Stock 03' E46 330CI hangs with E90 M3's at the track

[FrenchBoy]

Originally Posted by OC3

My expenses over 13 months and 31 track days

That sounds like your job is doing track days. Those should be job related expenses :-)

[OC3]

Originally Posted by FrenchBoy

That sounds like your job is doing track days. Those should be job related expenses :-)

Hah, only if there's a way to write off track expenses as business expenses...

Talk about getting hooked, though. With 5 tracks mostly located within 150 mile radius, at least half dozen HPDE organizers and mostly sunny weather year-round, there's a track event almost every weekend in Southern California.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

My original point was a chasiss design comparison, not a measuring contest, that some are getting excited by.

In that case I will be very blunt: With equally skilled drivers, a stock 330i E46 cannot keep up with a E90-E92 M3 .

[M3SQRD]

^This. Having owned an e46 330, e46 M3 and e92 M3...

e92 M3 quicker than e46 M3 quicker than e46 330

[Modena NYC]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

Lol...I've been lurking around on Craigslist for a beater Miata. I've found one...trying to resist calling them.

i've rented a spec miata and let me tell you, that car is FUN FUN FUN.

more fun than a spec E30 IMO, and i get to keep my E90 m3 cherry.

i've driven many cars on the track and i was pleasantly surprised by the miata...at least on a short course.

The biggest problem is the faster cars in the advanced run group. The z06's, the GTR's. They should seriously have their own run group. The speed differential is dangerous and those cars don't even have to apex correctly to be lightning fast.

[AMPowerJ]

Originally Posted by Modena NYC

i've rented a spec miata and let me tell you, that car is FUN FUN FUN.

more fun than a spec E30 IMO, and i get to keep my E90 m3 cherry.

i've driven many cars on the track and i was pleasantly surprised by the miata...at least on a short course.

The biggest problem is the faster cars in the advanced run group. The z06's, the GTR's. They should seriously have their own run group. The speed differential is dangerous and those cars don't even have to apex correctly to be lightning fast.

I've been saying this too. Cars should be grouped not only by driver skill but by horsepower as well. No matter how skilled you are, driving a Miata with other folks driving GTR's, Z06's, GT3's, race cars whatever is not safe IMO.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by AMPowerJ

I've been saying this too. Cars should be grouped not only by driver skill but by horsepower as well. No matter how skilled you are, driving a Miata with other folks driving GTR's, Z06's, GT3's, race cars whatever is not safe IMO.

The group I run with allows passing anywhere with a point by in the advanced group. I've never seen an issue with this...seems like traffic flows VERY well. The miata guys I've rode with don't mind either.

[dnvrdrvr]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

Lol...I've been lurking around on Craigslist for a beater Miata. I've found one...trying to resist calling them.

Originally Posted by FrenchBoy

Although I think I will get a dedicated track car eventually...

Do it! I bought an E36 M3 late last season. I'm not going to lie, I missed the HP initially. But this season, I've found myself laughing out loud (yep, got it on video too) in the car because I'm having so much fun. The E36 just feels more tossable than the E9x. Learning to drive a 'momentum' car has been fun too. It makes being precise that much more important... and I think it's making me a better driver as a result.