Opinions? S5 vs M3

[M3 Montreal]

Originally Posted by KMANUEL

I'm sorry if I upset some of you in saying that I want to choose the S5. I don't want you to think that I don't like the M3 at all, a few of my close buddies have it and love it. I'm just worried about a few things that the normal m3 driver might not even consider. For example, I live in a pretty snowy area... The M3 is an okay winter performer but it does not compare to the awd system... Another thing... I will be driving this car for at least 2-3 hours per day... It needs to be very comfortable and luxurious.. The M3 is already a dated interior and exterior given the recent f30 release... All in all I just want a quick, great looking, comfortable sports car. And I feel like the s5 fits the criteria. I have owned this a5 for 3 years with no problem whatsoever... But I felt that all it was missing was that little bit of power when merging into a highway or traffic maneuvers...

Lol...

Don't worry you made a good choice.

If I could only have 1 car and I had to deal with snow in winter I would choose the S5 also. (only the new V6 supercharged one though)

I can tell you this... After having tracked my M3 and my S4 ....90 to 95% of drivers will actually go faster on the track with the S4. It's just too easy to track an AWD and even with the crappier tires the S4 comes with.

I realize the RS4 is the direct competitor to the current M3 but take a look at fastestlaps.com. The current S4 actually beats it on certain tracks even with the crappier tires it comes with and less HP.

I'm sure tires alone would be HUGE.

Gratz on the S5. Make sure to track it and you will be surprised how fast it is.

The video below is one lap at a local track. Not my fastest lap but more fun when you see passing.

That's a 1M in front of me that I pass at the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8isDHd933Bo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[M3 Montreal]

Forgot to mention that's with my totaly stock S4 with very shitty tires I might add.

[Alex07M3]

Originally Posted by KMANUEL

I'm sorry if I upset some of you in saying that I want to choose the S5. I don't want you to think that I don't like the M3 at all, a few of my close buddies have it and love it. I'm just worried about a few things that the normal m3 driver might not even consider. For example, I live in a pretty snowy area... The M3 is an okay winter performer but it does not compare to the awd system... Another thing... I will be driving this car for at least 2-3 hours per day... It needs to be very comfortable and luxurious.. The M3 is already a dated interior and exterior given the recent f30 release... All in all I just want a quick, great looking, comfortable sports car. And I feel like the s5 fits the criteria. I have owned this a5 for 3 years with no problem whatsoever... But I felt that all it was missing was that little bit of power when merging into a highway or traffic maneuvers...

Sure the S5 is better for winter but just so you know, the M3 is indeed a very confortable and luxurious car ! I respect your choice , but after knowing what an M3 is and after testing both V8 S5 and V6T S4 , I could not live well driving that 2-3hrs/day instead of a M3 ! Also I drive my M3 in the winter in Québec and after owning two b5 A4s , a TT225 and a 09 STI , I can tell you that I had as much fun this winter then the previous with my AWD cars ! I did'nt even got stocked once , the only time that I was missing the AWD was when there was deep snow but thats like 2% of the year , compared to the other 98% where the M3 is just better in every way and specially more fun ! Do yourself a favor , testdrive a M3 !

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by Erhan

Interesting. The guy who bought S4 in our office waited A LOT for his car too...

At the time (~4 yrs ago IIRC) they were shipping S5s to other markets they could make more money on vs. the US. The USD was in the crapper, so they decided to leave the US market without cars...

Plus their parts supply chain and parts selection has always sucked IMO. Perfect example - my wife's B6 1.8T. A 2002 MY IIRC. They had been making the 1.8T for YEARS at that point and they still managed to select simple things like vacuum hoses that literally disintegrated after 30k miles of very gentle use. She also had a coilpack go, they had a huge problem where all the coilpacks were failing. So we come back from a vacation and the A4 is shitting itself in the parking lot of the airport running on 3 cylinders with one misfiring like a bastard. I take it in and we have to wait a week for a coilpack ("national backorder"), then they only want to replace the one that failed, even though all the others were going to go bad! I threw a fit, we waited a couple more days, and then we had 4 coilpacks. They were going to let me break down 4 times in route to fixing the problem. Totally asinine.

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by M3 Montreal

I can tell you this... After having tracked my M3 and my S4 ....90 to 95% of drivers will actually go faster on the track with the S4. It's just too easy to track an AWD and even with the crappier tires the S4 comes with.

This is 100% true. Took me a damn long time to go faster in my M3 than my STi...and in some conditions/tracks/roads, I would still be faster in the STi. But I enjoy driving the M3 far more : )

[M3 Montreal]

Originally Posted by gblansten

The curb weight of the S5 is listed by Audi as 4300 pounds. That's insane.

That's impossible. You must have looked at the convertible.

My S4 is 3925 pounds

[gblansten]

Originally Posted by M3 Montreal

That's impossible. You must have looked at the convertible.

My S4 is 3925 pounds

I deleted my post because it was wrong. I was posting on the vert by accident. It looks like the S5 coupe is around 3900+ pounds depending on options.

[roscomare83]

To be honest here, to everybody thats saying the S5's build quality is lower than the M3 doesnt have a clue about build quality.

I own both an S5 and an M3 - the M3 is by far the better sports car - the S5 in my opinion is the far better luxury-sporty car.

When it comes to long cruises (4 hours plus), i would always go with the S5. If I want to "drive", I would always go with the M3.

Both are fantastic cars with quite different characteristics.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by KMANUEL

All in all I just want a quick, great looking, comfortable sports car. I have owned this a5 for 3 years with no problem whatsoever... But I felt that all it was missing was that little bit of power when merging into a highway or traffic maneuvers...

/pointless thread

[Erhan]

Originally Posted by M3 Montreal

Gratz on the S5. Make sure to track it and you will be surprised how fast it is.

The video below is one lap at a local track. Not my fastest lap but more fun when you see passing.

That's a 1M in front of me that I pass at the end.

Pointless. I passed an E92 M3, a 997 GT3, and a 997 Turbo with my MINI in Pacific Raceways. What does this tell?

[Alex07M3]

Originally Posted by Erhan

Pointless. I passed an E92 M3, a 997 GT3, and a 997 Turbo with my MINI in Pacific Raceways. What does this tell?

It tells you can have fun with a Mini !

[Erhan]

Originally Posted by Alex07M3

It tells you can have fun with a Mini !

True that

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

/pointless thread

hahahahaha

[ss134]

Originally Posted by Erhan

I guess everyone is different. I sold my M3 because it was too comfortable... In regards of power, I have a MINI Cooper S right now, which has 181hp, and I never felt like I need more power while merging into a highway since I'm usually doing the highway speed on the on-ramp already... Also, there is a reason why cars have gears.

Btw, comfortable sports car sounds like a fat triathlete. Both qualities are against each other.

I have a Cooper S as well and its great fun to drive - especially around town. If they could fit the S65 into it i would keep it forever!!

[bobbyd1961]

Originally Posted by KMANUEL

Hey all-

Have the option of getting a perfect condition 2009 e92 m3 with 16,000km on the clock or a brand new 2013 Audi s5 with the new v6t engine and dct.

What are your opinions?

how can you compare a s5 to an m3 when the m3 destroyed the RS5? im flabbergasted. rather have my wifes A5 than s5

[Erhan]

Originally Posted by ss134

I have a Cooper S as well and its great fun to drive - especially around town. If they could fit the S65 into it i would keep it forever!!

Now that's a fantasy I'd be happy if it had the ap1 s2k engine in it. I don't really like turbo engines (I have R56)..

[saildoc]

I like Erhan's quote: "fat triathalete" The comfortable the car the less involving it is. We have the luxury of so many great cars now you can dial up your level of comfort vs performance/involvment: say from a Porsche GT3RS to a Mercedes S65 AMG. I went from an M3 to Porsche Cayman R to get a crisper, more responsive car. Would I take it on a 300 mile interstate drive? No-I would drive my ML320. As a fun daily driver I can't beat the raspy exhaust and crisp handling of my Cayman....

[ss134]

Originally Posted by Erhan

Now that's a fantasy I'd be happy if it had the ap1 s2k engine in it. I don't really like turbo engines (I have R56)..

I have the R53 - bit less power than you.

[IrishCoffee]

So, you're not going to track it, you live in a snowy area (rear vs AWD), you spend 3 hours a day in the car (need good gas mileage), AND you like the S5 better?

Seems obvious... get the S5. I don't see why you would even want the M3 under these circumstances. There is no reason for it. The S5 is a sick car and is certainly more rare than the M3. It looks awesome.

People can compare the performance all day on these boards but unless you're tracking it then who cares? Get what you like. You can't expect to come on this forum and have people think the S5 is better than the M3 though. I think for you the S5 is a better choice. For me the M3 was a better choice because I want to go to the track and there is no snow in San Diego.

Enjoy it and don't worry about what everyone else thinks.

[Alex07M3]

Originally Posted by bobbyd1961

how can you compare a s5 to an m3 when the m3 destroyed the RS5? im flabbergasted. rather have my wifes A5 than s5

curious to see when and where the M3 destroyed the RS5 ! ??