F80 M3 - 6 Month review

Damn the time has flown by- its been 6 months already.

Mods to the car:
1- Carbon exterior pieces (pics to follow)
2- Audio upgrade (over the top initially, now toned down)
3- Performance mods (Dp, Active Autoworks Piggyback, Filters)

The car is a great drivers car for the following reasons:
1- The performance is accessible
2- The car is consistent
3- The steering is direct and provides a real connection with the car
4- Loads of power
5- Involving drive

The negatives:
1- The car in standard form is traction limited to say the least- going anywhere near full throttle induces the traction control immediately.
2- The car sounds atrocious- there is no exhaust note
3- The ride is rather harsh over poor surfaces (I don't have damper adjustment)

Looks- 9/10 very aggressive, especially with the carbon
Performance (stock)- 9/10 more than enough for the average driver and almost any situation
Performance (tuned)- 3/10 the already traction limited wheelbase is rendered useless with more power and torque
Packaging- 7/10 the current 3 series is a decent base to work from and does most things well
The "M" affect- 6/10 having owned many "M" cars, the F80 is probably the least "M-ish" for me. Whatever reason there is some drama lacking. My previous Z4 M Coupe, e46 M3, M6 V10- all provided fun, engagement and drama by the bag fulls. The F80 is a bit sterile. It is most similar to my ex F10 M5, but I feel the M5 was a more special car.

I just turned 40 a few months back and find myself wondering whether this will be the last M car I own?
We have a Range Rover as my SO car and it does all the heavy lifting.
So the F80 was meant to be my compromise car- its just its not special enough.

With my previous cars I yearned to wake up on Sunday morning when the roads were quite and just grab the keys and head no where. This car doesn't provide that.

So, in conclusion, it seems the M specialness is being watered down to appeal to the masses and sell more cars.
As an instrument in going fast its impeccable, as a means to stir the soul its a misstep (for me anyway).
 

Naruto

///Member
Thanks for the review. interesting read.
I assume you don't own the Comp pack with dampers, would this change your perception? I wonder which route, you'll be taking going forward since the M doesn't give you that *thing*? Will you go for the Porsche? It would be interesting to find out.
Having not owned any M car, I still want to own this F80 comp pack
 

yush1

Active member
OP. Please comment on the DCT transmission? I drove the F80 M3 the other day and the shifts were quite harsh. The normal 8 speed is just a peach. I think its one of the reasons the new M5 also has it. It also seems like it doesnt like being driven slowly and in traffic. Your opinion?
 

Straight six

Well-known member
Having never owner an M

From the outside I always had the perspective that the "soul" feeling part of it is gone...

You having had 1st hand are confirming my perceptions:eek:mgwaiting:
 

SubLoaded

Resident Derailer
Staff member
How did it compare to the IS-F in terms of driver perspective and not getting into technicalities of which is faster?
 
Naruto said:
Thanks for the review. interesting read.
I assume you don't own the Comp pack with dampers, would this change your perception? I wonder which route, you'll be taking going forward since the M doesn't give you that *thing*? Will you go for the Porsche? It would be interesting to find out.
Having not owned any M car, I still want to own this F80 comp pack

Yes my car is non CP- I have driven a CP and the adjustability does help a lot- so yes, were my car CP- this aspect would be different.

I have owned a Porsche previously, not a turbo but a Carrera 4 S.
Great car but under powered and also it was a manual and that didn't help in traffic.

I suppose what I want is an engaging drive and I think its less available with newer cars given their electronic nature.

For me great cars develop a character of their own and either that character appeals to you or not. Take my ex- GTR, I owned a facelift Gen1 R35 in 2012. I absolutely hated that car. It was brutally fast but ultimately too compromised (ride quality, gearbox, maintenance etc).

Truth be told if I could choose a favourite right now it would be the Gen 1 Maseratti Quattoporte GTS- but sadly they are too old and out of plan.


yush1 said:
OP. Please comment on the DCT transmission? I drove the F80 M3 the other day and the shifts were quite harsh. The normal 8 speed is just a peach. I think its one of the reasons the new M5 also has it. It also seems like it doesnt like being driven slowly and in traffic. Your opinion?

I lived through the days of SMG so DCT is a breeze.
Other than the fact that it rolls on hills and the crawling speed ability is compromised, its very liveable.

I do agree the 8 speed ZF is the new benchmark.


SubLoaded said:
How did it compare to the IS-F in terms of driver perspective and not getting into technicalities of which is faster?

The IS F was very similar to both the C63's that I owned (Performance Pack and non PP). Its a cruiser, very much muscle in nature.

The F80 is not of the same genre, it's precise, nimble, well weighted.

So for me the cars are incomparable.

ISF= George Foreman
F80 M3= Floyd Mayweather

Both will knock you out, its just how they go about doing it.
 

zabbo

///Member
Nice write-up ... just by reading, I could relate/understand without even owning the damn car :fencelook:
 

Kimeran

///Member
The M3/4 Comp Pack isn't gonna change that unfortunately.
It feels just as numb as the standard model.
Owned the car for 10 months now and I'm over it from a driving point of view.
Will never get over how it looks though...
 

F21GP

Active member
I found this very interesting. I’ve been grappling with the move to a M4 to replace a E92 M. Very undecided.

I love the look of the M4 I must say. I think I should go test drive one and feel it. I just assumed it gave a similar feel to the 4.4 TT




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Woodies

Well-known member
Great review, thanks for the share.
I total agree and feel that "most" new performance cars are more jack of all trades rather than master of one.
 

444YYY

Honorary ///Member
“The car sounds atrocious - there is no exhaust note”

I agree and well said!!

Seems like it’s people in the age group 15 to 27 that love that cheap backfire exhaust note!
 

BeamerMan

Member
Over time this car brings back soul, maybe it’s just me.

The only thing I miss from my V8 is the sound track other than that a far more superior car.

Completely agree with the traction issue but slap the CS software and it helps.
 
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