Lucid's initial impressions and some pics

[M-Maika]

Thanks for the review and sharing some quality pics.

[ersin]

Congrats on the car. I'm sure the enjoyment will only increase. The car looks nice in the pictures. I never bought the argument that a dark car is hard to keep clean so get a light one. I believe if it looks nice, go for it. With a car like the M3 it is worth cleaning often. In fact, I love having a nice looking car that I really don't mind cleaning it at all (when the weather allows). I'm pretty sure Jerez is color I want, but I'm on the fence on interior -- it's either Fox Red with carbon leather or Bamboo Beige with wood trim. Maybe you can post pics of the interior soon.

Thanks for the post. Good info here.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by ersin

Congrats on the car. I'm sure the enjoyment will only increase. The car looks nice in the pictures. I never bought the argument that a dark car is hard to keep clean so get a light one. I believe if it looks nice, go for it. With a car like the M3 it is worth cleaning often. In fact, I love having a nice looking car that I really don't mind cleaning it at all (when the weather allows). I'm pretty sure Jerez is color I want, but I'm on the fence on interior -- it's either Fox Red with carbon leather or Bamboo Beige with wood trim. Maybe you can post pics of the interior soon.

Thanks for the post. Good info here.

I strongly suggest FR for JB. Also, the wood trim appears to be too light for this car on the pics I've seen IMHO. I'll post some pics of the interior when I get a chance to take them.

[ruff]

Lucid,

You are one of the original hard cores on this forum and I can vouch that a lot people have been waiting to see your car and hear from thee master.

The car is absolutely stunning in those pictures. It is almost beyond words. You are now going to have a lot of company with people switching to JB once they see those shots.

I am truly excited to to see you so excited about your ride. You have waited for and researched this monster for a long time my friend. Please Keep us updated with shots and travel logs. The BMW world waits...

[monsta]

Originally Posted by ruff

Lucid,

You are one of the original hard cores on this forum and I can vouch that a lot people have been waiting to see your car and hear from thee master.

The car is absolutely stunning in those pictures. It is almost beyond words. You are now going to have a lot of company with people switching to JB once they see those shots.

I am truly excited to to see you so excited about your ride. You have waited for and researched this monster for a long time my friend. Please Keep us updated with shots and travel logs. The BMW world waits...

well said!!

[nusevad]

Great writeup and pics Lucid, i cant wait to get my car now!

[umwolverine]

Congrats Bro!! The car is awesome. Great pics. Post more when you get a chance..

[ersin]

Originally Posted by lucid

I strongly suggest FR for JB. Also, the wood trim appears to be too light for this car on the pics I've seen IMHO. I'll post some pics of the interior when I get a chance to take them.

That's funny, all the pictures I've seen, except for the vert at the car show (Chicago?) looked way too dark; almost like black wood. I know pictures don't do it justice. I'll just try to get a look at the colors in real life before I order.

I had cinnamon in my E46 M3. In some pictures the FR looks like cinnamon. Do you agree?

Cheers

[lucid]

Originally Posted by ersin

That's funny, all the pictures I've seen, except for the vert at the car show (Chicago?) looked way too dark; almost like black wood. I know pictures don't do it justice. I'll just try to get a look at the colors in real life before I order.

I had cinnamon in my E46 M3. In some pictures the FR looks like cinnamon. Do you agree?

Cheers

Not sure about cinnamon as I haven't looked at it carefully in person. FR is more like a brick color. GregW has nice pics of FR, pretty representative. Check that out:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126672

[lucid]

Originally Posted by ruff

I am truly excited to to see you so excited about your ride.

Thanks Ruff for the kind words. I have been obsessing about the M3 for exactly 20 years. I got to know about it through the posters my brother pinned around his room when I was 16. Then, in college, I pinned posters of it above my own bed. It took me many years to work my ass off and afford one comfortably, but it was worth the wait. The car has clearly changed a lot over the years, but it still delivers big time--maybe in a slightly more civilized fashion than I would like, but it still delivers. Whatever you end up choosing, I hope that you experience a similar degree of satisfaction during delivery.

[Dad3]

Originally Posted by lucid

I drove around CA without front plates for many years. I got only one fix-it ticket, but they had stopped me for speeding not for that, which I took care of quickly. Are you saying the MA Police are more likely to stop me just for not have the front plate? I did drive past several police cars, and no trouble yet. I am assuming the consequence is a fix-it ticket, which is not a big deal. Is that correct in MA as well?

When I picked up my car this past Saturday, the dealer was concerned when I said I only wanted a rear plate. He was relieved when I showed my old plate because he said that the police had come over just recently and threatened to close them down for mounting just a rear new plate. Supposedly the owner of another car told the police that the dealer made him do it. Nice, huh?

So I can't say what trouble you may end up in, but I've certainly been stopped for having the wrong registration sticker on the license plate. It takes really good eyes to notice that. I don't know how the police are going to treat us new M3'ers! We're not exactly wolves in sheeps' clothing!

I've gone to some effort to keep my old plate. The front of the car looks so much nicer without a plate.

[Romo]

Congrats, I do love JB and FR, the 2nd best combo IMHO

SS2 and FR is the only one better to my taste that is also the cleaning aspect is important to me, so happy cleaning over there

[M2MG17]

time for painted reflectors

[ChaneRZ]

congrats!

[Stahlgrau]

Congrats, Lucid!

[dawgdog]

Love the photos especially the one with the horse in the background. I also love the color combination. Congratulations!

[ersin]

Originally Posted by lucid

Not sure about cinnamon as I haven't looked at it carefully in person. FR is more like a brick color. GregW has nice pics of FR, pretty representative. Check that out:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126672

I've seen that. It's just that pictures don't do the color justice. The red seems different in all the pics. But, so do all the other colors. I'll just need to see for myself. They're probably all great looking though.

[lucid]

I'd say GregW's pics are representative of FR. Of course, nothing like seeing it person.

[e46e92love]

Originally Posted by lucid

Thanks Ruff for the kind words. I have been obsessing about the M3 for exactly 20 years. I got to know about it through the posters my brother pinned around his room when I was 16. Then, in college, I pinned posters of it above my own bed. It took me many years to work my ass off and afford one comfortably, but it was worth the wait. The car has clearly changed a lot over the years, but it still delivers big time--maybe in a slightly more civilized fashion than I would like, but it still delivers. Whatever you end up choosing, I hope that you experience a similar degree of satisfaction during delivery.

Wow, this is the post that grabbed me, not the review (it was good but didn't invoke emotion like this one). I am in the same boat, dreamed about this car and every other M I ever saw. Every time I see an e46 M3 my heart races. My fiance doesn't understand why despite my company about to blow up all I ever talk about doing is buying the e92 M3 as soon as it comes out. She sees my 335 and can't understand why I still drool over the "an older car" as she puts it.

At the end of the day the only thing I dream about buying is the M3. Course the house purchase is great and vacations are nice, but nothing keeps me going through the tough times like the chance at owning an M3. I know, I'm sick, and there is no cure for what I have......

Glad to see someone else has been obessing over the M's as much as I have and I'm so happy for you that your dream has come true. Mazol Tov and enjoy!!!

[Dad3]

Originally Posted by lucid

How do you get a hold of an old plate in MA?

You had to have gotten it over 20 years ago and made sure you transferred it from one vehicle to the next:

2002 -> E21 323is -> e30 325is -> e36 M3 -> e90 M3 !!

[WCH]

Originally Posted by Dad3

You had to have gotten it over 20 years ago and made sure you transferred it from one vehicle to the next:

2002 -> E21 323is -> e30 325is -> e36 M3 -> e90 M3 !!

That's what makes it hard - you can't get one unless it gets bequeathed to you at this point.

I'm going with the Skene Design plate mount so that there are no holes in the bumper but don't need the hassle of being pulled over.

[Jack28]

Great write up man.... Congrats on the car! She's a Beauty!!


Jack