Yesterday was a bad day for me. I got a ticket for 65 in a 50. I got a papercut while looking at Ant Farms at Toys R Us. And I got beat by a friend of mine in his new BMW M3 'vert. Well no ****, Sherlock, right? Read on, because the outcome isn't as bad as you and I might have thought.

I saw Joseph pulling out of Best Buy in his silver M3, so I let him pull in front of me. We turned onto the feeder (these loooong stretches of road that run parallel to the freeways here in TX) and hit a red light. He's in front of me, and I know he's going to punch it when the light turns green, becaues he got on it every chance he got since he left Best Buy. At least thats what it seemed like compared to my no-torquemobile. Anyway he hits it off the line and instantly pulls about 3 lengths on me -- one of those lengths is because that's the way we started, with him in front. We stayed that way with him maybe pulling ever so slightly on me up til the top of 3rd gear where I shut down because I had to merge onto the freeway. I couldn't believe he didn't pull that hard on me. In fact, the last LS1 F-Body I raced pulled harder than that M3 did. But it could be that the extra weight of being a convertable brought the M3's performance to sub LS1 levels, as far as straight line speed goes.

Granted, when you're in the same lane as the person you're racing, it's hard to tell exactly how bad you're losing (or winning) compared to a side-by-side race. But in all honesty I have over 200 miles of dragstrip seat time and I know how hard a car pulls from me that is 5mph, 10mph, or even 20mph faster in trap speeds. This M3 looked like it was maybe 5mph faster, if that -- and if you've been to the dragstrip, visually that's not a whole lot of difference.

gg BMW

The only non-Honda part I have is an AEM intake.

 

hhmmmmm...

 

my buddy has a 01 coupe...kills my car...I've driven it...without a doubt....maybe he just doesn't know how to drive...

 

I have run into 2 new m3s on the street. The first conv I raced I destroyed.........The coupe, I got my *** handed to me from the line. It ussually comes down to the driver. FYI my ITR runs consistant mid 13s as it sits. Also if your friend left his traction control on that would have significantly hampered his performance.

mattj





[Modified by Dropspeed, 2:05 PM 1/8/2002]

 

You were at Toys R Us looking at ant farms?

 

Short story... Not very interesting

 

I was wondering about that statement too...

 

 

too funny

 

a attribute it to: left his traction control or cant drive....those are low 13 second cars....

 

And high 12 second cars.....

 

i drive both cars on a weekly basis and its no contest. might as well brag about almost beating granny in her testarossa.

 

Sorry, I was just telling the story like it happened. If you think a 105mph car is going to beat a 100mph car by 20 car lengths in the 1/4 (or in the first three gears for that matter), you're living in a fantasy world. And if I'm bragging about losing to an M3, you're bragging about driving one on a weekly basis

 

The reason it "seemed" slower than an LS1 F-body is because IT IS slower than one. Ram-Air LS1's w/6 spd trans. Runs 12.7 @ 105 with a man (not a boy) behind the wheel. As nice and fast as the new M3's are. A $28,000 Ram Air Trans Am will run circles around it. And you can take my word on this one. I work at a Pontiac dealership and drive LS1's on a daily basis.

 

hell yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! i like ant farms too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Uh, yeah...sure they don't. This "man" must have had slicks on his LS1. I've ran LS1's as well as a new M3 convertible and the M3 was definitley faster than any of the stock LS1's. Saying an LS1 will run circles around a new M3 deserves a couple of in my opinion.

 

I saw my buddy run a 13.1 on a stock WS6, in the middle of summer in south florida....

sorry, but I think the F body wins this one...stock for stock

 

I'll only acknowledge Steve C's reply. Because Activeaero, you're fresh out of troll status, and, your previous posts speak for themselves. Like running an open cat on your ITR and your "mad skillz" interior removal. I drove an '02 Firehawk (345 hp) on Friday that came in off the truck. I had to wash it and fill it up for the owner who had patiently been waiting for it to arrive. And I can assure you that no stock M3 (E36 or E46 for that matter) could even hold a candle to this $31,000 Trans Am in a straight line. No way! I've driven an '02 M3 and although leaps and bounds faster than it's predecessor. It's not F-body fast in a straight line. Deal with it.

And, although base ram air cars only have 325 hp, the extra $2500 for the "Firehawk" upfitter package (Bilstein shocks, SLP exhaust, serialized plaque, etc.) is money well spent. I'm madly in love with the new M3, and lust to own one in the next year or two if my finances allow it. But a Ram Air T/A and a nice downpayment on a house sounds better to my wife.


[Modified by H-PIMP, 12:50 AM 1/9/2002]

 

as stock as the showroom floor gets...he still hasn't done ANYTHING to it...he's saving for a house so he doesn't spend any cash on it...

 

Agreed. LS1 F-body's deliver supercar performance at sport compact prices. I'm even considering jumping into an F-body. Since I get the nice GM discount for being an employee. Which means that I can drive a WS6 off the lot for the price of a WRX. And have speed and handling that rivals the E46 M3 at a fraction of the cost. If you get a T/A with the right options it will handle like its on rails.

 

The WS6 might kill the M3 at the strip, but race around a roadcourse. By bye Trans-Am. ALso, about the ITR vs M3 issue, did you ever consider the fact that you were driving in his draft, im sure that helped you ALOT. Try racing him side by side and tell us how it goes. Not trying to flame or anything, just offering my opinion.

 

All good points. Lets not forget that, although the M3 will have an edge in stopping power (but not much if the F-body is 1LE equipped) the corner exit speed of the F-body will even things out a little. It really boils down to the driver, since both cars are very capable machines. A $49,000 Z06 on the other hand, will mop the floor with both cars (M3 & F-body) with the a/c on. While leaving an extra $20k in the Vette owners pocket.

 

Okay, I'll agree that the Z06 will tear apart the M3 or F-body on a road course. But please explain where the Vette owner will get the extra $20k from...?

 

M3's are going for WAY over sticker in this part of the country (high 60's), as where a Z06 can be picked up for $1500 under list. So when it's all said and done the Z06 is $15 to $20k cheaper than a new M3.

 

Oh okay, I didn't know there was a shortage of M3s in NYC. If I were going to buy an M3 (or any other car), I would never pay MORE than sticker... That makes the car much less appealing, especially when the competition is so tight.