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Talk me out of it: 2012 BMW E92 M3 Coupe

We have reviews. Buyer guides. Mailbags. And now, welcome to a new feature called “Talk me out of it”. Each week, I’ll scour the interwebs for some sort of special car for sale to highlight and, you know, talk me out of. Could be an auction, a local dealer, even one you have for sale…

Friday Mailbag: Solving BMW brake noise

The last mailbag of 2022 has to do with the most common question I get asked – BMW brake noise. What causes it? Can we fix it? Thank you for sending all of your questions in this year, there were so many good ones! Keep ’em coming in 2023. Question Hey Mike, do the brakes…

One year review with my G80 M3

It was never intentional to keep my E92 locked away. In the beginning, I took mass transit to work in New York, and the car sat during the week. The next thing I knew, the car had very low mileage and was already 5 years old. Not this time. My G80 M3 deserves to be…

Friday Mailbag: Is BMW reliability still bad?

We’ve made it to another Friday. Your reward is a mailbag question answered. Today, it’s about BMW reliability and what being financially responsible is (it’s not what you think). If you’d like to participate, drop me a question at mike@machineswithsouls.com. And don’t worry, you’ll remain anonymous. Question Hi Mike. I really enjoy the mailbag responses,…

What’s the best G80 M3 exhaust?

Aside from a brief cup of coffee with a Kia Stinger, I’ve put an aftermarket exhaust on every single car I’ve owned. But what I look for, and the refinement I expect, is not an easy combination to find. Because the G80 M3 was so new when I received mine, it’s taken the aftermarket a…

Friday Mailbag: Do BMW OEM tires matter?

Welcome to the weekend with your Friday Mailbag. This week, I answer two very good questions about BMW OEM tires and wheels. If you’d like to participate, drop me a question at mike@machineswithsouls.com. And don’t worry, you’ll remain anonymous. Question 1 Hey Mike. I recently had to purchase new tires for my 328, and the…

The BMW G8X M invasion of New York City

By now, you might think that I’m not too happy with my G80 M3. I like both the Blackwing and F90 M5 better. The E90 has more soul. But the truth is, I do love it. It’s an amazing daily, comfortable and fast. Yet when I attend car shows, I can feel the glares of…

Friday mailbag: What’s the worst BMW M car?

This week, it’s the BMW 1M, and am I allowed to tell you if a press car is bad? If you’d like to participate, drop me a question at mike@machineswithsouls.com. And don’t worry, you’ll remain anonymous. This week’s question I’m curious, are you allowed to actually”knock” press cars? Has anything really bothered you from the…

The good (and bad) of BMW CCA membership

This publication exists partly as a guide to help the automotive enthusiast do some research. It’s why I only work with brands I use and trust. We won’t break that rule here. I am a member of the BMW CCA (Car Club of America), and there are a lot of benefits to join. But there…

The 2022 Kies Motorsport Auto Show recap

I’ve had the pleasure of owning some prominent marquee brands over the years. But maybe outside of Nissan Z ownership, nothing has had the support of the BMW community. There’s a show with friends almost every weekend. So when Kies announced the Kies Motorsport Auto Show this year in Atlantic City, NJ, I decided to…