EDC on M3 e92 is it worth it?

EDC on M3 e92 is it worth it?

Author
Discussion

kev1387

Original Poster:

68 posts

161 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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Hi guys as title suggests is EDC worth paying the extra for?
Car has come up for sale without it and I'm just wondering if its worth paying less for one without or is it essential to have especially come re-sale time?

t8cmf

342 posts

160 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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I'm afraid this is one of those optional extras that if you have it then it's great and if you don't have it then it's not a "must have" optional extra.

I have it on my E92 M3 and I think it's great. smile

It's a thread I've seen repeated many times on BMW forums and the same pattern always emerges. I set my car up so everything is normal when the M button is off and everything set to max when it's pressed. It creates a nice contrast which is why I like EDC.

av185

18,514 posts

127 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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Widely regarded as an essential option.

Cars without it will be worth less AND be more difficult to sell.

Definitely worth the extra....

DT398

1,745 posts

148 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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Had two m3 both without EDC and never missed it. Had no problem selling either car. The suspension setting on non EDC cars is spot on. You get what you pay for in the end. Not really a "must have" as the car is still brilliant without it.

NORTS

633 posts

220 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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Are you going to be using the car for track days? If so EDC would be good to have. If you set it to max for A & B roads the car becomes too stiff in my opinion. Got to say I hardly use it although I did make sure I purchased one with it for helping residuals. You seem to pay a fair few pounds more 2nd hand for DCT and EDC options. But the best thing to do is drive one with EDC and see how it works for you.



Edited by NORTS on Thursday 14th November 09:32

cerb4.5lee

30,620 posts

180 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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Have it on mine & like it but its far from essential as the standard suspension set up is very good anyway.

RossP

2,523 posts

283 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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I have it and like it. Comfort setting is good for day-to-day driving, Normal is good for a hoon and Sport is good for the track.

JRBM5

161 posts

139 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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RossP said:
I have it and like it. Comfort setting is good for day-to-day driving, Normal is good for a hoon and Sport is good for the track.
Exactly as I see it too....but without knowing how good it was I wouldn't have bought a car without it....

cerb4.5lee

30,620 posts

180 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
quotequote all
RossP said:
I have it and like it. Comfort setting is good for day-to-day driving, Normal is good for a hoon and Sport is good for the track.
That mirrors exactly how I use mine aswell.

Wills2

22,833 posts

175 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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Manual with passive dampers and 18" wheels is the purists set up!

I had one back in 2008 I really liked it and it's set up very well in that spec.


ndj

222 posts

222 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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The only way you'll answer your question is to try both yourself and make up your own mind.

I don't buy the "absolutely essential" argument for EDC any more than I do for DCT, 19's, or the high end "stereo", it's all personal to you.

What I would say is buy on condition first, not spec. Most E9x M3's have been around long enough to be less than perfect!

daz05

2,908 posts

195 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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Ask yourself two questions, do you value having the ability to alter rebound damping to suit the road, or will having a blank button do your head in?

djtex

446 posts

198 months

Friday 15th November 2013
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I don't think it's essential, but it was included in the comp pack as an added bonus. However after having lived with it, it suits my requirements perfectly. Comfort for everyday use, Normal for a spirited drive on road, and Sport fantastic on track.

If you can find a car with it I'd recommend it, but don't cut you're nose off to spite your face over it.

pjv997

649 posts

182 months

Friday 15th November 2013
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av185 said:
Widely regarded as an essential option.

Cars without it will be worth less AND be more difficult to sell.

Definitely worth the extra....
This ^

ndj

222 posts

222 months

Friday 15th November 2013
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pjv997 said:
av185 said:
Widely regarded as an essential option.

Cars without it will be worth less AND be more difficult to sell.

Definitely worth the extra....
This ^
During a recent "wobble" which was looking like an E90 to X5 change I offered my non EDC car to 3 BMW dealers and 2 independents. Not one comment, rubbing of chins, or deep intake of breath re. the absence of said option. And as all five were very happy to take it, at prices that were more than reasonable, I can only conclude they can't be that hard to sell on.

cerb4.5lee

30,620 posts

180 months

Friday 15th November 2013
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ndj said:
During a recent "wobble" which was looking like an E90 to X5 change I offered my non EDC car to 3 BMW dealers and 2 independents. Not one comment, rubbing of chins, or deep intake of breath re. the absence of said option. And as all five were very happy to take it, at prices that were more than reasonable, I can only conclude they can't be that hard to sell on.
I would agree & the two most regarded drivers E9x M3's the CRT & GTS don't have EDC either...bmw's marketing wins the day again its just a way of getting the original punter to spend more on options I think.

I only wanted it on mine as the early road testers seemed to sing its praises & although trivial the blank button would annoy me for some silly reason if I didn't have it.

Wills2

22,833 posts

175 months

Friday 15th November 2013
quotequote all
ndj said:
During a recent "wobble" which was looking like an E90 to X5 change I offered my non EDC car to 3 BMW dealers and 2 independents. Not one comment, rubbing of chins, or deep intake of breath re. the absence of said option. And as all five were very happy to take it, at prices that were more than reasonable, I can only conclude they can't be that hard to sell on.
I agree, I've no idea where people get the notion from that a non-edc car is hard to sell.


brid

74 posts

183 months

Friday 15th November 2013
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It makes the car feel a little more planted and 'throwable' when it's on the sportiest setting. I had it in an EDC equipped loaner M3 I had for a few weeks while mine was getting fixed.

Getting back into mine (without it) I didn't feel like I was missing out.

If anything, a badly geo'd car will negate any of how planted the car feels. How many owners go to the bother of having this properly done ... I doubt THAT many.

daz05

2,908 posts

195 months

Friday 15th November 2013
quotequote all
cerb4.5lee said:
I would agree & the two most regarded drivers E9x M3's the CRT & GTS don't have EDC either...bmw's marketing wins the day again its just a way of getting the original punter to spend more on options I think.

I only wanted it on mine as the early road testers seemed to sing its praises & although trivial the blank button would annoy me for some silly reason if I didn't have it.
You aren't the M3s biggest fan smile, so it doesn't surprise me that you haven't seen the value of it as an option. The special models you mention have manually adjustable damping which offer far more adjustment.

I've just done a cross country drive across some great roads and the option to adjust rebound at the touch of a button was extremely useful across different sections. I think the normal car would be too stiff in some situations and not stiff enough in others. Also great to switch back to comfort when you hit traffic or when you just want to nip down to the shops.

Cars with EDC also provide more damper travel and can adjust to the road surface, it's more than just clever marketing, however, only essential if you as a driver value and appreciate the adjustment it provides. Many won't.

cerb4.5lee

30,620 posts

180 months

Friday 15th November 2013
quotequote all
daz05 said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I would agree & the two most regarded drivers E9x M3's the CRT & GTS don't have EDC either...bmw's marketing wins the day again its just a way of getting the original punter to spend more on options I think.

I only wanted it on mine as the early road testers seemed to sing its praises & although trivial the blank button would annoy me for some silly reason if I didn't have it.
You aren't the M3s biggest fan smile, so it doesn't surprise me that you haven't seen the value of it as an option. The special models you mention have manually adjustable damping which offer far more adjustment.

I've just done a cross country drive across some great roads and the option to adjust rebound at the touch of a button was extremely useful across different sections. I think the normal car would be too stiff in some situations and not stiff enough in others. Also great to switch back to comfort when you hit traffic or when you just want to nip down to the shops.

Cars with EDC also provide more damper travel and can adjust to the road surface, it's more than just clever marketing, however, only essential if you as a driver value and appreciate the adjustment it provides. Many won't.
You are correct about me not being a fan of the M3 though & me saying its just marketing is probably way off the mark, I wouldn't have purchased a M3 without EDC but that was just my personal preference & I do genuinely like using mine, if I am pottering about its in comfort & on back roads I run it in normal & when I first got it I did use sport but I found it wanted to bounce me off the road on tricky surfaces so I just stick with normal now.

I was just trying to get my head around why the focused versions didn't have EDC but they aren't road cars specifically anyway , I didn't realise the CRT/GTS had manual adjustment for the damping so thanks for that info. thumbup