M3 review from an RS4 owner

[ruff]

From an RS4 owner:

Ok I have left all the "Hipe and Bus*it" to others, here is my report as accurate as I can be driving the two cars "Back to Back".

The M3 I drove was "Jerez Black with Fox red leather", firstly the interior colour was nice, jerez black made the car look too 335i, Space Grey should sort that out IMO.

The seats are very good and adjust well for all types of bodies, they don't go very low in the car though!!. No real deal for me I found them great.

Interior rear space is limiting for an old git like me, and head room was only just better than an S5, signs of cheaper plastics were in evidence but not to the extent of a "Deal-Breaker".

I would have liked the HUD (head up display) on this car but it's not an option im told.

On start-up the engine is muted, not as loud in M mode or not in M mode as the RS4, the M3 remains muted ( compaired to the RS )until pushed over 5K RPM, and even then is not OTT, still a nice sound.

The drive: clutch engaged high and first and second gears were knotchy and felt slightly stiff, making town drive a pain, clutch feel was slightly stiffer than the RS4 but no real problem.I would tend to use second gear in all but incline starts personally.
IDrive was slow to load and respond again and the screen could not be made into "one screen" view, unlike the RS4 wich can and this makes for easier reading, however I could read all the INFO shown.

The car was fitted with EDC which is an expensive option (£1295 from memory)but worked well, I turned it onto full (both lamps lit) and turned the power button on also for all but the first few warm-up miles, On this occasion the M button made a nice sharper responce,but not as much low down grunt as my RS4.

The car handled well and rode the poor road condtions on this setting well without teeth and fillings falling out.
The breaks are sharpe and initial bite is bordering on excessive, this made stop start town work a bit of a concentration job ,they have good feel at pace though but again not as refined (if thats the word) as the RS4, maybe with some use they will improve/settle Just MO.

The car did NOT generate much interest whilst on the road (possibly looks to much like 335i in this colour) but drove beutifully in the every day conditions you would most be in, very easy and stress free.In cruise mode it returned 28 MPG and thats NO BULL, when pushed where possible it dropped to 18 MPG, much better figures than the last one I drove Monday showing 12 MPG. So I can Confirm it can return GOOD MPG if not thrashed around, this figure is just better than mine in cruise mode.
When looking for real GO, you need upwards of 5.5K RPM to transform the car into what most of you expected the M3 to be like, FAST and it is FAST, I think when pushed above 100 MPH it will be a close match for the RS4, but most of us will never get to drive like that for long (here anyway).In a drag race off the line these cars will be close over the Quarter, initially the RS may get ahead, but I think they will even out over the distance ( I am guessing here).
On a track it should perform well at least on less sharp bends, I say this because I was not inspired to really push it round tight B roads ( new tyres prohaps?)

Overall it's a good car and IMHO with a clour change could look fab.

I hope this reveiw helps some of you make up your minds as too the "true as I can make it" look at it from as unbiased as I can be.

Would I swap my RS4 for one?, now NO with flappy paddle shift............. well could be my next car

[speedstar]

found this picture

must be a horrible m3 dirver

[marwan]

lol, that's like the most useless review i have ever read!

[JEllis]

The pic is a repost and a Pshop.

The review was interesting. He found the clutch pedal to be heavier than the RS4 while most journalists find the pedal to be almost too light. And since when were grabby brakes a bad thing? Other than that he gave no real insight into the M3 experience.

Jason

[Leg]

Forgive me if I dont take anything someone who thinks 'brakes' is spelt 'breaks' says as meaning bugger all wont you.

[marwan]

Originally Posted by JEllis

The pic is a repost and a Pshop.

The review was interesting. He found the clutch pedal to be heavier than the RS4 while most journalists find the pedal to be almost too light. And since when were grabby brakes a bad thing? Other than that he gave no real insight into the M3 experience.

Jason

yep, my point exactly!

[Filthy Monkey]

Originally Posted by JEllis

The pic is a repost and a Pshop.

...but still very funny!

As for the review, it is definitely written with a bias towards the Audi, but then I'm sure most of us would do exactly the opposite if we tested an RS4. He does make a lot of valid comments, but I would definitely disagree what he says about the 'sharpe breaks', as I don't find the initial bite excessive at all. He must have been wearing very thick shoes! Also, I'm guessing he either never took it out of fifth gear, or just didn't push the pedal to the floor, as there is massive accelaration available throughout the whole rev range. In fact, getting above 5.5k doesn't really make a great deal of difference to the wall of torque. Oh well, everyone is entitled to their opinion...

[swamp2]

Terrible writting and spelling, fairly easy to discount this fellow quite a lot.

I was happy to hear 28 mpg (UK) which equates to 23 mpg US. Not too shabby at all!

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by speedstar

found this picture

must be a horrible m3 dirver

no! that's actually a pretty good PS artist

[Keto]

Originally Posted by Leg

Forgive me if I dont take anything someone who thinks 'brakes' is spelt 'breaks' says as meaning bugger all wont you.

I can say with certainty that's an easy typo.

[Leg]

Originally Posted by Keto

I can say with certainty that's an easy typo.

In nursery, maybe.

PS. Writing. Sorry Swamp.

[Keto]

Originally Posted by Leg

In nursery, maybe.

PS. Writing. Sorry Swamp.

Originally Posted by Leg

says as meaning bugger all wont you.

Pot, meet kettle. Emphasis added, natch.

[13eastie]

Originally Posted by Leg

In nursery, maybe.

PS. Writing. Sorry Swamp.

I think we should assume swamp was merely being ironic.

[gasman]

I have to laugh every time I read some of these posts. I did not know you had to proof read and spell check your responses on here to be respected. I admit the review was not helpful, but to sit and bash the guy for spelling and grammatical mistakes for his opinion is ridiculous. Geez, you people need to get a life.

[paulyd]

Originally Posted by gasman

I have to laugh every time I read some of these posts. I did not know you had to proof read and spell check your responses on here to be respected. I admit the review was not helpful, but to sit and bash the guy for spelling and grammatical mistakes for his opinion is ridiculous. Geez, you people need to get a life.

I have to laugh every time I read one of these posts. I did not know that a person could take the time to insult people for 'not having a life' and not realize that the act of doing so only demonstrates that he/she needs to get a life just as badly.

[MI6]

Getting back to the post I don't see why someone who had already plunked down 75k for an RS4 and obviously enjoys Audis would then dump it and get an M3 right away. So at the end of the post when he says he wouldn't do it that doesn't surprise me. Duh!

What did surprise me was the MPG...... 23-25 U.S. mpg rocks!

Hopefully his observations on this were accurate.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by gasman

I have to laugh every time I read some of these posts. I did not know you had to proof read and spell check your responses on here to be respected. I admit the review was not helpful, but to sit and bash the guy for spelling and grammatical mistakes for his opinion is ridiculous. Geez, you people need to get a life.

You don't. I am usually pretty lax on folks myself for a lot of these things especially if they are not native US speakers/writers. For some folks who are not, but still make brilliant posts have a look at stuff by southlight or savage.ulm1. savage's passion, emotion and insight far outweigh any lacking ability he has with English!

Look, if you are going to take the time to write up a long review of your experiences with a car the least you can do it use decent (not perfect spelling, grammar and diction and communicate in complete sentences. The "review" was so incoherent and even unreadable in many places. It really had no particularly good insights and was fairly critical of the car as well. It simply "screamed" laziness and incompetence to me. If you combine all of the bad together in the review my opinion is simply to heavily discount it. Sure I still read it but who do you trust more this clown or say user Filthy Monkey?? I'll let you decide.

By the way good catch Leg on my little spelling error. I think that small blemish is not a very big deal in light of my typical standards of both content and communication ability. Ironic indeed though - a "gotcha" for sure.

[paulyd]

Originally Posted by MI6

Getting back to the post I don't see why someone who had already plunked down 75k for an RS4 and obviously enjoys Audis would then dump it and get an M3 right away. So at the end of the post when he says he wouldn't do it that doesn't surprise me. Duh!

except then he says an M3 w DCT "could be his next car."

So audi fan writes generally negative review, but then says he may buy one...hilarious

[MI6]

Originally Posted by chitown08

except then he says an M3 w DCT "could be his next car."

So audi fan writes generally negative review, but then says he may buy one...hilarious

Actually he called it............ "with flappy paddle shift."

That IS hilarious.

Maybe BMW should rename M-DCT...... "Flappy Paddle Shift."

I would die to see this under "build your M3 coupe".....................

..........flappy paddle shift- $2,100

What's next- "short knobby thingy" for MT?

Or better yet, "hooded thingy with arrows and shit" for Nav.....

[paulyd]

Originally Posted by MI6

Actually he called it............ "with flappy paddle shift."

That IS hilarious.

Maybe BMW should rename M-DCT...... "Flappy Paddle Shift."

I would die to see this under "build your M3 coupe".....................

..........flappy paddle shift- $2,100

What's next- "short knobby thingy" for MT?

Or better yet, "hooded thingy with arrows and shit" for Nav.....

hahah

EDC - "extra driver cushion"


thingy

[gasman]

Originally Posted by Filthy Monkey

...but still very funny!

As for the review, it is definitely written with a bias towards the Audi, but then I'm sure most of us would do exactly the opposite if we tested an RS4. He does make a lot of valid comments, but I would definitely disagree what he says about the 'sharpe breaks', as I don't find the initial bite excessive at all. He must have been wearing very thick shoes! Also, I'm guessing he either never took it out of fifth gear, or just didn't push the pedal to the floor, as there is massive accelaration available throughout the whole rev range. In fact, getting above 5.5k doesn't really make a great deal of difference to the wall of torque. Oh well, everyone is entitled to their opinion...

SWAMP2.....You're right. I do respect filthy monkeys opinion and review. And notice how mature and respectful his response is to the OP. He can actually disagree with a post without bashing the writer.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by Keto

I can say with certainty that's an easy typo.

+1.

This typo business is OT. It's a freakin' internet forum, not a scientific journal, we are posting "stuff" on.