New M3 - sharing my disappointment

[Developer78]

Hi,

Long time reader, first post ever lol.

Simple background I tend to buy two to three cars a year, changing when I get bored.

I have been eyeing up the new M3 as the car for me in 2015. I am based in Canterbury and noticed that the local dealer had one for sale. They also had the M4 coupe and convertible. I was offered an extended test drive and picked the car up Saturday morning.

My current car is a 2014 golf R with all the trimmings. Before that I had a 2013 981 cayman and before that a 2013 x3 3.5d m sport. I like to think I am a bit of a car fanatic and I couldn't wait to close the deal on the m3 this weekend.

I drove the M3 to ikea in comfort mode and was most impressed by it. It felt like a normal 3 series. It looked awesome in white and I really liked the HUD display.

However, after comfort comes chaos and I put everything in sport plus and started having a bit of fun. Only it wasn't fun, it was massively frustrating because it cannot get the power down without snaking all over the road. The back end felt really tail happy and did not inspire confidence. I was really shocked by this, I so wanted to love it. I so wanted to buy it. But it felt like it wanted to put me off the road.

I took the car back this morning and I was offered a good deal on it. But I suggested it would be a real problem for me due to the traction issues.

I took it on the same route I have taken my golf and the cayman down and the M3 just didn't give me a sense of enjoyment. The M3 is straight line quicker than both but I was actually quite pleased to see the old vw when I have the M3 back.

I am still dwelling on it, I feel quite disappointed and all the reviews have been so good. I guess really it's tough because having grown up on the legend of the m3 the practice of driving the new model did not meet my expectations.

Has anyone else got any reports of traction being an issue or is it a case that I have missed something? I feel somewhat numb after the whole experience because I don't really know what to buy now.

Any comments or thoughts?

Thanks

Adam

[shibby!]

Roads are just stty this time of year buddy.

Really just slidey, cold and damp.

Maybe that contributing to it?

[Defcon5]

Is it second hand? What tyres are on it if so?

[Developer78]

It was ex demo at broadoak Ashford. I guess factory ones but it was a 14 plate with 4k on it.

I think the bad weather was against me. It would probably be better in the summer I guess.

[throt]

My opinion,,
Control the snaking a bit more..Thats the fun part..

[Developer78]

I did think that if I could pull it off I could really impress people in this car. The reality would be a ditch, a few twigs and a disappointed me.

I probably don't have enough chest hair for 400+ bhp through the rear boots. Even my cayman was the baby 2.7 with 20" wheels because it will never break traction lol

I am pleased I joined the forum though, certainly people here who know cars well.

[Kawasicki]

throt said:

My opinion,,
Control the snaking a bit more..Thats the fun part..

or don't, that's even funner.

[Developer78]

Kawasicki said:

throt said:

My opinion,,
Control the snaking a bit more..Thats the fun part..

or don't, that's even funner.

Why is this making me laugh, gonna try the rs4. See what that's like. Audi did have some contribution offers iirc

[SBN]

Roads are rubbish this time of year.

I have my m3 running on winter tyres and whilst they work great in slippery cold conditions in comfort mode etc. They aren't as good as my summer michelins in the dry in full attack the rear just can't get the power down... In the summer this doesn't happen at all with my michelins and it sticks to the road and is a great car!

[Kawasicki]

On a more serious note, did you switch off the traction control? Any car, not just the new m3, with rwd and plenty of grunty turbo'd torque is going to require either finesse or traction control in low grip conditions.

[cosworth330]

As someone else said the roads are so slippery this time of year. Even when dry the temps are so low and most cars run summer tyres. I have a V10 M5 and can't get my foot down to the floor without breaking traction all the time. Once the weather warms up a bit it's much better. I've had 2 M3's and another M5 ( older versions ) and they are all the same in the winter, trouble getting the power down. The new M3 must have quite a bit more power to get down than the Golf which won't help in poor conditions. M3 is a lovely looking car.

I'm also in Canterbury.

[Developer78]

cosworth330 said:

I'm also in Canterbury

Fine city sir. I will listen out for your v10 rumble lol.

[Developer78]

Also traction control was on. It was a pretty scary mess at one point coming through the lanes. I think I could learn to love it though (maybe) lol

[Evolved]

So a tail happy M3 in sport mode is a problem when it's sedate in comfort mode? Just trying to understand things here.

As other have said, the roads are awful this time of year, think yourself lucky it wasn't on SS Cups

[Baz Tench]

Isn't Sport + mode pretty much meant for track use?

[ZX10R NIN]

Before you do the deal try an Alpina B3/4 take a look at what Chris Harris thought of it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=740gShZJF1M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoRAeL8qgSM

Can't fault the OH D3 & I think the B3 is the best pick of the three

I had an M3 from Nov until the end of Jan the only traction issues I had were when I provoked it, but I will say it could be a bit skittish at times but nothing to bad. It's a good car I didn't get on with it, for me it needed to be more special inside & when driving normally it didn't do this for me but when in the mood it was great fun.

Hence why the OH ended up with the D3 to replace her C63, the two things she misses are engine note & the 63 had the better interior & seats. I have to say I think the B3 would have ticked the engine note box but the mix of power & economy is hard to fault so far it's working out at 42.7 mpg which murders the 23.6 the C63 was giving.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Monday 16th February 08:53

[Andy M]

A scorpion asks a frog to carry him over a river. The frog is afraid of being stung during the trip, but the scorpion argues that if it stung the frog, both would sink and the scorpion would drown. The frog agrees and begins carrying the scorpion, but midway across the river the scorpion does indeed sting the frog, dooming them both. When asked why, the scorpion points out that this is its nature. The fable is used to illustrate the position that no change can be made in the behaviour of the fundamentally vicious.

It tells us how far cars have come when you can step into a 400bhp+ turbocharged RWD car fitted with sporty tyres, drive it in winter on damp UK roads covered in rock salt, and still be surprised when it has issues with traction.

[Mosdef]

Kawasicki said:

On a more serious note, did you switch off the traction control? Any car, not just the new m3, with rwd and plenty of grunty turbo'd torque is going to require either finesse or traction control in low grip conditions.

Exactly this^^^^^ I have a love/hate relationship with my E63 for around 5 months of the year but really enjoy it in the summer. I suspect turbo'd torque is the problem for M3/4, M5, M6, turbo'd AMGs etc. After the umpteenth, strangled attempt to make ordinary progress, it gets a bit wearing and a car with 4wd seems so appealing - until you drive one...

[julians]

What did you expect a 400hp (and turbo'd so lots of low down torque) rear wheel drive car to be like in a UK winter?

I havent driven a new M3/4, but the more I hear people complaining that it has 'traction issues' the more I like the sound of it.

[dulcinea]

I've had mine for 4 weeks and traction is an issue but as most have said above what would you expect? We complain when traction controls kick in too early and when BMW give us something that kicks in later we complain too. If its an issue fit winter tyres or buy an RS4. I love mine and love the fact that it takes a bit of concentration to drive it at speed at this time of year.