Anyone with a 2012-2013 wish they waited for the M4?

[Limey]

I read all these pro F8X posts and I get it. I'm sold on it being a better car. And it SHOULD be better or it's a complete failure and BMW can't risk that with an M. Or did they and am I wrong? Subjective of course.

But, like I said before, The F8X IS "better" than the E90. But it just ISN'T as "good" as the E90!

And again, the deal breaker: The exhaust sound through the speakers If I owned an F8X, every time I heard that sound through the speakers I'd feel like I was being lied to by a good friend. Not cool.

RIP M

[RG m3]

Originally Posted by Limey

I read all these pro F8X posts and I get it. I'm sold on it being a better car. And it SHOULD be better or it's a complete failure and BMW can't risk that with an M. Or did they and am I wrong? Subjective of course.

But, like I said before, The F8X IS "better" than the E90. But it just ISN'T as "good" as the E90!

And again, the deal breaker: The exhaust sound through the speakers If I owned an F8X, every time I heard that sound through the speakers I'd feel like I was being lied to by a good friend. Not cool.

RIP M

Very well said. The f8x is the better car objectively, but it doesn't measure up to the e9x on the subjective side, not for me anyway. Subjective things are what make us attracted to the car and create the desire to own it.

For me, BMW failed in the most important area: the engine. The s55 has all the character and charisma of a cement block. That's totally unacceptable for me in a M car, no matter how well it performs.

M is still alive in the chassis department, but M engines are dead.

RIP M engines.

[8600RPM]

In fairness you can easily disable active sound and then you get a nice inline 6 bmw sound. It's not high revving v8 but stock for stock, f80 sounds better

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by 8600RPM

In fairness you can easily disable active sound and then you get a nice inline 6 bmw sound. It's not high revving v8 but stock for stock, f80 sounds better

the F80 sounds louder. but is that really better?

Its also only louder because it was made with the latest generation of exhuast systems.

[8600RPM]

Yes with mpe it sounds sensational. I prefer catless e92 but stock e92 has no sound.

I've now owned both and am back in an e92 but sound in the f80 was awesome and sadly everyone who hasn't had one is speculating based on internet. I had many reasons , Part nostalgia as the e92 was my dream for so long that going back made sense. But I did enjoy the f80

[Longboarder]

Originally Posted by 8600RPM

It's not high revving v8 but stock for stock, f80 sounds better

Let me guess you prefer the sound of the 6 cyl battery powered turbo muzzled F1 cars over the 3 litre NA v10's that revved to 18,000 rpm.

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by 8600RPM

Yes with mpe it sounds sensational. I prefer catless e92 but stock e92 has no sound.

I've now owned both and am back in an e92 but sound in the f80 was awesome and sadly everyone who hasn't had one is speculating based on internet. I had many reasons , Part nostalgia as the e92 was my dream for so long that going back made sense. But I did enjoy the f80

yes the E92 has a very underwhelming stock exhuast note. But most cars back then had one. the F80 pretty much comes stock with a aftermarket exhuast. Same thing with my corvette. These new exhuast systems from factory are decently loud. if the E92 was made today i would also sound a lot better.

Thats why its kind of unfair to compare a old car to new one.

[RG m3]

Originally Posted by 8600RPM

In fairness you can easily disable active sound and then you get a nice inline 6 bmw sound. It's not high revving v8 but stock for stock, f80 sounds better

There's a big difference between quantity of sound and quality of sound. Stock for stock, yes the f8x is louder, but the e9x sounds vastly better imo. I'm going to respectfully disagree.

[LarThaL]

When I had my e92, I found the the MPE was perfectly suited to the car. That said, by just dropping in a high flow air filter, the engine sounded so good that I almost didn't care about the exhaust so much.

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

Let me guess you prefer the sound of the 6 cyl battery powered turbo muzzled F1 cars over the 3 litre NA v10's that revved to 18,000 rpm.

I hate the sound (or lack thereof) of the current F1 cars

[Chris_PDX]

I drove an M4 before buying my M3. I could of afforded it, but a few things sealed the deal and I went with an E92 Competition pack instead:

-Did NOT like the steering, felt disconnected and I couldn't get a good road feel through the steering wheel
-Brake feel (non-Ceramic) was numb, especially when under hard braking
-Noise was meh
-Felt big and heavy

What I did like about it, was the torque. Coming off the line was much quicker for obvious reasons. But I wasn't a fan of the power delivery. It felt a little *too* punch for what I wanted (this is how all the new F8x turbo cars feel to me).

For those reasons, I opted to save $$$ and get the E92. Haven't regretted it since.

[xraym5]

I had leased an E92 M3 from 2010-12, but after returning it I couldn't get the thought of such an amazing car out of my head. Like the V10 in my M5, that V8 is such a classic engine. So while considering purchasing another M3 earlier this year, it was a no brainer to get one preowned and put in the Dinan power package with the stroker engine, all for less than I would spend on a new M4. Don't regret my decision for one second, and this car is likely faster than the M4 in NA form. Some have probably seen my prior post, but this car ran 0-60 MPH in 3.6 seconds at 88 degrees, so it probably is closer to 3.3 at cooler temps. Looking forward to seeing how it does in the half mile at the wannagofast event in Clayton, GA in a few weeks. High altitude, so my results won't reflect is full capabilities, but it will be very interesting to see how it compares with my stroker M5.

Driving a friend's M4 reinforced my decision. While more refined, not the same driving experience as the E92 M3.

[PrometheusM3]

I have an Individual 2013 and like Longboarder and the others in this thread, I wouldn't trade it for an F82 straight up right now, nor any time in the foreseeable future.

Everything about this is subjective, but my salient points are:

1) The sonorous roar of the catless S65, versus the metallic buzz of the S55. My wife and I were dining alfresco at the Spectrum last weekend when an M4 with an exhaust came zooming down the street in front of us. Just as I was thinking it myself, she said "That car sounds like shit!" And it was true. I'm a driver who cares about the driving experience, which is why I have a manual. That's just how I am.

2) Lack of LED tails. This will be remedied by the forthcoming OLED, of course, but incandescent tails in an MY 2016 car is absolutely unacceptable, especially when I had LED tails on my MY 2004 E46. I'm a light junkie, personally, and with my OSS LED fronts and OEM LCI, the lighting in my E92 looks better and newer than the "new" car.

3) High revs. While I'm nowhere near a clubsport racer like so many on this forum, I do enjoy the visceral pull of high-revving motors. My E92 is tuned to an 8600 RPM redline, and losing over 1,000 RPM (on a flat power band) to get into an F82 is an objective downgrade, plain and simple.

4) Performance. I'm about to get my supercharger installed, and I know it will bring an even greater level of joy and love for my car. Seeing blown E92s still be able to take out the highest-tuned F82s shows me that there's barely any good reason to make the switch at all.

I have only put 25,000 miles of pure joy on my E92, loving every minute. I plan to put at least another 50K before I upgrade. At that point, my most likely next move will be a DINAN M6 Gran Coupe, probably at the end of the production run (MY18-19). I wouldn't be surprised if I kept my E92 even then.

[RG m3]

Originally Posted by PrometheusM3

Just as I was thinking it myself, she said "That car sounds like shit!"

I couldn't agree more with you and your wife. That's why I'll never own an f80 m3.

[8600RPM]

Nobody I've met in person sailed f80 with mpe sounded bad at all

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by 8600RPM

Nobody I've met in person sailed f80 with mpe sounded bad at all

"most people" dont know what the hell is going on with cars.

they hear a loud and aggressive sound, they will think its cool.

I have been around exotics, and other high end cars. The F80 simply is sub par from a sound stand point. compared to V8 engine from the US, high revving from Italy, and flat 6 from the 911. they are sound better generally speaking.

[nonagon]

Originally Posted by Ezio

"most people" dont know what the hell is going on with cars.

they hear a loud and aggressive sound, they will think its cool.

I have been around exotics, and other high end cars. The F80 simply is sub par from a sound stand point. compared to V8 engine from the US, high revving from Italy, and flat 6 from the 911. they are sound better generally speaking.

I'm not sure if the 2016s are different, but there's no harsh metallic sound on mine. It sounds huge and bassy, from inside and outside the car. Loud. It's a monster. I did the exhaust valve mod but it didn't really need it. I promise you the car sounds fantastic.

[RG m3]

I've heard a stock f8x in person and listened to countless videos with different exhausts. Tone stays pretty much the same and only volume varies. I can't understand how someone can say that the f8x sounds good. Surely, they're not hearing the same thing I am, are they? Or maybe they've never heard the e9x? Not only does the f8x sound bad for a car of that caliber, it sounds worse than many cars that cost way less. If I were BMW, I'd be embarrassed.

[wuzupfoo]

The only people that I have ever heard talk positively about the sound of that motor are current m3/4 owners. No surprise there.

Rode in a friend's and it sounded like a Honda fart can on steroids. Don't know what exhaust it was but it wasn't appealing at all from outside. Though on the inside it wasn't as bad. The only thing I was truly envious of really is that turbo rush.. been awhile since I felt it and it was undeniably fun.

However I will say this and maybe Im a bit biased (ex JDM fan) here but if I wanted a not so good looking (yea im a hater lol) turbo six in a big coupe, Id have to get the current king of turbo sixes. Godzilla.

[nonagon]

Originally Posted by RG m3

I've heard a stock f8x in person and listened to countless videos with different exhausts. Tone stays pretty much the same and only volume varies. I can't understand how someone can say that the f8x sounds good. Surely, they're not hearing the same thing I am, are they? Or maybe they've never heard the e9x? Not only does the f8x sound bad for a car of that caliber, it sounds worse than many cars that cost way less. If I were BMW, I'd be embarrassed.

I had the same fear before receiving mine - it's an awesome sounding car. Clearly the s65 has a better induction sound, but it's just a different kind of experience. You get more exhaust sound in the new cars and less of the engine itself. Everyone I've taken for rides said the sound is incredible. Also for some reason videos don't F80/82 justice. The coolest sound it makes are the rev match downshifts.

[RG m3]

Originally Posted by wuzupfoo

The only people that I have ever heard talk positively about the sound of that motor are current m3/4 owners. No surprise there.

Rode in a friend's and it sounded like a Honda fart can on steroids. Don't know what exhaust it was but it wasn't appealing at all from outside. Though on the inside it wasn't as bad. The only thing I was truly envious of really is that turbo rush.. been awhile since I felt it and it was undeniably fun.

However I will say this and maybe Im a bit biased (ex JDM fan) here but if I wanted a not so good looking (yea im a hater lol) turbo six in a big coupe, Id have to get the current king of turbo sixes. Godzilla.

True, most people who like the sound of the f8x are current owners. The "Honda fart can on steroids" description is fitting. Although the e9x blows away the other two in sound, I will say that the GTR sounds much better than the f8x imo.

[RG m3]

Originally Posted by nonagon

I had the same fear before receiving mine - it's an awesome sounding car. Clearly the s65 has a better induction sound, but it's just a different kind of experience. You get more exhaust sound in the new cars and less of the engine itself. Everyone I've taken for rides said the sound is incredible. Also for some reason videos don't F80/82 justice. The coolest sound it makes are the rev match downshifts.

If you like the way your f80 sounds, it's all that matters. You're the one driving it after all. Personnally, i hate the sound and nothing anyone says will ever change that. I've heard a stock car in person and aftermarket exhausts just raise the volume but don't change the nature of the sound. I still think it sounds crappy, no matter what's on it. By the way, I think videos give a good idea of the sound. It's not perfect, but it can't sound that different in person. Listen to e9x videos and it's pretty close to reality. Have you ever heard e9x rev matched downshifts? They sound a heck of a lot better than on the f8x, imo.