Hard transition from M car to normal Bimmer?

[MomoM3]

My first 3 BMWs were Ms - last M I drove was my e92 M3 about 7 years ago and I’ve missed it ever since.

Had a few other non M BMWs since, currently in a 340ix M sport 6MT MPPSK - still nowhere near the same.

FINALLY will be driving an incoming F80 M3 ZCP 6MT in a few weeks! It’s been a long 7 years...

[barnsdale]

Originally Posted by MomoM3

My first 3 BMWs were Ms - last M I drove was my e92 M3 about 7 years ago and I’ve missed it ever since.

Had a few other non M BMWs since, currently in a 340ix M sport 6MT MPPSK - still nowhere near the same.

FINALLY will be driving an incoming F80 M3 ZCP 6MT in a few weeks! It’s been a long 7 years...

Congrats!!! Way to go with a 6MT I feel like it’s more rare these days everyone on here is posting about their DCT...

You’re in for a treat - it’s interesting I just did this supercar all day test drive with the following cars: corvette stingray, Audi R8, GTR, Mercedes GTS and a Maclaren, all were DCT and I’d still take the M4 over all of these...the maclaren was fast as hell and handled great but the brakes were shit, interior was bland and I just couldn’t see myself owning one.

Audi R8 sounded amazing but the interior had much to be improved and would take my M4 over it any day.

I don’t know just says a lot about these cars....I’ll be hard pressed to ever give it up.

[Racer20]

Audi S cars are the best cars out there right now for sub-M level daily driver duties. I got a 2018 S4 after my 228i lease was up, and I love it for daily use. It absolutely does not replace the M3 as a pure performance car, and is not nearly as "fun" to drive, but I enjoy it much more than any non-M (including my moms 440xi), and my M3 comes out of the garage less often now as a result.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Racer20

Audi S cars are the best cars out there right now for sub-M level daily driver duties. I got a 2018 S4 after my 228i lease was up, and I love it for daily use. It absolutely does not replace the M3 as a pure performance car, and is not nearly as "fun" to drive, but I enjoy it much more than any non-M (including my moms 440xi), and my M3 comes out of the garage less often now as a result.

With that many sedan type cars around, could be time to switch m3 to a 2 seater

[Manbearpigbear]

Originally Posted by barnsdale

Congrats!!! Way to go with a 6MT I feel like it’s more rare these days everyone on here is posting about their DCT...

You’re in for a treat - it’s interesting I just did this supercar all day test drive with the following cars: corvette stingray, Audi R8, GTR, Mercedes GTS and a Maclaren, all were DCT and I’d still take the M4 over all of these...the maclaren was fast as hell and handled great but the brakes were shit, interior was bland and I just couldn’t see myself owning one.

Audi R8 sounded amazing but the interior had much to be improved and would take my M4 over it any day.

I don’t know just says a lot about these cars....I’ll be hard pressed to ever give it up.

M4 has the worst interior by far out of those except for Corvette and GTR

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by Manbearpigbear

M4 has the worst interior by far out of those except for Corvette and GTR

In your subjective opinion.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

With that many sedan type cars around, could be time to switch m3 to a 2 seater

Yeah, I've had a couple . . . A C6 corvette and an M Coupe . . . and I was all set to pick up a 718 GTS until I drove one and found it a bit uninspiring. I haven't found a car that I like enough to sell my M3 for yet, so for now I have a bunch of sedans.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by Manbearpigbear

M4 has the worst interior by far out of those except for Corvette and GTR

And the ATS-V, and Giulia QF, and pretty much everything else except the Audi RS5 and C63 (although I found the C63 interior to be a bit overrated). Even the 911 and cayman interiors aren't all that special.

[Manbearpigbear]

Originally Posted by Racer20

And the ATS-V, and Giulia QF, and pretty much everything else except the Audi RS5 and C63 (although I found the C63 interior to be a bit overrated). Even the 911 and cayman interiors aren't all that special.

Let's not be in denial. C63 interior is much better. 911 and Cayman interiors are on another level compared to M3.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by Manbearpigbear

Let's not be in denial. C63 interior is much better. 911 and Cayman interiors are on another level compared to M3.

The C63 seemed to me like it was designed to fool people into thinking it had a nice interior. Kind of like how the 2 series is obviously a cost-cut version of the 2 series, the C-class interior seems like a cheaped out version of a more expensive Mercedes to me. I'm sure my opinion will be unpopular, but that's how I felt when I had one for a few days.

The materials and fit/finish in the 911 and Cayman compared to the F80 are what you'd expect based on the price difference, no more, no less. The materials, fit and finish is nice enough, but the design is kind of bland and some of the ergonomics are not super awesome. I will say that I've driven the new Panamera, and if that's any indication, the next generation of Porsches will finally have the interiors they deserve.

The F80 interior is not as bad as what some people make it out to be, especially considering that the current 3 series is at least 3 years older than any of the other cars we're talking about.

[Ian1973]

Try going to a Mazda 3, like I'm doing. lol

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Racer20

Yeah, I've had a couple . . . A C6 corvette and an M Coupe . . . and I was all set to pick up a 718 GTS until I drove one and found it a bit uninspiring. I haven't found a car that I like enough to sell my M3 for yet, so for now I have a bunch of sedans.

agreed, I'd take the f80 over base model c6 or 718 as well

Find a left over viper?

Do you have a deposit on a gt4 or gt3 somewhere?

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Ian1973

Try going to a Mazda 3, like I'm doing. lol

I find that much easier than going to a non M bmw.

Apples and oranges.

But a 320 vs m3 is apples to apples, and reminder of the downgrade is there with every turn of the steering wheel and wide open throttle application

[Fuller]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

I find that much easier than going to a non M bmw.

Apples and oranges.

But a 320 vs m3 is apples to apples, and reminder of the downgrade is there with every turn of the steering wheel and wide open throttle application

How is a 320 vs m3 apples to apples? It's the entry level 3 series vs the m3. I understand what you're going for, but I'd say that the 320 has more in common with the Mazda 3 (or at least Mazda 6), than an m3. That's not say that a 320i is the same as a Mazda 3/6 (it's not), but if I had to place it somewhere along a spectrum ranging from the Mazda to the m3, I'd place it closer to the Mazda.

[M3BeamerVroom]

I've contemplated going from 2016 f80 azurite black to a 430i with m sports.. but I just can't because it's not a true M. First world problems lol

[Ian1973]

Originally Posted by Fuller

How is a 320 vs m3 apples to apples? It's the entry level 3 series vs the m3. I understand what you're going for, but I'd say that the 320 has more in common with the Mazda 3 (or at least Mazda 6), than an m3. That's not say that a 320i is the same as a Mazda 3/6 (it's not), but if I had to place it somewhere along a spectrum ranging from the Mazda to the m3, I'd place it closer to the Mazda.

I haven't read many good things on the 320, but yes I would bet it's still built better than the mazda 3. Not to say the decked out Mazda 3 isn't bad, but the metal thickness, etc is definitely noticeable.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by M3BeamerVroom

I've contemplated going from 2016 f80 azurite black to a 430i with m sports.. but I just can't because it's not a true M. First world problems lol

I had a 330i loaner and it was almost unbearable. If you are going to step down, step down to something less similar, and hopefully lighter so that the driving dynamic can at least make up for the power loss. That being said, I was in a 440i GC and I was kind of digging it. Still fast, but in a different enough form factor to appreciate it.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Fuller

How is a 320 vs m3 apples to apples? It's the entry level 3 series vs the m3. I understand what you're going for, but I'd say that the 320 has more in common with the Mazda 3 (or at least Mazda 6), than an m3. That's not say that a 320i is the same as a Mazda 3/6 (it's not), but if I had to place it somewhere along a spectrum ranging from the Mazda to the m3, I'd place it closer to the Mazda.

The body shape is very similar, the interior is almost identical (the steering wheel will be the same if you get the sports package option on the 320) so there are many many things to remind you that you are in a 3 series.

Except, it isn't your previous f80 m3 it is a base model, stripped away of the huge hp of m3, and without the great steering feel and connection to the road of the old cars with hydraulic steering and old school bmw suspension so can't even tell yourself you're getting better involvement albeit with less HP.

trust me, I had an f30 335 and f80 m3 in my garage for a few weeks and when I got into 335 after m3 it was very easy to compare and the f30 never came off well in the comparison. I can't imagine how brutal the step down would be going from f80 to f30 320 if the f80 to f30 335 switch was already not a great feeling

If I needed to move off an f80 for cost reasons I'd switch to an e36 m3 sedan or e90 m3 sedan before an f3x. At least there would be the old school goodness to offset. Or I would switch out to something very different from 3er (hot hatch, electric, old roadster, etc)

[Fuller]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

The body shape is very similar, the interior is almost identical (the steering wheel will be the same if you get the sports package option on the 320) so there are many many things to remind you that you are in a 3 series.

Except, it isn't your previous f80 m3 it is a base model, stripped away of the huge hp of m3, and without the great steering feel and connection to the road of the old cars with hydraulic steering and old school bmw suspension so can't even tell yourself you're getting better involvement albeit with less HP.

trust me, I had an f30 335 and f80 m3 in my garage for a few weeks and when I got into 335 after m3 it was very easy to compare and the f30 never came off well in the comparison. I can't imagine how brutal the step down would be going from f80 to f30 320 if the f80 to f30 335 switch was already not a great feeling

If I needed to move off an f80 for cost reasons I'd switch to an e36 m3 sedan or e90 m3 sedan before an f3x. At least there would be the old school goodness to offset. Or I would switch out to something very different from 3er (hot hatch, electric, old roadster, etc)

I see what you mean. Some might even grow to really appreciate an e90 m3 for the steering feel and high revving v8. Id think the difference in low end torque might be hard for some people to adjust to though. Still, I had the opportunity to drive one a while ago, and it's hard to replicate the sensation when the rpm start climbing to 6000-8000 or so.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Fuller

I see what you mean. Some might even grow to really appreciate an e90 m3 for the steering feel and high revving v8. Id think the difference in low end torque might be hard for some people to adjust to though. Still, I had the opportunity to drive one a while ago, and it's hard to replicate the sensation when the rpm start climbing to 6000-8000 or so.

Yup absolutely.

I loved my F80 and every minute having it, but I can't fault anyone who hangs on to their older M3 and pockets the cash versus moving to F80

[mephiska]

Originally Posted by Racer20

The C63 seemed to me like it was designed to fool people into thinking it had a nice interior. Kind of like how the 2 series is obviously a cost-cut version of the 2 series, the C-class interior seems like a cheaped out version of a more expensive Mercedes to me. I'm sure my opinion will be unpopular, but that's how I felt when I had one for a few days.

This was also my experience as well, and let me give a comparison.

I test drove a GLA for my wife back in 2014. It looks super upscale in photos, but when you sit in it and start touching things you can see many materials are made to appear more upscale than they are. Plastic bits coated in chrome, faked leather stitching, etc. This is the kind of stuff GM pulls to get those morons in the commercials to say "oh it looks like an Audi!" That kind of fakery doesn't age well. Finishes wear off, they dull, they chip and scratch easily, which immediately exposes their faked nature. Every time you look at it you know you're living a lie.

My relative has the new GLC, and I've been in it a few times. The interior design is very similar, but they use higher quality materials and it shows. Key trim pieces that were plastic in the GLA are metal or use a higher quality coating in the GLC, that kind of thing. And I'm sure the GLE takes that a step further.

That's what turned me off to the brand. Their lower end cars fake the look of the higher end cars. I haven't felt like BMW does that in my experience. The 3-series will have the same design language as the 5-series, but it doesn't try to fake all the more fancy details with plastic or vinyl. They just make it a little bit more simplified, and that's fine. That's more real to me and I appreciate that.

That's how I view the two approaches. Mercedes fakes the look of the higher end on the low end to cut costs, while BMW simplifies the design of their low range and makes the high end more detailed. I prefer the latter of those two approaches.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

agreed, I'd take the f80 over base model c6 or 718 as well

Find a left over viper?

Do you have a deposit on a gt4 or gt3 somewhere?

Eww . . . Viper? They perform well, but not sure I could stomach a FCA product of any type (I worked there for a short time in product development, so it's a personal bias).

I've gone back and forth over getting on the list for the upcoming GT4, but I'm pretty sure it would be miserable to drive on the suburban grid roads that surround me, and I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be taking a $100k+ car to the track.

A GT3 is just a bit out of my comfort zone ($$$), espeically considering I wouldn't even enjoy driving it for most of my local trips.

On my list:

• M2 Competition
• Modding my M3
• 991.2 GTS (at some point when the value proposition is more palatable . . . promotion at work or a used one after some depreciation?)
• BRZ/E36/E46 dedicated track car