CPO M3 vs new M340i

[BigSky702]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

I think you’re right. If that’s your usage pattern, 340 awd will be more optimized.

Around town is not where m4 advantage will shine, and drag racing against automatic awd cars is tough if you have a powerful rwd car, and more so if it’s 6MT

Commute on R tires like cup 2 if you want to maximize your chances from a dig

True.... my typical highway commute is 20 miles, maybe once or twice a week... so unless I'm tracking it, it's kind of a waste.

Terrific car, cruising at 100 mph for all of 5 seconds is blissful!

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by BigSky702

True.... my typical highway commute is 20 miles, maybe once or twice a week... so unless I'm tracking it, it's kind of a waste.

Terrific car, cruising at 100 mph for all of 5 seconds is blissful!

Yep. And that’s why I moved off the super sedan, all in one package style of car.

Better to get an f31 330 wagon or some other great commuter like an EV, and then get a sports or competition car of your choice to get more separation in your garage

[BigSky702]

Ok, just passed a blue haired granny in a YMB F80!
I can’t imagine seeing that while driving an M340, I really
don’t know how I would feel about that!!

Damn... 5 days to go, before decision time!

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by BigSky702

Ok, just passed a blue haired granny in a YMB F80!
I can’t imagine seeing that while driving an M340, I really
don’t know how I would feel about that!!

Damn... 5 days to go, before decision time!

I have a good guess how you’d feel.... 340 buyer’s remorse

[BigSky702]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

I have a good guess how you’d feel.... 340 buyer’s remorse

Dude! Maybe it’s a sign... right before that a beautiful Austin yellow M4 rolled by,
It’s the most Ms I’ve seen in 3 years out here!

In addition, I had another old geezer barreling down the highway on my ass!
He was driving an M550 (pretty damn quick in a straight line!) , I was in the M4.... granted it was wet outside!

I’m having a hard time finding good deals, thanks to waiting at till the last minute.... plan B is an S7, if this doesnt work out!

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

this car fourm and enthusists are a small number of bmw sales. people with money dont know wtf they buying. they just buy whatever and see a bmw of a certain size.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by BigSky702

Dude! Maybe it’s a sign... right before that a beautiful Austin yellow M4 rolled by,
It’s the most Ms I’ve seen in 3 years out here!

In addition, I had another old geezer barreling down the highway on my ass!
He was driving an M550 (pretty damn quick in a straight line!) , I was in the M4.... granted it was wet outside!

I’m having a hard time finding good deals, thanks to waiting at till the last minute.... plan B is an S7, if this doesnt work out!

You’re in an m4 now and are thinking of going to 340? Yea, I don’t see that ending well.

It’s too close not to come off as a straight up downgrade

My $0.02 if you want to get a better street car is x3m. Haul more stuff, awd so you can launch hard without thinking about it and should still be able to corner decently on the streets.

[shortseller]

OP, Pick the New M340i for years of trouble free warranty play. The M3 is great, I own one, but if you're not going to track it, the M lites are plenty fun.

If this suggestion was already covered above, my apologies.

[dallastide]

CPO M3 for me and it's not close. Let somebody else pay the worst of the depreciation and get the (much) faster car.

Test drive all 3 on the same day and your heart will guide you.

[WESTCOASTTRADING]

CPO M3!! easy choice here

[chicagoshark]

I was in the same position as you.

I haven't driven the M340, However I did have an F30 340, It was a great car. But, the body roll was maddening. That VF transmission is great. But it does not feel anything like an M3. Just the raw power of it, and more importantly, at least to me, the unbelievable handling. No body roll.

Now apparently they have stiffened up the suspension and going to different sway bars on the M340, So it might be a nice compromise. But for me I'm glad I went for the M3.

I was concerned that I would have non-M car remorse. I've always wanted one, and it's just so amazing on so many levels. The full warranty, and the new tech would be great as well as the all wheel drive. But in the end for me, it was about the handling the stiffness in the power combination

[eau_rouge]

Visit me in Germany. We will drive some backroads with hairpins, twistys etc. with both cars. I am pretty sure that you will stay away from the M340i. There will never be a M Performance model that comes close to a M car. That is supposed to be like that und it will never change. I am not talking straight line, I am talking proper driving skills needed.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by eau_rouge

Visit me in Germany. We will drive some backroads with hairpins, twistys etc. with both cars. I am pretty sure that you will stay away from the M340i. There will never be a M Performance model that comes close to a M car. That is supposed to be like that und it will never change. I am not talking straight line, I am talking proper driving skills needed.

This has been the same story since the beginning of time...

Some people think a chipped 335 was better than an E9X M3... laughable concept if you are serious about driving. Even the E46M is a much, much better driver's car.

M is not necessarily the solution for everyone, but if you like driving... the difference should be apparent after 100 feet. If it is not, buy the non M car

[Alan l.]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

M is not necessarily the solution for everyone, but if you like driving... the difference should be apparent after 100 feet. If it is not, buy the non M car

This

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

This has been the same story since the beginning of time...

Some people think a chipped 335 was better than an E9X M3... laughable concept if you are serious about driving. Even the E46M is a much, much better driver's car.

M is not necessarily the solution for everyone, but if you like driving... the difference should be apparent after 100 feet. If it is not, buy the non M car

Meh I own both and I see it as a valid argument. the 335 is more of a hoot to drive as a daily due to massive torque. I would have agreed with you before I dropped 4k of suspension mods into it and basically turned it into a m3 and some in terms of suspension hehe

[chicagoshark]

Originally Posted by BigSky702

I'm not arguing that the Mxxx model will somehow be leaps and bounds over a current or even recently previous model ///M. What I am trying to say is each person places value in their cars differently. SOme people place comfort and creature features over performance, and to them an ///M badge is meaningless... I'm just trying to get across, don't be so quick to judge those in a non-M car, or think someone is simply posing due to marketing's bright idea to place badges every damn where... that's all... Hope that gets my point across finally and we can go on enjoying our rides.

From my perspective , I came from a Q50 to an F30, which was an immensely better driving experience, to an M4 which I love. I have never sat in an M340i to judge either way whether it fits my bill, it may; or it may not. But, at least I have the option of staying in an ///M if it doesn't work.

Me too! I came from a Q50 hybrid sport, to an 340 to an M3. I've said it before, I loved the the 340 (a little dinan sport tune helped a little), but I LOVE the M3.

I just can't see the M340 handle like the M3/4. I did NOT drive it, partially on purpose. Partially because a no brainer new M3 fell in my lap/wallet earlier than planned.

[aerostar]

My old M235i was fun as hell, too.

The funniest part is when my lease was up I bought the M3 having only driven it at one of the M Track Days.

When I sat in it and drove it around on the track I knew I had to have it.

Now, 2 years later I still haven't even brought the damned thing to the track but it's still fun as hell to drive around the twisties.

[paliknight]

You're essentially asking if you should get an older gen M3 or a newer gen M3

[tkila]

Just test drove all M cars including M340xi during the BMW M Tour. Out of the M4 CS, M2 competition, M5 competition, and M340xi I really liked the M340xi because it felt the best to drive at "daily speeds". M5 felt wide and too much like a luxury car with sharp turn-in but very loose steering in comfort mode. The M5's steering was so loose I had to make small corrections when cornering. The M4 CS felt too much like a GT car with steering that was too light for me and handling that was too lazy and relaxed for me. I really enjoyed the steering on the M2 that was tight and very direct, and had the best exhaust sound out of all the cars.

I loved the M340xi, probably more so than the M2 competition, because of its tight body control without the M2's stiff ride. It was stiff, but had better body control than M2 which would crash on broken surfaces.

The M340xi feels the best to drive even when you're not pushing it and is very reminiscent of BMW's of old. It has that "on rails" feel when you send it into a corner with very meaty steering that makes the car feel very direct without being nervous at all. Yes it could use more feel, but even with small inputs you feel the car's chassis responding immediately. The only negative thing I could say about the M340xi is the rear is not as tied down as the front with too much vertical motions in the rear, but that's exactly how BMW's of old felt like too. No other modern BMW feels like the M340xi and it is the closest thing to an old BMW in terms of feel. The M340xi is not slow at all, and for a car to be fun it doesn't need 600HP like the M5.

I'm very excited for the upcoming M3 with xDrive, because this M340xi is truly a proper M car. It is more of a proper M car than an actual M car IMO. I have driven BMW for 16 years and after all these years they finally have got something right.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by tkila

Just test drove all M cars including M340xi during the BMW M Tour. Out of the M4 CS, M2 competition, M5 competition, and M340xi I really liked the M340xi because it felt the best to drive at "daily speeds". M5 felt wide and too much like a luxury car with sharp turn-in but very loose steering in comfort mode. The M5's steering was so loose I had to make small corrections when cornering. The M4 CS felt too much like a GT car with steering that was too light for me and handling that was too lazy and relaxed for me. I really enjoyed the steering on the M2 that was tight and very direct, and had the best exhaust sound out of all the cars.

I loved the M340xi, probably more so than the M2 competition, because of its tight body control without the M2's stiff ride. It was stiff, but had better body control than M2 which would crash on broken surfaces.

The M340xi feels the best to drive even when you're not pushing it and is very reminiscent of BMW's of old. It has that "on rails" feel when you send it into a corner with very meaty steering that makes the car feel very direct without being nervous at all. Yes it could use more feel, but even with small inputs you feel the car's chassis responding immediately. The only negative thing I could say about the M340xi is the rear is not as tied down as the front with too much vertical motions in the rear, but that's exactly how BMW's of old felt like too. No other modern BMW feels like the M340xi and it is the closest thing to an old BMW in terms of feel. The M340xi is not slow at all, and for a car to be fun it doesn't need 600HP like the M5.

I'm very excited for the upcoming M3 with xDrive, because this M340xi is truly a proper M car. It is more of a proper M car than an actual M car IMO. I have driven BMW for 16 years and after all these years they finally have got something right.

.

[Alan l.]

Originally Posted by tkila

The M4 CS felt too much like a GT car with steering that was too light for me and handling that was too lazy and relaxed for me.

You lost me after that one. I had to re-read it twice to make sure I read it correctly.

[BMWsully]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

You lost me after that one. I had to re-read it twice to make sure I read it correctly.

I literally just spit out my drink reading that. I'd be willing to bet that you didn't test drive the car if that's your true opinion...