M4 Shock

Author
Discussion

scarecrow

Original Poster:

2,950 posts

234 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Had a test drive in a M4 today.
After owning many M's and various other performance cars in the past I was excited to try this new M offering.

How disappointing!

Sure it was fast but so boring. The power delivery was just like a large capacity turbo diesel. Loads of shove but zero character.

Handling again was very sure footed especially considering the freezing conditions but again the lack of feel and feedback from the steering and general feel was poor to none existent!

I was truly shocked at how far off the mark the M4 was. I am not usually this critical of cars as normally put any poor feedback down to me just not getting it but in this case the experience was definitely poor due to the car.

With dropping out of the company car scheme imminent I was really looking forward to getting back into an M after boring company diesel barges but to be honest I now don't know what try instead.

Terminator X

14,921 posts

203 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
V8 version wink

TX.

Jazzer

1,665 posts

203 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Stand by for the usual suspects coming along, undermining your opinion, telling you it takes a while to understand and appreciate the car, which simply can't be done on an icy test drive.

I too was shocked at how far off the mark it was for an M-car.

We must all be idiots, eh?

stevenandalex

124 posts

203 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
If you want a new car I would try a m235i. I like you do not rate the new M4 and after driving an e92 M3, will be replacing mine for the M235i In a couple of years.

Steve

JMBMWM5

2,283 posts

197 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Having owned the E90 M3, and the LCI M5 and now the M6 GC CP, i too test drove the M4, my findings were the steering was good (it was dry and warm) and feed-back ok, it was very "Go-Cart" for me almost "boy-racer", it held the road well enough on the twisty stuff but a bit "fidgety" , not confidence inspiring nothing like the E90 which was awesome.
Interior cheap and cheerful, just 3 series, not impressed.

x5x3

2,422 posts

252 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Jazzer said:
We must all be idiots, eh?
yes - the sort who will spend their hard earned cash elsewhere now smile

Shaoxter

4,048 posts

123 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
stevenandalex said:
If you want a new car I would try a m235i. I like you do not rate the new M4 and after driving an e92 M3, will be replacing mine for the M235i In a couple of years.

Steve
What makes you think an M235i will be any better? It's turbocharged and has electric steering like the M4...

GameOverMan!

332 posts

196 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
scarecrow said:
Had a test drive in a M4 today.

With dropping out of the company car scheme imminent I was really looking forward to getting back into an M after boring company diesel barges but to be honest I now don't know what try instead.
I think the 'OP' has a very good point. If you don't get on with the M3/M4 and you don't want a larger M car e.g. M5/M6 then what new 2 door car do you buy? The only other option for a new car in a similar price bracket for me was the Boxster/Cayman (I don't get on with Audi cars).

I had the same problem with the test drive but opted for the M4 in the end anyway as I wanted a warranty and I like turbo cars. I've also had a raft of performance BMWs and they've proven to be very reliable (unlike a number of more expensive brands/models I've owned).

After playing with setting in mine for some time, I like the car - however others will always hate it, it's very different to previous incarnations as Chris Harris says in his review. The lack of exhaust note was very disappointing until the 'valve' mod.


ITP

1,996 posts

196 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Maybe consider a non german option?
F-type? RC-F? Both of these will sound considerably better than an M4 for similar money.

0836whimper

974 posts

197 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
It's not BMW's fault. They are just responding to demand.

Instead take issue with all the people on here who drive on motorways in heavy traffic, feel 'threatened' by turbo'd hot hatches and complain about 'lack of torque' and would prefer a better 'every day' car.

Well, you got what you wanted, basically a 335d that takes petrol and has an M badge stuck on the back.

Enjoy.

frown

Jazzer

1,665 posts

203 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
x5x3 said:
Jazzer said:
We must all be idiots, eh?
yes - the sort who will spend their hard earned cash elsewhere now smile
I think you misunderstood me Batman!

I'm not in the market for an M4 and never will be.

I love the car I have and will not be changing it any time soon.

x5x3

2,422 posts

252 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Jazzer said:
x5x3 said:
Jazzer said:
We must all be idiots, eh?
yes - the sort who will spend their hard earned cash elsewhere now smile
I think you misunderstood me Batman!

I'm not in the market for an M4 and never will be.

I love the car I have and will not be changing it any time soon.
haha, no I am with you, I'm one of the idiots who do not like the new M4 and will be buying from another manufacturer.

Lots of people have opinions on forums - the only ones that count are the ones that buy one or another car.

scarecrow

Original Poster:

2,950 posts

234 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
ITP said:
Maybe consider a non german option?
F-type? RC-F? Both of these will sound considerably better than an M4 for similar money.
That is a good shout which I must admit I hadn't considered.

Still reeling from the disappointment of the M4, maybe I should arrange another test in better conditions to clarify.

Jazzer

1,665 posts

203 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
x5x3 said:
Jazzer said:
x5x3 said:
Jazzer said:
We must all be idiots, eh?
yes - the sort who will spend their hard earned cash elsewhere now smile
I think you misunderstood me Batman!

I'm not in the market for an M4 and never will be.

I love the car I have and will not be changing it any time soon.
haha, no I am with you, I'm one of the idiots who do not like the new M4 and will be buying from another manufacturer.

Lots of people have opinions on forums - the only ones that count are the ones that buy one or another car.
I'm not sure that makes you an idiot....it would depend on what you go for!
So what are you going for?

bigtime

513 posts

138 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
GameOverMan! said:
I think the 'OP' has a very good point. If you don't get on with the M3/M4 and you don't want a larger M car e.g. M5/M6 then what new 2 door car do you buy? The only other option for a new car in a similar price bracket for me was the Boxster/Cayman (I don't get on with Audi cars).

I had the same problem with the test drive but opted for the M4 in the end anyway as I wanted a warranty and I like turbo cars. I've also had a raft of performance BMWs and they've proven to be very reliable (unlike a number of more expensive brands/models I've owned).

After playing with setting in mine for some time, I like the car - however others will always hate it, it's very different to previous incarnations as Chris Harris says in his review. The lack of exhaust note was very disappointing until the 'valve' mod.
I am in the same boat and can't find anything better than the m4 for similar money. I drove a 991 carrera s the other week and I loved it but thought it made the M4 look good vfm as the 991 was around £100k. I've had my E92 m3 for 3 years and fancy a change. I liked the new M4 better than my E92 in every department except for the noise.

cerb4.5lee

30,189 posts

179 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
0836whimper said:
It's not BMW's fault. They are just responding to demand.

Instead take issue with all the people on here who drive on motorways in heavy traffic, feel 'threatened' by turbo'd hot hatches and complain about 'lack of torque' and would prefer a better 'every day' car.

Well, you got what you wanted, basically a 335d that takes petrol and has an M badge stuck on the back.

Enjoy.

frown
This is absolutely spot on and so true... and sadly I fell into the same trap as I hated my E92 M3 for its lack of low down guts and the fact it was only exciting at 6k revs plus so then for me I didn't think it suited daily driving one bit...I never used it on a motorway but still it was a tricky car to enjoy its potential.

Then I got to experience a 640d which offers oodles of low down guts but offers absolutely zero reward and BMW with the M4 have tried to offer similar because that's what many wanted and now we all look back with fond memories of what we have lost...so BMW just cant win and I agree wholeheartedly.

MitchT

15,788 posts

208 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
BMW should obviously have models that cater for people who want petrol cars with low down grunt - they're a business after all, but should keep the 'M' cars as high-revving, normally aspirated enthusiasts' cars. Whenever I see a review of the M4 it sounds like the up-changes are being done at 4,000rpm. The only way to relieve the frustration is to find some YouTube vids of E36s and E46s being threshed to within an inch of their life!

Shaoxter

4,048 posts

123 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
MitchT said:
BMW should obviously have models that cater for people who want petrol cars with low down grunt - they're a business after all, but should keep the 'M' cars as high-revving, normally aspirated enthusiasts' cars. Whenever I see a review of the M4 it sounds like the up-changes are being done at 4,000rpm. The only way to relieve the frustration is to find some YouTube vids of E36s and E46s being threshed to within an inch of their life!
Totally agree, they should also make CSL versions like Porsche do with their RS's.

TheBigUnit

364 posts

191 months

Wednesday 31st December 2014
quotequote all
0836whimper said:
It's not BMW's fault. They are just responding to demand.

Instead take issue with all the people on here who drive on motorways in heavy traffic, feel 'threatened' by turbo'd hot hatches and complain about 'lack of torque' and would prefer a better 'every day' car.

Well, you got what you wanted, basically a 335d that takes petrol and has an M badge stuck on the back.

Enjoy.

frown
One of the most perceptive comments I've read in a very long time. Can't argue with any of this.

JM5

367 posts

155 months

Wednesday 31st December 2014
quotequote all
Another here who was disappointed by the m4 after a test drive. I ended up going in a completely different direction and getting an evora.