Nurburgring Touristenfahrten on 12.10.08 and 13.10.08 with BMW M3 (E92)

[PowerPlay3]

wow - thanks for this !

[skierman64]

Originally Posted by armyav8tor

I found out real quick that the PS2s are no good on a partially wet track and had to turn down my aggressiveness in some of the corners (basically where ever the track was shaded, it was wet and slippery). Monday was much of the same, parts of the track was still damp, took it easy. Enjoy the videos. See you at the track next year!

I have to disagree with your assessment of the PS2s in the wet. I ran an entire day at Watkins Glen in the wet (moderate rain all day) and I was the fastest car on the track in the wet. The PS2s did a great job even through some "rivers" crossing the track mid corner in some places. I'd put the PS2 against any tire in the wet. Smoothness is the key.

No tire provides dry levels of traction in the wet.

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by MDCTFTW

Matte black M?

Yeah, it is one of those wrap jobs. There was a post about that somewhere in the forum. Apparently it is the popular thing to do in Europe. It is like a mask for your entire car. It looked pretty cool. I can't imagine the amount of time involved in something like this.

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by skierman64

Awesome pics and video, thanks for sharing. I love that place.

8:44 BTG with a speed zone. Excellent time. You bested me by 2 mins. Of course I was in a 95hp Benz B-class on snow tires.

Is that a stock exhaust? If so, it sounds very nice.

I have to disagree with your assessment of the PS2s in the wet. I ran an entire day at Watkins Glen in the wet (moderate rain all day) and I was the fastest car on the track in the wet. The PS2s did a great job even through some "rivers" crossing the track mid corner in some places. I'd put the PS2 against any tire in the wet. Smoothness is the key.

No tire provides dry levels of traction in the wet.

The car is completely stock. I am thinking of getting an exhaust just to make more noise at the track. Those GT3RS sound so good! Make the M3 sound like a Camry in comparison.

Thanks for timing it for me, I didn't know it was a 8:44. I wish the track was completely dry the day I decided to video record so I can have a faster lap on tape. Since this was my last time at the Ring this year (wife imposed) I figured even if I get banned for video taping, it would not be a big deal.

You may be right about wet traction with these tires, they probably are quite good. But at about the 1 min mark of the Sunday lap, I almost crap myself when the entire car skidded. I can handle the ass end coming out, but not when the front loses traction completely. At that point, you're just along for the ride. I took it easy after that, since I am from Southern California, I don't really have the same confidence level when driving in the wet.

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by Speedtrap

Well done dude Join us next time when we are there. A smooth drive. How often do you go? J

Send me a pm the next time you guys head out there. We met with booforty briefly the last time we were there. We have 3 AW M3s that go together. I personally try to go at least 1 weekend a month but it is weather dependent. I'm done for the year. Probably start back up in April.

[booforty]

Wow, great pics and vids mate! Thanks for posting!

Look forward to seeing you again at the Ring next year!

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by booforty

Wow, great pics and vids mate! Thanks for posting!

Look forward to seeing you again at the Ring next year!

Thanks! See you there

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by skierman64

Because it's an American Spec car. If he was to buy a Euro spec car and then bring it back to the states after his tour in Europe was complete, he'd have to pay out the butt to get it up to American specs.

Ahhh - didn't realize you COULD buy a US spec car and drive it in Germany. Thanks for the info.

[skierman64]

Originally Posted by Singletrack

Ahhh - didn't realize you COULD buy a US spec car and drive it in Germany. Thanks for the info.

Yes, thousands of Americans drive US spec cars all over Europe, most are US military. In fact, Americans drive US spec cars all over the world.

[monsta]

what kind of camera mount are you using I see you had to Still and video...

[Year's_End]

Stupid 1 series driver wouldn't give way. Gotta admit though, an M-Sport e81 looks 1000000 times better than an e82.

[Bimmer Nerd]

man that 1 series driver really didn't want to let you pass but i gotta admit his hatchback looked pretty damn nice !!! nice driving and great videos, thank you for sharing.

[ks-motors]

nice drive man, you look like a pro
the race with the 1 was also very cool,
and racing with him you let the engine run on higher RPM

btw
I think the 1-series is a 120d race car with twin turbodiesel inline-4 that 245hp at 4,200rpm with a 5,000rpm redline as well as a colossal 450Nm of torque at 3,000rpm.

[ebeem]

nice writeup!
Your M3 looks sweet!

btw,the 6 series in one of the last pics is a rental car from Sixt...
omg,...what these rental cars have to go through..just a shame and quite pityful for those who buy such a car later on as used cars,not knowing that it was a rental car...

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Loyalist

Stupid 1 series driver wouldn't give way. Gotta admit though, an M-Sport e81 looks 1000000 times better than an e82.

Originally Posted by godora

man that 1 series driver really didn't want to let you pass but i gotta admit his hatchback looked pretty damn nice !!! nice driving and great videos, thank you for sharing.

Originally Posted by ks-motors

nice drive man, you look like a pro
the race with the 1 was also very cool,
and racing with him you let the engine run on higher RPM

btw
I think the 1-series is a 120d race car with twin turbodiesel inline-4 that 245hp at 4,200rpm with a 5,000rpm redline as well as a colossal 450Nm of torque at 3,000rpm.

LOL Yeah, that 1 series needed to move over. Perhaps he didn't see me in his review. Its all in good fun, I usually drive a little bit more aggressive when I smell blood.

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by ebeem

nice writeup!
Your M3 looks sweet!

btw,the 6 series in one of the last pics is a rental car from Sixt...
omg,...what these rental cars have to go through..just a shame and quite pityful for those who buy such a car later on as used cars,not knowing that it was a rental car...

Thanks! I'll probably rent from Sixt after I ship my M3 back to the States and hit the Ring with it.

[GnokGnik]

I wished I had a ring in my backyard

[skierman64]

Army, how much is a season pass at the ring now?

[footie]

Great videos Army, loved both of them and hope to see more in the future.

With the debate of wet grip of PS2s, maybe the difference of opinion between your experience and skierman's is to 'ring factor', the tree at the ring are a lot closer to the actual track than most others and their leaves could be giving off something which might be making the surface slipperier than normal. I know of others which have also voiced similar to Army's.


Also, Army have you had the update and if so had you still experienced the downshift problems ?

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by skierman64

Army, how much is a season pass at the ring now?

Think they are like 900 euros. Last year they did the half price thing after June but no such luck this year. The pass is only good for the calendar year, not 12 months from the time of purchase.

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by footie

Great videos Army, loved both of them and hope to see more in the future.

With the debate of wet grip of PS2s, maybe the difference of opinion between your experience and skierman's is to 'ring factor', the tree at the ring are a lot closer to the actual track than most others and their leaves could be giving off something which might be making the surface slipperier than normal. I know of others which have also voiced similar to Army's.


Also, Army have you had the update and if so had you still experienced the downshift problems ?

I have not updated the software yet and I'm not really in a hurry to update it. I'm going to wait and hear back from the other guys to see if the software update does fix the downshift issue first. If it doesn't, then I'm not even going to bother with it as I really don't care about the "lag" issue. For me, the shifts are lightning quick under track conditions. You can actually hear me slap the paddle at the beginning of the first video and literally as soon as I hit the paddle, it had completed the gear change. Amazing.

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by GnokGnik

I wished I had a ring in my backyard

Think the closest one to you is Laguna Seca. They have a series of turns called the "Cork Screw". Well, the Nurburgring is a lot like that, except it does it for 13 miles. LOL