Audi RS5, would you consider it?

[///Mperative]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

In the end, if I lived where there was snow, and I had to have one car, I would get the RS5. If snow isn't a concern, or you have another winter vehicle, the M3 just has a more dynamic feel.

I used to think this was true, but living in a place with snow, I've had zero problems with my M3 in snow. It's a blast to drive. I do have issues getting up very steep hills from a dead stop, even in snow tires; but that's a minor sacrifice.

[h1d]

I have been a diehard BMW M3 fan for over 9 years. My first M3 was a 2003 E46... I loved this car. Brutal nonstop fun all the time... I then upgraded to the 2010 E92 M3. This cars engine was absolutely amazing and the first thing I noticed was the disconnect from the road. The steering was definitely way different then the E46. I still loved the car. Then at 7000 miles I received the dreaded xmas tree lights and had the first engine failure. Since then the car was never the same... I had nonstop issues and constantly had to record the problems on my phone camera because the dealership could never replicate the problem. I spent 3 years in that car (I purchased the 2010 in 2009) and I finally gave up. I had an opportunity to test drive a 2013 RS5 and I absolutely fell in love. The car looks amazing and definitely has a way different feel then the M3. Yes it is "smoother" in the way it drives then the M3. Meaning you really are disconnected from the road. You can't feel everything like the E46 or the E92, but that doesn't matter. The car instills an amazing amount of confidence when you take a turn. It's truly an indescribable feeling until you drive it. I purchased the RS5 and had the M3 for another 2 weeks and I had the opportunity to go back and forth between the two cars. Those two weeks are gone now and when I see an M3 I sometimes miss my car, but not because of performance or anything else. I just had a connection with that car. I do not regret my decision. Every time I get in the RS5 everything works. I'm not beta testing a $80K car for BMW. HD radio stations just tune in it doesn't take 10 seconds for the signal to acquire. The Nav just works. The Voice Recognition works. The Ipod connector works all the time. When you get back in your car it picks up where you left off... I can go on and on. Anyways since I had two versions of the M I figured I would chime in...

I will probably get flamed for this... oh well.

[Boostin FD]

Originally Posted by h1d

I have been a diehard BMW M3 fan for over 9 years. My first M3 was a 2003 E46... I loved this car. Brutal nonstop fun all the time... I then upgraded to the 2010 E92 M3. This cars engine was absolutely amazing and the first thing I noticed was the disconnect from the road. The steering was definitely way different then the E46. I still loved the car. Then at 7000 miles I received the dreaded xmas tree lights and had the first engine failure. Since then the car was never the same... I had nonstop issues and constantly had to record the problems on my phone camera because the dealership could never replicate the problem. I spent 3 years in that car (I purchased the 2010 in 2009) and I finally gave up. I had an opportunity to test drive a 2013 RS5 and I absolutely fell in love. The car looks amazing and definitely has a way different feel then the M3. Yes it is "smoother" in the way it drives then the M3. Meaning you really are disconnected from the road. You can't feel everything like the E46 or the E92, but that doesn't matter. The car instills an amazing amount of confidence when you take a turn. It's truly an indescribable feeling until you drive it. I purchased the RS5 and had the M3 for another 2 weeks and I had the opportunity to go back and forth between the two cars. Those two weeks are gone now and when I see an M3 I sometimes miss my car, but not because of performance or anything else. I just had a connection with that car. I do not regret my decision. Every time I get in the RS5 everything works. I'm not beta testing a $80K car for BMW. HD radio stations just tune in it doesn't take 10 seconds for the signal to acquire. The Nav just works. The Voice Recognition works. The Ipod connector works all the time. When you get back in your car it picks up where you left off... I can go on and on. Anyways since I had two versions of the M I figured I would chime in...

I will probably get flamed for this... oh well.

Well written. I have yet to find an RS5 here so I could test drive it.

[M3 Montreal]

Originally Posted by h1d

I have been a diehard BMW M3 fan for over 9 years. My first M3 was a 2003 E46... I loved this car. Brutal nonstop fun all the time... I then upgraded to the 2010 E92 M3. This cars engine was absolutely amazing and the first thing I noticed was the disconnect from the road. The steering was definitely way different then the E46. I still loved the car. Then at 7000 miles I received the dreaded xmas tree lights and had the first engine failure. Since then the car was never the same... I had nonstop issues and constantly had to record the problems on my phone camera because the dealership could never replicate the problem. I spent 3 years in that car (I purchased the 2010 in 2009) and I finally gave up. I had an opportunity to test drive a 2013 RS5 and I absolutely fell in love. The car looks amazing and definitely has a way different feel then the M3. Yes it is "smoother" in the way it drives then the M3. Meaning you really are disconnected from the road. You can't feel everything like the E46 or the E92, but that doesn't matter. The car instills an amazing amount of confidence when you take a turn. It's truly an indescribable feeling until you drive it. I purchased the RS5 and had the M3 for another 2 weeks and I had the opportunity to go back and forth between the two cars. Those two weeks are gone now and when I see an M3 I sometimes miss my car, but not because of performance or anything else. I just had a connection with that car. I do not regret my decision. Every time I get in the RS5 everything works. I'm not beta testing a $80K car for BMW. HD radio stations just tune in it doesn't take 10 seconds for the signal to acquire. The Nav just works. The Voice Recognition works. The Ipod connector works all the time. When you get back in your car it picks up where you left off... I can go on and on. Anyways since I had two versions of the M I figured I would chime in...

I will probably get flamed for this... oh well.

I would have to disagree with you.

Maybe you had a lemon.

I just picked up (yes my sig is wrong) my second E92 M3 about a month ago. This time I'm in a DCT M and I have to say I love it.

As far as the RS5... I worked at Audi for 2 months and had a chance to drive the new RS5 and there is just no comparison to the M and that S-Tronic transmission pales in comparison to the MDCT.

2 different cars for 2 different types of drivers. I had a Stage 2 B5 S4 as well and an AWD car is just nowhere near as fun to drive.

Anyways... Can't go wrong with either car they are both sexy and NA V8's!!! Last of their kind...

[gblansten]

I love the way the RS5 looks but I'm still put off by its 4000 pound curb weight.

[Windy City]

Originally Posted by gblansten

I love the way the RS5 looks but I'm still put off by its 4000 pound curb weight.

This confuses me as a coupe weighs 3,700#. My convertible is over 4000#.
After driving the M3 for a few more weeks, I have realized several things are worse than I thought, not to mention way worse than the S5.

The wiper control is a total joke. Intermittent wipers should be just that. Not go fast when the car moves. Who thought that was a good idea?

The trans sucks, and it has not gotten any better. It reminds me a driving an old International pickup with the E brake on. Step on the gas, get the motor turning(fast) then wait a few seconds for it to come to life. Sucks.

I think the biggest thing I can't get over is lack of torque. Every other vehicle I own feels quicker off the line.

Then of course there is the sin of making the gauges completely useless. The steering wheel runs right through the only part of the gauges you need.
Even funnier is the BMW "shift lights". No one (except maybe a passenger) knows what they look like. Again hidden successfully behind the wheel.

Yet there is all this BS in their marketing (like their Idrive video) about how they use a simulator and cameras to perfect the system.
How about making the Ultimate Driving Machine's only 2 important gauges visible?
DOH!

[adc]

Originally Posted by Windy City

This confuses me as a coupe weighs 3,700#. My convertible is over 4000#.
After driving the M3 for a few more weeks, I have realized several things are worse than I thought, not to mention way worse than the S5.

The wiper control is a total joke. Intermittent wipers should be just that. Not go fast when the car moves. Who thought that was a good idea?

The trans sucks, and it has not gotten any better. It reminds me a driving an old International pickup with the E brake on. Step on the gas, get the motor turning(fast) then wait a few seconds for it to come to life. Sucks.

I think the biggest thing I can't get over is lack of torque. Every other vehicle I own feels quicker off the line.

Then of course there is the sin of making the gauges completely useless. The steering wheel runs right through the only part of the gauges you need.
Even funnier is the BMW "shift lights". No one (except maybe a passenger) knows what they look like. Again hidden successfully behind the wheel.

Yet there is all this BS in their marketing (like their Idrive video) about how they use a simulator and cameras to perfect the system.
How about making the Ultimate Driving Machine's only 2 important gauges visible?
DOH!

Dude, what the hell are you talking about? Everything that you complain about is freaking adjustable: the intermittent wipers, the steering wheel position, the transmission shift speed.

Did you even bother to read the manual? Scratch that, just ask your sales person to give you the tour, so you can find something else to complain about.

[Windy City]

"Dude" the trans shift speed from gear to gear is not the issue. The trans lags at start from the line like a Allison auto in a semi.
The intermittent wiper adjustment is a joke, just like in my 2011 Mini.
If I wanted the steering wheel all the way up, I would drive a school bus.

Maybe if more people would give BMW productive, honest, but negative feedback on the things they screwed up, they might have a chance at perfecting it.

The whole car doesn't suck, far from. But the issue with the gauges is inexcusable.

[gblansten]

Originally Posted by Windy City

This confuses me as a coupe weighs 3,700#. My convertible is over 4000#.
After driving the M3 for a few more weeks, I have realized several things are worse than I thought, not to mention way worse than the S5.

The wiper control is a total joke. Intermittent wipers should be just that. Not go fast when the car moves. Who thought that was a good idea?

The trans sucks, and it has not gotten any better. It reminds me a driving an old International pickup with the E brake on. Step on the gas, get the motor turning(fast) then wait a few seconds for it to come to life. Sucks.

I think the biggest thing I can't get over is lack of torque. Every other vehicle I own feels quicker off the line.

Then of course there is the sin of making the gauges completely useless. The steering wheel runs right through the only part of the gauges you need.
Even funnier is the BMW "shift lights". No one (except maybe a passenger) knows what they look like. Again hidden successfully behind the wheel.

Yet there is all this BS in their marketing (like their Idrive video) about how they use a simulator and cameras to perfect the system.
How about making the Ultimate Driving Machine's only 2 important gauges visible?
DOH!

[CAPSGOD]

What is this, myspace?

[adc]

Originally Posted by Windy City

"Dude" the trans shift speed from gear to gear is not the issue. The trans lags at start from the line like a Allison auto in a semi.

Not having driven a semi before, I'll take your word for it. This doesn't sound like normal operation to me, and I would imagine more DCT users would complain about it. Take it to the dealer, you may have a transmission problem.

the intermittent wiper adjustment is a joke, just like in my 2011 Mini.

Do you not have the rain sensor on your M3? If you do, then the auto wiper function is absolutely great. If you don't, tough luck, you should have found out during the test drive and ordered it.

If I wanted the steering wheel all the way up, I would drive a school bus.

Perhaps you should, I hear they have killer intermittent wipers.

The seat and steering wheel adjustment in the e90 are very good and there's nothing wrong with them. What you mean is that perhaps they simply don't suit your particular body type, or some atypical driving position, because again you seem to be the only one complaining so vehemently about it.

Maybe if more people would give BMW productive, honest, but negative feedback on the things they screwed up, they might have a chance at perfecting it.

Retread your post. You come across as a whiny 10 year old, your criticism is not constructive at all. Why, I'm very surprised BMW hasn't listened to you already...

But the issue with the gauges is inexcusable.

To you. I have absolutely no issue with the gauges, and I'm not saying this just to cross you.

[alms211]

Originally Posted by Windy City

This confuses me as a coupe weighs 3,700#. My convertible is over 4000#.
After driving the M3 for a few more weeks, I have realized several things are worse than I thought, not to mention way worse than the S5.

The wiper control is a total joke. Intermittent wipers should be just that. Not go fast when the car moves. Who thought that was a good idea?

The trans sucks, and it has not gotten any better. It reminds me a driving an old International pickup with the E brake on. Step on the gas, get the motor turning(fast) then wait a few seconds for it to come to life. Sucks.

I think the biggest thing I can't get over is lack of torque. Every other vehicle I own feels quicker off the line.

Then of course there is the sin of making the gauges completely useless. The steering wheel runs right through the only part of the gauges you need.
Even funnier is the BMW "shift lights". No one (except maybe a passenger) knows what they look like. Again hidden successfully behind the wheel.

Yet there is all this BS in their marketing (like their Idrive video) about how they use a simulator and cameras to perfect the system.
How about making the Ultimate Driving Machine's only 2 important gauges visible?
DOH!

....

[signes]

Finally got to drive the RS5 last night (along with the S6, S8 and R8 V-10 but that's another story...) I commend Audi for sticking with a NA V-8, felt very similar to the M3 in terms of power delivery. It just didn't feel as spirited to me and also lacked that special RS feel I felt was present in the B7 RS4. It really is just a big heavy GT - I wouldn't mind owning one if I wanted a more comfy cruiser. Biggest letdown was the DSG box, didn't like that at all and felt closer to a tiptronic than DCT/PDK. The car as a whole is far more isolated than the M3 and prior Audi RS and S cars I've owned/driven. Seems like it is built for/targeted towards people like our friend above who are more focused on intermittent wipers, Bluetooth and the sound system.