Ground Clearance

[Grouser]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a M4, but during the test drive I was surprised at how easy it was to scrape the bottom front of the car. I'm in the Houston area and while this is probably the flattest place on Earth, I can't say the same for our roads.

I spent so much time focusing on what was on the roads and driveways, that it was taking away from enjoying the drive. After I got back I did an eyeball measurement of the ground clearance under the front bumper and it looks like it's 3 and 1/2 inches.

Is this a legitimate concern or was I in a particularly nasty neighborhood? Keep in mind that I've been driving full size trucks for the last 30 years and normally I just drive over whatever is in the road

Thanks for the help,
Lee

[04RC51]

The rubber flap under the bumper scrapes alot but not the bumper per se. I don't have any problems, that's for sure.

[Doctor///M]

Many of us in Houston. No problems at all on my front for the past few months. Just be sure to drive carefully when entering driveways and crossing street drains. In stock form it's not any lower than my previous 335.

[paddy335]

Originally Posted by Grouser

I'm about to pull the trigger on a M4, but during the test drive I was surprised at how easy it was to scrape the bottom front of the car. I'm in the Houston area and while this is probably the flattest place on Earth, I can't say the same for our roads.

I spent so much time focusing on what was on the roads and driveways, that it was taking away from enjoying the drive. After I got back I did an eyeball measurement of the ground clearance under the front bumper and it looks like it's 3 and 1/2 inches.

Is this a legitimate concern or was I in a particularly nasty neighborhood? Keep in mind that I've been driving full size trucks for the last 30 years and normally I just drive over whatever is in the road

Thanks for the help,
Lee

Sounds like you are not going to enjoy owning it. Get an X5M

[-JLT-]

Originally Posted by paddy335

Sounds like you are not going to enjoy owning it. Get an X5M

[MrMoo]

I did find the clearance slightly more bothersome than my old C250. You'll need to be more wary of awkward driveways but those are usually quite rare and if in doubt find street parking.

Having said that I have scraped the front rubber flaps a few times, It's all on the bottom of the vehicle so cannot be seen.

[gearboxtrouble]

Originally Posted by Grouser

I'm about to pull the trigger on a M4, but during the test drive I was surprised at how easy it was to scrape the bottom front of the car. I'm in the Houston area and while this is probably the flattest place on Earth, I can't say the same for our roads.

I spent so much time focusing on what was on the roads and driveways, that it was taking away from enjoying the drive. After I got back I did an eyeball measurement of the ground clearance under the front bumper and it looks like it's 3 and 1/2 inches.

Is this a legitimate concern or was I in a particularly nasty neighborhood? Keep in mind that I've been driving full size trucks for the last 30 years and normally I just drive over whatever is in the road

Thanks for the help,
Lee

I live in the Houston area myself and don't have too many problems. I'm used to driving low cars (last one was an e92 M3) and can attest to some of the poorly designed ramps around here. Surprisingly, I find my f82 m4 doing better than my old e92 m3 in all the spots I'd usually scrape the lip. Keeping the adaptive suspension (do NOT buy the car without this option) in comfort seems to manage most stuff. You just need to be careful about where you take the car and the angle you take inclines at (diagonal is always better than straight on). At the end of the day its just some minor scraping on a part of the car that's designed to take it. Don't sweat it and just enjoy the car instead.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by gearboxtrouble

I live in the Houston area myself and don't have too many problems. I'm used to driving low cars (last one was an e92 M3) and can attest to some of the poorly designed ramps around here. Surprisingly, I find my f82 m4 doing better than my old e92 m3 in all the spots I'd usually scrape the lip. Keeping the adaptive suspension (do NOT buy the car without this option) in comfort seems to manage most stuff. You just need to be careful about where you take the car and the angle you take inclines at (diagonal is always better than straight on). At the end of the day its just some minor scraping on a part of the car that's designed to take it. Don't sweat it and just enjoy the car instead.

How would this help significantly? Adaptive suspension doesn't change ride height.

[JonnyM3]

Originally Posted by Polo08816

How would this help significantly? Adaptive suspension doesn't change ride height.

Id imagine sport plus would be ideal for bad situations as to keep the car flat as possible with the stiffer setting?

[absoluteis350]

More important than simply the ground clearance at the front lip, what is the incline angle or overhang of the car ? Between the front lip and where the tire touches the road ?

If we have the ground clearance at 3 1/2, and someone can give me the front overhang from the middle of the front tire to the edge of the front lip, I could calculate if I can clear the speed bumps on my street.

[antych]

I think the clearance on this car is more than enough. I was constantly scraping the front in my e92 335i m sport, which almost never happens in the M4. The roads in London aren't great either, not to mention speed bumps everywhere.

[rr006rbc]

You just need to change your driving habits. Simple as that. I tell my customers all the time driving our cars that you can't treat it like their Camry & Accords.

[Carl L]

I'm 100% fine with the ground clearance, though it does sit a little lower at the front than the E92 M. I live in the hills and the incline for the garage scrapes it every time on exit. I'm fine with it as it's the bottom of the bumper and they're going to get scraped one time or another no matter what unless you are completely obsessed with babying your car. That said, I need every mm so any lowering or Comp pkg wouldn't work for me right now.

One thing for sure is the incline on this house means I certainly can't get another 911. I'd love to add one but it would be totally unnecessary, annoy the wife and I should sell some cars before I buy another. Now, how to I plane down that incline...

[dim635csi]

Originally Posted by Doctor///M

In stock form it's not any lower than my previous 335.

M4 is actually higher than E92 335i with M package.

[Damasconian]

Houston guy here as well. I'm just careful when going up driveways and parking lot ramps. Always take the angle, and still scrape occasionally here and there. This car is somewhere between a Camry and Corvette when it comes to ride height and with careful driving, the front should stay pretty clean.

I did not opt for the tire/wheel protection and am especially careful when it comes to curbs and bumps.

I know a lot of the Houston crowd complains about the roads here but I don't get it. Yes, some parts of the city are bad but most of my driving happens along I-10 between the beltway and downtown and don't often come across "bad" roads. Maybe its me though, two of our mayoral candidates are running on fixing the roads here so something's going on.

[YMB_F80]

You guys that complain about STOCK ride height need to either go up drive ways slower or learn how to angle...

[purdyawesome]

I've never scraped a single thing. Take all inclines-like driveways- slowly, and approach at an angle. Avoid speedbumps.

[GrussGott]

I scrape the guard daily ... no problems with the bumper yet but I'd never add a lip or lower given my daily drives.

[Grouser]

I appreciate the feedback. All things considered that was my only real concern and based on what I saw here I went ahead and brought her home Thanks for helping with the decision.

-Lee

[dut]

They will eventually grind away on their own.



Mine lowered ~3 inches.

[MrMoo]

Originally Posted by dut

They will eventually grind away on their own.



Mine lowered ~3 inches.

BRO =(

I thought mine was bad, my front right is all worn out after entering a driveway on a flat. Very rough, but nowhere near as bad as yours what kind of driveway do you have it must be really awkward @_@

[dut]

Originally Posted by MrMoo

BRO =(

I thought mine was bad, my front right is all worn out after entering a driveway on a flat. Very rough, but nowhere near as bad as yours what kind of driveway do you have it must be really awkward @_@

Pretty flat actually. It's scraped from driving around other parts of town, not just pulling up in my garage. My lip is now installed and just to give an idea, the key fob won't fit under the lip.