1997 BMW M3 Review

1997 BMW M3 - M is for macho.

By: Dan Jedlicka

The M3 is BMW's souped-up version of its regular, small 3-series models, which are tight in the rear but generally fun. The M3 comes as a coupe or as a new sedan, and both cost $39,380.

BMW is trying to lure more buyers to the M3 with the sedan, which even is offered with a $1,200 five-speed automatic transmission. The coupe only is sold with a five-speed manual.

The M3 costs a lot--and so does that automatic. But most models in the nine-model 3-series line are priced at more than $30,000. And the M3 isn't for profilers, who like to do things like cruise to the beach in a 3-series convertible.

Rather, the M3 is a 240-horsepower rocket aimed at serious drivers with serious money to spend on a car. The M3 looks aggressive and has superb steering, ride, handling and braking--on dry pavement.

But M3 owners best park their car here in winters because it's miserable on slippery roads--even with the auto's standard anti-lock brakes and BMW's All Season Traction traction-control system.

Traction control and anti-lock systems are supposed to make a car roadable on bad winter roads. Those items work on performance autos such as Chevrolet's Corvette, which was hopeless in winter until it got them a few years ago.

But the M3 is dreadful on slippery winter roads because its standard super-wide performance tires have abysmal traction; they act like skis on icy roads. On such pavement, the M3 is an accident waiting to happen.

I found that the rear-drive M3 just sat there and spun its tires when trying to leave a slippery parking area. And the traction-control system almost caused the mighty six-cylinder engine to bog down and stall on icy roads.

The system modulates engine power and selectively applies the brakes on the rear wheels with the goal of preventing wheel spin. But the M3 inched along at 15 m.p.h. on an icy side street, while the system valiantly worked to prevent spinning or skidding tires. The accelerator had to be floored to keep the car from stalling while all this was happening. If I let up a bit on the throttle, the engine wanted to die.

No fun at all.

My test M3's anti-lock brakes also were mostly ineffective on slippery roads; the car just kept right on going in a straight line, even though the anti-lock system was working hard.

Once again, the M3's standard tires are nearly worthless on slippery winter roads.

``The M3 shouldn't be driven in Snow Belt areas in winter without high-grip winter tires,'' said a tire expert at the Tire Rack--a specialty tire firm in South Bend, Ind. The expert said his M3 is fitted with special, costly Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires that ``make all the difference in terms of winter traction.''

I'd hate to spend more than $39,000 for a specialized car and find it could be rendered virtually useless when winter hit unless I spent maybe $850 to fit it with special winter tires.

Dan Jedlicka

Dan Jedlicka's Website

Dan Jedlicka joined the Chicago Sun-Times in February 1968 as a business news reporter and was named auto editor later that year. He has reviewed more than 4,000 new vehicles for the Sun-Times--far more than any newspaper auto writer in the country. Jedlicka also reviewed vehicles for Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Autos Internet site from January, 1996, to June, 2008.

Jedlicka remained auto editor at the Sun-Times until October, 2008, and continued writing for the newspaper's AutoTimes section, which he started in 1992, until February, 2009. While continuing his auto writings at the Sun-Times, he served as assistant financial editor of that newspaper from 1970 to 1973, when he began his automotive column.

He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including NBC's "Today," ABC's "20/20" and "The CBS Evening News." He was a host, consultant and writer for Fox-TV Channel 32's 1991 New Car Preview show and that Chicago-based station's 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 Chicago Auto Show Previews.

Jedlicka's auto articles have been printed in national magazines, including Esquire and Harper's. His auto columns have been reprinted in U.S. government publications and economic textbooks and he is profiled in the "World's Greatest Auto Show" history book about the Chicago Auto Show. In late 1975, Jedlicka was host and technical advisor for three one-hour television specials, "Auto Test 76," which aired nationally on PBS and were the first nationally televised auto road test shows.

In 1995, Jedlicka was the recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois Inc.'s Consumer Education Award, given annually to a person who has gained distinction in the field of consumer education. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Media category and inducted into the Legends of Motorsports Guild at the Carquest World of wheels custom car show in Chicago in January, 2006.

Jedlicka was a member of the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury, composed of a select number of auto journalists from throughout the country, from 1995 until 2009. From 2010 to 2012, he was a member of Consumer Digest magazine's auto experts panel that gave Best Buy new vehicle recommendations.

He is a 1987 graduate of the Bob Bondurant Race Drivers School and later of the BMW "M" and Skip Barber Advanced Driving schools. He was a member of the U.S. team that participated in the 1987 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race/rally in Italy and has been a race winner at the Chicago area's Santa Fe Speedway.

Jedlicka has owned 25 classic cars, including 1950s and 1960s Ferraris and 1950s and 1960s Porsches, a 1965 Corvette, a 1967 Maserati and a 1957 Studebaker supercharged Golden Hawk. Jedlicka resides with his wife, Suzanne, in the Frank Lloyd Wright historic district of Oak Park. They have two children, James and Michele.

For more reviews from Dan, visit Facebook.

1997 BMW M3 Review

1997 BMW M3 - M is for macho.

Dan Jedlicka

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