My F20 M135i / F80 M3 / F10 M5 Dilemma...
Discussion
You may want to grab a coffee :-), but I wanted to explain my predicament fully so that I’m able to get your opinions and advice. There are a lot of owners and knowledge on here.
First of all, let me start off by stating that I’m currently an F20 M135i Auto owner, before that I owned an E46 M3 Manual for many years. I have also owned an E36 M3 Manual and a few other “non-M” BMW’s. I’ve also spent time driving various E39 M5’s, E92 M3’s (manual & DCT), and E60 M5. I’m a bona-fide M fan, and although I admire other cars such as 911 GT3’s and AMG Merc’s, no-one combines the benefits and practicality of everyday performance motoring like BMW.
My E46 M3 was getting old, hitting the 10-year and 120k mark, so I needed a new car. It was a great car, I loved the M3, and the way owning it and driving it made me feel. The only criticisms I had towards it were the lack of low-down torque (a pain when pulling away from roundabouts and traffic lights around town), and the agricultural, clunky, manual gearbox, which had the ability to feel both wonderfully slick, and shockingly atrocious, depending on the feedback it felt like providing at the time! I put CSL wheels, Eibach spring kit, full stainless exhaust etc. on my car, so it felt ‘individual’, and somewhat special to me. I was hooked on ///M.
When I ordered the M135i, it felt like the sensible choice at the time, and I’ve been generally pleased with it. It has many positives and as an all-round compromise, it’s a very impressive car. It’s the first brand new car that I’ve ordered in my exact specification from the factory, I enjoyed that process very much. The drivetrain is GREAT in normal driving. The engine has bags of torque throughout the whole rev range, and the auto ‘box is incredibly smooth and well calibrated for everyday journeys. The downsides are that the ride is slightly too harsh on normal roads (no EDC), the car is ugly, the wheelbase to me feels too short, the centre of gravity feels too high, the wheels are not concave, the arches not flared, it doesn’t have that special “M-stance” that you can’t help but love on a ‘full-fat’ M car. Apart from the slightly harsh ride and not feeling “special”, the car as an everyday proposition for “normal” driving is very good. There are lots of things I do like.
.......However, as a performance car, I’m disappointed. Whereas the E46 M3 used to fill me with confidence when driving at 9/10th’s, squat down, dig in, and encourage you to drive it harder and push it, the M135i is the opposite. Push it hard and it appears to skitter about on top of the road, removing any confidence to push it further. The jittery ride bouncing over the bumps instead of soaking them up adds no compliance to the car. You end up being “surprised you got away with things”, rather than satisfied with the experience and confident in the car’s abilities. It’s a very fast normal car, it’s not a very good performance car. Something like an M3 or a 911 C4S feels like it’s stuck to the road. This, does not. Whilst I like the auto ‘box and using the paddles, the fact is that an 8-speed gearbox is too much for fast driving, the changes happen too often, you don’t have the chance to savour revving the car out as much as you do in say a 7-speed DCT E92 M3. The fact that the engine noise is piped through the speakers also grates a little. Yes, it does sound alright when in Sport / Sport+ under full-bore acceleration, but it’s not the same if you know it’s fake. You can’t drive around in Sport normally, because it forces the gearbox to hold onto gears far too long, and adds a horrible false weighting to the steering. Some might say that this “dual-personality” is an attribute, I’d say that I want consistency from a car, under all conditions, in all circumstances. I want the throttle response to be sharp all the time, I want the steering to be the same all the time, not too heavy, not too light. I want the gearshifts when manual shifting with the paddles to thump home like an E60 M5, I don’t want somebody else’s pre-conceived notion of what a “sport” mode should be when it’s not right. I also think this car should have come with a mechanical LSD. One of the nicest things in the E46 M3 was how you could feel the diff gently start to work before the traction control cut in.
So, while I think there are a lot of good things about the car, I don’t love it. I don’t feel an emotional attachment to it, I’m not proud to own it, it’s “just a car” to me, so I want to change it for something else. This is where my quandary begins... Initially, I thought I would trade it in for an F80 M3 when they are released in June. I don’t have any problem with turbo’s in M-cars, I like the F30 platform, the wheelbase will be longer, I’m sure with ‘proper’ M-suspension the ride will be better, then handling will be better, with the DCT the gearbox will be better etc. However, when I spec’d up an F80 M3 with DCT, privacy glass, and 19’s, the price is £59k, with monthly payments of around £850, which is a lot dearer than the £400 a month / 12k miles (with £5k down, over 4 years) which I pay for the M135i, which was £34.5k list. Obviously as it’s a new model, they’re not giving any dealer contribution. When I bought my M135i, I was offered a run-out deal on the E92 M3 DCT for £53k factory order on 0%, which would have been £530 a month (with £5k down on a 4 year deal) which is a HUGE difference from the £850 for the F80 M3.
There is the option of a Used E90 M3, which I do like, I’m just not sure if this would be much of an increase in performance from my M135i. I like the fact that the turbochargers on new M cars give greater everyday usability, and whilst the torque in the E90 M3 is much more useable with the DCT ‘box, I’m not sure if this would feel like a step backwards. This, combined with the fact that the E90 wouldn’t be new and have the associated benefits that a new car brings, it may also look and feel dated and drop sharply in value once the F80 M3 is released. I don’t want to turn this into a New vs. Old debate, as I’d prefer another factory order car with long warranty etc. It’s just a wildcard option that is still a very capable and desirable car. I love the noise and feel of the 4.0 V8, although the fuel consumption would be a lot worse than a new ‘charged M model.
Also, at the sort of price level of the new M3, the F10 M5 LCi comes into play. At roughly £73k list, though with a £10k ‘dealer contribution’, BMW are offering the M5 at roughly £850-ish per month on PCP over 4 years. Meaning that the brand new F80 M3 and the F10 M5 LCi are effectively the same price! So which one would you have given the choice? I like them both, but can’t help thinking the M3 will always be cheaper to run and handle better due to lower weight etc. Although the M5 is an epic car, and that comfortable interior would beat the M3 hands down as a place to spend time. Straight line, and everyday cruising, I think the M5 would be better.
Ideally I would like to use the equity in my 8 month old (8k miles) M135i (if possible) and trade it in for a new M3 / M5. I would also like to keep my payments to £600 a month if possible. I would really like to upgrade and have a full-fat M car again, but I’m really not sure what to do at this point. The other option is to keep the M135i for a while longer and re-assess in a year or so.
So..... My question, M owners / drivers / fans, is what would you do in my position?
First of all, let me start off by stating that I’m currently an F20 M135i Auto owner, before that I owned an E46 M3 Manual for many years. I have also owned an E36 M3 Manual and a few other “non-M” BMW’s. I’ve also spent time driving various E39 M5’s, E92 M3’s (manual & DCT), and E60 M5. I’m a bona-fide M fan, and although I admire other cars such as 911 GT3’s and AMG Merc’s, no-one combines the benefits and practicality of everyday performance motoring like BMW.
My E46 M3 was getting old, hitting the 10-year and 120k mark, so I needed a new car. It was a great car, I loved the M3, and the way owning it and driving it made me feel. The only criticisms I had towards it were the lack of low-down torque (a pain when pulling away from roundabouts and traffic lights around town), and the agricultural, clunky, manual gearbox, which had the ability to feel both wonderfully slick, and shockingly atrocious, depending on the feedback it felt like providing at the time! I put CSL wheels, Eibach spring kit, full stainless exhaust etc. on my car, so it felt ‘individual’, and somewhat special to me. I was hooked on ///M.
When I ordered the M135i, it felt like the sensible choice at the time, and I’ve been generally pleased with it. It has many positives and as an all-round compromise, it’s a very impressive car. It’s the first brand new car that I’ve ordered in my exact specification from the factory, I enjoyed that process very much. The drivetrain is GREAT in normal driving. The engine has bags of torque throughout the whole rev range, and the auto ‘box is incredibly smooth and well calibrated for everyday journeys. The downsides are that the ride is slightly too harsh on normal roads (no EDC), the car is ugly, the wheelbase to me feels too short, the centre of gravity feels too high, the wheels are not concave, the arches not flared, it doesn’t have that special “M-stance” that you can’t help but love on a ‘full-fat’ M car. Apart from the slightly harsh ride and not feeling “special”, the car as an everyday proposition for “normal” driving is very good. There are lots of things I do like.
.......However, as a performance car, I’m disappointed. Whereas the E46 M3 used to fill me with confidence when driving at 9/10th’s, squat down, dig in, and encourage you to drive it harder and push it, the M135i is the opposite. Push it hard and it appears to skitter about on top of the road, removing any confidence to push it further. The jittery ride bouncing over the bumps instead of soaking them up adds no compliance to the car. You end up being “surprised you got away with things”, rather than satisfied with the experience and confident in the car’s abilities. It’s a very fast normal car, it’s not a very good performance car. Something like an M3 or a 911 C4S feels like it’s stuck to the road. This, does not. Whilst I like the auto ‘box and using the paddles, the fact is that an 8-speed gearbox is too much for fast driving, the changes happen too often, you don’t have the chance to savour revving the car out as much as you do in say a 7-speed DCT E92 M3. The fact that the engine noise is piped through the speakers also grates a little. Yes, it does sound alright when in Sport / Sport+ under full-bore acceleration, but it’s not the same if you know it’s fake. You can’t drive around in Sport normally, because it forces the gearbox to hold onto gears far too long, and adds a horrible false weighting to the steering. Some might say that this “dual-personality” is an attribute, I’d say that I want consistency from a car, under all conditions, in all circumstances. I want the throttle response to be sharp all the time, I want the steering to be the same all the time, not too heavy, not too light. I want the gearshifts when manual shifting with the paddles to thump home like an E60 M5, I don’t want somebody else’s pre-conceived notion of what a “sport” mode should be when it’s not right. I also think this car should have come with a mechanical LSD. One of the nicest things in the E46 M3 was how you could feel the diff gently start to work before the traction control cut in.
So, while I think there are a lot of good things about the car, I don’t love it. I don’t feel an emotional attachment to it, I’m not proud to own it, it’s “just a car” to me, so I want to change it for something else. This is where my quandary begins... Initially, I thought I would trade it in for an F80 M3 when they are released in June. I don’t have any problem with turbo’s in M-cars, I like the F30 platform, the wheelbase will be longer, I’m sure with ‘proper’ M-suspension the ride will be better, then handling will be better, with the DCT the gearbox will be better etc. However, when I spec’d up an F80 M3 with DCT, privacy glass, and 19’s, the price is £59k, with monthly payments of around £850, which is a lot dearer than the £400 a month / 12k miles (with £5k down, over 4 years) which I pay for the M135i, which was £34.5k list. Obviously as it’s a new model, they’re not giving any dealer contribution. When I bought my M135i, I was offered a run-out deal on the E92 M3 DCT for £53k factory order on 0%, which would have been £530 a month (with £5k down on a 4 year deal) which is a HUGE difference from the £850 for the F80 M3.
There is the option of a Used E90 M3, which I do like, I’m just not sure if this would be much of an increase in performance from my M135i. I like the fact that the turbochargers on new M cars give greater everyday usability, and whilst the torque in the E90 M3 is much more useable with the DCT ‘box, I’m not sure if this would feel like a step backwards. This, combined with the fact that the E90 wouldn’t be new and have the associated benefits that a new car brings, it may also look and feel dated and drop sharply in value once the F80 M3 is released. I don’t want to turn this into a New vs. Old debate, as I’d prefer another factory order car with long warranty etc. It’s just a wildcard option that is still a very capable and desirable car. I love the noise and feel of the 4.0 V8, although the fuel consumption would be a lot worse than a new ‘charged M model.
Also, at the sort of price level of the new M3, the F10 M5 LCi comes into play. At roughly £73k list, though with a £10k ‘dealer contribution’, BMW are offering the M5 at roughly £850-ish per month on PCP over 4 years. Meaning that the brand new F80 M3 and the F10 M5 LCi are effectively the same price! So which one would you have given the choice? I like them both, but can’t help thinking the M3 will always be cheaper to run and handle better due to lower weight etc. Although the M5 is an epic car, and that comfortable interior would beat the M3 hands down as a place to spend time. Straight line, and everyday cruising, I think the M5 would be better.
Ideally I would like to use the equity in my 8 month old (8k miles) M135i (if possible) and trade it in for a new M3 / M5. I would also like to keep my payments to £600 a month if possible. I would really like to upgrade and have a full-fat M car again, but I’m really not sure what to do at this point. The other option is to keep the M135i for a while longer and re-assess in a year or so.
So..... My question, M owners / drivers / fans, is what would you do in my position?
Not so sure a E9X M3 will be a step backwards from a "M"135???
By the sounds of things and your preferred monthly payments, you should be looking at LCI M5. That is what I would do as the discounts are looking good.
You will be paying top whack on the M3/M4 as it's a new model.
I'm enjoying my M3, it's leased for 2.5 years (at a VERY good monthly deal), give it back at the end and choose something new again. I specced mine up and have also added a few bits and bobs along the way like,
OEM exhaust Mod (sounds amazing now) BMC filter, Performance Grill, Vents and Side things to complement the Hi-Gloss shadow trim. Thinking of getting some 359's in gloss black etc etc
Anyway back on topic, think the M5 is your answer.
By the sounds of things and your preferred monthly payments, you should be looking at LCI M5. That is what I would do as the discounts are looking good.
You will be paying top whack on the M3/M4 as it's a new model.
I'm enjoying my M3, it's leased for 2.5 years (at a VERY good monthly deal), give it back at the end and choose something new again. I specced mine up and have also added a few bits and bobs along the way like,
OEM exhaust Mod (sounds amazing now) BMC filter, Performance Grill, Vents and Side things to complement the Hi-Gloss shadow trim. Thinking of getting some 359's in gloss black etc etc
Anyway back on topic, think the M5 is your answer.
And I thought I was alone in this kind of deliberation. 
In your position, I think the new M3 could possibly be too good to miss, but I would put money on it that the electronics will annoy you in some way or another. The E46 has a lot of charm and is a phenomenally difficult car to replace. In fact, I don't think any car built since has covered all of my wants and needs better than the E46 M3...I suspect that is partly down to nannying electronics and NCAP boxes being ticked though.
In your position, I think the new M3 could possibly be too good to miss, but I would put money on it that the electronics will annoy you in some way or another. The E46 has a lot of charm and is a phenomenally difficult car to replace. In fact, I don't think any car built since has covered all of my wants and needs better than the E46 M3...I suspect that is partly down to nannying electronics and NCAP boxes being ticked though.
I have an F10 M5. It's a very heavy feeling car and not nimble like a 135i is more likely to feel. Depends on what you're looking for, a sports type saloon aka M3 or a touring type saloon aka M5. My car is hugely fast but also quite intimidating in the wrong conditions and I consider myself to be an experienced driver and ex car racer. However, you can use it as a comfortable cruiser that's compliant, quiet and has a fabulously appointed cabin with most of the gizmo's you'll ever need or you can go for it. Big issue for me is the roads around here are too small to enjoy the top end performance so take that into consideration.
My advice, if it's your chosen car lease one for 2 years for circa £600 per month and enjoy the experience but don't buy one as they will be difficult to move on and will lose a fortune. Don't ask me how I know.
Feel free to ask away if you want any info about the driving/owning experience.
My advice, if it's your chosen car lease one for 2 years for circa £600 per month and enjoy the experience but don't buy one as they will be difficult to move on and will lose a fortune. Don't ask me how I know.
Feel free to ask away if you want any info about the driving/owning experience.
@M3Driver
I had a similar experience with my M135i and I totally aggree with your description of the handling, its nearly as if the chassis cant handle the powertrain. However a few thousand invested in suspension and diff upgrade would sort this out and turn the M135 in to complete monster but then you're into the arena of voiding warranties and turning a car into somthing it wasnt intended and impossible to keep within the bounds of a PCP contract. At the end of the day the M135i is designed as a compromise/half-way-house ///M car to give performance but in a more usable package on a daily basis and for a smaller outlay of £££.
The problem being is that the powertrain they gave the M135i gives it the straightline performance to out drag everything to 60mph apart from the E92 DCT (E60 M5 as well but who has the cahones to use thier launch control these days) and F10 M5 and the other big turbo'ed variants. But as we aggree the handling lets the M135i down when you try to use the power to its full potential.
I have just swapped my M135i for a Z4 M Coupe. Ironically the M135i replaced another Z4 M coupe itself. Its my opinion that I have downgraded in powertrain terms moving from the M135i to the Z4M but that I have upgraded upon the handling and overall driving experience. Simply put, the M135i is faster in a straight line but the Z4M can and gives you far more confidence to carry far higher cornering speeds. I miss the torque and seamless power delivery of the M135i.
Really what I want is the turbo charged N55 "M" tuned powertrain in a ///M chassis. The problem is that I wont be able to afford the new M3/M4 when they arrive.
So what I'm hoping for is for the M235i Racing to be productionalised into an M2 and realeased as a 1M Coupe replacement in the £40k -£50k price bracket. It is rumoured that this will happen simply from the point of view tha BMW need an ///M car in this price range to compete with the Merc A45 and Audi RS3.
If you look at the pics of the M235i racing its not far removed from a road car even though its supposed to be an out-and-out racer.
This is why I got another Z4M as a stop gap to see if the M2 actually happens. But also because I love the Z4M and I always wanted one in Sepang Bronze. lol
I had a similar experience with my M135i and I totally aggree with your description of the handling, its nearly as if the chassis cant handle the powertrain. However a few thousand invested in suspension and diff upgrade would sort this out and turn the M135 in to complete monster but then you're into the arena of voiding warranties and turning a car into somthing it wasnt intended and impossible to keep within the bounds of a PCP contract. At the end of the day the M135i is designed as a compromise/half-way-house ///M car to give performance but in a more usable package on a daily basis and for a smaller outlay of £££.
The problem being is that the powertrain they gave the M135i gives it the straightline performance to out drag everything to 60mph apart from the E92 DCT (E60 M5 as well but who has the cahones to use thier launch control these days) and F10 M5 and the other big turbo'ed variants. But as we aggree the handling lets the M135i down when you try to use the power to its full potential.
I have just swapped my M135i for a Z4 M Coupe. Ironically the M135i replaced another Z4 M coupe itself. Its my opinion that I have downgraded in powertrain terms moving from the M135i to the Z4M but that I have upgraded upon the handling and overall driving experience. Simply put, the M135i is faster in a straight line but the Z4M can and gives you far more confidence to carry far higher cornering speeds. I miss the torque and seamless power delivery of the M135i.
Really what I want is the turbo charged N55 "M" tuned powertrain in a ///M chassis. The problem is that I wont be able to afford the new M3/M4 when they arrive.
So what I'm hoping for is for the M235i Racing to be productionalised into an M2 and realeased as a 1M Coupe replacement in the £40k -£50k price bracket. It is rumoured that this will happen simply from the point of view tha BMW need an ///M car in this price range to compete with the Merc A45 and Audi RS3.
If you look at the pics of the M235i racing its not far removed from a road car even though its supposed to be an out-and-out racer.
This is why I got another Z4M as a stop gap to see if the M2 actually happens. But also because I love the Z4M and I always wanted one in Sepang Bronze. lol
Edited by Johnb850 on Tuesday 25th February 13:30
Edited by Johnb850 on Tuesday 25th February 13:37
[quote=Crazy4557]I have an F10 M5. It's a very heavy feeling car and not nimble like a 135i is more likely to feel. Depends on what you're looking for, a sports type saloon aka M3 or a touring type saloon aka M5. My car is hugely fast but also quite intimidating in the wrong conditions and I consider myself to be an experienced driver and ex car racer. However, you can use it as a comfortable cruiser that's compliant, quiet and has a fabulously appointed cabin with most of the gizmo's you'll ever need or you can go for it. Big issue for me is the roads around here are too small to enjoy the top end performance so take that into consideration.
quote]
I'd echo a lot of this. Had my F10 M5 for two years now and prior to that had an E90 M3 for 3 years.
M5 has a broader range of ability, can really do the comfortable cruiser in a way the M3 couldn't, has great tech, is more practical if you have a growing family, etc. But I don't think it is as much 'fun' to drive as my M3. I feel I can place the M5 on the road as precisely as the M3 but you do notice the extra size and weight. And whilst I felt I could press on with the M3 on a pretty regular basis, the M5 is so fast, I don't feel comfortable doing it as much.
I'm planning to hold onto my M5 probably for a couple more years and then probably downsize back to an F80 M3 or M4 Gran Coupe, when there will be deals to be had on those cars.
If you fancy an M5, and are happy with the costs involved, then go for it. It will probably be one of the best all round cars you'll ever own.
If you fancy an M3 or M4, I'd say wait a year, put a bit extra aside each month towards the deposit and keep paying off the current finance, and then take advantage of the deals that should hopefully be availabe when the honeymoon period for the new car is over.
quote]
I'd echo a lot of this. Had my F10 M5 for two years now and prior to that had an E90 M3 for 3 years.
M5 has a broader range of ability, can really do the comfortable cruiser in a way the M3 couldn't, has great tech, is more practical if you have a growing family, etc. But I don't think it is as much 'fun' to drive as my M3. I feel I can place the M5 on the road as precisely as the M3 but you do notice the extra size and weight. And whilst I felt I could press on with the M3 on a pretty regular basis, the M5 is so fast, I don't feel comfortable doing it as much.
I'm planning to hold onto my M5 probably for a couple more years and then probably downsize back to an F80 M3 or M4 Gran Coupe, when there will be deals to be had on those cars.
If you fancy an M5, and are happy with the costs involved, then go for it. It will probably be one of the best all round cars you'll ever own.
If you fancy an M3 or M4, I'd say wait a year, put a bit extra aside each month towards the deposit and keep paying off the current finance, and then take advantage of the deals that should hopefully be availabe when the honeymoon period for the new car is over.
Interesting topic.
I've had my M135i for only a few days and i can see where you're coming from. It's an amazing overall package and i absolutely love it, however I went in an 08 plate Civic Type-R last night and it really highlighted how much of a cruiser the M135i is in comparison. The performance of the M135i is in a different league, even below 5k rpm (still running in), but after the sharpness of the Civic it felt very grown up.
Mine is a manual which i think helps make it feel a bit more involving. I like the ride too despite it not having adaptive dampers. It's a nice compromise and is a limo compared to the suspension on the civic!
When really pushing on i've found that the chassis and steering don't really give me massive confidence. It's a bit like driving a computer game in that respect.
The M135i is a replacement for our Mini Cooper-S Clubman, so it's still a great step up. My wife wanted to change the mini and i managed to persuade her that an M135i would be fantastic for long work journeys (its main use). No way would she have gone for an M3!
Before i got mine i was getting really fed up with the "but it's not an M car!" arguments. However now i can really see where people were coming from.
If you had an E36 or an E46 M3 in the garage and wanted something a bit newer, comfier and more economical, i'd definitely recommend one...just as long as the M3 was still in the garage for sundays. The M135i is just missing that last little bit of something when pushing beyond 8/10ths.
As it happens i have other toys, and for what the M135i will be used for i'm very, VERY pleased!!
I've had my M135i for only a few days and i can see where you're coming from. It's an amazing overall package and i absolutely love it, however I went in an 08 plate Civic Type-R last night and it really highlighted how much of a cruiser the M135i is in comparison. The performance of the M135i is in a different league, even below 5k rpm (still running in), but after the sharpness of the Civic it felt very grown up.
Mine is a manual which i think helps make it feel a bit more involving. I like the ride too despite it not having adaptive dampers. It's a nice compromise and is a limo compared to the suspension on the civic!
When really pushing on i've found that the chassis and steering don't really give me massive confidence. It's a bit like driving a computer game in that respect.
The M135i is a replacement for our Mini Cooper-S Clubman, so it's still a great step up. My wife wanted to change the mini and i managed to persuade her that an M135i would be fantastic for long work journeys (its main use). No way would she have gone for an M3!
Before i got mine i was getting really fed up with the "but it's not an M car!" arguments. However now i can really see where people were coming from.
If you had an E36 or an E46 M3 in the garage and wanted something a bit newer, comfier and more economical, i'd definitely recommend one...just as long as the M3 was still in the garage for sundays. The M135i is just missing that last little bit of something when pushing beyond 8/10ths.
As it happens i have other toys, and for what the M135i will be used for i'm very, VERY pleased!!
t and trying to use an iPhone...!!I own an F10 M5 and whereas it suits me well, it is a big, heavy car. Its amazing on sweeping A roads, but get onto more twisty stuff and the weight really shows.
I imagine (and that's all as I haven't driven one yet), that the F80 3 is going to be a big step ahead due to its lower weight. BMW official figures already show it will be faster in pretty much any (realistic) scenario and it is likely to offer far more driver connection (the M5 is great for what it is, but it is a big, heavy car).
I'd suggest you go for the m3 - either pay full whack now if you are impatient or stick with your current car until the deals start. If you go F10, you will likely want to change once you drive the new M3 and that will be financial suicide.
DB
I imagine (and that's all as I haven't driven one yet), that the F80 3 is going to be a big step ahead due to its lower weight. BMW official figures already show it will be faster in pretty much any (realistic) scenario and it is likely to offer far more driver connection (the M5 is great for what it is, but it is a big, heavy car).
I'd suggest you go for the m3 - either pay full whack now if you are impatient or stick with your current car until the deals start. If you go F10, you will likely want to change once you drive the new M3 and that will be financial suicide.
DB
Well, a lot of sensible and informative advice there. Thanks folks!
From reading through all the replies, I think the F80 M3 is really the best option for me.
Although the F10 M5 sounds like an absolutely awesome car, I do take on board people's comments about the sheer size and weight of the thing. I don't have a large family to carry around, and I think the F80 M3 would be a better size overall.
@Crazy4557, would you mind PM'ing me details of the M5 lease deal at £600pm please? I've heard of these, but not been able to find any online. Although it's a big heavy car, I still have a soft spot for them.
I also looked at the E90 M3 again in more detail, but the huge fuel consumption penalty for not much difference in performance, and the fact that it would need to be a used model, have been putting me off that idea. Although, they do look like pure 5ex lowered on graphite 359's...
@SidewaysSi, I have considered the C63 AMG, and although I love the sound of them, and I'm sure the performance is great, I just can't get used to the look of them. They will also be an "old model" car soon also, as the new one is due soon.
Now my problem is that the F80 is so damn expensive! I would grudge paying £800+ a month for one when I know I'm getting totally screwed just because there is a demand and BMW / the dealers are not offering any contribution or 0% to support it. Also to pay the same price for an M3 as an M5 just seems wrong also. I may need to wait until the M3 is released and then test drive an F80 M3 and F10 M5 back to back to decide for sure.
I would have no hesitation ordering one if I could get it on a deal for around £600 per month. So my next question I suppose, is how long do people think it'll take for the F80 M3 to drop to around this level?
From reading through all the replies, I think the F80 M3 is really the best option for me.
Although the F10 M5 sounds like an absolutely awesome car, I do take on board people's comments about the sheer size and weight of the thing. I don't have a large family to carry around, and I think the F80 M3 would be a better size overall.
@Crazy4557, would you mind PM'ing me details of the M5 lease deal at £600pm please? I've heard of these, but not been able to find any online. Although it's a big heavy car, I still have a soft spot for them.
I also looked at the E90 M3 again in more detail, but the huge fuel consumption penalty for not much difference in performance, and the fact that it would need to be a used model, have been putting me off that idea. Although, they do look like pure 5ex lowered on graphite 359's...
@SidewaysSi, I have considered the C63 AMG, and although I love the sound of them, and I'm sure the performance is great, I just can't get used to the look of them. They will also be an "old model" car soon also, as the new one is due soon.
Now my problem is that the F80 is so damn expensive! I would grudge paying £800+ a month for one when I know I'm getting totally screwed just because there is a demand and BMW / the dealers are not offering any contribution or 0% to support it. Also to pay the same price for an M3 as an M5 just seems wrong also. I may need to wait until the M3 is released and then test drive an F80 M3 and F10 M5 back to back to decide for sure.
I would have no hesitation ordering one if I could get it on a deal for around £600 per month. So my next question I suppose, is how long do people think it'll take for the F80 M3 to drop to around this level?
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