gIzzE
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2004
- Messages
- 5,726
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
- Car
- 65 plate BMW F11 Touring (165k miles) + Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (140k miles) Doing my bit to be green.
I have had a couple of SMG M3's, I would argue that he will struggle, only for the reason that he will not have learnt just how far you can push them, he will bottle it well before the car lets go.
The E46 M3's are absolutely amazing pieces of kit, but I reckon 98% of owners have never pushed the car passed 80% of its capability.
I was taken out in my CSL by someone who races them, and I was amazed at how much more that car had in it, corners I was taking at 80mph and thinking was fast he was wasn't letting off the pedal and taking at 120mph.
Now as much as I would love to say that I then pushed that car just as hard I didn't, I just didn't have the bollicks to drive it that fast, I knew it was capable of far more but just didn't dare take it to the sort of speeds where if it did let go I wasn't sure if I could hold on to it.
The CLK55 on the other hand really does tell you when it is on the limit, you can feel the back end start to loose it very, very slightly and you can back off, not a clue if it is anywhere near the m3, but I doubt it as it is a very, very different car, it is designed a a very rapid autobahn mile muncher, and it does that far better than the M3.
So unless he has tracked it a few times already and followed other M3s I don't think you will have too many problems as I just don't think he will know what that car is capable of yet.
Also the reliability issues I find strange, the E46 M3 is pretty much regarded as bullet proof, the SMG gearbox is a 50p relay 9 times out of 10 and I know cars with 150k+ miles on them and going strong. I think earlier E36 cars had issues with the vanos etc. but not many E46s, a couple of early 2001 cars and most had a recall 'just in case' .
Nice thing about E46 M3s in this regard is so many were sold that finding parts for them is very easy and very cheap now.
I may buy another at some point as I have not found anything else that was as fun, a stripped SMG car for weekends would be a scream.
The E46 M3's are absolutely amazing pieces of kit, but I reckon 98% of owners have never pushed the car passed 80% of its capability.
I was taken out in my CSL by someone who races them, and I was amazed at how much more that car had in it, corners I was taking at 80mph and thinking was fast he was wasn't letting off the pedal and taking at 120mph.
Now as much as I would love to say that I then pushed that car just as hard I didn't, I just didn't have the bollicks to drive it that fast, I knew it was capable of far more but just didn't dare take it to the sort of speeds where if it did let go I wasn't sure if I could hold on to it.
The CLK55 on the other hand really does tell you when it is on the limit, you can feel the back end start to loose it very, very slightly and you can back off, not a clue if it is anywhere near the m3, but I doubt it as it is a very, very different car, it is designed a a very rapid autobahn mile muncher, and it does that far better than the M3.
So unless he has tracked it a few times already and followed other M3s I don't think you will have too many problems as I just don't think he will know what that car is capable of yet.
Also the reliability issues I find strange, the E46 M3 is pretty much regarded as bullet proof, the SMG gearbox is a 50p relay 9 times out of 10 and I know cars with 150k+ miles on them and going strong. I think earlier E36 cars had issues with the vanos etc. but not many E46s, a couple of early 2001 cars and most had a recall 'just in case' .
Nice thing about E46 M3s in this regard is so many were sold that finding parts for them is very easy and very cheap now.
I may buy another at some point as I have not found anything else that was as fun, a stripped SMG car for weekends would be a scream.
