Are the Lci F80 M3's a Lot Better than non-Lci?

[M3Driver]

As a huge BMW fan, who's owned and driven just about every M-car going, I was a bit disappointed when I test drove the F80 M3 when it first came out.

I felt let down by the sound, the interior, the poor traction, skitteriness over bumps, and the fact that the car didn't offer much sense of occasion at all. I test drove it back to back with an F10 M5 Comp Pack, which had miles more presence and sounded 100x better.

I really wanted to like the M3, as I loved the M5 inside and out, but found it a bit long and heavy (would cost me a fortune needing discs and pads every 5k miles...)

Has anyone driven an pre-Lci and post-Lci F80 M3? If so, could you perhaps give your thoughts on any differences between the two? I've heard some people mention that the skittery ride and poor traction are less of a problem now. Just thought I'd ask the question before committing to a test drive. Thanks

[W8PMC]

M3Driver said:

As a huge BMW fan, who's owned and driven just about every M-car going, I was a bit disappointed when I test drove the F80 M3 when it first came out.

I felt let down by the sound, the interior, the poor traction, skitteriness over bumps, and the fact that the car didn't offer much sense of occasion at all. I test drove it back to back with an F10 M5 Comp Pack, which had miles more presence and sounded 100x better.

I really wanted to like the M3, as I loved the M5 inside and out, but found it a bit long and heavy (would cost me a fortune needing discs and pads every 5k miles...)

Has anyone driven an pre-Lci and post-Lci F80 M3? If so, could you perhaps give your thoughts on any differences between the two? I've heard some people mention that the skittery ride and poor traction are less of a problem now. Just thought I'd ask the question before committing to a test drive. Thanks

As per the brakes thread, if you don't track the car then an M5 is surprisingly easy on pads/discs. I track often & only replaced my front pads at 17k miles & my rear discs still look as good as new, however my fronts are starting to show a high level of cracks, but this is more down to the abuse the car gets on track than anything else.

Oddly enough tyre wear is also very good (non track)

[M3Driver]

I live in Scotland and probably regularly drive my car harder on the road than many people do on a track...

I only have a (tuned) M135i at the moment, but the brakes lost a noticeable amount of their bite by 10k miles, and needed discs and pads by 18k miles. Judging by this, I'd imagine an F10 M5 would be significantly worse, as it's a much heavier car.

I also felt it could get awful out of shape on smaller roads at bigger speeds. It's just to large and heavy that even relatively gentle changes in direction are asking a lot of the suspension and brakes etc.

Awesome car in a straight line though. Nice interior and nice to drive about sedately in. The noise coming out of the Comp Pack exhaust was incredible for a standard car.

I just wondered whether the Lci changes had improved upon a lot of the initial complaints regarding the M3.

[W8PMC]

M3Driver said:

I live in Scotland and probably regularly drive my car harder on the road than many people do on a track...

I only have a (tuned) M135i at the moment, but the brakes lost a noticeable amount of their bite by 10k miles, and needed discs and pads by 18k miles. Judging by this, I'd imagine an F10 M5 would be significantly worse, as it's a much heavier car.

I also felt it could get awful out of shape on smaller roads at bigger speeds. It's just to large and heavy that even relatively gentle changes in direction are asking a lot of the suspension and brakes etc.

Awesome car in a straight line though. Nice interior and nice to drive about sedately in. The noise coming out of the Comp Pack exhaust was incredible for a standard car.

I just wondered whether the Lci changes had improved upon a lot of the initial complaints regarding the M3.

Experience says different however. The M5 will have far better brakes as stock than an M135i & that doesn't mean they'll wear quicker as the compound i would assume would be a better grade so with normal driving even with the additional say 400kg they should be on a pr if not longer lasting. The M5 has 400mm discs front & rear so you don't need to bury the stop pedal to scrub significant speed off.

It's unlikely to be quite as lithe on country roads i grant you, but i doubt it would stay behind an M135i for very long. A well driven M3/4 perhaps may be more of a challenge, but far be it from me to comment on which cars are better, the M5 really can disguise it's weight epically on the road & track. My only point is don't dismiss the M5 based on it's apparent size & potential wear rate of consumables as in the real world these are not as big an issue as many would think.

It is however a sizeable vehicle i grant you & no amount of clever M ness can hide all of the bulk. Sorry though that i can't answer your question regarding LCi vs. the non for the M3.

[Jazzer]

I really wanted to like the M3/4, but just can't get over the cheap interior, horrible sound/noise and diabolical traction in wet/damp conditions.....real lack of composure too.

The M5 really is on a different level.

I love mine, but might be tempted by a 30 Jahre edition if one can be had for a sensible amount of money.

M3s/M4s....how can I put it....they're st.

I'd take an E46 M3, especially a CS or CSL, over any of them.

As Jeremy might say.....epic fking fail!

[wnd]

I can't comment on pre vs post but as someone who has just moved from a 2015 MY M6 Coupe to a 2016 MY M3 LCI I can say the following..

• with the full leather interior (an absolute must) it is 95% as nice a place to be as my M6 with full individual
• the traction is way better than the M6. Everywhere that the 6 would spin it's rears on my daily commute no matter how gentle I tried to be, the M3... doesn't
• the M3 is much louder and more boisterous than the 6. It makes better noises (to me) as I leave the multi story and rev to change from 2nd to 3rd under a bridge where it makes a rip noise, love it. I actually prefer the noise but this is of course subjective.
• it is just as fast to the limit and not that much slower (although I do notice that it is) to multiples of it
• to me the size is perfect. Easy to park, looks compact and sporty (and way better than the M4 imho)

In summary, I worried I'd miss the M6. I don't one bit. I love this car.

...and Clarkson actually said "it's a fabulous, wonderful car and if you have £57k lying around you should go and buy one. Immediately."

[JMBMWM5]

wnd said:

I can't comment on pre vs post but as someone who has just moved from a 2015 MY M6 Coupe to a 2016 MY M3 LCI I can say the following..

• with the full leather interior (an absolute must) it is 95% as nice a place to be as my M6 with full individual
• the traction is way better than the M6. Everywhere that the 6 would spin it's rears on my daily commute no matter how gentle I tried to be, the M3... doesn't
• the M3 is much louder and more boisterous than the 6. It makes better noises (to me) as I leave the multi story and rev to change from 2nd to 3rd under a bridge where it makes a rip noise, love it. I actually prefer the noise but this is of course subjective.
• it is just as fast to the limit and not that much slower (although I do notice that it is) to multiples of it
• to me the size is perfect. Easy to park, looks compact and sporty (and way better than the M4 imho)

In summary, I worried I'd miss the M6. I don't one bit. I love this car.

...and Clarkson actually said "it's a fabulous, wonderful car and if you have £57k lying around you should go and buy one. Immediately."

I have gone from the LCI M5 too the M6 GC CP, now the LCI M3 bought new this September and AGREE with this, mine has Full leather, the Traction is much better than the M5 or M6, the Exhaust sounds better in Sport and Sport+, and IT IS AS FAST 100 MPH as the other TWO, corners better and out handles them on "B" roads easy.
I love it.
Do I miss the others NOPE.

[Wills2]

Whatever I'm driving currently is better than what I was driving before....

[wnd]

You added the one point I forgot John.. the handling. The M6 felt its weight and the M3 feels it too... much lighter. I can turn at speed into corners or accelerate on long sweeping A or M road exits at higher speed with higher confidence than I could i the 6. If you spend 90% of your time cursing on motorways, the 6 is a nicer place to be but about town or on a mix of roads I much prefer the M3. I wouldn't trade back.. and I could tomorrow if I so wished

Edited by wnd on Saturday 24th October 23:04

[JMBMWM5]

wnd said:

You added the one point I forgot John.. the handling. The M6 felt its weight and the M3 feels it too... much lighter. I can turn at speed into corners or accelerate on long sweeping A or M road exits at higher speed with higher confidence than I could i the 6. If you spend 90% of your time cursing on motorways, the 6 is a nicer place to be but about town or on a mix of roads I much prefer the M3. I wouldn't trade back.. and I could tomorrow if I so wished

Edited by wnd on Saturday 24th October 23:04

Yep agree on that.
Drove the new Bentley V8 Speed yesterday, at speed I might add, it went very well but was a barge in comparison, servicing costs were "Eye watering"

[chibbard]

This thread is making me want one more and more....Must resist the urge for a little while yet!!

[W8PMC]

JMBMWM5 said:

I have gone from the LCI M5 too the M6 GC CP, now the LCI M3 bought new this September and AGREE with this, mine has Full leather, the Traction is much better than the M5 or M6, the Exhaust sounds better in Sport and Sport+, and IT IS AS FAST 100 MPH as the other TWO, corners better and out handles them on "B" roads easy.
I love it.
Do I miss the others NOPE.

I still really do doubt this as even on paper the 5/6 are quicker across the board& as i've said many times, i really don't suffer with any traction issues in my car on the 19's & i really do think it's those on the 20's (of which most are) who suffer.

I'll take a 3/4 on an extended test drive in the Spring, but i would be wholly shocked if it didn't feel like a step down from the 5.

[ashway]

Wills2 said:

Whatever I'm driving currently is better than what I was driving before....

I have a mate like that, then a few months in its sh** and the excuse to change it again

[stevenandalex]

I wonder If tyres are also the problem, as with the lower temps this last week, my mitchelin pilot super sports are crap in the cold and wet , although the this is in the E92 M3!

Edited by stevenandalex on Wednesday 28th October 11:48