BMW M3

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BMW M3

BMW M3 questions and answers

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Q: When will the price of the E46 BMW M3 drop?
I know that BMWs typically hold their value well, but that doesn't defend it against depreciation even in a minor sense. And now, with the release of the E92 M3 in the next couple of months, the E46 M3 will seem outdated in the sense of technology and engineering. Style may be put into contradiction, but facts are facts. So my question is, when do you think that E46 M3s will go down in price to be able to find a 2001/2 coupe for about $20-25k with less that 50k miles on it? It seems that the lowest priced 2001-2 M3s have at least 80k miles on it and go for about $27k. That kind of mileage seems iffy, since something seems more likely to go wrong. This is my favorite car ever, from the styling, excellent performance, BMW luxury, safety, and prestige. All I hope for is the value to go down in the near future, so it would become more attainable.

A: I agree with the last answer. I used to drive an E36 M3 and those had horrible resale value. The reason for it was that BMW dealerships were selling packages for other 3 series models that could make the standard 3 series look identical to the M3. In fact, there were M-tronic models that had the full M3 appearance package. While the mechanicals were far different, cosmetically, the only difference were the badges and mirrors- which anyone can buy from the dealer. Because of that, it killed the resale value. All other M3 (before and after) have unique looks that aren't easily copied. This shows in the extremely high resale value on them as well. The E46 will remain very high for quite a while. Have you seen the prices of the E92 M3? Tack on another $10K-$15K for dealer markup since this will definitely go the route of the twin-turbo 335i in terms of demand. This will make the current M3 prices look even more attractive.

Q: What do you think about BMW M3 convertible 1998?
Actually, I wanna buy my first car.. I've got my license month ago, and now I'm fine at driving cars... I love BMW but I dont have enough money to buy it... I'm looking for BMW 1998 convertible... Now I wanna ask you guys what do you guys think about this kind of BMW and do they convertible and M3 have any problem or whatever????

A: Awesome cars, but a lot to maintain.

Q: Is the SMG Transmission of BMW same as the new M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic in the E92 M3?
Since the M6 and M5 both have 7-speed SMGs, does the new BMW M3 have it in another name - M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic? (aside from the manual transmission, of course).

A: The transmission in the new M3 is called M DCT (Dual clutch transmission) It is a form of of direct shift gearbox (DSG) just now has better technology and dual clutch. Read to the bottom of this link, where it mentions the M3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin-clutch_gearbox

Q: Can anyone tell me the technical specifications of bmw m3 e30 & its gruppe A edition?
I want to know the technical specification of bmw m3 e30 & gruppe A like : ride height (front & back) damper (front & back) camber angle (front & back) toe angle (front & back) stabiliser (front & back) any version would be fine... thanks, but i've already tried looking on the net... and wiki and gustaves site's are my favorites... although they do not provide the specifications i need...

A: I think you're either going to have to consult one of Jeremy Walton's books (either "The BMW 3 Series Enthusiast's Companion" - ISBN 0837602203 or "Unbeatable BMW: Eighty Years of Engineering and Motorsport Success" - ISBN 0837602068) or Ask Walton himself via email (don't bother him via the telephone).

Q: does the 2009 bmw m3 only come in manual transmission?
does the 2009 bmw m3 only come in manual transmission? and if someone owns one, could you tell me how the shifting is without a clutch pedal? is it basically still the same?

A: The new ///M3's come in two(2) transmission options. M-DCT or the traditional 6-Speed Manual. M-DCT stands for Motorsport-Double Clutch Transmission. Whith this transmission, shits are smooth and almost instantaneous. Also, if you choose to get M-DCT, this transmission also comes with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, similar to the previous E46 ///M3's which were equipped with SMG transmissions. With these paddles, only the flick of your hand is needed to gear up, or down. DCT technology is the most advanced engine transmission available today, and is the preferred transmission for many renowned F1 teams, like BMW's own Sauber F1 team. Now, choose the 6-Speed Manual, and you have the same traditional feel as any other manual car. The gas on the right, the brake in the middle, and the clutch to the left. The new ///M3's shift nob is ergonomically shaped and feels great. Shift can be thrown brutally hard, or soft. Your choice. To sum it up: Get the M-DCT if you are a weekend racer, or if you live in a heavily traffic area. (i.e. Los Angeles, New York, etc.) Get 6MT if your towards more of the traditional driving feel, want better fuel economy, of if you love to track your car. Also, MoK, it seems you're not too familiar with cars in general, so I would highly suggest that you drive other cars before committing to buy a new ///M3.

Q: Can the BMW M3 beat out a lot of cars in a race?
I saw a video of someone in a Mitsubishi Evolution losing to a mid year BMW M3. I thought it was pretty impressive. Can it beat out many others in its class?

A: Yeah Murcie is totally right. he deserves all the credit on this one. My buddy has a 05 M3 and it has 600hp. Damn did he tune the hell out of it. Stock Evos have about 300hp and the M3 has 333hp stock. Meaning that the M3 has more power and less seats.

Q: Why does the 2008 BMW M3 use a sliding caliper for the brakes ?
Why does the 2008 BMW M3 use a sliding caliper for the brakes instead of a fixed caliper like most costly vehicles. IE Brembos. Is it for cost or utlilty?

A: I will make you answer your question yourself by describing to you how a "sliding" and a "fixed" caliper works. Remember that the brake rotor which is connected to the wheel is acted upon by two brake pads, one on each side. In a BMW just like most cars, there is only one piston that pushes one brake pad. So the whole caliper moves/floats/self-adjusts so that both brake pads can act on the rotor and stop the car. In cars with fixed calipers there are pistons on both sides of the calipers.Some even have 2 pistons on each side. So the calipers do not need to self-adjust. Obviously, the ones with more pistons costs more and are very slightly better in braking power. But being more complex and with more components they are also more prone to break down and costlier to maintain. So did BMW try to save some money? Answer it yourself.

Q: What is the name of the main menu opera song in the BMW M3 Challenge?
I would just like to know the main menu song in BMW M3 Challenge. 10 points to the 1st correct answer! Thanks a lot!

A: I couldn't find a tittle but i did find the producer. Susan Legg -Nick-

Q: Why do my tyres wear out so fast on my BMW M3?
I keep going through rear tyres on my BMW M3 every 2000miles roughly, ive used michellin pilot sports, goodyear eagle f1s and it seems to make no difference. I'm not wheel spinning off in 1st gear or doing anything like that although I do tend to put my foot down when i need to in through the other gears...............the tyres also are wearing evenly. Is this normal? I dont carry any load in my car and the tyre pressures are alway fine

A: I don't mean this in a nasty way, but if you have the money to buy and run a BMW M3 then why worry about tyres? If you're having fun driving it then go for it dude! I own a Rover 414 si, my tyres take a regular thrashing round corners and I've never stopped to think if it's wearing the tread. Have fun, enjoy your car......after all, it's why we buy them :)

Q: Can anyone figure out how to set the clock in a BMW M3?
2003 bmw m3 - cant seem to set clock - read manual and all

A: Get the cluster to display the time... then turn the knob on the right on the cluster until you get the time to the right place. Turn it clockwise.

Q: how come bmw m3 E46 is faster than the benz sl55 AMG?
recently i saw a race between bmw m3 and sl55 amg.it was a drag race.i was shocked bmw has only 300-350 bhp,benz sl55 has got somewhere 500bhp.how come is that?

A: All other things equal (like both drivers are equally good, with both engines running properly, etc.), it mostly boils down to: a) power to weight ratio (horsepower/weight) b) gear ratios An extreme example of the situation is a motorcycle running circles on a fancy racing car with lots of horsepower.

Q: Problems with Electric windows on BMW 1998 M3 Cab?
I have a BMW M3 1998 model soft top. The electric windows in the front have stopped working, i have checked the fuse and there isnt one in there. How can i find out what watt/colour the fuse has to be? Also can you just pull fuses out or do they have to be taken out with a tool?! Thanks for any help!

A: There isn't a fuse for the power windows on most BMWs. Instead, there is a circuit breaker located near the console mounted power window switches. I think on your car it is located behind the shifter, in front of the handbrake. If not, it is under the steering wheel above your right knee. When the circuit breaker is thrown, a button pops up about a milimeter. Push it back down and then try the windows.

Q: How long will it take for the current BMW E46 M3 to be outdated?
BMW has released information on the all-new M3, how will the prices of the current M3 be affected? Has it already shown, or will it be more so when the new M3's already start rolling? How long will the E46 M3 still look "good" with the new E92 V8 M3's rolling around? How "worth it" would it be to buy an E46 M3 as of right now?

A: If you can afford one now, buy one. You won't save much by waiting a few years for the price to go down, and you'll definitely miss out on having the ultimate driving machine. The E46 will still look good 50 years from now if not longer, just like the 3.0 CSL still looks great, the M1 is still an iconic supercar, and how most people can't believe my E30 M3 is almost 20 years old. This Bimmer is destined to become a classic. The August 2007 edition of Bimmer magazine is available at bookstores right now, and it has a very in depth M3 Market Update, going over current values and everything else you might want to know about E30s, E36s, and E46s.

Q: how can you tell the difference between a bmw e36 m3 and a normal bmw e36?
my friend got a new car.. its a bmw e36 1992 but he put m3 bodykits on it and a m3 side mirrors and a m3 spoiler and had it repainted and put an m3 badge on it. sounds kinda poserish i know but it looks like a m3 to me.. so besides looking at the engine how can i tell the difference between an m3 and a normal e36?

A: where do i start! first of all, those lovely 3 striped M badges :) grill front, side guards and boot, all over the interior. Front and rear bumpers, side skirts and M Mirrors. List goes on... Its quiet easy to buy an E36 and turn it into a look-a-like, but the way i would tell the difference is by the muffler (might sound strange but yeah) Thats one thing that people dont bother changing unless they go aftermarket. The actual muffler is a lot bigger and fatter than the standard E36s, plus the twin outlets is a give away too :) By the sounds of it your friend is going for looks. With the changes he/she has made, i would leave it at that. By the time you start getting into the finer points, you might as well have spent the money upfront and bought the real deal. Hope this helps :)

Q: How can i Spice up my silver BMW M3 E46?
I have a 2003 bmw M3 e46, im getting bored with the way it looks, how can i make it cooler looking. It has 40,000 miles and dont want to put too much into it. I was thinking of: tinting windows, Racemesh grill, facelift. Any other ideas? I dont want to make it look too taky but getting bored and want to make it stand out a little. What about Racemesh grills? And what about Angel Eyes? And Eye lids? Tinting the windows? are these a waste of time or tacky?

A: In my opinion, if you simply washed and polished this car really well (including wheels), and spray on some tire shine, you'll look golden - especially in these sunny weather! Cheap and effective. You'll soon realise how many people actually don't take the time to shine up their cars regularly. For night time, the only recommendation I would make is to add some angel eyes. Get some good ones though, not the cheapy ones. You can also look at adding some BMW options like PDC, Euro side mirror glass (with wide-angle section, without those annoying words). Change out those useless cupholders to a nice BMW console box with slide covers. Add in an XM radio, or completely change out your radio with one that includes DVD/GPS.