mRoadster06
Member
Hello all, just purchased this beautiy - a 2006 Imola Red M Roadster, and I couldn't be happier with it!
This is my first BMW - previous toys include a C7 Corvette Stingray, a Nissan 350Z, and Solstice GXP - and this is by far my favorite so far!
Thank you all for the warm welcome, and I look forward to any tips / advice that you all have for me! A few questions I had as well…
1) Far as I can tell, mine has a few mods including SuperSprint exhaust, M3 CSL wheels, Halo-style DRLs, and an old-school (I think?) rear BMW emblem. What other mods / personalizations would you all suggest?
2) I know an intake is a common mod on these cars and sounds great ... will I be able to hear it / enjoy it over the SuperSprint? Or will the SuperSprint overshadow the intake noise?
3) My car has 62k miles on the clock. I understand there's some preventative maintenance folks do on these engines (i.e. VANOS overhaul, valve adjustment, etc.). Is there a way to tell if my car has already had these done? If not, when would you suggest that I do them?
4) I'm told that a clutch delay valve delete is a critical mod - is there a way to tell if that's been done already on my car?
5) Is there a maintenance schedule that's generally agreed upon in these parts? I understand that a lot of folks think BMW's maintenance schedule was a bit ... optimistic lets say. So, I'm curious how often folks do engine oil, diff fluid, transmission fluid, etc.
Lastly ... for those interested (possibly no one haha, this is long to feel free to skip), a little about how I landed on an M Roadster. Many of my friends / family were surprised that I "downgraded" from a C7 Corvette to a much older, slower car with less features and tech. I simply tell them ... you have to drive one!! I had about two months in between contracts at work, where work was incredibly slow. After doing everything else I could think of, I thought ... why don't I line up some test drives, just for fun, just to expereince some other cars? During this time, I drove 997 911, 991 911, 987 Boxster, 981 Boxster, Aston V8 Vantage, S2000, ND Miata, E46 M3, F80 M4, Camaro6, F-Type V6 S, Lotus Evora, gen 2 Dodge Viper, C6 427 Corvette, R57 Mini Cooper JCW, and of course my own C7 Corvette Stingray. These cars are all special and amazing in their own way, but only one got in my head, stayed with me, and really made me question whether I was in the right car ... and that of couse was the M Roadster. After every other test drive, even the likes of 911s and V8 Vantage, I would think "yeah, that car did some amazing things ... but give me back the keys to my Vette". But not the M Roadster, I just couldn't get it out of my head. It's tossable size, short gearing, small stearing wheel, screaming S54, pefect amount of power to enjoy on public roads, very quick steering, and that BMW frantic / high-strung feeling all combined for a driving experience that just won me over. After a few nights trying to talk myself out of it, the M Roadster was mine, and the Vette had to go. I couldn't believe it - had you asked me two weeks ago, I would have said "I love my C7 and it's not going anywhere". Yet, here we are.
Personally, I think the M Roadster is the most fun and engaging car on this list. It may not be the fastest or the most precise, but I do think it's the most fun and most engaging. I gave up a lot with the Vette - 130hp, literally double the torque, a bunch of tech / features, rev match (a gimmick I know, but I liked it - approaching a red light and dropping down to second and hearing that v8 rev) … but none of that matters once I’m behind the wheel in the M Roadster. Many disagree, understandably so, but not me
As an aside - it amazed me how many cars on this list were ruined by gearing that was way too tall. C6 427, Viper, 981 Boxster, and others had epic engines - but you can never rev them out past 1st gear without losing your license. Short gearing and a high revving engine is a seriously under appreciated combo.
This is my first BMW - previous toys include a C7 Corvette Stingray, a Nissan 350Z, and Solstice GXP - and this is by far my favorite so far!
Thank you all for the warm welcome, and I look forward to any tips / advice that you all have for me! A few questions I had as well…
1) Far as I can tell, mine has a few mods including SuperSprint exhaust, M3 CSL wheels, Halo-style DRLs, and an old-school (I think?) rear BMW emblem. What other mods / personalizations would you all suggest?
2) I know an intake is a common mod on these cars and sounds great ... will I be able to hear it / enjoy it over the SuperSprint? Or will the SuperSprint overshadow the intake noise?
3) My car has 62k miles on the clock. I understand there's some preventative maintenance folks do on these engines (i.e. VANOS overhaul, valve adjustment, etc.). Is there a way to tell if my car has already had these done? If not, when would you suggest that I do them?
4) I'm told that a clutch delay valve delete is a critical mod - is there a way to tell if that's been done already on my car?
5) Is there a maintenance schedule that's generally agreed upon in these parts? I understand that a lot of folks think BMW's maintenance schedule was a bit ... optimistic lets say. So, I'm curious how often folks do engine oil, diff fluid, transmission fluid, etc.
Lastly ... for those interested (possibly no one haha, this is long to feel free to skip), a little about how I landed on an M Roadster. Many of my friends / family were surprised that I "downgraded" from a C7 Corvette to a much older, slower car with less features and tech. I simply tell them ... you have to drive one!! I had about two months in between contracts at work, where work was incredibly slow. After doing everything else I could think of, I thought ... why don't I line up some test drives, just for fun, just to expereince some other cars? During this time, I drove 997 911, 991 911, 987 Boxster, 981 Boxster, Aston V8 Vantage, S2000, ND Miata, E46 M3, F80 M4, Camaro6, F-Type V6 S, Lotus Evora, gen 2 Dodge Viper, C6 427 Corvette, R57 Mini Cooper JCW, and of course my own C7 Corvette Stingray. These cars are all special and amazing in their own way, but only one got in my head, stayed with me, and really made me question whether I was in the right car ... and that of couse was the M Roadster. After every other test drive, even the likes of 911s and V8 Vantage, I would think "yeah, that car did some amazing things ... but give me back the keys to my Vette". But not the M Roadster, I just couldn't get it out of my head. It's tossable size, short gearing, small stearing wheel, screaming S54, pefect amount of power to enjoy on public roads, very quick steering, and that BMW frantic / high-strung feeling all combined for a driving experience that just won me over. After a few nights trying to talk myself out of it, the M Roadster was mine, and the Vette had to go. I couldn't believe it - had you asked me two weeks ago, I would have said "I love my C7 and it's not going anywhere". Yet, here we are.
Personally, I think the M Roadster is the most fun and engaging car on this list. It may not be the fastest or the most precise, but I do think it's the most fun and most engaging. I gave up a lot with the Vette - 130hp, literally double the torque, a bunch of tech / features, rev match (a gimmick I know, but I liked it - approaching a red light and dropping down to second and hearing that v8 rev) … but none of that matters once I’m behind the wheel in the M Roadster. Many disagree, understandably so, but not me
As an aside - it amazed me how many cars on this list were ruined by gearing that was way too tall. C6 427, Viper, 981 Boxster, and others had epic engines - but you can never rev them out past 1st gear without losing your license. Short gearing and a high revving engine is a seriously under appreciated combo.
