RE: 2001 M3 (or Audi vs. BMW?)

["Levis-Fithian, Jeff E" <LevisJE@LOUISVILLE.STORTEK.COM>]

Interesting story about your friend's M3.  When visiting my parents, if I
had to choose between the BMW and my mom's Acura when it was snowing, the
BMW always got the nod (my Hakka 1 clad A6 would get the nod now!).  Last
year I witnessed a friend's M3 get up a snow covered driveway that a few FWD
cars could not get up.

I did not say that 50/50 weight distribution and traction control make a car
fun to drive.  Actually, traction control makes a car less fun to drive, in
my opinion.  They do make a 2wd drive car a much better foul weather car,
however.  The 50/50 does make the car fun to drive though, as it provides
excellent balance that many front weight biased cars do not have.  

One last thing about my A6... I drove it to work last Monday in a snowstorm.
Unbelievable.  It was like I was driving on dry asphalt while other cars and
SUVs (no surprise there) were sliding everywhere.  It was fun to lock the
diff while waiting to make a turn at an intersection and just shoot through
at full throttle!

Time to start thinking about donning the Nomex??

Jeff Fithian
95 A6q
 

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	TM [mailto:mizutanit@mindspring.com]
		Sent:	Monday, November 29, 1999 3:39 PM
		To:	Levis-Fithian, Jeff E; 'Quattro-List'
		Subject:	RE: 2001 M3 (or Audi vs. BMW?)

		Sorry, Jeff,
		I wouldn't qualify 50/50 weight distribution and traction
control as
		factors that automatically make a car fun to drive. Also, I
wouldn't
		qualify most BMWs as very good all-weather cars. I know a
guy who did
		a 360 and slid into the median ditch in his M3 when it was
just raining,
		on the highway, constant speed. His tires are quite new
Michelin MXX3s
		and he maintains his car immaculately. He also attends PCA
track events
		so I wouldn't say he's an idiot driver. BMWs can get really
sketchy in
		poor weather.

		I will say that the E36 3 series cars are a lot of fun to
drive in the
		dry, though. I think the shift linkage, steering feel and
seats of these
		cars are better than any Audi I've ever seen/driven,
including a 4ks,
		4kq, 5ktq, Ur-S6, A4, A6 and A8. But I will never take a BMW
skiing,
		unless that's the only car I have. I'd rather take a
Porsche.

		If that's weird, so be it.

		Regards,
		Taka Mizutani
		99.5 A4 Avant 1.8TQMS
		86 5kcstq (next week)


		-----Original Message-----
		From: owner-quattro@audifans.com
[mailto:owner-quattro@audifans.com]On
		Behalf Of Levis-Fithian, Jeff E
		Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999 2:52 PM
		To: 'Quattro-List'
		Subject: Re: 2001 M3 (or Audi vs. BMW?)


		This response originally turned into a page length rant
about how, in my
		opinion, Audi can't hold a stick to BMW when it comes to
performance
		(acceleration, engine, handling, braking).  But I'd rather
avoid the flaming
		that would ensue.  So I'll just say that BMWs are very
capable all-weather
		cars thanks to 50/50 weight distribution and traction
control.  Is the Audi
		better in the snow?  No doubt.  But for the other 99% of the
time, the BMW
		is a lot more fun to drive.

		</DIATRIBE>

		Jeff Fithian
		95 A6q

		------------------------------

		Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1999 18:11:12 -0800
		From: "Pat Martin" <mardkins@email.msn.com>
		Subject: Re: 2001 M3

		Common misperception.  They work real well in the wet when
driven by somone
		who knows what they are doing.  They are much better
balanced than the q's
		which has some real advantages.

		Pat Martin
		86 4000csq turbo, 2 1/2 cat back, H&R-Boge, MC and loving
it.  Drilled and
		stopping it. Koenig Cobra 16x7 with Yokohama A520's turning
it,  K&N and
		uh..
		84 4000sq  AKA: The beater.
		95 subaru legacy
		Bothell, Wa