Will be next car. BTW I do not care how fast they go just after a nice looking car as they can be picked up for good money these days.

I have driven a manual liked it, now the question is what are the SMG's like and confused with SMG1/SMG2. seems to be more of these for sale. I hear the gearbox oil does not require changing or am I hearing the wrong info?

Is it problems and just best look for a manual or worth considering?

Thanks

 

before you get an SMG drive one, you get more jerks than a 60yr old porn star no matter how you set it up arround town, flat out there the tits tho.

they suffer with SMG controllers and there £1500 to replace and reprogram.

stick with a manual

 

Guess that answers that one then. Manual it is.
Not buying it for it pace, just to cruise in.

Thanks

 

love my SMG M3 the SMG1 was on the E36 and more problem prone! think they have ironed this out on the E46 they are a little jerky from cold though but have read a remap that Evolve offer overcomes this and transforms the car!

really happy with mine! owned it 18 months now! goes well for a standard car and the back end is easy to step out with the traction off! i would say try SMG and Manual to see what suits you as it really is personal choice! after going round Cadwell in a CSL i had to have SMG loved the feeling and launch control is a nice little gimic. certainly a lot of car for the money!!

The gearbox oil is suposed to be "lifetime oil" but i changed mine as persoanly i rather be safe in the mind its clean oil going round the box for what its costs to buy compaired to the oil you put in it!!

Vanos filter is another thing i would change! and snapped rear springs are common. Check the brakes for wear as for the lot it cost me £700 with standard disks performance friction pads and goodridge hoses discs were staff discounted. Brakes are the only let down of the car tbh they are pants standard but improved a lot with the uprated bits and served me proud at the Nurburg back in April. there loads of help and info over on M3Cutters Forum.

Good luck with your search......

Here are some pics of mine

 

Thats a nice combo

After Leguna seca blue, grey silver or Carbon black but must have red interior.
Would be nice to have all the toys.

Thanks for the heads up Ben was'nt aware of the Vanos filter, where in the bay would I be looking?

Thanks

 

stick to a manual smgs rip theboot floor, if its over 10 yrs old it aintcoverd with bmw warranty, the rip the rear subframe, at diff mounting points, i had a 54 plate manual, wouldnt go past them mate, they are great cars, try get a full spec one though,dvd etc more desirable if u gonna sell it again, had mine 3 yrs and never had 1 problem with it at all

http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/...3/bmwm3018.jpg

http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/...3/bmwm3016.jpg

http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/...3/bmwm3002.jpg

some pics of the beast

also join m3 cutters mate, they will help you , good bunch of lads

 

Rip the bootfloor are they that bad? Will be on m3 cutters later some point today

 

I think one of these will be my next car too, im defo going for an smg though.

SMG1 is an e36, SMG2 is e46. After driving the bosses smg e46 i loved it, slightly jerky and annoying at low speed but on the road its amazing. Hadn't heard of the boot floor stuff. but e36's did this too and BMW sold reinforcing plates to solve that problem... maybe they do it for the 46 too?

I would go and have a good drive of them both and see what you think. BTW The SMG gearbox is identical to the manual box, just with an electronic shifter and clutch, they even take the standard manual clutch.

Not the fastest car in the world, not the best handling, most practical etcetc. But they do ALL of those things really well most other cars can only do one or two, and they remain simple enough that a private individual can still service and maintain them.


Rob,

 

fantastic cars mate
you wont go wrong

i loved my m3
but ive said before

keep an eye on the speedo
as you will be pulling big speeds without even noticing
and they eat rear tyres lol

 

Yup mate they rip floors at mounting points. M3 cutters has pics of where. And it's mostly the smgs that do it. Full throttle gear changes etc. I personally wouldn't entertain an smg. But that's just my choice

 

Personally as a daily driver, I'd never have a manual.

My SMG is amazing. Its just so much better around town. No problem with the boot floor either.

Seriously, hands down the best car I've ever owned.

Quite right about the speed though. It doesn't have the kick in the back of a turbo powered torquey car, but you'll look down and see yourself doing silly three figure speeds before you know it.

And the noise is seriously addicitive!

 

Seems to be alot of mixed reviews on transmission, will have to try SMG now, but for some reason can see myself leaning towards manual really do no want any disappointments.

 

For me getting perfect gear changes is a major part of enjoying driving, and SMG takes that away, in a car like an M3 you need a manual. My daily drive 530d is auto, and really suits the lazy nature of the engine.

 

I test drove ever varient, cabbys are wank compared tot he coupe and gearbox wise its personal preference. I much prefered the smg over the manual as it just makes the car a little bit more special and different from a normal car if you know what i mean. As for them being jerky round town, its a load of shite you just need to learn how to drive them, if you keep your foot mashed to the floor when changing up it will be jerky as its trying to change as quick as possible but if you lift off it will change like a normal smooth gear change.

There a decent car but running costs are pretty bad and service costs are high especially if something breaks. Remember you might be anle to pick one up for 7k but there a 50k car and have running costs of a 50k car. Choose wisely when buying one cause there are pigs out there now there cheap as people aint maintained them as they should be.

 

i hate BMW'S with a passion but ive ot to say the E46 M3 is one of the most complete packaged car ive ever driven ! they dont set the world on fire on the road but on a track there brilliant

 

Run a Evo which has regular 4k services so maintanance costs are not really a issue, budget will be between 9-11k

 

Hence why im getting one Jay, not after a fast and Furious type car, just something that looks good, decent boot space, still modern reliable and decent on Fuel.

They fit the criteria im after will be 1st BMW. So makes a change.

 

Need some inspiration?



Manual, and I'd sell it

 

Im after a Vert blame Ram on here

Though that's nice with the CSL wheels.

 

Heres mine, carbon black with red leather, manual, i love it!

 

I had an 05 smg and it was good fun but I preferred the manual its a better drive, if you do a lot of town driving smg would good but its not better than the manual.

smg is quite clonky at low speed ie jerky and can be quite hard on the car eg flat out 1st into 2nd can make a loud bang you that you'd never feel on a manual.

SMG1 was on the E36 cars, rubbish compared with the E46, it was based on an Alfa system and changes are slow and they do fail, I had a low mileage '99 smg evo and it had lots of problems with the gearbox - BMW couldnt fix it told me it needed at new box at £3600, luckily George at tecnosport knew how to fix it.

He is an ex cossie racer and knows more about fixing M's than the main dealers;

http://www.technosport.co.uk/

 

my old one:

 

S3an - that looks lovely mate!! The Schnitzer wheels really suit it!!

 

Proper one

 

Easily the best car i have owned!!.. Can be juicy on fuel when giving it some beans but the noise makes up for it

 

Dan - get the dumpy ariel on. That standard one looks toss!

Plus a short and stumpy knob should be just up your street!

 

+1


Wouldn't want a manual one. I hate clutches in road cars.


I've had 2. Very good cars.

My first was Carbon black with red.

Second was a black with black. Its for sale again. Sold it to a mate and he doesn't like it

 

Ordered one last week Rich

sod off

 

How much is your chopski...

Its on my list for the new year if I don't get a bike.

 

PM me if you're at all interested

 

I really like these now. I'd like to get a carbon black convertible on the std 19's but I just go round in circles thinking about it. Always hear people saying things like "they're not that slow" which clearly means they feel it. Then I think do I want to pay loads on insurance for something I'd consider slow. Then I see how cheap they are, start looking but end up reading about cracked sub frames and running in services and you end up needing to spend twice as much as you wanted

Really I'd like a new one, but that ain't going to happen until they're tired.

Then I think 'm5' and the whole cheap to expensive battle happens again and I end up doing nothing about it.

Sometimes wish I was as spontaneous as I was when I was younger! Money in pocket.. 1st cossie I look at bought, spend months throwing cash at it

 

It depends what you class as fast.. It wont feel as fast as a well set up cossie as it doesnt have that 'kick' but you will get to 100mph quickly.

If you do your research you can get a well looked after one that has had the running in service etc. Mine is a 2004, got nearly every option, 60k miles, brand new brakes all round and just been serviced and paid £10k for it.

Dont be spontaneous about buying one though as you could end up with a complete shitter and yes you will spend loads on it.

 

Ive got one, as said before they dont feel as quick as a similar powered turbo car but they dont feel slow at all, they just keep pulling and pulling. There isnt really a car in its catorgry that is a better all rounder imo. Had the subframe repair done on mine no problem at all, bmw will do it under warranty as long as its under 10 years old, best to go to a garage who are familiar with doing them though. I dont really see the fuss about running services, obviously its important but how important is it on whats now for example a 10 year old car thats do 80k? Any problems would of surely come up. There not especially cheap to run but no car at this power level is really youv'e just gotta expect that

 

A number of the more established members of our local RSOC have ended up with these in the last few years, mostly from big power cossies and stuff and they all absolutley love em.

I can see the attraction, they will do trackday after trackday, never use oil, never fail to work properly and really do get a lick on.

Ive driven a couple and initially thought - whats the hype about, but the way they seem to gather big speed is amazing. Relentless is the best word. Plus they still have a degree of "smartness" about them, meaning they still have a prestige/luxury feel about them when used daily.

Id love one, especially a drop top. How do the convertibles fair on track - are they THAT much different to the fixed roof variants, and i mean for the odd trackday, not everyweekend sort of thing?

 

Nowt wrong with the SMG II.
I've had mine for 3yrs in Jan and anyone who knows me will tell you it must be doing something right for me to have kept it for so long.
Its only clunky if your not driving it correctly. A very slight ease on the throttle (not a full lift) will see you with a seamless gearchange.

If you can then get one with the AUC warranty on it. It's a great piece of mind if you are concerned about repair bills.

Pick up as late a model as you can as there were some small changes which just finish them off nicely. Extended lip over the rear plate, LED rear lights and some other parts which slip my mind at the moment.

Stunning cars at what they do and i have no intention of selling up anytime soon.

Good luck.