4 minutes ago, vrskeith said:

Which is the best M car for the money

 

A CORGI toy?

22 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

A CORGI toy?

 

 

13 hours ago, vrskeith said:

 

 

He really isn't very good at donuts. Funny how he says the M4 is trying to kill him and he really misses the Focus RS. Not too surprised because I've had my 4WD Superb for nearly 2 weeks now and the grip it offers are staggering and I totally understand Audi fans and all things Quattro now.

Bl00dy icy this morning and no gritted/ salted roads and really no matter if AWD and winter tyres when you are off camber on a corner with black ice there can be no grip or control until you actually get some it hit something.

Just as it was with a Quattro.

 

15 minutes ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

Bl00dy icy this morning and no gritted/ salted roads and really no matter if AWD and winter tyres when you are off camber on a corner with black ice there can be no grip or control until you actually get some it hit something.

Just as it was with a Quattro.

You need to migrate south to the Midlands in Englandshire as Ken likes to describe us down here. A balmy 4C this morning and 39.9mpg on my commute, no slipping and no sliding.

Just now, vrskeith said:

 

Now that is my favourite BMW if I lived in Spain and had my own race track in my back garden like some folk do.

@shyVRS245   It is as boring as it sounds, so pass.

2 hours ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

@shyVRS245   It is as boring as it sounds, so pass.

Each to their own George - but more squeaky bum driving fun in Scotland more regularly. Climate change ? 

Edited 10 January, 20206 yr by vrskeith

So far the most snowless winter of my lifetime.

When it does come it will be lighter mornings.  Going to be a beautiful day. It was a lovely sunrise.

 

24 minutes ago, vrskeith said:

 

Don't think the engine appreciated the Meth being added judging by the massive misfire and loss of power he experienced. Like the bling factor wrap though just needs a chunky Gold medallion for the full effect now.

Interesting comparison :

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, vrskeith said:

Interesting comparison :

 

 

 

Once drove an Alpina 3.0 litre when my 325i Coupe was being serviced and it was head and shoulders better than the equivalent BMW product at the time plus they don't limit their cars to 155mph to please the Green Party in Germany. For the same money do you go lairy and brash or subtle and beautiful interior build quality.

An owners response to the Alpina - M car debate.

 

There is so much engineering on the M4 that it is not classified as a 4 series as such. It and the M3 are called F8x models, whereas the stock car (like the Alpina) are F3x series. The Alpina is a lovely thing no doubt, but misses out on so much engineering and development that I would pick the original every time. Apart from the leather, the 'beautifully built interior' of the Alpina is pretty much stock M4. But if you want a softer, more usable everyday car, then the Alpina is probably the one for you (an RS4/5 even more so). The M4 has radically different suspension/gearbox/virtually-every-panel-on-the-car/engine to the Alpina and has masses of cross-bracing in the engine bay that makes the F8x series one of the stiffest cars in bodywork torsional resistance of any road car ever made (not including ones with roll cages and limited race specials). 

 

I understand the 'pi$$ing on BMW owners chips' thing, especially on a Skoda forum, but at least with my M4, I love the fact that I have a carbon roof, carbon composite propshaft, carbon rear boot (it's fully painted so you can only tell by its lightness and sound when it's tapped), rear subframe bolted to body without bushes, massive front boomerang cross brace that is also connected to another cross brace running near the bulkhead and all connected to the floor of the car and it's magnesium under-engine plate, which are all standard. Also I like the amazing 'for a turbo' quick throttle response of the S55 engine which has had many millions spent on development, rather than an engineering firm taking a less strong engine, has to recast it as it's not up to the job, bolts on an extra turbo, turns the wick up and then charges you extra for a LSD! Personally I think people who want a softer M4 should buy a 340i or perhaps a C63  (the soundtrack alone is worth the purchase price). Perhaps people get used to driving their FWD/FWD biased 4x4s and find cars like the M3/4 etc a bit scary, or perhaps very scary and it's true to say that the M3/4 is probably the trickiest car of it's type to drive quickly, especially in the wet and cold. One magazine called it a "vindictive ba$terd"   It's worth the gamble imho as it makes you drive the car and in this day and age of increasing understeery and safety driven car design, it's a rare and pleasing thing. 

 

I have looked at Alpinas in the past and as I get older, perhaps it's something I will consider in the future, but I firmly believe that if BMW wanted to make an M3/4 out of re-engineering existing parts to boost performance they would have taken that route. Check out the specs and you'll see that there is almost nothing on the M3/4 in common with the 3/4 series. Doors and windows aside, as well as a some peripheral bits of kit, the M3/4 is a separate model compared to the stock car. I like that. 

 

Btw I watched the above video and see the M4 dampers were in Sport Plus, something that is usually way too stiff for normal roads, unless very smooth and dry. Harris and Sutcliffe generally agree. I also don't understand why Achilles is having trouble with breaking traction. In MDM mode the back swings out easily in the first 4 gear on a bone dry road. Perhaps I just have a very well run in car and it produces more torque than the one he was driving? or perhaps it's because the Achilles car was a 17 plate and they have developed the car further since then and I am the lucky recipient of a younger and hence more lairy car?  Also the M3/4 has features such as when in 'Sports Plus' throttle mode and to a slightly lesser degree in 'Sport',  it doesn't dump turbo pressure on lift-off to keep the turbos spooled up, something that the standard car doesn't do (I would be surprised if the Alpina did this) and so 'pick-up' is very impressive for a turbo car. I think the M4 has the Alpina licked for looks, although the Alpina wheels are gorgeous and it's leather is very nice indeed, and the lower spec N55 engine has traditionally made a sweeter sound than the S55, especially through the exhaust (my old M135 sounded great with the MPE exhaust on it).

 

Only my opinions of course, but I've been lucky enough to have driven many quick cars (especially when I worked in the motor trade) and have an M4 as a daily driver. It's my favourite car to have owned and always puts a smile on my face, even if just popping to the shops (the long way around of course). 

 

Btw the Alpina diesel versions of the 3 and 4 series make much more sense to me and seem to be extremely nice places to spend time. 

 

ps i am a car nerd I think 😞 

Here's an honest review of the M4. It tells of the good and bad sides to the car, warts an' all and in my experience is pretty much on the mark. A few of their quoted specs are incorrect, but whether a wheel is 19" or 20" etc is of no real importance. One thing I have learnt and is referred to in the below article is, I regularly travel on a challenging 70 mile trip across Yorkshire and Co Durham (by choice of course) and once you learn the road you can overcome some of the M4s tricky behaviour. You are always aware that the car might bite, but at least you are a bit more prepared for it  

 

https://www.evo.co.uk/bmw/m4/bmw-m4-competition-pack-vs-rivals

Well it might like to chop down trees and make dams??

 

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/4-series/107631/radical-new-2020-bmw-4-series-ready-to-take-centre-stage-pictures

 

I like the side and rear view, looks a bit NASCAR  

Edited 30 January, 20206 yr by Lady Elanore

20 hours ago, Lady Elanore said:

 

I like the side and rear view, looks a bit NASCAR  

 

I'd agree.  I like evry side apart from the front which is very wrong. These deep grills don't look good on the Audis, why did they copy it. I assume the 'Muricans like this sort of thing. Reminds me of the 3000SUX from Robocop.

 

I'm going to take a look at an M4 competition soon to see if I could live with it and a new baby, allagedly the CS is dropping in price as well now the new one is getting closer. But the 3dr is probably too much hassle.

M3s are far too expensive though, I might as well get an M5.

 

Edited 31 January, 20206 yr by Aspman

Apparently the current wisdom is that the big 3 German manufacturers are trying to establish themselves in China even more so and they reckon that they need to be more distinctive to the second generation of buyers there. 

 

I'd love an M5, but the cost and size are just too much for me really, especially the running costs. I know what you mean about the M3. Fabulous car if you can get one for the right money. You need a C63 I reckon    as the new M4 is still around 18 months away in real terms (at least). The CS is great, but you can't get the HK sound system in the M4 version, but you can in the M3 one  hardly a deal breaker though  

There is an M4 C with the ultimate pack near me for £46k. 2k on the clock. Might take a peak. Was going to give them a call for a ballpark trade in on the 335d.

Merc just seems a bit old man for me although I'd like the noise..

If I was brave enough I think an slightly older Rapide would do the trick but I just can't see it as a daily driver. I'd be too scared to park it anywhere.

Edited 31 January, 20206 yr by Aspman

I find the main problem with the M4 in terms of ingresss/egress is the doors are bloody huge and it's a wide car too, so tight parking isn't really an option and the front seat is slowish to move forward. It's a first world problem and has not really affected me, but it might be a pain if you have a little one to haul in and out regularly. Mind you it's a great car to have fun in, so that might outweigh the pain  Maybe a convertible would be easier  If you need 4 doors what about the 340 M Sport? Really quick, silky engine, super safe 4x4, 4 doors and reasonably economical. I imagine the discounts will be pretty strong, at least if not now, they will be soon. Current discounts seem around £8k+ at the moment 

I've a hankering for a change. I really want to go silly (M4/5, Maserati Quattroporte,  Panamera) or if I'm not going silly I'll either stick with the 335d a while longer or go sensible (RR Sport etc).

 

Edited 31 January, 20206 yr by Aspman

The Maserati sounds so lovely, it almost hurts. I don't know if I would be brave enough or rich enough to run one though (pretty sure I am not rich enough actually). The Panemera is just too big for me to even consider, let alone the running costs. They are incredibly long and I have to park in some pretty shoddy car parks sometimes. I suppose it depends on how silly you want to be. Anyone can own a BMW, but not so many have a Maserati  

Looked at baby seats at the weekend. A bit of harsh reality that a 2/3 door just isn't gonna work, at least until sprog is in a front facing seat.

Not ruling out an M5 yet though 😁

Ooh an M5 would be very very nice