Q  I have just recently bought a 2002 E46 M3 with full BMW history and 72,000 miles. My problem is that when the car is stone cold it kangaroos terribly for the first hundred yards, once there is a slight amount of heat in the engine it is perfect. I have done some investigation into this problem and most people are saying it is normal on a cold engine? Does this sound right to you?

I have also been told that running the car on Optimax will improve it.

Shaun Hayward, email.

A It’s true that some E46 M3s can be a bit lumpy when cold and owners haven’t always got to the bottom of it. A decent high-octane fuel will always help, but we’d get it scanned for possible faults with the MAF and coolant temp sensor. You’ll need two to three tanks full of a fuel such as Optimax for the ECU to completely learn the new values.