M3 as a Daily Driver?

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

I have a little over a year left on my 328xi lease and I was looking into an M3 Coupe. I was wondering how the car is as a daily driver? Do you have to push the car hard to get anything out of it? My 328 has a nice flat torque curve and my sis's new 650i is awesome. It has power on demand. What can I expect from the M3? Will I need to push it around town?

[yalag]

You have to turn on the power button otherwise there's lag.

[valeram]

You don't really need to push it hard to protect your license. I use my car everyday and that is the main reason why I go to work everyday. It is a fun everyday car. But fun is relative. Just enjoy it and be safe.

[Greenspotpop]

I <3 mine as a daily driver, but I do park far away from the entrance at malls/restaurants at secluded spots

[jbeene]

I just got home from letting my buddy drive my M (he drives a 328xi).

I wouldn't let him go over 4000 rpm until it warmed up and even before that he admitted there was a big difference.

Once it was warmed up he just scared himself with it.

I drive mine 365 days a year and while it does kill me to have rock chips and snow tires on I wouldn't change a thing.

The car can be as boring as you want or as exciting as you want. It loafs to work every morning in traffic and then stretches its legs every afternoon on the way home.

I can't think of a better daily driver. Its like having a hot girlfriend who only has eyes for you.

[zenderm3]

Originally Posted by jbeene

I just got home from letting my buddy drive my M (he drives a 328xi).

I wouldn't let him go over 4000 rpm until it warmed up and even before that he admitted there was a big difference.

Once it was warmed up he just scared himself with it.

I drive mine 365 days a year and while it does kill me to have rock chips and snow tires on I wouldn't change a thing.

The car can be as boring as you want or as exciting as you want. It loafs to work every morning in traffic and then stretches its legs every afternoon on the way home.

I can't think of a better daily driver. Its like having a hot girlfriend who only has eyes for you.

Nice

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by -=Hot|Ice=-

I was wondering how the car is as a daily driver? Do you have to push the car hard to get anything out of it? My 328 has a nice flat torque curve and my sis's new 650i is awesome. It has power on demand. What can I expect from the M3? Will I need to push it around town?

M3 has as flat a torque curve as any naturally aspirated car out there. It's a great daily driver.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by -=Hot|Ice=-

I have a little over a year left on my 328xi lease and I was looking into an M3 Coupe. I was wondering how the car is as a daily driver? Do you have to push the car hard to get anything out of it? My 328 has a nice flat torque curve and my sis's new 650i is awesome. It has power on demand. What can I expect from the M3? Will I need to push it around town?

My E90 M3 is my current daily driver, and before that an E46 M3, an E46 330i, an E36 323iC, a Z3 1.9L and an E36 318i. All with manual transmissions.

The common denominator other than being BMWs: you adapt quickly to whatever power band you have available.

I used to drive 128mph for most of a 90 minute Autobahn ride to graduate school was I was stationed in Germany in the 318i without any issues. A couple of weeks ago I hit 142mph in the straights in a local racing track in the E90 M3. The difference was how quick I got to those speeds, but in that particular point in time it does not matter as you adapted to whatever power band you got. And it always feels real good...

Daily driving is the same, because once you own several BMW you get used to this particular ride quality that you can't quite find in any other brand. Now, if you are used to the 328i ride and that is your first BMW then you must take several test drives in the M3 before you jump into it. When I made the change from the E46 330i to the E46 M3 I found the OEM ride simply unacceptable, however a set of Eibach springs on the OEM shocks magically solved that. The E9x M3 ride, even stock and without EDC, is as comfortable as the E46 330i was with the Sport Package but with a higher limit of roll, pitch and dive.

Everything else is exactly the same as the 328i, the interior, the controls, the visibility.

Again, test drive as much as you can especially if you can find an used M3 in a dealer. That will give you a better view of what you should expect out of it in the long run -and you will be able to really push the engine without any break in concerns or limitations. Drive it mostly in the city, stop and go, low speed conditions for at least 30 minutes. Try to test the EDC, and the M-DCT so you can make a better decision about what you really want. The seamless shifting of the M-DCT is better for this engine than the 6-speed around town and in the track, IMO. The only reason my car does not have M-DCT is just because it was not available in any car configured as I wanted when I was ready to buy.

But there are no regrets because regardless of the transmission this engine is something else. The civilized brutality of the acceleration is deceiving.

[bobbyd1961]

i respectfully dissagree. around town you should not use the power button . lag is minimal only in a slowing rolling turn but in s5 or s4 no problem

[Loseit]

I use mine as a daily driver. 12k miles and counting. I do not use the power button, unless i am bored. The car can be as docile as you want or u can mash the throttle and give your self a silly grin all the way home.
I feel bad putting on the miles, but these cars are meant to be driven and will probably never be a collector car....
The only negative I can think of is the mileage....ony about 19/20 mpg for me.

[niqui]

for the average person, i think the torquier more usable engine curve in the 335i would be better suited to fun daily driving.

but i have a blast dd my car.

[BimmerBoomer]

I've used the E36, E46 and now E92 M3s as daily drivers. When my E46 was taken out by a transport I switched to a 335i rather than buy a second E46 M3. The achilles heel of the 335i here in the frozen north is the open differential; otherwise the torque, gas mileage and lower cost make it ideal. When BMW gets around to lowering the weight of xDrive and throws the DCT on to the 335xi (so that my wife can drive it) my M3 days may be over.

[ADubM3]

Yeh, why not as a DD?
If one of your worries is power, there is plenty of it and much more than you can use and will ever need as a DD.

[carri0n m3]

used to have a 328xi coupe and went to the m3; definitely a DD and solid overall car; little gas hungry but turned my commute into the most fun parts of the day

[kloh]

Originally Posted by Greenspotpop

I <3 mine as a daily driver, but I do park far away from the entrance at malls/restaurants at secluded spots

+1

I love my M3 as a daily driver, but I do worry about it all the time. Parking in particular is one that makes me nervous because people are never as careful as we'd like. I always try to park next to other "nice" cars if I can't find a secluded spot.

Plus, the car gets "looks" all the time so I'm sure it's a magnet for idiots like the jerk who "tagged" Voltigeur's car a few weeks back.

[JC919]

My M3 has 25k miles on it as a DD. No complaints here

[Dannys M3]

Originally Posted by yalag

You have to turn on the power button otherwise there's lag.

[NewM3driver]

You're coming out of a 328 and are worried about the torque curve of a new M3?

[NewM3driver]

The 650 is a BARGE compared to the M3.

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Originally Posted by JC919

My M3 has 25k miles on it as a DD. No complaints here

That's what I wanted to hear. Thanks folks!

[chungdae]

It is a great daily driver. I always look forward to my 47M one way to work and 47M back home. If you love to drive, the M3 is.. nothing less of phenomenal.

[GregW / Oregon]

I have 18k miles using my car daily (18 mi RT commute). It's not as torquey as some cars, but there is plenty. You don't HAVE to wind it out, but I often do because it's fun. There is over 200 lb. ft. from 1,500 rpm to the redline, and instant throttle response (I drive with the throttle mapping set "power" all the time).