M4 Comp Pack - Had a good drive yesterday, couple questions.
Discussion
Morning,
Im currently in the market for a £35-40k 2+2 (possibly convertible). Its going to be a daily, so would like it to be reasonably new ideally with some Manufacturers warranty. Anyway, I started off looking at e92 M3's & 997's - but have now nearly settled on the M4 after a good drive yesterday.
I have a couple questions for those more in the know and live with one daily. My dealer was very accommodating and let me have the car for the afternoon, but with the weather and traffic I still didn't get to answer all of my own questions.
It was a stunning example in SMB with Comp pack. Ultimately my ideal spec in terms of the exterior, this is the car - https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201812113178483...
Exterior - I really like the LCI. The Hexagon ICON lights and newer rear clusters look considerably better. Does every LCI car come with these lights or is it an option? Looking at AT it appears that the LCI came in during 2017, but many cars in 2017 still have the old lights - is there any specific date to look out for?
Interior - Whilst I am familiar with BMW having had the M135i and now the X5. I found the interior on this car a let down. Black on Black looked really plain and the dash could have been lifted straight out of a 420d. I would quite like the light Silverstone interior to give it a bit of colour - are there any other options to look out for which make the interior a nicer place?
Engine - There is no denying the car is very quick, however it sounds very Playstation. Whilst it doesn't sound terrible it certainly was a weak part of the experience. I am not typically a "modifier" and would have very little interest in swapping out complete exhaust systems - but are there any mods that can be done to help the sound (thinking downpipes etc) without lighting up the dashboard and failing MOTs?
Handling - Great turn in, seat of your pants stuff when on it in this weather as the back end clearly wants to go the other way. But I like this, dont want any of this mash your foot and go stuff.
However I would like to question the traction in dry summer weather. With summer tyres and 1 degree temps traction off the line was understandably terrible yesterday. My question is how well does it hook up in warmer weather? Are you ever able to get good power down in 1st and 2nd and actually get it off it off the line well? Yesterday I found the car was constantly restricting power in these gears and my current daily GTi would have kept up to 65mph.
Driving Modes - Following on from above I found a mode called MDM which seemed to allowed access to more of the power, but cut back in if it got too messy. I assume this is what this mode is all about and probably a sweet spot for those not confident to turn it all off? On to that, if you turn the Traction off, is it properly off?
Difference between Standard and Comp pack (from behind the wheel.) - Would I notice the difference between a Standard Car and Comp Pack from behind the wheel during normal fast road and daily driving? There are some good deals to be had on non Comp Pack 2016 cars you see...
Performance between Coupe and Convertible - Understand the Convertible weighs a little more, similar to having a couple passengers onboard, so I can assume this blunts the straight line shove a bit and loads the brakes up a bit more? But, is it actually noticeable on the road?
Whilst I said above I am not a modder, I have had cars mapped in the past. Any experience with Stage 1 here?
A lot of questions there, thanks in advance to anybody who gets involved.
Cheers.
Im currently in the market for a £35-40k 2+2 (possibly convertible). Its going to be a daily, so would like it to be reasonably new ideally with some Manufacturers warranty. Anyway, I started off looking at e92 M3's & 997's - but have now nearly settled on the M4 after a good drive yesterday.
I have a couple questions for those more in the know and live with one daily. My dealer was very accommodating and let me have the car for the afternoon, but with the weather and traffic I still didn't get to answer all of my own questions.
It was a stunning example in SMB with Comp pack. Ultimately my ideal spec in terms of the exterior, this is the car - https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201812113178483...
Exterior - I really like the LCI. The Hexagon ICON lights and newer rear clusters look considerably better. Does every LCI car come with these lights or is it an option? Looking at AT it appears that the LCI came in during 2017, but many cars in 2017 still have the old lights - is there any specific date to look out for?
Interior - Whilst I am familiar with BMW having had the M135i and now the X5. I found the interior on this car a let down. Black on Black looked really plain and the dash could have been lifted straight out of a 420d. I would quite like the light Silverstone interior to give it a bit of colour - are there any other options to look out for which make the interior a nicer place?
Engine - There is no denying the car is very quick, however it sounds very Playstation. Whilst it doesn't sound terrible it certainly was a weak part of the experience. I am not typically a "modifier" and would have very little interest in swapping out complete exhaust systems - but are there any mods that can be done to help the sound (thinking downpipes etc) without lighting up the dashboard and failing MOTs?
Handling - Great turn in, seat of your pants stuff when on it in this weather as the back end clearly wants to go the other way. But I like this, dont want any of this mash your foot and go stuff.
However I would like to question the traction in dry summer weather. With summer tyres and 1 degree temps traction off the line was understandably terrible yesterday. My question is how well does it hook up in warmer weather? Are you ever able to get good power down in 1st and 2nd and actually get it off it off the line well? Yesterday I found the car was constantly restricting power in these gears and my current daily GTi would have kept up to 65mph.
Driving Modes - Following on from above I found a mode called MDM which seemed to allowed access to more of the power, but cut back in if it got too messy. I assume this is what this mode is all about and probably a sweet spot for those not confident to turn it all off? On to that, if you turn the Traction off, is it properly off?
Difference between Standard and Comp pack (from behind the wheel.) - Would I notice the difference between a Standard Car and Comp Pack from behind the wheel during normal fast road and daily driving? There are some good deals to be had on non Comp Pack 2016 cars you see...
Performance between Coupe and Convertible - Understand the Convertible weighs a little more, similar to having a couple passengers onboard, so I can assume this blunts the straight line shove a bit and loads the brakes up a bit more? But, is it actually noticeable on the road?
Whilst I said above I am not a modder, I have had cars mapped in the past. Any experience with Stage 1 here?
A lot of questions there, thanks in advance to anybody who gets involved.
Cheers.
russy01 said:
Morning,
Im currently in the market for a £35-40k 2+2 (possibly convertible). Its going to be a daily, so would like it to be reasonably new ideally with some Manufacturers warranty. Anyway, I started off looking at e92 M3's & 997's - but have now nearly settled on the M4 after a good drive yesterday.
I have a couple questions for those more in the know and live with one daily. My dealer was very accommodating and let me have the car for the afternoon, but with the weather and traffic I still didn't get to answer all of my own questions.
It was a stunning example in SMB with Comp pack. Ultimately my ideal spec in terms of the exterior, this is the car - https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201812113178483...
Exterior - I really like the LCI. The Hexagon ICON lights and newer rear clusters look considerably better. Does every LCI car come with these lights or is it an option? Looking at AT it appears that the LCI came in during 2017, but many cars in 2017 still have the old lights - is there any specific date to look out for?
Interior - Whilst I am familiar with BMW having had the M135i and now the X5. I found the interior on this car a let down. Black on Black looked really plain and the dash could have been lifted straight out of a 420d. I would quite like the light Silverstone interior to give it a bit of colour - are there any other options to look out for which make the interior a nicer place?
Engine - There is no denying the car is very quick, however it sounds very Playstation. Whilst it doesn't sound terrible it certainly was a weak part of the experience. I am not typically a "modifier" and would have very little interest in swapping out complete exhaust systems - but are there any mods that can be done to help the sound (thinking downpipes etc) without lighting up the dashboard and failing MOTs?
Handling - Great turn in, seat of your pants stuff when on it in this weather as the back end clearly wants to go the other way. But I like this, dont want any of this mash your foot and go stuff.
However I would like to question the traction in dry summer weather. With summer tyres and 1 degree temps traction off the line was understandably terrible yesterday. My question is how well does it hook up in warmer weather? Are you ever able to get good power down in 1st and 2nd and actually get it off it off the line well? Yesterday I found the car was constantly restricting power in these gears and my current daily GTi would have kept up to 65mph.
Driving Modes - Following on from above I found a mode called MDM which seemed to allowed access to more of the power, but cut back in if it got too messy. I assume this is what this mode is all about and probably a sweet spot for those not confident to turn it all off? On to that, if you turn the Traction off, is it properly off?
Difference between Standard and Comp pack (from behind the wheel.) - Would I notice the difference between a Standard Car and Comp Pack from behind the wheel during normal fast road and daily driving? There are some good deals to be had on non Comp Pack 2016 cars you see...
Performance between Coupe and Convertible - Understand the Convertible weighs a little more, similar to having a couple passengers onboard, so I can assume this blunts the straight line shove a bit and loads the brakes up a bit more? But, is it actually noticeable on the road?
Whilst I said above I am not a modder, I have had cars mapped in the past. Any experience with Stage 1 here?
A lot of questions there, thanks in advance to anybody who gets involved.
Cheers.
Owners be better placed to answer driving questions, but for other questionsIm currently in the market for a £35-40k 2+2 (possibly convertible). Its going to be a daily, so would like it to be reasonably new ideally with some Manufacturers warranty. Anyway, I started off looking at e92 M3's & 997's - but have now nearly settled on the M4 after a good drive yesterday.
I have a couple questions for those more in the know and live with one daily. My dealer was very accommodating and let me have the car for the afternoon, but with the weather and traffic I still didn't get to answer all of my own questions.
It was a stunning example in SMB with Comp pack. Ultimately my ideal spec in terms of the exterior, this is the car - https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201812113178483...
Exterior - I really like the LCI. The Hexagon ICON lights and newer rear clusters look considerably better. Does every LCI car come with these lights or is it an option? Looking at AT it appears that the LCI came in during 2017, but many cars in 2017 still have the old lights - is there any specific date to look out for?
Interior - Whilst I am familiar with BMW having had the M135i and now the X5. I found the interior on this car a let down. Black on Black looked really plain and the dash could have been lifted straight out of a 420d. I would quite like the light Silverstone interior to give it a bit of colour - are there any other options to look out for which make the interior a nicer place?
Engine - There is no denying the car is very quick, however it sounds very Playstation. Whilst it doesn't sound terrible it certainly was a weak part of the experience. I am not typically a "modifier" and would have very little interest in swapping out complete exhaust systems - but are there any mods that can be done to help the sound (thinking downpipes etc) without lighting up the dashboard and failing MOTs?
Handling - Great turn in, seat of your pants stuff when on it in this weather as the back end clearly wants to go the other way. But I like this, dont want any of this mash your foot and go stuff.
However I would like to question the traction in dry summer weather. With summer tyres and 1 degree temps traction off the line was understandably terrible yesterday. My question is how well does it hook up in warmer weather? Are you ever able to get good power down in 1st and 2nd and actually get it off it off the line well? Yesterday I found the car was constantly restricting power in these gears and my current daily GTi would have kept up to 65mph.
Driving Modes - Following on from above I found a mode called MDM which seemed to allowed access to more of the power, but cut back in if it got too messy. I assume this is what this mode is all about and probably a sweet spot for those not confident to turn it all off? On to that, if you turn the Traction off, is it properly off?
Difference between Standard and Comp pack (from behind the wheel.) - Would I notice the difference between a Standard Car and Comp Pack from behind the wheel during normal fast road and daily driving? There are some good deals to be had on non Comp Pack 2016 cars you see...
Performance between Coupe and Convertible - Understand the Convertible weighs a little more, similar to having a couple passengers onboard, so I can assume this blunts the straight line shove a bit and loads the brakes up a bit more? But, is it actually noticeable on the road?
Whilst I said above I am not a modder, I have had cars mapped in the past. Any experience with Stage 1 here?
A lot of questions there, thanks in advance to anybody who gets involved.
Cheers.
Icon adaptive LEDs are not even standard on your "ideal car" as they are in the additional section.
Full leather is popular for making interior it's nicest, that means to include dash
LCI was Spring 2017 (though I think there's an iDrive update later that year) but bear in mind it's widely felt there have been subtle improvements since. Also car's are often built long before they're registered, so may seem newer than they are. The first main service (after RIS) is supposed to be 2 years from build date which catches some people out.
It's possible your test car was sounding not so cool because it has the new particulate filter which killed off the M3. Re: your "ideal car", In the standard section, under interior tab, this may be the culprit:- RDE exhaust emissions standard
Re traction/acceleration. Mine has the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres which I found terrible in Winter months so I run Pilot Alpins in the winter and can often use MDM mode and get my foot down, tyres grip much better in cold wet conditions. Warm dry Summer months once you get heat into tyres you can switch off traction control ( yes its completely off ) and get the power down from the off.
Interior, mine has the full leather option which includes leather dash and tops of door cards in black with contrasting stitching in Sakhir orange to match Sakhir seats. Also have carbon inlays which are extra,look much better than the standard silver. Other interior options are heated steering wheel and electric rear blind on the M4 coupe.
Try and find one with full leather option, it was about £1500 option new, much nicer inside.
Interior, mine has the full leather option which includes leather dash and tops of door cards in black with contrasting stitching in Sakhir orange to match Sakhir seats. Also have carbon inlays which are extra,look much better than the standard silver. Other interior options are heated steering wheel and electric rear blind on the M4 coupe.
Try and find one with full leather option, it was about £1500 option new, much nicer inside.
Exhaust, a lot of people fit the BMW M Performance exhaust as it doesn't affect the warranty.
Standard exhaust sounds dull in efficient mode but I find it ok in Sport and Sport plus when the flaps are open. Some people use Paul the welder who does exhaust mods, he is mobile and carries out the work at your house. I have used him on an M5 before and he is very good but I found it too loud after a while and had it put back to standard.
Standard exhaust sounds dull in efficient mode but I find it ok in Sport and Sport plus when the flaps are open. Some people use Paul the welder who does exhaust mods, he is mobile and carries out the work at your house. I have used him on an M5 before and he is very good but I found it too loud after a while and had it put back to standard.
Thanks for the replies.
Ref the lights. Ultimately all I really want is the new style shape of the DRL lights - not worried about adaptive this and that. So, do all of the facelifts come with this new LED hexagon shape or is that specific to the ICON LED ADAPTIVE?
Traction - glad to hear it gets better. This car was running the super sports.
Leather Dash - that sounds more like it.
Thanks.
Ref the lights. Ultimately all I really want is the new style shape of the DRL lights - not worried about adaptive this and that. So, do all of the facelifts come with this new LED hexagon shape or is that specific to the ICON LED ADAPTIVE?
Traction - glad to hear it gets better. This car was running the super sports.
Leather Dash - that sounds more like it.
Thanks.
I like the ICON look but it was on my nice to have list. I wanted HUD and speed limit display, Harmon Kardon and a contrasting interior. For reference I got an individual paint Azurite Black and individual leather M3CP with HK, HUD, speed limit display, Dark 666's, rear blinds, Apple carplay, 4,000 miles on a 67 plate for £43k in Dec'18. I only have extended leather and whilst everyone that has it says FULL is a must have, I would not have wanted the leather on the underside of my dash and glovebox, happy with extended as it is. I also have the carbon interior pack which was another of my must have options, although you could retro fit this.
Earlier LCI models from 2017 didn't have touch screen infotainment either. Came very late 2017 or early 2018 can't remember which. I didn't even consider the standard model when I was looking. For the extra few quid the CP makes sense not purely for resale but how it addresses some of the issues the standard car has. Especially on the older models. Car was for the wife but Icon Adaptive LEDs were a must for me, wife wanted the conv comfort pack, HUD and carbon int trim. She only wanted one colour so limited our choice on AUC. Full leather would have been nice as the interior is pretty low rent really.
I bought a CP Convertible last summer.
Did you change any of the driving modes when you went out?
Car gets a lot more exhaust noise when in sport or sport+. Even in “efficient” mode when you’re on it there’s a decent noise, for my ears at least.
It’s very configurable to moods, roads and weather. One of the interesting setting options is the speed of the gear change. For pootling about obvious the softer setting is fine, the middle option is good when having a little fun. The most aggressive option is really aggressive, bit hooligan in my opinion, but that’s part of the fun of the car, for me at least.
With at least 450hp, the weight of the roof doesn’t seem to slow it down in a straight line. Not driven the coupe, but I’ve not felt the car needs more speed. In corners, it has ‘charm’ and needs to be looked after on bumpy roads, but if you drive it properly to the conditions then you’ll be fine. It’s no Alfa Quadrifoglio chassis is, but it’s still fun and you can make good progress and it’s a car you have to treat with respect. I think of that as ‘character’. You need to learn to drive the car for what it is, which makes it interesting to me. If you want to burn rubber and lose traction just hammer the loud pedal. But you can be more sensitive and have a lot of fun with the car. The backend will come out easily enough and controllably in MDM mode.
Oh and the roof comes off. It’s got good rear seats, especially behind the passenger unless you’re a 5’5” driver! I did a 2,000 mile trip with 2 of my sons in the summer and they were very comfortable in the back.
With just me and the missus in the car, just put the wind deflector up and barely a hair moves at 70/80mph.
Plenty of room in the boot when the roof is up. And as before, can fit luggage for a week for 3 people (male).
If I wanted a hard top car with 4 seats then I’d be looking at the Alfa as well as the M3/4. But needing a 4 seat convertible, the M4 has been a very good choice. Done 7,000 miles already.
Cabin is a very nice place. I like it because it’s classic and not too much chrome and bling which should mean it will age well.
Only negative I’d say is that there a bit of road noise at motorway speeds with the roof up. But that’s a minor complaint.
Did you change any of the driving modes when you went out?
Car gets a lot more exhaust noise when in sport or sport+. Even in “efficient” mode when you’re on it there’s a decent noise, for my ears at least.
It’s very configurable to moods, roads and weather. One of the interesting setting options is the speed of the gear change. For pootling about obvious the softer setting is fine, the middle option is good when having a little fun. The most aggressive option is really aggressive, bit hooligan in my opinion, but that’s part of the fun of the car, for me at least.
With at least 450hp, the weight of the roof doesn’t seem to slow it down in a straight line. Not driven the coupe, but I’ve not felt the car needs more speed. In corners, it has ‘charm’ and needs to be looked after on bumpy roads, but if you drive it properly to the conditions then you’ll be fine. It’s no Alfa Quadrifoglio chassis is, but it’s still fun and you can make good progress and it’s a car you have to treat with respect. I think of that as ‘character’. You need to learn to drive the car for what it is, which makes it interesting to me. If you want to burn rubber and lose traction just hammer the loud pedal. But you can be more sensitive and have a lot of fun with the car. The backend will come out easily enough and controllably in MDM mode.
Oh and the roof comes off. It’s got good rear seats, especially behind the passenger unless you’re a 5’5” driver! I did a 2,000 mile trip with 2 of my sons in the summer and they were very comfortable in the back.
With just me and the missus in the car, just put the wind deflector up and barely a hair moves at 70/80mph.
Plenty of room in the boot when the roof is up. And as before, can fit luggage for a week for 3 people (male).
If I wanted a hard top car with 4 seats then I’d be looking at the Alfa as well as the M3/4. But needing a 4 seat convertible, the M4 has been a very good choice. Done 7,000 miles already.
Cabin is a very nice place. I like it because it’s classic and not too much chrome and bling which should mean it will age well.
Only negative I’d say is that there a bit of road noise at motorway speeds with the roof up. But that’s a minor complaint.
Thanks for your detailed reply.
Yes I tried all of the modes and created my own M preset after about half hour (Sport Plus throttle, Sport Chassis and Comfort steering). I also drove nearly the entire time with the paddles - very much how I used to with the M135i.
How does it sound with the roof down? The coupe did sound fairly obnoxious at low speeds (which part of me likes) - this must only be exaggerated with the top down?
Space in the rear, thanks for this. Considering the ‘vert so the whole family (2 young girls) can get in on some roof down action. From a quick jump in the back I’m happy that there is some decent space back there for them...
As for handling, I agree. I am no Lewis Hamilton for sure, but I do like to drive - plus not in a 4wd mash your foot down and let it do all the work way. I quite enjoyed driving it in the cold as I had to really watch when I opened it up and it was exciting when it finally hooked up in 3rd and picked up some speed. 1st and 2nd were just completely traction limited...
I just need to work out what I want to do now. I’ve earmarked £40k and considering:
- Raiding the piggy bank going all out and getting a 18plate San Marino Blue for £50k and being done with the exact spec I want.
- Spend £40k on a lightly used 2016 non lci CP in a more bland colour.
- Spend £35k on a ‘15 25k mile non cp and having 95% of the car and more cash in the bank.
Cheers
Yes I tried all of the modes and created my own M preset after about half hour (Sport Plus throttle, Sport Chassis and Comfort steering). I also drove nearly the entire time with the paddles - very much how I used to with the M135i.
How does it sound with the roof down? The coupe did sound fairly obnoxious at low speeds (which part of me likes) - this must only be exaggerated with the top down?
Space in the rear, thanks for this. Considering the ‘vert so the whole family (2 young girls) can get in on some roof down action. From a quick jump in the back I’m happy that there is some decent space back there for them...
As for handling, I agree. I am no Lewis Hamilton for sure, but I do like to drive - plus not in a 4wd mash your foot down and let it do all the work way. I quite enjoyed driving it in the cold as I had to really watch when I opened it up and it was exciting when it finally hooked up in 3rd and picked up some speed. 1st and 2nd were just completely traction limited...
I just need to work out what I want to do now. I’ve earmarked £40k and considering:
- Raiding the piggy bank going all out and getting a 18plate San Marino Blue for £50k and being done with the exact spec I want.
- Spend £40k on a lightly used 2016 non lci CP in a more bland colour.
- Spend £35k on a ‘15 25k mile non cp and having 95% of the car and more cash in the bank.
Cheers
Edited by russy01 on Saturday 12th January 08:05
Sound with the roof down, I thought it was good. My boys loved it. I’m going to wash it today and have a blast topless (car, not me) to remind myself. We went on the autobahn with the roof down as well, it can get windy back there 
I actually drive a lot in Efficient mode for the throttle, just to give a bit more throttle travel (lots of cameras near me). Sound inside the cabin when driving down B roads is nice for me. More engine, less exhaust.
One big bonus about the car is that it’s redline is 7500rpm (might be 7600, not sure), so it’s oretty high revving and it seems to love being in the higher rev ranges. With a lot of turbos the fun is over at 6/6500.
Because of the shape of the roof in the convertible I wouldn’t be surprise if the rear passengers get a little more headroom that the coupe.
I’ve got SMB, it’s beautiful when clean and very dirty. It can be frustrating a few days after you’ve cleaned it as it does show marks easily. But it is a beautiful colour. I wanted the Austin yellow, but wasn’t one available when I needed the car. They can be marmite and there are days that I’m pleased I don’t have the Austin Yellow and days that I would have liked to have it (adds to the boldness), but SMB is a very nice colour that you can drive to the office and be relatively understated if you want. The black exhaust tips on the CP are less noticeable than the silver ones, I think.
From my reading I understand the suspension set up is slightly softer in the convertible to the coupe. So that may matter to you. Reviews have said this is a good thing but it’s a personal choice. Always remember though that the tires are safer thin in either car.
If you’re buying a second hand one then you’ve missed the big depreciation hit. Although of course there’s more to go, but it’s on a more reasonable curve.
£50k area should get you a high spec nearly new car. Mid-Low £40s should be a good spec 1-2 year old one? I’ve not really looked.
CP or non CP? I like the black details of the CP and the CP wheels. Like many products, they do get improved over time, so although software updates can help with the non-M4 be more up to date, I’m not sure what is mechanical, if anything, that isn’t updated. From reading the forums, apart from the suspension and the exterior changes, the big difference is the power delivery in the CP is more progressive than the early M4. To my mind the CP delivers a big enough thump in the back if you want it anyway. Some prefer the original though. Have a try and see what you like.
I would say that it’s a car that can suit a lot of moods and roads pretty well. That means it’s not a Lotus but it can hustle down B roads (won’t win a race down them though), if driven to suit its character, and is fun to drive. It’s not a supercar but it’s got plenty of wallop when you need it. And the noise can be obnoxious if you want it or can be quiet. And 3-4 people can go for a drive easily.
The only other thing I’d add, which is a personal preference, is that the 3/4 series have been developed over the years in quite smal increments - similar to the 911, so, to my eyes, both the interior and exterior of the M3/4 are ‘classic’. The E92, E46 don’t look massively dated against it. Some may like that, others may not, but for me it’s a good thing, especially when the new one is out in a year or so
I actually drive a lot in Efficient mode for the throttle, just to give a bit more throttle travel (lots of cameras near me). Sound inside the cabin when driving down B roads is nice for me. More engine, less exhaust.
One big bonus about the car is that it’s redline is 7500rpm (might be 7600, not sure), so it’s oretty high revving and it seems to love being in the higher rev ranges. With a lot of turbos the fun is over at 6/6500.
Because of the shape of the roof in the convertible I wouldn’t be surprise if the rear passengers get a little more headroom that the coupe.
I’ve got SMB, it’s beautiful when clean and very dirty. It can be frustrating a few days after you’ve cleaned it as it does show marks easily. But it is a beautiful colour. I wanted the Austin yellow, but wasn’t one available when I needed the car. They can be marmite and there are days that I’m pleased I don’t have the Austin Yellow and days that I would have liked to have it (adds to the boldness), but SMB is a very nice colour that you can drive to the office and be relatively understated if you want. The black exhaust tips on the CP are less noticeable than the silver ones, I think.
From my reading I understand the suspension set up is slightly softer in the convertible to the coupe. So that may matter to you. Reviews have said this is a good thing but it’s a personal choice. Always remember though that the tires are safer thin in either car.
If you’re buying a second hand one then you’ve missed the big depreciation hit. Although of course there’s more to go, but it’s on a more reasonable curve.
£50k area should get you a high spec nearly new car. Mid-Low £40s should be a good spec 1-2 year old one? I’ve not really looked.
CP or non CP? I like the black details of the CP and the CP wheels. Like many products, they do get improved over time, so although software updates can help with the non-M4 be more up to date, I’m not sure what is mechanical, if anything, that isn’t updated. From reading the forums, apart from the suspension and the exterior changes, the big difference is the power delivery in the CP is more progressive than the early M4. To my mind the CP delivers a big enough thump in the back if you want it anyway. Some prefer the original though. Have a try and see what you like.
I would say that it’s a car that can suit a lot of moods and roads pretty well. That means it’s not a Lotus but it can hustle down B roads (won’t win a race down them though), if driven to suit its character, and is fun to drive. It’s not a supercar but it’s got plenty of wallop when you need it. And the noise can be obnoxious if you want it or can be quiet. And 3-4 people can go for a drive easily.
The only other thing I’d add, which is a personal preference, is that the 3/4 series have been developed over the years in quite smal increments - similar to the 911, so, to my eyes, both the interior and exterior of the M3/4 are ‘classic’. The E92, E46 don’t look massively dated against it. Some may like that, others may not, but for me it’s a good thing, especially when the new one is out in a year or so
Just to add my initial default mode was S+ throttle, S+ suspension, sport steering as I was coming from a new Lotus Exige (I needed rear seats!)
But now I use Efficient, Comfort, Sport with mid gearchange speed and MDM for daily and Efficient, Sport, Sport and MDM or traction off (depending on the road conditions) for B roads near me.
I’ll put the Sport throttle if I want to be a noisy neighbour.
Even in manual paddle mode the gearchange speed button plays a significant role in the speed the cogs actually change, even if you’re using the paddles. The most aggressive is, well very aggressive at any reasonable speed if you’re on it.
Also, MDM will limit power delivery quite a bit still but does allow slip at the rear. It’s a pretty good setup. And with TC fully on, its limits a lot. I’m not an expert on all this though and not tried any standing starts.
But now I use Efficient, Comfort, Sport with mid gearchange speed and MDM for daily and Efficient, Sport, Sport and MDM or traction off (depending on the road conditions) for B roads near me.
I’ll put the Sport throttle if I want to be a noisy neighbour.
Even in manual paddle mode the gearchange speed button plays a significant role in the speed the cogs actually change, even if you’re using the paddles. The most aggressive is, well very aggressive at any reasonable speed if you’re on it.
Also, MDM will limit power delivery quite a bit still but does allow slip at the rear. It’s a pretty good setup. And with TC fully on, its limits a lot. I’m not an expert on all this though and not tried any standing starts.
Convertible cars will always offer compromised handling because of the rigidity lost in the chassis as a result of the roof being removed. They also tend to be heavy because of the extra bracing added to the lower part of the chassis to compensate. If you are looking from a handling and performance perspective, the 911 cab has a stiffer chassis and it’s eng layout enables it to benefit from much better traction than the M4 so that would be the better car. Aesthetics are a subjective matter but in terms of pure performance the 911 would be the better car
If you don’t want to compromise on handling performance, I wouldn’t be buying a convertible unless it had a separate monocoque chassis like a lotus or Mclaren - which are obviously different propositions.
If you don’t want to compromise on handling performance, I wouldn’t be buying a convertible unless it had a separate monocoque chassis like a lotus or Mclaren - which are obviously different propositions.
Edited by Steve Rance on Saturday 12th January 09:07
My last bit of experience would be telling me to try the Alfa Quadrifoglio before making the choice. If I didn’t need the convertible then I’d be seriously tempted by that. I would’ve been looking at the M3 CS as an alternative. If driving experience is the most important thing to you (plus having space for they kids) then that’s a very very strong car.
Have fun looking!
Have fun looking!
Steve Rance said:
Convertible cars will always offer compromised handling because of the rigidity lost in the chassis as a result of the roof being removed. They also tend to be heavy because of the extra bracing added to the lower part of the chassis to compensate. If you are looking from a handling and performance perspective, the 911 cab has a stiffer chassis and it’s eng layout enables it to benefit from much better traction than the M4 so that would be the better car. Aesthetics are a subjective matter but in terms of pure performance the 911 would be the better car
If you don’t want to compromise on handling performance, I wouldn’t be buying a convertible unless it had a separate monocoque chassis like a lotus or Mclaren - which are obviously different propositions.
Agreed. If you don’t want to compromise on handling performance, I wouldn’t be buying a convertible unless it had a separate monocoque chassis like a lotus or Mclaren - which are obviously different propositions.
Edited by Steve Rance on Saturday 12th January 09:07
My 911 rear seats were useful with kids when they were small (I think before age of 11) and don’t need much luggage space. Great cars.
997 is an option at the price range mentioned.
Thanks for your detailed responses fella, much appreciated - plus I agree with all of it.
As for the 911. As far as I am concerned this is my only other serious contender, however after looking around I’m not that into the 997 over the M4.
I prefer the 911, but at my price point and for my DD I’d rather have a newer M4 with warranty and better tech. If my budget was £65 I would get a nice approved used 991 S - but I’ve got to draw the line and I don’t want to start borrowing a load.
Alfa doesn’t do it for me.
As for the 911. As far as I am concerned this is my only other serious contender, however after looking around I’m not that into the 997 over the M4.
I prefer the 911, but at my price point and for my DD I’d rather have a newer M4 with warranty and better tech. If my budget was £65 I would get a nice approved used 991 S - but I’ve got to draw the line and I don’t want to start borrowing a load.
Alfa doesn’t do it for me.
Edited by russy01 on Saturday 12th January 10:14
russy01 said:
Thanks for your detailed responses fella, much appreciated - plus I agree with all of it.
As for the 911. As far as I am concerned this is my only other serious contender, however after looking around I’m not that into the 997 over the M4.
I prefer the 911, but at my price point and for my DD I’d rather have a newer M4 with warranty and better tech. If my budget was £65 I would get a nice approved used 991 S - but I’ve got to draw the line and I don’t want to start borrowing a load.
Alfa doesn’t do it for me.
Good luck with your purchase. As for the 911. As far as I am concerned this is my only other serious contender, however after looking around I’m not that into the 997 over the M4.
I prefer the 911, but at my price point and for my DD I’d rather have a newer M4 with warranty and better tech. If my budget was £65 I would get a nice approved used 991 S - but I’ve got to draw the line and I don’t want to start borrowing a load.
Alfa doesn’t do it for me.
Edited by russy01 on Saturday 12th January 10:14
Here’s a gratuitous pic of my SMB convertible. Has the Silverstone interior which I love.
Edited by SELON on Saturday 12th January 14:22
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