More Power? 08 Owners what do you think?

So this is just a discussion so no one take offense. I love the M. The craftsmanship and handling are superb. The sound of the V8 makes my heart pump faster.

Driving the M today to work I was opening it up a little and I want more power. I have heard of people buying cars like this and then trading them in For Z06 Vettes. I know our M's are in a total different class then the vette. I am a German Engineering guy. Never liked vettes but they do have some balls (Z06)

I almost thought of maybe trying one out. Do you think BMW could have added a little more power? Read reviews here and other places and they are all over the board with different 0-60 readings. I thought for sure All our cars would hit 60 in less then 4.4?? Some people are posting as much as 4.8??? My old 550 did it in 5 seconds..

I have about 2,000 miles on my car now.. maybe I'm use to it now and feel like I want more. I guess I'm a typical American with a BMW huh? Wanting more.

I used to think this about my E46...take it to the track...give it some generous right foot just at the apex and let the tail hangout...and if you are not careful...you will complete the spin

is it the fastest car on the road...heck no...from a stop...you may get dusted by a Jeep Cherokee SRT8...but there is clearly more to the ///M than pure straight line acceleration...

ideliver wrote

I used to think this about my E46...take it to the track...give it some generous right foot just at the apex and let the tail hangout...and if you are not careful...you will complete the spin

is it the fastest car on the road...heck no...from a stop...you may get dusted by a Jeep Cherokee SRT8...but there is clearly more to the ///M than pure straight line acceleration...

I totally agree... There is so much more to it then the 0-60..

We will always want more, but I don't think too many people can handle any more power. Just take it to curvy roads and hills and see what happens. Straight line is really not that much fun.

I think the key issue with the M3 is that everyone instinctively changes at around 6.5K revs and that isnt what the M3 engine is all about. Re learn your gear changes and you will soon see that you can reign in most cars on the road.

Leg wrote

I think the key issue with the M3 is that everyone instinctively changes at around 6.5K revs and that isnt what the M3 engine is all about. Re learn your gear changes and you will soon see that you can reign in most cars on the road.

you are right, i do that

get a supercharger when there out. i'm sure it'll be enough power for your taste

Davinhci wrote

you are right, i do that

I find myself reaching for the stick and stopping myself all the time. I'm looking for a change light (and if I cant find one Ill stump for the BMW wheel with change lights built in).

I think 0-60 is not the biggest issuer for the car...there is alot of cars can do better than M3 in 0-60, but they didn't do better on Nurburgring...
(ps. I think/hope M3 can do under 8 on Nurburgring )

I bought (or am waiting for the car to get here so I can buy) the M3 because the car is balanced. It has a lot of power but not more (or much more) than the chassis can control and the stability control isn't like a bucket of cold water at the beach. You could always get the C63 or wait a few months and look at the new CTS-V. Both have more power (the CTS-V lots more) but there is that question of how they will drive. Watch the TopGear episode where they track the C63 and the back end is all over the place and with the stability control on the complaint turns to the stability control's intrusiveness. Looks like fun at the track where there is plenty of runout but in the real world were the driver is so-so and there are trees, and cars and kids I don't know what you do with a car like that (sans driving straight and be real careful when the road turns). I don't want a car like that in the real world. I want something that is fast, sharp and firm but planted, controllable and more fun because you can drive hard but it's easier to remain within the limits of the car. I'm glad the M3 doesn't have more power, it wouldn't be as much fun.

YMMV and I wish you luck finding what makes you happy. You can certainly get more power but the trick is to get the power in a chassis that can direct the power (or that you can control) except in that trivial straight line type situation. Unless you live at the center of your universe and everyplace you go is a straight line from your home.

Buy a motorcycle.

Different cars. I will say that the party starts in the M3 over 5000 RPM which you can't do during break in...but the M3 is better all-around car.

I'd rather have it 200 lbs lighter...
but it's not what people want...they want fast & luxury, with great handling...

but realistically;
180 mph un-restricted
0-150 <24 sec

and exceeding most, if not all, national speed limits in 2nd gear...
can't use the power it has now...safely or legally on public roads...

I think BMW should focus on using lighter material for their cars to gain better straight line speed. Even Ferrari is thinking light instead of more power for their Enzo replacement.

I drove the M and I think it had more than enough power although, when I'm ready to drop some cash on a new M3 in the next year or so I'll probably go with the equivalent of the "competition package" or the CSL.

m3larson wrote

So this is just a discussion so no one take offense. I love the M. The craftsmanship and handling are superb. The sound of the V8 makes my heart pump faster.

Driving the M today to work I was opening it up a little and I want more power. I have heard of people buying cars like this and then trading them in For Z06 Vettes. I know our M's are in a total different class then the vette. I am a German Engineering guy. Never liked vettes but they do have some balls (Z06)

I almost thought of maybe trying one out. Do you think BMW could have added a little more power? Read reviews here and other places and they are all over the board with different 0-60 readings. I thought for sure All our cars would hit 60 in less then 4.4?? Some people are posting as much as 4.8??? My old 550 did it in 5 seconds..

I have about 2,000 miles on my car now.. maybe I'm use to it now and feel like I want more. I guess I'm a typical American with a BMW huh? Wanting more.

LOL. I feel the same way about my GT3...needs mo powa! lol. Fact is, you get used to it and it becomes normal.

I drive my old toyota 4x4 truck around a lot....also, I travel a lot and end up in all sorts of rental cars. When I get home and jump in my GT3, I am like WTF, this thing is crazy fast! But then after a few days, it is back to the normal rant about needing more power...lol.

If you can lay rubber from corner to corner, you got enough power. If not, you need more.

Could the M3 use more power...of course. Is it ample? Yeah. Just enjoy the car and drive a slow pos once in a while to remind you of how fast it really is!

ArtPE wrote

I'd rather have it 200 lbs lighter...
but it's not what people want...they want fast & luxury, with great handling...

It is possible to do that without letting go off the luxury, but it'll cost you big time:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135122

Could the M3 have more power....sure what car couldn't use more power...... But seriously how often do you really use-need that kind of power in a street car..... & when you do you are traveling at seriously illegal speeds in the blink of an eye....

The Z06 is a beast....silly TORQUE everywhere.....but if power is what your after...the new Viper has is smoked with 600HP 560ftlbs.....plus the Viper is such a brutal machine it just feels fast even when your going slow...vs the M3 which is SO refined it feels effortless until you are really flying.....

GT3 Tim wrote

LOL. I feel the same way about my GT3...needs mo powa! lol. Fact is, you get used to it and it becomes normal.

I drive my old toyota 4x4 truck around a lot....also, I travel a lot and end up in all sorts of rental cars. When I get home and jump in my GT3, I am like WTF, this thing is crazy fast! But then after a few days, it is back to the normal rant about needing more power...lol.

If you can lay rubber from corner to corner, you got enough power. If not, you need more.

Could the M3 use more power...of course. Is it ample? Yeah. Just enjoy the car and drive a slow pos once in a while to remind you of how fast it really is!

Great point! Once a week I drive my dogs to our second home on Whidbey island in our 93 Volvo 940. Absolutely gutless - 120 hp 4 cylinder engine. This has made my weekly transitions to my erstwhile e46 M3 and 550 and my current tuned 335 incredible.

it seems like the average 0-60 time for the car is 4.5 seconds. Would shaving an additional .3 seconds really make that big of a difference? Than everyone would say "man i'd give up .3 seconds 0-60 to up the full economy.

Skywalka wrote

I think BMW should focus on using lighter material for their cars to gain better straight line speed. Even Ferrari is thinking light instead of more power for their Enzo replacement.

Think about what you're asking for. I think we can all agree that the M3 would be a better car (and faster in any venue) if it weighed 10% less than it does now. Say 3250 pounds?

But you only have two choices. You either decontent the car (no power equipment, no a/c, no sound or heat insulation, thinner window glass, shells for seats (and no back seat), etc., all resulting in a very hard-edged, noisy vehicle with limited creature comforts. Think CSL.

OR

You go with the current equipment list, and you build the thing out of exotic materials. Titanium unibody structure, etc.

I think you're after the second option, but how much would you be willing to pay? For that 10% weight savings, I'd take a guess that the car would be more expensive by at least a third, and maybe by as much as 50%. Willing to go another $20K - $30K for that 10% weight savings?

I didn't think so.

Unless you are absolutely a BMW Kool-Aid drinker, you'd simply buy something else. The RS4, C63, IS-F and CTS-V would all fit the bill, and you'd have all that money left over for a really fantastic track car.

It's one thing for the Maranello boys to invest in exotic materials for an Enzo-class car. There, the extra $20 - $30k isn't going to mean much. It's another thing entirely when the vehicles in question start in the $55K range.

Bruce