Are you happy with your M3/M4 after the better part of a year?

[MPerformance211]

Originally Posted by W///

Funny you mention that. I really would love to pick up the current 4Runner (basic, 2WD, SR5) and drive it till the wheels fall off. That engine was the definition of bulletproof.

Currently have a 97 4Runner with over 300k miles on it, so I think it might be time to replace that too. Would love to pick a new one up and drive it till the wheels fall off.

I've had my '04 4Runner LTD AWD for many years now (165K miles)....I will own this thing until it dies. What a great truck. So damn reliable. Not a fan of the new design after Gen 4.

[r3dbimmer89]

I think most ///M3/4 owners love their cars but the reason why we're seeing a few more for sale already is because the car has been on sale for over a year and there are a lot more F8xs sold already compared to first year E9x sales.

Although, I have heard that my local Merc dealership has been getting a lot of F8x trade ins for the W205 C63.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingMouse

I think I agree. The chassis seems fine other than size, but there is something about the S55 that makes it much more on/off docile vs. fun.

I'm with you dudes, but Mouse ... hit the SC mountains. There are PLENTY of wide open roads and twisties that'll challenge the hell out of you and really make you appreciate the chassis. There are also plenty of roads that on the right days and right time of day are fairly populated with only sport drivers.

Also, of course 280 is considered one of the best highways in America and there are tons of great roads west of wine country as well.

Mainly this is why I have a convertible - I can drive all these awesome roads top down year-round and cool off with a nice cruise up Hwy 1.

It's about 20 minutes between This:



and this:

[SakhirM4]

Texas Hill Country can be fun too!

[TheFlyingMouse]

Originally Posted by r3dbimmer89

I think most ///M3/4 owners love their cars but the reason why we're seeing a few more for sale already is because the car has been on sale for over a year and there are a lot more F8xs sold already compared to first year E9x sales.

Although, I have heard that my local Merc dealership has been getting a lot of F8x trade ins for the W205 C63.

I think the F80 M3 I have is perfect for what it's designed to do (except exhaust sound at less than full throttle). I don't really need the back seats or such a big car though and I'm really considering switching to a Cayman. The 1 series was a great size with more than enough space for my needs, and I'm finding the F80 just may not be what I was looking for in the end. I wanted something that would be more visceral and connected than the 1er (128) on a full-time basis, with a little more power, as well as a better sorted suspension and 6MT. I'm just not sure if the F80 is that kind of car, and the price of entry for mods to make it that way is pretty high.

Certainly it is a technical marvel and extremely capable. I'm just having a hard time falling in love with it here, and I'd like to get the exact driving experience I want for my 1k/month payments or it's just not worth it. Then the car can go to someone who will really love it for what it is.

At the same time I'm scared to sell it because there's no guarantee that the next best thing will be any different. Then the car I drove in Europe for two weeks and enjoyed so much on the 'Ring will be gone already and I won't be able to get it back.

The whole titling and registration process has been a nightmare though. I bought out of state and the CA DMV office here has lost track of the certificate of origin my dealer overnight mailed to them. So that's poisoning the experience for sure.

[TheFlyingMouse]

You guys are killing me with those pics! Will go somewhere this weekend. Got stuck behind an econobox last weekend on the way to Alice's Restaurant. Always terrible traffic there, as it's become a major tourist spot.

[TheFlyingMouse]

Just did a run on 280 with the active sound unplugged.

At steady state cruising, you could not hear the engine or exhaust at all over the road noise. At full throttle with the windows up, in third, it was quieter than my 128 with performance exhaust. Admittedly with the windows down, below 50 mph, the car sounds pretty good, but it's clear that BMW put ASD in for a reason. There's so much sound isolation in the car that you can't hear anything while cruising on the freeway. I guess that's the design philosophy now. That and the ability to build up incredible speeds without being able to tell unless you're constantly watching the speedometer.

I really wanted to love this car, but unplugging the active sound has just made it worse. =(

[Jim B]

I just got back home yesterday afternoon from Winston Oregon on a trip to see my sister. Winston is just west of I-5 near Roseburg, and is 400 miles north on I-5 from Sacramento. It was raining much of the way up Sunday, but coming home, there was light rain north of Grants Pass but from there the rest of the way to Sacramento, the weather was fine. My M4 proved to be the perfect car for the trip. I will have had the car one year on a week from next Sunday. What a fabulous automobile!!

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingMouse

I really wanted to love this car, but unplugging the active sound has just made it worse. =(

This car is not for everyone. You should get rid of yours and get something that you will fall in love with.

[Jockey]

Haven't had it for a year but I do find reasons to go drive it. I think I purposely forget things at the store so I have to go back out.

Now that it's fall, love putting the windows down and listening to the exhaust.

[S65V8]

Only two months in, but 3k miles down, and still enthused to drive it every single time! I used to think it was a "big" car, but now I think it's just right and it looks amazing everytime I walk to and from the car; very menacing from all angles.

The stock exhaust note I suppose bothered me (yup, sounded like a lawn mower), and so did the massive / pushed in wheel gaps, but nothing some mods didn't remedy Now she's sittin' pretty, and sounds like a bat-out-of-hell-race-car. Even previous"F8x haters" did a 180 after they saw and experienced my car.

Thing is, for about $70k, you can't get a better value for an all-in-one daily driver that fits 4 comfortably, has usable space, is reliable, incl. tech/luxury features, and is this track focused / ready. The rest of the crowd (Lexus, Merc, Audi, Jaguar), all but developed cars that seem to be luxury focused, and not track ready options.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

This car is not for everyone. You should get rid of yours and get something that you will fall in love with.

I'm not in love with the car, but rather a strong like ... for me there just isn't any decent alternative other than a 911 and that'd be almost double the price.

I would potentially consider the new c63 vert but I only have 2 years to wait for it and will probably have too many mods by then to switch horses.

[m3welt]

I have been seeing a lot sold recently too and I just dont get it. This car is perfect. I've dreamed of owning an m3 since highschool and when the f30 came out I knew this was the body style I had to get the M3 in.

My advice:

Get the M3. Yes I am biased but for a big car it just makes sense to get 4 doors. But that's me. I still love the m4 but the booty on the M3 is insane in person. With the either the right wheels or spaces and 19's the fitment is flawless. Super personal opinion here.

Get the full LED headlights. SOOOO regret not getting these. Wish someone told me about how stunning they are. I am planning on retrofitting but I know I will pay an arm and leg

Get full leather. So worth it and feels that much more luxury.

Again, just personal opinions but am I the only one keeping my f80 m3 forever??

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by grayson84

Get the M3. Yes I am biased but for a big car it just makes sense to get 4 doors. But that's me. I still love the m4 but the booty on the M3 is insane in person. With the either the right wheels or spaces and 19's the fitment is flawless. Super personal opinion here.

The booty on the M4 ain't too shabby either - I like it way better than M3. Super personal opinion here.

[TheFlyingMouse]

I prefer the M3 for styling, but the 4 ain't bad.

You guys are killing me with these pictures. Anyone in the SF Bay Area with MPE/AWE/Borla and active sound disabled want to meet up so I can take a listen? My M3 is so good in so many ways, but it's just not rowdy enough at low speed/rpm for my ears. If I can fix that and get rid of some of the sound deadening, and get used to the size, I'd rather do that than get another car. Also need to fix the rev matching somehow so I can run Sport and manage everything myself. Sport+ is very sensitive, especially with a cold engine, and I've found that you can get into an oscillation when starting off in the 6MT if you're not super careful.

[Itrecinque]

Holy shit, can you pls post more fotos of this ass? Kinda makes me regret buying M4. Maybe I'm just bored with my stripper's ass after a year. She's starting to sag somewhat. Might need to visit Bada Bing's again. Thanks.

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by grayson84

I have been seeing a lot sold recently too and I just dont get it. This car is perfect. I've dreamed of owning an m3 since highschool and when the f30 came out I knew this was the body style I had to get the M3 in.

My advice:

Get the M3. Yes I am biased but for a big car it just makes sense to get 4 doors. But that's me. I still love the m4 but the booty on the M3 is insane in person. With the either the right wheels or spaces and 19's the fitment is flawless. Super personal opinion here.

Get the full LED headlights. SOOOO regret not getting these. Wish someone told me about how stunning they are. I am planning on retrofitting but I know I will pay an arm and leg

Get full leather. So worth it and feels that much more luxury.

Again, just personal opinions but am I the only one keeping my f80 m3 forever??

Attachment 1317359

Is that a dent in your left rear fender ?

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingMouse

it's just not rowdy enough at low speed/rpm for my ears.

Have you pulled the valve plugs yet? Takes like 5 minutes and makes it plenty loud, although I have 'vert ... but I can say the cold start with open valves sets off a few alarms in my parking ramp.

Sound is, of course, very individual but to me MPE isn't worth it over pulling the plugs - to my ear it's a fairly similar sound, granted the MPE is slightly louder / different, but not $3.5k different.

I'm still toying with what exhaust I want, but to my ear AWE is far beyond all of the other options, but each ear is different.

[RockinRyan]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingMouse

My M3 is so good in so many ways, but it's just not rowdy enough at low speed/rpm for my ears. If I can fix that and get rid of some of the sound deadening, and get used to the size, I'd rather do that than get another car.

Have you seen the simple adaptation, where you leave the exhaust flap open all the time? I can find a video link for you if necessary. No idea if this can be problematic, but I can tell you, it sounds a LOT different, and all you do is unplug two damper controllers. I was surprised and intrigued by the difference.

Originally Posted by TheFlyingMouse

Also need to fix the rev matching somehow so I can run Sport and manage everything myself. Sport+ is very sensitive, especially with a cold engine, and I've found that you can get into an oscillation when starting off in the 6MT if you're not super careful.

Pretty sure I read about people disabling rev-matching in the coding forum right here?

Let us know if you get to fiddling with any of this!
RR

[TheFlyingMouse]

Originally Posted by RockinRyan

Have you seen the simple adaptation, where you leave the exhaust flap open all the time? I can find a video link for you if necessary. No idea if this can be problematic, but I can tell you, it sounds a LOT different, and all you do is unplug two damper controllers. I was surprised and intrigued by the difference.



Pretty sure I read about people disabling rev-matching in the coding forum right here?

Let us know if you get to fiddling with any of this!
RR

Thanks for the pointers. I found a video and didn't realize the actuators were that easy to get to. Thought I would have to put the car up on ramps to work on them. Not sure if my neighbors will appreciate the startup volume though. I tried it once with the sport+ and pre-start throttle trick and it was insanely loud until it warmed up. This might make it sound good on the daily grind though, and I could definitely wire in a switch somewhere to make it easy to force the valves open if it works out.

Still no burble/popping on overrun though. Not sure what to do about that. Good to know that the rev matching can be coded out.

[dalto]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingMouse

Not sure if my neighbors will appreciate the startup volume though. I tried it once with the sport+ and pre-start throttle trick and it was insanely loud until it warmed up. This might make it sound good on the daily grind though, and I could definitely wire in a switch somewhere to make it easy to force the valves open if it works out.

Have you looked at the can flap module? Fully plug and play plus it gives you the ability to turn ASC on and off based on the flaps being open or closed.

[TheFlyingMouse]

Originally Posted by dalto

Have you looked at the can flap module? Fully plug and play plus it gives you the ability to turn ASC on and off based on the flaps being open or closed.

Yeah, looked at that too. I'll start with the free mods though, as I still haven't decided if I want to keep the car yet. It's not just exhaust noise that is missing. When I unplugged Active Sound, I couldn't hear any mechanical whine from the engine. There also isn't much wind noise, which is nice for gauging your speed. A lot of people would call that good, but I actually prefer having more external sound in the cabin. I drive with my window down most of the time, even if it is freezing cold out, so that I can hear what is going on around me and more of what the car is doing.

We'll see. Maybe I'm just imagining things. More time will tell, and I'll be test driving some alternatives this weekend for comparison.