M3 Stablemates: What else do you have in the garage?

[Chas3n]

Congrats Chasen!

When are you ready to take both 46's? Looking for replace the s54 with an s65 and the m54 with the s54 😬

Added a 1M to the stable recently. I can't believe how good the front end is compared to the E9X M given that's it's essentially the same hardware. And the rear end just begs to step out, such a hooligan. It's rowdy and buckets of fun. Feels faster than it probably is. I'm completely smitten!

Congrats yourself! I've always been so impressed with the e87 1 series, and the 1M was just mind blowingly good!

I also recently installed new Sachs Mtech II dampers but paired with OE sport springs and E90 X-drive mounts (they seem like the most robust OEM+ option on the market). Also went with the M3 front/xi rear sway bars like yourself but I had issues with an M3 bar binding and eating through links at a very fast rate. I switched it out for a 25mm bar from a Z4 instead (direct fit unlike the M3 bar which has different geometry) which I highly recommend with the xi rear... it seems to reduce the understeer a bit and the car seems to rotate a bit better than with the M3 bar (binding issue aside).

As for wheels and tires - the style 135 are VERY heavy. Swapping them out for M68 wheels made a huge difference - feels like a completely different car now... lighter on its feet and more comfortable due to more sidewall. I went with AS4 tires - I think they have more than enough grip for the power and will last much longer than PS4s.

Congrats again, hope you enjoy it for many years!

So when I first installed the m3 sway, after a few days the wife reported a clunk on the drivers side. I foolishly bought AutoZone links as I didnt wish to wait a week for shipping when I first installed as I hadn't realized that the PO used non-adjustable links for the KW's but super short fixed links.. long story short, I finally and luckily ordered from FCP euro an OE set (they JUST opened a warehouse in PHX, 90 miles south of me so shipping was FAST/cheap with 2 day) New OE links have been on there for the last 2 months, and the clunking has not returned. The car feels planted in the rear, turn in is incredibly dialed. (OMG the ZHP rack is great, even better than the ZCP rack!) It back with blizzaks when we bought it, and those give up within 4 corners, and at a rather low cornering speed, so I cant really confirm if when closer to the limits it exhibits the understeer, but I will report back once summer wheels/tires are on, although that maybe next season, as I think I'm swapping the ARC8's on the M3 to the new apex ML10's and I wanted to also order a set for the ZHP to match.. Those AS4's recently impressed me, on a buddies X3MC. They had some decent peak grip for an all season, but didnt hold up well after 2 minutes of very hard driving, that said, I wouldn't expect them too. For comparision, I have to run the M3 with an re71rs or equal tire to finish that backroad without overheating.

I had been hunting for arc8's for the ZHP, but very few owners, atleast in PHX/AZ order them in the correct widths and offsets..

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[kaiv]

Added a 1M to the stable recently. I can't believe how good the front end is compared to the E9X M given that's it's essentially the same hardware. And the rear end just begs to step out, such a hooligan. It's rowdy and buckets of fun. Feels faster than it probably is. I'm completely smitten!

[kaiv]

Congrats Chasen!

[PetrolM3]

Yes, when we got it, it had the KW V1's at a very low ride height.. I have since swapped it all for a simlair setup to the m3. M3/xi sway bars, Sachs mtech II dampers, z4 mounts, Eibach pro kit springs. Rides wonderfully to work and has no bump steer through my local back road. I'll have to eventually take new photos of it with the suspension, but if you have an e46, it's pretty much the way to go.

I’ve owned M3’s since 07, and I always wanted the 330i zhp. Have to say it’s very much lived up to its hype over the last 2 decades! The low end torq is just more fun to step into on the commute to the office and the right back road here.

I need to find a summer/spring set of wheels where and swap to a ps4s to really enjoy it out there. I think your current setup is sublime for an all around BMW. Hate to say this, but the e46 I believe is peak bmw..

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I also recently installed new Sachs Mtech II dampers but paired with OE sport springs and E90 X-drive mounts (they seem like the most robust OEM+ option on the market). Also went with the M3 front/xi rear sway bars like yourself but I had issues with an M3 bar binding and eating through links at a very fast rate. I switched it out for a 25mm bar from a Z4 instead (direct fit unlike the M3 bar which has different geometry) which I highly recommend with the xi rear... it seems to reduce the understeer a bit and the car seems to rotate a bit better than with the M3 bar (binding issue aside).

As for wheels and tires - the style 135 are VERY heavy. Swapping them out for M68 wheels made a huge difference - feels like a completely different car now... lighter on its feet and more comfortable due to more sidewall. I went with AS4 tires - I think they have more than enough grip for the power and will last much longer than PS4s.

Congrats again, hope you enjoy it for many years!

[Chas3n]

Congrats on the ZHP! Imola FTW and I'm assuming alcantara interior? Looks a tad too low for proper suspension travel.

I fully agree that a well sorted non-M sedan can be just as exciting if not even more fun to drive on certain roads. I had my M3 for over 10 years and sold it when I realized that I enjoy driving my non-M sedan more - no exaggeration here. Mine is not a ZHP - it's a fully rebuilt/refreshed 325i with M-tech II pack, ZF 6 speed, 3.46 diff, ZHP exhaust, BMW Performance intake and the lightweight M68 wheels. I absolutely love this thing... it puts a smile on my face every day. To me, it truly proves that 'it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow'.

Yes, when we got it, it had the KW V1's at a very low ride height.. I have since swapped it all for a simlair setup to the m3. M3/xi sway bars, Sachs mtech II dampers, z4 mounts, Eibach pro kit springs. Rides wonderfully to work and has no bump steer through my local back road. I'll have to eventually take new photos of it with the suspension, but if you have an e46, it's pretty much the way to go.

I’ve owned M3’s since 07, and I always wanted the 330i zhp. Have to say it’s very much lived up to its hype over the last 2 decades! The low end torq is just more fun to step into on the commute to the office and the right back road here.

I need to find a summer/spring set of wheels where and swap to a ps4s to really enjoy it out there. I think your current setup is sublime for an all around BMW. Hate to say this, but the e46 I believe is peak bmw..

Beautiful Chas3n . I love myself a ZHP, they're such great cars. I bought one way back in the day which was almost new and put 75k miles on it. Such a fun enjoyable daily.

Really is a tremendously better daily than the M. Normally I'd be in my truck, but my wife is 8montha pregnant and finds my truck more comfortable, so I'm “forced” to drive the zhp (which we bought for her) every day. First world problems!


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[PetrolM3]

Sold off the E55 and S2000 and picked up a well sorted(ish) 05 ZHP. Manual with the correct interior.. dare I say it's more fun than the M3 on a tight road?

If only I could go back in time and show 16yr me what the garage looks like, now.








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Congrats on the ZHP! Imola FTW and I'm assuming alcantara interior? Looks a tad too low for proper suspension travel.

I fully agree that a well sorted non-M sedan can be just as exciting if not even more fun to drive on certain roads. I had my M3 for over 10 years and sold it when I realized that I enjoy driving my non-M sedan more - no exaggeration here. Mine is not a ZHP - it's a fully rebuilt/refreshed 325i with M-tech II pack, ZF 6 speed, 3.46 diff, ZHP exhaust, BMW Performance intake and the lightweight M68 wheels. I absolutely love this thing... it puts a smile on my face every day. To me, it truly proves that 'it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow'.

[liam821]

Beautiful Chas3n . I love myself a ZHP, they're such great cars. I bought one way back in the day which was almost new and put 75k miles on it. Such a fun enjoyable daily.

[Chas3n]

Sold off the E55 and S2000 and picked up a well sorted(ish) 05 ZHP. Manual with the correct interior.. dare I say it's more fun than the M3 on a tight road?

If only I could go back in time and show 16yr me what the garage looks like, now.








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[powerbait]

I do have a type... I was not interested in the F8X until I saw one in Imola, then I was on a mission to find one. I've kept it very mild with Eibachs, AA midpipe, CS rear section and a JB4.
As for my favorite, that is a very hard question, they all have their own personality and things I appreciate. I've had the E92 the longest, it's the most personalized and I've tracked it at Summit Point, AMP, and Sebring. Plus it makes the most glorious noises!

More Imola:

[Hammerfang]

My other cars a pretty different then my M3, but IMO make it feel more special.

2023 Model 3 RWD (daily)
2023 XC90 B6 (wife)

[MTiz]

98 Cosmos E36
06 Imola E46 ZCP
10 Melbourne E92
18 Imola F80 ZCP
all slicktop

So you like red huh?

More pics of that Imola F80 please! That was another spec I strongly considered for mine before I got my Daytona Violet. F80's wear imola so well.

[ugaexploder]

98 Cosmos E36
06 Imola E46 ZCP
10 Melbourne E92
18 Imola F80 ZCP
all slicktop

That is absolutely amazing

Do you have a favorite?

[powerbait]

98 Cosmos E36
06 Imola E46 ZCP
10 Melbourne E92
18 Imola F80 ZCP
all slicktop

[bran.stum]

Added a 2012 X5d in March to replace my 2005 X3.

[jet_dogg]

I had a manual '17 F82 comp and it was a sweet car, but there were some things I didn't like about it. The coupe felt big and heavy, I would definitely go with the sedan and DCT if I bought another one.

The manual has auto rev-match that turns off in Sport+ mode. There is a little trick you can do when starting the car that will allow you to start in Sport+ mode and disengage rev-match in other drive modes, but that gets kind of old to do every time. You can also code it out from my understanding, but it's just kind of annoying straight from the factory. Not a bad feature...there just should be a way to turn it on/off in any drive mode in my opinion.

People in that community go nuts about the crank hub...I guess you just do it if you're going to go big turbo on the car.

It's funny because I got rid of that car because I needed a daily and didn't want to ruin the M4 driving around 285 so I bought a 10th gen civic SI which I enjoyed infinitely more ironically. And here I am thinking about buying a clean title E36 M3 shell and shoving a K24 in it.

Many thanks for the input.

If I got one it would be a 4 door manual. I'd do the hub because I'd want a 650+ whp daily where I can light up the tires. No auto rev-match for sure.