wbm3

SMG is reliable, but just make sure you have a BMW warrenty if there is a problem.

Skittles

I had an E46 M3 and recommend SMG all the way!

Make sure you get an extended warranty. I had the following work done/new items installed in the first 20 months of ownership:

2 x gearboxes (not SMG problem)
2 x differentials
2 x rear windows
2 x engine recalls
2 x rear headrests (they fell off!)
1 x clutch
1 x prop shaft
1 x door handle
1 x climate control system
5 x handbrake adjustment
7 x squeek removal (it was a convertible)
etc

Great car, but a lot of niggles. Then again I am a fussy git (but so I should be for that kind of money).

Ironically one of the only things I dodn't have issues with was SMG - the gearbox is the same for both manual and SMG.

Fuchsrohre

I'm about to put mine up for £27,995 if anyone's looking for a well looked after M3 in Carbon Black, 19" wheels, HK, etc...