[davidoli]

I have just finished reading a great article written in this month's BMW Car Club Magazine by the car club's M Power Registrar and our own board member , Richard Baxter , entitled ' Frozen in time : 1992 E34 M5 3.8 ' .

What a fantastic piece of writing Richard ......well done !

What with this and last month's E30 M3 article in Total BMW magazine , you are becoming a bit of a face !

D

 

[AfricaOffroad]

For us Southern Hemispherers, any chance of a scan of that article?

 

[davidoli]

For us Southern Hemispherers, any chance of a scan of that article?

It's not a facility that I have access to .

Perhaps somebody else can help ?

 

[legacy260]

PM me....I will PDF over the piece.

 

[richardbaxter]

M5 and new M3 saloon

David

Thanks for the kind comments and glad you enjoyed it but as they say the car is the star.

In a trade off for use of the race car by none other than Andy Prilaux (in June at Pembury) I have been fortunate to spend the last week behind the wheel of the new M3 saloon.

What an engine and what a car! its taught and flies, as yet I've covered about a 1000 miles. It loves drinking fuel! but what a way to burn it. Theres something however about the modern car that is not quite clicking and have to assimilate what it is. My thinking is that either one needs many more miles to get used to it or that it is too anti social for our dumbed down roads. It's limits are so high.

Perhaps mostly the speed sensation we enjoy in the E34 M5 at around 90 ish one can only feel at higher speeds and this is just not a reality so what is the point in the UK?

One thing that I have really enjoyed is the look of the car - in a colour similar to graphite grey i've become a fan of bangles flame texture. It catches the light in a very pleasing way, also the rear is so much more cohesive than in the Vauxhall calibra -esque rear section of the coupe.

The saloon has a nice tension around the rear haunches (with 19" wheels) but the rear valence is too shy with the result that the exhaust box is overtly exposed.

 

[legacy260]

The question is Richard will enthuasists be lusting after these cars in 6-8 years time and do you see anybody other than main dealers being able to keep these cars going as they get driven harder by people other than the original owners and businessmen?

 

[richardbaxter]

No I do not think so, whether we like it or not the car/social/green climate has changed. The M3 is out of step on all these issues, the real edge comes from 100mph plus as below that one has to be in a lower gear to counteract vehicles that have good (diesel) torque.

I think the question really is about the cost? I know this is a silly unreal comparison but supposing one had the choice between an e92 M3 saloon and E34 M5 saloon for say £10k - which one would you choose?

I think the interesting time will come this Monday when the M3 is returned and I get behind the wheel of the M5 again...

On the last occasion when I had an E46 M3 coupe for a week, I found the M5 was the better all round drive, the suspension more compliant and the less performance was not that much of a differential in real UK road driving conditions.

It has been nice however to be driving a brand new car, the sounds, smell and appearance are all fresh to the senses...

 

[Baddie]

Please update us on your return to the M5, very interested in your impressions of the contrast

Cheers, Anwar

 

[e34M52b]

The question is Richard will enthuasists be lusting after these cars in 6-8 years time and do you see anybody other than main dealers being able to keep these cars going as they get driven harder by people other than the original owners and businessmen?

As the price creeps down, they become owned by people who may be able to afford the price of entry (the vehicle itself), but not neccessarily able to properly maintain it.

I've seen this happen with our beloved 1992-1995 Audi S6/S6 cars. As the price of them dropped under $10k, they seem to become more and more ragged...

The few that are properly maintained and sorted will become more valuable. When they are deemed "collector's items" (which I already think the E34 M5 fits in that category, but..) the prices for these "pristine" examples are going to skyrocket.

My question is... as they age.. no matter what... Many cars are going to need at least a low level restoration. This will probably entail removal of all glass and motor... Full repaint (as well as in engine bay), new glass, seals and trim fitted, and new interior. What are we looking at for cost of such a project??? And, do we think the cars will be worth enough to justify the more costly expense of restoring a "modern classic" with lots of electrical bits, plastic and vinyl trim, etc... ?

 

[stevie sam]

Really good article Richard, just finished reading it and enjoyed it immensley..........

 

[pfinucane]

any chance of somebody scanning the article in and posting it for any non members of the bmwcc ?

Paul

 

[Simonal]

Must agree with David great write up Richard.

 

[legacy260]

Send me a PM and an email address.

any chance of somebody scanning the article in and posting it for any non members of the bmwcc ?

Paul

 

[Lantz]

Great article thanks!

Some interesting mods on your car, did you remove the EDC?

 

[Dan Kelly]

Hi Richard, great article - what are the seats fitted to your car?

 

[richardbaxter]

Lantz

Yes I removed the EDC when the car had covered about 40k miles and the AC Schnitzer set up was still available. Have kept the EDC for when I sell so hopefully 10 years in storage will not have affected them!

Dan

I also drive an E30 M3 sport evo which have the Recaro SR seats fitted (also as fitted to the 20 jahre M5). These seats are so comfortable and supportive that I purchased a pair and had them re trimmed in the (matching to car) motorsport cloth with the suede bolsters which I purchased through the main dealer. I like to sit low in a car and had to purchase the sub frames and runners which I found sat me a little higher than the standard seats but after some fettling managed to reduce the height by approx 20mm over the standard. Still have the original seats to put back in.

 

[richardbaxter]

Anwar

The M3 was collected today and fortunately before the M5 was locked away for the week it had been washed.

It was a suprisingly pleasant sight to drive her out of the garage looking at its best.

The immediate impression was that it felt wide and low, the cabin in my M5 is the light grey whereas the M3 was black. but the M5 felt very airy with lots of glass - have you noticed how narrow the glass is on the newer cars - I guess for better crash protection.

The M5 felt heavy and lethargic against the taught and rather frenetic M3 a little like moving from a kitchen seat to your favourite arm chair.

The power delivery of the M5 subdued and less potent while the M3 is full of zing and urgency but that is no different to how it has always been for example between the E36 M3 Evo the M3 version available when the E34 was new.

I guess the body stiffness is always increased model by model and this is noticable. Just as it was when the E34 M5 replaced the E28M5 so perhaps not a fair comparison (the M5 against the new M3).

I think the telling matter is down to the speed differential which at 1 sec over the 0 -60 is quite a margin and as we all like power this is not to be sniffed at as it enables one to make some sizable ground upto say 100 mph.

The aspect that I noticed is that I was jumping from early 1990's technology to 2008 and had I not spent so many years in the earlier M cars as opposed to ownership via E36, E39, E46 etc I probably would not have found the power increase quite so startling.

However I have never regretted driving the earlier cars because they are just so tactile and that is somehow more important to me.

Of telling note is that I had the situation last week when I visited a friend in Norfolk to show him the car (of which he was not impressed) and the journey home of 100 miles at 1am I had the opportunity to drive quite hard on empty roads.

I found it to be quite tiring and not very satisfying, yes the speed was there but was I as a driver called upon? We will always use the power wont we? but do we really want to be overwhelmed? but then as I mentioned earlier perhaps this is because I was jumping a couple of generations in one go...

Be in no doubt we are lucky that BMW still move the goal posts through fabulous technology and that is there for sure but would I wish to spend 50k knowing that 15k would be wiped out the moment I left the show room - no way!

On sunday I drove to my workshop where I'm renovating the running gear on my M3 Sport evo and with the new M3 outside, my response was very clear - I cannot wait to get the E30 back on the road - its raw, tactile and looks great. It will reach 150 but through the twisties the M3 and the M5 will give the sort of feedback the new M3 will not understand and so being part of the experience has proven to be the champion over sledgehammer delivery.

But I do not live in germany and if I did the new M3 would undoubtedly be the choice, the brakes are unbelievable and easily match the performance it is also rock solid but towards the end of the week I was also finding that my aggresion limits had risen by notches and started to feel like a bully.

Oh and the fuel consumption - could not better 16 to 17 mpg.

It is a great car the new M3 but the Uk has buggered hot cars like this and that must surely be a concern to BMW. See the latest Evo mag for more on this...

 

[davidoli]

I enjoy your write ups Richard ........emotional , yet rational !

Next time you are visiting your Norfolk friend ( presumably the AC Schnitzer advocate ) pop in and see your Suffolk friend , preferably before 1am !

D

 

[ncaldiero]

great article and pics! keep up the great work. If you ever go on holiday and need a house/car sitter, let me know....:biggrinbounce:

 

[nebpor]

Anwar
It is a great car the new M3 but the Uk has buggered hot cars like this and that must surely be a concern to BMW. See the latest Evo mag for more on this...

How so? In terms of the introductory extra grand on the price?

If you can afford £50K to spend on a 2 door coupe I think an extra grand or so will make nill difference!