How hard do you drive?

[SenorRoadRage]

I recently bought a 2015 M4 and opted out of the extended warranty after reading hundreds of posts on here regarding long-term reviews and the reliability of the car. That being said, I'm still in the phase where I'm wanting to baby the car and not break anything, but also wanting to get the full 425hp experience. I still have the new car jitters where I'm worried about every little clunk and mechanical noise, but I'm slowly learning there are a lot of those in this car...

That being said - how hard do you drive your cars?

Warming up: 2/10
Warm and normal driving: 5/10
Backroads/Twisties: 8/10

Overall: 5/10

[AtownM4]

I'd say I am about the same as you. I take it very easy while the car is warming up, although I believe the engine could take anything I throw at it. In city traffic, city streets with 35 mph limits I drive with a lot of care, I just don't trust other people.

On backroads I run it relatively hard in spurts when no other cars are around me. I do my best to be polite when around other people and not act like a maniac on a public road.

[bagekko]

I have never been afraid of pushing any of my BMW's too hard. My Z3 I drove the crap out of that thing for 9 years and 80k miles and it was in perfect shape when I traded it for the 135, my M5 spends more time between 5-8k RPMs than I think it does below it over 7 years and 80k miles and is still in very good shape, my 135 w/ DCT was well enjoyed for 3 years, the M4 will be enjoyed like everything else. The only car I am semi-careful with is my 25 year old 540. Now all above are 6spd except for the 135, which is more durable than DCT, SMG, or Auto.

With proper maintenance and understanding the limits of my cars I dont worry about anything.

[SenorRoadRage]

Originally Posted by AtownM4

I'd say I am about the same as you. I take it very easy while the car is warming up, although I believe the engine could take anything I throw at it. In city traffic, city streets with 35 mph limits I drive with a lot of care, I just don't trust other people.

On backroads I run it relatively hard in spurts when no other cars are around me. I do my best to be polite when around other people and not act like a maniac on a public road.

Definitely - I'm careful in traffic and with others on the road - gotta drive respectfully. On the back roads I open it up a bit.

Originally Posted by bagekko

I have never been afraid of pushing any of my BMW's too hard. My Z3 I drove the crap out of that thing for 9 years and 80k miles and it was in perfect shape when I traded it for the 135, my M5 spends more time between 5-8k RPMs than I think it does below it over 7 years and 80k miles and is still in very good shape, my 135 w/ DCT was well enjoyed for 3 years, the M4 will be enjoyed like everything else. The only car I am semi-careful with is my 25 year old 540. Now all above are 6spd except for the 135, which is more durable than DCT, SMG, or Auto.

With proper maintenance and understanding the limits of my cars I dont worry about anything.

This is the exact type of post that led me to buy the car and skip the warranty. Thanks for the peace of mind!

[nicknaz]

My attitude toward F80 can be summed up by my first 4 days with the car:

• I took my F80 off the rotating platform at Welt, drove it very gently on surface roads on the way to a-bahn until it warmed up,
• Let it rip when I saw the unlimited speeds sign
• Drove it to Spa to do a track day
• Then to the ring to do tourist lap
• Finally touched the speed limiter a few times when driving back to the shipping drop off in Munich

Warm it up and then go for it to get your money's worth from getting F80 instead of F30

[allinon72]

I don't drive it near as hard as I should. I'm so concerned about being "that guy" in traffic that I find myself driving the car very mildly. It's a blessing and a curse.

[matty088]

Driving hard on a stock car is fine. But These cars have horrid traction when you tune them. It really ruins the experience. Ps4s I bet help. But I doubt they give you much of an improvement.

traction is a major flaw in the platform.

[hlothery]

Agree, got really tired of spinning wheels all the time, even in 4th gear with PS4S. Traded my M4 for an M550i, and the problem is solved. 4 wheel launch without wheel spin. Drove an M4, and then an M5 in July at COTA in Austin....unbelievable difference. M4 was raw, almost uncontrollable. M5 was awesome....powerful, stable, totally comfortable in the corners, while going faster. And launch out of the corners was astounding. X drive is the bomb!

[TideMD]

Originally Posted by matty088

Driving hard on a stock car is fine. But These cars have horrid traction when you tune them. It really ruins the experience. Ps4s I bet help. But I doubt they give you much of an improvement.

traction is a major flaw in the platform.

Upgrading to PS4S helped the traction a good bit. Working with tuner to optimize the power curve and boost limits through 2nd gear (or 3rd, depending on map I’m running at the Rome) also vastly improved the grip.
Can now hook and go with launch control in a way that’s actually useable.

[Poochie]

My car be airborne..

[AlterZgo]

10/10 24/7

[Humdizzle]

euro mdm mode normally
DSC off when i want to have fun

i hit triple digits often on the highway. hit 160 last week.

twisty's i'll go 7/10 with Dsc off. 8/10 with mdm on. i've dialed it backs since the weather has cooled down to the 30s and 40s.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

if you aint tracking it; you arent driving it that hard

[SenorRoadRage]

Yeah that’s another thing - many people take their DD to the track a few times a year and they’re fine, so I’m definitely not pushing it hard enough.

[Luluu]

Originally Posted by matty088

Driving hard on a stock car is fine. But These cars have horrid traction when you tune them. It really ruins the experience. Ps4s I bet help. But I doubt they give you much of an improvement.

traction is a major flaw in the platform.

PS4S dont really help once your tuned. They have to be very warm or else your tc just goes crazy and kills the power all the time. It really sucks. The only tires that worked for me were Mickey Street SS

[BlueberryM3]

In general, I'd say I'm also the same as you OP. However recently I put the MPE + downpipes on my M4 and now I can't stop driving like I stole it haha

[spool twice]

I drive harder than usual now just to hear my equal-length exhaust set-up howl up top.

[tropicalypso]

I hit a full 20lbs of boost while backing out of the driveway.

[MaynardZed]

It's an M car, it's neglect to not drive it hard. I had mine for 4 years and it didn't make a bit of difference on trade in value that I tracked mine. As long as you don't money shift or drive it into a wall, it will be fine.

[RoundelM3]

8/10 every chance I get (highway/freeway)...but around my development, about 4/10 (low speed limits, people walking & on bikes, etc.). Backroads around here are not the best pavement, so 6/10 is max on them.

[SenorRoadRage]

I'm starting to open her up more. Y'all are all right - they were meant to be driven hard... Just gotta do it safely...

[SenorRoadRage]

Also, I guess this all begs the question: how do you define hard driving? Winding it out to ~5k or are you running all the way to redline, braking late, etc.?