Is traction control available on Z3M

tags · Post by **tags** » Thu 02 Dec, 2004 16:00

I am considering buying Matmans estoril Z3M, it does not have traction control. It has abs and limited slip diff. Would the non traction Z3M be a bit of a handful? Please advise any thoughts.

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Thu 02 Dec, 2004 16:17

Tags Just go easy on the loud pedal in the wet. No prob in the dry.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu 02 Dec, 2004 16:28

Tags,

The later S54 models with all the traction control and DSC stuff are more forgiving, but this also puts up the price considerably.

As long as you're sensible and keep your wits about you there is no reason you can't be just as safe and have just as much fun in an S50.

In short, Go For It !!

Who knows, it will probably make you a better driver as well

Simon

Dave K · Post by **Dave K** » Thu 02 Dec, 2004 16:40

Tags,

I can only echo the sentiments expressed by Simon

Yes, the S50 M will require you to drive it, in the same way any sports motorcycle (my Ducati 916 included) will require you to interact with it, you have to put the effort in and communicate with the vehicle – but surely that’s what it’s all about?

Pond for pound it represents one hell of a bargain

slickster22 · Post by **slickster22** » Thu 02 Dec, 2004 22:31

If your really worried Racelogic in Buckingham can fit adjustable traction control for about £450 + VAT or for a bit extra launch control as well. Works brilliantly and makes the car much safer IMHO. Tel 01280823803 or www.racelogic.co.uk for info.

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Fri 03 Dec, 2004 11:29

slickster22 wrote:If your really worried Racelogic in Buckingham can fit adjustable traction control for about £450 + VAT or for a bit extra launch control as well. Works brilliantly and makes the car much safer IMHO. Tel 01280823803 or www.racelogic.co.uk for info.

This is what I intend to do b4 the Suisse trip and allows the driver to adjust the setting (I think 5) rather than the on/off of a std S54 set-up although it carries more safety gizmos as well as TC.

First off look at suspension.. if already sorted then give Racelogic a try.. if its good enough for the Koniegsegg CCR...

Rgds

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Fri 03 Dec, 2004 16:23

slickster22 wrote:If your really worried Racelogic in Buckingham can fit adjustable traction control for about £450 + VAT or for a bit extra launch control as well. Works brilliantly and makes the car much safer IMHO. Tel 01280823803 or www.racelogic.co.uk for info.

Is that a standard price or a group discount price.. any special 'sode' I need to say..

Also - anyone know of a company in the North/Scotland who could fit the kit..?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri 03 Dec, 2004 16:51

Just been checking out the Racelogic web site and boy do they have some cool toys

Man could you misbehave with this stuff

Kind of Ironic that they have pictures and a video of the system fitted to an Estoril blue S50 //M Roadster.

Simon

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Fri 03 Dec, 2004 16:55

Just spoke to Mike Broadbent (Racelogic) who's boss (Julian) used to run an S50 and so have lots of data/settings to calibrate with.

He's keen to tie up with the register/forum to offer his TC system at a group discount.. mailto:mike.broadbent@racelogic.co.uk

If we get a group of 10 together then we can have the kit for approx £450. Otherise it's more like £680 + fitting charges

.

Now if we could some mbrs from here and BMW clubs.. maybe some E36 M3 guys etc..

The system can be calibrated to the specific car and set-up as wel as the driver's preferences. Well worth it for S50 owners.. trust me!

PM me if you're genuinely interested.

tags · Post by **tags** » Sat 04 Dec, 2004 00:16

I actually spoke to Julian earlier this week. He has just flogged his Z3M and I missed it by a few hours. He let it go for 15750 with hard top etc, sorry i missed that one.

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 09:16

I'm trying to get names form other club/forums for an inter-club group discount. So if anyone wants to take advantage of the 40% discount then plx PM me. 10 names in total are required.

J

slickster22 · Post by **slickster22** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 11:29

Sorry Tags, I bought Julians Z3M on Thursday last week but I can confirm that the traction control fitted is fantastic with variable settings depending on how much fun you want to have. Also launch control but haven't been brave enough to try that one out yet - definately recommend the system and far far better than the system fitted as standard by BMW to my 3 series. It doesnt allow the car to bog down when it cuts the power like on the 3 series which has been a bit concerning when trying to pull out quickly from a junction. It just gives you maximum traction for the conditions with settings to make you look a bit more impressive when you need it. Compared to a friends Z3M S50 Coupe without this system it allows you to get on the power much quicker. I guess the only downside is that if you have a BMW warranty it would probably invalidate the warranty on the parts the system is attached to.
Anyhow as a newbie to this forum I just want to say thanks for all the useful info I got from here.
Hope this helps
Cheers

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 11:47

slickster22 wrote:I can confirm that the traction control fitted is fantastic with variable settings depending on how much fun you want to have. Compared to a friends Z3M S50 Coupe without this system it allows you to get on the power much quicker.

Worthwhile to note that it takes time to configure the system correctly but the data stored from Julian's car is still held at Racelogic and can be used to help configure other S50s in the future.

I hope this tempts other S50 owners to consider the conversion.. just think.. no more TC jokes from the S54 brigade..

DavidM · Post by **DavidM** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 12:41

M Blur wrote:I hope this tempts other S50 owners to consider the conversion.. just think.. no more TC jokes from the S54 brigade

Don't count on it - we'll find something else to rib you about

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 13:08

DavidM wrote:
M Blur wrote:I hope this tempts other S50 owners to consider the conversion.. just think.. no more TC jokes from the S54 brigade
Don't count on it - we'll find something else to rib you about

Most likely but it would take away your big stick David ol' chap.

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 13:08

But to get back on topic..

tags · Post by **tags** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 15:33

Congrats slickster on your purchase. I have just got myself sorted with one as well. I will be picking it up this saturday....i now remember what christmas day felt like when i was 5....i can't wait!!!! The car is being mot'd this week, insurance is sorted for Saturday, plates already ordered from fancyplates.co.uk and will be taxed on Monday.

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 15:52

tags wrote:Congrats slickster on your purchase. I have just got myself sorted with one as well. I will be picking it up this saturday....i now remember what christmas day felt like when i was 5....i can't wait!!!!

S50 or S54?

slickster22 · Post by **slickster22** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 19:22

Nice one Tags, where did you get it from eventually, I think we were interested in the same cars Matmans in Manchester and Jonathons up in Preston?
You won't be disappointed, sleepless nights this week I reckon, still can't believe I've done it and makes me smile every time I step outside the door. Thinking of investing in shares in Shell though as they don't half drink fuel!

tags · Post by **tags** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 19:48

Mines an S50, 1998 with 14000 miles. I eventually bought it from a trader in Lichfield. I left Julians til late in the day as i thought i would check out all the local ones first. I went to see Matts and the car is in excellenmt condition with warranty as well. I phoned williams who service it and they told me of a couple of problems that they hadn't told Matt about. Thankfully for Matt his warranty has enabled him to get them sorted at no cost to him. There's a bargain there for anybody still looking.

When yu say a bit thirsty, how thirsty? MPG?

TonyCal · Post by **TonyCal** » Mon 06 Dec, 2004 21:28

I get about 220 miles per fill (35 litres to full again) on a run, at a steady 70-80. The cruise control helps here.
Get on the loud pedal however and its a different matter same amount of fuel and it drops to around 150 miles. This also applies around town, maybe slightly more.
On the "ring" this summer 4 laps (80km or there abouts) and i expect the mpg dropped to single figures.

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 07:27

TonyCal wrote:150 miles. This also applies around town, maybe slightly more. On the "ring" this summer 4 laps (80km or there abouts) and i expect the mpg dropped to single figures.

Ahh but what a blissful 80km I'm sure.

I also find if you run the car below 5000 revs MPG is very good for the car's performance.. you should try a TVR..

slickster22 · Post by **slickster22** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 10:44

True but in a lot of cases the TVR more than makes up for its poor fuel economy by the length of time it spends in a garage being fixed. Saying that £4200 last service cost on a Cerbera belonging to my brother in law. TVR's excuse "thats the cost for buying a car with this performance" personally I wouldn't touch them but certainly great fun when they're going. Having driven the M, he's now seriously considering a change.

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 11:22

slickster22 wrote:True but in a lot of cases the TVR more than makes up for its poor fuel economy by the length of time it spends in a garage being fixed. Saying that £4200 last service cost on a Cerbera belonging to my brother in law. TVR's excuse "thats the cost for buying a car with this performance" personally I wouldn't touch them but certainly great fun when they're going. Having driven the M, he's now seriously considering a change.

AJP or st'six?
Not propshaft by any chance?

Transmission this biggest prb with the AJP cars..

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 12:27

All Cerbara were the AJPV8.

Monster performance for the money.

hwassall · Post by **hwassall** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 12:54

c_w wrote:All Cerbara were the AJPV8.

Monster performance for the money.

Nope, there are 3 engines choices with the Cerbera: 4.2 V8, 4.5 V8 and 4.0 (might be 3.6) Straight Six.

Correct on the bang per buck though, especially with some of the used prices about these days.

Cheers,
Howard

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 13:26

hwassall wrote:
c_w wrote:All Cerbara were the AJPV8.

Monster performance for the money.
Nope, there are 3 engines choices with the Cerbera: 4.2 V8, 4.5 V8 and 4.0 (might be 3.6) Straight Six.

Correct on the bang per buck though, especially with some of the used prices about these days.

Cheers,
Howard

Aye - AJP only 4.2 and 4.5.

Flat plane cranked..so high revving.. very expensive to make.. massive torque to revs.. Both models blindingly quick. I think Performance Car or EVO got 198 on the speedo out of a red rose label Cerbera in Germany once chasing down a Ruf Turbo. Like the ZMR - high speed stability a bit dodgey.

Six came in 3.6, 3.9 and 4 (now being used in Tuscan S, T400R/440R, Sagaris). However the 3.9 (Tuscan S producng 390bhp and 400/440bhp in R variants ) may have been described as 4 litre and visa versa. 3.6 in T350C and Tamora producing 350bhp.

Still love the sound of any TVR.. even the old Granturas with a straight through-ss-exhaust. lovely.

slickster22 · Post by **slickster22** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 15:02

4.0 s six - sounds great when it works though. Scary car - feels like its going to kill you even when its stationary no abs or tc!

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 15:10

In saying that - nowt worse than an overactive ABS when all you want is max braking and som good to honest lock-up... as you head perilously towards yer doom.

tags · Post by **tags** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 20:37

M Blur....

How many names have you got so far for the TC? I wouldn't mind the launch control as well. I just flicked through the pdf of the installation manual on Racelogic's website...looks fairly complicated. Who would fit these things? Racelogic say any competent auto-electrician. Any thoughts on final cost (how much is fitting?)

Cheers.

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Tue 07 Dec, 2004 20:47

Is the group buy limited to BMWs? or can someone with another car (VX 220 Turbo) buy one as well at the reduced rate?

M Blur · Post by **M Blur** » Wed 08 Dec, 2004 09:12

c_w Everyone is welcome. All cars. A great deal and I can't urge on S50 owners more to take advantage as this offer wont come up very often.

Based on my experience the system provides a top end system used in supercars and is sophisitcated enough not to spoil the party but keep you on the black top.

Tags.. Mike @ Racelogic reckoned intall is fairly easy if you can wire stereo. He reckons about a day neede to install. What takes time is to configure the set-up on lap top to match the car but Racelogic can help. This can be an ongoing thing - settings can be fine tuned over time.

Can I add you 2 to the list? If so plz PM me with full contact details inc. telephone number so I can pass to Racelogic to advise delivery and payment. That goes for everyoen else who is interested.

Racelogic will also probably know your local fitter.
Aim is to arrange bulk buy in January.

Best Rgds
Jon