BMW M3 CS Review by The Straight Pipes

[drgmt]

Originally Posted by allinon72

This has been BMW's MO for a while now....incremental changes, add a badge that resonates with the faithful, limit production to drum up demand, and profit big. Every review of this car mentions the absolutely ridiculous price.

Yep - if they feel they can get away with it they will.

Just can't believe anyone would spend the money on this marketing gimmick.

[AzuriteM5]

Idiots.

CS = Competition Sport.
The Steering-Wheel is big yes, standard from BMW by all models.
But please set the steering wheel to Comfort and not to Sport Plus.. Then its easy to drive.

[manni22gp]

Bubblegum review... kinda entertaining if mindless.

What grates my cheese though (!!!) - ragging the throttle response in Sport+ when driving like your aunty through city traffic. WTF. Leave it in Efficient you palookas! How contradictory can one be?

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by AzuriteM5

Idiots.

CS = Competition Sport.
The Steering-Wheel is big yes, standard from BMW by all models.
But please set the steering wheel to Comfort and not to Sport Plus.. Then its easy to drive.

I believe CS = Club Sport...

[xcusem3]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

Thing is in Canada at least, pricing is very good (relative to the M3). No matter how I build an M3, still comes out as best value - if you have already swallowed the pill for a ZCP M3.

Start with
M3 Comp w/ MPE+Carbon = 103k (no prem package, no exec, no leds, etc)

For 7k more (110k), you get Ultimate package, i.e all options. Premium and exec packages (5k each) + LEDs (2K) + Individual colour + Connectivity+etc etc. No brainer.

But then for only 3k more (113k) you get a CS with Limerock grey or Frozen blue.

In a few years, guarateed the CS is worth more than 10k over a ZCP, so Im betting its cheaper to own.

That's a sickening amount of money for an m3!! Like who in their right mind would drop $115k+ CAD on an f80 m3 regardless of the trim package.. the base f30 starts at like $36k definitely not worth it IMO

In two years time this thing will be selling for just about half the price new..

[gsrbri]

+1 Club Sport

[AWDBooSTIn90]

Why not just go for a 911 GTS or Carrera T if you're up to this price point. I like the F80, but that is a lot of money for what your actually getting.

Plus i see an M3/4 at least once a day, if not multiple times on a decent day.. Not to say I don't see a lot of 911's bc I probably see just as many, including Turbo & TurboS, but they just still seem to appear more "special & sporty" either way..

[FSociety]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

I believe CS = Club Sport...

+1

Set the steering in comfort or sport, not sport+


Been enjoying the CS free map available on BM3 for daily driving

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by xcusem3

That's a sickening amount of money for an m3!! Like who in their right mind would drop $115k+ CAD on an f80 m3 regardless of the trim package.. the base f30 starts at like $36k definitely not worth it IMO

In two years time this thing will be selling for just about half the price new..

So what you're saying is even a ZCP M3 is overpriced, therefore only a base M3 is good value?

Originally Posted by AWDBooSTIn90

Why not just go for a 911 GTS or Carrera T if you're up to this price point. I like the F80, but that is a lot of money for what your actually getting.

In Canada, even a used 991.1 GTS is +30k more than an M3 CS (they are minimum 140k++).

The base price of an M3 is the main issue.

[xcusem3]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

So what you're saying is even a ZCP M3 is overpriced, therefore only a base M3 is good value?

In Canada, even a used 991.1 GTS is +30k more than an M3 CS (they are minimum 140k++).

The base price of an M3 is the main issue.

I'm saying none of them are a good value but it gets exponentially worse the higher up the options ladder you climb.. and the depreciation on the f8x platform in general is rather concerning.. I'm seeing lots of '15 and '16 models for sale in the low 40k range.. terrible for a 3 year old car that was 90k+ new

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by xcusem3

I'm saying none of them are a good value but it gets exponentially worse the higher up the options ladder you climb.. and the depreciation on the f8x platform in general is rather concerning.. I'm seeing lots of '15 and '16 models for sale in the low 40k range.. terrible for a 3 year old car that was 90k+ new

Don't understand your point about value if you look at my numbers, it seems like the opposite. Why buy a 103k ZCP when a CS is 113k. The base price of 80k is the problem.

Now for your comparison, it seems like you are comparing CDN new prices to USD used prices. The cheapest F80 on autotrader in Canada is 53k and it has 100k on it. Early models were also cheaper (lower msrp and less options) so the avg build was definitely not above 90k.

I have no skin in the game but your info is borderline propaganda

[melvyn]

Originally Posted by AWDBooSTIn90

Why not just go for a 911 GTS or Carrera T if you're up to this price point. I like the F80, but that is a lot of money for what your actually getting.

Plus i see an M3/4 at least once a day, if not multiple times on a decent day.. Not to say I don't see a lot of 911's bc I probably see just as many, including Turbo & TurboS, but they just still seem to appear more "special & sporty" either way..

The Carrera T is absolute garbage, it would not see what way an M3/4 went, and a more rediculous price than any CS.

[ah3nyc]

Visor test and rewinding xm radio is most important features to them. These two only have good editing going for them.

[IDBGOD]

Originally Posted by xcusem3

I'm saying none of them are a good value but it gets exponentially worse the higher up the options ladder you climb.. and the depreciation on the f8x platform in general is rather concerning.. I'm seeing lots of '15 and '16 models for sale in the low 40k range.. terrible for a 3 year old car that was 90k+ new

Standard depreciation for a mass produced car, quite normal to see at least a 46% depreciation on a new car within the first 3 years. Low 40’s for a 15 or 16 is a little conservative....maybe a launch 14 or one with higher miles, base equipment, bad car fax, etc but the average f80’s in those years in the market pull well above that.

It’s also hard to spec out an early model f80 for 90k or above as there was no competition package. Only possible really if you spec’ed ceramic brakes and literally checked every option, package, and add on, far from an average car of those years. Mid to high 70’s at best usually ....and I highly doubt you are seeing loaded out 16 f80’s with the competition package for low 40k.

But regardless, I’ll agree in general the pricing on the CS seems a bit excessive for something that’s not all that much better than a competition packaged car, unless you are just a collector or value limited production cars. And the GTS market has been in decline. Time will tell.

[swifty]

Originally Posted by melvyn

The Carrera T is absolute garbage, it would not see what way an M3/4 went, and a more rediculous price than any CS.

I beg to differ. I mean in a straight line, possibly true after 60mph but I highly doubt on any road course or real world, this to be the case.

[PARTS@STBMW]

I am loving everything about this model!

[LeifW]

Nice review. I've been a fan of these guys for a while. I like their chemistry and light hearted humor.

Leif

[Mdotlife]

Looks great

[GioM3]

CS=Club Sport,
I thought it was way overpriced too, but when you look at prices here in UK,
M4 Manual starts from £61k,
M4 CP Manual £64k,
if you add Ultimate Package £10k (includes DCT, HUD, and all the essentials)
becomes £75k,
Now, sticker price on M4 CS is £90k,
It still sounds really overpriced, even though it has more extras like: GTS Lights, GTS Bonnet, Carbon Front Splitter and Carbon Spoiler, Carbon Door trims (which I think looks rubbish),
If talk to any dealer who has one in stock, they'll say that price is very MUCH Negotiable, so my guess is £85k is possible for a brand new unregistered car, which is still £10k over M4 CP+UP, but if you really want it, but have only £70-75k budget, and thinking: I only live once and have opportunity to treat myself with a special Limited edition of a special car, then look no further than BMW approved used section and you'll discover that, there are plenty of nearly new, under 1000 miles, demonstration models all over UK for £70-75k, and some of them come with Carbon Ceramic Brakes as well
With plenty of Colours to choose from,
If i had that kind of budget, I would definitely go for 2018 M4 CS SMB With CC Brakes (even though I'm Manual guy), make no mistake, this is a special car with similar Nurburgring time to GTS, for half the price.
I rest my case.......

[melvyn]

Originally Posted by swifty

I beg to differ. I mean in a straight line, possibly true after 60mph but I highly doubt on any road course or real world, this to be the case.

I found it very underwhelming with my hour out in it, to many gears with silly ratios.Very underpowered at 375hp.The one I test drove was £100k which in my opinion simply wasn't worth it.
Typical 911 iconic looks though.

[DNSY]

Plenty of M4 GTS still sitting in the showroom with delivery mileage. Now the M4 CS is just another nicely spec'd M4 with a 911 price tag. BMW should have learned from the M4 GTS: making a car limited production, does not make it desirable.

Porsche limited edition or low-production cars like 911R or GT3 are desirable because they are brilliant cars in the first place.

As for the video... these 2 guys are just two teenager boys trying too hard.
They read the same script to every car they review. No valuable info at all from any of their reviews.
They pumped so many reviews that I have to blocked them on my YouTube account. Just annoying.

[Cyanfall]

Originally Posted by melvyn

The Carrera T is absolute garbage, it would not see what way an M3/4 went, and a more rediculous price than any CS.

The absolute garbage is still better than any road car bmw making