BlackWidow87

iTrader: (1)

Ok wiseguy!

Wait till you start developing problems with your 03` 350Z, i guarantee you - you WILL have problems. You got an 03` which had the most problems , on top of which coming down from an M3, i hope you dont expect the same quality and craftsman ship in the Z.

Don't get me wrong here...

I AM a 350Z owner, but am also a former M3 owner - and just could'nt stand the dissing towards the Beamer...best of luck with the problems!

M3to350z

iTrader: (3)

From what I read. All the problems are from Stick's. Not automatic.

Why would that be a wise guy?

I don't expect much from the Z. Maybe thats why I am so pleased with how closely it comes to the M3, if not more in regards to a fully rounded everyday performance car.


What are your impressions of the 350z compaired to the M3? (besides your obvious tranny problems)

M3to350z

iTrader: (3)

Yes it a quick shift in mode 6 when your racing someone. But I rarely race and unless your a racer, you don't leave it 6.

You leave it in 4 or 5 where it does hesitate between gears. (noticably)

SMG is a novelty for idiots like me who like to see a .01 second faster shift, than a stick shift.


In reality, there is no equal to a clutch.
1. Reving the engine high then letting the clutch out slow to get as much horse power as possible.
2. Down shifting gradually and not jerky.
3. Dropping 2 gears without having to wait for the smg to realize what your trying to do.
4. Moving the mode around constantly to update to your new driving desire.


You are robbing yourself of an overpriced performance vehicle by getting SMG.

I belive the SMG is a good idea with 2 or 3 more prototypes to-go before releasing it to the public.

WorldOne

iTrader: (4)

Welcome to the Z family. Seems like many people are selling their E46 Me these days. Time for some new VOLK GT-M's!



Hotness!

lcubanito

i dont know but thats strange.... bad handling, crap that... bad this.... bad that... hmmm sounds strange, very strange, especially from a car that is supposed to be really really awesome! theres more to this story than we are being told folks! i love the Z but the M3 is a monster.

oro

iTrader: (5)

"You put a benz and lambo in the same group, huh ? "

I dont see why Benz isn't up there with Ferrari and Lambo, sorry but....I don't know much about BMW's mind you, but I work on Mercedes all day long. We've had 600-700hp Kleeman supercharged models come in with amazing suspension systems, I don't know how many bar those things run, but you take a corner and it'll jack that side up so that your sitting square with 0 body lean. Those cars pull like an Ox and I can't see why they aren't in line with Lambo and Ferrari, I mean...the SLR is still a Benz (Mclaren as well I know but still...). AMG models are very formidable competitors against the M line.

Hypnoz

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...73252910633225

987hp with DSG.

The design is most definitely not the limiting factor, the clutches used in the DSG are. Unlike CVT transmissions.

Either way, DSG is much better design-wise than the SMG. Even Ferrari's $15k F1 racing transmission can't upshift as fast (downshifts faster though).

This is why a lot of manufacturers are now investing into DSG-type transmissions after being caught off-gaurd by VW's design. The DSG will also be in the new Audi TT, which has the 2.0T 200hp engine and a V6 with 250-ish hp.

djben

This warrants another response -- another reason I do not believe you really drove an M3 for 6 months, more or less 6 minutes.

1. HUH? Upshift at redline with SMG according to the tach lights, what more do you need? Executing a perfect shift at the optimal shift point 100% of the time with a simple click of the upshift paddle. If you are talking about launching the car from a stop, this is one aspect where you'll be better off with a 6 speed where you can drop the clutch at whatever RPM you want and then feather it in to minimize wheelspin. However, if you bought an M3 to launch hard all the time you bought the wrong car.

2. The downshifts with SMG are actually quite excellent. At high RPMs the car will automatically revmatch for you! In normal driving, it will automatically downshift/cut throttle/work the clutch for you as you are coming to a stop, all in an extremely smooth fashion. Now, if you left it in automatic mode, as I said before, that sucks and it WILL give you jerky downshifts. If you bought an M3 for the automatic mode, you bought the wrong car entirely. Automatic mode only exists so that your significant other can actually drive your car if they HAVE to, which is a minor perk of the system.

3. Another reason I dont believe you drove an M3 very much. You can skip gears all day long with ease, all you have to do is input the number of gears you'd like to skip and it will only engage the clutch on the final gear. I very often double downshift from 3rd-1st and revmatch it, all you have to do is click the downshift paddle twice really fast and 2nd gear will never be engaged. Yes, this doesn't seem to be a characteristic of a "sequential" gearbox and I agree, "SMG" is misleading in this aspect.

4. I am in S5 mode most of the time, the fastest shift mode you can use without disabling traction control. If anything, I may move to S3 or S4 if I feel like driving the car extra smooth every once in a while (slower shifts). To be perfectly honest, S6 isn't that much faster than S5, the gearshifts are still VERY quick. Myself, nor any other decent M3 SMG driver, is moving around shift modes "constantly".

More race veterans I have spoken to like SMG, even if they have never driven a car with it. Hardly robbing yourself of performance, more like making a great car even better with Formula 1-style shifting ability.

Tommy Vercetti

I did read however that BMW is in "talks", read into that what you will, w/Getrag. Now for those unsure who that is, they make the DSG tranny and license to users such as Audi, Lambo, VW, Bugg, etc..So does this mean the SMG may be replaced by DSG in a few yrs hmm.

Tommy Vercetti

Yes AMG is formidable to M. I owned a 03 SL 55. In straight line perf, they pretty OWN everything and you can have your family w/ya when you dust off that pesky Gallardo.

However what I think this poser is saying is that people cross shop these brands. They do not, if he was in a position to ever go to a dlrship instead of being a wanksta he would now that. Now yes people that have a S55 may well own a G for their toy but these two are not comparable, get it ? good.

You also mentioned highly modified cars vs their stock contemporaries, not really fair. I am familiar w/ Kleeman but more so w/ RennTech. The founder of RennTech lives two houses away from me so I am no stranger to crazy a$$ MB coming and going in front of the house. Last week he had a SLR that he was tuning, like it needs more help. So far it had some Ti pipes and RennTech wheels on it, that alone was probly $20k lol.

taurran

iTrader: (18)

Fair enough. However, much of this "bad information" was nothing more than opinion. People's opinions differ, so you have to take a look at it from their perspective as well.

As far as bashing the Z... There hasn't been much on this thread as much as general "talking down" about it. Sure the e46 costs more, but both are still very capable cars.

BlackWidow87

iTrader: (1)

Dude from reading your posts, i think you were sitting in a 325ci or even a 328ci, with a $19 M3 badge on the rear!

Most of your posts just say stuff about BMW, which i'm sure half the people on this forum would call bogus. I too like them feel like calling it bogus and moving on..

but you ask my impressions and experiences, so i'll give it a shot in order to convince you the difference of M3 and the Z.

Before i start, lemme just say that :

I drove the BMW M3 for 1 year and 8 mos. and drove it for about 15,000 miles. It was a 6 speed 03`.

As for the Z, i have a 2005 Ent. Ed, in 6 speed (no mods), and so far i have put only about 750 miles on it.

, clearly shows i'm not experienced enough to talk about the Z, so i wont go in detail.

Putting all the SMG issues aside, some like it and some dont - i'll tell you this, the BMW is a true sports car, but by definiation of a lot, a sports car is a 2 door, 2 seat, RWD, stick shift (5-6sp), coupe ( no convertible plz ). And that is what i like about the Z, sure it has 33 hp less than my previous M3. But its ok!

The Handling of the Z, i can never ever compare with the M3, the M3, was just flawless it would wanna lean and lean till i felt like i was on my R6 with more room to lean till i messed up and not the car/bike!

The only thing common that i might say in both these cars were the "Rear tires wear and tear" (extremely quick!) - i never lasted more then 5000-7500 miles in my M3, for the rear. And with only 750 miles on the Z, i'm already getting new tires for it (they were used so dont know total mileage on rear)!

But i just dont know how you complain about the M3's handling and shifting issues, they are both flawless and have been around a long time now. The Z keep in mind is still pretty new, its a Jap tech - very new for this game, and doing extremely well in my opinion.

IMHO the Z is the best sports car available in the market for the $25-30k mark. The M3 payments were just too high, and had 4 seats, which for me was the irritating factor! You cant compromise on the "Sports factor" in order to get the Pracital factor in!

That's why the Z is a true sports car in my opinion, just like a Porsche (affordable), i had a Boxster before the M3, though lacking in power @ only 247hp, it was a true sports car!

I dont like the EVO & Subaro only coz of the fact that they are 4 doors with 4seats, sure they may be quicker and all, and great to be in. But NOOooo its a "Sports Sedan" as they like to call it. Which IMO just gives sports a bad name. Sports Coupe is a Sports car, not a Sports convertible or Sports Sedan, those are compromising on the "Sports" part and bring in luxury and pracitically it with room. If you need room sure go for the EVO or even M3, they are great and very quick. But i'm very harsh about my definition of a sports car and the Z fit the category fine, so the Z was my choice of next car.

My payments for the Boxster were over $750 ($46k total price)
M3 were over $650 (mid 40s)
350z are under $475 (25k)

I never ever buy NEW cars, and always try to get 6 months to a year used.

So the monthly payments, better insurance and "True Sports Car" definition were the main reasons why i jumped ship from M3 to 350z.

But still you cant say that the M3 has bad handling or all the other things you mentioned!

Please make sure and go back and see if indeed you had an M3 or a 325ci or 328ci with an M3 badge

michaeljr6

iTrader: (14)

350Z > *


bmw = liars

SnoDog

iTrader: (3)

Lol.

bloodwings19

I stopped reading after 3 pages, but let me tell you this, BMW/German cars don't last. We used to have a 530i V8, and after the warranty, the damn car started to break apart. We had to replace part of the V8 engine part of warranty, then a $2.5K hit for some sort of engine replacement. The only good thing about it is the frame built, our BMW was totalled after 7 years and the main driver compartment held up. My VW GTi 1.8T, a german car went from replacing the turbo, windows won't roll back up, Monsoon radio not turning on, dash light not turning on at night, wear on the driver's door to Nissan's service guy breaking the door handle on the glove compartment. I doubt you will see many guys owning a M3 after warranty is up bragging about it. After your warranty is up on the BMW, you will be paying thousands. People who say BMW is a great car are those that changes car every 3 years, not experiencing the extent ownership of the car. By the way, my friend is a current GM at a BMW dealership, who tried to sell me a M3, lol. M3 is nice, but it looks too much like a 3 series without badging, wheels, side flares (like the new Escalade), front end and side mirrors, all of which can be aftermarketed to look like a M3. Anyway, I took a Chevy junk instead of a BMW junk.

streetracer

iTrader: (1)

Yes, by all means keep doing that. Those 5000 miles tires are the ones I always buy really cheap! Oh, and please don't call yourself humble. After everything you have just posted; don't think so. Sorry.

ZPatrick

+1

M3to350z

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the gracious welcome everyone. I already added an amplifier to the subwoofer and it was probably the easiest install I have ever done. The enclosure they tied into the frame is genious.

spacemn_spiff

iTrader: (3)

Wow, amazed at people who cannot stand someone disliking an M3 and some people also believe M3 really really really really really really good.

But I have to give credit to the worthy, M3 is a good performer, but for its price there are much better options.

sselway

I live in Europe and drive the no-limit autobahn everyday. I sold my 350Z because it was a dog from 120 to 155 mph. It is a great car to drive in the states where you don't drive at those speeds but in Germany I had volvo station wagons riding my *** as I was rowing through the gears. What made it worse was that there was a full family of 4 in that car and I couldn't get them off my tail.

After 6 months, I traded my 350z in for a brand new 2006 m3. Best decision I've ever made.