M3 Sedan is broken in and finally taken for a real drive

[e36jakeo]

I managed to get to my first service (at 1380 miles or so) within 2 weeks. All went well and I picked up my M3 sedan with fresh blood and nearly hit redline pulling out of the dealership. Now THIS was what I was waiting for!

I took her for a drive in the hills of Nor Cal. The first section of road is a climb with some pretty tight to medium corners. There is no need to leave second gear since the M will hit about 70 MPH at redline in 2nd.

Before I get into the details, I need to provide some context. I have driven these roads a LOT in cars ranging from an E36 M3, a supercharged S2000, Evos, 350Zs. I currently have a 335i, which, with a tune is explosively fast in the midrange (400 lbs+ torque and about 400 HP). The handling also impressed me, as did overall grip. My main gripe has been that it will spin the unweighted tire due to no LSD, and the power seems to cut back a bit if I romp on it for a long climb.

So back to the M3, the car's handling is on an entirely different level from the 335i. The LSD and more aggressive suspension and tires make turn in MUCH quicker and make it more neutral throughout the corner. The power is not as explosive (less torque and, thus, less neck snap upon flooring it) but because the power holds to redline you wind up going just as fast down the straights. And because of how linear the torque is and the instantaneous nature of NA power, it is easier and more rewarding to throttle steer a bit through corners.

And of course there is the sound of the V8. It prods you to go faster just to hear it sing. The huge redline tricks you into wanting to shift too soon until you look down and realize you are only at 6000 RPM. I don't like the soft rev limiter -- what happen to bouncing off the limiter??! But otherwise the engine is a true gem.

The poise of the car when being pushed it pretty amazing. In "normal" mode the suspension responds to inputs and does not roll or pitch. It is so composed you begin to wonder WHERE ARE THE LIMITS? With the PS2 shoes they are extremely high.

The steering is much different than the 335i's hydrolic system. The M3's is much lighter which, combined with the quicker-reacting suspension an throttle, leads the whole car to seem lighter than the 335i (even though it is not).

Amazing ride. Can't wait to take her to the track!!

[Davinhci]

nice write up, yeah it's a great car

[booforty]

Glad you enjoyed opening your baby up on the open road! The car will continue to improve with age, trust me!

[Kadarin]

Originally Posted by e36jakeo

And of course there is the sound of the V8. It prods you to go faster just to hear it sing.

YES!

One thing I really like about the stock exhaust is the way the engine sounds inside the car when you get on it and as it climbs up the revs. The car both sounds and feels wonderful.

And it's an absolute blast to drive on windy mountain roads (hwy 9 and 35 in the Bay Area, for example).

[Zirenz2006]

Great write up!

On a side note, these write ups aren't helping my long wait.

[positiveions]

Bravo. I thought the M3 will be lighter and more nimble on turns. NO matter how much HP you can add to the 335i, the winner will be an M3.
Congrats on your car and breaking it in.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by eatrach73

Bravo. I thought the M3 will be lighter and more nimble on turns. NO matter how much HP you can add to the 335i, the winner will be an M3.
Congrats on your car and breaking it in.

shhh....the 335i trolls are listening

[Herms]

Originally Posted by e36jakeo

I managed to get to my first service (at 1380 miles or so) within 2 weeks. All went well and I picked up my M3 sedan with fresh blood and nearly hit redline pulling out of the dealership. Now THIS was what I was waiting for!

I took her for a drive in the hills of Nor Cal. The first section of road is a climb with some pretty tight to medium corners. There is no need to leave second gear since the M will hit about 70 MPH at redline in 2nd.

Before I get into the details, I need to provide some context. I have driven these roads a LOT in cars ranging from an E36 M3, a supercharged S2000, Evos, 350Zs. I currently have a 335i, which, with a tune is explosively fast in the midrange (400 lbs+ torque and about 400 HP). The handling also impressed me, as did overall grip. My main gripe has been that it will spin the unweighted tire due to no LSD, and the power seems to cut back a bit if I romp on it for a long climb.

So back to the M3, the car's handling is on an entirely different level from the 335i. The LSD and more aggressive suspension and tires make turn in MUCH quicker and make it more neutral throughout the corner. The power is not as explosive (less torque and, thus, less neck snap upon flooring it) but because the power holds to redline you wind up going just as fast down the straights. And because of how linear the torque is and the instantaneous nature of NA power, it is easier and more rewarding to throttle steer a bit through corners.

And of course there is the sound of the V8. It prods you to go faster just to hear it sing. The huge redline tricks you into wanting to shift too soon until you look down and realize you are only at 6000 RPM. I don't like the soft rev limiter -- what happen to bouncing off the limiter??! But otherwise the engine is a true gem.

The poise of the car when being pushed it pretty amazing. In "normal" mode the suspension responds to inputs and does not roll or pitch. It is so composed you begin to wonder WHERE ARE THE LIMITS? With the PS2 shoes they are extremely high.

The steering is much different than the 335i's hydrolic system. The M3's is much lighter which, combined with the quicker-reacting suspension an throttle, leads the whole car to seem lighter than the 335i (even though it is not).

Amazing ride. Can't wait to take her to the track!!

+1. Just got my sedan back and I couldn't have said it better. I would just add that it does feel much faster than the stock 335 in terms of head snap, but perhaps not the tuned one, though I would agree that it is actually as fast. The feeling as you approach redline is just amazing.

[mkoesel]

I thought this thread might be about Hans Stuck stealing your car!

[dawgdog]

Great post! I too owned a 335 with Vishnu V3, coilovers, PS2s, etc. The only difference is I had active steering which is a lighter feel than the M3. Right after break-in I took it to Pacific Raceways for a lapping day with the Alfa clug and it was fantastic. And I just returned from a 600 mile Cascade mountain roadtrip with my brother-in-law who now owns my erstwhile 335. My 335 actually feels lighter - probably due to the active steering and the way the auto transmission behaves compared to my DCT. It is a torque monster and I suspect straight line perhaps a little faster than the M3. But the M3 is just the complete package. It is just so damn stable at any speed and when you get into the higher rev range it is so thrilling. I have no regrets whatsoever about my purchase. One area, though, where the 335 prevails is gas mileage. The last time we fillled up I required 10 gallons to my brother-in-law's 7.5.

[BK]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

I thought this thread might be about Hans Stuck stealing your car!