Why does the M3 Driver do that? | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Why does the M3 Driver do that?

Discussion in 'California (Southern)' started by Jimmy540i, Apr 11, 2004.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. KMS

    KMS Formula Junior
    BANNED

    Dec 22, 2003
    257
    Not BS, on the way to the NorCAl/SoCal Euro meet I watched a modded GTI do just that. Wasn't a quarter mile race but a long sustained high speed blast. I have no doubt a modded Corrado could do something similar.

    Though Im not a fan of quarter mile racing it does seem to have its own skill set. So Sting, no need to bash it just because you don't like it.
     
  2. Sting

    Sting Karting

    Mar 2, 2004
    141
    Full Name:
    Edmund Maino
    Like I said, I'm not trying to start a flame war, I'm just stating my opinion.

    I'm still find it hard to believe that a VW Corrado G60 can keep pace with an E46 M3 -regardless of the modifications done to the Corrado, it is still a front wheel drive vehicle and would have problems placing large amounts of power to the tarmac because of this. I'm not saying that it is not fast, but I think that a good driver in a stock E46 M3 could still beat this car in a drag race.

    The M3, like all BMWs, is limited to a 155mph top end, remove this and the M3 would simply pull away from the Corrado due to its lower Cd.
     
  3. KMS

    KMS Formula Junior
    BANNED

    Dec 22, 2003
    257
    Sting, there's a car meet every Thursday night up in the Valley, Northridge I think. Mostly Japanese cars but there is usually something for everyone. Anyway, the majority of those Japanese cars are front wheel drive and quite a few run blistering quarter miles..so much so that even some of the Audi Quattro guys will not engage them in a drag race.

    All the guy said was he had a few grand in mods on his car. He didn't mention whether it was set up for drag racing or track racing and you weighed in with your opinion. "29K in mods" is very, very limited information. The race I witnessed on the way to the meet was not quarter mile. It was from about 75mph up to 130mph. I was trailing it and didnt know any of the participants so I couldn't begin to weigh in on mods and/or weight. Putting power down from those speeds is usually not a problem. Once again though, G60 racer didn't mention what type of race, mods, tires etc, just a dollar amount.

    (EDIT)
    I'm not getting into engine life or tear down cycles on the Japanese cars I spoke of...just saw proof of blistering quarter mile times.
     
  4. g60racer

    g60racer Karting

    Mar 2, 2004
    73
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Brendan Prout
    Actually, the E46 M3 has a Cd of .30, and the Corrado has a Cd of .29 for starters. But as my car is gear limited to 151mph with my current gearbox, yes the Beemer would catch me and leave me once I maxxed out. With the long ratio gearbox I've got in storage, it reaches 165 easily but I never took it faster than that... at the time it was in the car I didn't have adequate brakes or suspension so it felt unstable going past that speed, and now that I do have a decent setup for speed, I've got a shorter ratio gearset in place that is more matched to my driving habits so the point is moot.

    Working backwards, I won't take it as flaming because in 99.8% of the cases, you'd be right -- most G60 Corrados wouldn't have a prayer. But then most G60 Corrados have not had several thousand dollars a year for a decade put into modifying and tuning it (never anything aesthetic) to make it perform. I can say without reservation that mine is the most substantially modified G60 that remains street legal (or at least passes for street legal and passes emissions) that you'll find in Northern America. It was the testbed guinea pig for many of the aftermarket products that are now commonly available for Corrado owners, and spent a lot of time on the dynos at Autothority. I won't go into the list of mods, it's overkill... suffice to say that most of the body panels and some of the wiring is stock, and that's about it for stock parts left in the car. Everything else has been modified or replaced.

    And yes, having lots of power in a FWD car is problematic. Even with a quaife lsd, it still spins the tires up through the top of third gear if I actually floor it. My revamped suspension (wider track, more castor, more offset on the wheels, wider wheels & tires) does help a bit but it's still a problem. I can drop the throttle on the freeway without problems, but at slower speeds I have to feather the throttle a bit if I don't want to just blow the tires off. But that isn't much different than driving an old muscle car with too much torque, only my car handles nicely and has a good ride quality at the same time. (I refuse to give up creature comforts for the sake of speed - it is my daily driver after all).

    I'd also say it's safe to say that most G60 Corrados aren't even as fast as they were brand new, due to how sensitive they are to boost leaks, timing issues, and the many other problems they've developed over time. Most of them are on their 3rd or 4th owners, who tend to be high school kids with no money and no clue how to keep up the car. It's rare to find one that is actually tuned properly.

    The dollar amount I mentioned in mods is a pretty lowball amount. I'm fain to admit how much I actually have invested in the car, waaay more than it's worth to anyone but me. Especially given the way the car looks...I've never spent money on making it look nice. And I've put 283,000 miles on it... it's been my daily driver as well as project car, and it looks its age. So it looks pretty darned crappy. Adds to the shock factor when I embarass someone at the track. But this month she went into the garage for a makeover - some mechanical stuff, like reinforcing and rewelding the header, sending the Koni's out to be rebuilt again, some more rewiring, and I'm finally beginning to look at revamping her bodywork and freshening up the paint.

    Yes, I tend to share your thoughts on 1/4 mile racing. Drag racing is a measure of how much money you put into a car, not a measure of how well you can drive. My car is set up for road course and auto-x. I prefer going out to Buttonwillow or Parumph, but I only get to do that a few times a year.
    I don't get weekends off very often ;)

    Anyways, no offense taken and I'm happy to set the record straight. And my original point was that even as quick as it is, my car still aint no Ferrari. Neither is a BMW.
     
  5. superyota

    superyota Formula Junior

    Mar 29, 2004
    351
    Newport Beach

    I have to agree...having had a G60 when I was younger there is no way it could keep up with a sub 5 second 0-60 of the 333hp M3. Stock the G60 does 0-60 in about 9 sec and has a top speed of 134. Point being that you cant make the comparison between the 2 cars. The M3 is a sweet ride that any Ferrari owner wouldn’t mind having as a play racer. Not that the G60 is bad (I had some good time in that thing) but it is a whole different class of car..the BMW being much closer to a Ferrari.
     
  6. JeffB

    JeffB Formula 3

    Jan 16, 2004
    1,132
    Northville, Michigan
    Full Name:
    Jeff B
    I experience schmucks like the one described to open this thread in all types of cars. I would say most commonly by Vette drivers. That might be because I'm in motor city and there are way more Vettes than M3s, but who knows.
     
  7. Bull_Man

    Bull_Man Rookie

    Apr 21, 2003
    6
    Did you pull out of the parking lot OF Pacific Plaza in Rowland Heights on Saturday (4/11) afternoon around 2:00pm in your red 360? I was there waiting to turn into the parking lot on Colima. Very nice looking car.
     
  8. s4dustin

    s4dustin F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,959
    I have to say i could dump any $ into my car (s4 avant), turn it into a RS4..whatever....i love my car...would love it with more performace....would love to make it a sleeper that would work some higher end stuff....but i would rather play in a 360 spider or an enzo, carrera gt......i think the point is...these cars were truly dreams by certain men...dreams that turned into a reality...not to say that mine isnt....but there is something special about a ferrari, an old shelby, a classic vette....something that to me....embodies the spirit of man. For that....i say that the Ferrari would be more of an experience.

    I do get tired of all the mine is better than yours bs.....congrats...yours is faster...no matter what the make....there is always someone faster...the key to me....i love my car.
     
  9. RussianM3_dude

    RussianM3_dude F1 Rookie
    BANNED

    Mar 15, 2004
    4,097
    Switzerland/Montreal
    Full Name:
    Nikolai Petroff
    Well, last year I was cruising in my red Jag, when I heard an amazing sweet sound from behind me. It was a late twenties guy in a red 360 and I think Tubies. He was driving very agressively and cut me off. At the light, as luck would have it, he stopped next to a black M3 driven by an elderly gentleman and his wife. When the light turned green the Ferrari was spinning it's wheels, overreving, and finally cut off the ///M which was not even racing. So as you see, there are jerks even in Cavalinos.
     
  10. Sting

    Sting Karting

    Mar 2, 2004
    141
    Full Name:
    Edmund Maino
    G60Racer:

    Cool. I did not mean to start a sh*t war and neither did you, thank you. I have been on too many boards where you cannot state your own opinion without people going crazy and calling you and your car all kinds of names.

    From your long post I stand corrected, and seeing as how we both live in San Diego, we should meet up sometime (like at the Q during a SCCA event). Once again, thanks for being cool.
     
  11. rex550

    rex550 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2003
    8
    Come on, sometimes it fun to play on the road. Most of the time, I am with most of you and just want to drive and not deal with rice rocket with pointless spoilers etc. But I respect M3 and BMW. They make a nice track car. At a stoplight on a straight and relatively empty road near my house, I had an m3 push his hand out the door holding 4 fingers up. Since one of the thing I like about my 550 is acceleration I gunned it. It is fun to work through first and second and find the car at the speed limit. He was left behind, but we both found ourselves at the next red light where he explained he had 400+ hp and a supercharger and wanted to see that again. So, what the heck. Gunned it and same result. Just past that spot is the really windy bit of road I just love. One can make any car a fast dragster, but what Ferrari does brilliantly is make the car handle the twists and turns like no other car I have ever driven. Too bad he didn't follow.

    Of course, this last weekend, I found myself behind a M3. Since I wanted an open road in-front, I hoped and prayed at each turn out he would yield, but alas, it was too much for him to let the faster car (me) enjoy the road. That type of ego makes me overcompensate. Whenever I am in my slower family cars, I will pull over even in a heartbeat if there is a car on my tail.
     
  12. otoupalik

    otoupalik Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 22, 2004
    335
    Scottsdale, AZ
    Full Name:
    Brad Otoupalik
    It is funny, cuz when I am driving the 550, I NEVER get people who want to race. However, when I am in my M3 - people ALWAYS want to race! I wish more people would take me on in the 550! Always funny too that when in the M3, I roll up to people in their 360's and 550's and am like "damn I wish I had the Ferrari today" and give them a thumbs up, I know they just think I am a wanna be! LOL!

    Thanks

    Brad
     
  13. g60racer

    g60racer Karting

    Mar 2, 2004
    73
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Brendan Prout
    Sting: :thumbs up: That would be very cool. Always up for meeting car enthusiasts!

    I'll be rockin our stockish VR6 for awhile, or the Fiat... the G60 is partially disassembled at the moment for its yearly major maintenance (this time it's the Koni's out for rebuilding, repairing the header, lots of little stuff that's been adding up... heater core oh fun.)
     
  14. Jimmy540i

    Jimmy540i Formula 3
    BANNED

    Jan 11, 2004
    2,494
    Los Angeles / NYC
    Full Name:
    www.Jimmy540i.com
    I would assume that was me or there might be another 360 there that day. Hello to the neighbor! :)
     
  15. Christian Asis

    Apr 28, 2003
    35
    He did that because he's an idiot. Nothing more, nothing less.
     
  16. RP512TR

    RP512TR Karting

    Jan 11, 2004
    135
    FRESNO
    Full Name:
    Ross
    I just have had an experience with an SL 500 driver. I was on the freeway driving my TR and was on my way home and I noticed that there was a silver mercedes SL weaving in and out of traffic. He must have been doing 95-100. it appeared that he was trying to catch up to me. when he finally did he cut me off. then he got into the middle lane and slowed down so i could catch up to him. When i did he punched it then slowed down again. when i caught him he was laughing and acting as if though my car had nothing on him. I dont know what it was, the fact that he cut me off or that stupid look on his face but i wanted to put him in his place so when I pulled up the next time he gunned it. I down shifted and punched it. It looked like his car was standing still. so i slowed down and let him pass me, and lets just say there wasnt a smile on his face that time.
     
  17. Jet-X

    Jet-X F1 Veteran

    Nov 2, 2003
    5,688
    Orange County
    Full Name:
    Brian
    I love a story with a happy ending like that!
     
  18. fmxa

    fmxa Rookie

    Mar 3, 2004
    47
    Los Angeles
  19. Jimmy540i

    Jimmy540i Formula 3
    BANNED

    Jan 11, 2004
    2,494
    Los Angeles / NYC
    Full Name:
    www.Jimmy540i.com
  20. Art

    Art Formula Junior

    Mar 10, 2004
    531
    Southern California
    I'm an M3 owner (E36 body style), but I don't act like an ass when I see a Ferrari. It's not something that has to do with the M3. It's just different people who drive these cars. Some people will show off no matter what they drive.
     
  21. Jet-X

    Jet-X F1 Veteran

    Nov 2, 2003
    5,688
    Orange County
    Full Name:
    Brian
    agreed! Some ass in an G35 wanted to show off in bumper to bumper traffic on the 405, but suddenly wasn't showing off when I passed him on the 73..
     
  22. Sting

    Sting Karting

    Mar 2, 2004
    141
    Full Name:
    Edmund Maino
    Quote:

    Some ass in an G35 wanted to show off in bumper to bumper traffic on the 405, but suddenly wasn't showing off when I passed him on the 73..

    That is great!!! I have lots of guys who try to get me to drag race them, but as soon as we hit anything that resembles a curve, they no longer want to play!!! Haha, it must be nice to be that dumb.
     
  23. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 11, 2003
    13,163
    Orange County
    Full Name:
    Anthony T
    That is funny, I have a BMW and a Ferrari, but I see more of this with the guys in the Mustang GT's than BMW's. However, I had a fun time with someone recently in an M3 Convertible who kept blowing by me in traffic, of course when the traffic cleared so was the M3...
     
  24. odezzie

    odezzie Rookie

    Mar 29, 2004
    32
    people always want to show up a ferrari...it's a reputation thing....they can tell their friends...o i beat a ferrari...i raced him on the street...it's pretty ****ty
     
  25. GregD

    GregD Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
    885
    California
    Full Name:
    Greg
    hello all,

    Ive been a reader here for about a year as Im looking to intelligently purchase a 355, and have learned quite a bit about ferrari's from this forum. During this time ive read several threads about the M3's and AMGs thinking they can blow doors off the ferrari's.

    I may be missing a point or ignorant, but doesnt the 355 do 0-60 in about 4.5 seconds and the 360 in about 4.3./0-100 mph in about 10 seconds.

    The m3 does 0-60 in 5.0 seconds. and 0-100 in about 12., the amgs are all up in the 5.-6.0 range, and 0-100 in the 12 sec. range. This doesnt seem like a big difference, but based on the numbers, the ferrari's are slightly faster. So how can these cars blow doors off any of the ferrari models? Could it be thatthey have an auto trans where the ferraris are manual or F1.

    Anyways, I saw a 456 this thursday driving down la cienega, he had oregon plates. I Probably saw 30-40 bmws since then but can remember anything about them except there is a bmw dealer at 14th and santa monica with about 70 of them, sitting on an open, lot for sale.

    Greg
     

Share This Page