Ginge !

im looking at one tommorow, just wondering are they as good as the BMW boys swear about em ??

double vanos issues, what is it and how much should i budget ???

do they accelerate fast or does if feel like a normal M3 ?

bud-weis

had one up until recently...they are very very good cars, end of! much nicer to live with than a cossie.

Vanos issues are basically a mechanical rumbling/grinding type noise from the vanos units (there on the front of the engine) ....when you rev the car above 2k and let it settle you'll hear a nasty noise if it's fucked.

check it when hot and cold too.

you can check with BMW if it's had them replaced at any point, but tbh they can go at any time, whether it's a new unit or not....defo change the vanos filter every few thousand miles though, there only a couple of quid and take seconds to change.As for price, i guess about £1500 to replace..it's quite an obvious noise though.

As for acceleration, no they don't feel that much different to an M3, but once over about 5k they really pull strong....it's very linear and easily gets you to 130mph+....but still feels extremely smooth and sturdy.

i really really regret selling mine!

C4llyT

Not really much in 3.0 and 3.2, 3.0 makes it's power and more, 3.2 never makes it's power, for a number of reasons, mainly OBD2 and bhp and ps confusion.

Worth checking an insurance quote on both, see if you think the evo is worth the possibly much higher premium.
As above for vanos, no rhyme or reason to failure, some cars have had 3, others fine on original.
Don't feel that quick, so linear.
Do pick up a bit at 5k, but RR shows how linear it actually is, engine note changes at 5000 though, gets very nice.

costina

iTrader: (1)

Evo never makes the bmw quoted power output of 321bhp

last one i saw made around 315bhp which had 50k on

Paul

Ginge !

ah, bollox to that then

trying to find a "ring car" for may, that or scooby but M3 wins as i got a set of 17ins wheels i can fit slicks to for track use

M3 dont feel all that though, ah well this weekend i shall test and see

L33 BYT

Oh ginge, dont buy one.
I really really want one!!!!
Its driving me mad with every one else having one.

Magnex20011

315 hp on an engine that has has potentially 50k hard miles when brand new is 320 is not bad at all!!!. All cars will lose power as the miliage clocks on due to engine wear and tear. Get an M3 you won't regret it. Far better than grandads seirra with a turbo bolted on it .. oh and it can be thrashed without a full rebuild the following week. . I have owned fast fords and an E36 M3. My money is on the M3 all the time!!

Madbradz

Just Got myself a non evo... As dont want the hassle of double vanos, also lots of people have told me that they dont make 321hp & the 3.0 responds better to tuning.

Im 21, The diffrence between insuring an evo and non evo was £350...

Also the 3.2 have 6speed gearboxes that break, so im told....

So everything pointed at me getting a 3.0... The only shame is you cant get the 3.0 in Estorial blue...

Btw... They dont really feel fast.... but then look at the speedo and you realise that they are...

It took me a while to get used to... The lack of Lag!!

5axo.rst

Im 21, The diffrence between insuring an evo and non evo was £350...
[/QUOTE]

What sort of insurance do you pay, as I got quoted silly money and Im 24!!!

bud-weis

As far as i am aware, the 6 speed box is very strong?

mine was Estoril Blue with silver leather....i've promised myself an E46 next year, but we'll see lol.

bud-weis

What sort of insurance do you pay, as I got quoted silly money and Im 24!!![/QUOTE]

I payed silly money too....£1350 on a 97 Evo Convertible, i'm 25 with 3yrs NCD.

C4llyT

That's because they don't rate it at 321 bhp....
316 bhp is what they rate it at, so spot on, good if you consider the OBD2.

C4llyT

A lot say box is weaker but is same box.
First gear is an arse but a hose sorts that.
Not as nice a feel to box or clutch IMO.

As for engines mines on 134k now, had it since 107k and not topped oil up in that time, so says a lot considering they're highly strung, high output, and high revving engines.

For the money a good choice for the track imo.

indycos

iTrader: (2)

if anyone has an EVO and finds it difficult getting the car into 1st or 2nd gear, read this page and buy the uprated clutch hose from BMW's

http://www.alsweiler.com/Default.asp...=128&EntryID=4

it was a genuine re-man part by BMW, which replaced the crap original factory item

some cars may already have them fitted as most M3's are now owned by enthusiasts who know about the modification

fordsportjay

iTrader: (6)

hold back ginge,then once ive proved how good my new toy is next week,ill sell it to you-much cheaper to insure too!(320i!!!!).

C4llyT

Why insure it if you're not insured, just don't bother.

Ollie.

They always rated M3 Evos as 321bhp.... have one of these.

C4llyT

No they didn't, BMW are German...

You'll get there eventually, and take a few of these

Madbradz

I payed silly money too....£1350 on a 97 Evo Convertible, i'm 25 with 3yrs NCD.[/QUOTE]

1600 quid TPFT..... :O :O

Ollie.

Bhp is Bhp german or not.... 321.....

C4llyT

No, they use PS, which is different...

Mate, you're just looking silly now, give it up.

Steven_RW

lol at this petty arguement

321 ps - bhp or whatever - who gives a shit

RW

C4llyT

Not me, but they get slated for not hitting 321bhp, when they never made 321bhp, so unfairly so.

http://www.google.com/search?q=germa...e=utf8&oe=utf8

Ollie.

http://www.supercarworld.com/cgi-bin...eneral.cgi?274

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol...cle1075257.ece

http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews...3-2003850.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M3#Performance_2


Will i keep going?

C4llyT

All those links are wrong, top 3 are English so mistakingly use bhp, as most English do, and bottom one quotes the E46 M3 as 343bhp, when it is 343ps.

It's not hard to figure really, everywhere (like Germany where car is built) use PS and rate it at 321, places (like here) that use bhp rate it at 321. Our horses are more powerful.
This is where the confusion stems.
On a run of mill car with 100PS it doesn't really matter.
Look at the old Fords with PS written on the engine, I bet the same figure is quoted for their bhp (although at these power levels may be just 1bhp lower).

Don't worry about being wrong, the majority are on this matter mate.

Ollie.

Ok everyones wrong but you're right... who fucking cares anyway... im only keeping this going because im bored! Dont care if im wrong.

I owned one and its a far nicer car than a subaru. Bought it after i sold my evo 6 RS 2 and it was so much nicer to use everyday...

C4llyT

At last phew.
Contact bmw if you're so sure mate, I wouldn't have continued if I was wrong.
Germany use PS, find the PS figure - it can't be 321 if that's the bhp.


Anyways, great all rounder, what I bought mine for (non evo), does everything fairly well, and is reliable and cheap to run considering the car it is.

I'd rather give an M3 a beating on a few track days that the equivilant price scooby, know you'll get home afterwards.

Ginge !

ARGHHHHHHH

so anyway, apart from the IMPORTANT " PS is NOT BHP" infomation we have learned today

what else has anyone got to say about Evo's

Stavros

Best mate had M3 Evo for years, never any problems barring when he broke the box slamming it into reverse by accident while arguing with the mrs.

And a shitload faster than a few other mates non-Evo versions, even the ones with a few mods (filter/chip/zorst) thats for fucking sure.

Mr Brannen

Ive just got back from Slough viewing an Evo Convertible,we knocked it back because it wouldnt go into 1st!!!
And ive had both and the Evo is MUCH faster than the 3.0. my little bro is hunting the country at the minute for an Estoril Blue Evo Convertible, simply awesome cars for the money

llw

i had a m3 3.0 cab for many years, really liked it was well slow compare to cousins 3.2 cab though

sold mine last year, because before i bought the m3 wanted a escos so i bought a escos and stopped even lookin at the m3 forget drive it, so i sold it

open garage door and escos makes me smile...

C4llyT

For the sake of a £60 hose?

These evo's which are much faster must be driven properly then, and all that go up the 1/4 mile driven gently on the way.

I must say all I drove felt no quicker, maybe they had vanos issues or gentle owners; still nice to drive however.

Edit/Even my M3 owners handbook is wrong, states 210kW and 286bhp, which is in fact 286ps and 282bhp.

AlexF

Cracking cars Ginge - double vanos can be done for less than £1500, if you know the right specailst *COUGH*

Alex

bmwe30cab

truely stunning cars mate! everyone moans on about the vanos but its bollox imo. they aint as bad as people make them out to be. you have to buy an evo version or you will be driving around just thinking how good is the evo?? i had to have to have the evo as i wanted the best colour and also didnt want to be thinking, i wish i got an evo.
mine made 315 bhp on the rr, plenty good enough, they are quicker than the 3.0l ones and beats scoobys un less its wet and theres corners about lol. mate has a 4x4 cossie which runs 360 bhp and i can sit on his arse all day long as long as were rolling first and another mate has a 370 bhp 3 door and he can just creep away unless there is a corners then hes all over the place lol.
first gear can be strange when you first drive it flat out as it has this thing like a nanny gear where it acts like traction control so help get you off the mark or you would be just spinning round in circles. it basically cuts the power abit in only first gear untill about 4 rpm and then lets rip in every other gear. ive had mine sit at 165 no probs, pulls there so easy.
you wont regret buying one thats for sure.

carlo

iTrader: (4)

Vanos units are 1550+ vat with 10% discount plus you still need to fit it they have went up in price i work for a bmw dealership & my sisters boyfreind has just bought a new vanos as his was grumbling this time last year they were about 1200 + vat

Mr Brannen

But it may have been the box fucked,oh no all the numpty know it alls on PF said it must be a hose so Im wrong,it also crunched into reverse as well,definately not a hose unfortunately

DangerousBryan

dont forget that if an evo has been driven gently for a while it will go into economy mode. it takes about 10-15 minutes of hard driving to get them back onto full power.

bryan

Tarren

Few Pics of my M3 i love it

Enjoy!!!!

Ollie.

Mate saying the BMW handbook states the power wrongly may be going to far. Maybe.... just maybe.... you're wrong.

Ginge !

well i test drove a evo today,,,,,,, sorry guys but just aint fun to drive for a toy for me i dont think

goes well but its a little boring for me,,,,, it actually felt slower than my 325 off a roundabout though it did hold the power on longer

ive decided i need a smile brought to my face every time i drive, decided a STI even though need to hold the power on longer is ALOT more fun driving

its just for the ring anyway tbh and something to go to shows in this year to see if i get the "bug" back