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Whats the fastest you've driven your E46?

10K views 128 replies 41 participants last post by  OrionsGate 
#1 ·
Until yesterday I had never had mine past 85 but felt adventurous and got it up to 120 on the interstate for a short while. Anyone ever had theirs up to the register speed (155)?
 
#20 ·
It was someone else's E46, but faster than all of you...at least than you've gone in the US :D
 
#22 ·
Unfortunately in this country, there are too many people who don't know how to drive. Doing anything significantly above the speed limit exposes you to idiots that may do anything, at any time. I have driven at 150-160 in Germany, on the Autobahn, with people who do know how to drive, and to me, it wasn't worth it. It takes too much concentration, as was not really enjoyable. They don't have many accidents, because traffic law enforcement is severe, and people follow the rules of the road, but when they do, the victims are scraped up with a spackle knife.
 
#23 ·
Yup...nothing quite like driving down the autobahn at 130MPH+ with somebody following 15 feet behind chatting to their girlfriend while drinking coffee. :rofl:

The quality of driver there is significantly higher than North America as they prefer to not live by the "lowest common denominator" principal. Still, and has been pointed out, when they have an accident, it is severe and often involves numerous vehicles and fatalities.

To the OP...yes, our cars have limiters and they work...don't ask how I know.
 
#25 ·
It's that self control mechanism you were born without :D
 
#29 ·
You gotta learn how to shift outta third gear one of these days, Rock....:D
 
#31 ·
145mph on a US freeway but I was scared ****less that if I hit any of the crappy undulations or unexpected potholes that I would fly off the road and be dead. Good thing I memorized all of the freeway issues going and coming back from work since I have to take em 5 days a week so no such bad luck. :) Was 3AM in the morning so the only other car was myself and a Magnum who was going about 120. I was more scared of the road and cops on a 4-5 lane highway than other cars.

Getting to 120-130 was pretty easy, then after that it was like hitting a wall and it took a while to get to 145, wanted to get to 155 but it seemed like it would take another 1/2-1 mile to get there. Seemed like air is your biggest problem at those speeds. Our 0.31 COD on the E46 isn't the most svelt.

As for the thrill or fun of top speed; it's over-rated. Gets rather dull and boring, kinda like flying in a 747 going 400 mph. I'd rather go 120 on a long sweeper holding the line while you watch everybody else start to fall off or not keep pace. It's even more perplexing (to others) and fun to see when you can still pass at those speeds and go around traffic (Our E46's dance rather well when the suspension & brakes are sorted out then combined with partial engine braking and partial rotor braking [best way to scrub speed w/o losing too much momentum]. There's also the very non-racing like technique of hitting the reflector dividers to slow down but it upsets the balance of the car. Another fun thing to do is to put your inside tire right on the outside part of each reflector during a turn getting a little bit of extra grip. However, it requires that your acceleration and line is percise that you hit each spaced out reflector everytime to hold that grip. Fun stuff, ala Initial D curb drop in advanced mode) ;)

I think that's when people figure out your stock looking car doesn't have stock suspension or brakes.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Been upside down and backwards (broken rim on uneven pavement cut) watching sparks going away from me through the windshield in a 86' 944S at 90+ thinking "I hope death doesn't hurt" (seriously) about 12 yrs ago.

Cruise control, and self control in a nice sweeper is orgasmic.....ish.

Live long and drive a E46. And KNOW you can. :D age/experience helps .....:angel:
 
#36 ·
Hit 130mph in my old '95 325i, but don't think I've hit that high with my E46, maybe 120 mph. Testosterone levels drop when you hit 40. :)
 
#38 ·
134 MPH indicated, but there is a speedo error inherent to the E46. There was more rev's left, but the brain wouldn't let it go any faster.

As for going that fast, just habit. Every vehicle I've had I found out what it would do, and yes it was always on the track.:angel: ...well maybe.
 
#39 ·
Every vehicle I've had I found out what it would do, and yes it was always on the track.:angel: ...well maybe.
Yeah...that's it ;)

Actually, for me, it WAS on track, in the car below. 153mph (gps indicated) and I could have found more if it weren't for that pesky turn one:

 
#48 ·
Unless you have some type of de-limiting device installed, you hit *128* mph, which is the limited speed for most E46s. (Speedometere lie their ass off on the big end)
 
#53 ·
Every vehicle I've owned and about half of those I've driven otherwise I've either hit the limiter or truly maxed it out. Of the limited vehicles, the E46 is the highest one I've encountered.

I'd love to have no limiter just to know I can do it. I've hit the limiter in this car honestly twice since I don't really have stretches of road where I'm comfortable keeping it matted for that long, but it's just annoying to know it's artificially holding me back.
 
#54 · (Edited)
I've hit 152 MPH in my '99 Acura TL when I was in a "controlled environment". I had a cold air intake, gutted cat, and that was it. I was on a slight decline and about to hit redline, so I let off. :p If I get software like I'm strongly considering, I think it could EASILY hit 150 MPH, which is plenty fast for me.
 
#64 ·
Having lived in Germany and visited Europe a half of dozen times, I’ve driven all over the UK, Scandinavia, and the continent from Holland and Germany down to Spain Portugal and Italy in a Jeep, Porsche, VW, Gamma Goat, and on a Triumph Bonneville, I have to agree that the Autobahn, to coin a similar phrase, “Is a helluva highway”.

However the US is getting better with their roadways, just like their cars…but to be perfectly honest with you, I’ve driven well into the triple digits in my 18-wheeler over 25 years in just about every state, summer and winter. With that in perspective, it is quite easy to cruise in the triple digits in a much smaller vehicle, designed to perform as such…however I am not saying I do that now…for those who are listening in my home state!
 
#65 ·
The main difference between American Interstates and the Autobahn is the thickness of the roadbed. When Hitler envisioned the Autobahn back in the 1930s, his main intent was to use it to transport heavy military convoys, and even to land large military planes on it. With that in mind, he specified that the concrete surface be a full *18 inches* thick, which is several times thicker than a typical American roadway. But, our roads are not exactly wimpy, either....it was the infamous (and long-missing :) Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa who approached then-President Eisenhower and convinced him that 18-wheelers were The Future, and if we only had an interconnecting series of good-quality highways, that consumer goods could be delivered faster & cheaper than by railroad.
Given that post-WW II America was exploding outward from the cities into the suburbs, Ike took this concept to heart, and the Interstate highway system was born.....
 
#66 ·
...Given that post-WW II America was exploding outward from the cities into the suburbs, Ike took this concept to heart, and the Interstate highway system was born.....
And I'm sure that Jimmy Hoffa is still a "foundation" of the US Interstate Highway system :eeps:
 
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