F80 M3 / M4 vs my RS5... a back-to-back driving review

[pkimM3r]

how come no one mentions the cabin wind noise through the doors at high speeds (which exists in the f3x)....did they solve this problem? what about the door being light and weak when you close it?

performance should be awesome as hell though.

[renaissance]

Originally Posted by Liberation

However, I'm in no rush to sell my RS5 and not interested in a first model year BMW. I'll be patient and wait for year two.

You are smart but better wait for LCI.

According to my past working experience with BMW, they always love to try something new in their new models, so those unexpected issues usually got fixed after LCI.

[onatuesday]

Originally Posted by renaissance

You are smart but better wait for LCI.

According to my past working experience with BMW, they always love to try something new in their new models, so those unexpected issues usually got fixed after LCI.

Yup. Plus RS5s are holding value fairly well due to the limited production. I even see a few on Autotrader going for over $100k.

[Reedomn]

RS5 is a beautiful car

[MDIVISION]

After a day at the track with these 2 cars I can tell you that the Audi is a complete waste of money. Now you might think I'm bias but I tracked the
RS5, C63 AMG and the IS-F and NONE of them came close to either the M3 or the M4. I wish them well.

[accce]

Originally Posted by Liberation

The rims, rotors, and brake calipers stand out in a way that pictures just don't capture. I think you all will notice this right away when yours gets delivered

100% Agree. The wheels have such a depth and presence in real life that the photos just can't pick up. It was one of the first things I noticed. The steel brake calipers are also a lot bigger in person and the rotors look really nice. The whole car is so much nicer in person.

[lve2xlr8]

I (for one?) prefer the aggressive shifts of DCT when in its most ferocious setting. If it didn't have this I'd definitely opt for the 6mt. If you want soft shifts just turn it down.

[GratefulM5]

Originally Posted by e60cs5

Thanks for the review!


Re: "The DCT felt good. Quick shifts but on upshifts under WOT were pretty rough. Feels like you get kicked in your back. Definitely wasn't feeling but since my E46 is a 6MT, I'd still opt for it."

I don't understand this... I rallied mine around all day and got pretty aggressive. The shifts happen so quick (in S3) that there's no time for lag / delay, etc. The shifts feel instantaneous to me.... they happen so quick they're not abrupt or a kick in the back?

I remember my SMG in my E60 M5 was much more abrupt....

Did you have it set to S3? Did you have all of your settings set to sport + etc?

Not trying to argue - just generally curious as this hasn't been my experience!

If it's anything like the DCT in the M5, S3 setting is wicked fast but is a tad rough and kicks a bit, S1 feels slushy like an auto and S2 is what I usually have it in for daily driving- fast but smooth... Mmm mmm mmm.

Ps- thanks for the review and ur thoughts!

[sor]

If its anything like the DCT on my E90, its at its best in manual mode. The downshift blips that you were missing are awesome. People would think I was trying to race when coming to a stop because of the revving. I always liked the kick and jerk of the quick shift on the DCT, felt more raw and powerful, but if you didn't like it the more refined shift modes will smooth it out. The M3 felt much more like a sports car.

I'm in an S4 now, and I opted for a manual, primarily because the DSG shifting felt backward to me (pushing forward on the stick to upshift during acceleration), but also because it felt much more like a standard auto than the DCT, I felt BMW really nailed it with the feel of shifting, the paddles, and manual look of the shift lever.

[Remonster]

Originally Posted by lve2xlr8

I (for one?) prefer the aggressive shifts of DCT when in its most ferocious setting. If it didn't have this I'd definitely opt for the 6mt. If you want soft shifts just turn it down.

That's literally exactly what the 3 settings are there for. They don't affect actual shift speed, they really only change the amount of torque the motor produces throughout the shift with S3 being like shifting a car with a manual transmission with your foot flat on the throttle.

[positiveions]

Good review. But holding on to my E90 M3 for a while.

[bvez3ro]

The RS5 is clearly the best looking Audi so far.

But i think you can't deactivate all the nannies in a Audi...or was it Mercedes.

Not that i need it, but most of the people appreciate it, that you deactivate all nannies in a BMW.

[onatuesday]

Originally Posted by bvez3ro

The RS5 is clearly the best looking Audi so far.

But i think you can't deactivate all the nannies in a Audi...or was it Mercedes.

Not that i need it, but most of the people appreciate it, that you deactivate all nannies in a BMW.

You can deactivate all the nannies in Audis. AWD donuts are quite a hoot. But yeah there is too much "noise" with the quattro system to be able to drift predictability as the car will always fight for grip. Though the r8 which has a much more rwd default biased torque split is fairly easy to drift. I always said Audis will astonish you with grip while BMWs will make you smile with slip.

But again even with the TC on in the RS5 it never spoils the fun. You would barely notice it was intervening at all except for the flashing warning light. With BMWs however even in the most aggressive setting the TC cuts the power and spoils the fun. It's been pointed out by several reviewers including our very own Bimmerpost' s

In fully enabled mode I found that the DSC light flickered constantly on both braking and corner exits at Road America. While the intervention was quite smooth and subtle, I found it disconcerting that my seemingly smooth driving was met with such frequent electronic intervention. Soon, I graduated to MDM mode where intervention lessened but was still ever present.

[NYAWE60]

Originally Posted by bvez3ro

The RS5 is clearly the best looking Audi so far.

But i think you can't deactivate all the nannies in a Audi...or was it Mercedes.

Not that i need it, but most of the people appreciate it, that you deactivate all nannies in a BMW.

I think you forgot this other model they make called the R8

[SOM3]

Originally Posted by Mloyalty

After a day at the track with these 2 cars I can tell you that the Audi is a complete waste of money. Now you might think I'm bias but I tracked the
RS5, C63 AMG and the IS-F and NONE of them came close to either the M3 or the M4. I wish them well.

I feel the same way. I can't wait until my F8X shows up so I can see how much it's been improved.

[Jadar]

Originally Posted by shivaswrath

Those fenders,
Dat Ass!!

Just that feature I'd opt for the M3 every time. The M4 looks good real good. But the f80 looks godly!!!

[Jadar]

Originally Posted by X3paul

Lets wait and see what audi comes up with. but I fear that once M3/M4 owners test a cayman/boxter gts they will regret it - unless its a 4/5 seater the prefered weapon of choice.

I agree. Couple months back I went and test drove a cayman 981 S, and honestly what's out there today in that price bracket nothing compared! Porsche has it right! Perhaps when the M2 comes out there will be stiffer competition but unless like you said, you're after a comfy 4 seater or something that is also great in straight line acceleration the cayman s is not the weapon of choice.

But pure driving dynamics and the feel of the motor being behind you is just a feeling I can't describe. Nothing I ever personally drove handled that well.

I currently own an F30 335i while not even close in the category, after I hopped back in my car I felt I was steering an oil tanker through the streets...

[SOM3]

Originally Posted by trinim3

It's quotes like this that lead to these forums becoming fan boy wars. I for one am glad that everyone else that has posted thus far offered something constructive to say about both the RS5 and the M3/M4 rather than some blatantly inciteful fanboy rhetoric that is anything but true.

That is strictly your opinion. I stand by my comments. The car just felt lazy compared to E9X M3. I guess it would be nice for DD duties but as I drove it on autobahn at full tilt I saw shortcomings that made me not buy it.

The car just doesn't respond as well, shift while smooth felt delayed. Throttle response isn't the same. The car did reach 170 MPH (speedo) but I'm not sure if it got there faster than E9X M3.

Your fanboy comments are out of line, I've had Audis for over 10 years and currently have A4.

Don't be upset because one person thinks your car is just ok.

[Jadar]

Originally Posted by SOM3

That is strictly your opinion. I stand by my comments. The car just felt lazy compared to E9X M3. I guess it would be nice for DD duties but as I drove it on autobahn at full tilt I saw shortcomings that made me not buy it.

The car just doesn't respond as well, shift while smooth felt delayed. Throttle response isn't the same. The car did reach 170 MPH (speedo) but I'm not sure if it got there faster than E9X M3.

Your fanboy comments are out of line, I've had Audis for over 10 years and currently have A4.

Don't be upset because one person thinks your car is just ok.

LOL. I love this forum thanks for making me laugh this morning.

I appreciate the honest feedback. I like Audi's too but love BMW's better particularly the M's.

[Bemo]

Originally Posted by shivaswrath

Those fenders,
Dat Ass!!

Yeah, nice ass and curves but the face looks busted. I expect that at a local bar, not from the M division!

[0-60Motorsports]

Excellent review. Thank for posting.

[ToyotaBMW]

Originally Posted by SOM3

That is strictly your opinion. I stand by my comments. The car just felt lazy compared to E9X M3. I guess it would be nice for DD duties but as I drove it on autobahn at full tilt I saw shortcomings that made me not buy it.

The car just doesn't respond as well, shift while smooth felt delayed. Throttle response isn't the same. The car did reach 170 MPH (speedo) but I'm not sure if it got there faster than E9X M3.

Your fanboy comments are out of line, I've had Audis for over 10 years and currently have A4.

Don't be upset because one person thinks your car is just ok.

Shortcomings is not the RS5 it is your driving. Like someone indicated already the RS5 was faster 12 of the 15 laps on the autozeitung test. Also if you read the this thread http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...=994161&page=7 two guys were ran the e92 M3 against the RS5 and agreed the RS5 was faster due to the grip of the Quattro. The M3 always feel faster because the rear want to come around but that doesn't mean it actually is faster. How many times do you see a F1 car go around a track with the rear end hanging out.