1. E46 M3s are claimed from the factory to be 343PS (338bhp).
2. They never make that power (usually 325bhp).
3. Chipping may gain the "lost" ponies, but no way will it gain 30bhp
.
4. CSLs are even worse - claimed 360PS (355bhp) and the true power out puts of these vary horrendously. A friend has one and only makes 355bhp AFTER being chipped
.
5. As standard they understeer as bad as a Cossie when pushed hard (so all the "great" handling bollocks is just that
). They are "good", NOT "great". It takes just as much money to make them "great" as it does a Cossie (the understeer is designed to protect "normal" drivers from themselves
)
.
6. They are just as unreliable as Cossies, and no-one in their right mind would buy one without a BMW warranty, as the VANOS can give HUGE COSTLY problems, as can the SMG gearboxes (after so many launches, the explode and the launches are all data-logged and if you have done more than 20, it invalidates the warranty
and then the replacement box is down to you - £8k
)
All of the above makes it worse that your arse was handed to you
.
Would I have one? Yes - but spare me the rose-tinted BMW shit please
.