F30 340i vs F80 M3

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

Agree with you. I drove a new S4 and thought it drove great. It feels more special than a 340i but certainly is less bada$$ than the M3.. falls way short. but it's AWD which IS nice in the NE and from a dig for fun. I do struggle with the pedestrian appearance of the S4 but there are also some benefits to a subtle appearing car.

If you want to spend $80k and have something sporty and nice, you could go the other direction and get an M550i?? Big but fast and has a really nice interior.

I've had 2 F80s ... i got antsy and went through 2 V8 Camaros, a boxster 718S and an S3 ... blew too much money over the course of a year trading those around so I'm "stuck" with an S3 and SS1LE. Both serve a good purpose but I do somewhat regret getting out of my tuned '16 M3 6MT. Plan is to get another F80 once I ride out my S3 lease. Perfect dad, commuter, + underestimated track weapon.

Damn dude. All those cars in 1 year??? My wife would kill me

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by UGADawgFan

Agreed with all, though I think if you're leaning towards a car that blends both the DD factor and the fun factor, you should also do yourself a favor and test drive a B9 Audi S4. Picked one up for my wife a couple months back and it's the perfect split between the 340 and M3..and has a WAY nicer interior to boot.

Also for reference, I just bought my F80 a week ago after owning both an E92 M3 and an E90 328i M Sport as a DD. F80 fits the bill for me as an all-in-one car, but I could totally see myself just driving the S4.

Here's a few pics of my wife's B9 S4:

Congrats

We almost went that route when my wife was shopping to replace her aging but beloved B7 V8 S4 this fall. However, when she test drove the new RS3, it was instant love and that is what she decided to get (in Daytona grey with red brake calipers and the same wheels just as your wife's car ). While not as luxuriously appointed as the S4, the RS3 is a real hoot to drive

I find that an M3/4 and and Audi S/RS are a great combo to have in one's driveway.

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by neilum

IMO I wouldn't worry about ZCP or base M3 when thinking about this comparing it to a 340. Either are just a way different experience compared to a 340i.

I've had 340's as loaners and it was a decent package but I 100% know I made the right choice as soon as I gain the perspective of driving both.

Sure it's overkill but that is what makes it worthwhile. 340 feels like fast commuter car. M3 feels like something special.


Even if you get a base M3 put 295 tires on it, a tune and an MPE you'll thank me later.

I was honestly only thinking ZCP because I've read it's slightly less tail-happy. Agree, MPE seems a must to me.

[UGADawgFan]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Congrats

We almost went that route when my wife was shopping to replace her aging but beloved B7 V8 S4 this fall. However, when she test drove the new RS3, it was instant love and that is what she decided to get (in Daytona grey with red brake calipers and the same wheels just as your wife's car ). While not as luxuriously appointed as the S4, the RS3 is a real hoot to drive

I find that an M3/4 and and Audi S/RS are a great combo to have in one's driveway.

lol, I tried to get my wife to bite on the RS3...it was too small for her taste, and too spartan on the interior. Trust me, I tried REALLY hard.....sol ucky you because that car is phenomenal.

100% agree, on the M and S/RS driveway!

[neilum]

Originally Posted by spuntyb

I was honestly only thinking ZCP because I've read it's slightly less tail-happy. Agree, MPE seems a must to me.

Your right the CP is less tail happy but that is due to the comp pack just having less power down low, and slightly wider tires.

Canautm3 has explained this in great detail somewhere in these forums but that's the jist.

If you plan on modding, even lightly with tires/tune I wouldn't get the CP. If you are staying stock CP all the way.

[Vectors2final]

I drove a B9 S4 and it was fun. Not something to write home about, although I'm wondering how the hot-v will tune. The only reason I didn't go with it is because I wanted something more. If the RS4 was coming, I'd just get that even though it probably wouldn't be much better than the M3, but might tune better. I don't like the Sportback at all, so the RS4 is just a pipedream really.

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by neilum

Your right the CP is less tail happy but that is due to the comp pack just having less power down low, and slightly wider tires.

Canautm3 has explained this in great detail somewhere in these forums but that's the jist.

If you plan on modding, even lightly with tires/tune I wouldn't get the CP. If you are staying stock CP all the way.

That's awesome advice, thank you! I definitely plan to mod, but just tires, tune and MPE. Guess I can check ZCP off my list

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by UGADawgFan

100% agree, on the M and S/RS driveway!

Hey, congrats on the new car! Has the steering feel been improved since the last generation s4?

[UGADawgFan]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Hey, congrats on the new car! Has the steering feel been improved since the last generation s4?

Massively so. It's much like any modern electric power steering, not as much traditional "feel", but VERY direct and responsive. Steering isn't much different than the F80 truth be told.

[Salespunk]

I am going to go against the grain here. I sold my M4 and a few months later got my wife a 340i as her daily. For commuter work the 340i is more than adequate. M3/4 is an amazing chassis, but seriously overkill on the street unless you spend the majority of your weekends in the hills driving. 340 is under damped for sure, but the motor in it is fantastic. A set of coilovers will solve the suspension problem.

Personally in your situation I would be looking at a used 991 over an M3. For the lease price of a new M3 right now you could find a 340i loaner to lease and still have about $500/mo left over towards a 991...

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by Salespunk

I am going to go against the grain here. I sold my M4 and a few months later got my wife a 340i as her daily.

The highlighted portion of your post makes quite a difference...I certainly won't disagree that a 340i makes a great commuter car - hell, so does an Accord.

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by Salespunk

I am going to go against the grain here. I sold my M4 and a few months later got my wife a 340i as her daily. For commuter work the 340i is more than adequate. M3/4 is an amazing chassis, but seriously overkill on the street unless you spend the majority of your weekends in the hills driving. 340 is under damped for sure, but the motor in it is fantastic. A set of coilovers will solve the suspension problem.

Personally in your situation I would be looking at a used 991 over an M3. For the lease price of a new M3 right now you could find a 340i loaner to lease and still have about $500/mo left over towards a 991...

I drove some 997.2s last year and really liked them. If I went that route, that's what I would get. Unfortunately, I don't want to buy until I can get my hands on a properly spec'd AMG wagon that I can then drive off into the sunset. I was hoping to get one next year, but life comes at you fast, and I decided to go with a Macan GTS and "insert BMW here" combo for now.

I haven't been blown away by the 340s I've driven as loaners, and apart from the fantastic B58, it doesn't feel much better than my tuned 335. I was thinking it would be an upgrade, but the more seat time I have in it, I'm wondering if that's the case. Then there's the looks of the F80...those hips!

Honestly, if they would give us the 340 wagon or the 540 wagon, I wouldn't even deliberate here, but alas...

[AustinTrkJunkie]

Don't, just don't.

Traded my E90 M3 for a 340i thinking I could bridge the gap with a 4 door daily that could track.

Was right, minus the latter piece. 340i is a dog on the track compared to either the E90 M3 or - even more so -the F80.

Save yourself my costly - think $5-7K - mistake for making the swap.

To the haters from the F30 forum - and the flaming I expect will be coming - drive an F80, done.

[Dinh335]

I came from a f30 335i to an f80, very similar situation though I bought instead of lease.
I had a hard time justifying to myself the m3 other than that it was a dream car, as I daily the car in D.C. Traffic and have two kids.

Two years later zero regrets and I am so happy I went f80. I daily it still after dropping two toddlers off at school and track it when I can. It is a completely diff experience and I don't even consider my time w the 335i as happening...i.e. I forget I even had it. I'd never say that about the m3.

The m3 isn't overkill, I don't get that statement. It has a good ride and tons of power and handles well, can fit two car seats and act as a daily very well. You can use the power in the car on the street, you could say the 340 is overkill too if you drove like a db. In the f80, Any good driver will realize that no matter what speed you are at the power is much more enjoyable and accessible, and that does not equate to breaking the law, it equates to a much better and memorable driving experience.

[bimmer456]

If you want M3 power with all wheel drive, then the 340xi with a Jb4 is your only option.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by UGADawgFan

Massively so. It's much like any modern electric power steering, not as much traditional "feel", but VERY direct and responsive. Steering isn't much different than the F80 truth be told.

Ok thanks. I'll give it another look.

We checked out the last gen S4 and even my wife found the steering unacceptable (and she likes the f30 steering over e90 steering due to the lighter effort at low speeds...)

Also, for the OP, I loved my f80 but talking out the other side of my mouth, going the "fast daily that's trackable" route is something I would talk my past self out of. E36m3 that someone has already built into a race car + a tow vehicle/daily of some sort is the way to go.

[jmg]

I purchased a 340 M Sport and kept it for 3 months. I felt like I needed more and got the M3. No regrets whatsoever. The F80 is so much better in almost every single way than the 340. It's perfectly fine as a DD, it's more fun on the backroads, it gets a lot of compliments, my MPE sounds great, and I do the "look back" when parking it every single day and it's been almost 2 years. I stopped doing the "look back" on the 340i after 2 months.

[UGADawgFan]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Ok thanks. I'll give it another look.

We checked out the last gen S4 and even my wife found the steering unacceptable (and she likes the f30 steering over e90 steering due to the lighter effort at low speeds...)

Also, for the OP, I loved my f80 but talking out the other side of my mouth, going the "fast daily that's trackable" route is something I would talk my past self out of. E36m3 that someone has already built into a race car + a tow vehicle/daily of some sort is the way to go.

100% agree, I didn't like the last gen S4 steering either. It was certainly a beautiful car, but meh to drive. My wife drove a 2014 A4 2.0T S-line and that same generation S4 wasn't "worth" it to upgrade to. It may have been faster in a straight line, but dynamically it felt basically the same. The B9 S4 feels special- but our car has the S Sport package (active suspension and sport rear diff) + the dynamic steering. I haven't driven a completely base S4.

[Ian1973]

To so many that think you must always have an M car if you can afford. Well I have had a change of employment and am stuck driving 170 miles a day, mostly all highway. I can tell you an M is a STUPID car for that drive. Yup it's a great daily, comfortable, decent gas mileage and all that, but it's a travesty to waste a car like that droning on the highway for that many miles, it's absolutely stupid. Burning off MPSS's going straight. Sucking the resale out of it because someone's ego had to have an M for the highway presence. Please. lol

So if nothing changes shortly I will be selling the F80 for a Civic, Corolla or other rolling appliance.

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by Ian1973

To so many that think you must always have an M car if you can afford. Well I have had a change of employment and am stuck driving 170 miles a day, mostly all highway. I can tell you an M is a STUPID car for that drive. Yup it's a great daily, comfortable, decent gas mileage and all that, but it's a travesty to waste a car like that droning on the highway for that many miles, it's absolutely stupid. Burning off MPSS's going straight. Sucking the resale out of it because someone's ego had to have an M for the highway presence. Please. lol

So if nothing changes shortly I will be selling the F80 for a Civic, Corolla or other rolling appliance.

Yeah that was my logic initially, but I'm not doing that many miles. Plus, as I said, there's just too much I would want to mod or change on the 340 if I got it, whereas the F80, I like out of the box.

Buddy of mine commutes about 30k miles a year and picked up a Hyundai Genesis. Worth looking into for a good highway commuter. Great car imho.

[harperium]

a month ago i got a 340i with MPPSK - was an upgrade from a 320. Totally love the 340!

and i also enjoying knowing that when this 3 year lease ends, my next car will be a proper M car.

the other day driving home, an m4 was in front of me at the stop light, and took off like a rocket. i could keep up, more or less - we were just on a street not the track ... but the m cars have a totally different street presence. i must have one... one day...

[Prossx]

2 years 9 months over 43k miles in '14 335i MSport RWD 6MT - traded a month ago for '15 F80 DCT. Loved the 335 but like many felt like it needed mods to sharpen it up. Before dropping any coin on mods my wandering eye started considering different options but kept coming back to the M3 as the most logical choice for needs/wants all things considered, and was always the aspirational next step up. Its a great DD delivering everything desired in a more hardcore machine. Plan on continuing 15 - 17k/yr city/hw mix with some 3-5 hour road trips a few times a year. Looking forward to every mile.