This car is something else!

[R68]

I had my first track day Sat. Started with 42 psi which allowed the tire to roll a bit much like your pic above. Temperature was around 80 to 85 degrees. Went to 44 psi all around and that was perfect. Car is an absolute stunner on the track. An e46 M3 owner / instructor drove my car and was sold after one lap. He placed his order today.

[DJ9]

Originally Posted by R68

I had my first track day Sat. Started with 42 psi which allowed the tire to roll a bit much like your pic above. Temperature was around 80 to 85 degrees. Went to 44 psi all around and that was perfect. Car is an absolute stunner on the track. An e46 M3 owner / instructor drove my car and was sold after one lap. He placed his order today.

Completely agree, the car can handle like a motha! Interesting...so I may have had too little air. I was always under the assumption the tires should be at 38 psi when hot at the track.

Curious, how are your brakes? My ONLY negative take away i have as of today, is of the strange feeling the brakes The brakes worked great at the limits on the track, however there is some deposits on my rotors that need to smooth out...more annoying than anything.

Here are pics of my tires, the first 3 are of the front right; notice the uneven wear in the middle and the jagged tread that flares up. The tire is not flat, rather lower in the middle towards the inner half. Also notice i'm already down to the wear bar in the middle. Pics 4 and 5 are of the Front Left and Rear which are fine.

I'm going to continue to use these for the track, but it would not be wise to pull into the Dealer with tires like this.

[DJ9]

of my rotors and brake pads for you guys:

[MrClean]

Remind me never to buy a used car from you, lol. Good work!!

[ersin]

Quick question: did you bed the brakes in after taking delivery of the car?

[shchow]

Nice write up!
I just got back from Spartanburg last Friday (5/30/2008) from the M Driving Experience. They had M3, M5, M6s to drive. We used the M3s for the autocross and handling exercise. We abused the crap out of all the vehicles. What a phenomenal car! The feedback was quite remarkable; able to feel the backend slipping immediately, and able to dial back on the throttle. Handling was fantastic and quite neutral. I was worried about the relative low torque, but able to chirp the wheel going into 2nd and 3rd gears. Quite a remarkable car...

[DJ9]

Originally Posted by MrClean

Remind me never to buy a used car from you, lol. Good work!!

Rule of thumb...do not buy a used M..LOL!

Originally Posted by ersin

Quick question: did you bed the brakes in after taking delivery of the car?

I did not, but my the tech ( old friend of mine) who performed the delivery QC did.

Last night, I bedded the brakes, the slight vibration I mentioned when braking is completely gone....yippie.

The only thing that remains, is the increase in travel in the brake pedal and the lack of braking unfortunately. I believe this is a brake fluid/air in the lines related issue now, rotors are fine.

Anyhow, I'm bringing her in for a little service refresh visit on Thursday, I'll see what the verdict is then. She'll be back to new in no time, got to love warranty!

[ersin]

Originally Posted by DJ9

Rule of thumb...do not buy a used M..LOL!

Especially if it's from Spartanburg!

[shchow]

Originally Posted by ersin

Especially if it's from Spartanburg!

LOL, we asked what they did with the vehicles used in their courses. Was told that they are repaired and sold at auction. Didn't go into details of what that meant.

[DJ9]

Originally Posted by shchow

LOL, we asked what they did with the vehicles used in their courses. Was told that they are repaired and sold at auction. Didn't go into details of what that meant.

These cars can handle quite a bit; and as long as you dont abuse the vehicle, it's all good. I'm very anal over all my vehicles, but I do drive them for what they're worth. Unfortunately the brakes and tires are set for the street use; so they take a beating and look worse than they appear.

Anyhow, this car rocks! Oh, and my Premier Clear Film worked out great!

[!Xoible]

could u post pics from the track?

[BCMPOWER]

DJ9 your tires do have strange wear patterns to them, do you know if your tires were heat cycled? It looks like the front right is blistered making the tread rise like that, or even the tread separating from the carcase. Usually heat cycled tires resist wear better and have more even wear patterns.

[DJ9]

Originally Posted by BCMPOWER

DJ9 your tires do have strange wear patterns to them, do you know if your tires were heat cycled? It looks like the front right is blistered making the tread rise like that, or even the tread separating from the carcase. Usually heat cycled tires resist wear better and have more even wear patterns.

Exactly, my front right looks like it heated up way too quickly...not normal at all. Just got two front put on today and keeping the old fronts for the track.

Here are some pics in the other forum guys!

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...=1#post2769477

[consolidated]

It's great to finally see the car getting it's legs stretched in a proper setting.

[man02195]

Ah, didn't put 2 and 2 together that those pics of your tires were the same car pictured in the track photos. Your brake rotors will clean up in a couple of days, bleed the brakes (either manual or brake bleeder) and your pedal feel will be back in 15 minutes.

Your tires had full tread depth on them, so they'll feather edge on the track. Drive them a week or two and they'll flatten out. Shaved tires don't have that problem, less chucking and feathering. BTW, once you drive them a couple of times on the highway, they get heat cycled, so if your car has 1,200 miles or more, they've done been cycled.

[DJ9]

Originally Posted by man02195

Ah, didn't put 2 and 2 together that those pics of your tires were the same car pictured in the track photos. Your brake rotors will clean up in a couple of days, bleed the brakes (either manual or brake bleeder) and your pedal feel will be back in 15 minutes.

Your tires had full tread depth on them, so they'll feather edge on the track. Drive them a week or two and they'll flatten out. Shaved tires don't have that problem, less chucking and feathering. BTW, once you drive them a couple of times on the highway, they get heat cycled, so if your car has 1,200 miles or more, they've done been cycled.

Lol..ya same guy. Thanks for the info on the brakes and tires...sounds like this has been the general answer from most people.

[BM3W!]

First I want to say, hello! This is my first post here. I havent posted on any bimmer sites in awhile but luckily I have a reason now I traded in my 2001 E46 M3 (with 99,890 very hard miles on it that began immediately after I broke the car in lol) and ordered an '08 E92 M3 coupe. Only thing that sucks is in order to get the deal I wanted, I had to trade my car in immediately, and the new M is two months out!

This is going to be the hardest 2 months of my life, especially after reading the OP! Thanks for that! I am so exicted!

[fmquadri]

Congrats Dave! Truly envious that you got to track the car at Laguna. Can't wait for the next GGC event. Mt. Tam will seem a little 'light' after 500 miles at Laguna.. hah. Crazy.

Great write up!

[DJ9]

Originally Posted by fmquadri

Congrats Dave! Truly envious that you got to track the car at Laguna. Can't wait for the next GGC event. Mt. Tam will seem a little 'light' after 500 miles at Laguna.. hah. Crazy.

Great write up!

Thanks Faisal...Mt. Tam is irreplaceable though..which reminds me, we still need to do that drive. Also, let me know if you're going to the Car Control Clinic this month with GGC... I may go too.

By the way, very nice blacked out grills...I saw your car at the gym parking lot the other week

[DJ9]

Followup on the brakes. Everything was perfect with the rotors and pads, just needed a brake fluid flush. Also had the alignment taken care of as well. Got to love warranty!

[S65B40]

Such a great write up! It gives me a boost in confidence on my own ///M!

[slikk66]

Dave, what kind of event was this? And what did you do about insurance? I have seen some of the track-pack insurance available, they want 3% of MSRP for a 10 day pack, with a 4% deductible. I assume this session wasn't "drivers education" so your regular insurance didnt cover it.

Thanks for the info! I'm headed to the autocross on the 22nd, next stop after that is willow springs!

What a treat man, congratulations.