G82 M4... first impressions
Discussion
So I've got the use of a 23 plate M4 until Monday.
It's very different to the E90 M3...! It is noticeably faster. Like, much faster. The E90 is far from a slouch but this is in another league, I wonder whether the 510bp is conservative. My dad's old Jag F Type R was 550bhp and this feels every bit as fast, if not more so.
It rides surprisingly well, possibly better than the E90, which, after hearing reviews on the generation in between was quite welcome.
The steering feel is not a patch on the E90, it feels numb in comparison (and I am sure the E90 was slated when it was brand new....). The engine doesn't sound as nice, nor does it rev as freely, but the exhaust note is more naughty - I may do a little mod to my E90 at some point.
It has the carbon bucket seats which are really, really comfortable, but they aren't the most dignified to get in and out of!!
Would I take one over the E90? Daily driver.....absolutely. Country lane blast for fun.....I'm not so sure. It is so fast it could get very scary, very quickly and I think the E90 is the more rewarding to drive.
I shall very much enjoy the next few days with it, and I'm sure my E90 will feel dog slow when I get it back, but I'm sure I'll still love it.
It's very different to the E90 M3...! It is noticeably faster. Like, much faster. The E90 is far from a slouch but this is in another league, I wonder whether the 510bp is conservative. My dad's old Jag F Type R was 550bhp and this feels every bit as fast, if not more so.
It rides surprisingly well, possibly better than the E90, which, after hearing reviews on the generation in between was quite welcome.
The steering feel is not a patch on the E90, it feels numb in comparison (and I am sure the E90 was slated when it was brand new....). The engine doesn't sound as nice, nor does it rev as freely, but the exhaust note is more naughty - I may do a little mod to my E90 at some point.
It has the carbon bucket seats which are really, really comfortable, but they aren't the most dignified to get in and out of!!
Would I take one over the E90? Daily driver.....absolutely. Country lane blast for fun.....I'm not so sure. It is so fast it could get very scary, very quickly and I think the E90 is the more rewarding to drive.
I shall very much enjoy the next few days with it, and I'm sure my E90 will feel dog slow when I get it back, but I'm sure I'll still love it.
I’ve had 5 across over 60,000 miles, 3 RWD and 2 xDrive, and all with the buckets.
They are an outstanding daily for me, comfortable and refined enough but with a turn of speed to entertain when required.
Personally I prefer the feel of the RWD but can understand why most would prefer the security of the xDrive system. Either way, you can’t lose as both are superb.
They are an outstanding daily for me, comfortable and refined enough but with a turn of speed to entertain when required.
Personally I prefer the feel of the RWD but can understand why most would prefer the security of the xDrive system. Either way, you can’t lose as both are superb.
E90_M3Ross said:
The steering feel is not a patch on the E90, it feels numb in comparison (and I am sure the E90 was slated when it was brand new....). The engine doesn't sound as nice, nor does it rev as freely, but the exhaust note is more naughty - I may do a little mod to my E90 at some point.
Interesting re: the steering, it's one thing I noticed Plato pointed out when he back-to-backed an E46 and a G80 at Castle Combe. Could see from some of the onboards he had no confidence in what it was doing on corner exit, having to continually add tiny jabs of corrective lock whereas the E46 allowed him to indulge in the odd slide. I think I've decided that in this colour (Sao Paulo yellow I believe) it's actually a bit too flash for me and a bit embarrassing. I'd rather it in a more darker hue. The car is fantastic though, but the engine lacks the character or noise of the E90, but it certainly has a punch to make up for it!
I've just ordered a 4 door version. I didn't go with the buckets because it is a family car and needs to be used by the wife. I think my 82 year old FiL would struggle a bit getting in and out with the buckets. they do look proper lovely though.
Agree on the colour; I'd have liked the Daytona Purple or maybe a Voodoo Blue for a mid way "look at me" colour. In the end it was a toss up between Black and Skyscraper grey and I went with the black.
Agree on the colour; I'd have liked the Daytona Purple or maybe a Voodoo Blue for a mid way "look at me" colour. In the end it was a toss up between Black and Skyscraper grey and I went with the black.
worsy said:
I've just ordered a 4 door version. I didn't go with the buckets because it is a family car and needs to be used by the wife. I think my 82 year old FiL would struggle a bit getting in and out with the buckets. they do look proper lovely though.
Agree on the colour; I'd have liked the Daytona Purple or maybe a Voodoo Blue for a mid way "look at me" colour. In the end it was a toss up between Black and Skyscraper grey and I went with the black.
Yeah I think black would work well. Enjoy, it is a lovely car!Agree on the colour; I'd have liked the Daytona Purple or maybe a Voodoo Blue for a mid way "look at me" colour. In the end it was a toss up between Black and Skyscraper grey and I went with the black.
I love my F82 M4 as a daily(apart from the harsh ride), so I'd imagine the G82 M4 to be even better. It could be argued that the slightly softer ZF8 auto suits a daily more than a DCT as well. I'd love the xDrive version because I'd use the 4WD system over the winter with the poor weather, and I'd drive it over the summer in RWD only mode and enjoy a bit of slidey...slidey.
I didn't like the yellow much at first, but I did see a yellow G80 M3 the other day and it certainly had a lot of presence in that colour I thought though. I'd want mine in Tanzanite Blue I think.
I didn't like the yellow much at first, but I did see a yellow G80 M3 the other day and it certainly had a lot of presence in that colour I thought though. I'd want mine in Tanzanite Blue I think.
cerb4.5lee said:
I love my F82 M4 as a daily(apart from the harsh ride), so I'd imagine the G82 M4 to be even better. It could be argued that the slightly softer ZF8 auto suits a daily more than a DCT as well. I'd love the xDrive version because I'd use the 4WD system over the winter with the poor weather, and I'd drive it over the summer in RWD only mode and enjoy a bit of slidey...slidey.
I didn't like the yellow much at first, but I did see a yellow G80 M3 the other day and it certainly had a lot of presence in that colour I thought though. I'd want mine in Tanzanite Blue I think.
Yeah I think as a daily it's a superb all rounder. The lack of steering feel is disappointing though. The steering, however, is very sharp and precise, just lack of feel compared to the E90. The stand out for me is the brakes though.I didn't like the yellow much at first, but I did see a yellow G80 M3 the other day and it certainly had a lot of presence in that colour I thought though. I'd want mine in Tanzanite Blue I think.
I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
E90_M3Ross said:
Yeah I think as a daily it's a superb all rounder. The lack of steering feel is disappointing though. The steering, however, is very sharp and precise, just lack of feel compared to the E90. The stand out for me is the brakes though.
I really like the brakes on the F82 in comparison to the E92. I never felt all that confident with the M3s brakes. I was messing around a bit in the M4 yesterday with my bil sat next to me. I floored it in second gear in MDM mode and it just lit the rear tyres up and sent the car sideways, and when I was turning into the slide I didn't reckon much to the feedback from the steering if I'm honest. The steering didn't feel especially connected to the car if you know what I mean. I think that is where the extra delicacy of hydraulic racks help for me.
I also got the chance to drive his new car as well(he's swapped his E93 M3 for a 2016 911 Carrera S cabriolet(3.0 twin turbo engine). Traffic was a bit heavy, but i still managed a cheeky 126 in it with the roof down! I thought the PDK gearbox was amazing in it, and it made the DCT in the M4 feel really slow and old fashioned in comparison.
He had owned the M3 for 11 years so he was a bit sad to see it go to be fair.
E90_M3Ross said:
Yeah I think as a daily it's a superb all rounder. The lack of steering feel is disappointing though. The steering, however, is very sharp and precise, just lack of feel compared to the E90. The stand out for me is the brakes though.
I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
Apart from having the geometry done, this was the single best change to my E92 I've made. Braided hoses, Castrol SRF & Ferrodo DS Uno pads I can vouch for without going balls out Ap's/Brembos etc. Braking was immediately better .... previously after 4-5 moderate to hard pedal presses, I was getting excess pedal travel, grumbling and brake fade. I don't drive hard on the road. Straight away I could feel that the issues were sorted ... plenty of feel ... no extended pedal travel after mutiple uses. Managed a full track day and were as solid all day. I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
The pads do often squeal in traffic but as I don't drive the car much, its not something I worry about.
Previously had AP's on my CSL with pagid RS29's and also pagid RS29's on my E36 M3 GT with standard brakes so these are good reference point. IMO a full brake ugrade is only relevent if you have a number on your car ...
JEA1K said:
E90_M3Ross said:
Yeah I think as a daily it's a superb all rounder. The lack of steering feel is disappointing though. The steering, however, is very sharp and precise, just lack of feel compared to the E90. The stand out for me is the brakes though.
I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
Apart from having the geometry done, this was the single best change to my E92 I've made. Braided hoses, Castrol SRF & Ferrodo DS Uno pads I can vouch for without going balls out Ap's/Brembos etc. Braking was immediately better .... previously after 4-5 moderate to hard pedal presses, I was getting excess pedal travel, grumbling and brake fade. I don't drive hard on the road. Straight away I could feel that the issues were sorted ... plenty of feel ... no extended pedal travel after mutiple uses. Managed a full track day and were as solid all day. I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
The pads do often squeal in traffic but as I don't drive the car much, its not something I worry about.
Previously had AP's on my CSL with pagid RS29's and also pagid RS29's on my E36 M3 GT with standard brakes so these are good reference point. IMO a full brake ugrade is only relevent if you have a number on your car ...
Cheers.
a340driver said:
I've driven my F82 M4 to work for the last 2 years and it's been great, especially with the DCT when I'm plodding in traffic on the M4. I imagine the the G82 would be even better for that and faster when you get the opportunity. But I just can't deal with the looks I'm afraid.
Wasn't a fan at first but TBH now, the F82 is looking dated in comparison. Maybe dated not the right word, more classic.worsy said:
a340driver said:
I've driven my F82 M4 to work for the last 2 years and it's been great, especially with the DCT when I'm plodding in traffic on the M4. I imagine the the G82 would be even better for that and faster when you get the opportunity. But I just can't deal with the looks I'm afraid.
Wasn't a fan at first but TBH now, the F82 is looking dated in comparison. Maybe dated not the right word, more classic.I think us lot must be dinosaurs, the amount of positive comments the car gets is very surprising. Whether it's because "it looks new and shiny" or whether people genuinely like the design I'm not sure. I think overall it's quite fussy, and not elegant or pretty. The front I don't hate, but likewise I don't think "wow, that looks nice", I think it's quite ugly. It's brutish.
E90_M3Ross said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I love my F82 M4 as a daily(apart from the harsh ride), so I'd imagine the G82 M4 to be even better. It could be argued that the slightly softer ZF8 auto suits a daily more than a DCT as well. I'd love the xDrive version because I'd use the 4WD system over the winter with the poor weather, and I'd drive it over the summer in RWD only mode and enjoy a bit of slidey...slidey.
I didn't like the yellow much at first, but I did see a yellow G80 M3 the other day and it certainly had a lot of presence in that colour I thought though. I'd want mine in Tanzanite Blue I think.
Yeah I think as a daily it's a superb all rounder. The lack of steering feel is disappointing though. The steering, however, is very sharp and precise, just lack of feel compared to the E90. The stand out for me is the brakes though.I didn't like the yellow much at first, but I did see a yellow G80 M3 the other day and it certainly had a lot of presence in that colour I thought though. I'd want mine in Tanzanite Blue I think.
I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
Re the brake hoses, go for HEL. WG Motorparts on eBay are a company I've bought several sets from. If you did want to upgrade the front calipers, you could look at these - https://freakyparts.co.uk/collections/bmw-e9x-m3-b... They also sell other kits / adapters for different calipers.
cerb4.5lee said:
E90_M3Ross said:
Yeah I think as a daily it's a superb all rounder. The lack of steering feel is disappointing though. The steering, however, is very sharp and precise, just lack of feel compared to the E90. The stand out for me is the brakes though.
I really like the brakes on the F82 in comparison to the E92. I never felt all that confident with the M3s brakes. JEA1K said:
E90_M3Ross said:
Yeah I think as a daily it's a superb all rounder. The lack of steering feel is disappointing though. The steering, however, is very sharp and precise, just lack of feel compared to the E90. The stand out for me is the brakes though.
I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
Previously had AP's on my CSL with pagid RS29's and also pagid RS29's on my E36 M3 GT with standard brakes so these are good reference point. IMO a full brake ugrade is only relevent if you have a number on your car ... I think I will look to at least get more aggressive pads, better fluid and Goodridge hoses later in the year. Beyond that..... It's too costly and not worth it for the driving I do.
bumskins said:
E90_M3Ross said:
The steering feel is not a patch on the E90, it feels numb in comparison (and I am sure the E90 was slated when it was brand new....). The engine doesn't sound as nice, nor does it rev as freely, but the exhaust note is more naughty - I may do a little mod to my E90 at some point.
Interesting re: the steering, it's one thing I noticed Plato pointed out when he back-to-backed an E46 and a G80 at Castle Combe. Could see from some of the onboards he had no confidence in what it was doing on corner exit, having to continually add tiny jabs of corrective lock whereas the E46 allowed him to indulge in the odd slide. ro250 said:
bumskins said:
E90_M3Ross said:
The steering feel is not a patch on the E90, it feels numb in comparison (and I am sure the E90 was slated when it was brand new....). The engine doesn't sound as nice, nor does it rev as freely, but the exhaust note is more naughty - I may do a little mod to my E90 at some point.
Interesting re: the steering, it's one thing I noticed Plato pointed out when he back-to-backed an E46 and a G80 at Castle Combe. Could see from some of the onboards he had no confidence in what it was doing on corner exit, having to continually add tiny jabs of corrective lock whereas the E46 allowed him to indulge in the odd slide. E90_M3Ross said:
ro250 said:
bumskins said:
E90_M3Ross said:
The steering feel is not a patch on the E90, it feels numb in comparison (and I am sure the E90 was slated when it was brand new....). The engine doesn't sound as nice, nor does it rev as freely, but the exhaust note is more naughty - I may do a little mod to my E90 at some point.
Interesting re: the steering, it's one thing I noticed Plato pointed out when he back-to-backed an E46 and a G80 at Castle Combe. Could see from some of the onboards he had no confidence in what it was doing on corner exit, having to continually add tiny jabs of corrective lock whereas the E46 allowed him to indulge in the odd slide. I thought it was a bit of a silly comparison really as the cars are so different.
Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff