Kevin Bacon 5 Posted May 18, 2005 It's not always about build quality though, which BMWs do possess despite them being slagged off, it's about how the car makes you feel. FWD v RWD means nothing if you don't know how to drive either at their limit. BMWs having the rear wheels driven doesn't automatically make them the victors in the handling test. They boast about 50/50 weight distribution but when you drive one, you know it's all marketing horsesh1t. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted May 18, 2005 I note that in the BTCC the FWD cars are more competitive on the fast sweeping circuits and the RWD cars are more competitive on the circuits with lots of slow corners. Swings, meet roundabouts. The "average joe" is going to get more out of a FWD car without crapping themselves than they're ever likely to get out of a RWD car, which is kinda why RWD has this mystique. It requires a little bit more talent to get beyond the 85% mark than FWD does. And I do note that the vast majority of people in this country spend their time squirting from 0-30 to squeeze into gaps in traffic, so maybe RWD has it's place... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted May 18, 2005 Well, having owned a number of Beemers, I never once thought "Cor wow, I'm in a RWD car, what a difference".....because as you say, in the real world, it doesn't make any difference. The Corrado possesses tonnes more front end feel and steering response than most BMWs I've driven.....and RWD oversteer is a LOT easier to recover from than FWD oversteer..... One is no better than the other..... it's just a preference thing if you're a skilled driver. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g60_Pete 0 Posted May 18, 2005 *off topic* some woman outside my hosue in an anging 145 alfa 1.6 lowered with some nasty tsw multispokes on it hehehehahah *on topic* exactly rwd is naff if you cant drive it properly! the only benefits you find arent for everday drving either, the bonus of course being that you can do donuts :D and i wouldnt have a bimmer on the basis of rwd either, i'd have a suzuki cappuccino now THATS fun. specially when you check out the tuning potential, from a 600cc turbo charged 3 cyl car... its scary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted May 18, 2005 If you can suffer the hairdresser image, a Mazda MX5 with a factory approved BBR turbo kit on it is awesome! You can pick these up for about 5 or 6K, but are RARE..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g60_Pete 0 Posted May 18, 2005 http://www.cappuccinosport.com/ i defend the cappuccino's honour! check out the wide arch kits and turbo mods hehe, loved driving one of these things in standard trim. revs up to 13k :D turbo doesnt even kick in till about 6k! if you get the chance drive one its like driving a dodgem, only a very fast one 0-60 is aboutn 8secs but didigtally limited (front end lifts without mods) also for hilarity check wheel prices. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CoxyLaad 0 Posted May 18, 2005 well my sister owns a 318is, seems pretty solid, but very underpowered. apart from that I thought it was a nice car. My girlfriend owns a mazda mx-5 10th anneversary and that is a blast! one of the best cars I have ever driven! if it were mine I would be shortly affixing a supercharger to the motor to boost its power output to 'loonatic acceptable' levels. All said I would still have my corrado over them all Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
junkie 0 Posted May 23, 2005 My mate has the bimmer 328i good car quite solid built, comfy but would still have thr VR yes biased as hell. About 6k to supercharge and about 8-9k to turbo the bimmer ive heard??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biggerbigneil 0 Posted May 23, 2005 Dinan do some seriously cool stuff for the 328's from alloys to suspension to supercharges, they have someautocar reviews on the site for Dinan charges M3's with 500-600 hp GREAT ODENS RAVEN that's have the back out! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickVR6 0 Posted May 25, 2005 I had 2 325i sport e30s for what its worth. Great fun in the wet, sounded nice and i allways prfered the older shape. However, both the heads on mine cracked between the 5th and 6th cylinders, lots of money both times and it put me off bms forever. Mate has a 97 p m3 evo saloon, fanastic car, but it didnt do it for me. Great everyday car, but id didnt feel like it had the low speed punch of the vr. Sounds mad 321bhp against 190, and on paper no comp, but i the vrs more of a mad adrenelin kinda gocart feel in comparison. Cant be the vr for small car build either................i could go on.......bias blah blah blah. Might change my mind when my timing chains make a snap sound instead of a whispy rattle though! Must get those done one day.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted May 26, 2005 Sure it was the heads that cracked? I knew they were bad for cracking zorst manifolds but none of my E30 25s suffered with head cracking.....steering racks and constant tappet adjustment did my head in the most! Good overall cars though and you need good tyres at the back or it'll throw you off the road easily. Know what you mean about the E36 M3s feeling flat low down....the 3.0 M3 was the same but get them past 5000rpm and they're mad....but too smooth and civilised compared to the old E30 M3. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maff 10 Posted May 26, 2005 My vr was convincingly quicker than a 328 that i raced once, i think he two up though if i remember and also remember him slapping on his brakes for a damp fast sweeping corner which made me almost run into the back of him! :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
s.g 0 Posted May 29, 2005 have you every notice how its always a bm who cuts you up on the motorway and to top things off they dont even indicate. if you dont believe next time your out driving just take a look you will be :shock: . i had the golf vr and would rate it over any bm. did you know bm come with a extra big box in the back.... its to put your brain in when you drive :lol: ok rant over with! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joebloggsVR69 0 Posted May 29, 2005 have you every notice how its always a bm who cuts you up on the motorway and to top things off they dont even indicate. if you dont believe next time your out driving just take a look you will be :shock: . Sounds like every Merc. Sprinter van driver I've encountered... :roll: :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomB 0 Posted May 29, 2005 So who's going to do the joke about the BMW and the hedgehog then? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites