Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance Have you raced an M3?

thanks john for the kudos, LOL. i can still smell my clutch. he he

the E36 M3 in 5spd form (i dont consider a auto M3 a true M, sorry) is alot like are SVT tours., it runs at a high RPM in 5th gear and is always ready to run. I like doing 85mph on the freeway and punching it.......yehaw!!!! just like the tour its ready to rock at that speed. The M3 has one thing the tour doesent though and thats Torque. It just pulls like hell. I will be watching out for a S/C contour though, i think that will be a serious race.

remember that if you catch an E36 M3 at top speed with out mods the SVT tour should have the edge. 137mph stock for an M3. if its chipped forgetaboutit. LOL

ive had a few cars (riced out civics, mustangs, etc.) want to race me at traffic lights but its not worth it for me to get a ticket and watch my insurance go thru the roof. Now if a vette, P car, 3000 GT, etc. wants to race me ill risk it. LOL

most M3 drivers ive noticed arnt really into drag racing and perfer to take it to the track (driving schools) and thats where you see 40yr old men turn into crazy kids. fun, fun, fun.

that all said i think ALOT depends on the drivers experience and if its really an M3. you can buy a M3 badge at the dealer and remove the 328, 325, badge....you see where im going right?

happy motoring

Eric G.
Walland TN (near Knoxville)
98 BMW M3/4 blk cosmos
99 SVT Contour
84 xj Cherokee "the rock crawler."
BMWCCA#188400

A halfway competently-driven M3 will eat your lunch and make you like it. Torque-monsters, compared to the Contour in any present form. The gearing in them is GREAT, too.

As for racing one? NO WAY in my Contour. Now, the Vette has eaten up 2 and spit them out (both coupes and manuals, from all the arm/shoulder commotion that I could catch from the side-mirrors and rear-view).

------------------
James Tompkins
Tulsa, OK
loken@ionet.net

99 Red Rocket SVT
#143/2760
Modded to Taste...

00 Corvette Coupe (loan)
Modded for Haste...

[This message has been edited by JaTo (edited December 14, 2000).]

I guees I failed to think of it like that! that the Porsche guys and probably the older M3 guys are not dumb enoughf to race on the street just too mature. However I still stand behind my comments of before, when I had my B6 I raced what was then a new 1995 and my 15 year old Beammer showed just how she could shine. Since then I have been spanked, neve offically but a yellow 4 door went bye and never gave me a chance to catch up!
Eric your absolutly right, autos are not M cars, what do you think about the E46 and its sports mode button. My god bring back the real M3, I guees that will be the e46GT. Maybe we can talk later about the E30s and how domminate they were for the first two years vs. the E36 hehe.

the E30 M3 is a great car and was a more race bred machine unlike the E36 M3 which gained weight and became more of a luxary performance sedan, but ill take the E36 for an every day driver., of course the E36 is no slouch at the track either. LOL

now the E46 M3....im waiting for a 4 door version but if they decide not to make one ill settle for the 2 door in 3 to 4 years. I keep hearing rumors about an E46 M3gt also. kinda like the lightweight. i hope they make it too. have you heard the rumor about the M3 with the V8? its been done by hartage already and the M group is thinking of making a V8 version for lemans....cant wait.

happy motoring

Eric G.
Walland TN (near Knoxville)
gschomi@aol.com
98 BMW M3/4 blk cosmos
99 SVT Contour
84 xj Cherokee "the rock crawler."
BMWCCA#188400

Can a Contour ever be capable of M3 status? I mean with all mods and this new supercharger I heard about somewhere. Its got to be possible! Or am I in dream land? I love my car and love whooping everyone that tries to challenge me. I've beaten Mercedes, cam eclose to an ACura Nsx (could have been toying with me), Mustangs, camaros, all BMW's (except the mighty M3), any civic, Accords, Galants, Impala SS, the list goes on. There has got to be a chance!

------------------

I know I'm going to get flack for this one but, I honestly have been on the track with all kinds if beemers.
You see there's no SVT club, that I know of, up here in the Vancouver BC area so, since a couple of my buddies own BMW's,.....I'm a card carrying member of the BMW Car Club of British Columbia.
Every once in a while us "Beemer Buds" take to the track for some fun laps.
Now this isn't "head to head" racing, but we do take things pretty serious.
Now my point! My SVT has impressed the "S_ _T, out of everyone there! All the driving instructors, (professional race drivers), say the SVT is a "gem"!
I certainly can easily stay with any of the 3 series, and noone walks away from me including the M3"s.
Of course the new M3's have around 333 hp, so I doubt that I would keep up with one, especially with a good driver.
Z3 couldn't shake me either.
Point is that the SVT is a very good car!! Certainly worth more than the money!!
More important to performance is the driver! (as with the Z3 above).
Sure I can afford a more expensive car. I looked at, (and drove) the A6,A4(turbo),BMW 3 series (a couple of them), but none of them was as much fun to drive as the SVT!!
By the way, my buddies who own the Beemers agree!!!
I just get a bit tired of these side by side comparisons....I'll get of my soap box now!
(...man I know I'm going to regret this one!)

PS. I'm 10kilometers an hour faster down the straight than my buddies BMW 328, granted it is an automatic.

------------------
99 SVT (Black)
# 2642 of 2760
Mirko Racing Intake (Back order)
K&N Filter
HD Motor Mount Inserts (Ordered)
Front/Rear Sway Bar Bushings
BAT 22mm (R) Sway Bar (Back order)
Magnecor Wires
Bosch +4 plugs

I have a VERY hard time believing that
Mystikal here raced a 540i 6-speed and
won. Those things are FAST. I know that
we all see them being driven like damn
Buicks every day, but trust me, if a 540i
opens up on your Contour-driving ass, you
will definitely be eating humble pie.

Since Mystikal has beaten every BMW except
an M3 (including the 540i as per example),
I assume his Contour also smokes any 750i,
850i, M5, and M6 as well? Dream on...

T.

[This message has been edited by timd (edited December 15, 2000).]

I've driven a '97 M3 manual at WOT and I've driven my '98 SVT at WOT (most of the time). While I would like to think that the SVT is faster, there is no way....not even close. Those cars kick azz and the new one will do it better. Also, the 540i 6spd goes 0-60 in under 6 seconds and doesn't stop pulling.

Yes Eric Hartge and the V8 conversions are sweet, Alpinas Evo III B6 had one as well in the E36,M3. My B6 was a lucky find, a 1980, but it was a mean little ride a e21, that had the 528 6cyl stuffed in, and the whole Alpina treatment it wasnt a tuner Alpina but the real thing, the guy I bought it from had the motor go south so in went the 535s 3.5, it would overheat in summer I couldnt fit a bigger radiator and she was a bit nose heavy but it would move. I heard or read about the E46GT being lighter, cloth ent. no lux items, and adding another 30hp or so to the pkg.
Mystical 35 I dont think the contour S/C or not will be near the status of the M3, rember that BMW started the performance sedan thing long ago (nay sayers, save it BMW gets the credit for it) and the M3 is their prize throughbread. Not to mention the SVT was engineered for 200hp so its breaks may be good for 250 susp same etc its overenginnerd but the M cars are done up a bit tighter then that, balanced to near profection, at the M division if a car gets 300hp it gets 500hp breaks and 500hp suspension etc.Plus they add a full level of refinment to the new cars,(which I think changed the nature of the cars) I think of the SVT like the earlier Alpina and Hartge cars of the eighties its quick, nimble and versitale, and above all else exsclusive. I also think its a bit of the e30M3 its a drivers ride not fully refined, but very very fun. The numbers are near the same to a stock e30 m3 which were 0-60 7.1 and top 143, 1/4, 15.6 . Just like I said before we as individuals would be faster in a M3 then our SVTs, but that does not mean that the SVT is a slouch, Its not going to be imbarassed at all. and 323,328,325, even some 330s will be fair game and yes perhaps a M3 with a not so great driver behind the wheel. Go find one and push him as best you can.

Seems to me if resources weren't as limited as they were, I'd take an Audi S4 first and then if I had to add an extra 30K to the price it would be the M5. One of these days, I will have to give up the tour for an M5, but until then we can all dream and aspire to M3 performance!

------------------
Buckshot77
2000 Contour SVT
Silver/ Midnight
#1611
Bosch +4's, Fog w/ Head lights, heavily leaded right foot