Newbie (.)(.)

[Windowlicker]

Hi there :thumbs:

New to all things BMW, but recently after selling my labour of love, i have purchased a CSL , in silver grey, about 5 weeks ago now, on an 04 plate with 20,000 miles on her, fairly standard, bar AP's front and rear, and a bit of extra carbon, (strut brace, bonnet vent).

What a car, i thought halving the horsepower i was used to would leave me with a need for something more but the CSL has surpassed all my expectations :smokin: , Perfect really, i wanted a car that i could just put fuel in, clean at the weekends and drive, rather than treating it like its made of glass as the mods it ended up with made it a time bomb for transmisions, diffs, tyres etc.

What a weapon, the sound obviously, the way it just piles on speed in such a linear fashion is massively deceptive, (ooops, 150 again :whistle: ) loving the flat shifting , the suspension , ( feels like a big Go-cart :-D ) , the point and squirt nature of it is fantastic having been used to a 700+ bhp 2.3 stroker with a 35R on , its a genuine delight having low down response and power below 4000 rpm :drool: .

I was/am a member of the MLR (Mitsubishi Lancer register) as were, it would appear , a few more of the members on here, SMD, Rich W, @ Bar Boost , hi again chaps :beer:
Anyway, cracking site Mark has created here, Hi to everyone on it, :thumbs: and a few pics, first my old baby, then my new addition. :smokin: Cheers, Nick.
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[SMD]

Sweet Nick! :smokin:

Any pics of that carbon bonnet vent? :whistle:

[DazBlackCSL]

Hi Mate
Welcome to the site , and to the CSL, car looks lovely mate , and good to see the AP's are already on , first thing that should go when purchased !!

Hope your enjoying and look forward to catching up on our trip when its gets sorted .. Ring / Spa etc etc ;-)

[2bar boost]

Hey Nick! Was wondering when you was going to announce yourself on here :thumbs:

Have to agree, really thought I was going to feel left wanting with regards coming from forced induction to N.A.

But the CSL has more than met my needs so far :smt040

Can remember my trip home and actually having fuel left after 280+miles :hahaha:

[Andyk]

Very nice Nick...love the strut brace.....here's to a CSL filled 2009 mate.

[Windowlicker]

Sweet Nick! :smokin:

Any pics of that carbon bonnet vent? :whistle:

Hi Simon, :tonqe: will get some pics for you soon, its a Vorsteiner (spelling ? ) one.
Not sure if its genuine or not, brand that is, not the carbon,just looks a little too textured, the weave is really obvious, and not super smooth finish wise.
May bet it flatted and relaquered yet. :whistle:

[Windowlicker]

Hi Mate
Welcome to the site , and to the CSL, car looks lovely mate , and good to see the AP's are already on , first thing that should go when purchased !!

Hope your enjoying and look forward to catching up on our trip when its gets sorted .. Ring / Spa etc etc ;-)

Thanks dude, i see you have spent a fair bit on your black beauty, does it all make a worthwhile difference, or have you made some " i wish i hadnt bothered " mods at all??
Cheers, Nick

[Windowlicker]

Hey Nick! Was wondering when you was going to announce yourself on here :thumbs:

Have to agree, really thought I was going to feel left wanting with regards coming from forced induction to N.A.

But the CSL has more than met my needs so far :smt040

Can remember my trip home and actually having fuel left after 280+miles :hahaha:

Alreeeeeet :thumbs:
How goes it?
Agree with your thoughts entirely, its a buzz everytime, wait for the warm up lights to go, then give her some Rod :hahaha: she loves it up her. :drool:
I too am getting great fuel economy, around 20mpg on average, how good is that :beer:
Just need the geo sorting for piece of mind, mine has a strangely light/loose feel in the dead ahead position, tends to make a need for correcting it when driving in a straight line , doesnt pull as such, just feels like free play before it takes up any change in direction through the steering wheel.
Might just be me, who knows. :119: :119:

[Windowlicker]

Very nice Nick...love the strut brace.....here's to a CSL filled 2009 mate.

Thanks dude, :thumbs: roll on drier weather/roads. :-D

[E46ACS]

Welcome Windowlicker!!!! :thumbs:

Good to see another CSL in the North East!!!! :-D

[glendog74]

Welcome Windowlicker

Enjoy! :beer:

[RichW]

Hey - welcome along :thumbs:


I think all us ex-high powered Evo owners have been blown away by the CSL, i also thought i might be left wanting but it simply isnt the case - i just wish i had bought the CSL years ago :beer:


Enjoy! ( Not that you need telling by the sounds of it :hahaha: )

[CSLjimmy]

Welcome to the site mate
Lovely looking CSL you have there, very tidy. I too have come from a Japanese car, was an R34 GTR, like you said earlier, the CSL is a great car, just to get in and use, without worrying about computers breaking down/turbos blowing up lol, i'm thrilled to be in double figures MPG now too :-D
Hope your enjoy the car more and more mate, the noise will never get boring boring though :smokin:

James.

[2bar boost]

Just need the geo sorting for piece of mind, mine has a strangely light/loose feel in the dead ahead position, tends to make a need for correcting it when driving in a straight line , doesnt pull as such, just feels like free play before it takes up any change in direction through the steering wheel.
Might just be me, who knows. :119: :119:

Tbh mine feels similar aswell! At first I wasn't sure if it was me as I haven't driven RWD for over 4years :gayfight:

Within the first 5miles of picking her up, the back stepped out whilst briskly leaving some traffic lights :hahaha: I thought fook this is gonna be a handfull :bigcry: Just put it down to greasy road and too much right foot even though it was hardly anything..
After a few more miles once I was on familiar roads back home I realised that I will have to pay it some attention.
But as with all things new, not sure where to start for the best??

Haven't had a chance to take her out much as been far too busy with work :banghead:

Think I will start with the cheapest option : Tyre pressures :hahaha:
But a trip to BMsport in the new year for a full set up :thumbs:

[_Nathan_]

How many of you ex MLR guys will be at the next MLR day at Spa? Date is almost sorted, would be good to see some of you there :D

[SMD]

How many of you ex MLR guys will be at the next MLR day at Spa? Date is almost sorted, would be good to see some of you there :D

Hi nathan, yes might be up for it depends on dates tho! :thumbs:

[benCSL]

Welcome to the site ! :thumbs:

enjoy with this amazing car!


:beer:

[Windowlicker]

Welcome Windowlicker!!!! :thumbs:
Good to see another CSL in the North East!!!! :-D
Cheers ears, they will be getting common as muck round here :whistle:

Welcome Windowlicker
Enjoy! :beer:
Thanks, :thumbs:

Hey - welcome along :thumbs:

I think all us ex-high powered Evo owners have been blown away by the CSL, i also thought i might be left wanting but it simply isnt the case - i just wish i had bought the CSL years ago :beer:
Enjoy! ( Not that you need telling by the sounds of it :hahaha: )
Thanks Rich, loving "The Event" which every trip feels like so far :smokin:

[Windowlicker]

Welcome to the site mate
Lovely looking CSL you have there, very tidy. I too have come from a Japanese car, was an R34 GTR, like you said earlier, the CSL is a great car, just to get in and use, without worrying about computers breaking down/turbos blowing up lol, i'm thrilled to be in double figures MPG now too :-D
Hope your enjoy the car more and more mate, the noise will never get boring boring though :smokin:
James.
Thanks James, its quite a release/relief actually, not having to check wastegate bolts and flange studs every other drive, no scanning boost guages, fuel/oil pressure guages and knocklinks. Just look where i am going ,what gear i am in, and occasionally the speedo, depending on whether i have just scared myself or not :hahaha:


Tbh mine feels similar aswell! At first I wasn't sure if it was me as I haven't driven RWD for over 4years :gayfight:

I have never had a rear drive car, and i cant believe how lively it is, much respect due me thinks, and the DSC will be staying on for the mo, though i am impressed at how the standard traction control and the M Mode work, either nothing but a wiggle with it all left on, or a nice little step out in M mode, need a bit of clear space to see what she is like with it all turned off .

[Windowlicker]

How many of you ex MLR guys will be at the next MLR day at Spa? Date is almost sorted, would be good to see some of you there :D
Not very likely for me dude, family/work takes the majority of my time, dont think it likely i would get the nod to bugger off to Europe and play in my car :bigcry:


Welcome to the site ! :thumbs:

enjoy with this amazing car!

:beer:

Thanks Ben, i will try :beer:

[Jaw_F430]

Welcome to the site :beer:


Looks like I made the right choice then to buy a CSL over an EVO 9 MR FQ360 :thumbs:

[Windowlicker]

Welcome to the site :beer:


Looks like I made the right choice then to buy a CSL over an EVO 9 MR FQ360 :thumbs:

Cheers. :-D

If the right choice relates to re-sale value when you are going to change again, then yes the right choice was made, as the arse has completely fallen out of the market on the majority of performance cars,especially ones where there are multiple variants of one model, though seemingly not with the CSL,as there was only the one, great for resale , bit of a bugger if buying though :banghead:

[dave1]

How many of you ex MLR guys will be at the next MLR day at Spa? Date is almost sorted, would be good to see some of you there :D

im hoping to be :thumbs:

[RichW]

Nathan - as above, but been an expensive year for me and its looking like 2009 is also going to be, that combined with less work on a.t.m. we'll have to see.

I havent missed an MLR Spa trip yet though and hoping not to in 2009!!!

[2bar boost]

How many of you ex MLR guys will be at the next MLR day at Spa? Date is almost sorted, would be good to see some of you there :D

Me & Woolfy were talking this over today :smokin:

Heart says go for it! Head says... New baby due in feb.. not much holiday left for 09 with work :moan:

Will have to see how dates fall and funds etc

[Andyk]

[quote="2bar boost

... New baby due in feb..

quote]

Thats 4 of us on here with a baby due between now and March I believe....

Congrats 2bar boost.. :thumbs:

[the reverend]

Welcome to the fold. CSL's are wonderful cars and so anyone who can drive one should at some time in their lives.
really like the strut brace on yours btw and the AP's i'm sure make all the difference to the one area that the CSL is found wanting on. The stock brakes are like biscuit barrels.
The residual value is one of the leading considerations too - certainly the car has held on to its money well now they're at a certain level. God willing they'll stay there.
Enjoy the car. Heaven knows what I'll change mine for when the time comes!

[Windowlicker]

Welcome to the fold. CSL's are wonderful cars and so anyone who can drive one should at some time in their lives.
really like the strut brace on yours btw and the AP's i'm sure make all the difference to the one area that the CSL is found wanting on. The stock brakes are like biscuit barrels.
The residual value is one of the leading considerations too - certainly the car has held on to its money well now they're at a certain level. God willing they'll stay there.
Enjoy the car. Heaven knows what I'll change mine for when the time comes!

Thanks very much :beer:
Had Ap's on various Evo's in the past and they are great, though the red paint they use is shockingly thin and quite literally comes off on a cloth with a basic non aggressive polish, just got to be careful on the leading edges of the caliper otherwise it shows through the white primer :banghead: still find it bizarre that BMW released them onto the market with such average brakes, so finely honed is the rest of the package, why skimp in such an important area , stange but true :hahaha:
As you say, there are few cars nowadays that after 4 years since its introduction still retain at least 50% of its original value on the used market, i have seen so many cars , less than a year old, lose over half their value in the space of 1 year!! :119:

Cheers, Nick

[2bar boost]

[quote="2bar boost

... New baby due in feb..

quote]

Thats 4 of us on here with a baby due between now and March I believe....

Congrats 2bar boost.. :thumbs:
Thanks Andy same to you and any other expecting register parents :beer:
Will be athrilling experience transporting 2 children in the back of my clean car :bigcry: will keep the ST tdci for family duties :wink:

[Windowlicker]

[quote="2bar boost

... New baby due in feb..

quote]

Thats 4 of us on here with a baby due between now and March I believe....

Congrats 2bar boost.. :thumbs::
Will be athrilling experience transporting 2 children in the back of my clean car :bigcry: will keep the ST tdci for family duties :wink:

You will be lucky :whistle: its a proper ballache getting them fed in to the baby seat, done it a few times with my little boy, you have to lie them flat and sort of feed them in to the car at arms length , then having got them in, step with one foot into the rear footwell, then try and lean forward and drop them in the childseat. :banghead:
Problem is trying not to scratch the seat backs and B pillars with jeans rivets and belts whilst doing all the above.
Best thing i have found with having the child seat in, is i can chuck my dinner bag in or milk i pick up from the garage on the way home.
Keeps it from rolling around under the seats. :hahaha:
Oh, and put a foam or rubber protector matt down first on the rear seats, strapping a baby seat in will make a hideous mess of the seat material. :thumbs: