2001 BMW M3 - Scutch

[Scutch]

Right guys, as you may know, after a couple of months of searching and contemplating, I took the plunge and scooped this rather lovely Carbon Black M3 on Friday last week

Only 2 previous owners with full BMW service history including both Inspection's.

I was quite pleased with the spec, too :

SMG II
Genuine 19" CSL alloys with Michelin Pilot's all round.
CSL Bootlid
Eibach springs
AC Schnitzer exhaust system
Carbon badging and side vents
Blacked out grill

Sat Nav/TV
Full Black Nappa heated leather
Electric Memory Seats
Electric Sunroof
Dension iPod IceLink connection/6 Disc Changer
Harmon Kardon Stereo upgrade

All the other usual gubbins.

Really pleased with it. Gave it a good wash and polish over the weekend, and when the sun hits it you can really see the blue flecks in the paintwork. I'm sure it'll be a pain to keep clean, but it scrubs up very well!

The only thing I was a little unsure about was the ACS exhaust system, looks wise. Would certainly have preferred 4 single round pipes. It does sound nice, though, and gives a lovely throaty bass noise. I also have the original system which came with the car, should I decide to chop and change

The car was based near London, and as Gem had already ordered train tickets for the Michael Jackson concert - which was thankfully at the O2 in London, we decided to use them as they'd have only gone to waste.

The previous owner and family certainly had a decent set of motors, including the M3 and a beautiful Mercedes CL63 AMG. I got a full set of the service history and background of the car, including the receipt of sale when he bought it from a BMW dealership in 2005 - for £36k! Incredible

The Sat Nav was clever and easy enough to use. Got stuck in the London traffic on the way home which ate into the time, and then it started to rain quite heavily on the M6, so we re-routed to a Premier Inn in Wolverhampton and stayed the night. Got back to Cumbria on Saturday afternoon. I have to say, the Auto mode (which I put on setting 2) made things so easy. I've never driven an automatic before, having come from the Renault's and Subaru's, so it was quite relaxing not having to manually change gears every few yards in the traffic.

Gemma had a drive around in it the other night, just getting used to the auto mode, too.
On the way home I decided to try S4 mode. Now that seemed much better!
I didn't even have to ease off the accelerator when upshifting. Very clever piece of kit. I'm sure I'll get more and more used to what it can do and the limits of the car, but for now I'm very, very pleased and the car itself is stunning to look at and drive.

These are the original shots of the car outside the previous owners house :







A few I took at the weekend. This was at a run-down Industrial estate :









And how it looks as of today, with the smoked Depo indicators finishing off the front end :











Polishes up quite well

[Foley]

Stunning car mate really like them in black

[Scutch]

Stunning car mate really like them in black

Yeah, I'm sure black isn't to everyone's tastes but it's stunning in the flesh/metal. Is a pain to keep clean, though!

[WR1 Bro]

Nice one Scutch. You always take great photos in interesting locations. Hope you have a happy relationship with the M3. Looks stunning. You are right about the front end looking complete

[Scutch]

Nice one Scutch. You always take great photos in interesting locations. Hope you have a happy relationship with the M3. Looks stunning. You are right about the front end looking complete

Cheers Stu. I need to take a couple under that tent style thing like I did with the WR1.

[WR1 Bro]

Nice one Scutch. You always take great photos in interesting locations. Hope you have a happy relationship with the M3. Looks stunning. You are right about the front end looking complete

Cheers Stu. I need to take a couple under that tent style thing like I did with the WR1.

Defo, one of my all time fav pics

[presa900]

Very nice indeed Scutch, looks stunning

I found the auto mode quite useful in the M5, could turn into a lazy old man as and when I wanted, S6 was the setting to be on though just

[Scutch]

Very nice indeed Scutch, looks stunning

I found the auto mode quite useful in the M5, could turn into a lazy old man as and when I wanted, S6 was the setting to be on though just

I haven't ventured that far yet. Far too concerned about the clutch, especially with it having launch control. I don't know if Dan has attempted this in his CSL yet...

S4 mode is impressive.

[hightower]

lovely dude best colour when clean just a bloody nightmare to keep it that way.

[Ferret WR1]

Lovely motor, happy driving

[presa900]

Very nice indeed Scutch, looks stunning

I found the auto mode quite useful in the M5, could turn into a lazy old man as and when I wanted, S6 was the setting to be on though just

I haven't ventured that far yet. Far too concerned about the clutch, especially with it having launch control. I don't know if Dan has attempted this in his CSL yet...

S4 mode is impressive.

I would only be concerned about the clutch in launch mode really, once you are rolling there will be far less load on the clutch in S6 mode

Did three launches in the M5 before I sold it, just mental really still spinning up into 3rd gear with all gadgets off and in S6

[danr55]

Looks awesome Scutch, please send me a link to those smoked indicators

S5 most of the time for me

[M9JOC]

If anybody doesnt like it they are just being jealous bud, ILove your car.
I test drove a similer m3 black/red smg when i 1st sold cayman but it didnt feel 'mental' and i wanted mental!!! was too german and sophisticated and i had had that for 4 years!!

Keep showing the pics buddy.

Are you tempted to put a slight darker tint on the alloys??
I liked the colour of wheels on the one you didnt end up buying!!!!!


James

[bbigman2000]

Stunning mate, really nice choice, it looks well specced also, I notice it doesnt have harmon kardon sound but thats probably a good thing as the speakers used to rattle in both of my M3's which were HK equipped.

Enjoy it, they sound lovely high up the rev range dont they!

[Scutch]

Dan, the Depo's are on here :

http://www.ultimatestyling.com/products ... e=specific

Very bottom ones

Stunning mate, really nice choice, it looks well specced also, I notice it doesnt have harmon kardon sound but thats probably a good thing as the speakers used to rattle in both of my M3's which were HK equipped.

Enjoy it, they sound lovely high up the rev range dont they!

It actually does have the Harmon Kardon upgrade, Glen. No rattles yet, though!

[Scutch]

Decided to make use of the decent-ish weather up in Cumbria at the moment :

[eck]

Stunning pics as ever Scutch although i did prefer your previous model

[Scutch]

Stunning pics as ever Scutch although i did prefer your previous model

The WR1 you mean? I miss both of my Scoob's. No idea where P1 EVL is these days. I sold her being the second owner after 2.5 years and in 6 months there were 4 more owners. Crazy. Poor beast

[rocko]

Stunning pics as ever Scutch although i did prefer your previous model

The WR1 you mean? I miss both of my Scoob's. No idea where P1 EVL is these days. I sold her being the second owner after 2.5 years and in 6 months there were 4 more owners. Crazy. Poor beast

I spotted P1EVL in lemington a few months back but not seen it for a while

[Scutch]

Stunning pics as ever Scutch although i did prefer your previous model

The WR1 you mean? I miss both of my Scoob's. No idea where P1 EVL is these days. I sold her being the second owner after 2.5 years and in 6 months there were 4 more owners. Crazy. Poor beast

I spotted P1EVL in lemington a few months back but not seen it for a while

Yeah I sold it to a guy from Hull. The guy came at 9pm at night and just wanted to take it there and then. I had to insist on taking him out in it, first!

He didn't keep it long, either. Bugger.

[eck]

Stunning pics as ever Scutch although i did prefer your previous model

The WR1 you mean? I miss both of my Scoob's. No idea where P1 EVL is these days. I sold her being the second owner after 2.5 years and in 6 months there were 4 more owners. Crazy. Poor beast

Indeed
Some of the best WR1 pics ive seen.

[Scutch]

Stunning pics as ever Scutch although i did prefer your previous model

The WR1 you mean? I miss both of my Scoob's. No idea where P1 EVL is these days. I sold her being the second owner after 2.5 years and in 6 months there were 4 more owners. Crazy. Poor beast

Indeed
Some of the best WR1 pics ive seen.

WR1 EVL should be up in your neck of the woods now. Or at least closer to you than me, anyway.

The WR1's are very photo friendly.

[Ferret WR1]

Looking at the pics, it reminds me of Kitt, one min a WR1 next it's a M3 lol

Cool pics

[jimmy]

stunning mate,i like bm's had quite a few

[Megaman]

very nice looking motor mate. Would one of the bmw owners explain to me what all these S1 to S6 modes are... Are these different levels of power that you set on the i-drive system or something?

[presa900]

Mega, S1 to S6 are settings for the sequential gearbox. S1 being the slowest speed of change and S6 being the quickest

Not sure on the M3 and CSL, but in the M5 you only have the option of running S6 when the traction control is switched off, or you are in 'M Dynamic Mode' i.e. only helps just before you fly through the hedge backwards