Calling M4 owners - does it really bite?
Discussion
Hi,
I'm starting to think about changing my F10 M5 and I am strongly considering an M4. I've test driven one M4 for an hour and borrowed a different one for a weekend and other than the fact that the M4 is obviously smaller than an M5 I found them to be really quite similar. Perhaps the M4 feels a tiny bit quicker and slightly more rigid (I mostly used the same settings I normally use in my M5). Also the M5 sounds better than the M4. The M4 makes an odd, nasty racket when cold but that is well documented.
The one thing I'm most interested in but didn't really get to find out about with either M4 I drove is what the M4 is like when pushed harder in the wet. I drove the cars in the summer. The M4 has now got a reputation as a car that will bite if the road isn't perfect.
So I'd love to hear from M4 owners, past and present, about how the car is really like to drive closer to the limit (and I wouldn't love to hear from people who have read all the reviews but haven't spent a lot of time driving the car).
S&C
I'm starting to think about changing my F10 M5 and I am strongly considering an M4. I've test driven one M4 for an hour and borrowed a different one for a weekend and other than the fact that the M4 is obviously smaller than an M5 I found them to be really quite similar. Perhaps the M4 feels a tiny bit quicker and slightly more rigid (I mostly used the same settings I normally use in my M5). Also the M5 sounds better than the M4. The M4 makes an odd, nasty racket when cold but that is well documented.
The one thing I'm most interested in but didn't really get to find out about with either M4 I drove is what the M4 is like when pushed harder in the wet. I drove the cars in the summer. The M4 has now got a reputation as a car that will bite if the road isn't perfect.
So I'd love to hear from M4 owners, past and present, about how the car is really like to drive closer to the limit (and I wouldn't love to hear from people who have read all the reviews but haven't spent a lot of time driving the car).
S&C
I've only covered 1500 miles in mine but feel I can comment on how it handles in the wet after I nearly wrote it off on Saturday.
It was my own fault, coming from an M135i I didn't respect how wet the road was and how much power this car has.
The running in service was done on Friday so took it out Saturday morning to open it up for the first time.
I was coming off an island onto a straight dual carriage way and in the 1er my foot would have been to the floor at this point.
Tried to do the same in the M4 and the back end shot out to the other side of the road, luckily traction control pulled me back and all was good.
As I say it was my fault but was a huge eye opener that it can't just be thrown around in the wet like the Mlite could be.
Really looking forward to the summer but until then i'll be taking a lot of care in these conditions.
It was my own fault, coming from an M135i I didn't respect how wet the road was and how much power this car has.
The running in service was done on Friday so took it out Saturday morning to open it up for the first time.
I was coming off an island onto a straight dual carriage way and in the 1er my foot would have been to the floor at this point.
Tried to do the same in the M4 and the back end shot out to the other side of the road, luckily traction control pulled me back and all was good.
As I say it was my fault but was a huge eye opener that it can't just be thrown around in the wet like the Mlite could be.
Really looking forward to the summer but until then i'll be taking a lot of care in these conditions.
steakandchips said:
Hi,
I'm starting to think about changing my F10 M5 and I am strongly considering an M4. I've test driven one M4 for an hour and borrowed a different one for a weekend and other than the fact that the M4 is obviously smaller than an M5 I found them to be really quite similar. Perhaps the M4 feels a tiny bit quicker and slightly more rigid (I mostly used the same settings I normally use in my M5). Also the M5 sounds better than the M4. The M4 makes an odd, nasty racket when cold but that is well documented.
The one thing I'm most interested in but didn't really get to find out about with either M4 I drove is what the M4 is like when pushed harder in the wet. I drove the cars in the summer. The M4 has now got a reputation as a car that will bite if the road isn't perfect.
So I'd love to hear from M4 owners, past and present, about how the car is really like to drive closer to the limit (and I wouldn't love to hear from people who have read all the reviews but haven't spent a lot of time driving the car).
S&C
Although the power/torque differences are significant, i'd suggest if you drove the M4 in the same way you drive the M5 you'll be close to the mark given the power/weight ratio is likely fairly similar between the 2 cars.I'm starting to think about changing my F10 M5 and I am strongly considering an M4. I've test driven one M4 for an hour and borrowed a different one for a weekend and other than the fact that the M4 is obviously smaller than an M5 I found them to be really quite similar. Perhaps the M4 feels a tiny bit quicker and slightly more rigid (I mostly used the same settings I normally use in my M5). Also the M5 sounds better than the M4. The M4 makes an odd, nasty racket when cold but that is well documented.
The one thing I'm most interested in but didn't really get to find out about with either M4 I drove is what the M4 is like when pushed harder in the wet. I drove the cars in the summer. The M4 has now got a reputation as a car that will bite if the road isn't perfect.
So I'd love to hear from M4 owners, past and present, about how the car is really like to drive closer to the limit (and I wouldn't love to hear from people who have read all the reviews but haven't spent a lot of time driving the car).
S&C
I made the move from an F10 M5 to the M4 at the end of last year.
Had the M5 for over 3 years and covered 70,000 miles in it.
Even though I’ve only covered 6,000 miles in the M4 it does feel like a different car to the M5 once you settle into it.
The weight difference is instantly apparent and makes the M4 feel a lot more "fierce" than the M5 even though it’s output is over 125bhp less.
I understand that the M4 and M5 share the exact same DCT and rear differential but they feel different between the two models, again possibly due to the weight difference.
The M5 was ballistic quick and while it would easily let-go at the rear it’s not as sudden as the M4.
The M4 is explosive in comparison. Not necessarily a faster car but the buckets of torque make the delivery so much quicker than the M5, hence the comments from DarylB90.
Don’t get me wrong, the M5 can easily spin you around without even trying but the M4 seems to do it very, VERY quickly indeed!
The ride is also different between them. The M5 was medium, medium-hard, hard. The M4 is hard, harder, hardest.
Had the M5 for over 3 years and covered 70,000 miles in it.
Even though I’ve only covered 6,000 miles in the M4 it does feel like a different car to the M5 once you settle into it.
The weight difference is instantly apparent and makes the M4 feel a lot more "fierce" than the M5 even though it’s output is over 125bhp less.
I understand that the M4 and M5 share the exact same DCT and rear differential but they feel different between the two models, again possibly due to the weight difference.
The M5 was ballistic quick and while it would easily let-go at the rear it’s not as sudden as the M4.
The M4 is explosive in comparison. Not necessarily a faster car but the buckets of torque make the delivery so much quicker than the M5, hence the comments from DarylB90.
Don’t get me wrong, the M5 can easily spin you around without even trying but the M4 seems to do it very, VERY quickly indeed!
The ride is also different between them. The M5 was medium, medium-hard, hard. The M4 is hard, harder, hardest.
Edited by JCHill on Thursday 28th January 08:54
The problem with the M4 is not the torque, it's the suspension......try one down a back road, you will end up slowing down and backing off.....can be very scary!
However, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
I may well get one of them, but worry about meeting an F10 and being blown into the weeds.....then regretting not getting another F10!
Can I live without that V8 as well?
However, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
I may well get one of them, but worry about meeting an F10 and being blown into the weeds.....then regretting not getting another F10!
Can I live without that V8 as well?
Jazzer said:
The problem with the M4 is not the torque, it's the suspension......try one down a back road, you will end up slowing down and backing off.....can be very scary!
However, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
I may well get one of them, but worry about meeting an F10 and being blown into the weeds.....then regretting not getting another F10!
Can I live without that V8 as well?
Happy to meet up wheneverHowever, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
I may well get one of them, but worry about meeting an F10 and being blown into the weeds.....then regretting not getting another F10!
Can I live without that V8 as well?
Jazzer said:
The problem with the M4 is not the torque, it's the suspension......try one down a back road, you will end up slowing down and backing off.....can be very scary!
However, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/showthread.php?t=144...However, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
W8PMC said:
Jazzer said:
The problem with the M4 is not the torque, it's the suspension......try one down a back road, you will end up slowing down and backing off.....can be very scary!
However, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
I may well get one of them, but worry about meeting an F10 and being blown into the weeds.....then regretting not getting another F10!
Can I live without that V8 as well?
Happy to meet up wheneverHowever, the competition pack that's come out addresses this I believe, as do some aftermarket set ups.
I may well get one of them, but worry about meeting an F10 and being blown into the weeds.....then regretting not getting another F10!
Can I live without that V8 as well?
I've had mine since launch (few days early) and I've driven it in sunny warm wether, cold rainy and some snow and ice, not had any problems so far.
I've had it a bit exciting but thats only if you make it, mine is a manual and I think as such much more controllable, its got a lot of thrust and if you just bury your foot and don't treat it properly you will have problems, just look at the video of the clown in the states who went over the central median in his, showing off to a crowd outside a coffee shop, the car won't crash itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miA5qj5ergM
I've had it a bit exciting but thats only if you make it, mine is a manual and I think as such much more controllable, its got a lot of thrust and if you just bury your foot and don't treat it properly you will have problems, just look at the video of the clown in the states who went over the central median in his, showing off to a crowd outside a coffee shop, the car won't crash itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miA5qj5ergM
I've had my E46 M3 and Z4M spin up in both 2nd and 3rd on poor roads - and those have something like half the torque!
I have no doubt an accident in an M4 can happen very quickly if you are caught out. I spoke to a number of people who used to drive TVRs and talked about driving along "like a grandmother" in the wet, and suddenly being backwards
I have no doubt an accident in an M4 can happen very quickly if you are caught out. I spoke to a number of people who used to drive TVRs and talked about driving along "like a grandmother" in the wet, and suddenly being backwards
I have an M5 and have driven standard and modified M4, the M4 is much lighter than the M5 has a shorter wheel base and smaller wheels and narrower tyres and it shows in the cars reactions, the M5 is more forgiving in all circumstances but the M4 is nippy and dart like in comparison and you drive it differently.
The modified M4 I drove was much better than the standard one, it was the car that PH tested (ACS) and was very well planted, the rumour is the BMW have used the LCI to address the handling of the M3/4 but typically they keep it quiet as they did with the engine mapping and steering improvements on the e92 M3.
Not driven a CP car yet or read a test but the CP e92 was better than the stock e92
The modified M4 I drove was much better than the standard one, it was the car that PH tested (ACS) and was very well planted, the rumour is the BMW have used the LCI to address the handling of the M3/4 but typically they keep it quiet as they did with the engine mapping and steering improvements on the e92 M3.
Not driven a CP car yet or read a test but the CP e92 was better than the stock e92
jayemm89 said:
I've had my E46 M3 and Z4M spin up in both 2nd and 3rd on poor roads - and those have something like half the torque!
I have no doubt an accident in an M4 can happen very quickly if you are caught out. I spoke to a number of people who used to drive TVRs and talked about driving along "like a grandmother" in the wet, and suddenly being backwards
Staggered by that straight line clip above - plus the utter lack of any corrective lock!I have no doubt an accident in an M4 can happen very quickly if you are caught out. I spoke to a number of people who used to drive TVRs and talked about driving along "like a grandmother" in the wet, and suddenly being backwards
Had a V8 TVR - no nanny electronics! Used to carry a brolly in the wet for protection!
Wills2 said:
The rumour is that BMW have used the LCI to address the handling of the M3/4 but typically they keep it quiet as they did with the engine mapping and steering improvements on the e92 M3.
Yep that's right, see my link above to the M3 Cutters thread.The LCI models have the updated dampers that will also be on the CP - they're just not telling anyone.
CP will have shorter springs but that's it for the suspension.
Wills2 said:
Well if you read the PH article on the ACS M4 that's what they did (well springs and dampers) and transformed the car, so basically yes.
Yes but they were 'passive' dampers, and these are 3 setting electrics, so is there an issue with the older electronics working with the new model dampers?Timbergiant said:
I've had mine since launch (few days early) and I've driven it in sunny warm wether, cold rainy and some snow and ice, not had any problems so far.
I've had it a bit exciting but thats only if you make it, mine is a manual and I think as such much more controllable, its got a lot of thrust and if you just bury your foot and don't treat it properly you will have problems, just look at the video of the clown in the states who went over the central median in his, showing off to a crowd outside a coffee shop, the car won't crash itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miA5qj5ergM
The fact that you have a manual is significant, as you are less likely to take liberties with the throttle, due to the need to constantly - actively - modulate your inputs during gearchanges. Flappy paddles, nailed upshifts, wet/bumpy roads = ooooops.......I've had it a bit exciting but thats only if you make it, mine is a manual and I think as such much more controllable, its got a lot of thrust and if you just bury your foot and don't treat it properly you will have problems, just look at the video of the clown in the states who went over the central median in his, showing off to a crowd outside a coffee shop, the car won't crash itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miA5qj5ergM
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