jk100

I'm after some opinions.... About to trade in the STi and thinking about getting a CSL. There seem to be some real bargains out there on pre-registered cars right now, and I'm attracted by the fact that they're rare and a real drivers car as opposed to being used to drive to the golf club like normal M3s. However a BMW dealer (and also trusted friend) has told me to avoid at all costs, stating I'll have a nightmare with depreciation (they've been hard to sell) and that they're too extreme for motorway journeys with noise, ride, unadjustable seats - much more so than an STi. The sensible choice would be to get a used M3 instead. Thing is, I just don't want one because they're so common.

Can anyone add any opinions?

KnobbySP1

Followed one on a track day last year. Looked very fast, very composed on the corners and sounded awsome.

Had a quick chat with the owner in the pits. Loved it more everytime he took it out. Asked if he thought there were any problems and he reckoned the brakes were it's only flaw. He said he was going to upgrade them to some AP Racing brakes but no other upgrades required.

Apart from that I can't say I've seen many others....

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I know someone who has one. I'll try and point her in this direction

JackClark

Collegue has one, moved to it from a standard M3. Wife couldn't understand why - in her eyes - he was paying more for less. He had to change the seats as he has back issues, Recaro made some up in matching fabric for a resonable price.

Lot's of cash, but a very nice motor.

Gutmann pug

Simply Awesome ........

Lust4Life

Try here for a whole bunch of them!

www.bm3w.co.uk

Phil

punkie

Mega motor

Alot of money though for a cardboard boot !!!
And servicing, well i won't even go their.

Gutmann pug

IMHO its the next step up from an STi

Patt@firstime

Never seen one in the flesh
Never been in one
Never owned one

Want one!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brun

Sound **** imo, don't think i'd argue if i was given one though

Patt@firstime

Another Brun post that makes perfect sense

Jazz

iTrader: (1)

A modded CSL on track http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=50260

Very nice

NJ.

I moved up from a R32 to the CSL last October, very different animal indeed. The basics, brought a 1 year old, with 535 miles on the clock for £45K, it has a few upgrades, xenon lights and washers, aircon and a stereo (well it makes noise, can’t quite be classed as a stereo), and the ever famous Michelin Cup Sport Tyres, for which I had to sign a disclaimer. Only change made so far is the tyres to Pirelli P Zero Neros, I can actually get somewhere in the wet without feeling I’m on a coffin run every time a drive it!!! Looking for a spare set of wheels to put cup sports on, they are fantastic in the dry but only last about 3000 miles.

>>>>they're too extreme for motorway journeys with noise, ride, unadjustable seats >>>>

The noise isn’t that bad if you are cruising and everything in the car is set to normal, if you want it to be louder just press the sport button, everything comes in quicker so second induction noise is around 60mph instead of around 90mph. If you are gunning this car it is extremely loud (they don’t call it the growler for nothing). The only real noise like any car is when you are flooring it through the gears, once you have reached where you want to be it cruises just like anything else.

This is a drivers car, I have been very spoilt with the R32 (fast but safe), really beginning to learn how to drive all over again, its fantastic. For motorway driving it really isn’t any different to anything else, the ride can get uncomfortable on a long journey, but it isn’t that bad, the seats can be adjusted by BMW, driving anywhere else and you have to be on the ball, you have to drive it at all times, its attracted to anything, hedges, kerbs, cars, white lines, ruts in the road surface, pure fun all the time. The ride is hard, you can feel absolutely everything, the car is kicked out by anything it can find, it will slide at any opportunity, it will spin right through the box, it will catch you out.

I hope this is of some help, I absolutely love it, use it everyday, can’t wait for the wet season to finish so I can go back to the cup sport tyres (I have to stress again, these tyres are truly dangerous in the wet), and have to agree with another post, that the brakes are OK, but could be much better.

Nicky

hawkthescoobslayer

sounds a bit ruf to me

Brun

Patt@firstime

Wish

iTrader: (2)

Hi NJ
I was only asking last night where you had gone. (From the MKIVS)
Nice to hear you are still enjoing the CSL

NJ.

Still lurking, just to busy at the mo to get involved. Still running the VAG meets at my pub every month. Tax Month this month, trying to get all clients tax returns in before 31st - joys of being an accountant i suppose - boo

CSL is MENTAL

Nicky

Mossman

A good friend has one and let me have a proper drive. It is simply awesome. I cannot believe someone said it sounds crap - when the butterfly opens on the carbon air intake it sounds incredible - Nascar 'ish!

Handling is sublime, power is instant, loved the seats and carbon interior and was fine on the motorway. I absolutely loved this car and agree that there are some bargains to be had.

Mossman

Gutmann pug

I have some footage of me following one in my 205 round castle combe and also a 3/4 lap of the ring following one in the scoob.

They will be on my site in the next few days

www.northloop.co.uk

oh and whoever said he didnt like the sounds of them is deaf.....makes the hairs stick up on the back of my neck everytime I hear one on full chat or downshifting.

cat7

have to agree on the noise

when I was last at the nurb there were 2 there, one trailered and used purley as a track day car (bit of strange choice I thought, wht not a radical etc etc).

As a track and road car its surely got to be right up there with the porkers. I'm very jealous!

Gutmann pug

I have a video at home of a CSL doing a full lap of the ring. Its taken from inside the car. For the life of me I cant remember which site I got it from else I would have pointed you guys to it. The sound as it barks away from the cones at the start is pretty special.
I will have a search in a a while and see if I can find it for you.

Gary

Gutmann pug

http://www.racingflix.com/getvideo.asp?v=641

Link to CSL doing about an 8.15 round the ring, with traffic ........ gotta love that sound.

You will need to register but it only takes a minute or two.

Gary

Steve PPP

My local dealer lent me one for the day

I have a MY02 Sti PPP + PHP.

The CSL was incredible! The noise was beautiful, like nothing else. The performance was instant and electric, no lag or waiting till 4,000 RPM to pull off. The ride was better than my STi, I absolutely loved the SMG box (don't care what Autocar think).

Downsides
Seats. Fixed rake backrest was a pain - literally, I would have to change them. Carbon door cards were also a bit uncomfortable.
Fuel. Got 14 MPG! But I was "testing" it a lot!

I wan't one!

Steve

FletchCSL

Had mine for nearly 12 months now, i've fallen in love with it it truely is IMO a fantasic car. Bit of a cliche but the noise alone is worth it. Done 15k miles it just keeps getting faster, and if you stick it in 6th it will happily cruise all day on the motorway. I get along with the seats fine but if you dont pop into BMW and they will adjust them for you.

Might get called an idiot here, and i dont care anyway as i cant see myself selling the car (cost full 61k new so i have been stung), but i think CSL values will soon start to stabilise as M3 production is ending in september, and the top model is always the most coveted (look at the E30 M3 Evo sport now - still fetching 20+K)

I too have a separate set of alloys, with the car running on P-zero's. Makes the car friendlier and less edgy but those cups are amazing come summer! Got 5,500 miles out of my first set (no track use yet though). I got BMW to adjust the camber setting for me to liven up the steering, but it does make it fidget more. Just have to bear it if it rains with the cups on (DSC firmly on!)

Only fault i've had is the tyre pressure sensor was faulty and needed to be reset FOC. Look out though for the intake flap refusing to open. Lift up the bonnet and give it some revs with sport engaged in the flap doesn't lift @3500 rpm you have a problem. On a test drive if the car has flatspots then the owner has been running it with the flap removed which is a big no-no.