for 2k more, i could've gotten the M3 with SMG II from the begining.

anyway, seriously, if one really want their C32 to handle better $2k might be well spend.

 

Hey ,Frank
I'm now waiting for the surgery next week.
A friend happens to name Frank,too owns an SL55
We hope a "benchmark" CLK50K vs SL55AMG as soon as the surgery is done.
from 60 mph~ Vmax.
another C32 play the safety car to trigger the game.
Which one would you bet the winner ?

 

You know what....M3 & M5 were two cars that I did considered when buying the C32 and here are the reasons why I didnt:

1) there are no M3 SMG II available in Canada yet when I bought the C32, I hate waiting to buy things, from the day I walked into the MB dealership to the day I picked up my car, it only took 2.5 weeks.
2) M5 is way too expensive comparing to C32 or even E55 in here. Simply not worth it.
3) most important of all, I'm a loyal fans of MB, I think all BMWs are overpriced.

Again, I am VERY happy with my decision. The handling problem is not a big deal for me. The driver can make it up to some extent!!

 

Just as a side note...
I've been hearing that the M3 SMG does add the benefit of a clutchless manual but it is, in no way, a replacement of the smoothness of an auto. There is the "auto" option with the SMG as well as the "manual" mode. It seems like most people stick with the "manual" mode. Very few people I've heard use the "auto," as it feels as if someone is actually shifting for you. You feel every gear precisely, but it is not like the "slushy" smooth shifting a real auto gives you. I've also heard of a slip prevention mechanism on slopes, which is a definite plus, but no word on how effective it is. I, myself, haven't actually tried out an SMG tranny but it seems to be a nice beginning . Looking forward to test driving one in the future.

 

SMG is definitely not meant to be compared with an auto. The 6-speed manual can actually be driven faster off the line 0-60, but I will not digress into the reasons why.

 

with the SMG you can't really rev the engine in N and drop it into 1st gear, or can't you?

 

Guys, you're all aware of this, SMG isn't as smoothly as an auto tranny.SMG is trying to simulate the auto,close to but
not identical.

We bought C32 for the reason we like it and
we don't like M3 that much.

 

actually i like both the C32 and the M3 equally, but i bought the C32 because of 4 door's praticality. beside, i wanted to try something different after my previous 2000 328Ci

 

We all know that the C32 will hold RPMs sometimes it seems forever. And that it will not allow a lower gear than RPMs/speed will allow for that gear.

I just read an interest article in EVO(September) magazine when they test drove the CSL E46 M3. When I am autocrossing and entering a slow turn I will select 1st gear, from 2nd, as I know I want to accelerate and don't want to waste precious time waiting for the transmission to shift exiting the turn.

If I am going to fast the trans. stays in 2nd until my speed is low enough for 1st gear. With the M3 SMG, CSL or not, if your into the ABS and select a lower gear the computer will pulse the ABS rear wheels until the speed is reach where the trans. can engage the selected gear sometimes sending you a few feet further than you wanted. If you autocrossed or road coursed your ABS car you know to try and thresold brake as the ABS will just extend you braking distance.

Nothing is perfect, not even SMG.

Norm

 

interesting stuff. i guess the computer still intervent to protect the car from idiot drivers.

 

I drive an '02 M3 and just wanted to say a few things.

1. Only the poster (and the M3 driver) was there, but I doubt this was really a "race". Maybe the guy looked pissed off because you were following him for 5 minutes, probably trying to goad him on.

2. I don't drive my car all that fast in traffic. Kinda stupid if you ask me. If a C32 came up behind me I would just pull aside and let him go past. Not that I'm a pu$$y, but I really don't give a ***** if a C32 can beat me racing down the highway. How is that a real race anyway? Test of driver and how far you're willing to push the car in traffic rather than the car, don't you think?

3. I would guess the C32 is faster, but most M3 drivers really, I mean genuinely, don't care. You can easily get any American muscle car to beat an M3, and why would an M3 driver care about that? I paid for a $20k engine because it is one of the finest production engines in the world. It produces over 100HP/liter, for goodness sake; if you are overlooking the engine (particularly its characteristics and elegance) as one of the great things about the M3 then you are missing the point of it. Even just depressing the throttle gives you an idea of how great the engine is... the throttle response is ridiculous.

4. On top of having this wonderful engine it has a wonderful chassis. The guy who said his C32 couldn't keep up in the canyons has probably figured this out... not to mention that on those kinds of roads you can stick it in 3rd and just play between 3500 and 6500 rpm, the car has legs in any gear because of the awesome, wide powerband. In fact, I'm not sure what I like better, the suspension or the engine. That is how good this car is.

5. SMG is NOT an emulation of an auto tranny. It is the same Getrag (?) 6-speed gearbox as in the manual M3, except with electrohydraulically operated shifting and clutch. It is quite a bit more complicated than an auto tranny and provides much greater performance. It is just a manual tranny that does the clutch and shifting for you.

6. Lastly, I think the C32 is a great car. I lusted after a C43 for a while... I liked the idea of a German muscle sedan. But it's not like I went around thinking it's an M3 killer (speaking of the previous M3). The M3 is not about straight-line acceleration. It is about maximum acceleration in every direction... what it takes to go around a track the fastest. The concept of each vehicle is vastly different and I wouldn't say one is better than the other. So why can't people just leave it at that? ...instead of having these silly "I killed an M3 today, it was so great" posts? That doesn't prove anything to anyone!

If you want to really match the cars up, take it to a track (and I don't mean dragstrip). By the way, I believe the Nurburgring times for the two cars are 8:22 and 8:29. M3 the faster of the two, of course =)

 

All of a sudden, you throw a bunch of words in here and I dont know where to start responding....

In respond to your "so serious" comments, here are my thoughts:

1. First of all, I want to say my definition of a forum -- it's a place where car enthusiasts can hang out and share their ownership experience. I never take things very seriously in here, I just treat it as a meeting place. Your comments sound too serious to me. Maybe deep inside your heart, you dont like your lovely M3 being beaten by a 4-door C32??!!

2. I am the poster of this thread. If you have questions, feel free to ask me. I will provide you with great details. I dont have the time to describe every single detail about that encounter. I'm just listing the highlights. Who told you the highway has a lot of traffic???? I was having fun that night, but I wouldnt risk other people's lives just because I want to have some fun. I only treat it as an encounter, not exactly a race. You treat it as a race? That will be just your own opinion, too bad!

3. There must be reasons why people are buying M3s instead of C32s and vice versa. I dont see any point for you to tell us how great your M3 engine is. You have a nice car with a nice engine. Good luck to you!!

4. I dont think anyone here will say M3 is a lousy car. We all respect M3s (at least I do). I was ONLY trying to share my experience with fellow members. When people finish reading my story, I expect them to say: "oh, there's a guy who claims he has killed a M3". Thats it! Just take it lightly, pretend you are reading a story book. Forget about it when you wake up tomorrow.

5. I am sure there are tonnes of kill stories over at the M3 boards. Why dont you go back to where you belong & educate/lecture your fellow M3 members not to post silly posts like "i killed a C32 (or a S4 or a Boxter or a 996 or a WRX) today, it was so great". It was never my intention to prove anything, it was only the "opportunity" that has given me a chance to prove something. Make sure you get this right!

6. Finally, going to the track is not the place to see which car is better. It is a place to show how rich you are & how much you are willing to spend money on your car. You think Ferrari is really better than MB in Formula 1, only because they have more money to invest and do R&D!!! If money is no object, a C32 can kill ANY car in this world, kiddo!

 

Saksiri,

If you did not care, you would not have taken the time to register your name and then posted your long message. I do agree with you though on many of your points. The cars have different philosophies. Saying one is better than the other is downright ridiculous. Saying one is better than the other for ME is correct. Almost all of us could have gotten the M3 or the C32, but we chose the car we did for certain reasons.

BTW, we all know what SMG is and how it works, lol. Or at least I hope we do. The M3 engine is indeed great. Technically it's been in development for the last 15 years, but that is debateable. The C32 makes more hp per liter, but of course that is an unfair comparsion. Forced induction vs. NA. Lastly, the M3 does have a wide powerband, but it does require some revving. Look at a dyno chart. The C32 is just doesn't peak really, just a strong pull from 2k to 6k which is sometimes boring.

BTW, I get together with a group of guys and go driving. The majority of them are BMW owners. I do not discriminate on the basis of make.

 

i agree with saksiri on many of the point that he had made.

actually to tell the truth, the main reason that i choose the C32 over the M3 was because i did not want to drive a 3-series coupe again even though i have lust over the M3 since the E36 M3 came out in 95. My last car was a 2000 328Ci, which was a very very good car. I'd say that the C32 might even lose to it on the mountain road. I wanted to try something new, instead of looking at the same interior of the 3er again. if you want me to rate the brand i would put BMW first than MB. if you want me to rate the car, i would put C32 first and M3 second because i simply do not want to drive a two door as daily driver anymore.

if i could get a weekend car, the M3 would definitely be my choice.

there is really no comparison between the two cars. I love'em both, but i can only pick one. since i have driven a BMW before, i wanted to give MB a try.

BTW my friend has ordered a 03 Jet Black M3 SMG II and he will picked it up when we gets back from Taiwan on the 15th of next month. I'm definitely going to check it out. Hopefully he will let me take it for a spin or some sort.

 

My friend has a 330ci sport package. We went driving hard through the mountains and I pulled away from him on the turns and then dusted him when the road straightened (expected). Of course driver has to do with a lot of it, so I can't say. This was just my experience. When following him, basically I had to let off the throttle almost all the way in the turns (usually bad) just to keep from hitting him. The cars are tired very differently though.

 

some people say that the steering feed back on the 330ci is not as good as those were on the 328ci. From my personal experience, i say that the handling ability of the 328ci won't lose to the C32 by much. Of course, yeah, the driver is a huge factor, and no doubt that C32 WILL dust 330ci in straight roads.

 

I test drove a 330i with the new headlights. I felt the steering in the 328Ci/i was much better. Maybe it was just me, but the feedback I was looking for wasn't there. The C32 has great steering, but nothing like Porsche has. Still, the 330i has the worst of the three. The 328 was near perfect.

 

This may be abit late, but I believe you have the carlsson lip spoiler right? Is it of any help? I thought the lip spoiler would reduce the 'lightness' at high speed.

 

Its not Carlsson. Its Lorinser.

Nah, that little spolier is purely for cosmetic purpose. It's not going to help a bit. I will be getting the Evosport Anti-sway bars hopefully next week (as quoted by Ben). I think that will give some improvement.

 

Are you sure? MB is a pretty big company. I think their pockets are just as deep if not deeper than Ferrari.

 

I read one of the financial magazine the other day, it says Ferrari put more money on its F1 division than MB, even though MB is a bigger company. If you ask Schumacher & Coulthard to switch cars, Schumacher will lose in a pretty ugly way, simply because the Ferrari is a better car. McLaren admitted that.

 

I admit I was a little overzealous and serious in my response. Hope I didn't come off too much like a troll, registering just to post my comments. Perhaps I directed in a response all the replies I've had to things I've heard C32 owners say, so I apologize if it all came out at once! I understand, at least now, that this board consists of enthusiasts that respect all cars.

My point was really just that maybe the M3 driver doesn't care, and that typically M3 drivers (the board-frequenting types that I know, anyway) are not interested in straight-line acceleration alone. Which is why I felt inclined to say all the things I did. There really aren't a lot of kill stories on the roadfly forum. The dtmpower forum is a different matter, though =) And while I don't personally care about Civics, Porsches, MBs, any car passing me on the road or trying to race me, I do care if there is a different perspective I can give about that.

As others have mentioned, I would also bet that Ferrari does indeed spend way more on F1 racing than Mercedes. I think their budget is $350 million or something? F1 is definitely about expenditure and research. And it is the ultimate racing series, in terms of drivers, technology, crew, etc. Not all racing is like that though, F1 is the extreme.

But how is going to the track about money when you go to an autocross or an open track day? Or just taking your car for a spin on the Nurburgring? The track IS the place to test the performance of a car. Depending on what you are into you will go to a dragstrip or a road course or an oval course...

 

I think that this is typical, yet understandable, in most forums. People get so technical and read too much into to every response that it almost seems as if they are looking for a way to get offended by any response that is not grossly positive. Face it, the M3 and C32 have the same prestige, have similar performance, and carry similar price tags. They are both good cars. Not one of them, in stock form, will kill the other. It may beat the other, but not KILL it. A killing is more like blowing it away by 10 car lengths. If you understand this, then don't get mad if someone says it. All they mean is that they were ahead in a race. That is just showing pride in their car, and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

Yes... both are great cars!

The sort of kill stories I enjoy are the ones about cars that come up to you that you know you will kill, and then you just toast them.

For example, a boxster driver being a punk and you leave him in the dust.

Or, this one time, a Z28 was kinda goading me on and we were getting off the same interchange... I wouldn't race with him so he started flashing his hazards and slowing down ahead of me. I knew he was going to be fast in a straight line but being a twisty section I knew I could go much faster than he could comfortably. He let me pass him and I took my exit, and I didn't see him again. =)

That is what I love about the M3! =) Enjoy your cars as well, guys.

 

Personally, I have absolute respect on ALL cars. Saksiri, I was only trying to clear things up a bit, because you're making comments on something that was not provided in detail. I have been hoping to have a run with M3 ever since day 1 I picked up my car, I was only too excited (or maybe over excited) to finally have a chance to do so. Although I am a loyal fans of MB, but never say never, I will not ruled out buying a BMW one day!

Have a nice long weekend, guys! :p