M3Addict.com

So I’ve got a track day coming up in June and thought I’d start making my list of gear that I need to pick up.  Here’s what I’m looking at right now:

• Cool Willy Racing Brake Pads: $157.95
• Motul RBF 600 Racing Brake Fluid: $19.80
• Turner Motorsport Stainless Steel Brake Lines: $99.95

The Damage shouldn’t be too bad overall.  Cost of install and labor might be a couple hundred bucks on top of that, so I’d be looking at around $500.00 to get my car prepped for the track day.  Once I order it up, get it installed, and run with it, I’ll let you know how it goes!

Oh yeah, and I’ll need some new Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Tires, which will set me back about $900 + tax

Michelin Pilot Sport 2

M3 Addict M3 Mods & Upgrades BMW M3, Performance Parts, Track Day

Okay, so I haven’t made too much news of it, but I am also a nut about keeping the M3 polished to a brilliant shine. Here are two spring cleaning tips I’d like to share from my trials and tribulations:

First: I had some old wax build up in some of the crevises … I’ve tried using Griot’s spray on wax to remove it in the past and it takes a lot of work and doesn’t ever really get it all off. Today I tried rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip and voila! off it came! a quick buff with a micro-towel to remove the alcohol and the crevises were sparkling like new. It’s possible that if allowed to sit for too long this may be damaging to the clearcoat, but I’ve heard of acetone being used to remove bug & tar before without damaging the clearcoat. It seems A-OK so far.

Second: S.O.S. pads to clean out my exhaust. less than 2 minutes of scrubbing and the inside of my tailpipes sparkled like new. Of course this isn’t recommended for the outside of the tailpipes, as the steel wool would marr the finish.

Enjoy!

M3 Addict Detailing BMW M3, Car Care, Detailing

It had been a while since I took the M3 out for just a regular old pleasure cruise, so today I headed out for a nice jaunt.

Found a great road up by Lake Whatcom in Bellingham with some nice twisties to really let the M3 stretch its legs.  There was still snow on the ground, but the road was dry, so I was able to open her up quite a bit.  Every time I drive this car like it was meant to be driven, it just astonishes me how comfortable it is in the corners.  The communication and feedback through the steering wheel and brake and gas pedals are fantastic!  To top it off, I did a couple of donuts in an empty parking lot - always amazed how easily this car spins around, even on dry pavement… just a little blip of the throttle and a jack of the steering wheel, and you’re spinning like crazy!  Here’s a vid of another M3 doing donuts:

M3 Addict M3 Addict BMW M3, Video

So there I found myself at BMW of Seattle - They happened to have a brand new Jerez Black BMW M3 coupe sitting in the showroom. I’m not exactly in the market for a new car, but still aching to drive the new one just to see how it holds up to my 2006 e46 BMW M3. A short talk with the sales guy and he was wheeling it out for me.

Here’s What she looked like:

Jerez Black BMW M3 Coupe

2008 Black M3 Coupe

Jerez Black Metallic Paint with Black Leather interior. One of the best color combos available for an M3.

A couple of caveats:
1.) it was raining - you can only do so much in the rain.
2.) Seattle BMW got it yesteday … the car had 56 miles on it. I have a healthy respect for the vehicle and did not rev it past 5k rpm. I know - many folks here may think that’s lame … you’re also probably the same people whose wives/girlfriends complain that you go straight after the clitoris. This is a YP.

Initial impressions:
- The e92 m3 is MUCH better looking in person. The physique is much more slim with bulging lines here and there for the fenders and hood bulge.
- The car is significantly more behaved at city street speeds in 1st & 2nd gear & the clutch is easier to operate (it has LESS resistance the further it is depressed, whereas the e46 clutch has more resistance the further you depress it). Around town you can definitely feel the extra several hundred pounds. It just feels … heavy.

At freeway speeds… *cough* plus a little more… :
- I was always impressed with how comfortable the e46 felt at err… what’s 60+40? and this car made the e46 feel downright sloppy when I got back into it.
- very smooth. Just attributed to the added torque - the car is very smooth in 4th & 5th gear, but feels about the same in 6th gear (I didn’t have M mode on at this point).

With the exception to the fact that the car is more behaved at low rpm in 1st and 2nd gear - in general, as far as acceleration goes, the car felt like the e46, but with a little more juice to it. The gears actually felt shorter than the e46, but that I’m sure has to do with the fact that there’s that much more power and it pulls through the rpm band faster.

Cornering:

Others have said it, I’ll repeat it - this car corners amazingly! Before I was mentioning that you could feel the extra several hundred pounds of weight. It all disappears at turn-in. The turn-in on this car is so crisp it feels like a go-cart. There’s zero body roll with EDC turned on, and it’s incredibly responsive. Absolute A+++ on cornering. This car felt lighter than my old ‘88 Prelude with 205/40 R16’s and a spring kit on it. A feeling I thought was gone forever with 3000lb+ cars.

A quick side note on EDC - even though the body roll is almost totally diminished with EDC set to sport, the suspension doesn’t feel like it tightens up that much - BMW did a great job of preserving the suspension’s ability to absorb shock while minimizing body roll. Anyone who has ever driven in Seattle knows that you need good suspension around here.

Afterthoughts:

While driving away in my trusty ‘06 m3 I noticed a few immediate differnences:

1.) the e46 feels RRREALLY light compared to the e92 at low speeds
2.) the clutch is quite a bit heavier in the e46
3.) the e46 has a much more “GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!!!!” demeanor about it. Even without driving aggressively, I felt it pulling me and wanting to go faster in 1st and 2nd gear … and then a little bit more relaxed in 5th and 6th gear
4.) I immediately felt as thought I was in a dated piece of machinery when I got back in the e46.
4a.) After having a glass of wine and slice of pizza - I had forgotten the feeling of the e92, and felt back at home in the e46. ::siiiigh::

M3 Addict Test Drives BMW, BMW M3, e92, Jerez Black, M3, test drive

Check out this video I Just came across on Youtube:

This is just insane, I don’t know how these guys can rally the M3 like this. These cars are simply amazing - driving a rear wheel drive car at speeds like this on wet and gravel courses. Sort of reminds me of my own commute … except I don’t slide quite as much as this … and don’t really drive as fast as this … and I’m not this hardcore either.

M3 Addict M3 Addict BMW M3, e30, M3, Video

This awesome E30 Warsteiner M3 has gone up for sale.  The owner has dropped an S50B32 Engine into the Bay and done some extensive upgrades.  Clearly a decorated car, this M3 has a racing record a mile long.  I would love to have pulled the trigger on this thing but the timing just wasn’t right.  Perhaps next time.  Either way this is a wicked example of one of the meanest cars in history.  The e30 M3 was nothing short of a fighter.

1988 BMW e30 M3
vin : WBSAK0306J2196163

maintanence folder 4″ thick, going back to the first owner, car always serviced by the BMW dealer, with all records available.

here is the very short ist of updates

Motor:

Euro S50B32 3.2L swap (about 54k miles)
Ported/Polished head (ALL new hardware)
Schrick Cam
Motorsport Race High Compression Headgasket
Custom programmed PTG DME
UUC Lightweight Race flywheel
All new components (Oil Pan, Oil Pump, switches, hoses, cables, belts, gaskets, etc..)
Mobil 1 15×50 synthetic
Working Ice Cold A/C (all custom lines)
New Race Alluminum Rdiator (all new lines)
PTG carbon Fiber airbox (extrmely rare and expensive)

Gearbox
Trick 6 speed conversion from the Euro SMG
UUC Carbon Kevlar clutch
Red Line Oil
Rebuilt 3.73 Rear (all new hardware)
Vented M-Coupe diff cover

Suspension

Ground Controls 450/600 Springs
Koni Adjustable Shocks
IE sway bars
NewControl arm bushings, Trailing arm bushings, Rear bearings, etc..
Wheel studs
Front Sparco, Rear Lucas strut tower bars

Brakes
Brembos (front and rear - with new working emergency brake)
Cross drilled Euro rotors, SS lines, New Pads
Custom brake Booster and Brake master cylinders
Hydraulic Hand Brake
Tilton cylinder reservour
Adjuastable Brake Bias Control
UUC Race brake cooling hoses and back plates connected to front Vents

Exhaust
UUC Race with doubble 2.25″ tips

Interior
Recaro SPGs (painted backs)
5 point race harness
TC Klein Roll Cage
Eurodash Digital Cluster
VDO: Oil gauge, Volt gauge, Fuel Gauge
New Carpet
New Mats
New Windshield
Pioneer AVIC Navigation/DVD/CD

Lighting
Hella Euro Smoke H-I-D front headlights
New rear tail lights (with new gaskets)

Body
Fully stripped, repainted in Mercedes White, Motorsport stripes painted, clearcoated
All new seals
Custom WARSTEINER #12 DTM car sticker set
Front Evo II spoiler
C/F front splitter (from Markus)
Euro tow hook covers
Front brake cooling ducts (connected to front Brembos via UUC Brake cooling system)
Porsche custom race tow-hook
Original Gr. A BMW Motorsport mirrors (wide angle custom glass)
Rear EVO III adjustable spoiler, C/F gourney lip (from Markus)
Euro rear lic. plate panel
Single DTM wiper conversion

 Here Are Pics:

[View with PicLens]

M3 Addict Cool Stuff, M3 Addict BMW, BMW M3, e30, S50B32, Warsteiner

I came across this vid of an e30 BMW M3 doing a hill climb in Austria.  These guys have to be insane.  About halfway through he comes close to losing it too - I can’t imagine the stains left in his pants after that moment.  Enjoy the flick - I’m in love with these cars, I absolutely have to own one someday.  Make that two.  one to mod and race, the other to use as a collector.

M3 Addict M3 Addict BMW M3, e30, Video

BMW M3.  It's more of an obsession to me than anything else - I can't stop thinking about it. Mine was ordered on February 15th from BMW of Bellevue -  A 2006 e46 BMW M3 - Carbon Black Metallic, black Nappa Leather interior, and screw that aluminum trim shit, I went for custom Eucalyptus Malt Wood. My palms sweat when I think about it, fantasizing about tearing up the pavement at truly obnoxious speeds.  Since Seattle's streets suck ass, I opted for the 18 inch rims and Heated Seats are a must - it's 38 and raining here for 6 months out of the year!  10 way power front seets with memory, plus another 4 way adjustable width and lumbar support, does that make it 14 way adjustable seats? damn.  Had to get the sunroof too, I usually have it open year round whether it's raining or not.  Of course I had to go with the Six Speed Manual Transmission - BMW's SMG is cool, but it just doesn't do the car justice.  And I couldn't have a car like this without bi-level xenons, it would almost be sacreligious.

So, I'm just going to keep a running tally of the thoughts going through my head on this site.  Chances are they'll be M3 related, and there will most definitely be pictures and videos added.  In fact, there are a few below just to get things going.  This is about what my car will be trimmed like =)

These aren't pictures of my car ... nor did I take them, but this is what mine will look like    This guy's Website is The BMW M3 E46 Coupe



 Carbon Black
 18" Wheels & Air Vent
 Quad Tipped Chrome Exhaust
 Flaring Front Fenders
 Eucalyptus Malt Wood Trim

M3 Addict M3 Addict BMW M3, Carbon Black