Ok, it's pretty rare I'd get the keys to such a car. But when the opportunity arises, I grab that brass ring.
It just happened to work out in my favor yesterday in a multi car transfer/trade. I was to take our M3 back to the office after running an errand in Torrance and car swapping with another editor. I was cautioned not to hammer our M3 as it has a bad shoe. The driver's side rear tire is showing a little bit of thread, so no power slides. Dang, I like slides.
Ok, so the photo above really isn't the engine in our car (it's of the V8 M3). I couldn't find the photo that was just like this of a six cylinder M3. Just practice a little suspension of disbelief for now. The tech hand out associated with the photo I was looking for talked about how the pipes were formed in such a way to help improve the growl. It made an impression on me. So much so that I couldn't help but listen as I mashed the accelerator many years later.
"GGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!" she scream as I accelerated onto the freeway.
Wow. I mean.... Wow. Forget the old dog and new tricks crap, this car can light 'em up as good as anyone. The few years it has aged are almost of no consequence. Taking a look around the car it's still in great shape. Only some minor wear in a few places but otherwise it's top shelf. I'd say it's a great buy.
I would say it's a great buy except for the fact the M3 is "I've arrived" or "I'm spending every penny I got to come close" car here in Southern California. They've everywhere! As I walked out to the car this morning I thought some dude and his kid were jacking my car, only to find it was an identical M3 parked two spots away from me. He was just dropping his kid off for school. No joke!
Ok, so it doesn't have the unique factor (especially here in LA), but there's plenty of style and "holy crap that's fast." If I were to consider purchasing one, it'd be a hard decision between a growling power slide and the fact it's a thirty something general issue vehicle.
Hmmm... Could I have the keys one more night to make up my mind?
Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer @ 52,012 miles
"GGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!" she scream as I accelerated onto the freeway.
Wow. I mean.... Wow. Forget the old dog and new tricks crap, this car can light 'em up as good as anyone. The few years it has aged are almost of no consequence. Taking a look around the car it's still in great shape. Only some minor wear in a few places but otherwise it's top shelf. I'd say it's a great buy.
I would say it's a great buy except for the fact the M3 is "I've arrived" or "I'm spending every penny I got to come close" car here in Southern California. They've everywhere! As I walked out to the car this morning I thought some dude and his kid were jacking my car, only to find it was an identical M3 parked two spots away from me. He was just dropping his kid off for school. No joke!
Ok, so it doesn't have the unique factor (especially here in LA), but there's plenty of style and "holy crap that's fast." If I were to consider purchasing one, it'd be a hard decision between a growling power slide and the fact it's a thirty something general issue vehicle.
Hmmm... Could I have the keys one more night to make up my mind?
Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer @ 52,012 miles
daytona_500 says:
04:33 PM, 02/ 1/08
I'd imagine it'd be hard for even the rarest and most expensive cars to be rare in a place like Southern California so I guess not many cars have that unique factor.
That being said if you like the M3 so much you should consider buying it after the LT test is up. I dont know what the resale value would be, maybe $25K?
lazyhater says:
05:40 PM, 02/ 1/08
Veyron, Enzo and Mclaren F1 are pretty rare in So Cal, I don't see them everyday, just once in a while.
Everything else though, yeah, they are everywhere.
From my observations, any car cost less then $300k new, are consider as not rare on the street of So Cal.
The other day, I saw three Ferrari 360 Modena in a row turning into a Ralphs parking lot, there wasn't a Ferrari gathering in that parking lot, it just happens 3 random guys was driving their 360 going to Ralphs at the same time!
opfreak says:
05:55 PM, 02/ 1/08
talk about a big difference, even bwm's arent that big around milwaukee. theres some. but milwaukee is a real city, not the plastic that So Cal is. lots of camarys, hyundais, malibu's etc.
srlracing says:
08:18 PM, 02/ 1/08
I consider it a odd day when I drive along PCH in Orange county and see fewer than 6 Ferraris, 6 Lamborghinis, and several dozen Rollers and Bentleys. Hell I once saw 3 Veyrons and 4 Enzos in a day just driving along. So dare to be different, drive a Miata. lol (By the way it's VARA day at Cars & Coffee tomorrow)
slickersdrip says:
09:43 PM, 02/ 1/08
This last summer I was driving along the PCH and saw crummy apartment with eight Gallardo convertibles parked in front of it. After coming back home to Austin, people would point out cars like Bentley GTs and I can't find myself caring. Living in Pasadena for the summer completely ruined exotics. The first Veyron I saw about brought me to my knees. By the end of the summer I saw one and just casually pointed out to my passengers, "Huh, a Veyron."
Edmunds has also ruined my sensitivity to exotics as well. A friend of mine let me drive his 308 the other week. All I could do is look for the faults that the Edmunds team has pointed out. Not all of the Edmunds problems existed, but I couldn't find myself having any more exhilaration than driving an Austin Healey with a 327 and a T-56.
huyracing says:
02:10 AM, 02/ 2/08
Most of these people with exotics only drive them on the weekends or when they are going out somewhere special. They may own the car, but its still special to them. Even the few who can afford to daily drive these cars still think its special. Its ridiculous to hear people "not care" about these cars. I may see and hear exotics often, but I still enjoy hearing them screaming by and I still enjoy looking at them. I have the most unique cars around (custom modified cars) and they're faster than these exotics, yet I'd still love to justify buying an exotic someday.
altimadude00 says:
11:33 AM, 02/ 2/08
See, at that point, you switch from having your Ferrari 360 as your daily driver, to your 1932 Dusenburg cabriolet coupe as your daily driver. Now that will definately turn some heads!
desmolicious says:
02:20 PM, 02/ 4/08
Wanna turn heads? Drive a Unimog 500.
People in Mailbu have walked past Veyrons etc to check out my brother's truck! All for only $50K (lightly used).
noflash1 says:
03:44 PM, 02/ 4/08
I am dying to know the gas mileage so far. Can I get a hint please?
Ian
estreka says:
04:46 PM, 02/ 4/08
I'm quite surprised you guys haven't torn this car apart. A BMW you can drive daily? *gasp!*
samxp says:
10:48 AM, 02/ 5/08
Yet another reason I'd never live in SoCal. What a horrible feeling it must be to walk by these exotics and think "ho-hum". I pity you all! I saw a Murcielago the other day while tooling around town and my head snapped around so fast, I almost smashed my nose on the window.
By the way, I average 19-21mpg in my 2001 M3 Cabriolet in mixed hwy/city driving. I've had her for almost a year and have reduced the number of times I glance back at it in the parking lot to only two or three looks per trip.
noflash1 says:
01:24 PM, 02/ 5/08
Nice.
stingray454 says:
12:13 PM, 02/ 6/08
"The tech hand out associated with the photo I was looking for talked about how the pipes were formed in such a way to help improve the growl."
Those would be called headers - a hot rod trick that dates back to the 1950's or even earlier. Not only improves power and fuel efficiency, but also adds a nice exhaust growl. And they all glow red like that under heavy throttle due to the thin walled steel tubing they're made of (versus cast iron exhaust manifolds).
Kudos to BMW to installing headers on factory cars though - usually they're an aftermarket item due to cold start emissions issues (takes longer for the cat converters to reach operating temp and light off).