Breaking-In the M3 in Two Days (NJ to Texas)

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 02:24 PM

Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Well, the day has finally come, I took delivery of my M3 this morning. Big shout out to Danny and Andrew of Circle BMW for making the process short and easy!

For those of you who didn't have your eyes glued to the Don Carlos thread, I ordered my M3 back in 2021 when I lived in NJ and have since moved to Texas. I was originally going to ship the car….but after doing some quick math it seemed like it would be cheaper and more fun than enclosed transport.

Needless to say, I have an appointment with BMW Houston North on Thursday so the clock is ticking. Our goal is to do the trip in two days, have the break-in service done, and put in some track time this weekend if at all possible.

I have done this trip before in a 28ft box truck, that took three days. This should be a breeze considering that thing was limited to 70 mph.

It will be a wild three days…

Since picking her up around 12 EST, I have packed her up and I must say the M3 has surprisingly awesome trunk space, especially with the rear seats down. Contents include a bunch of my girlfriend's crap, but more importantly a Unit 17 front lip and brake duct things, H&R Sports, Eventuri Intake, and some other little goodies.

As of right now, my brother is driving her from NJ to DC, and I am picking up a buddy at Union Station in Washington DC. Uur goal is to make it to Roanoke, VA tonight.

For those of you who may consider doing something similar, I will make a list of things you absolutely must remember. For now, I have the following:

1 - Radar Detector
2 - EZ Pass / Coins For Tolls
3 - Glass Cleaner

Update 1 - Departed NJ at 4:47 pm EST. ETA to Union Station for pickup is 8:25. Going to try and get some shots in front of some of those monuments. Might see if Biden wants to go for a ride…if not I hear AOC appreciated a good luxury sedan.

The first couple of observations. The car draws a ton of attention. Doesn't seem to matter age or vehicle, it gets noticed.

The orange interior is as my brother says beeping awesome/breathtaking. Carbon buckets are certainly more comfortable than anticipated (keep in mind we are both 5ft 9 and between 150 and 175 pounds).

The car is really very quiet when below 2K RPM and wind noise is significantly less than the M2 and maybe even the M5.

ZF is slightly slower than DCT for sure, but not a performance sucker at all, and certainly not a deal breaker.

Update 2 - At exactly 122 miles, a solid 12-inch crack appears on the windshield. A tiny rock chip caused it (shown below). Crossing the Susquehanna River was pretty cool, and she got her first fill-up!

Will update this thread along the way!

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 02:25 PM

Holding For Updates!

wtwo3 · 08-02-2022, 04:03 PM

I believe radar detectors are illegal in VA and the DC area.... just something to be aware of.

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wtwo3

I believe radar detectors are illegal in VA and the DC area.... just something to be aware of.

Appreciate the heads up!

jct_m3 · 08-02-2022, 04:18 PM

Have a good trip man and let me know how you feel after a long drive in those buckets.

calbears · 08-02-2022, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Appreciate the heads up!

Also while in Virginia, everything above 80MPH is reckless driving (some areas 85+) and possible jail time

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jct_m3

Have a good trip man and let me know how you feel after a long drive in those buckets.

Will do, so far so good but we're only about 40 minutes in!

BugKiller · 08-02-2022, 05:17 PM

My car is in Port Hueneme (Orion Leader) and getting it, taking a trip, and the break-in service is stressing me. I want to use my local dealer but we are driving from SoCal to Cocoa Beach Florida leaving Aug. 30.

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BugKiller

My car is in Port Hueneme (Orion Leader) and getting it, taking a trip, and the break-in service is stressing me. I want to use my local dealer but we are driving from SoCal to Cocoa Beach Florida leaving Aug. 30.

I'll be over break in by about 400 miles and I am not super worried about it. Already had some rock fly into the windshield hard. It's bound to happen…

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 05:22 PM

Well, 122 miles in and this happens…

GaoKS · 08-02-2022, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in an this happens…

That would really really piss me off. Sorry OP.

Hoping the rest of your drive goes smoother. Safe travels.

BigMoh · 08-02-2022, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in and this happens…

:mad0 260:

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigMoh

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in and this happens…

:mad0 260:

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigMoh

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in and this happens…

:mad0 260:

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaoKS

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in an this happens…

That would really really piss me off. Sorry OP.

Hoping the rest of your drive goes smoother. Safe travels.

Icing on the cake, BMW has no G80 M3 windshields in the entire US. So, I'm either getting something aftermarket or waiting 3+ months according to the parts guy.

gs1403 · 08-02-2022, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in and this happens…

Damn. What a bummer. Something hit it or spontaneous?

BigMoh · 08-02-2022, 06:02 PM

Now I am going to look into something like this

https://www.stek-usa.com/windshield-film

LBBF87 · 08-02-2022, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gs1403

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in and this happens…

Damn. What a bummer. Something hit it or spontaneous?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigMoh

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in and this happens…

:mad0 260:

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaoKS

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBBF87

Well, 122 miles in an this happens…

That would really really piss me off. Sorry OP.

Hoping the rest of your drive goes smoother. Safe travels.

This little tiny rock chip.

dlakatos · 08-02-2022, 06:51 PM

Dang it seems like these windshields are weak af.

Safe travels!

BMWRacer523 · 08-02-2022, 06:55 PM

nice road trip. travel safe!

iviegatron · 08-02-2022, 07:02 PM

Hi OP, glad to see you're from Texas. We have a local group in Houston with mainly G80/G82 and couple of Porsches and Supras. If you like to join then PM me and I'll send you the link.

omer611 · 08-03-2022, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iviegatron

Hi OP, glad to see you're from Texas. We have a local group in Houston with mainly G80/G82 and couple of Porsches and Supras. If you like to join then PM me and I'll send you the link.

Yes we need another IOMG in the group!

LBBF87 · 08-03-2022, 12:51 AM

Throwing some photos up in DC. Looks like I am waiting 3+ months for a new windshield sadly…

Mark Kez · 08-03-2022, 02:14 AM

Love the car, sorry about the windshield, even more sorry you added a note about politics!!

08-02-2022, 02:24 PM	#1
LBBF87 First Lieutenant 486 Rep 302 Posts Drives: The Magic School Bus Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: The Woodlands, TX iTrader: (2)	Breaking-In the M3 in Two Days (NJ to Texas) Featured on BIMMERPOST.com Well, the day has finally come, I took delivery of my M3 this morning. Big shout out to Danny and Andrew of Circle BMW for making the process short and easy! For those of you who didn't have your eyes glued to the Don Carlos thread, I ordered my M3 back in 2021 when I lived in NJ and have since moved to Texas. I was originally going to ship the car….but after doing some quick math it seemed like it would be cheaper and more fun than enclosed transport. Needless to say, I have an appointment with BMW Houston North on Thursday so the clock is ticking. Our goal is to do the trip in two days, have the break-in service done, and put in some track time this weekend if at all possible. I have done this trip before in a 28ft box truck, that took three days. This should be a breeze considering that thing was limited to 70 mph. It will be a wild three days… Since picking her up around 12 EST, I have packed her up and I must say the M3 has surprisingly awesome trunk space, especially with the rear seats down. Contents include a bunch of my girlfriend's crap, but more importantly a Unit 17 front lip and brake duct things, H&R Sports, Eventuri Intake, and some other little goodies. As of right now, my brother is driving her from NJ to DC, and I am picking up a buddy at Union Station in Washington DC. Uur goal is to make it to Roanoke, VA tonight. For those of you who may consider doing something similar, I will make a list of things you absolutely must remember. For now, I have the following: 1 - Radar Detector 2 - EZ Pass / Coins For Tolls 3 - Glass Cleaner Update 1 - Departed NJ at 4:47 pm EST. ETA to Union Station for pickup is 8:25. Going to try and get some shots in front of some of those monuments. Might see if Biden wants to go for a ride…if not I hear AOC appreciated a good luxury sedan. The first couple of observations. The car draws a ton of attention. Doesn't seem to matter age or vehicle, it gets noticed. The orange interior is as my brother says beeping awesome/breathtaking. Carbon buckets are certainly more comfortable than anticipated (keep in mind we are both 5ft 9 and between 150 and 175 pounds). The car is really very quiet when below 2K RPM and wind noise is significantly less than the M2 and maybe even the M5. ZF is slightly slower than DCT for sure, but not a performance sucker at all, and certainly not a deal breaker. Update 2 - At exactly 122 miles, a solid 12-inch crack appears on the windshield. A tiny rock chip caused it (shown below). Crossing the Susquehanna River was pretty cool, and she got her first fill-up! Will update this thread along the way! Attached Images Last edited by LBBF87; 08-05-2022 at 01:38 PM..
	Appreciate 31 YamaLink328.50 kiw1119.50 wtwo37929.00 yousefnjr3632.00 chicagofan0010225.50 floridaorange3997.00 SaMaster142563.00 ando1293.50 Keishune156.00 nearwater4me1311.00 DocWeatherington1674.50 TK3pedal42.00 NorCalAthlete2143.50 j0e612111.00 SinatraM85.00 Sporck16.50 m20e3087875.50 Kingpin4343.50 Tenac1829.00 XC3LLR8296.00 Bimmer5285.50 lateapex'er90.50 cfm56d7b4166.00 2srsman18.00 HJ475.00 zamboni1026.00 lambmw168.00 INDVDL///M815.50 chrisxmarine9.50 veloso7755.50 bmwbrad22159.50 Tweet Quote

08-02-2022, 02:25 PM	#2
LBBF87 First Lieutenant 486 Rep 302 Posts Drives: The Magic School Bus Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: The Woodlands, TX iTrader: (2)	Holding For Updates!
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08-02-2022, 04:03 PM	#3
wtwo3 Brigadier General 7929 Rep 3,331 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 40i; 2020 M340i Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: IL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW X5 40i [0.00] 2020 BMW m340i [0.00]	I believe radar detectors are illegal in VA and the DC area.... just something to be aware of. __________________ 2023 BMW X7 LCI (On Order) /// 2023 BMW M3 6MT (On Order) 2020 BMW X5 xdrive40i 2020 BMW M340i xdrive 2016 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400... 2010 Lexus RX 350... 2008 Lexus IS 350... 2000 Nissan Maxima GLE... 1993 Nissan Maxima GXE
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08-02-2022, 04:18 PM	#5
jct_m3 Captain 1252 Rep 663 Posts Drives: 2022 BMW M3 Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Have a good trip man and let me know how you feel after a long drive in those buckets. __________________ IG : bmw_jose
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08-02-2022, 05:17 PM	#8
BugKiller Second Lieutenant 215 Rep 210 Posts Drives: '22 M4Cx Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: So. Calif. U.S. iTrader: (0)	My car is in Port Hueneme (Orion Leader) and getting it, taking a trip, and the break-in service is stressing me. I want to use my local dealer but we are driving from SoCal to Cocoa Beach Florida leaving Aug. 30. __________________ BMWs: '22 M4Cx, '72 2002 Tii; MBZs: '18 C63s coupe (EuroDeliv), '07 SLK55, '01 CLK55; Jag XKEs: '67 roadster, '65 coupe; '74 Jensen Healey
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08-02-2022, 05:22 PM	#10
LBBF87 First Lieutenant 486 Rep 302 Posts Drives: The Magic School Bus Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: The Woodlands, TX iTrader: (2)	Well, 122 miles in and this happens… Attached Images
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08-02-2022, 06:02 PM	#15
BigMoh Private First Class 94 Rep 136 Posts Drives: G26 Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: Philly iTrader: (0)	Now I am going to look into something like this https://www.stek-usa.com/windshield-film
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08-02-2022, 06:51 PM	#17
dlakatos Lieutenant 172 Rep 549 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: ocala fl iTrader: (1)	Dang it seems like these windshields are weak af. Safe travels!
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08-02-2022, 06:55 PM	#18
BMWRacer523 Major 1272 Rep 1,179 Posts Drives: G80 M3 Competition xDrive Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	nice road trip. travel safe!
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08-02-2022, 07:02 PM	#19
iviegatron Major 1357 Rep 1,110 Posts Drives: G80 M3 Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Richmond, TX iTrader: (0)	Hi OP, glad to see you're from Texas. We have a local group in Houston with mainly G80/G82 and couple of Porsches and Supras. If you like to join then PM me and I'll send you the link.
	Appreciate 3 LBBF87485.50 Limegrntaln5417.50 262Hou38.50 Quote

08-03-2022, 12:51 AM	#21
LBBF87 First Lieutenant 486 Rep 302 Posts Drives: The Magic School Bus Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: The Woodlands, TX iTrader: (2)	Throwing some photos up in DC. Looks like I am waiting 3+ months for a new windshield sadly… Attached Images
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08-03-2022, 02:14 AM	#22
Mark Kez Captain 1131 Rep 949 Posts Drives: BMW M4 Convertible Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: Syracuse NY iTrader: (0)	Love the car, sorry about the windshield, even more sorry you added a note about politics!!
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