SMG-2 (which is what this car has) is actually really REALLY impressive when driving hard, and really awful (unsurprisingly) in full auto.
Reaching out on some boards, this is normal
So should I keep it? It followed me home
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SMG-2 (which is what this car has) is actually really REALLY impressive when driving hard, and really awful (unsurprisingly) in full auto.
Reaching out on some boards, this is normal
I would definitely not consider this as an every day driver with the SMG to be honest (there is no real in between fierce banging gears and a sloppy automated mess), which is actually a big reason why the most recent PO never really cared for it living in the city.
If it had a stick shift manual, I'd be hard pressed to not dump the mustang to be honest.
After driving them back to back, my brief comparison of the Mustang compared to the M3.
The Mustang makes me feel special, like I'm stronger than I really am, and yells that.
The M3 FEELS special, like someone who really cared built it, and it shows
I pulled up in the thing, and one of my neighbors was outside and came over immediately and asked if he could sit in it, and get some pics with his kids in it etc. My Mustang has been out front of my house for over a year and it never did anything for him.....
SMG-2 (which is what this car has) is actually really REALLY impressive when driving hard, and really awful (unsurprisingly) in full auto.
Reaching out on some boards, this is normal
Ha yep. Told ya. I could not stand my SMG. Complete and utter crap unless I was flooring it.
Honestly, I find it pretty amusing (albeit a little firm), when just sticking to driving in manual shift mode, it's just the 'pure auto' that's total crap.
Yes and No.
The gearbox itself is identical to the manual box, even core parts like the clutch are the same if I recall correctly. You can convert it to a manual box with brand new OEM parts for $1500-1800 (or waaaay cheaper second hand). It's not a death sentence quite like the V10 M5s were if they had problems.
It's also the same unit as the Supra to my understanding, and the box itself can take BIG power.
What makes it special is the SMG Pump that controls the clutch actuation and then the assembly that handles the gear selection (obviously)
It really is a manual transmission at its core, and drives wonderfully if you treat it like that, but was basically the early days of design still, so the fully automated mode isn't especially stellar.
In full manual mode (where you must use the selector or paddles) it shifts with authority, and is actually touted as being an excellent choice if you are tracking the car and willing to keep the SMG system happy.
You can adjust the shift firmness on the fly to 5 settings, but again, it was the early days of this, so the settings are "I'm just learning to drive stick" to "clutch dump", there isn't much in between, and that seems to be the primary grievance of these things.
He briefly had an M5 with the SMG system (different box completely, but same principle), I'm not sure if those could be converted, but they were VASTLY more expensive to repair.
The SMG transmission is notorious for it's reliability issues and people hated it for around town driving. I loved it and for full tilt shifting it was obscenely quick for a time where there really were no DCT cars around. Be prepared to maintain it though. I think the engines are pretty stout.
Depending on the purchase price I'd keep it. I see well maintained, good condition E46's going up in value. An SMG not so much as a stick but there's still a market. Most people consider that the last true M3.
Depending on the purchase price I'd keep it. I see well maintained, good condition E46's going up in value. An SMG not so much as a stick but there's still a market. Most people consider that the last true M3.
Apparently the conversion is cheaper than I thought, $1200 in parts, down to the hose clamps: DIY: Comprehensive SMG to 6MT Conversion Thread - BMW M3 Forum.com (E30 M3 | E36 M3 | E46 M3 | E92 M3 | F80/X)
Unbeknownst to me, this is the rarest, and seemingly the most (or second most) desirable color (the blue is also super rare/popular). I already bought the thing, and found out the rarity of the color combo after
Apparently a similar car with 20,000 more miles, and 1 year older (but with the correct transmission) sold for over $17,000 on Bring a Trailer not that long ago....
It's definitely growing on me.
Somewhere on the last page.
Was owned by a co-worker/friend who left the country.
He sold it to another Co-Worker/friend when he left.
That co-worker/friend never really drove the thing (less than 3,000 miles in nearly 6 years, failed emissions and he didn't really want to shell out dealer repair money to get it fixed given how little he drove), and I've been egging him on to do something with it over the past like 2 years. He then proceeded to brush a parking barricade literally moving it from one of his buildings garages to another per their request.
He asked if I'd help sell it since it was long since 'stuck' and dead in his car park in Wrigleyville. I told him I'd help him sell it or I'd offer to buy it (but if I did, it would have to be egregiously cheap since I can't really take a financial risk with the new baby).
I dragged a trailer up there with my Explorer, dropped it in the street, pulled the cover off the car, we got it to Jump with my truck and drive enough to just get it onto the trailer.
Towed it home, immediately bought a new battery and changed the oil and detailed the outside (and used rubbing compound to get the yellow paint off his oopsie to see how bad it was) put probably a dozen miles on it to make sure everything was good, and I made him an offer on the car that he took.
I've already taken the car to CarMax just to be 100% sure I 'couldn't loose' as it sits, but the more I read about the car, and the more I drive it, the more impressive it is. The body shops quoted under $2,000 to fix the damage (rear pass quarter area where the wheel arch is got some extremely minor love), and the Car fax is still clean.
My Mustang is 100% on my shit-list right now (and has been for the past like 2-3 months), it needs a clutch, it needs a real tune, a new H-pipe, and would probably benefit from some better brake pads as well. I also am becoming frustrated with the general quality of materials, this is my 4th Mustang, I don't know why I'm surprised that the plastics and leather are hot garbage...
In Full Auto mode, its almost endearing how awful it is. Like a Teenage girl learning to drive stickshift for the first time.
But yea, M-mode with sport on, and it just RIPS.
The PO being a friend I was not out to put the screws to, so I did pay a hunk of money (this is not my normal $300 flip type car), but I paid low enough that I know I'll make a few bucks if I just walked away from it as it sits basically.
let me borrow it for a week and i will GIVE you all my extra baby stuff.
The tires are practically square from sitting, I don't think you'd want to drive it right now
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