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Any chance the 2008 M3 Sedan gets classed in AS, and if it were put there----

 opinions if it would stand a chance ?

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Trying to get faster

Might be fun in A Stock. And you could get tires in the trunk and back seat of the sedan (but no carbon fiber roof). Need a co-driver? 

Have you sent a request for classification to Doug Gill?

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Matt Murray

I am perfectly capable of learning from my mistakes. I will surely learn a great deal today.

No need to email Doug, just wait for the next Fastrack.

Jeff

My guess would be just AS - and it would probably do pretty well. SS, I don't think it wouldn't stand much of a chance. The e92 is only slightly faster than the e46 (at least in the 0-60 range - most of its advantage comes at rather high speeds). Plus the e92 adds a lot of weight, but all reports I have read do say the suspension is improved over the e46. Brakes are better on the e92, but not so critical for Solo. I would think it would probably be pretty similar overall to the e46 - a little more usuable power, but more weight too.

Be sure to post some pictures if you get one. What color and options are you looking at?

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Jason P.
Indy Region Moderator
SMS - M3 e46
(STU in 2009 - Thanks SEB! :) )

Already got it.  White with red inside, sedan----not many options.  No i drive.  No moonroof.  Just Sirius, Premimum package, and I think that's it.  No fancy shocks.  No M drive.

 Two cool features---

1)  Hill Assist-----holds the rear brakes for a couple of seconds so you don't roll back--(good for pro-solo's on a hill)

2)  Alternator is powered by brake regeneration, and disengages when car is under full throttle, or something like that.

 Only have about 750 miles or so.  Have gone kinda by accident a bit above the self imposed engine break-in limit of 5500 rpm.  Looking foward to zinging it to 8300 rpm after break in complete.

And to sum it up I would probably have to be an idiot to change the alignment of my daily driver, get another set of wheels etc.

As I don't believe this car could touch my 2890 lbs ASP vette for raw grunt.  But the car is very refined and smooth, and quite fast when you feel like getting on it.  Uncanny smoothness---as it only has 395 ft lbs torque, but that max is available at 3900 rpm.

 Overall very happy with the car, and just might be a tad more refined than the 4 or so WRX, and STI's that I have daily driven the last 6 years or so.

Oh yeah, one last cool feature-----at night each door handle lights up, and the ball of the shifter has a little light in it.

Only real bad side is the HORRIBLE gas milage---about 13.5 mpg, and the tiny 16.5 gallon gas tank.

03 Sierra Denali  130,000 miles-----towing C5Z06 on featherlite trailer------------11.5 mpg

08 2008 M3 Sedan------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13.5 mpg

 

PS---i am a techo no idiot, not to mention very lazy---so as regards to the request for pictures----it looks like anybody else's white M3 with redish color interior----it's like reading a book---use your imagination.

PSS---for example if you wanted to picture what I look like sitting on the toilet and reading a newspaper----then you have to use your imagin...................sorry just remembered you don't have to guess about that, just look slighty above these words on the left side of the screen----no imagination required.

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Trying to get faster

David Lehman:

Only real bad side is the HORRIBLE gas milage---about 13.5 mpg, and the tiny 16.5 gallon gas tank.

Wow, that is horrible. And, you aren't even really pushing the pedal on yours, yet. I can run autocross races and be pretty spirited across town (with a fair bit of highway driving to work) and manage at least 20.5 mpg (even with AC) in my e46.  But, that is on the high side from what I hear most people are getting. In fact my M3 is higher than my daily driver '94 Mitsu Diamante. I didn't realize the mileage was that bad on the new V8.

BTW did you read that story about the 520d vs. Prius in the cross-europe drive? The 520d got better gas mileage - like 46mpg to the Prius' 45mpg.

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Jason P.
Indy Region Moderator
SMS - M3 e46
(STU in 2009 - Thanks SEB! :) )

$ 1300 gas guzzler.....cough......cough........

Who woulda thought.....gas guzzler tax on a car means it goes through gas like a drunk goes through booze.

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Trying to get faster

The Nebulizer:

BTW did you read that story about the 520d vs. Prius in the cross-europe drive? The 520d got better gas mileage - like 46mpg to the Prius' 45mpg.

The Prius really shines in city/stop-n-go environs. On the highway the mileage is not so good.

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Matt Murray

I am perfectly capable of learning from my mistakes. I will surely learn a great deal today.

mattm:

The Nebulizer:

BTW did you read that story about the 520d vs. Prius in the cross-europe drive? The 520d got better gas mileage - like 46mpg to the Prius' 45mpg.

The Prius really shines in city/stop-n-go environs. On the highway the mileage is not so good.

Oh sure. That is why I mentioned it was a long distance thing - but still a 5 series BMW is huge.

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Jason P.
Indy Region Moderator
SMS - M3 e46
(STU in 2009 - Thanks SEB! :) )

The amazing thing was that of the 536 mile trip, 100 miles of that was bumper-to-bumper city traffic driving.  

I had an Audi A4 2.0 tdi rental in the UK earlier this year.  As soon as Audi or BMW has a diesel to sell over here, I'm buying.

 

Oh, and to try and swerve this back on topic, a 3 series BMW with 400+ hp and a limited slip sounds more like a SS car than a AS car.  It's probably another tweener in reality (based on weight), but nobody's likely to rock the AS boat at the moment...

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Robert Puertas
www.EvoSchool.com

Robert Puertas:

 As soon as Audi or BMW has a diesel to sell over here, I'm buying.

BMW will offer the 335d in the fall.

Robert Puertas:

 Oh, and to try and swerve this back on topic, a 3 series BMW with 400+ hp and a limited slip sounds more like a SS car than a AS car.  It's probably another tweener in reality (based on weight), but nobody's likely to rock the AS boat at the moment...

I'd wager they'll go in SS. IMO, but w/out a drive yet, they are so heavy they would be a good fit for AS.

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Matt Murray

I am perfectly capable of learning from my mistakes. I will surely learn a great deal today.

Well the Z4M Coupe is in SS.

The M3 Coupe and Sedan are with 20 lbs of eachother, have the same HP and torque. BMW says the coupe is .2 secs faster to 60 than the sedan but figure that's marketing hype. Both cars are 450+ lbs heaview than the Z4M but they have 30 more ft/lbs of torque that comes in a full 1000 rpm sooner. They also have 84 more HP.

 

Based on the numbers I would say they wll be slower than the Z4M. It seems like the M3 will be a tweener. But considering the recent decision to put the 135i in DS, and the traditionally good classing for BMW products (look at the Minis!) I figure they are going into AS. I think its unfair, but I bet that's what's going to happen.

 Regards,

Alan

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Alan Pozner
Slow and proud

I hope in goes to SS so I am in NO way tempted to buy a set of race wheels for it.

 Don't want to mess with my DD, so on one hand I would like it to be AS, but on the other SS would save me $$$$, as I wouldn't run it other than a fun run or two.

 Even in AS prob won't run it-----but always the possibility----

 Anyone know about how much camber the older M3's were able to get stock ?

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Trying to get faster

Maybe I'm naive, but this car doesn't scare me one bit in AS - it's heavy, has narrow wheels, and (presumably) not enough front camber.

IIRC, a stock e46 m3 could get around -1.3 camber up front. 

 

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www.teamWTF.org
WDCR
AS C4 z51
ASP e46m3 "slower than an Evo" ;)

duplicate

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www.teamWTF.org
WDCR
AS C4 z51
ASP e46m3 "slower than an Evo" ;)

Plus all the protesting and pot is in the city....why would a hippie need the highway?  :)

 

Anyone see th top gear where Clarkson got over 40mpg in the A8 diesel Audi? :)

 

mattm:

The Nebulizer:

BTW did you read that story about the 520d vs. Prius in the cross-europe drive? The 520d got better gas mileage - like 46mpg to the Prius' 45mpg.

The Prius really shines in city/stop-n-go environs. On the highway the mileage is not so good.

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David Hedderick
Pearland (Houston), TX
01 CRG YZ125 (FOR SALE! $2500)
08 Mazda 3s
02 Mazda Protege (automatic tow vehicle)
92 Miata SE - Fun half-arsed STS2 Car

David Lehman:

Only real bad side is the HORRIBLE gas milage---about 13.5 mpg, and the tiny 16.5 gallon gas tank.

03 Sierra Denali  130,000 miles-----towing C5Z06 on featherlite trailer------------11.5 mpg

08 2008 M3 Sedan------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13.5 mpg

What type of driving returned 13.5?  I guess since it's rated at 14mpg city, that's pretty close to what you got.  Was this just city driving, easy break-in type duty?

I think you meant 295 ft-lb btw...sure would be nice if it did have 395 though as that was the big difference I noticed between driving the E90 M3 back-to-back with my M5 -- the M5 feels like a wild beast at any rpm whereas the small M3 V8 has to be way up there in its hot spot (6k to 8+k rpm) to really put it down.

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2001 BMW M5
2003 BMW 330i ZHP 6MT
2006 BMW 330i ZSP 6MT
2001 Audi S4 sport 6MT
1996 Volvo 850R wagon

On "MotorWeek" today, they did their review of the new M3. Most of the footage/B roll was of the sedan and shot in a colder late spring. Numbers were 4.3 (or 4.7) 0-60, 110' to stop from 60-0. One of the B roll shots were of the dash. It showed the MPG at 15.9. I do not know if that was before or after their track runs (Road Atlanta?), but I would guess before. Fastrack sez it is currently classed in Super Stock. What a shame. Another enthusiast car banished.

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Matt Murray

I am perfectly capable of learning from my mistakes. I will surely learn a great deal today.

Just saved me money on any possible wheels and tires in the future----a Z06 would eat it alive in SS

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Trying to get faster

Yep, banished...to that 0.5s/45s space between a top SS car and a top AS car.

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John S.
S2000 #42as