330ci

[oldcro]

I take it this was on a track

Obviously, and the traffic lights would have been at the end of the pit straight.

 

[del320]

I'd have to say that this reinforces my (subjective) opinion that a lot of modern cars are 'over-tyred' ; more rubber does not always equal more grip since the same weight spread over a greater contact area actually reduces the contact pressure . More contact area can be benficial up to a point in the dry but positively dangerous in the wet !

Interesting and very pertinent comment, Derek. This very day I had a real OMG moment, the likes of which I can't recall having in years.

Whilst the coupe is away, my neighbour has very kindly loaned me this for the duration:

It's a 523, 2.5L, 170 bhp.

So, I was along at Straiton Retail Park making some vital purchases at Halfords and the rain was teeming down. On exiting, you join the main road at a large roundabout with traffic lights. On showing green, I pulled away no differently to what I have done a million times in the Merc - and that does not mean giving it the gutty!

Half way round, the back end just snapped away and, I kid you not, I was looking round the n/s windscreen pillar to see where I was going.

Thank God there was no other traffic nearby as I did over-correct a bit and certainly took all three lanes to recover. I really doubt I can have been doing even 25 mph.

Back home I studied the tyres. They are 225/55 R16 with stacks of tread made by "Sunny" - a name I've never heard of, though I know now they're cheapies.

I'm gonna take it real easy in the wet with this car!

 

[mercedes lover]

BMW round bends are amazing, my 318i touring will take a bend a lot faster than my parent's C230K. When abroad I took some pretty tight motorway curves at 100mph no probs. Audi are good on bends as well from what I saw on the motorways going to the Alps!

 

[Smiley]

Interesting and very pertinent comment, Derek. This very day I had a real OMG moment, the likes of which I can't recall having in years.

Whilst the coupe is away, my neighbour has very kindly loaned me this for the duration:

It's a 523, 2.5L, 170 bhp.

So, I was along at Straiton Retail Park making some vital purchases at Halfords and the rain was teeming down. On exiting, you join the main road at a large roundabout with traffic lights. On showing green, I pulled away no differently to what I have done a million times in the Merc - and that does not mean giving it the gutty!

Half way round, the back end just snapped away and, I kid you not, I was looking round the n/s windscreen pillar to see where I was going.

Thank God there was no other traffic nearby as I did over-correct a bit and certainly took all three lanes to recover. I really doubt I can have been doing even 25 mph.

Back home I studied the tyres. They are 225/55 R16 with stacks of tread made by "Sunny" - a name I've never heard of, though I know now they're cheapies.

I'm gonna take it real easy in the wet with this car!

The BMW 523i is quite a decent car - I had a 535i of the same age a while back - but who in their right minds spoils it with cheap nasty tyres?
If I were you I would take it easy in the dry let alone the wet.

 

[Adam230K]

He might've been playing with you, i've had a few run-ins with 330's and my car has about ~225bhp (191 at the wheels) and its equal between us until after 90 where i start to edge away.

In all fairness my car is lighter then a 330 too.

But good job nevertheless!

 

[CrysAk]

get a beemer ....

 

[kwakdonut]

get a beemer ....

 

[GH421]

get a beemer ....

M3 coming in March

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Interesting and very pertinent comment, Derek. This very day I had a real OMG moment, the likes of which I can't recall having in years.

Whilst the coupe is away, my neighbour has very kindly loaned me this for the duration:

It's a 523, 2.5L, 170 bhp.

So, I was along at Straiton Retail Park making some vital purchases at Halfords and the rain was teeming down. On exiting, you join the main road at a large roundabout with traffic lights. On showing green, I pulled away no differently to what I have done a million times in the Merc - and that does not mean giving it the gutty!

Half way round, the back end just snapped away and, I kid you not, I was looking round the n/s windscreen pillar to see where I was going.

Thank God there was no other traffic nearby as I did over-correct a bit and certainly took all three lanes to recover. I really doubt I can have been doing even 25 mph.

Back home I studied the tyres. They are 225/55 R16 with stacks of tread made by "Sunny" - a name I've never heard of, though I know now they're cheapies.

I'm gonna take it real easy in the wet with this car!

I know he feeling, many years ago we bought the missus an mx5 import from Japan which had useless tyres on. They seemed to be a very hard compound and possibly weather damaged.

Anyway, I made a complete tit of myself on a wet roundabout right in the centre of town. Totally spun out, at a thankfully low speed, Saturday morning crowds all pointing and staring at me but luckily did no damage other than to my pride.

New tyres quickly purchased.

 

[EDZ649]

I dont really like bmws too, when you buy an AMG you dont really notice that in the real world i've never had any handling issues with my E55 AMG and i've had alot of fun with alot of M3's and audi s5's.

maybe bmws do handle better than mercs but i doubt you will notice it in the real world, maybe if you take it on the track then yeah and sometimes its all down to the driver..

bmw handle better - mercedes are faster in a staright line!

When I sold my last E55 I bought a 330ci Convertible. BIG mistake! I hated it, handled like a dog, skittish rear end, couldn't wait to dump it and get another E55. I have always steered clear of Beemers and now I know why, never ever again will I defect.

 

[PXW]

When I sold my last E55 I bought a 330ci Convertible. BIG mistake! I hated it, handled like a dog, skittish rear end, couldn't wait to dump it and get another E55. I have always steered clear of Beemers and now I know why, never ever again will I defect.

Interesting - whatever the faults of my old 330Ci Conv, poor handling was certainly not one - just about the sweetest handler I've ever driven. I wonder whether the car may be sensitive to tyre choice, or perhaps yours had been damaged/heavily kerbed, throwing the rear setup out of kilter.

 

[BenzedUP]

When I sold my last E55 I bought a 330ci Convertible. BIG mistake! I hated it, handled like a dog, skittish rear end, couldn't wait to dump it and get another E55. I have always steered clear of Beemers and now I know why, never ever again will I defect.

Thats exactly how my friends 2003 330ci convertiable dont like any bmw driven an M6 and I hated the SMG gearbox.

 

[EDZ649]

Interesting - whatever the faults of my old 330Ci Conv, poor handling was certainly not one - just about the sweetest handler I've ever driven. I wonder whether the car may be sensitive to tyre choice, or perhaps yours had been damaged/heavily kerbed, throwing the rear setup out of kilter.

My ex-wife also had a 3 series, the older shape E36, that was exactly the same, I hated that too! I guess it's each to their own!