Wallachie Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Well having owned the CSL for a little under a month, I thought it was about time I posted my thoughts on it! First of all, on collection the dealer took me out to their storage warehouse where my new pride and joy was parked up! The place had showroom type lighting and the CSL was gleaming like I had hoped, it really looked like a new car!! The dealer was trying to talk me through specific bits and bobs but I don't think I heard anything! I was just too excited to start it up and leave! Anyway, once I left the dealers I took off down the road for my first excursion on my own in a CSL, and boy was I excited!! First thing I did was hit the Sport Button, and I couldn't believe how responsive the throttle was compared to without Sport enabled! I drive with it on constantly now! At first, the SMG is tricky to get to terms with having never driven a car with it before. I found myself using fully automatic for the first few miles, until I got out of the city traffic and onto the open roads. Unfortunately it has been wet for all but one of the days since I got the car, so I haven't really got enough experience to fully appreciate what the car can do. Nevertheless, I have found it can take corners with much more pace than my Audi S3 could, where the S3 felt like it was understeering straight on, the CSL just takes it in its stride without the slightest hesitation. On one of my favourite roads near where I grew up, I found myself taking corners at anything up to 20mph more than I would have in the S3, and that's in the wet!! Interior - the inside of the car is very sparse compared to what I had in the S3, but I have to be honest and the only thing I miss is the Bose stereo, which will soon be sorted by installing a Becker HU, and maybe some new speakers. The seats are awesome IMO, perfect for my size and shape (5'10" and 12.5 stone). Steering wheel is perfectly formed and the alcantara covering is awesome! One thing that I notice is the cheap clunk when the doors close! Sounds like closing the door of a Mk1 Fiesta! Exterior - the look of the car is one of the reasons I bought it, obviously along with the knowledge of what it can do on the road/track! I adore the looks, and find it one of the most attractive 'achievable' cars ever made, the wheels (especially the dished rears), the front bumper with the air intake, the raised boot lid etc! Finally, the noise! I still can't get over the noise it makes, anyone who gets into the car with me for the first time can't stop laughing! That's how I feel every time I hoon it around!! One thing I would say is, the noise is quite anti-social and I find people giving me dirty looks even when I'm not speeding! I had a man walking his dog along the pavement near where I live, and I gave it some welly before I noticed him. When I saw him he had his dog held by the collar in against the fence, waving frantically at me!! I also got pulled by the cops the other day, and I wasn't even speeding......just doing 60 in 2nd and the noise was enough for them to pull me!! Anyway, I've probably bored you all to tears by now so that's it for the moment. I'll maybe add to this when I get some dry weather to really push the car a bit more, and by that time I'll hopefully know the car better too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Great review Mills. Interesting how you compare it to the S3. I did exactly the same against the R32 and too found the CSL to go round corners hugely faster than the the golf ever could without breaking a sweat. It is an unbelievable car which takes time for you to really appreciate. When you have it sussed though, few other cars on earth will make you as happy. Its great that we now have a CSL community on here, small as it may be! That was one of my worries; coming from the huge R32 forum, I though that Id have no one on TSN to talk about CSL's with. But it seems we have all had alot to say about our cars, which makes it far more enjoyable for me. The more people on here with them, the better IMO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyadam Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Nice right up look forward to the next one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallachie Posted January 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Its great that we now have a CSL community on here, small as it may be! That was one of my worries; coming from the huge R32 forum, I though that Id have no one on TSN to talk about CSL's with. But it seems we have all had alot to say about our cars, which makes it far more enjoyable for me. The more people on here with them, the better IMO! [/ QUOTE ] Absolutely, who needs BM3W when you have Woppum, giZZe, SitaS3 and Mills all here!! It's great having a few other owners here that can advise CSL newbies like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitas3 Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 good review Mills. I'm still in explore mode myself although I think you're well ahead.. The 'door sound' comment is interesting as that was the first thing I noticed up from my test drive. I thought they sounded just like the Porsche 993 doors closing. I agree it is good having people who have come from or experienced the Audi 4WD world and now are in CSL mode. The CSL does not like cold weather. It has been 10 deg here today and although wet, the traction is far better than when it is 2 deg and wet! That may seem obvious to some but when you've had 5 years of Audi 4wd traction it is significant enought to cause much clenching of anal muscles at times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 I love the sound of the door. Listening to it rattle and shake every time I close makes me think; low weight and the money has been spent in the right places. Just what I wanted! If it closed with a solid thud like a Maybach or RS4 id know it was the wrong car. Ill tell you what it sounds like to me, closing the door of a 959... nuff said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitas3 Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 I should also add that this is the first car where I have only had the radio on once and I'm driving with the window down in winter! Enough Said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 It is the first car I have driven, apart from a 993, where you have to really get to know it. If you compare it with say the RS4, which I guess is the Audi equivilent, I would say it is a bit like this.... In the RS4 you can pretty much cane it without thinking about it too much, as long as you are not stupid, and it will do what you want and do it safely. You can get from A to B in extra quick time and get out feeling fresh as a daisy! Then do that same trip in the CSL, I guaruntee for the first month or two you you will be thinking, should have bought the RS4, should have bought the RS4, I will be honest and say I was, but as you get to know the car that changes. The CSL is a strange beast, the back end has kicked out going round a roundabout at 15mph on more than a few occasions, it has wiggled quite worryingly at 90mph on the motorway when overtaking, which really does make your heart sink, and when it gets cold out it feels really twitchy. Now because of all these things you start to be over cautious, but you don't really need to be, the harder you push it the better it takes it, there is a road near me that is pretty smooth with some nice sweeping bends and lots of up and down sections in it, there i salso a bit of negative camber, and they have set the speed limit at 50mph, which is strange for a back road. In the RS4 I went from one end to the other without it dipping below 100 (kmph m'lord! ) and thought the CSL would never be able to do that, well last night I went down there and I won't say how fast I was going but it was quite a bit quicker, and it was pouring with rain!! But whats more, I turned round and did it again, and that is what the CSL does to you, turns you into a kid with a go kart. It's a 'one more go, one more go' kind of car! There are not many cars that suddenly make me jump up off the sofa at midnight, in January, in the rain and go for a blast about, this one does and I think that sums it up nicely, it's like having a go-kart track in your garden, and every day you want to take yourself to the next level, and as you spend more time with it and learn what it is capable of you appreciate it more and more. I love the RS4 and I will own one at some point, but for now this really is an awesome machine that needs some more time put in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjgreen4 Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 [ QUOTE ] I also got pulled by the cops the other day, and I wasn't even speeding......just doing 60 in 2nd and the noise was enough for them to pull me!! [/ QUOTE ] I thought that was funny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 I get people waving their arms like lunatics when I am doing 25mph, I jumped out and asked what the feck some old boys problem was the other day, I had 3 other people wave me down in the previous 20 minutes so by the time he did it I had had enough. Thing was there was 4 of them, rambling ffs!, and I had slowed down to nearly standstill and he was still shaking his head and waving his arms around. So I got out and asked what his problem was? He had absolutely no answer! And started to look at the floor. I pointed out that they were actually walking on the road in a national speed limit and he should be careful as I would be coming back the other way in 10 minutes and I would hate to run the four of the sad feckers down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brabus Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 When I had my CSL, I was coming round a corner and accelerating. Met a group of ramblers one of which literally jumped into the air a foot or two. Felt a bit guilty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Felt a bit guilty [/ QUOTE ] LIAR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattchaps Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 Anywhere I can find the soundtrack to the CSL, need to hear this for myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjgreen4 Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 sounds nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamD Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 or any of these : http://youtube.com/results?search_query=m3+csl&search=Search Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattchaps Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 Fecking hell, that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamD Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 A friend of mine has one, and the first time I went in it I was simply stunned by the noise. At full tilt it sounds like the world is about to end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anissut Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 Great review Mills. I am another CSL owner, mostly post on BM3W and I am now on my 2nd CSL. Bought my first one in August 2005, sold it in Jan 2006, bought a SLK55 AMG in March 2006, sold it end of June 2006 and then bought my current CSL at the beginning of July 2006. The reason I sold my first CSL was because it got stolen when my house got burgled and I never felt the same with it after that. Also I think my first CSL was a little off the pace, proven by the fact that a few days before I sold it I had a staged run with another CSL, and side by side in the 2nd gear, 3rd gear, he pulled away way too comfortably. Anyway, so I got the SLK55, which as a good a car as it was just didn't do it for me. My first CSL may have been slightly down on power but the handling was as meant to be and I just missed it when I had the SLK. I also missed the noise even though the V8 in the SLK sounded the business. And there are very few cars which look as good as the CSL. So I then got my 2nd CSL. This one is certainly up to speed. It's a wonderful car and one that puts a smile on my face pretty much everytime I drive it. Because I used mine daily I decided to make it a bit easier to live with. Binned the BMW business radio and put in a full speed Ipod Alpine Head Unit. Put all new speakers in and a small sub and genesis amp. Sound quality is amazing when I am on a long journey and need something other than the engine noise. I've also a Parrot Bluetooth phone kit so that I can keep in touch with people while I'm in the car. Great bit of kit. I have AP brakes front and rear with Ferodo pads and lying in my garage at the moment waiting to be fitted are Supersprint race cats and centre section. It is just an awesome car. Damn quick, not only is the handling amazingly good but it is amazingly fun, precise and sharp for very fast progress or boot it and slide it around the place. Get the fast road geo settings and the turn is fantastic. Oh and that noise, oh yeah already mentioned that. Even on qtr throttle when the flap opens the sound is addictive, then you bury the throttle and it just feels like no car I have ever driven. The seats are great (also 5ft. 10), driving position great, SMG has its quirks but it's so much fun. CSL: probably the best car I will ever drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAYDR32 Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 [ QUOTE ] I get people waving their arms like lunatics when I am doing 25mph, I jumped out and asked what the feck some old boys problem was the other day, I had 3 other people wave me down in the previous 20 minutes so by the time he did it I had had enough. Thing was there was 4 of them, rambling ffs!, and I had slowed down to nearly standstill and he was still shaking his head and waving his arms around. So I got out and asked what his problem was? He had absolutely no answer! And started to look at the floor. I pointed out that they were actually walking on the road in a national speed limit and he should be careful as I would be coming back the other way in 10 minutes and I would hate to run the four of the sad feckers down. [/ QUOTE ] The CSL has turned you into a hooligan Guy. Glad you boys are all enjoying your CSL's awesome bit of kit! Nice to see Anis here as well! Cheers Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 Hi Anis, good to see you over here as well mate, hope you stick around mate. Not at all Jay, just getting a grumpy old git!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 I think the CSL is a keeper. So much fun. I have packed and am now waiting for the car to arrive to take me to the airport. All I am thinking about now is getting back and bloody driving the bloody thing. Might have to do the 400 round trip to Wrexham to have a look at racing parts and get reacquainted with Carl (the CSL) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 They sound good fun - Id like to drive one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitas3 Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 [ QUOTE ] They sound good fun - Id like to drive one [/ QUOTE ] at this rate prices will be holding firm or even going up! I spent another hour in the car this evening testing some things - I really can't remember my old B5 RS4 being as much fun as this despite the RS4's remapped power. I let Dunc have a drive of my car earlier today - he loved it too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 What are they like in the wet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] What are they like in the wet? [/ QUOTE ] fast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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