So many unsold M3 CS on the lots - what will the dealers do?

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by Budget M3

Agree, peak hp can be misleading. IMHO, even +38 hp at 5300 rpm is not worth 20 g's though. Not when a moderate tune from Dinan will net 50-70 hp for less than $3k and maintain the factory warranty.

San Marino is an awesome color though!

Dinan does NOT maintain the factory warranty!

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Budget M3

I really don’t get the premium for the CS. +9 hp, Alcantara and a few less lbs do not equate to +$20k over a loaded Comp Pkg. Are you really going to notice those extra 9hp or weight reduction in a car that already has 444 hp and still weighs >3500lbs after the reductions?

While I agree that the MSRP premium for the CS is way too steep in th US, once dealers offer reasonable discounts, it can definitely be worth it to some. I can comment less on the M3cs, but on the M4cs, the 80lb weight reduction, the fatter power curve (which is quite more than the 9hp peak power gain suggests), the electronics tuned for R-Comp tires (EDC, DSC, ABS, EPS and e-Diff) and the reduced sound insulation all contribute to en enhanced purer driving experience. And it does translate to real world performance. I was 1.5 seconds quicker at my local track on my first time out with the CS compared to my 2015 M4, an that's on the same NT01 tires.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Budget M3

Agree, peak hp can be misleading. IMHO, even +38 hp at 5300 rpm is not worth 20 g’s though. Not when a moderate tune from Dinan will net 50-70 hp for less than $3k and maintain the factory warranty.

San Marino is an awesome color though!

Dinan does not maintain factory warranty, they offer their own warranty. And I've heard a few horror stories where customers are left stranded in between BMW and Dinan both saying it's the others fault and not wanting to pay.

Further, Dinan marketing is misleading, it will not net that much difference.

[Budget M3]

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

Dinan does NOT maintain the factory warranty!

OK...maintains the DURATION of the factory warranty. As stated by CanAutM3, they MATCH the factory warranty, which can result in some tricky situations.

[Budget M3]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

While I agree that the MSRP premium for the CS is way too steep in th US, once dealers offer reasonable discounts, it can definitely be worth it to some. I can comment less on the M3cs, but on the M4cs, the 80lb weight reduction, the fatter power curve (which is quite more than the 9hp peak power gain suggests), the electronics tuned for R-Comp tires (EDC, DSC, ABS, EPS and e-Diff) and the reduced sound insulation all contribute to en enhanced purer driving experience. And it does translate to real world performance. I was 1.5 seconds quicker at my local track on my first time out with the CS compared to my 2015 M4, an that's on the same NT01 tires.

Can’t argue with real world experience and data. It would be interesting to see a side by side comparo between a CS and a mildly tuned CP.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Budget M3

Can’t argue with real world experience and data. It would be interesting to see a side by side comparo between a CS and a mildly tuned CP.

I'd say most of the CS gains can be achieved on a CP with simple mods. It's fairly easy and cheap to flash tune the engine, code the electronics, and upgrade the suspension components. The weight reduction is however more expensive to achieve but still doable, at least partly. That however means more risks in terms of warranty. I track my cars a fair bit and I really appreciate having the peace of mind of the factory warranty and reliability. I used to race modded cars in my early years and it was tough on the wallet. That's why I moved away from competitive racing and went to "fully warrantied" ///M cars to get my track fix. It has served me very well in the last 17 years of M ownership .

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by Budget M3

Agree, peak hp can be misleading. IMHO, even +38 hp at 5300 rpm is not worth 20 g’s though. Not when a moderate tune from Dinan will net 50-70 hp for less than $3k and maintain the factory warranty.

San Marino is an awesome color though!

Who said you are paying 20g's for 38hp? You do realize there is a huge list of differences right? Just the wheels, hood and CF exterior will cost 15k.

If all you cared about was HP per $ you bought the wrong car in the first place.

The CS is the best M3 hands down, if you can swing it and not fret about $s then do it.

[Budget M3]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

Who said you are paying 20g's for 38hp? You do realize there is a huge list of differences right? Just the wheels, hood and CF exterior will cost 15k.

If all you cared about was HP per $ you bought the wrong car in the first place.

The CS is the best M3 hands down, if you can swing it and not fret about $s then do it.

My point is that there are less expensive ways to achieve the hp gains and weight savings. CanAutM3’s point about fully warrantied track car is quite valid though, and a very cost effective approach to track driving.

Why is everyone so quick on this forum to jump all over a poster for simply offering an objective counterpoint? Maitre’s implication that I don’t know what I am talking about is obviously meant to troll. Check my CURRENT collection in my sig and you will get an idea.....there are 20+ more in my ownership history and many hours of track time that tell me I know exactly what I am talking about and that I bought the right car. The right forum to discuss it....maybe not so much.

[allinon72]

The argument on whether the CS is worth it will go on endlessly. It's an impressive car no doubt, but I think the market has spoken; it's too expensive and the value proposition isn't there for MOST people.

[KANdaddy]

Originally Posted by allinon72

The argument on whether the CS is worth it will go on endlessly. It's an impressive car no doubt, but I think the market has spoken; it's too expensive and the value proposition isn't there for MOST people.

Agree. Love Bimmers and I love the CS but it’s not worth supercar money. Even the M4 GTS is overpriced IMO. I’d rather have a P-Car in both cases.

[dezzracer]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

Who said you are paying 20g's for 38hp? You do realize there is a huge list of differences right? Just the wheels, hood and CF exterior will cost 15k.

If all you cared about was HP per $ you bought the wrong car in the first place.

The CS is the best M3 hands down, if you can swing it and not fret about $s then do it.

I could swing it and I am not fretting too much. I did negotiate a $8500 discount off the 103,200 sticker price though. And that included executive package and $400 window tint from the dealer. I’ve had the car for one week and there’s not much to not love. With that said I agree that (for me) $12,000 over a CP model is still a hefty premium but you do get quite a bit as others have pointed out. For me another big thing was the exclusivity and rarity of the model and the fact that it was all done by the BM factory. It’s special and for some they’re willing to pay for that. I was one of them. Plus, I like telling people... yea man, I got the CS lol.

[Brake_Late]

Originally Posted by dezzracer

I could swing it and I am not fretting too much. I did negotiate a $8500 discount off the 103,200 sticker price though. And that included executive package and $400 window tint from the dealer. I've had the car for one week and there's not much to not love. With that said I agree that (for me) $12,000 over a CP model is still a hefty premium but you do get quite a bit as others have pointed out. For me another big thing was the exclusivity and rarity of the model and the fact that it was all done by the BM factory. It's special and for some they're willing to pay for that. I was one of them. Plus, I like telling people... yea man, I got the CS lol.

Dope. Congrats

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by dezzracer

Plus, I like telling people... yea man, I got the CS lol.

Yeah, but the real question is, will you track it?

[HPIA4v2]

At the end just like any thing else, would someone be able to tell the difference between $100 dollar wine vs $200 dollar wine (heck some people enjoy $30 wine immensely).
But for some, difference or no difference, they spend money on $200 wine cause they can

[trey100]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

Who said you are paying 20g's for 38hp? You do realize there is a huge list of differences right? Just the wheels, hood and CF exterior will cost 15k.

If all you cared about was HP per $ you bought the wrong car in the first place.

The CS is the best M3 hands down, if you can swing it and not fret about $s then do it.

If it was worth it, they wouldn't be giving big rebates on them. No one is doubting it isn't a great car but I think BMW over-priced it and the market agrees. I just feel bad for those that paid sticker.

[dezzracer]

I do not disagree with any of that stated above. If I do track it , it will not be often. I do live one hour from Spring Mountain Motorsport Park in Pahrump NV. It is the longest road course in North America at 6.1 miles with plans to almost double that which I believe will make it longer than Nuremberg. Hard not to take advantage of that I suppose.

I’m new to BMW but coming from the Mustang crowd where we all modify them here is my thoughts on modifying a lesser model to meet the spec of a top performance model. It can be done, but consider you have to do your homework and source the right parts, tunes, etc have them shipped and then find the right shop to do the quality work and pay the labor. This takes time and money and modification and install mistakes are always a possibility. Often these upgrade parts and modifications will void a warranty. Lastly sometimes one modification may require another downstream or it won’t perform “as good” as factory or may cause reliability issues down the road. For me I always preferred to get the factory model if I could swing the cost then carefully modify if needed.

[clutchdj]

I love cs in white. The contrast is great. A special car indeed. I think it will hold its value amongst purists once the market hype goes away. If the g series ///M cars do not have wide fender flares like the f80 then I think I’d get a CS (especially b/c it’s rare) if I did not already have an 18zcp. I would need a manual box though. Paddles get boring on the street but I would not want to be without them on the track. First world probs. The only reliable competition is Porsche.

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by trey100

If it was worth it, they wouldn't be giving big rebates on them. No one is doubting it isn't a great car but I think BMW over-priced it and the market agrees. I just feel bad for those that paid sticker.

So regular m3's must be worthless with the discount you can get on those right?

Some people just can stand it when the newer better models come out.....

[Teeone]

It’s all your point of view. They are all great cars. I don’t understand why people think that because from their POV the car they bought for themselves is the best car for everyone. For myself, the CS is lacking what I want for how I would use it. For others, I can fully agree it is the best one for them. It’s an awesome machine. Well, except for the silly door pulls....they are inexcusable and unacceptable from my POV.

[SonicJlee]

My local dealer just told me that BMW is offering big rebates on the CS now. I didn't ask for specifics as I'm no longer in the market but would be worth revisiting if you were on the fence with the CS.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by HPIA4v2

At the end just like any thing else, would someone be able to tell the difference between $100 dollar wine vs $200 dollar wine (heck some people enjoy $30 wine immensely).
But for some, difference or no difference, they spend money on $200 wine cause they can

Facts of life.

[trey100]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

So regular m3's must be worthless with the discount you can get on those right?

Some people just can stand it when the newer better models come out.....

I think the M3 is overpriced at even $80k. I got myself a $72k model and worked incentives and fleet discount to get it for $65k. That's what it's worth. Just like the discounts on the CS. The market sets the worth. Sounds like you didn't get the discount.