M5 to M3...

[gmfive]

If you test drove and liked it and it checked most of your boxes, then definitely not a step down by any means. M5 and M3 are just so completely different animals but I can see how it makes for a hard decision since you already drive the M5. I'm just too spoilt by the various aspects of the M5 that I couldn't do it. AMG GT-S seems like a different/powerful enough car and in the same league as the M5/6 to warrant a serious consideration. Just my two cents.

[m5sdse63]

Good discussion of the subject.

First of all, cheers to all the M owners out here. We are lucky to enjoy them. I am an M fan for sure as I have two of them.

When choosing between the M5 and X5M in 2013 I opted for the X5M since it was going to be my wife's car/family car, which seemed more roomy, more practical and AWD (safer for all-weather driving). At the time the M3 was not being considered for us.

Now, having gotten the M4, i don't miss not having the M5 as the X5M duplicates a few things and M5 for me would be somewhat repeating of what we already get out the SAV.

I think M4 and M5 are different cars, for sure. Both are superb. M5 is clearly more luxurious and faster. M4 is more tossable and more fun to drive, IMHO. Can't say that I agree with the aspiration as the M4 owner towards owning of the M5. I do agree that the aspiration towards the 911TTS is more correct, at least for me, as that is what I am thinking towards my next car.

Also, i can't agree with the statement that price point is what pushes someone to get the less expensive M4/M3 for most M4/3 owners. I am not sure if M3 and M5 are being cross-shopped...

The other day I drove the M6GC basically fully loaded and price wise it was pushing into the 911 Turbo territory. I liked it absolutely, but for that amount Turbo would be for me.

Anyway, this is a great discussion and debate and everyone is correct in their own way. We are all winners when it comes to the choice of car that we made, as that particular car hit all the right notes with the owner.

[RPiM5]

Originally Posted by m5sdse63

Good discussion of the subject.

First of all, cheers to all the M owners out here. We are lucky to enjoy them. I am an M fan for sure as I have two of them.

When choosing between the M5 and X5M in 2013 I opted for the X5M since it was going to be my wife's car/family car, which seemed more roomy, more practical and AWD (safer for all-weather driving). At the time the M3 was not being considered for us.

Now, having gotten the M4, i don't miss not having the M5 as the X5M duplicates a few things and M5 for me would be somewhat repeating of what we already get out the SAV.

I think M4 and M5 are different cars, for sure. Both are superb. M5 is clearly more luxurious and faster. M4 is more tossable and more fun to drive, IMHO. Can't say that I agree with the aspiration as the M4 owner towards owning of the M5. I do agree that the aspiration towards the 911TTS is more correct, at least for me, as that is what I am thinking towards my next car.

Also, i can't agree with the statement that price point is what pushes someone to get the less expensive M4/M3 for most M4/3 owners. I am not sure if M3 and M5 are being cross-shopped...

The other day I drove the M6GC basically fully loaded and price wise it was pushing into the 911 Turbo territory. I liked it absolutely, but for that amount Turbo would be for me.

Anyway, this is a great discussion and debate and everyone is correct in their own way. We are all winners when it comes to the choice of car that we made, as that particular car hit all the right notes with the owner.

Nice post your Neutralness.

[m5sdse63]

Originally Posted by RPiM5

Nice post your Neutralness.

i speak the truth... we are all M family!

[Just Drive]

I don't want to say it's in the majority - but there are plenty of guys who buy/lease M3/4 over the M5 due to price.

Go to the other forum and check out how many people bought the car with limited options to stay under $70k MSRP...even with that the cars are significantly priced differently.

Btw I don't think there is a definite answer for the thread...considering the cars are different.

M5 is better in some ways and M3 are better in some ways. Just depends on the wants of people.

But the M5/5-series crowd is quite different than m3/3-series

[tekaefixe]

Both are great cars in their own niche but I just don't get that idea of M3 is for track M5 is for the highway.

Listen to me please, both suck in a track! I don't know what you guys read or do when you go to a track but all M cars suck at track if you are serious about lap times and real driving. The exception is of course the GT cars.

If you are serious about racing trust me of all the production cars the ones that can hold their own (a bit) in a track are the Porsche GTs, Mclaren (some) and of course some Ferraris. Besides that forget about it.

I give you guys a perfect example, a friend of mine went to a track and in that day also racing was a LaFerrari and a Konig Agera R and they were both behind in the first lap eheh by a 450hp car

Which car? A 458 GT2, a real track car....

This is just to tell you that if the argument of M3/4 is that its better at the track....sorry its quite crappy. So that leaves us with a road car that its what it is and in that sense the M5 is better.

Oh but the M3/4 is more emotional than the M5 at low speeds (city driving), hmmmm sounds like crap but yes its more nimble but if you want emotion and you're on the M3/4 budget just buy a Caterham it will blow your mind!

These cars are not emotional or involving, they are just fast, specially the M5. You want something truly special you buy a Speciale

And yes I had an M3, the V8 so I know what im talking about.....

[JOHNBMWM5]

I am prepared to "Duck", I am going next week into an LCI fully specced M3 from my M6 GC CP

The M6 GC CP is a torque monster for sure but here in the UK were I live it can't be used , it's just into it's stride @ 90+ MPH.

I have gone Sakhir Paint with full Black leather ect, and TBH the car looks great.

It is smaller but it will be better suited to were I live and my driving area.

[Bimmer6]

Originally Posted by JOHNBMWM5

I am prepared to "Duck", I am going next week into an LCI fully specced M3 from my M6 GC CP

The M6 GC CP is a torque monster for sure but here in the UK were I live it can't be used , it's just into it's stride @ 90+ MPH.

I have gone Sakhir Paint with full Black leather ect, and TBH the car looks great.

It is smaller but it will be better suited to were I live and my driving area.

Interesting choice to get rid of the GC which I find to be a beautiful car. I just sold me M5, and looks at the MGC. I sat in a M4 convertible and I absolutely loved the car, and wanted a convertible again. The M5 was just too big and bulky for me, and the M4 is very tossable/ fun to drive. Zero turbo lag, and does what I need it to do. The mid size car market is very stagnant now which good choices in my opinion. Once I get over the convertible itch the new Porsche Panamera GT3 should be out in 2017, and should look better that the current. That V8 sounds good, but always good to keep a M4 on hand. The only car I will not sell is the GT3 it's the best car I have every owned hands down in all driving fun categories. Pix of the M3?

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by Bimmer6

Interesting choice to get rid of the GC which I find to be a beautiful car. I just sold me M5, and looks at the MGC. I sat in a M4 convertible and I absolutely loved the car, and wanted a convertible again. The M5 was just too big and bulky for me, and the M4 is very tossable/ fun to drive. Zero turbo lag, and does what I need it to do. The mid size car market is very stagnant now which good choices in my opinion. Once I get over the convertible itch the new Porsche Panamera GT3 should be out in 2017, and should look better that the current. That V8 sounds good, but always good to keep a M4 on hand. The only car I will not sell is the GT3 it's the best car I have every owned hands down in all driving fun categories. Pix of the M3?

The GT3 is a great piece of kit, I also had the LCI M5 and got bored with it.
The M6 GC CP is a great car but too big for our needs, it was an itch I had to scratch.
We had the Carrera 2 Vert for all of a week the wife hated it, so much Tyre noise , it had to go.

[Bimmer6]

Originally Posted by JOHNBMWM5

The GT3 is a great piece of kit, I also had the LCI M5 and got bored with it.
The M6 GC CP is a great car but too big for our needs, it was an itch I had to scratch.
We had the Carrera 2 Vert for all of a week the wife hated it, so much Tyre noise , it had to go.

Too funny yes Porsche's will have road noise because of the weight saving materials, and the 20" stickey rubber. That's why I like the M4 with the hard top roof very quiet. Ha you should drive a GT3 it will shake your bones, but it sounds good.

[secretariat]

tekaefixe, you are absolutely right, your v8 m3 was slow.

[Salespunk]

Just to dogpile on this, I went from an M5 to an M4 and it had nothing to do with price. In fact, I could have gotten an M5 for $1050/mo vs the $1084 for the M4 for the same down if I wanted another. Swapped my M5 after 18 months because I never really connected with the car. Yes, it was fast and yes it handled well, but I found it to be almost unusable on the street. Simply too much power to use full throttle for more than a few seconds when driving on back roads and the speeds I had to achieve to feel like the car was being pushed were a bit ludicrous. M4 has some of the same issues, but it is more fun/connected at slightly lower pace.

The other thing is that the M5 was not my only car, so I was really looking for an experience more than competence. I bought it because it was on my list of cars to own in my lifetime and it is an amazing piece of machinery. What I learned from the experience is that I want my weekend car to be more of an event, I don't like heavy cars, and that I want to be connected to the road more. I do not think that the M4 is perfect in these aspects either. I believe that modern vehicles are simply becoming too competent and more like vacuum cleaners that don't have enough personality.

The split personality of vehicles like the M5 or M3 is amazing for us family guys. You can drop the kids off at school and then drive straight to the track and destroy almost any other street car out there. Unless your boss is a car guy he will never know the significant amount of dollars you spent on your car either. All of that power and grip does come at the price of skill and entertainment though. Try and drive a mid 80's 911 or even a new FRS and it is a totally different experience. Your mistakes in corners are punished by a massive loss in momentum that cannot be easily regained by just mashing the throttle. The steering in that 911 feels like a rabbit on meth the way it vibrates with every nuance in the road. You can get either of the cars into a great 4 wheel drift at 25 mph too.

Luckily for all of us it is really difficult to buy a bad car these days. Buy what gets you excited, you can reasonably afford and have fun. Don't for a second think that the mid 40's guy in the GTI is settling because of price though. For all anyone knows he could have 20 other cars in the garage at home, but has great memories of an A1 Golf he had in high school or college.

[secretariat]

salespunk " Luckily for all of us it is really difficult to buy a bad car these days. Buy what gets you excited, you can reasonably afford and have fun. Don't for a second think that the mid 40's guy in the GTI is settling because of price though. For all anyone knows he could have 20 other cars in the garage at home, but has great memories of an A1 Golf he had in high school or college."

I couldn't agree with this more.

[997usa]

I recently sold my F10 M5 and bought the F83 M4 Convertible - I wouldn't say its a step down - its a step in a different direction.. The F10 is a large but super fast, impressive, V8 Luxury monster that looks and sounds great.

The M4 is an agile, more nimble, but super responsive ///M that is very well built and can be equipped nearly as luxury. To me the F80/F82/F83 look better than the current F10 as the design is newer and a bit edgier. The drive and build quality are great. The F83 Convertible as i have it is close to 95k after the mods.

[997usa]

Originally Posted by secretariat

salespunk " Luckily for all of us it is really difficult to buy a bad car these days. Buy what gets you excited, you can reasonably afford and have fun. Don't for a second think that the mid 40's guy in the GTI is settling because of price though. For all anyone knows he could have 20 other cars in the garage at home, but has great memories of an A1 Golf he had in high school or college."

I couldn't agree with this more.

Very true - in fact, i recently bought a '15 GTI (had a MK3 Convertible in College) and I love driving that car. It makes me very humble and feel i am 20 yrs younger again

My other previous cars were 997.1, 997.2 4S, 991 S, Maserati GTS, F10 M5, F83 M4 (plus the GTI and a '15 Escalade). The switch between cars is because you want to try something else or like the design but not because one is more or less expensive...

[Bimmer6]

Originally Posted by 997usa

I recently sold my F10 M5 and bought the F83 M4 Convertible - I wouldn't say its a step down - its a step in a different direction.. The F10 is a large but super fast, impressive, V8 Luxury monster that looks and sounds great.

The M4 is an agile, more nimble, but super responsive ///M that is very well built and can be equipped nearly as luxury. To me the F80/F82/F83 look better than the current F10 as the design is newer and a bit more edgier. The drive and build quality is great. The F83 Convertible as i have it is close to 95k after the mods.

Looks like you and bit the same Apple which I agree with your assessment. I to sold my 2013 M5 very happy with the choice.

[Thunder43]

Originally Posted by secretariat

salespunk " Luckily for all of us it is really difficult to buy a bad car these days. Buy what gets you excited, you can reasonably afford and have fun. Don't for a second think that the mid 40's guy in the GTI is settling because of price though. For all anyone knows he could have 20 other cars in the garage at home, but has great memories of an A1 Golf he had in high school or college."

I couldn't agree with this more.

+1

Great thread, with great points. Also had a Mk2 in college. And so it began...
I now enjoy the split personality of the M5 for DD, but completely understand the appeal of a purely visceral experience of a lighter car. For me it all began with a GTI.
I think most of us have an emotional connection with our cars, and that's how it should be. I smile every time I start it up, hit the gas, and usually do a look back after parking. Life is short, buy what you want and enjoy it.