E90 M3 or Audi RS4

I own both and the m3 smokes the RS4.

E92.

Rs4 is way better daily driver though. Still if I could only own one I would have the m3. It's the best drivers car I have ever driven.

Dr. Dre wrote

Why would you want a car with an engine that's so far out in front of the axle. instant understeer. M3 is a better balanced vehicle. Watch the old Top Gear video. The M3 destroyed the RS4. It was the slowest around the track.

The only upside to the RS4 is that there were so few it makes them somewhat rare.

What he said

Wrx STI is another alternative to RS4 too. You can modify them pretty inexpensively and make them faster than an rs4. The Boxer engine makes it a great handling vehicle too, very balanced. I would choose to just have the lip spoiler. Sounds amazing too with a borla exhaust. M3 smokes both of them though.

I’ve driven both. RS4 first, because I was about to take one over from a friend. E90M a few days later because I simply came across one.

Test drives are often simply first impressions. My take is, even if there were a few things you didn’t like and you came home and continued to look/search for that car, buy it if you have the means.

RS4.
- Engine sounds great from outside. On the inside, it’s a bit mute.
- Interior is a bit tight, especially for rear seat passengers.
- There are various creeks/ rattles across the interior which were a bit letdown.
- The motor is smooth, revs great but not very freely. This you have to experience for yourself.
- I didn’t find handling to be something to write home about. A bit of understeer can be felt even on ramps so not awesome.

E90M
- The engine. On the sound, it’s opposite of RS4. Great from inside, a bit less from outside. Not saying it’s crap, RS4 has charisma as it approaches you.
- The cockpit is right size. My first test is always sitting behind myself (6’3) and it passed that. The iDrive placement is awful.
- Once you get rolling, it’s the engine that drew me in. Great response and it lives to rev. Not only rev, but climb to sky. The feeling I can explain here is that rest of the car feels in sync, perfectly set up to let you rev.
- Gearbox. I drove 6MT. It wasn’t notchy. That’s a win in BMW world.
- Handling, typical BMW. No understeer. That was good enough.

All in, it was a great package. That’s what sold me on M3. I came home and slowly stopped searching for RS4 and that tells me I had concluded. Soon picked up E90M.

I later on went to pick up Evo X as winter car which is a completely separate beast to write about. I should do another thread.

Evo doesn't have the total package following the german compact hotted-up econosedans have (interior is function-forward, the ride is a little stiff for milk and egg runs, and if you think the S85 cars have too much fuel range, have I got a car for you!) but damn is it an excellent chassis, it really doesn't matter what flavor, all just excellent. Sad what's happened to that company.

Richbot wrote

Evo doesn't have the total package following the german compact hotted-up econosedans have (interior is function-forward, the ride is a little stiff for milk and egg runs, and if you think the S85 cars have too much fuel range, have I got a car for you!) but damn is it an excellent chassis, it really doesn't matter what flavor, all just excellent. Sad what's happened to that company.

I used to think “complete package” was an objective term. Once I switched from M3 to Evo X, it took me a week to get used to it. M3 fits like a glove and is refined. Evo X is raw (can’t imagine what previous gems would be) and anything but refined (small tank/trunk, rattles, no luxuries). In some ways it makes me question what a purist car is... E9X or Evo. I love them both.

Indeed. E9xM is the total package until you want to go up a slight incline on an icy day, or want torque, heh. The bottom line is, if you take a small econosedan and put 300+hp and AWD or RWD in it with a manual and a decent suspension/wheel-tire setup under it, you're gonna have a good time

I currently own both an RS4 B7 Avant, as well as an E90 M3 manual.
Here are my first impressions from spending a month and ~500mi/800km in an M3 after four years and ~40000mi/65000km of RS4 ownership:

- The M3 has far more configuration options for engine/suspension/steering/traction control compared to the RS4. In their default settings, the M3 felt like it had mechanical issues. The RS4 has just one mode, in which it manages to be both sporty and comfortable (plus an S-mode to make it slightly louder).

- Both cars have stock exhausts. From the cabin, the RS4 has a wider 'vocal range' and makes a generally more exciting engine note, both at high and low RPM.

- Some 'basic' features aren't really available in the M3. Such as oil dipstick, or coolant temp gauge, or instant fuel consumption, or turning iDrive screen off (not setting to black), or manual wiper speed adjustment.

- It feels like an M3 has more cabin space, but ergonomics could be better. I'm 194cm/6'4" and can't shift through gears while having the elbow in the arm rest, nor can engage 5th without leaning forward and detaching my shoulders from the back rest. Also, during track days I bang my helmet against the ceiling handle in every right hander.

complexCarlo wrote

Both 2008, side by side I know the M3 is quicker but for some reason I really like the simplistic exterior of the Audi. Both great years and have depreciated equally over the years yet remain staples in their category.

Anyone have a tad bit of insight?

This is my first Euro car and while I serve overseas I have been doing a lot of reading. Mainly at how to go about buying one, what to look out for and the maintenance costs. E90 has the actuators and RB, but RS4 has Timing chain tensioner failure and horrible CBU.

Would greatly like to hear anyone willing to chime in! Car would be used for light daily but mainly weekend fun / daddies garage toy.

Thank you!

Hey, I can chime in as I have owned both cars! Modified both. Loved both, etc. Also there is a Car and Driver article online out there comparing both cars that will basically say the same thing I am about to write..

So it really depends what you are wanting... Both cars are incredible, really. First off, don't let the maintenance and mechanical issues scare you. You really gotta drive both cars and get a feel for which one you prefer.

Truly I say this from experience, they are totally different drivers... Hard to even compare. The RS4 is a heavy awd sedan. It feels heavy too when braking at high speed. You can get better brakes though to help this. It also has more torque.. Feels faster down low. Steering is heavy but not as direct as the m3. It understeers more and has more body roll than the m3. The rs4 also doesnt have any aux port so you cant hook your phone up for music, aftermarket is available though. The rs4 is a great daily driver but the M3 sedan is better. Its just better. Anyone who has driven both gets what I am saying. Driver to car connection.... Braking feel.. Steering feel... Linear power band... The m3 is more visceral... The m3 makes you feel more alive. Rs4 is great with winter if you have snow... Honestly they arent even in the same class as I am thinking about it. Rs4 is like a golf R where the m3 is more compared to an R8. You could modify the rs4 to get it close to the m3 level - coilovers, exhaust, downpipes, brakes, tune.. Still won't be an m3 though. The only reason i would choose the RS4 over the m3 is because everyone is scared of their rod bearings failing on the m3.. You take that away though and I would choose the m3 everyday.
Hope this helps you.

M3 >RS4

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15386756/2008-bmw-m3-vs-2007-audi-rs-4-2008-m-b-c63-amg-comparison-tests/

Headhunter.M3 wrote

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15386756/2008-bmw-m3-vs-2007-audi-rs-4-2008-m-b-c63-amg-comparison-tests/

Sorry to be off topic, but I stumbled upon another retro comparo in the link posted. It was a 2009 M3 against the 911 Turbo and Godzilla, same year. Holy hell, the M3 won 1st place?!!!

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15142828/2008-bmw-m3-vs-2009-nissan-gt-r-vs-2008-porsche-911-turbo-comparison-tests/

"THE VERDICT: Every other manufacturer should give up on building their own cars and just make M3s instead."
Seems C&D was really smitten over the E9x M3...lol

Best article ever (if you’re an e9x m3 fan)!