e46 M3 Individual. Version 2.

[_Tom]

I'm a fan of the CSL's on scutchs but on yours I'd be sticking oem. The 19's complement it perfectly imo. Keeps a certain quality.

 

[Stefan.]

Id stick with oem too on this occassion

Needs the led rears though

 

[ForceIndia]

Lovely looking combo. I've got all the software setup on my laptop, done a few things on the bini with ncs.

 

[Sir_Dave]

So today some purchases turned up, nothing massively exciting, just minor changes to solve things that were irritating me:

1. Bosch Aero Wipers - so that i can actually see, instead of looking at a sea of smears each morning
2. Intravee ll, Alpine KCA-420i, 5V adapter, velcro pads & a rear storage tray - so that i can listen to my iPod, & have access to some funky features like setting my auto-fold mirrors, PDC display on nav screen, auto-locking on driveaway, "sticky" indicators, etc etc.

Was going to upgrade my BM54, but the bluetooth music option isn't flawless, & i didn't really fancy pulling the interior apart to route an aux lead to the front of the car - things always seem to rattle more after coming apart!! Me being me, the Intravee setup also seems to retain 90% of its value 2nd hand, whereas the BM54 upgrade would have been £200 that id never get back. No doubt it'll now break & need fixing anyways 😂

 

[-Rob]

If you end up selling this, send me a PM first?

I can't get over how good it looks on polished 19's! I think the individual colours suit the polished wheels more than standard colours.

Who ever specced silver grey on my individual needs shooting.

 

[ForceIndia]

@Sir_Dave have you ever turned the American drl option on? Once activated, at night if you flick the headlights off for a moment, the headlights strobe. Not dissimilar to police. Tends to clear lane 3 quiet well........

 

[Ian_182]

I think its really nice on standard wheels and CSL's are also just as nice imo.

 

[Gally]

Liking the look of it Dave, CSLs always finish them off but are they justifiable... only you'll know.

 

[Matt W]

I'm in love with the colour of this.

 

[JackD]

Still enjoying it mate? Made any changes?

 

[Ian_182]

He's probably sold it already.

 

[Sam]

The White leather and blue paint are the best combination you can have.

Looks amazing.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Still enjoying it mate? Made any changes?

Yeah, mostly still enjoying it, although Sarah hates the jerky gearbox. I have to keep going the longway home (motorway) to remind myself that the SMG is fine when pushing on. Its nice not having to use the clutch in traffic jams, but from first>second gear it is very jerky, just like any BMW manual box, but im not able to help smooth the changes out with clever footwork. Apparently, the CSL software/ecu could sort that out.
Changes wise, still have the Intravee to fit, with all the renovations im doing on the flat at the moment, simply havent had the time to fit it :disrelieved:

He's probably sold it already.

Nah, still have it lol. Mini has been driven once sine end of July, so thats the difficult one to justify really!! £75 a month for it to just sit there.

The White leather and blue paint are the best combination you can have.
Looks amazing.

Thanks Sam, much appreciated!!! You still loving the Mini i assume?

 

[s.mac]

Is the software for the smg up to date? I've had both a standard e46 m3 and have owned a CSL for 7ish years. I can't say I remember a difference in the gearbox operation. I maybe wrong and could ask a few of the CSL guys I know.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Last weekend i managed to fit my Intravee setup. As i wanted as OEM a look as possible, i ended up buying the storage tray used if the car doesnt come with a CD Changer - the Intravee/iPod then sits in the tray with easy access via the usual opening flap, as below:

The Alpine interface is fairly big so sits on the outside of the accessories cage as follows:

Everything is held on with velcro strips, so no rattles/iPods flying around the boot!
The Intravee interface seems to work pretty well and has given me a number of other useful options such as folding mirrors, sticky indicators & lights on lock/unlock which i had been missing from the M135i. For the £200 or so that it cost, i think its a worthwhile upgrade.

Is the software for the smg up to date? I've had both a standard e46 m3 and have owned a CSL for 7ish years. I can't say I remember a difference in the gearbox operation. I maybe wrong and could ask a few of the CSL guys I know.

Not sure actually, think its the original version, certainly doesnt have the rev match of the CSL though!! Hopefully over the weekend i will use the Binary Modification Tool (http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/showthread.php?t=126760) to enable the CSL SMG Shift / Rev matching + Inertia fix on the engine ECU, then at some point (probably after Christmas) ill send off my SMG ECU to get the most up to date CSL software put on it. Not a massive cost (£20 for binary tool/£40 for SMG ECU) and apparently work very well together.

As an aside, the CSL theme will likely continue into 2016, with plans for a GSR carbon airbox in Jan/Feb and full CSL conversion (uses MAP sensor) to run it all - this is now offered by one of the members on M3Cutters, so no need to pay a fortune for Evolve's Alpha N setup. I also fancy taking it on track, so will probably upgrade to a K-Sport 8 pot front BBK & some BC Racing (or similar) coilovers for a little bit more adjustability.

Is a funny old car this, the gearbox occasionally drives me mad just dawdling around town, & i think about buying something else, but then i put my foot down in 3rd and hear the rasp. How strange that something so simple would make a grown man so happy, the grin on my face is huge, the shiver down my spine is instantaneous and my love for the car is rekindled. What an engine, what a noise, what a car.

 

[Cookie]

I actually took most of that apart (seemingly) yesterday @Sir_Dave so that I could remove the failing amp to send it off to be repaired. f**king fiddly 8mm bolts.
Where does the SMG ECU live? I need to sort my ODB port at some point so I can get rid of the annoying jerking between 3rd and 2nd.

 

[_Tom]

Whens the carbon lamb chop coming?

 

[497adam]

I want this car when you get bored! Love the colour

 

[Budgie]

What an engine, what a noise, what a car.

Dave's sales pitch has started already. (;

 

[JD]

This is such a cracking colour @Sir_Dave Really really is. Desperate to clean mine now.

 

[Sir_Dave]

I actually took most of that apart (seemingly) yesterday @Sir_Dave so that I could remove the failing amp to send it off to be repaired. f**king fiddly 8mm bolts.
Where does the SMG ECU live? I need to sort my ODB port at some point so I can get rid of the annoying jerking between 3rd and 2nd.

SMG ecu is in the engine bay somewhere id imagine, probs next to the engine one near the fuses? I got the activation code for the Binary Tool today so will have a go at coding the CSL SMG Shift / Rev matching + Inertia fix, CSL Warm up light changes, 155MPH Limiter removal & Dyno limit removal at lunch time i think. Interface looks pretty cook:

Whats actually wrong with your ODB port, dodgy connection or something?
Did you send your BM54 to carphonics - doing any upgrades whilst its there?

Whens the carbon lamb chop coming?

January id imagine, insurance renewal is in Feb, so will probably move to someone a bit more modification friendly, then get it all done.

I want this car when you get bored! Love the colour

Might be a while, i want to do a few things to it first :wink:

Dave's sales pitch has started already. (;

Ha ha, no chance, sales pitch on the mini might start in the new year though ...

This is such a cracking colour @Sir_Dave Really really is. Desperate to clean mine now.

Cheers! Currently is a slightly minging shade of brown, also desperately needs a clean!!
Ran a pressure washer over it on Sunday, but too cold to actually get a wash bit & bucket out lol.
Did you buy one of those Eventuri things in the end?

 

[Cookie]

I haven't really had time to test it, but think it's pushed too far into the dash.
Yeah BM54 has gone to Carphonics. No upgrades as I'm still deciding whether to keep the car or not.

 

[Gally]

Is it for sale yet?

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Looks lovely this. My favourite of the M3s, certainly the last "proper" one in my view.

What is the SMG box like? I've always wondered about one of these, and think it's the kind of car that would suit a paddle shift, but hear a lot of bad things about the box.

What's the difference between the standard M3 and CSL SMG in terms of gearbox? What does going to the SMG settings do for you?

 

[JackD]

Karbonius Airbox seems to be getting good reviews, TrackM3 is selling them now on cutters. Quality seems great, will hopefully get one next summer.

You can get the oem flap to work as well

Plus if you get a remap by M3Carbon1 now, if you get a CSL box at a later date you can just pay the difference between the maps.

 

[Sir_Dave]

I haven't really had time to test it, but think it's pushed too far into the dash.
Yeah BM54 has gone to Carphonics. No upgrades as I'm still deciding whether to keep the car or not.

Should have got it upgraded, you'l keep it i reckon, what else can you get for £10k thats as good an allrounder?

Looks lovely this. My favourite of the M3s, certainly the last "proper" one in my view.
What is the SMG box like? I've always wondered about one of these, and think it's the kind of car that would suit a paddle shift, but hear a lot of bad things about the box.
What's the difference between the standard M3 and CSL SMG in terms of gearbox? What does going to the SMG settings do for you?

Cheers, my thoughts are similar, i went out to buy an e92 V8 and bought this instead!!
SMG as standard is ok when you're on it, in mode 5/6, but when dawdling about, its rather clunky. Rev match is fairly poor as well, & you can only really blip the throttle heel/toe when Sport mode is on, the throttle response isnt really quick enough otherwise. To give an example, if you are in 3rd approaching a roundabout and drop to 2nd, your passengers head tends to hit the dashboard as it jerks so much 😂
Differences between the CSL & normal M3 gearbox wise are entirely software based (hardware is the same), so now (updated it at lunch) i have the CSL's rev blipping/ matching & far quicker changes - S3 is now akin to S5 previously. The "inertia fix" also reduces the slurring that you get with the standard gear changes. I can now change from 3rd to 2nd, feet completely off the pedals and get a perfect rev match every time - much smoother!! The main issue is if it breaks, at which point it bankrupts you lol.

Karbonius Airbox seems to be getting good reviews, TrackM3 is selling them now on cutters. Quality seems great, will hopefully get one next summer.

Yes, they are VERY nice. Only problem for me is that a 2nd hand GSR is circa £850, whereas the Carbonius is £1600 with the flap, much better for the OEM style that i like, but the difference is some black 8 pots ... You seriously considering an airbox then? Excellent work :wink:

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Cheers, my thoughts are similar, i went out to buy an e92 V8 and bought this instead!!
SMG as standard is ok when you're on it, in mode 5/6, but when dawdling about, its rather clunky. Rev match is fairly poor as well, & you can only really blip the throttle heel/toe when Sport mode is on, the throttle response isnt really quick enough otherwise. To give an example, if you are in 3rd approaching a roundabout and drop to 2nd, your passengers head tends to hit the dashboard as it jerks so much 😂
Differences between the CSL & normal M3 gearbox wise are entirely software based (hardware is the same), so now (updated it at lunch) i have the CSL's rev blipping/ matching & far quicker changes - S3 is now akin to S5 previously. The "inertia fix" also reduces the slurring that you get with the standard gear changes. I can now change from 3rd to 2nd, feet completely off the pedals and get a perfect rev match every time - much smoother!! The main issue is if it breaks, at which point it bankrupts you lol.

Thanks, very interesting. How fragile is the box? I suppose it depends on whether the car has had the s**t kicked out of it all it's life as much as anything.

It's a car I have always had an inkling for I must say, and values will certainly go up rapidly at some point.

 

[Brookie.]

I really like this Dave. The nicest BMW you've had IMO.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Thanks, very interesting. How fragile is the box? I suppose it depends on whether the car has had the s**t kicked out of it all it's life as much as anything.
It's a car I have always had an inkling for I must say, and values will certainly go up rapidly at some point.

From my understanding, the basic gearbox/clutch are the same as the manual cars, but the clutch is hydraulically activated so there are few parts over & above the normal car. Naturally, these parts break occasionally, the most expensive being the SMG pump, which is circa £2k fitted :tongueclosed:
Useful guide to problems here: http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=231113
A benefit of buying an SMG however is that even with mega abusive previous owners, you cant over rev the engine via downshifting!

 

[JackD]

Yes, they are VERY nice. Only problem for me is that a 2nd hand GSR is circa £850, whereas the Carbonius is £1600 with the flap, much better for the OEM style that i like, but the difference is some black 8 pots ... You seriously considering an airbox then? Excellent work :wink:

Yes, I was very very close to buying a 2nd hand one the other day, but luckily I talked myself out of it. I still need to have my subframe reinforced and want to have my vanos checked and potentially overhauled, so it would be silly to spend c.£1,000 on some pretty carbon before necessary maintenance is done!

Yeah I see where your coming from, 2nd hand GSR boxes do pop every month or so, would be a good shout! The new forged, monoblock K-sports seem a bargain to be fair!

 

[ForceIndia]

Every time I see one, I miss mine a little. But I don't miss the potential bills doing 100+miles a day in it.

I'll have another one day, for weekend use only. Late cs, manual, uprated brakes, standard everything else.

 

[Iain C]

smg
Surely the 135 was better?

 

[Cookson]

This thread does not make me angry at not owning an M3. Not at ALL

 

[clio007]

Very nice. I had a manual E46 a good few years ago and have been thinking of going back to one. The price of good ones have surprised be actually. 11k+ for a good one?
I was offered a 11 plate E92 for 18.5 a few days ago so I am surprised at how close the prices actually are.

 

[hansthebear]

Get some big brakes immediately, they will change your life

 

[-Rob]

I've changed my front brakes to OEM discs and performance friction pads.

BBK is a must on these, the amount of fade I get is unreal - the brake feel during modulation is quite progressive though.

Have you guys seen the inside of the stock intake?

Carbon intake is on a whole new level though!

Aren't a few people having problems with the BC Coilovers?

 

[Pep]

Can I buy this please?

 

[_Tom]

Can I buy this please?

Looking at the Golf R thread you might get lucky..lol

 

[DanielJames]

Awesome that is, Dave!

 

[JD]

Love the colour on this - still enjoying it @Sir_Dave ?
Also, is that horrible SMG badge standard?!