M3 Or i8 - Advice and Thoughts

[BanjoPaterson]

WARNING: This is a long first post - a bit like if Tolstoy had lived today and drove a BMW, then subscribed to this forum. You have been forewarned.

First - I know there's an existing i8 vs M3 thread, but that is more than technical comparisons and this is more about the thoughts and advice of esteemed members regarding a very real purchase choice I have.

Second - the reason I'm asking for advice and thoughts is that I keep bouncing around the pros+cons, and I'm finding myself back at the start like a dog chasing its tail, with no real resolution. Perhaps there isn't any. But I'm hoping the Greater Collective Mind will provide additional insight - in either direction.

The background is simple enough. I've owned my 2009 E92 M3 for nigh on 3 years now and have enjoyed them for the most part. I've done the usual maintenance and the car has a well earned 87000km (under 60,000 miles). In preparation for keeping it long term, I've got an RB replacement scheduled next week -- for peace of mind if nothing else, but that's all for another thread later.

My wife, who's the main bread winner (although I'm not too shabby), has always liked the looks of the i8; but at $300,000+ AUD, it's been something we COULD purchase, but not something we would. However, with BMW dealers wanting to get them off their lots ex demo ones of 2015/16 with sub 10,000km are now going for $200,000-$220,000, which actually makes the difference. My thoughts, correct or not, are that the i8 is a "future classic" and given that there are less than 60 of them in Australia, may well appreciate in the future. At least, they will not depreciate too much more.

Which brings me to my existing M3. I think this model M3, being the last naturally aspirated M3, a V8, etc. etc. (we all know why we like this car), is also a future classic and will, no doubt the minute after I sell mine, appreciate like crazy. I owe very little on it after it finishes its lease in August this year.

SO part of this, right or wrong, is I'm taking a punt that either car will, in 10 years' time, be worth at least what it is today or, if my guess is correct, appreciate; with the i8 (particularly if they stop production) appreciating like crazy. Nothing as good as a future investment as an unloved car at the time of production due to lack of perceived performance, but with gob smacking looks and scissor doors or some such other. I've thought this about several cars on other occasions. I regret not buying a Jaguar 220 when I had the change in 1994; a Ferrari 328/308 in 2010 when prices here were sub $100,000; and a 1979 Porsche 928 with 60,000km on the clock (a literal barn find) for $5000. I've seen each of these, KNEW they'd appreciate, and wibbled about buying them.

Finally, my wife will buy either as a chattel mortgage (and run a 3 month log book) for tax depreciation and running costs. HOWEVER, the maximum depreciation is around $65,000; which easily covers 100% of the cost of buying the M3 from me, but lacks greatly in the total cost of the i8. This is a factor, albeit somewhat minor.

The big question. i8 or M3. My list of pros+cons below (this relate to how I view both, but I'm willing to persuaded otherwise):

M3 PROS:

• Love the driving experience
• Owe little on it, so can drive it like I stole it he he he
• All preventative maintenance done before lease ends
• Cost covered in depreciation depending on log book
• Driving experience is intoxicating
• A bit of a sleeper now

M3 CONS:

• It's a 2009 car with unknown future work
• As intoxicating as it is, beginning to look at other cars... is this being unfaithful?!

i8 PROS:

• The looks. This is a big factor. We both LOVE the looks of this car.
• Performance is not too shabby, even if the body writes cheques the engines can't QUITE catch
• Hybrids and electric are probably the future
• This will be considered a game changing car for BMW
• The artificial exhaust sounds good, even if augmented
• IF both cars appreciate, then this will appreciate more

i8 CONS:

• Hugely more expensive, even with a chattel mortgage + 50% residual, and reduces life style choices, e.g. holidays + actually living
• Are looks the only thing to consider in purchasing?!
• 3 cylinder engine.
• Augmented exhaust
• IF anything goes wrong with this out of warranty I suspect repairs costs would make strong men weep, let alone me
• Getting in and out of the car
• Not luggage space to speak of
• Will draw more attention

A side note. I don't mind drawing attention -- the M3 does that to a lesser extent and I ignore it -- but the i8 in my small town will be an order of magnitude MORE attention. Not sure if I'm happy about that.

So there you have it. Part of me loves the idea of driving an i8 for the experience and hates the idea for the same experience. But this is an opportunity now. And a decision has to be made in the coming months to August, when the M3 goes out of lease.

What to do?

Thank you for reading and thank you for any advice. Cheers!

Addendum: I love driving my M3, although yet to track it (voids warranty, but that's over by August too). Due to our X5 hitting and killing a kangaroo at 80kph, we've bought an F25 X3 x20d replacement and the steering is numb, even compared with the E53 X5 let alone the M3. I gather the i8 is very much less M handling and more GT sports, but not having driven one I can't tell. Point being the driving experience has to be engaging, even if it's not as good as the M3's.

[roastbeef]

have you sat in an i8 yet? they aren't particularly easy to get in and out of.

i haven't driven an i8, but i'm not particularly impressed with any part of it performance wise.

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

have you sat in an i8 yet? they aren't particularly easy to get in and out of.

Once, but it was parked in at the BMW dealership so that was it. It was poor ergonomics getting in and especially out. It is a consideration. Same with the windscreen wipers that are exactly like my daughter's A170 Benz (i.e both going from inside to out), and that's another negative.

i haven't driven an i8, but i'm not particularly impressed with any part of it performance wise.

Straight line performance seems to be, at low speed, similar to the E9x M3 -- perhaps a little faster-- but definitely less than an M4 and its top speed less than the E9x M's. However, it's still quick and, judging by Chris Harris's review, still a sporty and engaging drive.

They're both good points and ones that, I think, are keeping sales low despite its looks.

[TTony]

Originally Posted by BanjoPaterson

Straight line performance seems to be, at low speed, similar to the E9x M3 -- perhaps a little faster-- but definitely less than an M4

Check the 1 minute mark vs the M4...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9kgvIIcKTc

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by TTony

Check the 1 minute mark vs the M4...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9kgvIIcKTc

Interesting video. Many commenters thought the i8 jumps the gun, bit others correctly point out instant torque from the electric. Certainly better than what I thought, although of straight-line 400m so sprints are your thing then the answer to that question is Tesla P100D. Not so good on the corners, so I'm told.

In a funny way it doesn't come down to speed or acceleration. I think the i8 has enough for me in that respect. It's the driving experience. The M3 delights the aural, the tactile, the visual. It's a complete package. The i8 is a fantastic visual package, for sure, but does it have enough elsewhere to justify the expense?

Food for thought. Thank you.

[TTony]

Originally Posted by BanjoPaterson

In a funny way it doesn't come down to speed or acceleration. I think the i8 has enough for me in that respect. It's the driving experience.

I feel the same way, I had a 500rwhp 300zxtt that was great... until I drove a 250rwhp NSX. Much slower acceleration but a much better experience. When you test drive the i8, you will immediately know if you want one.

Then again... you could always mod it.

[SYT_Shadow]

I'll play

As I like the BMW brand, I find a way to like almost all their models. Except diesels and FWDs but that's a story for another day.

The i8 is really cool, but as I told another member who pondered the same move, it is v1.0. All future i8s will be more powerful, faster, have better mileage/efficiency, longer range, less weight, etc etc.

That said, reviews have been mostly positive. It isn't a performance hybrid but it's a great all round package. I'm sure I'd enjoy one if I had it.

The M3 represents the last of its kind. It's v(infinite). BMW will never build a nicer sounding V8, or a higher revving one, or a larger one. The future collectible is without a shadow of doubt the M3.

I wasn't able to buy an early model M3 and ended up buying a new 2013 and then adding a 2011 E90 to the stable a few years later. However, had I bought a 2008 I would likely buy a really low mile M3 from 2013 as the next car.

A coworker did this and I could not be more aligned with his move. He went from a nice 2008 he bought new to a 2013 fire orange car last year. Couldn't find anything else he liked more.

I see myself upgrading the current X5 to future generations as they will all be better than mine, but the V8 M3? Unlikely!

[wanesso]

I love the V8 M3, it never fails to please and can't beat the sound. I love the i8---light, easy to place it where you wanna go, feels like it slices through the air; it is a blast. I have no problem getting in/out of the car but if you don't like/want attention, don't get the i8---have people take photos every day for 2 years, many questions, much gawking. It's all been friendly so it's been fun. If you and your wife both need a car then.....both!

[Longboarder]

The i8 will not be a future collectible. It has and will continue to depreciate like a falling rock. The more I drive other premium brand hybrids, BMW did get the integration right (better than others) and the car is a pleasure to drive for sure. But technology will progress.

The i8 is completely impractical so remember that too. Not just a challenge to get in and out.

For the money you are quoting, I would never consider an i8. BMW had a glut of inventory in North America last summer and they were being leased at monthly payments rivaling an M4 or M6. Given the choice I'd take an i8 over an M6 but only if I had other better performance cars. If I could only have one it would be the M6.

Knowing that sure take the plunge. But only if you are comfortable knowing your AUS $220k will be worth essentially zero at the end of 10 years.

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

The i8 will not be a future collectible. It has and will continue to depreciate like a falling rock. The more I drive other premium brand hybrids, BMW did get the integration right (better than others) and the car is a pleasure to drive for sure. But technology will progress.

The i8 is completely impractical so remember that too. Not just a challenge to get in and out.

For the money you are quoting, I would never consider an i8. BMW had a glut of inventory in North America last summer and they were being leased at monthly payments rivaling an M4 or M6. Given the choice I'd take an i8 over an M6 but only if I had other better performance cars. If I could only have one it would be the M6.

Knowing that sure take the plunge. But only if you are comfortable knowing your AUS $220k will be worth essentially zero at the end of 10 years.

Thank you - it's been a while since I've viewed this thread and my decision (at least for this next financial year) is to stick with my M3.

One thing I'd love to take a bet on, presuming we'd both be alive in 10 years' time, is what the i8 will be worth. I'm still guessing that they'll be going up in value and will be north of $500,000 in today's money. It's based on:

- looks (particularly the doors)... it will still look good in +10 years IMHO
- history (first hybrid performance car from BMW)
- performance (not too shabby)
- rarity (I suspect BMW will kill off production in the next 2-3 years, leaving less than 10,000 or so on the road)

It ticks all the right boxes for a future classic & collectible.

[JsL]

Originally Posted by TTony

Check the 1 minute mark vs the M4...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9kgvIIcKTc

Wtf. I thought the i8 is a cool looking prius. It's actually pretty fast. Haha.

[Ghetto2315]

Below was my response in a thread comparing the M4 vs the i8. I just copied and pasted. My views on the i8 below could probably help.



I currently still have my 01' E46 M3 (now that Hagerty said it's a future collectable, I don't think I'm getting rid of it). Had a 12' E92 M3 for 3 years and then I gave that up for the F82 M4. Drove the M4 for only a year and a half before I made the switch to the i8, which is also now my daily driver. The two M3's and the M4 were all 6-speed manuals. I'm an M guy through and through but I figured I would give the i8 a try since the timing was right (I'm 33 years old so I'll explain below).

My M4 was tuned for 93 octane with full bolt-ons so it was an immensely fun car. The M4 stock struggled with putting all that power down to the rear tires so you can imagine how more frustrating AND enjoyable it was once it was modified. I won't go in to the small facets like exterior/interior/storage/usability.

RIDE/HANDLING: For my daily driving, I purposely ordered my M4 with the Dynamic Damper Control to utilize the comfort setting. Even in comfort, the suspension was harsh. It was something that I was very used from the E92 M3 and didn't mind but if I had a passenger, it did cross my mind about how they were feeling when going over unpleasant bumps but no passengers ever complained so I guess it wasn't that bad. The i8 is compliant in comparison. As it should be considering it's more of a grand touring car than a sports car. I guess it's the "kid" in me but I love oversteer. The very first thing I did when I fired up my M4 was turn off the traction/stability control. I have plenty of track time under my belt that I am confident enough in my driving so any chance I get to get my rear to kick out for a controlled oversteer, I did it. It's what makes RWD and torque such a joyous combination. In the i8, if you push it around a turn, you actually get understeer but that's normal with AWD. I still can't get over the fact that there are 225 section tires upfront. The i8 is severely under-tired and I would sacrifice some MPG for better grip. Although at it's limits, I am surprised how buttoned-down the i8 feels.


PERFORMANCE: Stock vs Stock, I know the i8 has more torque than the M4 but it sure did not feel like it. The torque/power comes on like a nuclear bomb in the M4 while in the i8 it feels like a steady climbing missile. Part of why it felt like a nuke in the M4 is because of the RWD and it's propensity to oversteer. I don't have to explain how the i8 launches from a dig with it's AWD. It's no fuss or drama and leaves clean, which is obviously more efficient since the car is doing it for you. In the M4, you have to modulate the throttle. Almost like playing a game and that kept me entertained. From a roll, the M4 is much faster. My modified M4 was a monster from a roll and would put a bus length or two on the i8 doing a 50-120 MPH roll runs.


TRANSMISSION: So this was a tough one for me. I knew that I would be giving up my manual transmission in the i8. I battled with this for a long time before I made the jump. Knowing that my E46 M3 and my E39 540i were also manual trans, it made the jump easier. The M4's manual trans is one of the best feeling manual trans I have ever driven. Not as short and direct as the Honda S2000, which was the best in my book. But it wasn't rubbery and the throws weren't long by any means. The i8's transmission is a tricky one with the hybrid set-up. In manual-shift mode, I really HATE the fact that it will downshift for you on deceleration and it will not let you upshift until the car feels it's right to. There are times that I have gotten my i8's transmission confused when in Comfort Mode where I would mash the throttle for max acceleration but it would not shift, causing the ICE engine to kick on but no power and my RPM's surge. It's odd. Needless to say, if the i8 ever had the capacity for 3-pedals, I would opt for it.


SOUND: I'll keep this one short. The i8's sound leaves a lot to be desired. Too calm for my personal taste but it fits the car's personality so I won't complain. For the M4, the sound it makes is fantastic. And I had a custom exhaust on my E92 M3 so I know what sounds good. The only complaint that I had was at cold-start. The M4 then sounded like a weed wacker and a John Deer tractor having sex. Thank goodness that when I got my M4 tuned, I was able to delete the cold-start so that took care of that. On downshift on my M4, the exhaust burble and braps were awesome. I've been very tempted to modify the i8's exhaust to give me more substance but I've held off.


The M4 was everything I wanted in my daily driver. Fast, great-styling, manual transmission, loud exhaust and the visibility was much better. I'm not sure with you guys but in my i8, there is a small blind spot on both driver and passenger-side A-pillars. Even more so at night. But the i8's styling, technology and comfort is what attracted me. I wanted to see what BMW's latest and greatest had to offer. I suffered knee injuries from years and years of playing competitive basketball so bending is tough for me at times. I wanted to be able to experience the i8 while I physically still could and I am glad I did. The i8 is brilliant for my daily driving needs but I want more excitement my next go around.

Different strokes for different folks but put a gun to my head, I am picking the M4 because that is what suits me while I'm still in my 30's. Perhaps my views will change as I get older.
QUOTE

[Down_Shift]

Originally Posted by BanjoPaterson

Thank you - it's been a while since I've viewed this thread and my decision (at least for this next financial year) is to stick with my M3.

One thing I'd love to take a bet on, presuming we'd both be alive in 10 years' time, is what the i8 will be worth. I'm still guessing that they'll be going up in value and will be north of $500,000 in today's money. It's based on:

- looks (particularly the doors)... it will still look good in +10 years IMHO
- history (first hybrid performance car from BMW)
- performance (not too shabby)
- rarity (I suspect BMW will kill off production in the next 2-3 years, leaving less than 10,000 or so on the road)

It ticks all the right boxes for a future classic & collectible.

There's one for sale near me for 109k used 3900 miles. No bites, my friends that's been thinking about that type of money has gotten a gas guzzler instead

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Ghetto2315

Below was my response in a thread comparing the M4 vs the i8. I just copied and pasted. My views on the i8 below could probably help.



I currently still have my 01' E46 M3 (now that Hagerty said it's a future collectable, I don't think I'm getting rid of it). Had a 12' E92 M3 for 3 years and then I gave that up for the F82 M4. Drove the M4 for only a year and a half before I made the switch to the i8, which is also now my daily driver. The two M3's and the M4 were all 6-speed manuals. I'm an M guy through and through but I figured I would give the i8 a try since the timing was right (I'm 33 years old so I'll explain below).

My M4 was tuned for 93 octane with full bolt-ons so it was an immensely fun car. The M4 stock struggled with putting all that power down to the rear tires so you can imagine how more frustrating AND enjoyable it was once it was modified. I won't go in to the small facets like exterior/interior/storage/usability.

RIDE/HANDLING: For my daily driving, I purposely ordered my M4 with the Dynamic Damper Control to utilize the comfort setting. Even in comfort, the suspension was harsh. It was something that I was very used from the E92 M3 and didn't mind but if I had a passenger, it did cross my mind about how they were feeling when going over unpleasant bumps but no passengers ever complained so I guess it wasn't that bad. The i8 is compliant in comparison. As it should be considering it's more of a grand touring car than a sports car. I guess it's the "kid" in me but I love oversteer. The very first thing I did when I fired up my M4 was turn off the traction/stability control. I have plenty of track time under my belt that I am confident enough in my driving so any chance I get to get my rear to kick out for a controlled oversteer, I did it. It's what makes RWD and torque such a joyous combination. In the i8, if you push it around a turn, you actually get understeer but that's normal with AWD. I still can't get over the fact that there are 225 section tires upfront. The i8 is severely under-tired and I would sacrifice some MPG for better grip. Although at it's limits, I am surprised how buttoned-down the i8 feels.


PERFORMANCE: Stock vs Stock, I know the i8 has more torque than the M4 but it sure did not feel like it. The torque/power comes on like a nuclear bomb in the M4 while in the i8 it feels like a steady climbing missile. Part of why it felt like a nuke in the M4 is because of the RWD and it's propensity to oversteer. I don't have to explain how the i8 launches from a dig with it's AWD. It's no fuss or drama and leaves clean, which is obviously more efficient since the car is doing it for you. In the M4, you have to modulate the throttle. Almost like playing a game and that kept me entertained. From a roll, the M4 is much faster. My modified M4 was a monster from a roll and would put a bus length or two on the i8 doing a 50-120 MPH roll runs.


TRANSMISSION: So this was a tough one for me. I knew that I would be giving up my manual transmission in the i8. I battled with this for a long time before I made the jump. Knowing that my E46 M3 and my E39 540i were also manual trans, it made the jump easier. The M4's manual trans is one of the best feeling manual trans I have ever driven. Not as short and direct as the Honda S2000, which was the best in my book. But it wasn't rubbery and the throws weren't long by any means. The i8's transmission is a tricky one with the hybrid set-up. In manual-shift mode, I really HATE the fact that it will downshift for you on deceleration and it will not let you upshift until the car feels it's right to. There are times that I have gotten my i8's transmission confused when in Comfort Mode where I would mash the throttle for max acceleration but it would not shift, causing the ICE engine to kick on but no power and my RPM's surge. It's odd. Needless to say, if the i8 ever had the capacity for 3-pedals, I would opt for it.


SOUND: I'll keep this one short. The i8's sound leaves a lot to be desired. Too calm for my personal taste but it fits the car's personality so I won't complain. For the M4, the sound it makes is fantastic. And I had a custom exhaust on my E92 M3 so I know what sounds good. The only complaint that I had was at cold-start. The M4 then sounded like a weed wacker and a John Deer tractor having sex. Thank goodness that when I got my M4 tuned, I was able to delete the cold-start so that took care of that. On downshift on my M4, the exhaust burble and braps were awesome. I've been very tempted to modify the i8's exhaust to give me more substance but I've held off.


The M4 was everything I wanted in my daily driver. Fast, great-styling, manual transmission, loud exhaust and the visibility was much better. I'm not sure with you guys but in my i8, there is a small blind spot on both driver and passenger-side A-pillars. Even more so at night. But the i8's styling, technology and comfort is what attracted me. I wanted to see what BMW's latest and greatest had to offer. I suffered knee injuries from years and years of playing competitive basketball so bending is tough for me at times. I wanted to be able to experience the i8 while I physically still could and I am glad I did. The i8 is brilliant for my daily driving needs but I want more excitement my next go around.

Different strokes for different folks but put a gun to my head, I am picking the M4 because that is what suits me while I'm still in my 30's. Perhaps my views will change as I get older.
QUOTE

not that one would buy this car for fuel economy, but what is your realistic MPG?

[Oreo Cat]

The i8 might appreciate more at first, but I feel in the long run the manual hardtops kept in good condition will be more desirable than the i8.. Personally I hate the i8, but that's just my 2cents

[Ghetto2315]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

not that one would buy this car for fuel economy, but what is your realistic MPG?

It depends on how much I actually plug the i8 in. For instance, if I do not plug into charge at all and I'm driving pretty aggressively, I would average about 28-30 MPG with 80 city / 20 hwy.

This week I am plugging almost every other day at work and I am averaging 41 mpg with the same 80 city / 20 hwy mix.

[Ghetto2315]

Originally Posted by Oreo Cat

The i8 might appreciate more at first, but I feel in the long run the manual hardtops kept in good condition will be more desirable than the i8.. Personally I hate the i8, but that's just my 2cents

:

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by Ghetto2315

...
But the i8's styling, technology and comfort is what attracted me. I wanted to see what BMW's latest and greatest had to offer. I suffered knee injuries from years and years of playing competitive basketball so bending is tough for me at times. I wanted to be able to experience the i8 while I physically still could and I am glad I did. The i8 is brilliant for my daily driving needs but I want more excitement my next go around.
QUOTE

Having Test driven the i8 over the weekend

It is a beautiful car, at least to me, and I couldn't have attracted more attention than if I'd been doing the hula in a grass skirt on top of a mini van. I desperately wanted to love this car to be able to walk into the dealer on Monday and tell them to whip out the paperwork; but...

The car is quick in a straight line and torque comes on in spades early, unlike my E92 M3, but I can see the power slipping away at the higher speeds (not that I did them) whereas the M3's still yelling "bring it on, man; bring it on." Likewise the wider wheel base seemed firmer on straight and curving roads, but around corners it felt less assured than my M3. In short, my M3's a car you can take to a track and laugh whilst flinging it sideways (not that I've done that, either, but at least I could if I could drive well enough) - the i8 is not built for that. It seems more of a sports GT than track star.

The attention is great, and it must've tickled my inner rock star, but I can see it wearing thin. However, you buy this car to stand out, not to blend in. The best way I can define the difference is that I drive my M3 on the weekend, early in the morning to avoid other traffic on the road, and go to the quiet twisties round the mountains. In the i8, you drive much later in the day because without the traffic it's a 2 trick pony (quick off the line and the hybrid motor).

I guess I can define the differences in that when I drive my M3 it either doesn't get noticed or people try to overtake me. In the i8 I seem to drive with a flock of cars all going my speed. I mean, going up one of the parkways in my town, I had a tradesman's ute in front of me doing 97km/h in a 100km/h zone (which was my speed in the slower land), and not tearing off in the fast lane whilst flipping me the bird. I mean, when was the last time anyone saw a tradies ute NOT speeding in the fast lane?

And therein lies my somewhat muted disappointment. I wanted the i8 to be my E92 M3, except looking like a spaceship, and instead I got an i8. And the question I began to ask "why am I driving this?" Not a good question you should be asking when you're going to spend $$$$ on a car.

If I were a super rich, or maybe like Harry's Garage, then I'd have it as my photoshoot driver... but for me, for how I want to drive, and while the i8 pushes many buttons, it's not pushing the "buy me". The only argument I could muster to buy it is as a potential investment collectors car in the ???? future; and that just doesn't seem good enough.

As I said. I really wanted it to wow me into buying it. I love the looks; but I need more in a car and it doesn't deliver it whereas my M3 does.

Funny.

[SYT_Shadow]

Thanks for the feedback

Imagine the i8 with the S65B44 (old GTS engine) in it!!

[BanjoPaterson]

Update to the update!

So, my much better half is suggesting keeping the M3 and trading in our DD (F25 X3) for the i8. We'll loose a pot of money as we only bought the X3 this year, but the upside is that we may have an i8 and an M3 in the garage, which really is a "have your cake and eat it" situation!

The bad news is the caveat on the arrangement is, and I quote her: "So then the M3 will be mine and I'll drive it to work."



Life unfolds...

[BanjoPaterson]

Well, despite the differences in driving between the M3 and the i8; I've gone and bought the i8 (taking delivery this Monday). Unfortunately, in a bittersweet moment, trading in my M3.

The M3 is the better driving car, no doubt about that, but I did enjoy the i8 for different reasons and purposes. If one could compare them to sprinters, then the M3 is the muscular sprinter who's out front in the medal position; whereas the i8 is more the flashy, blonde runner who is quick enough to be in the sprint, but too slow and is the runner coming near last (yet has the looks to get the advertising endorsements).

So, I'll definitely miss the E92 M3. It really was "the ultimate driving machine." However, got to move on...

PS: joked to the salesman today, as I dropped off the last of the paperwork, that I'd probably won't be able to trade in the i8 for an E92 M3 in five years' time 'cos that V8 will appreciate too much. Laughed before the thought occurred to me that *this may actually be the case*!!

So to everyone here - God Bless. You've been awesome. Best community every. Thank you for your advice and insights.