Review: 2008 BMW M3 Coupe
04-28-08, 11:46 AM
#31
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I agree, I drive my S2000 year round with a set of winter performance tires and wil ldo so with my M3. I will have the Legacy for when it's snowing and won't drive my M3 as much in bad conditions but won't be scared of the rain or slight snow. Also, they clear the roads fairly well hers so there is rarely more than a couple of inches.
I did consider getting an AWD car like the S5 or RS4 but in the end I went with the RWD (imo more fun) over the safer but less fun of awd.
04-28-08, 02:57 PM
#33
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Thanks. Looks like cloth cushions with leather bolsters.
I know this may sound like heresy to some, but with many cars, I'd rather have cloth than leather, for several reasons. I don't care for the leather in many American and German-designed cars, and leather, in general, is ice-cold in the winter (until the seat heaters kick in), and hot in the summer. Depending on the seat design, leather sometimes lets you slide all around the seat as well. But the leather in Jaguars and some Lexus models is SO nice it is hard to resist it.
Some all-leather seats use a rough, suede leather called Alcantra on the cushions to increase seat friction and grip.
I know this may sound like heresy to some, but with many cars, I'd rather have cloth than leather, for several reasons. I don't care for the leather in many American and German-designed cars, and leather, in general, is ice-cold in the winter (until the seat heaters kick in), and hot in the summer. Depending on the seat design, leather sometimes lets you slide all around the seat as well. But the leather in Jaguars and some Lexus models is SO nice it is hard to resist it.
Some all-leather seats use a rough, suede leather called Alcantra on the cushions to increase seat friction and grip.
04-30-08, 05:55 PM
#35
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my M3 is in production, should get here (?) in about 4-6 weeks. I'll give a review when I get the car will be the first time I have driven the DCT.
The problem is the DCT is as you say rare and the few they got were not around to demo and most people have ordered the DCT sight unseen which is scary. But so far the reviews are all good.
I ordered ~35 days ago and the car could be here in another ~35 days so total of ~10 weeks for my car.
Of course the competition is very strong as you point out the IS-F and C63 not to mention it's own sibling the 335i (etc. and I think people will be looking at Corvettes, 911, S5, GTR etc.. I mean with a price range close to $70K there are many nice cars to think about).
--
these are uncertain times with the economy and high oil/gas prices, but I wanted to get something nice, fun, fast and at the same time more comfortable and practical (than my S2000) and I am at an age where I see as much time behind me as in front. Meaning I wanted to get it while I'm still young enough to enjoy. As they say youth is wasted on the young. ANd live some now for tomorrow you never know.
I'll dislike selling my S2000 but the M3 will hopefully ease the parting.
The problem is the DCT is as you say rare and the few they got were not around to demo and most people have ordered the DCT sight unseen which is scary. But so far the reviews are all good.
I ordered ~35 days ago and the car could be here in another ~35 days so total of ~10 weeks for my car.
Of course the competition is very strong as you point out the IS-F and C63 not to mention it's own sibling the 335i (etc. and I think people will be looking at Corvettes, 911, S5, GTR etc.. I mean with a price range close to $70K there are many nice cars to think about).
--
these are uncertain times with the economy and high oil/gas prices, but I wanted to get something nice, fun, fast and at the same time more comfortable and practical (than my S2000) and I am at an age where I see as much time behind me as in front. Meaning I wanted to get it while I'm still young enough to enjoy. As they say youth is wasted on the young. ANd live some now for tomorrow you never know.
I'll dislike selling my S2000 but the M3 will hopefully ease the parting.
Last edited by rai; 04-30-08 at 06:14 PM.
05-01-08, 07:32 PM
#37
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Well, that's the beauty of BMW chassis engineering. The M3's chassis can produce track-worthy handling with a ride that, while stiff, doesn't bounce you around anywhere near as much as the Lexus IS-F or a Corvette Z06.
05-02-08, 06:15 AM
#38
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Mike,
since you brought it up, have you driven the C6 coupe or Z06? How do they compare to the M3? meaning the M3 costs about the same as the Z06 and the Base C6 could be a real value at ~$20K less.
Of course the Vettes should be better performance cars but what about daily driving and comfort?
since you brought it up, have you driven the C6 coupe or Z06? How do they compare to the M3? meaning the M3 costs about the same as the Z06 and the Base C6 could be a real value at ~$20K less.
Of course the Vettes should be better performance cars but what about daily driving and comfort?
Last edited by rai; 05-02-08 at 06:53 AM.
05-02-08, 06:29 AM
#39
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I did a full C6 review back in December of 2005, but my reviews back then were not as detailed or comprehansive as they are now. Also sampled a Z06 but not long enough for a major write-up.
The manual-transmission C6 I drove would probably outrun the M3 in a straight line....it had some 400 ft-lbs of torque to the M3's 295, and was in a smaller, lighter, fiberglass-body package. The M3's suspension, though, is superb, and it seemed to handle as well or better than the 'Vette, which of course sits lower and has a lower center of gravity but is not as well engineered. That low Corvette stance also makes getting in and out difficult for tall people.
05-14-08, 07:55 AM
#41
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I did a full C6 review back in December of 2005, but my reviews back then were not as detailed or comprehansive as they are now. Also sampled a Z06 but not long enough for a major write-up.
The manual-transmission C6 I drove would probably outrun the M3 in a straight line....it had some 400 ft-lbs of torque to the M3's 295, and was in a smaller, lighter, fiberglass-body package. The M3's suspension, though, is superb, and it seemed to handle as well or better than the 'Vette, which of course sits lower and has a lower center of gravity but is not as well engineered. That low Corvette stance also makes getting in and out difficult for tall people.
The manual-transmission C6 I drove would probably outrun the M3 in a straight line....it had some 400 ft-lbs of torque to the M3's 295, and was in a smaller, lighter, fiberglass-body package. The M3's suspension, though, is superb, and it seemed to handle as well or better than the 'Vette, which of course sits lower and has a lower center of gravity but is not as well engineered. That low Corvette stance also makes getting in and out difficult for tall people.
good reliability, cheap to maintain, cheap to fix (cheap parts), bargain price (base can be purchased for $39999 - see corvetteforum.org).
05-14-08, 10:37 AM
#42
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Bangle didn't mess up the 3-series as much as some other new Bimmers....especially the 7-series. The 3-series is BMW's bread-and-butter car in the American market, and company officials were determined that they weren't going to put that model at risk and take as much criticism. The company also decided (a sensible move, IMO), to make some 3-series models available without I-Drive, although the controls on the non-I-Drive 3 models are almost as complex as the I-Drive ones themselves.
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