Best M3 Moment...

[JPH]

Since I bought my E92 SG, FR, 6MT, M3 this last spring, I have had several really great M3 moments. From taking it to autocross events with my local BMW club to just gunning it into rural corners and powersliding with great ease. But, today was the best moment. Here is the scene:

7:00AM CST, about 20 minutes after sunrise, 45 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. On an interestate in the middle of no-where (~2 hours south of Chicago). Traffic was very limited and the road was straight. On three occassions I had the car above 140 MPH, with the last shot at a top speed of 148 MPH (indicated on the digital speedometer). The care was amazing. As I had read, it keeps pulling even at those speeds. The car also really starts to "hunker down" above 120 MPH and remains rock steady. My old E46 330Ci took forever to get up to 130 from 110 or 120. The E92 M3 is happy to keep pulling well after 130 or 140 MPH. I have never driven a car with a motor as capable as an M3 at speeds like this and it was a fantastic experience...and for sure got the heart racing.

What has been your best M3 moment?

[valeram]

The first time I saw it on the Welt Delivery area.

[M2381]

I would have to say taking delivery and seeing it for the first time

[rmmcdaniel]

You're a braver man than me driving that fast in central IL, even with V1. Cops all over the highways!! Sounds like fun though, I'm jealous!

[MJC///M3]

When i drove my friend's e46 a few years back for the first time... that started my obsession with Thee Ultimate Driving Machine.

When I get mine in a few months Will def be one of happiest days of my life!!! To finally be in command of the legendary M3!! Great story man....140...the car is a beast!!

cant wait.

[darb800]

My dad just recently got the E93 m3 after he became "too old" to continue collecting porsches and he will tell anyone its the best car hes ever owned

So he is a responsible adult and doesn't let his 18 year old son (me) drive the car alone because he knows the trouble I could get myself in..

But I would have to say the best moment I ever had in it was when he first got it. We went to a big parking lot and drove around in circles until he felt I was comfortable enough with the stick coming from his porsches. So when he finally gave me the go to pull out of the parking lot, I noticed for the first time that the car doesn't roll back when the clutch is in and its in gear on a hill. I thought to myself what a smart thing that is and the moment i hit the gas in 2nd i knew it was better than any car ive ever driven.

[JPH]

Originally Posted by valeram

The first time I saw it on the Welt Delivery area.

Nice!

[JPH]

Originally Posted by rmmcdaniel

You're a braver man than me driving that fast in central IL, even with V1. Cops all over the highways!! Sounds like fun though, I'm jealous!

Brave is one adjective...stupid may be another. But, had to see what it was like. I now call that area the "Bonneville Corn Flats"

[JPH]

Originally Posted by darb800

My dad just recently got the E93 m3 after he became "too old" to continue collecting porsches and he will tell anyone its the best car hes ever owned

So he is a responsible adult and doesn't let his 18 year old son (me) drive the car alone because he knows the trouble I could get myself in..

But I would have to say the best moment I ever had in it was when he first got it. We went to a big parking lot and drove around in circles until he felt I was comfortable enough with the stick coming from his porsches. So when he finally gave me the go to pull out of the parking lot, I noticed for the first time that the car doesn't roll back when the clutch is in and its in gear on a hill. I thought to myself what a smart thing that is and the moment i hit the gas in 2nd i knew it was better than any car ive ever driven.

Great story...it is a unique and helpful feature. It surprised me the first time it kicked in.

[HotLap]

snicking through the gears on a curvy road with the top down and the sun at my back....perfection in motion

[torredresen]

The first time I got in and smelled the new leather.
And the first traffic light I had to stop too. And the 5 seconds after the greenlight

[midlifecrisis]

Picking up the car and surprising my 19 year old son Chris.

He was home for Spring break, and had passed my dealer on Saturday, saw an IB e92 M3 in the lot, rushed home to ask if we could test drive it. (He didn't know that I ordered an IB E90 M3 and was scheduled to pick it up that Thursday.) At first I told him we couldn't test drive, but he asked a few times - as I knew he would. I finally told him that I would call my guy at JMK (Mark Carvalho) and arrange a test drive for Thursday, which I was going to use as a vacation day.

We scheduled a 2:00 appointment for Thursday. By Wednesday, my car had not yet arrived at JMK, so I was really worried that my car wouldn't arrive in time for the surprise. Mark alerted the service dept. that it should be prepped for delivery as soon as it arrived. Thursday morning, I stopped by the dealer to see if it was in. I looked all throught the lot and alas, no E90 M3. As I was driving around the back of the dealer to check the last lot, I saw a set of angel eyes in my rear view mirror. I pulled over and my M3 shot by!
It had just come off the truck and was on its way to prep. I followed it in and a crowd had already gathered around it. They knew it had to be ready by 2, and the guys in the shop seemed as excited as I was - especially when I explained that I wanted to surprise my son.

The next 5 hours were hell, and the anticipation built to a point where I thought I was going to burst.

Finally, 2:00 rolls around. We arrive at the dealer, as we're walking to the front door, Chris sees the car parked in front - he'd been talking about the "test drive" all week. As we get closer, he says - "Hey dad, I saw a coupe the other day, this one's the same color but it's a sedan. Isn't this exactly what you would want?" I told him that it sure would be nice to have a car like that. I explained that it was probably ready for a customer pick up and pointed to the demo coupe behind it, which we would probably drive.

As we got up to the car, he repeated that he thought it would be perfect for me. I opened the door and he asked whether I should do that. Mark, who was in on the surprise, runs out the front door, hands waving, saying - "No, not that one - that's for a customer!" I introduced Chris to him, and we continued to talk about the car. Chris again repeated his opinion that I should have a car like that.

After a minute, I couldn't stand it any more. I took the folded insurance card out of my pocket, and handed it to Chris. "What's this?", he asked. I told him to do me a favor and make sure that the VINs match. "What?" "Make sure the VINs match." He opened the card, looked at me, looked at the car, looked at the card, looked at me again. "Wha? ..What???... You're kidding me!" He must have jumped up and down and run around the car for a couple of minutes. I'd never seen him so excited. I couldn't believe that I was able to keep the secret for the 10 weeks it took to get the car! We spent the rest of the day driving around, showing his friends, and exploring the features of the car together. He got a turn at the wheel, too. It was a day that both of us will never forget!

That was last March. The car has almost 12,000 miles on it. Chris and I did a track day together over the summer at Thunderbolt Raceway, where I use my old car. He couldn't spend the whole weekend, so I went early and he drove down later to meet me, and I let him use the M3 for the two hour drive. We had a great time at the track with the 2 BMWs, giving new meaning to the term "family car".

[MrHarris]

Originally Posted by midlifecrisis

Picking up the car and surprising my 19 year old son Chris.

He was home for Spring break, and had passed my dealer on Saturday, saw an IB e92 M3 in the lot, rushed home to ask if we could test drive it. (He didn't know that I ordered an IB E90 M3 and was scheduled to pick it up that Thursday.) At first I told him we couldn't test drive, but he asked a few times - as I knew he would. I finally told him that I would call my guy at JMK (Mark Carvalho) and arrange a test drive for Thursday, which I was going to use as a vacation day.

We scheduled a 2:00 appointment for Thursday. By Wednesday, my car had not yet arrived at JMK, so I was really worried that my car wouldn't arrive in time for the surprise. Mark alerted the service dept. that it should be prepped for delivery as soon as it arrived. Thursday morning, I stopped by the dealer to see if it was in. I looked all throught the lot and alas, no E90 M3. As I was driving around the back of the dealer to check the last lot, I saw a set of angel eyes in my rear view mirror. I pulled over and my M3 shot by!
It had just come off the truck and was on its way to prep. I followed it in and a crowd had already gathered around it. They knew it had to be ready by 2, and the guys in the shop seemed as excited as I was - especially when I explained that I wanted to surprise my son.

The next 5 hours were hell, and the anticipation built to a point where I thought I was going to burst.

Finally, 2:00 rolls around. We arrive at the dealer, as we're walking to the front door, Chris sees the car parked in front - he'd been talking about the "test drive" all week. As we get closer, he says - "Hey dad, I saw a coupe the other day, this one's the same color but it's a sedan. Isn't this exactly what you would want?" I told him that it sure would be nice to have a car like that. I explained that it was probably ready for a customer pick up and pointed to the demo coupe behind it, which we would probably drive.

As we got up to the car, he repeated that he thought it would be perfect for me. I opened the door and he asked whether I should do that. Mark, who was in on the surprise, runs out the front door, hands waving, saying - "No, not that one - that's for a customer!" I introduced Chris to him, and we continued to talk about the car. Chris again repeated his opinion that I should have a car like that.

After a minute, I couldn't stand it any more. I took the folded insurance card out of my pocket, and handed it to Chris. "What's this?", he asked. I told him to do me a favor and make sure that the VINs match. "What?" "Make sure the VINs match." He opened the card, looked at me, looked at the car, looked at the card, looked at me again. "Wha? ..What???... You're kidding me!" He must have jumped up and down and run around the car for a couple of minutes. I'd never seen him so excited. I couldn't believe that I was able to keep the secret for the 10 weeks it took to get the car! We spent the rest of the day driving around, showing his friends, and exploring the features of the car together. He got a turn at the wheel, too. It was a day that both of us will never forget!

That was last March. The car has almost 12,000 miles on it. Chris and I did a track day together over the summer at Thunderbolt Raceway, where I use my old car. He couldn't spend the whole weekend, so I went early and he drove down later to meet me, and I let him use the M3 for the two hour drive. We had a great time at the track with the 2 BMWs, giving new meaning to the term "family car".

This is awesome. Great read

[JPH]

Originally Posted by midlifecrisis

Picking up the car and surprising my 19 year old son Chris.

He was home for Spring break, and had passed my dealer on Saturday, saw an IB e92 M3 in the lot, rushed home to ask if we could test drive it. (He didn't know that I ordered an IB E90 M3 and was scheduled to pick it up that Thursday.) At first I told him we couldn't test drive, but he asked a few times - as I knew he would. I finally told him that I would call my guy at JMK (Mark Carvalho) and arrange a test drive for Thursday, which I was going to use as a vacation day.

We scheduled a 2:00 appointment for Thursday. By Wednesday, my car had not yet arrived at JMK, so I was really worried that my car wouldn't arrive in time for the surprise. Mark alerted the service dept. that it should be prepped for delivery as soon as it arrived. Thursday morning, I stopped by the dealer to see if it was in. I looked all throught the lot and alas, no E90 M3. As I was driving around the back of the dealer to check the last lot, I saw a set of angel eyes in my rear view mirror. I pulled over and my M3 shot by!
It had just come off the truck and was on its way to prep. I followed it in and a crowd had already gathered around it. They knew it had to be ready by 2, and the guys in the shop seemed as excited as I was - especially when I explained that I wanted to surprise my son.

The next 5 hours were hell, and the anticipation built to a point where I thought I was going to burst.

Finally, 2:00 rolls around. We arrive at the dealer, as we're walking to the front door, Chris sees the car parked in front - he'd been talking about the "test drive" all week. As we get closer, he says - "Hey dad, I saw a coupe the other day, this one's the same color but it's a sedan. Isn't this exactly what you would want?" I told him that it sure would be nice to have a car like that. I explained that it was probably ready for a customer pick up and pointed to the demo coupe behind it, which we would probably drive.

As we got up to the car, he repeated that he thought it would be perfect for me. I opened the door and he asked whether I should do that. Mark, who was in on the surprise, runs out the front door, hands waving, saying - "No, not that one - that's for a customer!" I introduced Chris to him, and we continued to talk about the car. Chris again repeated his opinion that I should have a car like that.

After a minute, I couldn't stand it any more. I took the folded insurance card out of my pocket, and handed it to Chris. "What's this?", he asked. I told him to do me a favor and make sure that the VINs match. "What?" "Make sure the VINs match." He opened the card, looked at me, looked at the car, looked at the card, looked at me again. "Wha? ..What???... You're kidding me!" He must have jumped up and down and run around the car for a couple of minutes. I'd never seen him so excited. I couldn't believe that I was able to keep the secret for the 10 weeks it took to get the car! We spent the rest of the day driving around, showing his friends, and exploring the features of the car together. He got a turn at the wheel, too. It was a day that both of us will never forget!

That was last March. The car has almost 12,000 miles on it. Chris and I did a track day together over the summer at Thunderbolt Raceway, where I use my old car. He couldn't spend the whole weekend, so I went early and he drove down later to meet me, and I let him use the M3 for the two hour drive. We had a great time at the track with the 2 BMWs, giving new meaning to the term "family car".

GREAT Story. I have a 3 year old son and I really hope to have a similar experience a few years down the road. He was not quite old enough to appreciate the new M3 just yet but, I'll keep it for several years and surprise him later. Again, nice story.

[tszene]

My best M3 moment was having a ferrari challenge stradale in front of me at the track in Lime Rock coming onto the straightaway. And surprizingly he couldnt pull away. After that i beat a lap on him.
On his defense, i'm pretty sure he wasnt driving it 100%.
Still it made me feel so proud!!

http://www.tracktimephotos.com/large...3_LRP_NOV_6322

[eeeboy]

best moment was the DCT software update...prior to that, the car was really not what I thought it should be...I had one of the first DCT's and it had the power of an old 330 and the tranny was very bad.

[Space Ghost]

Red light racing and killing a corevtte and, passing almost every other older M3 at a lime rock HPDE. Tomorrow I install my AA exhaust for another "best moment".

[FStop7]

The first time I drove an M3 it was a white E36. I made the owner grab the ohshit handle on an offramp when I wasn't really trying.

The second time I drove an M3 it was a silver E46 that one of my best friends had just bought. Once again I made him grab the ohshit handle when I wasn't really trying.

The first time I got an M3 was a couple of years later. The sensation of having the keys in my hand and this car was all mine to take home was just unreal. I had a 2 hour drive home and I could barely sit still the whole way. I was so incredibly excited, I absolutely couldn't believe the car was really mine. I thought at the time (and still do think) that the E46 M3 is one of the best looking cars ever made, it may as well have been a Ferrari by how excited I was to have it.

I definitely had some of that feeling again when I got my E90 M, mainly because it happened so suddenly that I didn't expect it at all. This was basically an impulse buy that worked out really well. The thing that makes me giddy about this new car is the speed. It's so much quicker than the E46.

[spyderco10]

my best M3 moment was the day before I bought it, when I was $70,000 richer

[omegatlc]

The best moment...each time I push that button. This car is amazing!

Moments that really stand out are when my 9 yr old son and I have a "hang out" day, windows down, crank the tunes, drive with no destination, and have some quality father-son time!

[dawgdog]

Originally Posted by midlifecrisis

Picking up the car and surprising my 19 year old son Chris.

He was home for Spring break, and had passed my dealer on Saturday, saw an IB e92 M3 in the lot, rushed home to ask if we could test drive it. (He didn't know that I ordered an IB E90 M3 and was scheduled to pick it up that Thursday.) At first I told him we couldn't test drive, but he asked a few times - as I knew he would. I finally told him that I would call my guy at JMK (Mark Carvalho) and arrange a test drive for Thursday, which I was going to use as a vacation day.

We scheduled a 2:00 appointment for Thursday. By Wednesday, my car had not yet arrived at JMK, so I was really worried that my car wouldn't arrive in time for the surprise. Mark alerted the service dept. that it should be prepped for delivery as soon as it arrived. Thursday morning, I stopped by the dealer to see if it was in. I looked all throught the lot and alas, no E90 M3. As I was driving around the back of the dealer to check the last lot, I saw a set of angel eyes in my rear view mirror. I pulled over and my M3 shot by!
It had just come off the truck and was on its way to prep. I followed it in and a crowd had already gathered around it. They knew it had to be ready by 2, and the guys in the shop seemed as excited as I was - especially when I explained that I wanted to surprise my son.

The next 5 hours were hell, and the anticipation built to a point where I thought I was going to burst.

Finally, 2:00 rolls around. We arrive at the dealer, as we're walking to the front door, Chris sees the car parked in front - he'd been talking about the "test drive" all week. As we get closer, he says - "Hey dad, I saw a coupe the other day, this one's the same color but it's a sedan. Isn't this exactly what you would want?" I told him that it sure would be nice to have a car like that. I explained that it was probably ready for a customer pick up and pointed to the demo coupe behind it, which we would probably drive.

As we got up to the car, he repeated that he thought it would be perfect for me. I opened the door and he asked whether I should do that. Mark, who was in on the surprise, runs out the front door, hands waving, saying - "No, not that one - that's for a customer!" I introduced Chris to him, and we continued to talk about the car. Chris again repeated his opinion that I should have a car like that.

After a minute, I couldn't stand it any more. I took the folded insurance card out of my pocket, and handed it to Chris. "What's this?", he asked. I told him to do me a favor and make sure that the VINs match. "What?" "Make sure the VINs match." He opened the card, looked at me, looked at the car, looked at the card, looked at me again. "Wha? ..What???... You're kidding me!" He must have jumped up and down and run around the car for a couple of minutes. I'd never seen him so excited. I couldn't believe that I was able to keep the secret for the 10 weeks it took to get the car! We spent the rest of the day driving around, showing his friends, and exploring the features of the car together. He got a turn at the wheel, too. It was a day that both of us will never forget!

That was last March. The car has almost 12,000 miles on it. Chris and I did a track day together over the summer at Thunderbolt Raceway, where I use my old car. He couldn't spend the whole weekend, so I went early and he drove down later to meet me, and I let him use the M3 for the two hour drive. We had a great time at the track with the 2 BMWs, giving new meaning to the term "family car".

Makes me excited just reading this post.

[dawgdog]

The most exitement I've had was when I picked up my e46 M3 in 2002. It was about a 7 month wait after I ordered. I barely slept the night before and got up about 4:00 AM. I must have drank 10 cups of coffee prior to picking up the car. It is hard to reproduce the level of excitement I felt with that first M3, but I still get a little tinge of excitement every time I get in my BMW.