M3 ---> 370z

[ersin]

I have the cure for you!

Rev the engine up far beyond 4000 RPM before upshifting.

Cheers.

[Robert]

The 370z' interior is juvenile.

[graider]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

No idea footie, I have never even seen one (since I am in the US). But I'll bet that "practical" isn't something most owners would call the car. Course, that's jsut my hunch. Anyway, I was just messin' with ya. While graider's suggestion was somewhat crude ("strip it completely off"), I think what he was trying to say was that you can lighten the M3 by removing the back seat (like a CSL, right?) and have something no less practical than the 370z.

exactly. and you still have one cool looking car and the better engine. the m3.

[footie]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

No idea footie, I have never even seen one (since I am in the US). But I'll bet that "practical" isn't something most owners would call the car. Course, that's jsut my hunch. Anyway, I was just messin' with ya. While graider's suggestion was somewhat crude ("strip it completely off"), I think what he was trying to say was that you can lighten the M3 by removing the back seat (like a CSL, right?) and have something no less practical than the 370z.

Well that's the thing, unless my memory is completely off I was sure that the CSL had rear seats and a practical boot, admittedly the floor of the boot was made from cardboard but it was fully usable. Removing the seats at the back simply turned the M3 into an impractical coupe, or at best a 2 seater with a serious amount of storage space.

The only thing that made the CSL less practical was it's suspension, mighty stiff I recall.

[Takumi587]

Hmm from what I have been reading for the past couple days.. The M3 gets boring after about one full year? Even at a specific shop i went to they are getting rid of their show car because they are over it.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by footie

Well that's the thing, unless my memory is completely off I was sure that the CSL had rear seats and a practical boot, admittedly the floor of the boot was made from cardboard but it was fully usable. Removing the seats at the back simply turned the M3 into an impractical coupe, or at best a 2 seater with a serious amount of storage space.

Aha, you are correct about the CSL seats. It was my memory that failed me on this one it seems. Although in googling this I did learn that the CSL had its own special backseat - its a 2+2 (more like the convertible) unlike the regular E46 M3 coupe which seats 5.

Anyway, despite this, other examples of rear-seat removal in production cars exist. For example the Porsche GT3 or Nissan GTR Spec V. Granted those might not have been as practical four seaters as the M3 to begin with. But you get my point.

Or check out the new M5 CSL. Ok, so that's a one-off, but it just shows BMW is not against these measures when absolute best performance is paramount.

The only thing that made the CSL less practical was it's suspension, mighty stiff I recall.

That and the high price!

[footie]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Aha, you are correct about the CSL seats. It was my memory that failed me on this one it seems. Although in googling this I did learn that the CSL had its own special backseat - its a 2+2 (more like the convertible) unlike the regular E46 M3 coupe which seats 5.

Anyway, despite this, other examples of rear-seat removal in production cars exist. For example the Porsche GT3 or Nissan GTR Spec V. Granted those might not have been as practical four seaters as the M3 to begin with. But you get my point.

Or check out the new M5 CSL. Ok, so that's a one-off, but it just shows BMW is not against these measures when absolute best performance is paramount.



That and the high price!

No problems and I did get your point.

It was just that in my opinion to lose the rear seat to gain very little extra performance was a step too far. That was all.

[bruce.augenstein@comcast.]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

...That and the high price!

That, plus I seem to remember a report in "Car" magazine, wherein a guy wrote about no a/c and every last erg from the sun being directly beamed at his brain through the carbon fiber roof.

Bruce

[gr8000]

Originally Posted by Takumi587

Hmm from what I have been reading for the past couple days.. The M3 gets boring after about one full year? Even at a specific shop i went to they are getting rid of their show car because they are over it.

I don't knopw about you and others, but my M3 is anything but boring after 16 months of ownership. Puts a smile on my face each time I am driving arround town or in the track. I even find excuses (to myself) to go out for a ride!

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by Takumi587

Hmm from what I have been reading for the past couple days.. The M3 gets boring after about one full year? Even at a specific shop i went to they are getting rid of their show car because they are over it.

absolutely! i think it's too refined to be fun for long. keep your E46.

[footie]

Originally Posted by bruce.augenstein@comcast.

That, plus I seem to remember a report in "Car" magazine, wherein a guy wrote about no a/c and every last erg from the sun being directly beamed at his brain through the carbon fiber roof.

Bruce

Yeah, without the A/C the CSL got really hot in the summer.

[Dr.G]

no radio either...

[Optherion]

Originally Posted by !Xoible

what a lot of people do not realize is the Z has character since the day it started. it did lose some of that character in the 350Z version, but it absolutely gained a lot of it back. The 135, although may be fast, but has absolutely no character (yet).

The only suggestion i like of yours is the Z4M, that's pretty valid, but dont forget the Z may have more advanced technology since it's coming years after the Z4M. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Z unless you have a brand loyalty issue that overcomes your ability to appreciate cars for what they can deliver

I had 2006 350z. Theres a bunch I left out of the sig.

Loved the car, loved the gear box as well. Im very tall so most of my anger is how much smaller the Z feels. I no longer fit. And my 2006 went through 2 engines because of oil consumption.