F80 M4 vs E92 M3

[g3org3y]

With the way things are going (COVID19), it appears that early F80 M4s could be soon around 25k.

I'd considered an E92 M3 purchase but given that M4s are now on the radar, having second thoughts.

E92 M3
- Last naturally aspirated M car
- Looks amazing in grey with the comp pack.
- Rod bearings
- Relatively speaking not 'that' quick

F82 M4
- Also looks really good
- Seriously quick++
- Interior a step up from the old E92
- More money than the E92.
- Turbo - pros and cons

Any major engine issues with the M4? It'd be a weekend car rather than a daily driver. I heard the early M4s are spiky on the limit but tbh, I doubt I have the bravery/skills/stupidity to push it to those limits on the public road.

I have seen some v tempting finance deals out there for the M4 Competition and I wouldn't be surprised if these are made even more accessible in the upcoming months (again because CV19 but also with the new M4 on the horizon).

What do you guys reckon?

Edited by g3org3y on Thursday 23 April 21:58

[Leon R]

Weekend car I picked the e92. Daily driver I would have picked the F82.

[SELON]

Weekend car? Get an M4 Comp Convertible, gives you different dimensions to enjoy. That’s what I did. Can be a daily driver too.

[cerb4.5lee]

Leon R said:

Weekend car I picked the e92. Daily driver I would have picked the F82.

Agree with this.

On the odd occasion when I drove my E92 M3 on empty roads I absolutely loved it and 8400rpm doesn't get boring!

On my mostly congested commuting route everyday...it drove me mad though. I would pick the easier delivered performance of the M4 over the E92 M3 as a daily for sure.

As a weekend car the E92 M3 definitely gets vote for me...because you can just go out for pleasure and seek out the quiet roads to really enjoy/get the best from it.

[cerb4.5lee]

SELON said:

Weekend car? Get an M4 Comp Convertible, gives you different dimensions to enjoy. That’s what I did. Can be a daily driver too.

I really enjoyed the test drive I had in a M4 Convertible.

I really liked the noise it made too with the roof down(most people seem to slate the noise they make).

[Smuler]

I think on a run out model , definitely deals irrespective of the unusual situation with CVD-19.
But unless it is a daily driver, for doing a fair bit of mileage and you need all benefits of a new car such as 3 year warranty I really don’t see the point in tying yourself down to a depreciating car.

If it’s a weekend car , both are great cars.
I’d spend the least I need to and I think a E92 Competition Package would hold it’s value better than an early F8X circa £25k

Bearings and throttle actuators , 2k for the max preventative maintenance.

I’m adding to your pros and cons , I think the driving position of the F8X generation is much lower , so much better in my opinion.

[Mark83]

Big fan of the E92 in grey with Competition Pack too. I did test drive one a few years ago and liked it. Maintenance costs now are an issue as you've mentioned but depreciation will be negligible. You'll be paying top whack VED.

I currently have a F82 M4 Competition Pack which I picked up up in December when they were offering £20k discounts on new cars. It was quick when keeping it sensible. I had the running in service last month and now I have the whole rev range, it's definitely quick with a strong turbo wall of torque from low down. Negatives are the road noise and actual noise. I came from a 6.2 V8 C63 and I miss that engine's noise. I can't say I've had any issues of wayward handling but then again I didn't in the C63 and people said they were a handful in the wet. Don't drive like a idiot and it won't bite.

VED was included in on the road price but next year it's still cheaper than my C63 was. I have three years warranty and European breakdown so I have some peace of mind. Early life servicing is OK for an M car. The running in service was £319. Next one is due in two years / 18,000 miles and is just an oil change. The four year / 36,000 mile service is expensive though but I'll likely get rid before that. Insurance was more than I was expecting though. Maybe now they're dropping in value, their risk profile is changing?

Early F82s, I think crank hub failures and turbo seals are the expensive issues but fairly rare. Be wary as they could have been remapped and these tend to suffer more issues. If buying used, I'd rather the peace of mind of buying an AUC.

Edited by Mark83 on Tuesday 21st April 22:19

[SELON]

cerb4.5lee said:

SELON said:

Weekend car? Get an M4 Comp Convertible, gives you different dimensions to enjoy. That’s what I did. Can be a daily driver too.

I really enjoyed the test drive I had in a M4 Convertible.

I really liked the noise it made too with the roof down(most people seem to slate the noise they make).

Sound with the roof down is definitely better.

Also, there seems to be more headroom in the rear because of the roof design. I had 3 x 6 footers in the car for a 7 day road trip. Plenty of rear leg room as well. No problem at all.

125mph on the Autobhan with the roof down is fun. Even if you’re in the back seat.

The wind deflector (means you can only use front seats) is excellent if you’re touring with your partner. It’s so good there’s barely a breeze to ruffle her hair.

I’ve also done winter roadtrips with the wife and daughter, mid December to Holland/Germany for a few days. Perfectly suited to that as well. Felt sure footed, left it in auto and comfort settings. Soft tops are great nowadays, but the hard too really feels better.

As for dynamic performance, even on a crappy Sunday in January it was able to hold its own on some very average B roads in the company of more exotic cars (and I’m not a driving hero). It can also be a hooligan, as some say.

Personally, I chose it over a Bentley, Aston or Merc because i needed 4 proper seats and it did everything so very well.

Obviously, everyone has different priorities.

[cerb4.5lee]

SELON said:

cerb4.5lee said:

SELON said:

Weekend car? Get an M4 Comp Convertible, gives you different dimensions to enjoy. That’s what I did. Can be a daily driver too.

I really enjoyed the test drive I had in a M4 Convertible.

I really liked the noise it made too with the roof down(most people seem to slate the noise they make).

Sound with the roof down is definitely better.

Also, there seems to be more headroom in the rear because of the roof design. I had 3 x 6 footers in the car for a 7 day road trip. Plenty of rear leg room as well. No problem at all.

125mph on the Autobhan with the roof down is fun. Even if you’re in the back seat.

The wind deflector (means you can only use front seats) is excellent if you’re touring with your partner. It’s so good there’s barely a breeze to ruffle her hair.

I’ve also done winter roadtrips with the wife and daughter, mid December to Holland/Germany for a few days. Perfectly suited to that as well. Felt sure footed, left it in auto and comfort settings. Soft tops are great nowadays, but the hard too really feels better.

As for dynamic performance, even on a crappy Sunday in January it was able to hold its own on some very average B roads in the company of more exotic cars (and I’m not a driving hero). It can also be a hooligan, as some say.

Personally, I chose it over a Bentley, Aston or Merc because i needed 4 proper seats and it did everything so very well.

Obviously, everyone has different priorities.

Thanks for that.

It is a car that I would love to have one day for sure.

I currently have a 370Z Roadster which I'm really happy with...but the 2 seats are a big compromise because I have 2 kids. So I reckon that a 4 seat Convertible would suit me much better and these are on my radar.

[SELON]

cerb4.5lee said:

Thanks for that.

It is a car that I would love to have one day for sure.

I currently have a 370Z Roadster which I'm really happy with...but the 2 seats are a big compromise because I have 2 kids. So I reckon that a 4 seat Convertible would suit me much better and these are on my radar.

I also looked long and hard at the 370Z. A really good choice. Some good colour choices out there as well. I’m a big fan.

But the ability to get one or two in the back meant I could drive “my” car rather than the family (the wife’s) car more often

[cerb4.5lee]

SELON said:

I also looked long and hard at the 370Z. A really good choice. Some good colour choices out there as well. I’m a big fan.

But the ability to get one or two in the back meant I could drive “my” car rather than the family (the wife’s) car more often

Cheers.

I do like your way of thinking.

[g3org3y]

Thanks for the input chaps.

My mistake that F80 = M4, F82 = M4. (I'm only familiar with E numbers).

I did consider the E93 M3 for a time. Not sure you can get an isofix rear seat in the back though (I'm sure you can in the E92 though, and I certainly can in the E46 Coupe). Plus, I do already have the Z4 for roof down fun.

I'll keep a close eye on the market and see what crops up in the upcoming months.

[Arranguez]

E92 back seats def have ISOFIX.

[g3org3y]

Arranguez said:

E92 back seats def have ISOFIX.

I expected they would, and I'd expect a decent ISOFIX base + seat to fit (as with the E46).

However the E93 I'm less certain about. ISOFIX yes...space...not so much.



Er...

[Stevoox]

My opinion is the F82 but I'm biased 😉 the E92 does sound stunning though...

I got my M4 brand new two years ago, loved every minute and to help the noise had the M performance exhaust put on. Video below

[p1stonhead]

g3org3y said:

With the way things are going (COVID19), it appears that early F80 M4s could be soon around 25k.

I'd considered an E92 M3 purchase but given that M4s are now on the radar, having second thoughts.

E92 M3
- Last naturally aspirated M car
- Looks amazing in grey with the comp pack.
- Rod bearings
- Relatively speaking not 'that' quick

F80 M4
- Also looks really good
- Seriously quick++
- Interior a step up from the old E92
- More money than the E92.
- Turbo - pros and cons

Any major engine issues with the M4? It'd be a weekend car rather than a daily driver. I heard the early M4s are spiky on the limit but tbh, I doubt I have the bravery/skills/stupidity to push it to those limits on the public road.

I have seen some v tempting finance deals out there for the M4 Competition and I wouldn't be surprised if these are made even more accessible in the upcoming months (again because CV19 but also with the new M4 on the horizon).

What do you guys reckon?

I’d actually argue the E series interior will age better than the F. It’s simple and relatively timeless. Without the nav screen (if that suits) there isn’t much that can date.

[sonnyb]

I have had both the E92 M3 and currently have an M4, and think both are great choices, but with very different characters.
I owned the E92 for 7 years, and it is a dying breed of car for obvious reasons and is probably set to become more desirable with time, for the best low mileage examples.
The M4 by comparison is savagely fast, better tech and in my opinion handles better and I have never encountered any issues with spiky delivery etc, tho mine did have the upgraded gearbox software etc.


The E92 M3
2019-12-05_12-49-07 by Sonny Bobal, on Flickr

Current M4
2020-03-26_12-30-30 by Sonny Bobal, on Flickr


PSX_20200322_151413 by Sonny Bobal, on Flickr

PSX_20200322_151130 by Sonny Bobal, on Flickr

PSX_20200322_150751 by Sonny Bobal, on Flickr

[Leon R]

Stevoox said:

My opinion is the F82 but I'm biased ?? the E92 does sound stunning though...

I got my M4 brand new two years ago, loved every minute and to help the noise had the M performance exhaust put on. Video below

My E92 with the two pipe mod.

https://streamable.com/pejqj

[g3org3y]

Stevoox said:

My opinion is the F82 but I'm biased ?? the E92 does sound stunning though...

I got my M4 brand new two years ago, loved every minute and to help the noise had the M performance exhaust put on. Video below

Leon R said:

My E92 with the two pipe mod.

https://streamable.com/pejqj

LIKE!

p1stonhead said:

I’d actually argue the E series interior will age better than the F. It’s simple and relatively timeless. Without the nav screen (if that suits) there isn’t much that can date.

That's actually a good point. In the vast majority of cases the infotainment system is what really dates a car/interior.

Having done some research, it seems best to buy a post April 2010 car for the LCI + CIC iDrive (correct me if I'm wrong of course!)

The big question is manual vs DCT. I can't help feeling that manuals will hold values better.

sonnyb said:

I have had both the E92 M3 and currently have an M4, and think both are great choices, but with very different characters.
I owned the E92 for 7 years, and it is a dying breed of car for obvious reasons and is probably set to become more desirable with time, for the best low mileage examples.
The M4 by comparison is savagely fast, better tech and in my opinion handles better and I have never encountered any issues with spiky delivery etc, tho mine did have the upgraded gearbox software etc.


The E92 M3
2019-12-05_12-49-07 by Sonny Bobal, on Flickr

Current M4
2020-03-26_12-30-30 by Sonny Bobal, on Flickr

Both look. BMW nailed the styling on both (but esp the M4 imo)

It's a difficult decision (though there are definitely worse ones out there ).

I'm in a fortunate position in that my job and income is secure. I'm happy to wait to see how values progress over the upcoming months. Happy to wait for the right car. I've promised myself an M3 since I finished medical school. a few more months won't hurt. For the time being I'll stick the E46 330Ci shed as a daily and the Z4 for sunny days (of which we've had many of late!)

Edited by g3org3y on Thursday 23 April 18:34

[p1stonhead]

g3org3y said:

p1stonhead said:

I’d actually argue the E series interior will age better than the F. It’s simple and relatively timeless. Without the nav screen (if that suits) there isn’t much that can date.

That's actually a good point. In the vast majority of cases the infotainment system is what really dates a car/interior.

Having done some research, it seems best to buy a post April 2010 car for the LCI + CIC iDrive (correct me if I'm wrong of course!)

I think the general consensus is go for competition pack on the E92 if you can? It gives electronic damping control I believe plus nice CSL style where’s.

I belive (don’t quote me) that it’s post 2012?

CIC came in in 2009 as I had it on my 09 plate 325d. It’ll be hugely out of date by now though so I’d be inclined to try and get one without any nav as this also takes care of the dated interior issue. An iPhone will be a million times better. Maybe a CarPlay/Android head unit if that would fit? Although I can’t imagine many M3’s will not have nav?

I’ve also had an F30 albeit only a 430d and preferred the E91 in nearly every way other than tech. Felt much more mechanical. Steering miles better.

I’m actually going to look into an M3 vert (E93) once this is all over. I need to try that V8.

Edited by p1stonhead on Thursday 23 April 20:33