Yep, I'm going to get a Paratroop badge for this weekend! Chris let me drive his M3 on the way up to Laguna Seca, and courtesy to one of the other M3 guys, we went down one hell of a long set of twisties up north. I was in the rear as I was not used to this car, nor the road - and it was tight! A hell of a lot of blind hairpins. Well, eventually I got the hang of the car (and easy it was too!), and at one point I flashed the E30 M3 in front of me who was going too slow to let me pass. Well, as I was a bit behind the other guys, and he let me pass him on the inside of the hairpin, I floored it soon as it straightened out in an uphill. Well, little did I know that after the crest was a major DROP! TWO in fact, . . . . And I went TOTALLY AIRBORN - all four wheels both times! Better than any "E" Ticket ride I have ever been on! And we all started to laugh so damn hard, Chris had to yell at me to hit the brakes cuz the other guys had stopped very close to where we landed - perhaps out of disbelief of what they might have just witnessed us doing. Whatever, but al of us have just now earned our "WINGS".<p>And as for the M3, . . . after over 8 hours of driving it, there is NO other car that compares to it in its price range! The car exudes confidence in all aspects (power, braking, handling, and SOUNDS!!!), and with his new Toyo T1's, the car was flawless! Almost perfectly neutral, and went wherever I pointed it! Now IF a big heavy sedan like the M3 4dr can do this, I can only imagine what the smaller M Coupe can do!<p>So, . . . I do still like the A4, . . . . but I have been CONVERTED! The Power of "M"!

Too bad I can't afford them :( I must get all my jollies from my A4 and E30 3 series. Both great cars. Did going airborne hurt the car? Back in high school, my buddy took a grey market Porsche 930 over an area here in Palos Verdes called Portuguese Bend that is infamous for landslides. The car caught major air and sustained quite a bit of damage when it bottomed out. :(<p>Mike

Amazingly, nothing broken or bent! Just bumps on the head from hitting the roof :)<p>We weren't really launched into the air by a bump, but mainly just lifted a bit to where all 4 wheels did leave the ground - confirmed by the E30 driver who was behind us.<p>By the way, those E30's are one hell of a car too! That was the FIRST street BMW that really got my heart beating! And while at the track, by the way, . . . I got to see the 3.0CSI that I had seen years ago win the IMSA GTP race at Road America years ago - driven by David Hobbs and Derek Bell. Boy, now THAT car always stuck in my mind as a favorite!

Mike: You blew Chris' cover! Now we all know that all along, he had been calling himself Mr.M3 and he had the SEDAN!!! YOUR BUSTED CHRIS!!! SM<br>

Being an ex-PV resident...I have gone around that bend many times when I was young...and in my dad's Jaquar. I can't say we ever caught air there, however.<p>Geez, I wonder how much it costs to live in Rolling Hills Estates these days? Yikes!<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM<br>

(nt)

The only M3 I would consider would be a four door. My days of coupes are gone.....<p>Where did you guys go on Saturday night...did you link up with Karen and Warren?<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM<br>

I had the opportunity to drive the new M3 coupe yesterday at the BMW drive for breast-cancer event here in Atlanta. The ride is really tight...if you get a chance, go out and drive one!<p>

The scary parts was sitting in the passenger's seat and watching these 90-degree turns coming up at GOD knows what speeds!<p>I remember one nasty left-hander where my GF and I both said, "SH!T" The car had to be pulling over a G. And there were three of us in the car, FULLY loaded with luggage (we had a girl with us, remember) and stuff like that.<p>Mike said he was not fully pushing it either.<p>I was freaked out. I mean, an M3 Sedan can do THAT?<p>:)<p>Chris Gröos<p>P.S. the air WAS cool, actually. Roller coaster. Seriously, felt like a roller coaster!

I doubt it. I figure that they handle the same, since the cars are virtually identical (except the M3 Coupe actually sits about an inch lower than the sedan). Who's 2 door did you drive?<p>Brad Franklin

oh man,<br>I wish I had one. Get the clear corners and rear taillights with clean corners to your M3, that`s a kick ass car right there.I have a 1.8TQMS with Neuspeed chip and soon to be cat backed. I still think it is way slow than what I wanted. The only reason I got my babe is the quattro. I definitely need one here since I am on heavy snow and ice more than 3 months(Albany area). If I did not need quattro I would definitely go with a BMW M3, 328 or a Honda Prelude because I love the RWD. It is much more fun and plesure to drive than FWD. BTW. I still think A4 with ground effects looks as good as an M3 even better. Any way, all I need is more power and I am thinking if I can get it without f**king my engine.<p>PS: I haven`t drivin` a US spec. M3 but the 321 hp European version kicks ass. But, Euro spedc Prelude with All Wheel Steering handles bettere than M3 IMO. I have drivin both.<p>BTW Chris, do you have any photos of your car that you can post?<br>

And a few car mags have commented that the Sedan seems more poised than the Coupe.<p>I know they are the same weight and dimensions (except for height), but I think the Sedan is a bit stiffer because of the window frames. Maybe that helps with chassis flex or something. I don't know. But the balance IS different between the Coupe and the Sedan. No doubt there. Maybe by a small amount, but I can sure as hell feel it!<p>Great cars, either of them.

I took my GF up to Karen's place at about 7:15PM. We went to Stoddard's for dinner. A nice place. Had a good time.<p>Karen was really tired. Jet lag from 2 weeks on the East Coast. She got home a couple of hours before Kristen and I showed up!<p>So we had a quick dinner, talked for a little bit and then went back to her house and crashed. Really nice place she has. Really nice!<p>We all got up the next morning (Sunday) and went to a breakfast. Went back to her place and compared our cars for about half of an hour. And then Kristen and I had to leave for the races.<p>It was a good time, but Karen was extremely tired. She's a great lady. Had a good time. Kristen and I probably overwhelmed her with our talking. Oops! Probably couldn't wait to get us out of her place. :)<p>I never met Warren. Karen and Warren were thinking about coming down to the races but she wasn't up to it.<p>BTW Karen KNOWS how to drive that M3 of hers. He he he. I loved it. She rocks!<p>Chris Gröos<p>P.S. sorry I couldn't meet you at the Cantina. I'm sure Mike filled you in on all of his M3-antics. He he he.

Mike,<p>Did you do all of this on the ROAD? <p>Don't I remember you preaching about doing fast driving only on the TRACK where it's safer?<p>Going that fast on an unfamiliar road, even with a great car like the M3, is irresponsible, not that I haven't done this sort of thing from time to time. :-)<p>Dan Wyman

Mike,<p>Did you do all of this on the ROAD? <p>Don't I remember you preaching about doing fast driving only on the TRACK where it's safer?<p>Going that fast on an unfamiliar road, even with a great car like the M3, is irresponsible, not that I haven't done this sort of thing from time to time. :-)<p>Dan Wyman

(nt)

I've been there too a few times, but never driving fast. And if my memory is correct, that land mass there is in constant flux - so the roads are never in the same shape for long. They sure are lumpy though :)

Dan, yes, I did it on a ROAD. GUILTY<p>And yes I preach to (others) to do their fast driving on the tracks (specially if they do not have the skills, or if they haven't gone through Race Driving Schools) GUILTY<br>(ALSO *** need to add that they need to get a proper temperment and to control the Banzai syndrome - drive fast, but with your head, NOT your feet only)<p>But as for going fast on an unfamiliar road? Ever hear of Rally Racing???? :=O<br>Seriously though, to me it was unfamiliar, but to the lead BMW (a VERY hot 325i WAGON!!!), he already knew it, and we were basically folowing the leader. And as for speed, . . . I really only got into the upper limits of 2nd gear. And you can ask Chris - at no time was I not fully under control (except for when laughing my ass off after the jumps <G>). I was not really even pushing the car to it, or my limits. These turns were tight, and I was telling Chris as I was driving that I was not pushing it because I did not know the road - so you can also imagine I was holding back and driving with my head more than my foot.<p>Next time I should put a small disclaimer (<G>):<p>CAUTION: Do NOT attempt this alone, or at home without proper supervision!

This should not be some great new revelation to you. The M3 has always been a superior car to the A4. The cars are not even in the same class.<p>If the M3 did not out perform your 1.8T, I seriously doubt many individuals would pay $ 12,000.00 to $ 15,000.00 more for the M3.

It is a front wheel drive but as I said it has all wheel steering which pretty much changes everything!!! The US Preludes don`t offer that option here.

from RPV to the 110. the ground is contantly shifting. the road crews try to shave and repave every 2 to 3 months, but they can't keep up with the movement. it's a great set of twisties when it's all smoothed out, but my GTi w/Neu susp. hates it when the bumps appear. i end up driving through at about 25 mph. <p>i'm glad that i'm moving at the end of the month. i need to get out of that area before my A4 arrives. i don't want to abuse it by driving through Portuguese Bend or the current 60 mile round-trip to work.

Hmm.... but and AWS system does not equate an RWD system. <br>Little known fact... VW experienmented with AWS system back in the 70s... but they ditched it because it was heavy and not very economical. <p>Cris

Ya right. That's the biggest pile of bull I've ever heard, but nice try :)<p>Brad