At red light, 328i pulled next to me, light turns green, we both took off, he was in front of me the whole way by like 1-2 car lengths, both went onramp to the highway, kept going, then all the sudden i started gaining on him, then when i was next to him, he turn and gave a face " I cant go anymore" . I looked down, i was going 140, then I passed him. I just held it at about 142. Do bmws lock up before our cars does? We both got off the same exit and at the red, he rolled down his window and was like , whats the ticket price on that, i was like $28k hes like geez, i should have gotten that and saved myself a nice $10k. I said ya but my car cant handle half as good as urs, hes like ya but with that $10k i save, I can make the CL faster and handles better than my bmw

 

So did you roll down the window and casually ask him for some Grey Poupon at 140+ ???

 

no, we talked when we were at the red light after we got off the same exit. I wouldn't have the guts to roll down my window at 140 and talk, all i did was look at him at the time.

 

i've hit 125 or so. I don't think i'll go any faster until i get better tires and drop the car. Good job. Even the CL is beating on the 325's.

 

Yep, non-M 3 series cars have a 128-mph speed limiter. Only the cars shipped to America, of course, because we're too fucking stupid to be trusted to drive our cars safely, and not sue everyone on the road.

How did this turn into a rant against lawyers?

 

I've owned a '96 328is w/ the 2.8L I-6 engine (193hp). I think you should have taken that car for sure! Did you get a bad launch? I would think that you would kill that car.

And yes, the 3 series does have a speed limit of 128MPH. I never took my 328is over 110MPH so I haven't hit it before.

Supposedly my 540 is supposed to have a limit of 128MPH too, but since its a canadian car, I don't think it has it (because I've hit 145+ already in it). The speedo better not be that off!!!!

 

Well first, I only have a CL. When I go, i ususally go about 1/2 on the pedal then like a second to 2 later i floor it. Plus i was in auto, my car only has 210 miles on it so I didn't wanna beat the car or play with the SS much yet.

 

Oh sorry, didn't know that. Well with just a CLP it should be a close race until you get to the freeway where you should take it w/ your extra torque (I think so...), how much does your car weigh?

 

Did you get a new computer or did you reprogram the stock one 'casue I can't go over 130mph. My 3.2 CLS is restricted at 130. It sucks but that will be fixed very shortly. Does anyone have any info on this?

 

huh? Speed governor is set at 147mph and it has been confirmed. I took mine to 137 so I know it's not at 130.

 

Could that be different from State to State?

 

Ive have heard between 147-149 personally I have taken mine to 148 plenty of times, thats what the Speedometer says. I have also beaten the new generation 328i twice, So thats odd you didnt stay up.

 

CL is same weight as CLS, 3545 I believe.

 

Curb Weight: 3470 lb. (3485 lb. with Navigation System)
Type S: 3510 lb. (3525 lb. with Navigation System)

I dunno, everyone have been telling me I should have beaten him as soon as I get to about 30 or 40mph or on the highway. But he was about 1 to 2 car lengths in front of me the whole way, maybe he had a stick? Plus I didnt floor the gas all the way being its only a week old and I only have about 210 miles on it. So I guess if I floored the gas, and he didn't brake in the middle of the onramp for no reason. My buddy was saying he probably did it on purpose to get me to go slower since the ramp was 1 lane and I was behind him.

 

I have raced three 323i. I have beaten them all but I can only go up to 130. This sucks. Everyone says they go up to 145 or so. what the hell is wrong with my car?

 

sorry, madmax, maybe is cause urs is from CA??

 

Do you know if the 328i was auto or stick. I would expect a stick to be quite a bit faster than a CL-P. The speed limiter can be removed in 20 minutes by Dinan

 

yayaya143, cool, you live in hoboken? I live in north bergen/edgewater... ya know the funny thing, my roommate got an TRD Camry too, he did so much work on that 97/98 Camry V6, it just doesn't look like a Camry no more, just wondering how your Camry look.

 

"uu" haha cool, mine its a pure trd camry, its a camry with the whole trd package(superhcharger,body kit, springs, rims, etc...). The only thing I added is a system. I am thinking of giving that car away to my cousin though, I dont really need 2 cars, even though the camry is faster than my CL, I would rather keep the CL for its more luxuary things and looks.

"someguy", I think the 328i is a stick, otherwise everyone have been telling me I should have beaten him with no problem at all with my extra 30+hp and torque. I look forward to racing another 328i to see how it would turn out, well as soon as my car reach 600 miles so I can actually floor my gas and not feel bad. =) 310miles to go... cant wait

 

This is why I am unsure

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/compa...4/page009.html

The 328i in this test was a non sport automatic and beat fairly healthily a TL 3.2, at least up until the quarter mile. Probably by 1-2 carlenghs

 

well according to the stats, it just proved that I did pass him since
Acura TL did 1/4 mile in 15.9@88.7mph(I think the cl also weights 100lbs less), and the bmw 328i did it at 15.3@90.1mph. I said he was in front of me the whole way, then all of a sudden i started gaining on him, he probably hit the limiter and was stuck at 127mph while I kept going till about 142-3mph. So I dunno, maybe he was a bad driver???

 

The question is: At what speed did you pass him? I agree, if he was a bad manual driver, the results could be the same. But, yes, a stock 3 series should quit around 130 on the governor. If you started gaining suddenly, that would indicate at least to me, that the 328 was on the governor.

 

Oh I know he was on the governer, he told me afterwards at the red light after the exit, he was like, "I couldn't do any other thing but watch u catch up and pass me." I odn't remember if it was when i started gaining on him or when i was next to him that I looked at the speed. But I do remember it was about 140, 142. around there. I just kept it around 142-145, didnt look much cause I was concentrating too much on the road cause of the high speed. i wish i was driving the trd camry, than i could have beaten him no problem, plus he would be more pissed since the trd camry is only $27,000 with about 250hp. hehe. Anyways i gotta do something to make my CL faster and yet not spend alot of money... Wish I didnt have my accident before, then I could have gotten a CLS.

 

I'm sorry, no CLP/TLP stock will beat any E46 328i/Ci on the freeway. M5Lite, do you realize how shitty the CL/TL's 4th gear is?

Now a CLS, different story.

 

AC, like i said, I only passed him cause he hit his limiter/governer, whatever is called. Besides 328i isnt as fast as u all think, my dad has one, i know. now the 330s are different, I was just reading online, it saids that a CLS/TLS does 1/4mile same time as 330 does, which i thought was cool.
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/compa...8/page028.html

Performance Testing 0-to-60 mph acceleration, sec. Quarter-mile acceleration, sec. Quarter-mile speed, mph 60-to-0 mph braking, feet 600-ft slalom, mph
Acura TL Type-S 6.6 15.1 93.6 129 61.6
BMW 330i 6.7 15.1 93.6 126 62.8

 

I wasn't challenging you beating the BMW, I was just trying to explain that in a full out race on the highway, etc. and how shitty the TL/CL 4th gear is.

 

I thought he was talking about a e36 328i?

 

whats e36, e46??

 

The E36 and E46 are basically the chassis designation. The most recent 3 series is the E46 platform. A manual E46 328i would probably edge out a CL-P.

In truth the CL-P has little over the 328i in HP and torque when meaured at the wheels. Some recent tests showed about a 13% parasitic loss on the 3 series drivetrain whereas we see upwards of about 22%:

328i 193 * 0.87 = 167.9
CL-P 225 * 0.78 = 175.5

So yes, there is a slight advantage but now factor in weight, rounded to the nearest hundredth which is about right for both:

328i 3200lbs, 19.06lbs/WHP
CL-P 3500lbs, 19.94lbs/WHP

So the 328i actually has a better weight/HP ratio where it really matters, what's put down to the pavement. Now the torque number come out even better for the 328i. Add to this the more aggresive gearing and it is obvious how the 328i was out front.

The CL-S is a different story though and my wife knows it all to well...

 

wow thats interesting, thanks for explaining man. The 328i was the older models, probably 97, 98, not the new curvey ones. So I guess it was the e36. I dont understand whats so special about bmws, i had the older(97) 325 and my dad had a 328 before, we both hated it. When I bought the cl last week, i looked at 2002 audi A4 and 2002 bmw 325ci, I test drove the 325ci and came to the same conclusion as to why i sold the first 325 i had, its soooo noisy inside, interior is small and tight plus the engine is soo loud when i floor it. I gotta say i love the quietness in the CL even if its a little slower. The only bmw I would buy would be m3/m5.

 

Then I must say that you bought your CL for a great reason...not everyone did. Some will say they bought it cuz it's faster than this or that.

Enjoy your car, you'll love it! For about a year... J/k

 

Well...mine is...

 

They didn't make a 1997 BMW 325. They only made a '97 318 and 328 for that year.

Last year for the E36 325 was 1995 where they replaced the 325 w/ the 328 in 1996 I believe.

 

actually it was a 323,98 i bought it in 97 so i always say 97 just to remind myself thats when i have my first car =) , plus 323 has a 2.5 engine so its the same as 325.

 

This I don't fully understand. The I6 in the 328i (even '97 and '98 E36, same engine as the '99/'00 328i E46) is amazingly smooth and quiet, more so than the CL-P/CL-S. At idle there is not sound or vibration and as the revs climb it is velvety smooth, never loud or has any harsh sounds. Just a great blend of mechanical symphony!!

While I love the sound of my CL-S, more race inspired, and it is smooth. It is louder (even when stock) and of a different quality sound, again more race car like.

Considering I drove my CL-S to the office today but just went on an appointment but took my wife's E46 328i (we work together) I have just minutes ago knowledge on this.

 

Speaking of governors...Does anyone know how to disable it on a 99' 3.0 CL?

Mine cuts off at around 118, after that it feels like the horse power just cut.

(Course that was planty enough to beat out one of those old 80's Mustangs, he started losing ass at around 108 :P )

 

323 and a 328 are completely different feel for the car. I can't believe your giving opinions on BMWs in general after you drove one of the lowest, more economical, least technologically enhanced models out there.

I personally think that the 318 and 323 are a waste of money. Don't even bother with those models. The 328, now that a different story. If you don't believe me, check out some of the reviews...

http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national...8&GetReview=Go

http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national...998&rvid=31144

 

minor footnote: the 323i engine was in fact a 2.5L I6, but, it wasn't the same engine as that of the (92 <non-vanos>,93-95 <single vanos>) 325i, i believe the bore and stroke differed....same w/ the 328i engine...the 2.8L, I6 E36 and E46 engines are different eventhough they have similar outputs. i believe the E46 has the benefit of double vanos.

 

well M5lite, i had driven 323,328 and my neighbor's 740 plenty of times. Also test drove an X5, in MY PERSONAL opinion, i dont like them that much. I know alot of people including my friends love them. And I agree that they are really fun to drive and have awesome handling, they just dont fit my needs. I wanted a quiet, decently fast, comfortable coupe at a good price. Plus i dont want a car that will loose control all the time when it snows. Especially since I have to go up hills to get to school and home. My best friend always ask me to drive him whenever it snows cause his Z3 cant make it up the hills. In fact, sometimes he cant even pull out of hte driveway or drive on streets at all cause his car is too low to the ground and the snow are too high up. Now next year when I get my sports car, I'll definitely look into BMW's M3.

 

Thats odd to hear. I had a 328is and put on a set of Pirelli P7000 Supersports on there (High performance all-season tire w/ 17" rims) and had absolutely no problem in the snow. Maybe this might be contributed to the 50/50 weight distribution which you might not have noticed. And this is Chicago style winter we're talking about here. 18"s of snow in 2 days is what I'm talking about and the 328is didn't give me any problems what so ever. I took that over my moms Toyota Camry during the winter.