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Cookie's 2003 M3



Sunglasses_Ron

ClioSport Admin
Cool, will bear that in mind. It's not done it again though. Shall check that if it occurs again!

I had a warning like ping up on my beemer on a run down the A127 the week after I got it.

It went off and hasn't come back on since.

I googled it and as said it seems it was a dirty sensor.
 

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
I'd have punted mine quickly if it behaved like yours. That's one of the reason I prefer to buy from an enthusiast. Could go online and read the entire history for the last 2 years, all the receipts matched what he'd posted etc.
 

Cookie

ClioSport Club Member
I'd have punted mine quickly if it behaved like yours. That's one of the reason I prefer to buy from an enthusiast. Could go online and read the entire history for the last 2 years, all the receipts matched what he'd posted etc.
@JD - No fire yet
You live and learn. Not much choice at the moment except to stick with it and at least fix the things that need fairly short term fixes
 
@JD - No fire yet
You live and learn. Not much choice at the moment except to stick with it and at least fix the things that need fairly short term fixes

Completely agree. As long as it's not major, ie can't be fixed by unit people, keep going.
 
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1445685484.692103.jpg


Just a heads up, Talkwrench off Cutters is selling his exhaust clamps off for £20 now as I think he's stopping production, so if you need some that's a bloody bargain!
 

Cookie

ClioSport Club Member
Some updates:
- Amp seemed like it was faulty, was sent off, amp isn't faulty. So likely a short somewhere or a blown speaker knocking the whole drivers side out.
- Got an OBD cable in the post today, so updated the engine DME with the pretty CSL settings, just need to do the one for the SMG DME at some point (that's a little more daunting and I need to borrow a trickle charger)
- TPMS had a fit the other day in poor weather (red alert) but there were no punctures at all (and I was on the M25 at the time in heavy traffic). System reset and hasn't done it again.

The way the gearbox works now though is night and day. No headbutting the dash between 3rd and 2nd, no clutch slurring low down and it blips the throttle on downshifts (which highlights the need for a louder exhaust)
 

Cookie

ClioSport Club Member
To add to that, servicing and running costs generally aren't too bad. Mid 20s around town, low 30s with cruise at 70.
Servicing costs aren't much more than a major service on a Clio (for the insp 2)
 

RDH

ClioSport Club Member
Don't buy an SMG and get one with the boot floor reinforcement done and there aren't really any scary bills.

After my R32 I can safely say that unless it is under a warranty then any auto box is a no go for me, although I am a big fan of them.
 

Cookie

ClioSport Club Member
Amp is back. Obviously now after me fiddling with the speakers and all the cables I can find, there appears to be nothing actually wrong (for the timebeing).
Speakers do need to be less s**t though.
 
  FN2 Type R +MK6 Golf
Do you know what, after all your bills and little nightmares i'd still love one in a heartbeat.
Ultimate performance car for the money.
 

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
Do you know what, after all your bills and little nightmares i'd still love one in a heartbeat.
Ultimate performance car for the money.
Until you get to the special cars (Aston Martin, etc) I've not driven anything that felt so perfectly balanced as a road car. Just the right amount of grip, power, size.
 

Stefan.

ClioSport Club Member
Bought one of these ,2 owner car ,88k, boot floor done but smg , bought from a garage ,thought ok gearbox will be fine,25 mins into drive home smg packed up leaving me stranded on m25 for 3hours . Not a happy chappy !! Got money back and now got a rs250 Meg. Much better :smile:

The meg is manuel....like you should of had the m3 in
 

Hixle

Hi Kiss Luke E****
ClioSport Club Member
  E90 M3
Do you know what, after all your bills and little nightmares i'd still love one in a heartbeat.
Ultimate performance car for the money.

I couldn't agree more. I've been looking into these for the past few months and every time I tell myself it's a bad idea, o still find its the first search I do on PH/AT.
 

-Rob

ClioSport Club Member
I couldn't agree more. I've been looking into these for the past few months and every time I tell myself it's a bad idea, o still find its the first search I do on PH/AT.

Just get one, Id recommend getting an Individual and a manual.
 

Cookie

ClioSport Club Member
I dunno, after getting the CSL settings put on the SMG its pretty darn good!!
The manual is great when you're "on it" but in day to day use it was like driving a rocket powered truck lol.
Agreed. I just need to get the SMG DME programmed so it does the rest of the CSL bits, but Martyn's magic program is awesome.
 
  Megan's rs250
Last time i checked, the Megane had a 4 pot turbo, not a straight 6 with ITB's. Therefore M3>Renault :wink:
The SMG pump would have been £2k. How much extra over the M3 was the Meg?
The Meg was a far bit more but to be honest I preferred the Meg to drive. Had bmws for years including m3s and I will defend them to the hilt, think there brilliant but e46 did feel old compared with meg
 

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
I dunno, after getting the CSL settings put on the SMG its pretty darn good!!
The manual is great when you're "on it" but in day to day use it was like driving a rocket powered truck lol.
I loved the box. Took some mastering, but once done it's brilliant. Helps changing the throttle map, kept sport oe but made normal more aggressive. With standard settings normal is too sluggish, sport too aggressive for normal roads /traffic.
But I'd pick a crap manual over paddles. It's a skill I enjoy, every journey. Paddles aren't Imo, no more so than turning on the wipers ;). I could see the benefits on track, but nowhere else.
 
  Megan's rs250
I'd take a manual CS over a CSL if I was going to actually use the thing.
Fewer csl,s are seen out now , used to see loads at trackdays but at values going up so much maybe they are becoming more like garage queens. A manual cs does sound the nuts though :)
 

-Rob

ClioSport Club Member
Fewer csl,s are seen out now , used to see loads at trackdays but at values going up so much maybe they are becoming more like garage queens. A manual cs does sound the nuts though :smile:

Unless you fancy more than 1 button on a steering wheel that is...
 

-Rob

ClioSport Club Member
Oh yes, id have to retrofit a normal steering wheel for sure. No cruise? Fuk dat.

It's easily done apparently, mostly plug and play. But then you've got to sort out the M track mode relocation.

Too much faffing for me, I'll stick with a retrimmed steering wheel and buttons.
 

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
Oh yes, id have to retrofit a normal steering wheel for sure. No cruise? Fuk dat.
Don't think the whole wheel has to be done, just the plastic. Re the m track location, what do people do that have it activated on none cs cars?
 

Cookie

ClioSport Club Member
So I've had this for just over a year now.
I don't have a @Sir_Dave cost breakdown, but here's what I think I've done in the last year:
- 11,000 or so miles. Which is fairly unbelievable given how often it felt like it broke
- Replaced a battery (100 odd quid, plus 50 for the diagnostic)
- Replaced a starter motor (200 odd quid, plus a small army to do the work for me whilst I stood around and watched)
- It had an oil service that probably cost me too much, plus it had an oil leak where a bolt came undone
- Two new rear tyres not too long ago @ 150 quid each fitted
- Plugged a laptop into the ECU to make the SMG less annoying on gear changes. Probably the best 20 quid I've ever spent.
- Paid 100 quid to fix the amp that wasn't broken. Turned out to be a loose connection. Guy didn't give me any money back either.
- Threw a warning light on the M25 that's never come back (probably down to not resetting TPMS after I had the rear tyres replaced)
- Still not had the subframe inspected, although at this point I don't really care - I'm not spending 1500 quid on a car that won't see the summer

I've not really gelled with the car over the last year. The only memorable journeys I can remember were driving to Staffordshire and back in a day and getting nearly 35 computer mpg's, and the initial drive back where I kept pelting it through tunnels. I rarely take it out for a thrash, last time was probably 3 months ago. Mostly gets used for normal car things (I suppose that's a pro of having an M3).

The not gelling you would think is down to it failing at really f**king irritating times, like when I was going to collect a new cat (the meow kind), or just before I went on holiday and needed to drive down to Sussex (which nearly ruined the holiday), but really I don't think I ever got over the excitement of having an iconic car vs actually driving it.

That's not to say it's not a fun car to drive, it is, but I don't feel compelled to take it out for a few hours (last time I did that was months ago) like I did with the 172 I had for 5+ years.

I won't be sad when I sell it, and not sure what to replace it with yet. Baby on the way won't really shape what I get, but four doors and something with infotainment created in the 21st century would be nice (Juke is the familywagon)

Probably be around for another 2 months whilst I raise some cash to make up for what will ultimately be a trade in figure so low I'll have a cry.

Shame, really.
 

Bluebeard

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
Apart from your breakdowns, I get the whole 'not gelling' thing. I only kept mine a matter of weeks. Although mine was a cab.

I just find them to big/heavy/mechanical to enjoy. Don't get me wrong, awesome daily and a great motorway car. Just not my bag.

SMG is bullshit though. Hate it.
 

Cookie

ClioSport Club Member
I quite like the SMG, and it's been great as a motorway car. To throw it down country lanes and actually get enjoyment out of it you have to go beyond the speed limit generally, and definitely drive like more of a t**t than I want to. I miss lower speed funs. This isn't a @Waitey 2fast2wide post though.
 


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