BaT E46 LSB M3

[ra2fanatic]

I will say, having spent the day with the carbon door panels now. It does make the driver seat that much more "all business". The lack of the arm rest from the center console and the door panels, it really takes your focus on the steering wheel and shift knob, respectively. It minimizes the cockpit and I am not against it. A few friends that have seen them today, love the look.

[ra2fanatic]

So is this a vehicle you intend to garge and sell on down the line?

Probably. I tend to lose interest pretty quickly at times. But so far, enjoying every bit of the miles I put on it.

[Cubieman]

So is this a vehicle you intend to garge and sell on down the line?

[ra2fanatic]

oh crap, these panels....so tired, but the fronts are going in today. Next weekend I'll work on adding the rear Karbonius carbon door panels. Taking it slow so I don't jack anything up, but it looks really nice.

[ra2fanatic]

What a stable. X3M, M2 CS and E46. Are you hiding anything else?

My wife also has a G01 but the baby M. Great platform. Some days I want to mod it but saving all the mods for the e46 🙃

I don't think you want to see a plane jane Prius so I won't show that. I sold the Duc to my buddy and I still have my F750GS as my daily, though WFH has me putting very few miles on anything the last year now.

[Lip]

What a stable. X3M, M2 CS and E46. Are you hiding anything else?

My wife also has a G01 but the baby M. Great platform. Some days I want to mod it but saving all the mods for the e46 🙃

[ra2fanatic]

siblings first meet

[ra2fanatic]

Curious since I haven't driven any modern M cars - at the price point of the hopped up M2/3/4s what makes you pick them over a 4.0 Cayman or a 981 GT4? Especially as a second car where back seats and a bigger trunk lose value, I feel like there's no way around the Porsche. Although I can admit there's just nothing about new BMWs that "calls out" to me.

Well, I can say that I've driven the new 718 GT4, and I had a 981 GT4. I don't think the Cayman GTS 4.0 is that special. Exhaust shared between it and it's GT4 sibling just wasn't for me, and the revised shifter and lighter feel made it less sporty compared to the 981 which was heavy as hell. Jumping from that into a modern BMW manual, your foot would feel like you're going to punch through the firewall.

M2 CS, bought sight unseen, feels a bit more retro. I say that because I had a F97 X3M and the tech felt very modern and stepping back to pick up the CS felt like I just stepped back in time a few years. Not to say its at all a bad thing, jsut something that I had to wrap my head around. But like the GT4 of yore, I bought it because of the driver engagement and joy of rowing my own gears. Yes it has heated seats, navigation and all the tech you can ask for in a modern car (minus comfort access...wtf BMW), I still think it is special, and being a limited build, I think it'll be appreciated more than a GTS 4.0. I'd like to revisit a 981 GT4 again in the future, who knows. I think I had one of the sexiest exhaust setups that money could buy at the time....TPC link pipes, GT3 Akra Ti exhaust, with Cargraphics catless headers, and it screamed to redline. I don't think anyone has gotten that setup as far as I am aware.

So yeah, that kinda sums up my particular decision. 718 isn't special, to me, and the CS, is. If I went back to Porsche, it'd be a 991.2 GT3. Softer manual, but I'd rather that particular 4.0 than the 718's.

[sina]

Curious since I haven't driven any modern M cars - at the price point of the hopped up M2/3/4s what makes you pick them over a 4.0 Cayman or a 981 GT4? Especially as a second car where back seats and a bigger trunk lose value, I feel like there's no way around the Porsche. Although I can admit there's just nothing about new BMWs that "calls out" to me.

[ra2fanatic]

My new project has FINALLY arrived....!!!!

[ra2fanatic]

Such a killer build and I don't know how you can keep your hands off of it. I'm not content unless I'm attempting to re-ruin everything I've done lol.

lol. When I bought it, a lot was already done to it. And when I talked to the previous owner I told him "the heavy lifting is pretty much done, I'll probably add a few things, maybe change out the wheels" and one after another, I just kept digging a deeper hole in my wallet. So I think beyond the engine, if something pops up, sure, I'll buy it, lol. But I'm absolutely happy with where it sits. Everything I wanted to do, I went ahead and did it. I could probably do a bit more suspension work, but Ohlins ride really nice and will probably get a detail done after this.

[oceansize]

Yep. Garage queen. I think I’m content with where she’s at now. I think I’m practically touched all that I wanted. Maybe engine down the line but it screams now with the euro headers.

Another project car is stuck in Colorado. Should be here tomorrow supposedly.

Such a killer build and I don't know how you can keep your hands off of it. I'm not content unless I'm attempting to re-ruin everything I've done lol.

[liam821]

When I get 'er back from EAS this weekend, hopefully I'll have the chance to install it on Sunday.

Yeah, please, make a post would like to see the finished product.

[ra2fanatic]

Would love to see pics of the install process and finished door cards!

When I get 'er back from EAS this weekend, hopefully I'll have the chance to install it on Sunday.

[BMWahba]

Would love to see pics of the install process and finished door cards!