Get rid of the e92 for f82?

[madrit21]

Originally Posted by i_love_cars

Your issue sounds like a pretty ridiculous excuse to jump into a newer car.

The F8x will likely be trash compared to the G8x. Why not just save some extra money and wait for the G8x?

Gonna keep the e92. Ended up being a clutch. Getting replaced this week ($4k)

[i_love_cars]

Originally Posted by madrit21

Gonna keep the e92. Ended up being a clutch. Getting replaced this week ($4k)

That is the correct decision. Plus now if you decide to sell it down the road and get a G8x, you can advertise you have a brand new clutch

[DanMpower]

- F80 wasn't exceptionally lighter than the previous gen

While it wasn't exceptionally lighter than the E90, about 150-180lbs lighter, that's still a great improvement and the first M3 that bucks the trend in regards to increasing weight after each generation. That's a great sign, the first M3 that weighed less than it's predecessor. BMW M division really went to work on the F80 to save weight, I'm glad they just didn't add power but actually worked to lose weight.

- It did not handle as good as the previous gen with new electric steering

I think you've mistaken handling for road feel, on any track an F80 will outhandle an E9x. I agree that you do feel more of the road imperfections with the E9x, but sometimes that can be tiresome when you feel EVERYTHING in your steering wheel. I think the F80 is a nice compromise especially when you have it in comfort. Still has nice precise feel without getting too much of the road. The F80 steering is definitely a bit numb feeling compared to the E9x but it's far from being bad.

- nor did it ride good on regular roads compared to previous gen (actually rides worse if you experienced both E9X and F8X)

This is true, my F80 does ride harsher than both my E92 M3's but it's not unbearable. It feels more sport than cruiser. My wife prefers road trips in the E92 since the seats feel like sofas compared to the seats in the F80. The F80 seats are so much more sporty. I've taken 600-mile road trips in my F80 and never had any issues, if you're coming from sporty cars it's a non-issue. If you're used to Luxury barges, it might be a bit much.

- cheap plastics all over engine components, lighter yet weaker aluminum parts chassis + suspension (I don't know, mechanics seem to compare E9X to F3X on this manner a lot)

Cheap plastics all over the engine components? Have you even ever looked in an F80 engine bay? The E9x M3's intake plenum and huge airbox takes up a big portion of the engine bay and is made out of....you guessed it.. plastic. I reckon you're hit with less plastic when you open the hood of an F80 than an E9x M3. You are greeted with a nice carbon fiber engine brace in the F80 and a small M Power plastic engine cover. I never heard anything about weaker aluminum parts and suspension. May I ask where you got this info from?

- it did not have an outstanding exterior or interior (BMW is conservative in this area anyways)

This is strictly subjective but I think the F80 and E30 are BMW's most badass looking models to date, with those huge fender flares you can't mistake them for anything else. While the E9x does look amazing as well, I think they are a bit more conservative with the styling, especially interior. Might age better though.

- it sounds horrible, makes everyone jus cringe whenever it cold starts or drives by

Again, totally subjective. I think the S55 with the right exhaust combo sounds pretty damn good. A stock 2015 doesn't sound great but a Competition Package or CS sounds sweet especially in the upper revs. Now cold starts are another story, they really do sound awful when warming up. I know we love to praise the S65 for sound because on paper it should sound like a Ferrari, 4.0L that revs to 8000+! In reality, it's definitely no flat plane V8, it's not particularly deep sounding nor does it have the scream of an exotic high revver. To me, it just sounds like an average V8 with lots of induction noises, it's also raspy by nature when you start messing with the exhaust. If you leave it stock and untouched, its VERY quiet and doesn't quite fit the car's character. I think the V8 in my old Lexus IS-F sounded much better. I've given rides to many friends and car enthusiasts in my F80 and they all love the way it sounds especially the burbles, even my brutally honest friends all like it.

- and most importantly it's just a tuned 335i motor in all seriousness...no individual throttle bodies, no high compression, high RPM motor that gave M character in all previous cars.

The S55 is definitely not a tuned N55/N54 335i motor. For one, S55 is a closed deck motor and tuners have already pushed past 800WHP without touching the block or head with more room to go. I've owned a 335i and the engines behave NOTHING alike. Chris Harris calls the S55 a masterpiece, and I agree. Low to mid range, it behaves like a big block V8 with huge amounts of power and torque, but unlike a huge V8, it doesn't run out of steam at 5000 RPMS, nope... this puppy revs until 7600 RPMS! In fact, the F80 M3 REVS HIGHER than both the original E30 M3 and the E36 M3. Does that make the F80 more "M3" than the original E30 and E36 M3s? The E36, at least for the US market never got ITB's and the S14 and S50 weren't particularly high compression engines either 10.5:1. So no, those criterias you listed do not apply to all previous M3s.

And this is the reason why so many M owners are coming back to E9X gen
- it just rides better on road (fact if you experienced both on road...)
- but also give much more steering feedback on track
- sounds like crazy
- motor is simply at the pinnacle of M division history, V8 NA 8400rpm, high compression (12.0), lightweight (light like 33lb lighter than an inline 6 NA S54, amazing response via individual throttle bodies

The F80 isn't for everyone currently, I remember there was quite a lot of people that went back to the E46 M3 from the E9x back in the days as well, doesn't mean the E9x is a bad car. Some drivers crave a more raw experience than the E9x can offer, which I understand. The steering on the E9x is great but it pales in comparison to the E46 M3. The E9x is a great GT car, well insulated, sometimes too insulated, feels substantial on the road because it's a heavy car, comfortable and fun to drive but it's not RAW, actually far from it. I feel like my F80 has a more raw feeling, feels like it has less sound deadening, you hear and feel more, stiffer ride, I'm on a stage 2+ tune and it feels like it has enough power to affect the earth's rotation. It's a beast and I love it.

I love my E92 M3 also to death but I'm not blindly loyal to it, it was a dream car of mine for over a decade but I don't exclusively drink the Cool-Aid. I think BMW is doing a great job at making the M3 faster, handle better, more efficient while being safer, packing the latest tech and weighing less, it's called progress. I feel bad sometimes as a BMW enthusiast because it seems most of the hate always is between BMW owners, I remember a lot of E46 owners were hating on the new kid as well when the E9x M3 was introduced, calling it too heavy, too insulated, not a real M3 because it has a V8. I use to defend the E9x against blindly loyal E46 owners LOL, now I'm doing the same with the F80. Why must we always hate on the new stuff? Progress is good people!

[brettcp]

I've had several E92/E93's and from 2015-2018 I had an F83 M4.. After the M4 I went back to an E93 which I have now.. the E93 is so much more fun to drive.. I've mentioned this to others who don't seem to understand, but its the truth - I personally find the E9x so much more fun to drive.. the sound, the rawness (feeling vs the M4), the feel, its just overall more fun than the M4 was.. Just my opinion!

[RedScytheM3]

Originally Posted by RAETD M

While it wasn't exceptionally lighter than the E90, about 150-180lbs lighter, that's still a great improvement and the first M3 that bucks the trend in regards to increasing weight after each generation. That's a great sign, the first M3 that weighed less than it's predecessor. BMW M division really went to work on the F80 to save weight, I'm glad they just didn't add power but actually worked to lose weight.

I think you've mistaken handling for road feel, on any track an F80 will outhandle an E9x. I agree that you do feel more of the road imperfections with the E9x, but sometimes that can be tiresome when you feel EVERYTHING in your steering wheel. I think the F80 is a nice compromise especially when you have it in comfort. Still has nice precise feel without getting too much of the road. The F80 steering is definitely a bit numb feeling compared to the E9x but it's far from being bad.

This is true, my F80 does ride harsher than both my E92 M3's but it's not unbearable. It feels more sport than cruiser. My wife prefers road trips in the E92 since the seats feel like sofas compared to the seats in the F80. The F80 seats are so much more sporty. I've taken 600-mile road trips in my F80 and never had any issues, if you're coming from sporty cars it's a non-issue. If you're used to Luxury barges, it might be a bit much.

Cheap plastics all over the engine components? Have you even ever looked in an F80 engine bay? The E9x M3's intake plenum and huge airbox takes up a big portion of the engine bay and is made out of....you guessed it.. plastic. I reckon you're hit with less plastic when you open the hood of an F80 than an E9x M3. You are greeted with a nice carbon fiber engine brace in the F80 and a small M Power plastic engine cover. I never heard anything about weaker aluminum parts and suspension. May I ask where you got this info from?

This is strictly subjective but I think the F80 and E30 are BMW's most badass looking models to date, with those huge fender flares you can't mistake them for anything else. While the E9x does look amazing as well, I think they are a bit more conservative with the styling, especially interior. Might age better though.

Again, totally subjective. I think the S55 with the right exhaust combo sounds pretty damn good. A stock 2015 doesn't sound great but a Competition Package or CS sounds sweet especially in the upper revs. Now cold starts are another story, they really do sound awful when warming up. I know we love to praise the S65 for sound because on paper it should sound like a Ferrari, 4.0L that revs to 8000+! In reality, it's definitely no flat plane V8, it's not particularly deep sounding nor does it have the scream of an exotic high revver. To me, it just sounds like an average V8 with lots of induction noises, it's also raspy by nature when you start messing with the exhaust. If you leave it stock and untouched, its VERY quiet and doesn't quite fit the car's character. I think the V8 in my old Lexus IS-F sounded much better. I've given rides to many friends and car enthusiasts in my F80 and they all love the way it sounds especially the burbles, even my brutally honest friends all like it.

The S55 is definitely not a tuned N55/N54 335i motor. For one, S55 is a closed deck motor and tuners have already pushed past 800WHP without touching the block or head with more room to go. I've owned a 335i and the engines behave NOTHING alike. Chris Harris calls the S55 a masterpiece, and I agree. Low to mid range, it behaves like a big block V8 with huge amounts of power and torque, but unlike a huge V8, it doesn't run out of steam at 5000 RPMS, nope... this puppy revs until 7600 RPMS! In fact, the F80 M3 REVS HIGHER than both the original E30 M3 and the E36 M3. Does that make the F80 more "M3" than the original E30 and E36 M3s? The E36, at least for the US market never got ITB's and the S14 and S50 weren't particularly high compression engines either 10.5:1. So no, those criterias you listed do not apply to all previous M3s.

The F80 isn't for everyone currently, I remember there was quite a lot of people that went back to the E46 M3 from the E9x back in the days as well, doesn't mean the E9x is a bad car. Some drivers crave a more raw experience than the E9x can offer, which I understand. The steering on the E9x is great but it pales in comparison to the E46 M3. The E9x is a great GT car, well insulated, sometimes too insulated, feels substantial on the road because it's a heavy car, comfortable and fun to drive but it's not RAW, actually far from it. I feel like my F80 has a more raw feeling, it has less sound deadening, you hear and feel more, stiffer ride, I'm on a stage 2+ tune and it feels like it has enough power to affect the earth's rotation. It's a beast and I love it.

I love my E92 M3 also to death but I'm not blindly loyal to it, it was a dream car of mine for over a decade but I don't exclusively drink the Cool-Aid. I think BMW is doing a great job at making the M3 faster, handle better, more efficient while being safer, packing the latest tech and weighing less, it's called progress. I feel bad sometimes as a BMW enthusiast because it seems most of the hate always is between BMW owners, I remember a lot of E46 owners were hating on the new kid as well when the E9x M3 was introduced, calling it too heavy, too insulated, not a real M3 because it has a V8. I use to defend the E9x against blindly loyal E46 owners LOL, now I'm doing the same with the F80. Why must we always hate on the new stuff? Progress is good people!

Well done. Well said.
Both cars are great, I don't understand others' need to be blindly fanatical.

[DanMpower]

Originally Posted by RedScytheM3

Well done. Well said.
Both cars are great, I don't understand others' need to be blindly fanatical.

Thank you!

If I could only own one M3, I wouldn't buy a new F80 currently. My F80 had an MSRP of 93K..For less than half that price I would get the cleanest E9x M3 I can find because every time I get out of my E92 M3, it gives me just as many smiles per miles as my F80 does. For the price point, like many have pointed out, there is nothing that can touch the E9x IMHO. It's such an amazing car and value. I DO recommend adding a used F8x to the stable when the prices drop, it will also be a fantastic value and so far it seems one of the most reliable M cars to date. Tuners are making big power from the stock unopened S55, 800+ WHP. We all know BMW is finding ways to block and limit tunability in these cars so who knows if the next generation will be easy to modify, if at all.

If you're looking to switching for performance, no doubt the F8x would be a great choice because objectively it's a better performing car and very easy to make huge power. If you're switching thinking the F8x is like an E9x but newer, you'll be disappointed. Totally different feeling, both amazingly fun to drive but they have their own personality and quirks. F80 is fast and precise, feels like a missile on rails but a little cold in execution..it feels German. The E92 feels a lot more analog and thrilling with a lot of drama, it feels alive. Some people like drama in their life.