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Thread: Tracking A BMW

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    canada
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    My Cars
    1997bmwm3

    Tracking A BMW

    I am looking to change up from tracking a 1997 328I manual (with M3 suspension and brakes) to an M3. Does anybody have any experience with track day driving automatic trans M3's.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    1,433
    My Cars
    1999 BMW M3 Coupe
    I'd strongly encourage you to go find a manual transmission M3 if you want to invest the time and money to track it. Tracking one of these in a safe and reliable manner requires a level of maintenance above and beyond what you'd do for a street car, so I'd hate to see you throw a bunch of money and labor at your auto M3 to harden it up only to decide that a manual would be way more fun.

    The other option would be to source a 5 speed and swap it into your car, but depending on how nice your auto M3 is it may be more cost effective to just sell it and buy a decent M3 with a manual.
    1999 M3/2/5 - Titanium Silver - Track/Weekend Toy


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    canada
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    1997bmwm3
    Thanks . My first inclination was to stay away from automatics but you don't know if you don't ask. M3's are hard to find at any reasonable price in canada but I will keep looking. You likely just saved me a ton of money.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Slidell, LA
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    450
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    Many
    Tracking a 90s automatic will only frustrate you.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    MA
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    2,706
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    Cayman S, Golf GSW, E30
    There's not much difference between an E36 328 and M3. What you have would be a great track car. If i were you, i'd keep it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Posts
    101
    My Cars
    BMW 97 M3 3.2 Euro
    Quote Originally Posted by TXBDan View Post
    There's not much difference between an E36 328 and M3. What you have would be a great track car. If i were you, i'd keep it.
    Only in the US

    Canada, I believe also received the Euro M3

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Irvine, CA
    Posts
    664
    My Cars
    99 328is, 03 X5
    I have a student that tracked his automatic m3 for 2 years, no issues at all with the tranny. He was just collecting the necessary parts to do a manual swap, when it was totalled in an accident a month ago.

    He had a lot of fun, and always enjoyed taking the car to the track, even with the auto. Removing the distraction to shift will help you focus on other areas of your own car control in which to improve on. Tracking an auto > not tracking at all.

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