Welcome to the DARK SIDE: PART FOUR (THE MECCA)

[SC5-Charles]

Welcome to the DARK SIDE: PART FOUR (THE MECCA)

Friday PST 1:00pm – Exhausted from a long week of work and looking forward to sleeping on the plane to Florida, I went home to pack for my 4pm flight. I was tired yet excited at the thought of finally seeing what had been done to my car. I had to take a nap but couldn’t sleep with the amount of excitement in my system.

Friday PST 7:00pm – Boarded my flight bound for Miami, Florida with a transfer at Las Vegas, Nevada to pick up my girlfriend. This was to be a weekend trip only but I intended to have a good time in Florida with my girlfriend regardless of how short our visit would be. To make best use of our time we had to sleep on the red-eye flight to Miami.

Friday PST 10:40pm – Outbound flight leaves Las Vegas for Miami, I start counting the number of hours I would have available to sleep on the red-eye flight. Best case scenario 4 hours and 30 minutes. Oh boy.

Saturday PST 3:30am/Saturday EST 6:30am – Arrival in Miami Int'l. I feel really good given that I had only 4 hours of sleep. I tell my girlfriend, "I'm not tired at all!" Adrenaline rush is all I’m feeling.
Miami is humid, very comfortable and immediately I feel that I could live here forever. My ride from the airport is none other than a 6-foot tall Chinaman driving a 4-door Tahoe, Rey Tong himself. We talked about anything and everything. Everything that I felt over the phone was true, sincerity and all. We then head over to Denny’s to eat breakfast with Karl.

Saturday EST 8:00am – If you looked at Karl Hugh you’d never guess that he could have come up with the crazy ideas that take the form of 600hp cars. He’s a mild mannered, polite, not as talkative in person as over the phone. Of course it is Saturday morning 8am and I wouldn’t be all that talkative if I had to wake up that early in the morning to take care of a customer. I can’t remember much of what we talked about over breakfast because the whole time I was eyeing that turbo M3 that Karl had driven to Denny’s and I was just DYING to get a ride in it.

Saturday EST 9:00am – I open the door to the 5-speed stage I/II OBD2 M3. Karl fires her up and immediately the exhaust resonates loud and clear. I don’t think it had cats. Karl is a pretty mild driver much like myself but regardless of how you drive the car, the torque is INCREDIBLE. Each time Karl released the throttle it was well before 6500rpms. I kept marveling at how effortless it was for the car to pull from midrange 3000rpms without any lag. All the while Karl assured me that if I liked this, then I sure as hell didn’t need a stage 4.

Saturday EST 9:30am – I set foot in The Mecca otherwise known as Active Autowerke. My pilgrimage has taken me far and long but I was finally in the holy land. The first thing I remember saying was, “If I die and go to heaven, I hope it looks like this!” Every which way you looked there was a turbo BMW. Then I’m taken for a tour inside and out of the Active facility and it’s just like in the pictures on the website. Of course I’ve also dreamt of being at Active so that obviously helped . As I come out of the machine room, a racked up M3 with a large tipped exhaust caught my eye. Turns out that this is the famous Panamanian M3 with the same setup my car received but with nitrous (and I thought I was insane). BTW that car put out 550 with nitrous on a dynojet TO THE WHEELS. Then as I walk further through the shop I see my car.

Saturday EST 12:00pm – Karl fires up her up and she purrs to life. I remember saying many times, “Ahhh finally it’s not as loud as it was before!” Since previously with the Vortech blower there was that whine (that got annoying over time, but I still got love for S/Cs) plus the excess noise of my exhaust which is almost a straight pipe from the headers down if it weren’t for those 2 high-flow cats that I requested because of California law. So I get into the passenger side (my girlfriend climbs into the back) as I’m accustomed to doing after it’s been in the shop for ages.
I still remember the day I rode shotgun when I had it ESS blown on my automatic tranny, then RMS blown with my manual tranny + 3.2 liter engine… both times it was raining. This time, the sun was out and the road was dry. Karl drives it just as moderately as he did with the stage 1 car and it feels very solid. After less than one pull he pulls over and we switch places.
The feeling of being in the driver seat was like coming home, everything was the same when I first sat in. I flash my turn signal and slowly accelerate out of 1st gear, throw it into second and barely give it 30% throttle. Karl is now telling me, “Try it, step on it”. Without wanting to scare my girlfriend I eased into the throttle and gave it 70% and it PULLED. All I could think was, “Wow.” Ten minutes later I’m laughing hysterically for no reason. “They always do that. They always start laughing uncontrollably after they drive the turbo cars” Karl says smiling. You wanna know why I was laughing? 3 people in the car, 12psi of boost, luggage PLUS spare tire in the back, 90 degree weather, and air con… this car was just getting started.

Saturday EST 4:00pm – Prestige, Scrappy (the mechanical guru that’s been working my car with Karl), and myself go for a drive. Without having to worry about upsetting my girlfriend (she wasn’t feeling well after the car ride so I dropped her off at the hotel), we take a drive around Miami. “Awwwww look at that, a little 540i”, Prestige remarks as he looks in front of us. “Man if I had this car, I’d talk soooo much shit, I’d be so cocky I wouldn’t even talk to anyone no more”. I just smiled and now recall how he had pretty much read my mind. As we’re cruising, I decide to see how it compared with my old S/C setup. I remember the supercharger feeling clearly so I shift into second and let the revs drop under 3.5k, then I punched the throttle.
For as long as I live I will NEVER forget the feeling that I got when I accelerated to 6000 and let go. (That single feeling caused a series of nightmares where I dream my car pops a wheelie and flips backwards and totals itself because I floored it in second gear.) That feeling was created because I floored it and the car squatted so hard that the front end felt like it was lifting off the ground and I was seeing more of the sky than the road. I know I couldn’t have possibly popped a wheelie but for the first time that I have had the car, I was scared. Really scared.
Once again 3 grown men, 95 degrees outside, air con, spare tire, and running 12psi of boost.

Saturday EST 10:00pm – Gathered at the dinner table of a sushi restaurant was Kevlar (Kevin), Mcubed (Carlos) and his girlfriend, Mike Hugh and his wife (Chris), Rey, Karl and his wife (Sandra) and their son, Prestige, and myself. Dinner was short but good, Prestige and I got there late and left early. I wish I was able to stay longer but there was more of Miami to see… in the form of a devilish 600hp M-coupe. But before I forget, there is something to be said about the Active Autowerke hospitality, I was able to meet pretty much everyone at Active and they donated their Saturday and Sunday (special thanks to Prestige, Scrappy, and Rey) to make sure that our every need was met in the entire 2 days that we were there.

Sunday EST 12:00am – We get to Omer’s shop. Outside is parked the most wicked M-Coupe that has ever run God’s green Earth. In a day filled with excitement, was there any adrenaline left over to satisfy the rush I was about to get? For reference sakes, Omer’s M-Coupe can outrun Rey Tong’s modded Yamaha R1 (yes that’s a motorcycle). I strap into the passenger side seat and grab a hold of the “oh-shit” bar with not one but BOTH hands. “Now I’m ready” I say… The car’s already dialed into 19psi boost...
There’s a feeling beyond feelings that results when that car pulls through 3 gears and isn’t done yet even at 115mph… not even CLOSE to being done. THAT feeling in words is described as wanting to 1) shit your pants, 2) cry, 3) laugh, and 4) throw up all at the same time. Flat out the fastest THING I had ever been in, in my life. Weighing in at around 3000 lbs. Omer’s M-Coupe is beyond words. And the balance is oh-so-sweet. It’s ability to handle corners and brake from 100-0 is extremely comforting to say the least… anything that offsets that absurd ability to accelerate is comforting, like a pair of Depends adult diapers, which I wish I had before I entered his car…

Sunday EST 2:30pm – Enjoying Florida’s magnificent beaches under the sun, I take a long deserved nap after only 7 ½ hours of sleep.

Sunday EST 7:00pm – I’m eating dinner at Rey’s restaurant, they’ve got good duck.

Monday PST 3:30am – I’m back in LA.



I’ve left out a lot of details though this might have been a long read. If I had more patience to write a longer story (God forbid), I’d talk more about how nice everyone was, that I had met in Florida.



Omer's intercooler is so big it overflows the bottom of the bumper. More pics of my car to come

[Loud_TIGER]

great story! sounds like the guys at AA treated you well : )
i'd want to work at a tuning place just to be around sick cars all the time. muhahaha

[Tom Sederburg]

Wow, that's a great story man I actually read the whole thing. (And I've got ADD! )

I can't wait to see the pics.

[Josh]

Originally posted by SC5-Charles
The car’s already dialed into 19psi boost...
There’s a feeling beyond feelings that results when that car pulls through 3 gears and isn’t done yet even at 115mph… not even CLOSE to being done. THAT feeling in words is described as wanting to 1) shit your pants, 2) cry, 3) laugh, and 4) throw up all at the same time. Flat out the fastest THING I had ever been in, in my life. Weighing in at around 3000 lbs. Omer’s M-Coupe is beyond words.

Having had the great fortune of Omar taking me for a ride in that car, I can confirm that what you are saying is no exaggeration. It truly is an incredible rush of power.

I am glad to hear thus far in your writeups that your experiences with Active Autowerke have been very positive. I would not have expected anything less. The number of Holiday cards they recieve from their customers each year is clear evidence of that.

I am eager to read what your "final" impressions are..

[TYE]

Charles Charles Charles. I'm glad everything turned out great for you. And I am glad that your experience with AA was top notch. Great write up and like Josh, I eagerly await your final impressions.
I cant wait til its my turn to write my story on here!

[Suneal]

I actually read the whole thing! I hope I get treated like that when I go there on the Dyno Day/Open House. I concur with Tye, I cant wait til its my turn to write a story on here!

[BLOWN_M_COMPACT]

Originally posted by SC5-Charles
Welcome to the DARK SIDE: PART FOUR (THE MECCA) There’s a feeling beyond feelings that results when that car pulls through 3 gears and isn’t done yet even at 115mph… not even CLOSE to being done. THAT feeling in words is described as wanting to 1) shit your pants, 2) cry, 3) laugh, and 4) throw up all at the same time. Flat out the fastest THING I had ever been in, in my life. Weighing in at around 3000 lbs. Omer’s M-Coupe is beyond words. And the balance is oh-so-sweet. It’s ability to handle corners and brake from 100-0 is extremely comforting to say the least… anything that offsets that absurd ability to accelerate is comforting, like a pair of Depends adult diapers, which I wish I had before I entered his car…

Dam "3) laugh, and 4) throw up all at the same time" that was the same thing I felt ... I was laughing so much he stopped and asked me if I was ok ...

[ultim8DTM5]

hahah thats excellent, well done Charles and AA!

[tranmanm3]

What a story Charles!
The suspense on waiting for your final writeup is killing me
Are you able to attend this Saturday?

[///MCubed]

Charles,

It was a pleasure meeting you too. As for the Depends undergarments, I think you need to buy stock in the company. I only usually have to worry about one passenger (see sig), but with a "family sedan", you will need at least 4 in the trunk all the time .

PS. Ditto on the "can't wait for your final impressions"

[bob(NJ)]

Man thats an awesome write-up. I wish i could have a turbo m3.......(sigh) U should make a vid or something to show people that haven't ridden in a turbo m (like me) what its like.

[psk145]

wow, I read that whole thing. Congrats, cant wait til it gets back so I can get a roller coaster ride without going to Magic Mountain!!!

[Ron17]

<=== rushing out to sell drugs to make the money to be able to afford to do the same thing.

Oh, man... your story was so vivid, that I could almost picture myself in it. Now I'm officially jealous. ::Sigh::

One day... one day...

Congrats on the car, though. You enjoy the hell out of that thing for us all!!!

[SC5-Charles]

I'm glad to be the Omer of the west coast, so if anyone is interested in Active turbos or anything regarding Active please feel free to give me a call and I will personally take you out for a ride.

I'm thinking about stocking the pockets of each back seat with a Depends and one in the passenger side glove compartment...

Thanks for the positive feedback guys, the be(a)st is yet to come

Charles

[Magnus]

.........that's beautiful!..........