E46 M3 V's 335i coupe day to day living
Discussion
To be specific has anyone changed from E46 M3 to 335i M Sport coupe, and if so are would you recommend it or wish that you had not changed cars.
As you can no doubt guess the thought is going through my mind to change to the above, I don't have issue the outright straight line performance of the 335i, but would really like to hear from anyone who's done it or knows about it.
Thanks
As you can no doubt guess the thought is going through my mind to change to the above, I don't have issue the outright straight line performance of the 335i, but would really like to hear from anyone who's done it or knows about it.
Thanks
dadofbud said:
To be specific has anyone changed from E46 M3 to 335i M Sport coupe, and if so are would you recommend it or wish that you had not changed cars.
As you can no doubt guess the thought is going through my mind to change to the above, I don't have issue the outright straight line performance of the 335i, but would really like to hear from anyone who's done it or knows about it.
Thanks
I did. As you can no doubt guess the thought is going through my mind to change to the above, I don't have issue the outright straight line performance of the 335i, but would really like to hear from anyone who's done it or knows about it.
Thanks
Lasted 9 months and then I swapped back.
Don't get me wrong the 335i is an engineering masterpiece, I had an Xede on mine and it would do 0-60 in 4.6 seconds so it was quicker than the M3, but it's also feckin' boring!!
gizlaroc said:
dadofbud said:
To be specific has anyone changed from E46 M3 to 335i M Sport coupe, and if so are would you recommend it or wish that you had not changed cars.
As you can no doubt guess the thought is going through my mind to change to the above, I don't have issue the outright straight line performance of the 335i, but would really like to hear from anyone who's done it or knows about it.
Thanks
I did. As you can no doubt guess the thought is going through my mind to change to the above, I don't have issue the outright straight line performance of the 335i, but would really like to hear from anyone who's done it or knows about it.
Thanks
Lasted 9 months and then I swapped back.
Don't get me wrong the 335i is an engineering masterpiece, I had an Xede on mine and it would do 0-60 in 4.6 seconds so it was quicker than the M3, but it's also feckin' boring!!
Was yours manual or auto ? did you modify more than a remap, could the 335i be modified to make it an E46 M3 beater on the basis that most ? M3 owners modify their cars anyway
Why was it boring
Edited by dadofbud on Sunday 11th January 22:00
dadofbud said:
You built me up and let me down in one post, come on spill the beans, i've appointed you the guardian of my sanity, sorry that's a bit dramatic
Was yours manual or auto ? did you modify more than a remap, could the 335i be modified to make it an E46 M3 beater on the basis that most ? M3 owners modify their cars anyway
Why was it boring
You can't describe it. Was yours manual or auto ? did you modify more than a remap, could the 335i be modified to make it an E46 M3 beater on the basis that most ? M3 owners modify their cars anyway
Why was it boring
On paper the 335i was smoother, more comfy (once the run flats were ditched), better chassis, quicker (by quite some margin!) had more room, better toys, looked fresher, easier to drive, much better MPG and a lot more discreet.
Yet that was also its downfall.
It was an engineering marvel, it got you from A-B extremely quickly (Chippenham to Norwich in 2 hours!! Sunday night with my wife next to me, not screaming at me to slow down!) and in total comfort, but there was no drama, no sense of occasion.
M3
The way the M3 accelerates is brutal, get passed 4500rpm and the engine is screaming, get to 7500rpm and slam the next gear in, the back end twitches, the wheels chirp and once again you start to hear the engine and that rasp of the exhaust, you approach a corner and blip the throttle as you change back down to 3rd, you hear the exhaust pop and you are sat at 5000rpm as you are coming out of the corner, you bury the gas and the back end comes out, you point it down the straight and it starts all over again.
335i
You press the gas at any revs and the power is there, it gets to 5500rpm and you change gear again, no noise, no drama just quick and very refined.
As I said, completely different cars, both great at what they do and boyth very different from each other.
I will probably buy another 335i touring when they come down a bit more in price, but it will sit next to the M3, I wouldn't own just the 335i.
Should just add, if you want to really enjoy a 335i I would change the run flats, get better suspension and brakes and definitely put on a Limited Slip Diff.
Also a remap is a must, once remapped they start to feel quick, without the remap they feel alot slower than the M3, using an AP22 to time them it is not slower (if you can get traction) but it seems a lot quicker.
Problem is you are looking at £500-1000 for a remap, £1200 for an LSD, £1500 for decent suspension and then whatever you want to spend on brakes, and it still won't be an M3.
Also a remap is a must, once remapped they start to feel quick, without the remap they feel alot slower than the M3, using an AP22 to time them it is not slower (if you can get traction) but it seems a lot quicker.
Problem is you are looking at £500-1000 for a remap, £1200 for an LSD, £1500 for decent suspension and then whatever you want to spend on brakes, and it still won't be an M3.
Well I asked for it!!!!
Do you write copy for advertising, that was very good.
So basically all the mods that we do to our E46 M3 apply to the 335i to make it better.
It's really hard to know what to do with my M3(46) keep it, sell it.
E92 M3 needs to reach 30k for me, but good RS4 can be had for 27K now, but not sure I have or want BMW out of my system yet that's why I considered used 335i M Sport as a cost saving over the above.
Thanks for your view,very helpful.
Do you write copy for advertising, that was very good.
So basically all the mods that we do to our E46 M3 apply to the 335i to make it better.
It's really hard to know what to do with my M3(46) keep it, sell it.
E92 M3 needs to reach 30k for me, but good RS4 can be had for 27K now, but not sure I have or want BMW out of my system yet that's why I considered used 335i M Sport as a cost saving over the above.
Thanks for your view,very helpful.
Is it really going to save you any money though??
By the time you have swapped it over surely it will end up costing you more??
If you fancy a change then fair enough, buy the cheapest 335i you can find and run it till you get bored and then sell it on in 6 months and buy an M3.
Or just wait 3 months and get an M3 for £30k.
Audi?? You got to be kidding??!!!
This was my reply to someone asking about an S4 yesterday on mtorque.co.uk (to be fair the RS4 is a lot better, but stil new M3 vs RS4??)
The S4......
For a start the gear ratios are all wrong, they have been set up to try and get a reasonable 0-60mph time, as this is what people look at when buying these cars it seems.
But it is still around .6 seconds slower than an M3.
Because of these ratios changing gear is an absolute nightmare, 1st to second round town is constant, you are just swapping cogs all the time. Then you find that it is actually alot easier to ignore 1st altogether and just start in 2nd.
This is the same for 3rd and 5th, just use 2nd, 4th and 6th and it becomes more bearable on a day to day basis.
The other problem because it has such a short final drive to get the 0-60 times down and make it feel more powerful, sitting at 90mph has it doing a ludicrous 3500rpm and 18mpg in 6th!
It's a feckin' massive 4.2 litre V8, it could be doing 1200rpm with only 3 gears and returning 30mpg while cruising.
I know a few American owners are putting in a 3.5 final drive instead of the factory 3.91 final drive to help the overall driveablility of the car with some very positive results.
The next problem and probably the biggest problem is weight and handling.
When people said the engine was in front of the front axle I thought they were saying it tongue firmly in cheek.
They're not!
Seriously the heavy steel V8 engine is in front of the wheels, going into any corner at even moderate speeds sees you fighting to get the front end round it, you have to come off the throttle to get it round.
Now, in the wet, or even damp, this car is meant to excel. However, on two occasions I had the front slide from under me which is extremely scary.
There is a bit of road near me that I know inside out, only about 2 miles long but it has a few nice bends, some adverse camber and you can always see 1/4 mile ahead and behind you so you can go for it.
I could not take the S4 down that bit of road anywhere near as quick as in the M3, some corners are nearly 10mph slower in the S4 than the M3 and that is at 70mph against 80mph and in the wet.
So really it is just a comfortable motorway muncher?
Well no, not even that really. Main problem for me is the Recaros are not as comfy as the M3 seats, they are too high so it isn't sporty feeling and they don't tilt up high enough under my thighs.
Then there is the clutch and the accelerator pedal, they are really high.
The clutch not so much of a problem when you learn to just sed 2nd, 4th and 6th but the 'go' pedal is a problem.
It is so high, and not pivoted from the floor like most other cars these days, that you get cramp in your shins.
To see what I mean sit down as if your in the car, then try and touch your shins with your toes, now this is how you end up in the S4, a few reviewers have mentioned it but until you have to live with it you won't know if it effects you, I would guess if your a size 12 you wouldn't.
I used to have to stop every hour to walk round, and on a couple of occasions I had to pull into the hard should on the motorway as the cramp suddenly kicked in!
Don't get me wrong, love the design, prefer the image (well did but think it has lost that nowadays), like the interior and loved the nav system, but as an all round car it is the worst thing I have ever owned.
I thought it was just me, but JT bought it off me as his family wagon but I think he kept it even less time than I did!!
RS4 sorts out just about all the problems above.
Edit: Should also add that it returned 15mpg round town and 22mpg on a run.
Just wait a couple of months and get an E90/92 M3 I reckon.
By the time you have swapped it over surely it will end up costing you more??
If you fancy a change then fair enough, buy the cheapest 335i you can find and run it till you get bored and then sell it on in 6 months and buy an M3.
Or just wait 3 months and get an M3 for £30k.
Audi?? You got to be kidding??!!!
This was my reply to someone asking about an S4 yesterday on mtorque.co.uk (to be fair the RS4 is a lot better, but stil new M3 vs RS4??)
gIzzE said:
ianM3 said:
I guess the S4 is a comfier grippy A-B car but the M3 the drivers choice.
No, not at all! The S4......
For a start the gear ratios are all wrong, they have been set up to try and get a reasonable 0-60mph time, as this is what people look at when buying these cars it seems.
But it is still around .6 seconds slower than an M3.
Because of these ratios changing gear is an absolute nightmare, 1st to second round town is constant, you are just swapping cogs all the time. Then you find that it is actually alot easier to ignore 1st altogether and just start in 2nd.
This is the same for 3rd and 5th, just use 2nd, 4th and 6th and it becomes more bearable on a day to day basis.
The other problem because it has such a short final drive to get the 0-60 times down and make it feel more powerful, sitting at 90mph has it doing a ludicrous 3500rpm and 18mpg in 6th!
It's a feckin' massive 4.2 litre V8, it could be doing 1200rpm with only 3 gears and returning 30mpg while cruising.
I know a few American owners are putting in a 3.5 final drive instead of the factory 3.91 final drive to help the overall driveablility of the car with some very positive results.
The next problem and probably the biggest problem is weight and handling.
When people said the engine was in front of the front axle I thought they were saying it tongue firmly in cheek.
They're not!
Seriously the heavy steel V8 engine is in front of the wheels, going into any corner at even moderate speeds sees you fighting to get the front end round it, you have to come off the throttle to get it round.
Now, in the wet, or even damp, this car is meant to excel. However, on two occasions I had the front slide from under me which is extremely scary.
There is a bit of road near me that I know inside out, only about 2 miles long but it has a few nice bends, some adverse camber and you can always see 1/4 mile ahead and behind you so you can go for it.
I could not take the S4 down that bit of road anywhere near as quick as in the M3, some corners are nearly 10mph slower in the S4 than the M3 and that is at 70mph against 80mph and in the wet.
So really it is just a comfortable motorway muncher?
Well no, not even that really. Main problem for me is the Recaros are not as comfy as the M3 seats, they are too high so it isn't sporty feeling and they don't tilt up high enough under my thighs.
Then there is the clutch and the accelerator pedal, they are really high.
The clutch not so much of a problem when you learn to just sed 2nd, 4th and 6th but the 'go' pedal is a problem.
It is so high, and not pivoted from the floor like most other cars these days, that you get cramp in your shins.
To see what I mean sit down as if your in the car, then try and touch your shins with your toes, now this is how you end up in the S4, a few reviewers have mentioned it but until you have to live with it you won't know if it effects you, I would guess if your a size 12 you wouldn't.
I used to have to stop every hour to walk round, and on a couple of occasions I had to pull into the hard should on the motorway as the cramp suddenly kicked in!
Don't get me wrong, love the design, prefer the image (well did but think it has lost that nowadays), like the interior and loved the nav system, but as an all round car it is the worst thing I have ever owned.
I thought it was just me, but JT bought it off me as his family wagon but I think he kept it even less time than I did!!
RS4 sorts out just about all the problems above.
Edit: Should also add that it returned 15mpg round town and 22mpg on a run.
gizlaroc said:
The way the M3 accelerates is brutal, get passed 4500rpm and the engine is screaming, get to 7500rpm and slam the next gear in, the back end twitches, the wheels chirp and once again you start to hear the engine and that rasp of the exhaust, you approach a corner and blip the throttle as you change back down to 3rd, you hear the exhaust pop and you are sat at 5000rpm as you are coming out of the corner, you bury the gas and the back end comes out, you point it down the straight and it starts all over again.
Mate.... You need to be working for Evo magazine! They never did replace Jethro & Meaden properly - and this is the exact kind of stuff it's now missing out on!Superb bit of text.
I am in the same situation as you dadofbud!
I currently drive an auto 330ci, which the mrs loves, but I need to get back into a sportscar. My budget is circa 30k.
My dealer reckons the 335 is the car for me mainly because of the auto box, and the stop start traffic I do most days on the M3 motorway. I cant help but think I would regret not going the whole hog with the M3 but the problem is that for my budget I can only afford the manual box and need to wait a few months for prices to move still anyway.
Then I come full circle and think what an amazing E46 M3 I could buy with SMG for much less cash! I know its not a true auto but still its going to be easier to hit a paddle rather than dumping a clutch peddle. Am I lazy?!?
Its one hell of a dilemma that I've not quite concluded yet.
The only thing that I have been thinking a bit about is fuel economy if it makes any difference to you? E90 is well thirsty and the 335 seems to be on par with old E46. Please keep us posted on how you get on...
PS Ive test driven an RS4 and whilst its one hell of powerhorse the interior just isnt up to bmw technology standards. the nav for instance is just awful.
I currently drive an auto 330ci, which the mrs loves, but I need to get back into a sportscar. My budget is circa 30k.
My dealer reckons the 335 is the car for me mainly because of the auto box, and the stop start traffic I do most days on the M3 motorway. I cant help but think I would regret not going the whole hog with the M3 but the problem is that for my budget I can only afford the manual box and need to wait a few months for prices to move still anyway.
Then I come full circle and think what an amazing E46 M3 I could buy with SMG for much less cash! I know its not a true auto but still its going to be easier to hit a paddle rather than dumping a clutch peddle. Am I lazy?!?
Its one hell of a dilemma that I've not quite concluded yet.
The only thing that I have been thinking a bit about is fuel economy if it makes any difference to you? E90 is well thirsty and the 335 seems to be on par with old E46. Please keep us posted on how you get on...
PS Ive test driven an RS4 and whilst its one hell of powerhorse the interior just isnt up to bmw technology standards. the nav for instance is just awful.
Edited by NIIKME on Thursday 15th January 10:48
NIIKME said:
I am in the same situation as you dadofbud!
I currently drive an auto 330ci, which the mrs loves, but I need to get back into a sportscar. My budget is circa 30k.
My dealer reckons the 335 is the car for me mainly because of the auto box, and the stop start traffic I do most days on the M3 motorway. I cant help but think I would regret not going the whole hog with the M3 but the problem is that for my budget I can only afford the manual box and need to wait a few months for prices to move still anyway.
Then I come full circle and think what an amazing E46 M3 I could buy with SMG for much less cash! I know its not a true auto but still its going to be easier to hit a paddle rather than dumping a clutch peddle. Am I lazy?!?
Its one hell of a dilemma that I've not quite concluded yet.
The only thing that I have been thinking a bit about is fuel economy if it makes any difference to you? E90 is well thirsty and the 335 seems to be on par with old E46. Please keep us posted on how you get on...
PS Ive test driven an RS4 and whilst its one hell of powerhorse the interior just isnt up to bmw technology standards. the nav for instance is just awful.
Yes, I need to drive an RS4 if only to get it out of my system. I'm lucky because my E46 M3 is not my daily transport and given the weather over Christmas and of late I have not used it, so when I do it feels very special, and I think how can I let this go it's great fun.I currently drive an auto 330ci, which the mrs loves, but I need to get back into a sportscar. My budget is circa 30k.
My dealer reckons the 335 is the car for me mainly because of the auto box, and the stop start traffic I do most days on the M3 motorway. I cant help but think I would regret not going the whole hog with the M3 but the problem is that for my budget I can only afford the manual box and need to wait a few months for prices to move still anyway.
Then I come full circle and think what an amazing E46 M3 I could buy with SMG for much less cash! I know its not a true auto but still its going to be easier to hit a paddle rather than dumping a clutch peddle. Am I lazy?!?
Its one hell of a dilemma that I've not quite concluded yet.
The only thing that I have been thinking a bit about is fuel economy if it makes any difference to you? E90 is well thirsty and the 335 seems to be on par with old E46. Please keep us posted on how you get on...
PS Ive test driven an RS4 and whilst its one hell of powerhorse the interior just isnt up to bmw technology standards. the nav for instance is just awful.
Edited by NIIKME on Thursday 15th January 10:48
I think that the choice for me is it's going to be E46 M3 (keeper) or E92 M3, saw the latter go(i think it's gone) for £32,995.00 so still a bit to go for me just yet.
I know this is going to sound sad but I don't value things like Satnav & sounds I know its make a difference at resale and I think that they are standard with the E92 M3 but my E46 M3 does not have Nav or HK.
Guess I have ruled out the 335i M sport coupe, and we will just have to watch the price or used V8M3's
For what its worth,i remember buying a new 330i sport fully loaded on an'03 plate and loved it for three months but kept getting the "urge" and finally succumed to the M thing much to the dismay of 'er indoors,but as soon as she drove it (E46 SMG) she absolutely loved it and only got rid as she needed to change it because of dogs etc
anyway left her with it and went my own way in '07 buying one of the first E92 335d's in M Sport only for it to happen again 
;) and ended up with another M a few months later
and loving it.......
anyway left her with it and went my own way in '07 buying one of the first E92 335d's in M Sport only for it to happen again ;) and ended up with another M a few months later and loving it.......I drove a 335i coupe this morning whilst my car was having an oil change. It was mind blowingly fast, gorgeous interior (esp steering wheel), great fun flappy paddles, and a hardly noticeable gear change. But it looks soooooooooo DULL. This particular ex demo car is going up for 37k with all the options but how can its only differentiator from say a much cheaper 320d be a twin exhaust? Its a shame really because the car ticks so many boxes otherwise.
In line with most peoples thinking I fail to understand why you wouldn't go the extra mile for an M3, and this is most likely what I will do when an older car falls into my price range.......
In line with most peoples thinking I fail to understand why you wouldn't go the extra mile for an M3, and this is most likely what I will do when an older car falls into my price range.......
M3RMS said:
gizlaroc said:
The way the M3 accelerates is brutal, get passed 4500rpm and the engine is screaming, get to 7500rpm and slam the next gear in, the back end twitches, the wheels chirp and once again you start to hear the engine and that rasp of the exhaust, you approach a corner and blip the throttle as you change back down to 3rd, you hear the exhaust pop and you are sat at 5000rpm as you are coming out of the corner, you bury the gas and the back end comes out, you point it down the straight and it starts all over again.
Mate.... You need to be working for Evo magazine! They never did replace Jethro & Meaden properly - and this is the exact kind of stuff it's now missing out on!Superb bit of text.
It's a shame Evo have stopped writing in such detail - so you know the kind of experience as if you are actually driving it yourself..
But I guess in the PC age - the anti everything and anti enjoying yourself would condem such writings as incorrect and incorrageable. What a shame.
gizlaroc said:
Is it really going to save you any money though??
By the time you have swapped it over surely it will end up costing you more??
If you fancy a change then fair enough, buy the cheapest 335i you can find and run it till you get bored and then sell it on in 6 months and buy an M3.
Or just wait 3 months and get an M3 for £30k.
Audi?? You got to be kidding??!!!
This was my reply to someone asking about an S4 yesterday on mtorque.co.uk (to be fair the RS4 is a lot better, but stil new M3 vs RS4??)
The S4......
For a start the gear ratios are all wrong, they have been set up to try and get a reasonable 0-60mph time, as this is what people look at when buying these cars it seems.
But it is still around .6 seconds slower than an M3.
Because of these ratios changing gear is an absolute nightmare, 1st to second round town is constant, you are just swapping cogs all the time. Then you find that it is actually alot easier to ignore 1st altogether and just start in 2nd.
This is the same for 3rd and 5th, just use 2nd, 4th and 6th and it becomes more bearable on a day to day basis.
The other problem because it has such a short final drive to get the 0-60 times down and make it feel more powerful, sitting at 90mph has it doing a ludicrous 3500rpm and 18mpg in 6th!
It's a feckin' massive 4.2 litre V8, it could be doing 1200rpm with only 3 gears and returning 30mpg while cruising.
I know a few American owners are putting in a 3.5 final drive instead of the factory 3.91 final drive to help the overall driveablility of the car with some very positive results.
The next problem and probably the biggest problem is weight and handling.
When people said the engine was in front of the front axle I thought they were saying it tongue firmly in cheek.
They're not!
Seriously the heavy steel V8 engine is in front of the wheels, going into any corner at even moderate speeds sees you fighting to get the front end round it, you have to come off the throttle to get it round.
Now, in the wet, or even damp, this car is meant to excel. However, on two occasions I had the front slide from under me which is extremely scary.
There is a bit of road near me that I know inside out, only about 2 miles long but it has a few nice bends, some adverse camber and you can always see 1/4 mile ahead and behind you so you can go for it.
I could not take the S4 down that bit of road anywhere near as quick as in the M3, some corners are nearly 10mph slower in the S4 than the M3 and that is at 70mph against 80mph and in the wet.
So really it is just a comfortable motorway muncher?
Well no, not even that really. Main problem for me is the Recaros are not as comfy as the M3 seats, they are too high so it isn't sporty feeling and they don't tilt up high enough under my thighs.
Then there is the clutch and the accelerator pedal, they are really high.
The clutch not so much of a problem when you learn to just sed 2nd, 4th and 6th but the 'go' pedal is a problem.
It is so high, and not pivoted from the floor like most other cars these days, that you get cramp in your shins.
To see what I mean sit down as if your in the car, then try and touch your shins with your toes, now this is how you end up in the S4, a few reviewers have mentioned it but until you have to live with it you won't know if it effects you, I would guess if your a size 12 you wouldn't.
I used to have to stop every hour to walk round, and on a couple of occasions I had to pull into the hard should on the motorway as the cramp suddenly kicked in!
Don't get me wrong, love the design, prefer the image (well did but think it has lost that nowadays), like the interior and loved the nav system, but as an all round car it is the worst thing I have ever owned.
I thought it was just me, but JT bought it off me as his family wagon but I think he kept it even less time than I did!!
RS4 sorts out just about all the problems above.
Edit: Should also add that it returned 15mpg round town and 22mpg on a run.
+1
By the time you have swapped it over surely it will end up costing you more??
If you fancy a change then fair enough, buy the cheapest 335i you can find and run it till you get bored and then sell it on in 6 months and buy an M3.
Or just wait 3 months and get an M3 for £30k.
Audi?? You got to be kidding??!!!
This was my reply to someone asking about an S4 yesterday on mtorque.co.uk (to be fair the RS4 is a lot better, but stil new M3 vs RS4??)
gIzzE said:
ianM3 said:
I guess the S4 is a comfier grippy A-B car but the M3 the drivers choice.
No, not at all! The S4......
For a start the gear ratios are all wrong, they have been set up to try and get a reasonable 0-60mph time, as this is what people look at when buying these cars it seems.
But it is still around .6 seconds slower than an M3.
Because of these ratios changing gear is an absolute nightmare, 1st to second round town is constant, you are just swapping cogs all the time. Then you find that it is actually alot easier to ignore 1st altogether and just start in 2nd.
This is the same for 3rd and 5th, just use 2nd, 4th and 6th and it becomes more bearable on a day to day basis.
The other problem because it has such a short final drive to get the 0-60 times down and make it feel more powerful, sitting at 90mph has it doing a ludicrous 3500rpm and 18mpg in 6th!
It's a feckin' massive 4.2 litre V8, it could be doing 1200rpm with only 3 gears and returning 30mpg while cruising.
I know a few American owners are putting in a 3.5 final drive instead of the factory 3.91 final drive to help the overall driveablility of the car with some very positive results.
The next problem and probably the biggest problem is weight and handling.
When people said the engine was in front of the front axle I thought they were saying it tongue firmly in cheek.
They're not!
Seriously the heavy steel V8 engine is in front of the wheels, going into any corner at even moderate speeds sees you fighting to get the front end round it, you have to come off the throttle to get it round.
Now, in the wet, or even damp, this car is meant to excel. However, on two occasions I had the front slide from under me which is extremely scary.
There is a bit of road near me that I know inside out, only about 2 miles long but it has a few nice bends, some adverse camber and you can always see 1/4 mile ahead and behind you so you can go for it.
I could not take the S4 down that bit of road anywhere near as quick as in the M3, some corners are nearly 10mph slower in the S4 than the M3 and that is at 70mph against 80mph and in the wet.
So really it is just a comfortable motorway muncher?
Well no, not even that really. Main problem for me is the Recaros are not as comfy as the M3 seats, they are too high so it isn't sporty feeling and they don't tilt up high enough under my thighs.
Then there is the clutch and the accelerator pedal, they are really high.
The clutch not so much of a problem when you learn to just sed 2nd, 4th and 6th but the 'go' pedal is a problem.
It is so high, and not pivoted from the floor like most other cars these days, that you get cramp in your shins.
To see what I mean sit down as if your in the car, then try and touch your shins with your toes, now this is how you end up in the S4, a few reviewers have mentioned it but until you have to live with it you won't know if it effects you, I would guess if your a size 12 you wouldn't.
I used to have to stop every hour to walk round, and on a couple of occasions I had to pull into the hard should on the motorway as the cramp suddenly kicked in!
Don't get me wrong, love the design, prefer the image (well did but think it has lost that nowadays), like the interior and loved the nav system, but as an all round car it is the worst thing I have ever owned.
I thought it was just me, but JT bought it off me as his family wagon but I think he kept it even less time than I did!!
RS4 sorts out just about all the problems above.
Edit: Should also add that it returned 15mpg round town and 22mpg on a run.
M3RMS said:
gizlaroc said:
The way the M3 accelerates is brutal, get passed 4500rpm and the engine is screaming, get to 7500rpm and slam the next gear in, the back end twitches, the wheels chirp and once again you start to hear the engine and that rasp of the exhaust, you approach a corner and blip the throttle as you change back down to 3rd, you hear the exhaust pop and you are sat at 5000rpm as you are coming out of the corner, you bury the gas and the back end comes out, you point it down the straight and it starts all over again.
Mate.... You need to be working for Evo magazine! They never did replace Jethro & Meaden properly - and this is the exact kind of stuff it's now missing out on!Superb bit of text.
What's more they need to start testing cars like the 335i against the E46 M3's etc. Not some crappy Infinity ;-)
This is also what people want to read about.
At least they've got the old B10 on the fleet.
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