C32 AMG, C55 AMG (W203) 2001 - 2007

Just picked up an e90 M3, thinking of trading in the C55.

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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 12:16 PM
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'05 C55 AMG '15 Jeep SRT '11 G37S
Just picked up an e90 M3, thinking of trading in the C55.

In a bind, man I love that C55, but I found a great deal on a used M3 and jumped on it. I have till Sat to return it, no questions asked. Still in the decision process...... Help!
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 12:21 PM
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what's the year and mileage on the M3? Sedan or Coupe?
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 12:38 PM
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Grats, E90 M3 is a fantastic car, personally I wouldn't stay with the C55 as well unless I had piles of cash laying around.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by riverace
Grats, E90 M3 is a fantastic car, personally I wouldn't stay with the C55 as well unless I had piles of cash laying around.
I work at one of the local BMW dealers here in town. The E90 M3 is a nice car. It's much meaner looking than the E92. I think you may miss the torque of the C55 however. If you keep it though, congrats!
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 12:48 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
SCOOP!!!!!!!!!!! Long time!!! PM ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 01:54 PM
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'05 C55 AMG '15 Jeep SRT '11 G37S
Originally Posted by BK63amg
what's the year and mileage on the M3? Sedan or Coupe?
'08, dark gray sedan, only 15K miles.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 01:56 PM
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'05 C55 AMG '15 Jeep SRT '11 G37S
Originally Posted by riverace
Grats, E90 M3 is a fantastic car, personally I wouldn't stay with the C55 as well unless I had piles of cash laying around.
I hear ya. The quote I got from CarMax was lower than I was expecting, however, the C55 was mainly the wife's car/kid-hauler, so it does have some wear.....
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 01:59 PM
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'05 C55 AMG '15 Jeep SRT '11 G37S
Originally Posted by Mark633CSi
I work at one of the local BMW dealers here in town. The E90 M3 is a nice car. It's much meaner looking than the E92. I think you may miss the torque of the C55 however. If you keep it though, congrats!
You nailed it with the torque. I know on paper the M should be faster, but it doesn't feel like it. The frickin AMG is an ANIMAL off the line and alot easier to push to its limits, the M you need to learn how to keep it in it's power band, like well above 4000 rpm....
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:00 PM
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'05 C55 AMG '15 Jeep SRT '11 G37S
Originally Posted by e1000
SCOOP!!!!!!!!!!! Long time!!! PM ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ERIC MY BRUTHA!!! Good to see you're still around. You still pimpin that C350?
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:02 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
Originally Posted by Scoop55
ERIC MY BRUTHA!!! Good to see you're still around. You still pimpin that C350?
Funny you posted this thread, I just got a E92 M3 back in July! BTW, I also moved to Irvine, we should meet up for a beer, I'd be willing to make the trip down to SD.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Scoop55
'08, dark gray sedan, only 15K miles.
What kind of tranny? If its the 6 speed, the throws are rather long and you will get tired of constant shifting because of the low torque.

I am not sure if the newer DCT is better than the old SMG.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:15 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
Originally Posted by xxaarraa
What kind of tranny? If its the 6 speed, the throws are rather long and you will get tired of constant shifting because of the low torque.

I am not sure if the newer DCT is better than the old SMG.
I love my DCT. It's nothing short of incredible.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:15 PM
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'03 C32 AMG
Isn't the E90 M3 supposed to be able to do 60mph in 3.9s? Does the lower torque still make it feel slower even if it's almost 1second faster than the C55?
I know it's a high revving engine and stuff, but I find it weird that it doesn't feel as fast even if it's faster.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:17 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
Originally Posted by Apox
Isn't the E90 M3 supposed to be able to do 60mph in 3.9s? Does the lower torque still make it feel slower even if it's almost 1second faster than the C55?
I know it's a high revving engine and stuff, but I find it weird that it doesn't feel as fast even if it's faster.
E9x M3's get to 60 in about 4.2s.

Anyone who tells you a car has low torque and is therefore slow, is an idiot.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by e1000
E9x M3's get to 60 in about 4.2s.

Anyone who tells you a car has low torque and is therefore slow, is an idiot.
The 4.2 0-60 is for the track where you can max out every gear and hit every single shift point. In everyday life between lights, you will be lucky to get anywhere close to that number in an M3. In a C55 or any car of that type, you can consistenly hit the published 0-60 number, all you have to do is step on it. You can magazine race all you want, but that's the bottom line.

In everyday life, any car that is low on torque will be slow. On a track is where the low torque ceases to be relevant because you have room to wind it up. Period. End of story. Any M3 owner who claims otherwise is an idiot, or fanboi.

Last edited by xxaarraa; Mar 17, 2011 at 02:29 PM.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:46 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
Originally Posted by xxaarraa
The 4.2 0-60 is for the track where you can max out every gear and hit every single shift point. In everyday life between lights, you will be lucky to get anywhere close to that number in an M3. In a C55 or any car of that type, you can consistenly hit the published 0-60 number, all you have to do is step on it. You can magazine race all you want, but that's the bottom line.

In everyday life, any car that is low on torque will be slow. On a track is where the low torque ceases to be relevant because you have room to wind it up. Period. End of story. Any M3 owner who claims otherwise is an idiot, or fanboi.
So are you saying the C55 can hit published 0-60 times without maxing out every gear?

I'm willing to bet with my DCT I'll be able to consistently be pretty close to that number day in and day out. All I have to do is step on it too.

It doesn't sound like you understand gearing very well.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:55 PM
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He might mean when you're throwing your own gears...I have no doubt DCT cars can achieve their published 0-60 times in the real world without too much difficulty at all.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by e1000
So are you saying the C55 can hit published 0-60 times without maxing out every gear?

I'm willing to bet with my DCT I'll be able to consistently be pretty close to that number day in and day out. All I have to do is step on it too.

It doesn't sound like you understand gearing very well.
Dude, I'm an ex-M3 owner, so I understand it quite well. The problem seems to be that you don't understand RPMs very well.

The C55 will hit published numbers consistently and with minimum fuss because it makes 370 ft-lbs at 4000 rpm. M3 makes peak torque (80 ft-lbs less) at what 5k? Where do you make your peak HP? 8k? C55 makes it at 5k. Fanbois who read magazines will only look at the HP number, without any understanding of where the power is delivered in the rev band.

In the real world, you don't have room to let the RPMs climb. Any car that makes power at astronomical revs will be slower than cars that make power at low down in the band. Fact. Torque is more important in real life. Fact.

I adore the M3, don't get me wrong. Let's not make this into an M3 versus AMG argument either.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by xxaarraa
Dude, I'm an ex-M3 owner, so I understand it quite well. The problem seems to be that you don't understand RPMs very well.

The C55 will hit published numbers consistently and with minimum fuss because it makes 370 ft-lbs at 4000 rpm. M3 makes peak torque (80 ft-lbs less) at what 5k? Where do you make your peak HP? 8k? C55 makes it at 5k. Fanbois who read magazines will only look at the HP number, without any understanding of where the power is delivered in the rev band.

In the real world, you don't have room to let the RPMs climb. Any car that makes power at astronomical revs will be slower than cars that make power at low down in the band. Fact. Torque is more important in real life. Fact.

I adore the M3, don't get me wrong. Let's not make this into an M3 versus AMG argument either.
heh, you're missing the fact that due to gearing, 5k rpm in your car does not equal 5k rpm in my car. If you take the numbers off of the tach, your shift points and mine are probably pretty similar, maybe a little bit off. For example, I don't know for sure, but 1st gear probably ends at about the same speed for both cars, except you do it at what? 6krpm, and I shift at 8.3k rpm.

Remember folks, torque is multiplied through the gearbox and drivetrain while HP is NOT.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by e1000
Funny you posted this thread, I just got a E92 M3 back in July! BTW, I also moved to Irvine, we should meet up for a beer, I'd be willing to make the trip down to SD.
Wow, congrats!! how do you like your M3? What year is it. This is the first used car I've ever purchased, so I'm a little cautious as to how it was driven.

I love the white btw in the E9x with the black trim around the rearview mirrors, etc, it would have been my second choice next to black on black on black (which is the fastest color combo you know )
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by xxaarraa
What kind of tranny? If its the 6 speed, the throws are rather long and you will get tired of constant shifting because of the low torque.

I am not sure if the newer DCT is better than the old SMG.
6MT


You got that right. I haven't driven a manual since 2001, and with this one, you really have to know how to do it right, which I totally suck at right now....

DCT would have been my choice. I found another used '08 w/ DCT here, but it had 50K miles!!
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 03:08 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
Originally Posted by Scoop55
Wow, congrats!! how do you like your M3? What year is it. This is the first used car I've ever purchased, so I'm a little cautious as to how it was driven.

I love the white btw in the E9x with the black trim around the rearview mirrors, etc, it would have been my second choice next to black on black on black (which is the fastest color combo you know )
Thanks Scoop!!!! It's a 2011. Love it.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by e1000
I love my DCT. It's nothing short of incredible.
bragger

lol
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 03:09 PM
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'05 C55 AMG '15 Jeep SRT '11 G37S
Originally Posted by e1000
E9x M3's get to 60 in about 4.2s.

Anyone who tells you a car has low torque and is therefore slow, is an idiot.
I gotta learn to launch this biatch tho....right now it feels slower than my C55.
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Old Mar 17, 2011 | 03:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Scoop55
I gotta learn to launch this biatch tho....right now it feels slower than my C55.
Do not be afraid to take it to 8.3k.
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