BMW M3 CSL with MANUAL GEARBOX review - BMW's greatest M car? - Autocar
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Date: 2022-04-17
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Comments and reviews: 10
Kapten
Can we stop the CSL circejerk now? If mods this big are allowed on this competition for the greatest M car, then CSL is overpriced trash. Base e46 M3 with following mods will be 30k cheaper and better than CSL:
19x9 and 19x10 wheels with Michelin PS4
Alpha-N Tune, more power than CSL and 200rpm higher redline
KW variante 3 coilovers
Just pick any recaros you want with cage and rear seat delete
Same weight mods can be done like the plastic windows.
Better brakes than CSL by wilwood
CSL bumper with the snorkel
etc
Cheapest good M3 CSL is now 59k and cheapest e46 M3 is like 12k. You could spent 30 THOUSAND on mods and it still would be cheaper and 10x better.
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Can we stop the CSL circejerk now? If mods this big are allowed on this competition for the greatest M car, then CSL is overpriced trash. Base e46 M3 with following mods will be 30k cheaper and better than CSL:
19x9 and 19x10 wheels with Michelin PS4
Alpha-N Tune, more power than CSL and 200rpm higher redline
KW variante 3 coilovers
Just pick any recaros you want with cage and rear seat delete
Same weight mods can be done like the plastic windows.
Better brakes than CSL by wilwood
CSL bumper with the snorkel
etc
Cheapest good M3 CSL is now 59k and cheapest e46 M3 is like 12k. You could spent 30 THOUSAND on mods and it still would be cheaper and 10x better.
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Olly
I completely get the manual conversion and think its brilliant but what confuses me is that everyone says manual is better because it's more involving to drive. But then, they prefer a modern 8 speed/DCT to SMG because it does things better and you dont have to work with it (less involving. You ca absolutely drive an SMG and have the shifts you want, when you want. You just have to learn to extract the best from it using the throttle and timing your shifts as you learn to predict the behaviour of the shifts. To me that in itself is very involving, just in a different way. I love both options personally.
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I completely get the manual conversion and think its brilliant but what confuses me is that everyone says manual is better because it's more involving to drive. But then, they prefer a modern 8 speed/DCT to SMG because it does things better and you dont have to work with it (less involving. You ca absolutely drive an SMG and have the shifts you want, when you want. You just have to learn to extract the best from it using the throttle and timing your shifts as you learn to predict the behaviour of the shifts. To me that in itself is very involving, just in a different way. I love both options personally.
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Touring
You are absolutely right; with a manual transmission and clutch pedal, the driver is in complete control of the vehicle. In my opinion far too many of today's autophiles ogle over split second shifts and straight line speed. Control of a vehicle is much more than that. It's about rhythm and finesse with the driver as conductor as road conditions change to become challenging. Your points are well taken.
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You are absolutely right; with a manual transmission and clutch pedal, the driver is in complete control of the vehicle. In my opinion far too many of today's autophiles ogle over split second shifts and straight line speed. Control of a vehicle is much more than that. It's about rhythm and finesse with the driver as conductor as road conditions change to become challenging. Your points are well taken.
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E246ixer
I was debating buying a 330Ci ZHP a while ago, but sadly it came equipped with the SMG gear box and to top it off suffered from some terrible rear end squeaking (Subframe on it's way out after a previous collision was my guess) I probably would have dealt with the rear end issues had it been a 6MT though.
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I was debating buying a 330Ci ZHP a while ago, but sadly it came equipped with the SMG gear box and to top it off suffered from some terrible rear end squeaking (Subframe on it's way out after a previous collision was my guess) I probably would have dealt with the rear end issues had it been a 6MT though.
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Mark
Always thought the run out edition M3 CS was the best E46. It got the CSL steering rack, suspension and brakes but could be spec'd from the factory with a 6 manual transmission AND it was a lot cheaper than a CSL! Most buyers went for the SMG anyway but there are a few manual M3 CS's out there -
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Always thought the run out edition M3 CS was the best E46. It got the CSL steering rack, suspension and brakes but could be spec'd from the factory with a 6 manual transmission AND it was a lot cheaper than a CSL! Most buyers went for the SMG anyway but there are a few manual M3 CS's out there -
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madcommodore
FACT: SMG is annoying in crawling traffic and pulling out of junctions i. e. real world use. Most cars were bought by investors so they didn't care. Luckily the CSL is so expensive I don't have to worry about having to own an SMG only model of the best car BMW ever made.
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FACT: SMG is annoying in crawling traffic and pulling out of junctions i. e. real world use. Most cars were bought by investors so they didn't care. Luckily the CSL is so expensive I don't have to worry about having to own an SMG only model of the best car BMW ever made.
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Richard
Converting SMG to manual is a pretty well known thing. So I-m not sure I understand why this car is so special. I believe an actual original CSL manual was built. That-s the special one. I thought this video was going to be about that car.
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Converting SMG to manual is a pretty well known thing. So I-m not sure I understand why this car is so special. I believe an actual original CSL manual was built. That-s the special one. I thought this video was going to be about that car.
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Kevin
I cant stress this enough BUT AN SMG DRIVES JUST LIKE A MANUAL ONLY W/O CLUTCH the only time the car decides for u is if u put it in automatic or if u dont downshift and wen going for ex: 20mph in 4th gear
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I cant stress this enough BUT AN SMG DRIVES JUST LIKE A MANUAL ONLY W/O CLUTCH the only time the car decides for u is if u put it in automatic or if u dont downshift and wen going for ex: 20mph in 4th gear
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MLP-Hot-Rod
Yeah, all 5 purists out there that keep the SMG dogshit gearbox. Meanwhile, the other 99. 999% say this is better. Who cares? This car is perfection and any idiot with half a brain knows it.
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Yeah, all 5 purists out there that keep the SMG dogshit gearbox. Meanwhile, the other 99. 999% say this is better. Who cares? This car is perfection and any idiot with half a brain knows it.
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G-khan
Great video, great project. Congratulations the workshop and the owner. Thanks for you guys for sharing this amazing dream of piston heads like me.
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Great video, great project. Congratulations the workshop and the owner. Thanks for you guys for sharing this amazing dream of piston heads like me.
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