Fake M3?

[patton686]

One of my friends says he has a BMW M3. I seen it, it has the logos on it, the original seats and steering, even the motor cover! But some say that all this is buyable on the web and prooves nothing on the origins of this car. Under is hood, is there anything I could check on the motor base or anywhere else to verify that this is a true M3 and not a fake? Cause that would be so jerk...

[Bmw1990]

One of my friends says he has a BMW M3. I seen it, it has the logos on it, the original seats and steering, even the motor cover! But some say that all this is buyable on the web and prooves nothing on the origins of this car. Under is hood, is there anything I could check on the motor base or anywhere else to verify that this is a true M3 and not a fake? Cause that would be so jerk...

Have you checked the VIN number online?

Also if its an M3 it should say M3 every little place.

[Slvr e39]

Check inside the driver door sill

[Torque]

you open his glovebox and take a look at the owners manual.

[///M Power]

Originally posted by Torque@Jun 21 2004, 06:55 PM
you open his glovebox and take a look at the owners manual.

LOL so true.

What year is it? 4 door? 2 door? M skirts? a lot fo times peopel skimp out on changign to M skirts because they rn't that different. But if its a 4 door it cud have 3er skirts. And if everything is an M on it, I wouldn't hesitate becuz even itf it were a 3er and it had M everywher (including engine) he probably got it for the price of an M3. So i doutb any1 wud go to the trouble of changign VEREYTHING.

LIke BMW1990 said, cheq the vin.

And powerm, peopel change the door sills.

[Lex]

Depends on the year model of course what all applies. My 03 M3 has a decal under the bottom side of the hood, just up past the back of the kidney shape grill that says M3.

One sure fire way you can do it is this:

Get the serial number, call your insurance agent, or the local BMW dealer and ask them what letter and position designates an "M3". I'm sure it's in the serial number, it has to be for insurance purposes.

Lex

[Mr White G]

Here's an idea.......... go for a spin! If you have a good idea of what a couple of hundred ponies feels like then you'll know if you are sat in an m3. Any mods would be noticeable in the engine bay.

[CiscoKid]

the control arms have the ///m symbol on them, along with most parts. the guages are also red and have ///m in the middle. there are hundreds of visible things, too long to list... i just know

[avusblau95m3]

You should look at the drivers side door jam for the manufacture sticker and if its a real m3 it should say Bmw M Gmbh.

Avus blue 95 M3 10/95
schrick cams, conforti intake
and chip, titanuim valve spring
retainers, Hi-op headers, AA exhaust,
ground control caster/camber plates,
GC swaybars, Turner valved bilsteins
with H&R group G race springs,
sperical race bushing and all reinforcements

[Ohrid]

If its an E46, M3, the wheel arches front and rear should be boulged..and its really noticable. there is no chance of having a normal 3-series ahving boulgy wheel arches/guards. (have a look at 'powerm' pic of the silver M3 convertible, and notice the front wheel arches are more boulgy than a regular 3-series)

[ARCHER]

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/all_vin_chart.gif

"WBS" denotes BMW Motorsports Division

[GnnSk8]

the main give away is the side vents... all the m3s have the side vents just past the doors with the little m3 logos on them...yay

[clubin]

ALL of them? Good to know. I think those vents make the car so much more badass, BTW. But, uhh, do they actually have a practical, significant purpose? Or are they there mostly for looks and the appearance of a real performance machine.

[clubin]

Methinks I would wire them up to release some extremely heavy fog-like compound so that I could ditch the authorities when needed. Or maybe I'd wire some some speakers into them for th pleasure of all the onlookers. Or maybe--...

[Mr White G]

They are most aesthetic than purposeful.... they do help to expell hot air from the engine bay (a bit) though.

They appeared on the original CSL nearly 30 years ago amoungst a mix of rubber bonnet spoilers, roof fins and huge (triple in some cases) rear wings. It also had the M coloured line from grill to tail
The 'batmobile' as it became know is now regarded as the 'peoples' favorite BMW of all time in europe.

I am glad that they chose to leave some of the styling cues in the past though.