Three Changes in Sept 09 - two of auto interest (??) & one very sad...

[Flinter]

Thanks for the update Ovr. Somehow, I found myself at a local BMW dealer this past weekend and I was looking at a new M3.

From your update it sounds like the new V8 is everything that it is cracked up to be. Must be a blast to drive. You know it is a great car when one of your main dislikes is that attracts more attention than you'd like.   

[DockMan]

Great update OVR. I'm a believer since my 335 test drive....can't imagine that kind of power.

[Turbo Bob]

At least you didn't "peak" early eh!? LOL

[ovr50]

He, he, thanks. guys.

I now have my "M" button properly set up (on the steering wheel). You have a choice of set-ups for the MDrive system. An M3 without the MDrive system is still a pretty potent car; but with the MDrive, it's just a rompin' stompin' snarly beast.....!! The MDrive button, once set up (don't do until after the 2000km break-in service) allows you to set the shift pioints, access all the power band right to the 8400rpm redline, sets the suspension (if you have EDC - Electronic Damping Control), sets the steering response via Servotronic, and can either totally delete or reduce substantially the action of the DSC. The idea is you set the MDrive for your favorite aggressive settings. Then, driving normally around town, you drive it with the MDrive button in the "off" position; if you wish to get aggressive, you just touch the MDrive button on the wheel and all your aggressive pre-sets are in play. I did a bit of experimenting with this concept to get the aggressive settings that I prefer (the most "sporty" is not always the best for control purposes, and really is a track only setting). I now have a mix of very aggressive (eg "sport plus" on throttle response, Max power and revs); with slightly less aggressive (eg. the DSC on MDM - M Dynamic Drive, which gives some skid control but not totally over-riding my commands). Thus, the car goes from a "normal M3" to a raging beast with the touch of one button...really awesome.

I have never had a car quite like this M3. It is truly nirvana for a car nut.

I lovin' it.....

[inco]

I'll bet you are and good for you. I was behind a M5 yesterday in a similar colour to the Acadia. Somehow it just didn't as fierce as I think it should. Black, white or gray are all ok M colours - even red, but the brown - eh not so much.

He was in city mode and couldn't hear those pipes come alive. Sigh

[rrocket]

I finely tuned high revving V8 is a beautiful thing.......

[vdk]

Speaking of high revving V8s. Purely engine wise... RS4 or M3? Hmmmm...

[Turbo Bob]

They are both works of art. A friend of mine has an RS4 and can't say enough good things about it.

[Giant Dwarf]

Indeed.  And the sound of the RS4's V8 even just off idle is very gnarly.  Still, I can't imagine the overall package is nearly as racy as the M3.

[rrocket]

I like the high revving nature of the M3, but for me, the AWD of the RS4 wins the day...

[ovr50]

There are only a few RS4s around here (far less than M3s) and I have never driven this particular Audi. I did drive an A4 about 2 years ago, but that is not the same car as an RS4.

I must admit the new RS4 looks good, and appears to be a fine car on paper. I'm so pleased with my M3 that it would never become an issue for me. I have a long experience with BMW going back to 1971 over a total of 13 different cars now. I have only had one Audi in 1981, and I couldn't wait to get rid of it.

[Careener]

Ovr - did yu fllow the PR exercise CTS-V challenge last week that took place at Monticelllo?
The fastest time of the non ringers was run in an M3.

[ovr50]

Ovr - did yu fllow the PR exercise CTS-V challenge last week that took place at Monticelllo?
The fastest time of the non ringers was run in an M3.

Ya, that story is getting a lot of attention over on M3Post. 

GM has a bit of egg on it's face in this one. 

[ovr50]

Favorite Quote on Supercars: "They are designed to melt ice caps, kill the poor, poison the water table, destroy the ozone layer, decimate indigenous wildlife, recapture the Falkland islands, and turn the entire third world into a huge uninhabitable desert... but only after they nicked all the oil." Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear.

Perfect, I love it......

[Giant Dwarf]

Looks like we might be able to watch the hilarity unfold for that CTS fiasco on SPEED channel on Dec 8th.??

[ovr50]

http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m3/2010/review.html

This is preaching to the converted in my case, but I posted it anyway. The new Edmunds review of the 2010 BMW M3 - changes from my 2009 are so small as to be insignificant totally. It is the same car exactly.

Too much fun....

[inco]

http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m3/2010/review.html

This is preaching to the converted in my case, but I posted it anyway. The new Edmunds review of the 2010 BMW M3 - changes from my 2009 are so small as to be insignificant totally. It is the same car exactly.

Too much fun....

Ovr...nice try. I know you (and me too for that matter) want very much to believe that there are so few changes that the value has not changed at all. Now let's listen to the Salesman's story - I'll bet it has.....according to him. He/she will be full of reasons why the new one is sooooo much better.

And then there is that little issue called depreciation....and abuse, well yours anyway!     Just kidding, guy. Just kidding.

[ovr50]

http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m3/2010/review.html

This is preaching to the converted in my case, but I posted it anyway. The new Edmunds review of the 2010 BMW M3 - changes from my 2009 are so small as to be insignificant totally. It is the same car exactly.

Too much fun....

Ovr...nice try. I know you (and me too for that matter) want very much to believe that there are so few changes that the value has not changed at all. Now let's listen to the Salesman's story - I'll bet it has.....according to him. He/she will be full of reasons why the new one is sooooo much better.

And then there is that little issue called depreciation....and abuse, well yours anyway!     Just kidding, guy. Just kidding.

Inco - you are obviously correct regarding dep'n, the bane of all car owners.. . And, of course, the more expensive the car, the bigger the hit - such is life.

The local shop doesn't often stock M3s (or M5s) for inventory. They do sometimes order in an M6 which tends to sell to the more status-encumbered buyers (whereas, IMO at least, the M3 and M5 appeal more to true enthusiasts). Thus, (at least at the local dealers), the model roll over into 2010 vehicles is free of any 2009 M inventory cars. At other dealerships, who knows what the sales dudes say, but I would doubt they would fool many M car buyers. The next major slated change for the M3 is not until the 2012 MY, probably to come mid 2011, and the M3 will NOT have the present V8 engine. It will likely be a turboed 6. The V8 M3 will have existed only for MYs 2008 to 2011. EDIT - It appears that the current M3 will exist until about MY 2013, then to be replaced with a tt'ed 6 cylinder.

I think the X5M and X6M will become more popular, notwithstanding their rarified pricing. There are many M car owners who think these 2 SUVs in M form are a travesty of the M nameplate. And I see their point. The local dealer just sold a black X6M last week. I saw it there when getting my winter wheels/tires put on.

[Turbo Bob]

The X#M makes me want to puke...

[ovr50]

The X#M makes me want to puke...

Does that # mean both of them? I think the X6 is a tad ugly; but I quite like the X5M. In that Blue color, or White, it's really very sharp. Still not sure it deserves the "M" moniker, but the way of the future involves turboes for BMW, it does appear, like it or not.