How many of you all daily your M3 around the Boston area?

[Ultimateone]

Hello guys, new here but not to most of the car forums around the net. I'm just curious if I am out of my mind to ever think of daily'ing" an E92 M3. My commute is almost 60 miles a day and I've heard that the mpg isn't the best out there.
I have a 2015 Subaru WRX at the moment, FYI.

Thanks

[leemik]

Username sounds familiar.. did you have a 350z at one point and made some videos like 10 years ago LOL?

a 60 mile commute means you'll be filling up the M3 every 4-5 days depending on h you drive.. and you'll need snow tires in the winter time.. The car is daily drivable but there are better options including your '15 wrx..

[Ultimateone]

Yes, I've been around with lots of different cars and was a big name back at E46Fanatics when it first launched

The thing is I have had a million cars, all sorts of turbos and I miss the BMW name and the newer M3's I absolutely love.

[Ultimateone]

Anyone else? forum dead?

[gimmethemuumuu]

I daily mine through all kinds of weather, just not in Boston (yet! I also commute about 50 mi/day. I have lots of fun in my car along the way. I end up filling up about once a week.

[Ultimateone]

Originally Posted by gimmethemuumuu

I daily mine through all kinds of weather, just not in Boston (yet! I also commute about 50 mi/day. I have lots of fun in my car along the way. I end up filling up about once a week.

Awesome thanks for the reply, what's your mpg like 17-18ish? I am thinking about moving as well to lower my commute also.

[docdennis]

I DD mine (rain or shine). I average about 16.4 MPG (Boston/Bedford area RTE 2).

[typicaltrabes]

I DD mine, been living in Boston for two years now. Average about 16 with some spirited driving

[Ultimateone]

Awesome thanks for the help guys, I have been looking into the 335's now as well. I know these two have been always compared so it seems I might have quite the decision if I come back to BMW soon.

[Savage_M3]

I daily mine as well. I run Dunlap Wintersport 3D in the winter which is fine for the snow we get in the Boston area.

The only issue I have with snow is if it's too deep. In that case it doesn't matter what tires you are running your car will bottom out. On those days I either work from home or borrow my brothers car, an Acura TSX.

[pbonsalb]

I drive my 08M3 year round over the border in NH. I bought the car to drive, not to park and preserve for its next owner while I drove a beater all week or all winter. Get a set of snow wheels for it.

335i is a great car as well. With relatively minor and inexpensive mods to the 07-10 models with twin turbo N54 motor, you can get M3 horsepower and more than M3 torque. Later N55 is slightly less capable due to the small single turbo. We have the N54 in our 08 535xit and I really like it. Works great with an automatic -- likely gives up nothing to a manual in acceleration.

M3 feels more sporting, but you have to wind it up to experience the big power and not everyone spends much time driving around in the 6000-8400 rpm range. Mine is modded with all the bolt on mods to make it a little more entertaining, but it probably still does not make stock N54 rear wheel torque. Automatic 335i with mods is maybe the better daily driver.

[Ultimateone]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I drive my 08M3 year round over the border in NH. I bought the car to drive, not to park and preserve for its next owner while I drove a beater all week or all winter. Get a set of snow wheels for it.

335i is a great car as well. With relatively minor and inexpensive mods to the 07-10 models with twin turbo N54 motor, you can get M3 horsepower and more than M3 torque. Later N55 is slightly less capable due to the small single turbo. We have the N54 in our 08 535xit and I really like it. Works great with an automatic -- likely gives up nothing to a manual in acceleration.

M3 feels more sporting, but you have to wind it up to experience the big power and not everyone spends much time driving around in the 6000-8400 rpm range. Mine is modded with all the bolt on mods to make it a little more entertaining, but it probably still does not make stock N54 rear wheel torque. Automatic 335i with mods is maybe the better daily driver.

Wow excellent post

I would be modding the car with most basic bolt ons so it seems like the 335i would be the easier route and would be better on gas mileage. Then again I have always wanted an M badge and that V8 is one of the best sounding motors on the planet. Looks like I have a lot to think about for the next month.

Thank you all for replying, nice to hear people driving their cars

[pbonsalb]

If MPG is important to you, skip the M3. In my regular mixed highway/local driving with much more highway than city, I average about 18 mpg in the M3. My wife's automatic 535xit averages 21 mpg. The newer 8 speed automatic 335i do noticeably better on MPG than the older 6 speed automatic in our car. Unfortunately the cars with the 8 speed also use the slightly less mod-able N55.

[leemik]

I think the 335 is an unreliable car however vs the M3.. A few of my friends have them and they seem to always break in the same expensive way.. water pump, injector problems, carbon buildup, fuel pump problems, suspension problems.. the parts BMW used on the 335 are definitely not the same premium parts that are on the M3.

If it came down to a 335xi or your subie.. I'd go with the subie.

[gimmethemuumuu]

Originally Posted by Ultimateone

Awesome thanks for the reply, what's your mpg like 17-18ish? I am thinking about moving as well to lower my commute also.

No problem!

I think my MPG has always been around 15 in this car (It was 17 in the E46 M3.) I don't get quite as much as some others. You guys must baby your cars

[Ultimateone]

Originally Posted by leemik

I think the 335 is an unreliable car however vs the M3.. A few of my friends have them and they seem to always break in the same expensive way.. water pump, injector problems, carbon buildup, fuel pump problems, suspension problems.. the parts BMW used on the 335 are definitely not the same premium parts that are on the M3.

If it came down to a 335xi or your subie.. I'd go with the subie.

Really a few of the guys who I have talked to and a few tuners have said go the 335 route because of reliability issues. The only thing I have heard about the E9X M's are to watch is the motor, specifically the bearings. The 335 I haven't heard much about except the water pump. So like I said before, I got to get searching and researching like crazy on to what my goals and usage will be.

edit: Woah, I read your post so fast I didn't see that last comment. I have had 3 Subarus, an 06 STI, 11 WRX and now the 15 WRX (bunch of Evos also) and I have come to the conclusion that this car is just boring to me. I don't like the shifting, the sound and the seats and might have jumped the gun on this so now Im looking into something else.

[Savage_M3]

Originally Posted by Ultimateone

Really a few of the guys who I have talked to and a few tuners have said go the 335 route because of reliability issues. The only thing I have heard about the E9X M's are to watch is the motor, specifically the bearings. The 335 I haven't heard much about except the water pump. So like I said before, I got to get searching and researching like crazy on to what my goals and usage will be.

edit: Woah, I read your post so fast I didn't see that last comment. I have had 3 Subarus, an 06 STI, 11 WRX and now the 15 WRX (bunch of Evos also) and I have come to the conclusion that this car is just boring to me. I don't like the shifting, the sound and the seats and might have jumped the gun on this so now Im looking into something else.

I think the motor bearing issue is a bit overblown. Most people who have such a major issue will research it online and find these boards to post about it. It's a relatively small number compared the the production volume of the M3. It's just such a major issue, that it gives everyone nightmares.

Now I do plan on getting the extended warranty to cover my ass from that or any other potentially expensive issues, but I think it will only be for me to sleep better at night. I don't like nightmares! Haha...

[Ultimateone]

Originally Posted by Savage_M3

I think the motor bearing issue is a bit overblown. Most people who have such a major issue will research it online and find these boards to post about it. It's a relatively small number compared the the production volume of the M3. It's just such a major issue, that it gives everyone nightmares.

Now I do plan on getting the extended warranty to cover my ass from that or any other potentially expensive issues, but I think it will only be for me to sleep better at night. I don't like nightmares! Haha...

Haha, well its posts like these that put me to ease about the bearings, and the OG's of the forum telling pretty much everyone to relax because it doesn't happen to every car.

[leemik]

Originally Posted by Ultimateone

Haha, well its posts like these that put me to ease about the bearings, and the OG's of the forum telling pretty much everyone to relax because it doesn't happen to every car.

I know quite a few e92 m3 owners.. I have never heard of any bearing problems locally.. honestly, the only ones i read about are the ones on e90post.

Tuners want you to buy a 335 because they are easier to tune with the turbo(s).. There's not much you can do with an N/A V8 that is already pretty maxed out short of supercharging it or something radical... but then when you start supercharging you have other problems like if you have a DCT tranny there's a limit to power you can add .. The car overpowers the lame M3 floating piston brakes easily with a supercharger...and you run a higher risk of oil bearing problems.. perhaps this is what your tuner is referring to.

Your avg Joe assumes the 335 and M3 are pretty much the same car (because they look similar).. but they are not.. I think like >80% of the car is different... even on the body panels, only the trunk and doors are interchangable. The M3 is track ready off the showroom floor, parts are much higher quality and durable .. try tracking a 335 and you'll see many systems overheat and fail.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by leemik

I have never heard of any bearing problems locally..

You can come look at my 62k mile bearings if you want. They are not as bad as some but definitely show premature wear on 4 of the uppers.

M3 responds well to mods. My car went from boring to entertaining with all the bolt on mods like x pipe, tune, intake and pulley. I like it now. Nowhere near as fast as my turbo E36M3 but fast enough to be entertaining. Would like a supercharger but funds don't allow.

[Ultimateone]

Originally Posted by leemik

I know quite a few e92 m3 owners.. I have never heard of any bearing problems locally.. honestly, the only ones i read about are the ones on e90post.

Tuners want you to buy a 335 because they are easier to tune with the turbo(s).. There's not much you can do with an N/A V8 that is already pretty maxed out short of supercharging it or something radical... but then when you start supercharging you have other problems like if you have a DCT tranny there's a limit to power you can add .. The car overpowers the lame M3 floating piston brakes easily with a supercharger...and you run a higher risk of oil bearing problems.. perhaps this is what your tuner is referring to.

Your avg Joe assumes the 335 and M3 are pretty much the same car (because they look similar).. but they are not.. I think like >80% of the car is different... even on the body panels, only the trunk and doors are interchangable. The M3 is track ready off the showroom floor, parts are much higher quality and durable .. try tracking a 335 and you'll see many systems overheat and fail.

I had a feeling that it might be overblown in some ways but hell there is proof of it in the forums, reminds me of the ringlands issues with STI/WRX's. I really think I want an M3, now to find one in AW or Black in manual.

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

You can come look at my 62k mile bearings if you want. They are not as bad as some but definitely show premature wear on 4 of the uppers.

M3 responds well to mods. My car went from boring to entertaining with all the bolt on mods like x pipe, tune, intake and pulley. I like it now. Nowhere near as fast as my turbo E36M3 but fast enough to be entertaining. Would like a supercharger but funds don't allow.

I had a few friends with Turbo e36's and E46's and those were for sure fun cars. I just think there is something special about a V8 especially the sound.

You guys have me excited in my search

[AWe90]

OP - what did you decide and why? I'm having a similar debate w myself!