E46 M3 pix

[Aaron318iS]

Some quick snaps of my new M3 after a gorge run last weekend. Since these photos I've had the car buffed (so wasn't polishing swirls out of black!) and the leather cleaned.

[BovaM3someday]

lookin' clean

[Miss325]

You should have waited till after the polish to snap some pics

[DCR62]

Noice.

[BMR_PWR]

totally sick car dude i luv it!!

[CraigMakDaddy]

Very nice!! Do you like the SMG gear box and paddles? I have been told to avoid SMG at all cost. But I haven't heard opinions from people who have gotten used to it. As fun, the same or less rewarding than a manual in your opinion?

[cetrero23]

very nice car, can you put some pics of your engine bay?

[Aaron318iS]

Originally Posted by CraigMakDaddy

Very nice!! Do you like the SMG gear box and paddles? I have been told to avoid SMG at all cost. But I haven't heard opinions from people who have gotten used to it. As fun, the same or less rewarding than a manual in your opinion?

Thanks. I'll start by saying that SMG wasn't my first preference but a good manual car is hard to find here. I had driven an SMG car some years ago and it felt slow, sluggish and out of sync with what I wanted to do. I later learnt that car had been plagued by problems and that gearbox wasn't quite "right." Needless to say, I was put off for a long time.

After test driving this car and having the box thoroughly explained I'd say that I was impressed and have grown to love it. I wouldn't say its as "rewarding" as a manual as there isn't as much driver input but for the type of driving I do its good enough and you can still do much the same things

Once you get the hang of it you can still have loads of fun with it. On the right setting, the shifts are smooth and the sound of the diff thumping behind you on S5/S6 is an experience in itself! I do a lot of daily stop/start driving so I don't miss the clutch pedal at all. Theres also the launch control setting which works better than I expected, it'll either hook up or light up the rears depending on the throttle input. I've never launched a manual M3 to compare it against but I doubt there'd be much between them. Keep in mind ours are Euro spec and their software allows them launch at around 4000rpm, I hear the US spec cars launch at around 1800rpm?

My only dislike is the downshifts. Sure it blips the throttle etc. but I find it slow to shift down through the box and I find myself being in a gear higher than I want when approaching a corner. Perhaps its my driving style? More time behind the wheel will tell.

Would I recommend it? Yes, I don't think its as bad as people make it out to be.
Would I buy another? Most definately
Would I take a 6spd over it? I don't think I could make my mind up!

Originally Posted by cetrero23

very nice car, can you put some pics of your engine bay?

I'll see what I can do over the weekend.