Thinking about getting an E46 M3. In an E46 M3 with grippy street tires (non-R compound), on regular street surfaces, at regular street speeds (say 0-45mph), in dry conditions, if one floors the accelerator with traction control off, how easy is it to break traction (spin the rear wheels)?

 

depends on what rpm's you are at. anything in first is pretty easy to break loose. second is pretty hard for me to break lose. i ps2's.

 

It's easy. The reason there are many 700+ hp M3's out there but none of them have run in the 10's yet is lack of traction. Even stock it's easy to break traction in 1st and second.

 

On Nittos or PS2s you should have no problem with moderate acceleration in 1st, and dead hooking in 2nd. Bone stock of course. S54s aren't torquey motors, and don't make their power until 5K+. They normally only put down 230ish ft/lbs at the wheels stock, around 4K. They are all gearing, so tires and foot control matter.

It all depends on throttle input. My m5 made 334ft/lbs stock at the wheels and I can dead hook half way through first on Pirellis if I don't nail it abruptly.

Of course, if you WANT to, it's easy. You can side step it in 2nd from low speed (15mph) and blaze the tires until you feel like grabbing 3rd.

 

Easier to break traction when CDV is removed too.

 

thanks for the replies! How does the E46 M3 compare to the E36 M3 in this regard (with comparable tires and stock setup, is it just as easy to break traction in an E36 M3, or much harder,..?)

 

yeah i could break in 1st or 2nd in my M Coupe pretty easy. this was on PS2's and Yoko Neova's.

 

Just turn the DSC off and you're all set :-)

M3's have a pretty light rear-end. Sorta like the muscle cars of the euro performance crowd.

Breaking loose is a very simple endeavour when you combine 1st or 2nd gear with lateral G's and throttle.

-Chris

 

Depends on how you drive it but realistically its pretty easy to light em up

 

i agree, drove a e46 m3 for a year and had no problem getting loose going straight and through the corners.

 

shiiiii*t, hold the DSC button for a few seconds, wait for the "brake" light to pop up on the dash, and I can lose it in my 325 sedan...

 

I've probably only given my M3 the beans a few times in the past year I've owned it (difficult where I live), but if I step on it in 2nd gear to overtake a car, the traction control will cut in and reduce power until its good and ready. I've never hit the gas in 1st, but I can imagine it would be useless. As far as tires go, they are Hankook V12 Evo in 285/30/19 in the rear and 255/35/19 in the front.