Who uses the M3 as a daily driver?
- Thread starter AWD330XI
- Start date
I drove my M3 into work a few times last week. I work in NYC (about 25 miles from where I live). I really liked driving it on Long Island. But driving in Brooklyn and Manhattan are horrible. I escaped all of the large pot-holes. But the small ones I hit and the joints in the road travel right through the seat. It's pretty jarring. I drive my '97 328is in to work on a daily basis. I have the sports package so the 16" wheels and 225/50's are perfect to absorb the rough spots yet yeald great handling in the city.
Like Carbon Reptile, I drive in from Long Island, NY to New York City (Queens). Stop and go isn't much fun but the car behaves as well at a slow pace as it does fast. Besides, I got a cabriolet for warm afternoons so at least I can enjoy myself while trapped in traffic. The car is a pleasure to drive regardless of traffic. Hell, I even enjoy sitting in it waiting for the wife to come out of the store.
I was rubber banding in slow traffic two days ago when I notice a tricked Vette to my left, and a black Lamborghini to my right. All we could do was look at each other. The driver of the Lam gives us a mocking laugh and proceeds to show his best 0 to 10 MPH time with the span of 100ft. The Vette and I just smiled at each other and rolled our eyes. Just another afternoon on the Grand Central Parkway.
I was rubber banding in slow traffic two days ago when I notice a tricked Vette to my left, and a black Lamborghini to my right. All we could do was look at each other. The driver of the Lam gives us a mocking laugh and proceeds to show his best 0 to 10 MPH time with the span of 100ft. The Vette and I just smiled at each other and rolled our eyes. Just another afternoon on the Grand Central Parkway.
I second that. I drive my M3 every single day, commuting about 15 miles one way through light to heavy traffic (depending upon the day of the week, weather condition, etc). Driving a stick-shift in heavy traffic isn't all that fun, but I can live with it. I've been driving a manual transmission ever since I got my driver's license, so it's all part of me now.
And I enjoy driving my M3 every single second I'm in it.![[^]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_approve.gif "Approved [^]")
And I enjoy driving my M3 every single second I'm in it.
I do!! I do!!
I bought my M to drive it... not keep it locked up in the garage for nice days only.. its not a piece of artwork that is only meant to be driven in warm sunny weather but never viewed or driven in rain, snow.. whatever... i'm sure some people will disagree with me about that... but bottom line... its a car!! granted a pricey one, but i didn't buy it to sit in my garage.... i bought it to drive it....
i drive everyday to work, which happens to be only a couple of miles away... its good and bad.... because i am close, so i don't put a million miles on the car commuting but bad because in cold weather, the car JUST gets warm as i'm pulling into the parking lot at work... i'm that close...
so.. to remedy the problem of not driving enough... i usually take my girl out for drives on nights and weekends.... i look for any reason to go out..... my girlfriend thinks i'm psycho because of how i am about the car... she doesn't understand the concept of just going out for a drive... to enjoy!!! granted, she does drive about two hours a day commuting, so i guess i would look for every reason NOT to drive too. but i on the other hand, love it.
on a beautiful day, i'll get her all cleaned up and shining... bring some good cd's to listen to while cruising and just drive around... doesn't matter where... i've found some good twisty spots, some excellent striaghts to stretch her legs and some good cruising spots just to drive around and watch people check the car out.
as a matter of fact, last weekend i was out driving around going nowhere in particular at about 11:30pm - waiting to get together with some friends in philly. as a bird had earlier seen fit to desecrate my car, i was looking for somewhere to clear her off.. my detail guy was defiitely not around at that hour but i happened to go by a new upscale (manual) car wash... the kind with the bays.. i pulled in to spray off the crap and just rinse her off. as it turns out.. there were a bunch of guys (import car club) with a bunch of tricked out honda's, vw's and a couple SUV's. i pulled in, cleaned my car off and as i was wiping her down, a couple of the guys came over to admire the M. all of them agreed that the ///M was the hottest car there, i've done nothing to it other than the chrome rims... everything else is stock... oh yeah... i've got carbon fiber trim instead of aluminum... but that's it.. but, they all came over... looked it up and down, asked all about the tranny and nav... in the end, i made a couple of new friends... had my ego blown up because of their love for my car... it was pretty cool. so..i'm reading this now and way off the subject of how i initially started... but, i drive the car everyday... rain, snow... although this is the absolute worst car in the world in the snow... but every second spent in the car is a joy... i wouldn't want it any other way.... the only thing i would consider would be an AWD version of an M3 so that the snow would not be an obstacle.
I bought my M to drive it... not keep it locked up in the garage for nice days only.. its not a piece of artwork that is only meant to be driven in warm sunny weather but never viewed or driven in rain, snow.. whatever... i'm sure some people will disagree with me about that... but bottom line... its a car!! granted a pricey one, but i didn't buy it to sit in my garage.... i bought it to drive it....
i drive everyday to work, which happens to be only a couple of miles away... its good and bad.... because i am close, so i don't put a million miles on the car commuting but bad because in cold weather, the car JUST gets warm as i'm pulling into the parking lot at work... i'm that close...
so.. to remedy the problem of not driving enough... i usually take my girl out for drives on nights and weekends.... i look for any reason to go out..... my girlfriend thinks i'm psycho because of how i am about the car... she doesn't understand the concept of just going out for a drive... to enjoy!!! granted, she does drive about two hours a day commuting, so i guess i would look for every reason NOT to drive too. but i on the other hand, love it.
on a beautiful day, i'll get her all cleaned up and shining... bring some good cd's to listen to while cruising and just drive around... doesn't matter where... i've found some good twisty spots, some excellent striaghts to stretch her legs and some good cruising spots just to drive around and watch people check the car out.
as a matter of fact, last weekend i was out driving around going nowhere in particular at about 11:30pm - waiting to get together with some friends in philly. as a bird had earlier seen fit to desecrate my car, i was looking for somewhere to clear her off.. my detail guy was defiitely not around at that hour but i happened to go by a new upscale (manual) car wash... the kind with the bays.. i pulled in to spray off the crap and just rinse her off. as it turns out.. there were a bunch of guys (import car club) with a bunch of tricked out honda's, vw's and a couple SUV's. i pulled in, cleaned my car off and as i was wiping her down, a couple of the guys came over to admire the M. all of them agreed that the ///M was the hottest car there, i've done nothing to it other than the chrome rims... everything else is stock... oh yeah... i've got carbon fiber trim instead of aluminum... but that's it.. but, they all came over... looked it up and down, asked all about the tranny and nav... in the end, i made a couple of new friends... had my ego blown up because of their love for my car... it was pretty cool. so..i'm reading this now and way off the subject of how i initially started... but, i drive the car everyday... rain, snow... although this is the absolute worst car in the world in the snow... but every second spent in the car is a joy... i wouldn't want it any other way.... the only thing i would consider would be an AWD version of an M3 so that the snow would not be an obstacle.
I dont drive mine to work cause I dont want my boss to see it and then get jealouse and think that he is paying me too much money.. lol
really it is becasue i am in sales and drive so much, i have a 2003 toyota tacoma with 30,000 miles on it in first 6 months, dont want to devalue my M3 by killing it.. i did that on my last car (2002 325CI) 42000 miles in a year and lost $17,000.00 on the trade in because of the miles on it.
If i lived close though.. i would do it
really it is becasue i am in sales and drive so much, i have a 2003 toyota tacoma with 30,000 miles on it in first 6 months, dont want to devalue my M3 by killing it.. i did that on my last car (2002 325CI) 42000 miles in a year and lost $17,000.00 on the trade in because of the miles on it.
If i lived close though.. i would do it
I drive my 99 M3 convertible 40 miles one way to work, 40 back for a total of 80 miles a day. I have to pick up two hwys (with a 5 block city street cut-through) in order to get to downtown Miami were I park in a city garage. I wake up every morning with a smile cause I get to drive my M3 to work. Rain or shine...dosen't matter. Before the M3....I hated the drive. Now it's a breeze....especially since I've got an automatic. :]
The whole "stick-shift-in-traffic-thing" is overrated. It's the traffic itself that sucks. At least manual drivers don't have to press any pedals when we're not moving (as opposed to auto drivers who have to sit on their brakes the whole time). And I think driving a manual transmission in NYC is worse than manual in traffic. Nothing worse than accelerating and shifting a few gears for 30 seconds, then having to sit at a light for 2 minutes, longing for another 30 seconds of driving time before you hit the next light. ![[mad]](/images/smilies/mad.png "Mad [mad]")
I drive my M3, almost everyday and love it. Just hate to shift in rush hour. Yes in Savannah, GA the traffic is bad all the time. Especially down two-laned roads in Richmond Hill, where everyone wants to drive 15 mph under the speed limit. Passing is a bitch because of all the subdivisions on the roads. Overall I love driving my M3, rain or shine.