M3 Aftersales Training Information

[southlight]

For you guys waiting for the US introduction. Here's the BMW M3 Complete Vehicle Guide as found on bimmerfest:

http://www.m3post.com/goodiesforyou/...nformation.pdf

Best regards, south

[rvacha]

Thanks South! Some interesting tidbits in there:
1. Transmission oil is not considered "lifetime"
2. Clutch and dual mass flywheel must be replaced as a single unit
3. Verification that EDC is passive in sport mode
4. Unequal length half shafts (I'm surprised)
5. Knock ion detector failures can cause audio system problem (who would have thunk?)
6. Same transmission as used in 335i and US release E60 M6 (except cooler is added). Either the diff is really efficient or the S65B40 is underrated based on limited dyno charts available to date
7. Very little changes for the US release (seat cushions, fuel tank leakage diagnosis module) means no power derating or weight gains
8. Unusual firing order for a V8 engine
9. The DME is "only" rated for 9,000 RPM, so increasing rev limiter might be difficult if not impossible.
10. Excessive transmission oil temperature can invoke limp home mode


Can anybody point me to the equivalent E60 M5 PDF (that is not scanned)?

[Keto]

Mmm, fun read.

[JEllis]

Not surprised the 6MT is shared among other platforms... Actually kinda figured that.

Tranny fluid not considered lifetime is also not much of a surprise.

However, the other stuff is interesting...

Glad to hear we wont be getting strange seats or other weird configurations in the US...

Jason

[mkoesel]

I was actually hoping the ratios on the tranny would be a little closer than on the 335i.

[the_stranger]

M-specific options:
• MDrive menu
• EDC-K
• 19" M3 rims, tyres
• Seat back width adjustment (passive)
• Enhanced leather interior
• High speed down-control option 7ME "M
Driver’s Package" (280 km/h).

Individualization options:
• BMW Individual High End audio system
• Individual highly-polished shadow line
• Individual interior trim
• Individual paint finishes.



Does this mean iDrive is standard???

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by the_stranger

Does this mean iDrive is standard???

No, it's just not an M-specific option.

[Stahlgrau]

Oh man, imagine this thing at, or near, 9000RPM's.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

I was actually hoping the ratios on the tranny would be a little closer than on the 335i.

Rear axle ratio is considerabley lower at 3.85 compared to 3.08 on the 335i. That's a 25% lower ratio (higher numerically), offset about 2% by the slightly larger rear tires.

[GregW / Oregon]

Thanks--fascinating info. Just read that the low pressure VANOS saves about 18.5 lbs compared to the S85 system. Also, clutch and flywheel weigh 8.8 lbs less than the M5's.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Rear axle ratio is considerabley lower at 3.85 compared to 3.08 on the 335i.

Right. Good point.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Rear axle ratio is considerabley lower at 3.85 compared to 3.08 on the 335i.

Absolutely. But that won't change the difference in gearing between the different gears, unfortunately. I was hoping to see the a better spacing between 1st and 2nd and 4th and 5th. I think we'll see ratios that are better matched to the S65 with the M-DCT box. Of course it will have 7 speeds too.

[swamp2]

Nice document. Notice the production has been done predominantly with CAD. This means the pictures in the manual are the 3D digital engineering designs/"drawings" used by BMW adapted for this guide. Pretty cool and likely also a time/cost savings for BMW.

The things I found most interesting:

• Differences to M5 engine include: oil system, VANOS (low pressure), weight savings, MSS60 engine control vs. MSS65, double roller cam chain vs. single (most of which we already knew)
• Lightweight carpet
• Key dependent M-drive settings (for "certain" settings) - cool!
• Mirrors became larger to comply with future legislation
• Seat shape and foam is different in EU compared to US
• Pistons contain a "running in coating" containing tin and are identical to E60 M5 pistons
• Low pressure VANOS saved 8.4 kg compared to M5 system
• One piece radiator in the M3 compared to two piece in the M5
• Document seems a bit contradictory about the transmission. In one place it says the transmission is based on the US 6MT in the M5 but when it lists part numbers is show it identical to the 335i. I think, as I predicted all along all three are almost identical with the M3 even sharing the 335i ratios.
• 4kg reduced weight in the clutch compared to the M5
• Driveshaft cv joints from M5 (nicely over-rated for the lower torque in the M3)
• Completely different front end geometry compared to 335i
• Interesting that they published the detail on EDC and the graphs of damping force vs. piston speed and the dynamic range of adjustment obtainable by EDC.

[The CSL]

Nobody picked up on the fact you can have Individual paint in the US...

[lucid]

Originally Posted by The CSL

Nobody picked up on the fact you can have Individual paint in the US...

I saw that. Is that really the case, or are we missing something?

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by The CSL

Nobody picked up on the fact you can have Individual paint in the US...

This is a European publication. Where did you see this as US specific?

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

This is a European publication. Where did you see this as US specific?

I think I know why he/she thought this. I was confused by it initially as well. When south mentioned the US in his OP I think he just meant here is some information for us bored in the US. He did not mean that the document is specifically describing the US car.

[rvacha]

Originally Posted by swamp2

I think I know why he/she thought this. I was confused by it initially as well. When south mentioned the US in his OP I think he just meant here is some information for us bored in the US. He did not mean that the document is specifically describing the US car.

True, but the document DOES specify some differences between US spec and non-US spec versions (implying it applies to the US as well), and it is a goal of BMW and many others to build "world cars" that don't need to be modified to sell in specific markets. The practice, for example, of selling ///M cars with different motors for the US market is long gone. The Europeans get smog performance above their requirements while we in the US get cars with pedestrian safety we don't even regulate. One car, all countries, that's the goal.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by swamp2

When south mentioned the US in his OP I think he just meant here is some information for us bored in the US. He did not mean that the document is specifically describing the US car.

That is exactly how I read it to.

Originally Posted by rvacha

One car, all countries, that's the goal.

True but when it comes to Individual paint, that is just an option. There are many, many options we do not get on US cars. Speaking generally throughout all BMW modes, I mean. Everything from different navigation and audio systems to wheels to trim packages to rear fogs to interior and exterior trim colors are more are left off of our option list. True, this applies less so to M cars, but I think we'll need something more substantial than this document to make conclusions about US spec cars.

[rvacha]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

True but when it comes to Individual paint, that is just an option. There are many, many options we do not get on US cars. Speaking generally throughout all BMW modes, I mean. Everything from different navigation and audio systems to wheels to trim packages to rear fogs to interior and exterior trim colors are more are left off of our option list. True, this applies less so to M cars, but I think we'll need something more substantial than this document to make conclusions about US spec cars.

I consider this stuff to be insignificant, but that's just me. When the E36 M3 hit the US shores it wasn't the options packages people complained about, it was the engine. When the E39 M5 hit our shores it was the lack of floating rotors. In terms of major mechanicals - the stuff that makes an ///M an ///M - what you see here is what we will get. Ours will not be unpowered, they won't weigh more, they won't be missing floating rotors. That's the stuff that matters, at least to me

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by rvacha

That's the stuff that matters, at least to me

Gotcha. And I agree for the most part. I thought we were still speaking mostly about Individual paint as mentioned in the post by the CSL that spawned our replies.

[cncmastr]

This is the best 112 pages I have read all week!