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JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
1/5/24 11:16 a.m.
feature_image

The rhetorical question pops up a lot in our editorial meetings: “Why do we do project cars?”

And when it’s 2 a.m. the day before you’re supposed to leave for an event and you just lost your only 12-point 11mm socket that fits the last bolt you need to tighten before you can load it on the trailer, that question …

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David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/5/24 11:20 a.m.

So, will this outrun our E46-chassis M3?

Link to the M3 track outing. 

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Publisher
1/5/24 11:22 a.m.

I like that JG saw my out-of-warranty GTI and said "I'll raise you."

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
1/5/24 11:22 a.m.
David S. Wallens said:

So, will this outrun our E46-chassis M3?

Link to the M3 track outing. 

Editorial Director, Grassroots Motorsports & Classic Motorsports

So David just told me his car weighs 3415, and this thing is probably 3550+, with similar power as it sits, and a set of 60% Michelin Pilot A/S tires according to Lee.

So I'mma say no.

Or, more accurately "not yet." :)

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
1/5/24 11:23 a.m.
Tom Suddard said:

I like that JG saw my out-of-warranty GTI and said "I'll raise you."

Who on staff can we get to buy an Audi?

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/5/24 11:24 a.m.

In reply to JG Pasterjak :

I might have a set of wheels/sticky tires for you. :) 

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Publisher
1/5/24 11:26 a.m.

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
1/5/24 11:28 a.m.
JG Pasterjak said:
Tom Suddard said:

I like that JG saw my out-of-warranty GTI and said "I'll raise you."

Who on staff can we get to buy an Audi?

jg

I think I saw an Allroad for sale the other day...

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
1/5/24 11:32 a.m.

My DCT 135i kind of soured me on modern BMW turbo cars. But I'm still a BMW guy at heart. 

dyintorace
dyintorace GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
1/5/24 11:33 a.m.

This is going to be fun!

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/5/24 11:44 a.m.

Just announced: CFR SCCA autocross January 20 at Orange County Convention Center

ChrisTropea
ChrisTropea Associate Editor
1/5/24 11:44 a.m.
JG Pasterjak said:
Tom Suddard said:

I like that JG saw my out-of-warranty GTI and said "I'll raise you."

Who on staff can we get to buy an Audi?

Don't tempt me. 

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Publisher
1/5/24 11:53 a.m.

RS3s are really cool cars, Chris...

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
1/5/24 11:54 a.m.
Tom Suddard said:

@TomSuddard on Instagram

Deciphering BMW options is like reading the Necronomicon, but to the best of my deciphering ability it looks like you couldn't get a non-M4 six cylinder 4 Series without a sunroof, and non-M3 slick top six cylinder 3 Series might not have existed, either. America loves us some sunrooves.

Noddaz
Noddaz GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
1/5/24 11:56 a.m.
ChrisTropea said:
JG Pasterjak said:
Tom Suddard said:

I like that JG saw my out-of-warranty GTI and said "I'll raise you."

Who on staff can we get to buy an Audi?

Don't tempt me. 

Do IT!

 

Kevin_at_BW
Kevin_at_BW GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/5/24 12:45 p.m.

Mmmmm, that new BMW Project Car smell.

We'll have a box of gummies waiting for the first round of goodies.  Say the word...

Marjorie Suddard
Marjorie Suddard General Manager
1/5/24 12:48 p.m.
Noddaz said:
ChrisTropea said:
JG Pasterjak said:
Tom Suddard said:

I like that JG saw my out-of-warranty GTI and said "I'll raise you."

Who on staff can we get to buy an Audi?

Don't tempt me. 

Do IT!

 

I just heard a whimpering sound from the company checkbook.

Margie

gumby
gumby GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/5/24 1:32 p.m.
Marjorie Suddard said:

I just heard a whimpering sound from the company checkbook.

While I'm obviously anxious to follow GRM's dive into the ZF8hp aftermarket, the sentiment relayed here echos the first question that formed in my mind: "Is a 435i M-sport actually grassroots now??!!?"

Jerry
Jerry PowerDork
1/5/24 1:42 p.m.

If you're staying more than the day, meet up with some of us locals.  I can think of at least 4-5 people within 30min of that place.

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
1/5/24 1:46 p.m.
gumby said:
Marjorie Suddard said:

I just heard a whimpering sound from the company checkbook.

While I'm obviously anxious to follow GRM's dive into the ZF8hp aftermarket, the sentiment relayed here echos the first question that formed in my mind: "Is a 435i M-sport actually grassroots now??!!?"

Under $20k buy-in says "yes." 

Long term BMW ownership cost, however, exists on a spectrum. I think a big part of this story is examining that spectrum. 

My wife had a 535xi wagon for a while. Absolutely loved the thing. to this day it remains her favorite car she'd ever driven. Then she got the bill for the driveline service... She drives a Mazda CX-5 now. 

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
1/5/24 1:51 p.m.
Jerry said:

If you're staying more than the day, meet up with some of us locals.  I can think of at least 4-5 people within 30min of that place.

I'm tempted, but I kind of need to be at my desk Monday morning. And the weatherman says a winter system is basically meeting me and my shorts and my hoodie there, so the sooner I put some miles between me and Ohio the better.

Is there someplace south of the dealership easily accessible from 75/71 that would be doable post-pickup on my way out of town?

gumby
gumby GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/5/24 2:04 p.m.
JG Pasterjak said:
gumby said:
Marjorie Suddard said:

I just heard a whimpering sound from the company checkbook.

While I'm obviously anxious to follow GRM's dive into the ZF8hp aftermarket, the sentiment relayed here echos the first question that formed in my mind: "Is a 435i M-sport actually grassroots now??!!?"

Under $20k buy-in says "yes." 

I suppose we use different qualifiers.

I cannot drop a $20k buy-in on a toy. 
I could not justify writing off such a purchase in the event of an on-track incident.

Maybe I'm not a typical grassroots motosporter anymore.

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Publisher
1/5/24 2:04 p.m.
gumby said:
Marjorie Suddard said:

I just heard a whimpering sound from the company checkbook.

While I'm obviously anxious to follow GRM's dive into the ZF8hp aftermarket, the sentiment relayed here echos the first question that formed in my mind: "Is a 435i M-sport actually grassroots now??!!?"

Yeah, this car is worth the same money as my 7-year-old Golf GTI.

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Publisher
1/5/24 2:06 p.m.

I don't see this car (or my GTI) as a toy, but rather a great answer to the question "can your daily driver also be your fun car?" It's a 9-year-old BMW, and that's the kind of car we've always written about. In our early days, Tim was playing with E28s and E30s back when they were 9-year-old BMWs, too.

It's also worth mentioning that you can do track events while being fully insured, either through your normal insurance while not competing (as JG proved with his MR2 fire) or via track insurance when you are. 

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
1/5/24 2:12 p.m.

In reply to Tom Suddard :

I get what y'all are saying and your world is different because this is content that you can create and we applaud that. But man.... $20k starting, plus backlogged maintenance, wheels/tires, brakes and all the other upgrades you'll put into it is a lot of money. I'll just go sit in the corner over here and play with my 10 year old Kias. While I may be alone, the 10 year old kia stories I would love to see again... or even for the first time. 

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