Article: BWM M3 Owners, Tell me your secrets.

od_man99

New member
As per the title,

I've been looking into stepping into the M world. Particularly the E92 M3. I've seen a few and yesterday I spent some time at the Jean-Talon dealership.

What has been your experience with these cars? Have you enjoyed your daily drives more? Has it ruined you? Do you regret getting an M3?

Tell me.




 
^I've owned 3 STis. I love the AWD 6speed turbo feel. However, it's a boy's car and I'd like to step into something classier. I'm looking at 2011-2013 M3s.

I need to make a decision between the Manual 6speed and DCT. I need to decide what trim to get and I also need to know more about this car..

How is reliability, everyday driving etc..
 
j'ai regardé le vidéo au complet et wow, la M5 est vraiment on the edge tout le long. les tires doivent être finis! Je n'aurais pas pensé que la M5 serait de calibre contre la e92 dans les courbes. awesome video!
 
I have stepped out of a sedan STI to get into the M3 coupe. I had just blown an engine and I couldnt trust the car anymore. I was fed up with the NVH, performance wasn't there for my driving style and couldnt stand the overall boy racer look of the car.

I flew out to New Brunswick to pick up a garage queen E92 6MT with every options available; premium sound, M-drive, comfort access, executive package, 19s, EDC, even the useless rear sunshade. The must have options are definitely EDC, M-Drive and Executive Package for the iDrive. ZCP are hard to find as of now and you can source the wheels very easily (I personally did). I feel not having iDrive in such a car is missing out on useful tech.

The most important aftermarket modification on this car is an exhaust system, I am using Supersprint's complete system with HJS cats and it is unreal, interior resonance is limited to 2,000 RPM and I spend more time with the windows down and back seats folded down hunting for overpasses than turning on the radio. There is nothing quite like the sound of an S65 short of a Ferrari V8, it sounds just like a race car.

What makes this car amazing is the specialness of the engine, flexibility of the chassis (with M drive and EDC) and overall driving experience that makes it a perfect DD. The dual personnality of the car allows you to either cruise on the highway and stay laid back in trafic just like 335i or push the M button and start chasing 911s.

I drive her as an M should be driven and I average 15/100 in the city, rear tires last about 15,000 to 20,000km and it is overall a very reliable car. I am closing in on 80,000km and have had no significant issues outside of burnt light bulbs. There is a major service at every 50,000km (plugs, filters, diff tranny and engine oil).

DCT vs MT is really all about personal preference and driving style. I have switched to the shorter and heavier F10 M5 knob and find the shift feel to be ideal, clutch is pretty light too and rev matching a very easy. DCT has the upper hand on performance, even more so when tuned and has proven to be quite reliable, the gasket can leak but is cheap to replace. I find the idea of a daily driver with 8,400 RPM V8, RWD and a stick to be truly unique and quite the experience.

People the say this car lacks torque either have not driven it and stick to on paper specs or shifted below 4,000. The gear ratios are extremely short and revs climb up fast, I never found myself lacking passing power.

I find the M3 has spoiled me and I'm having a hard time deciding what is next, I do not keep cars over 80,000 km but I'm hesitating this once if I should get an extended warranty on it or switch to another car. The C63 lacks the nimbleness and the RS5s are brand new F8X money, the only substitute is Porsche for that specialness feeling.


^I've owned 3 STis. I love the AWD 6speed turbo feel. However, it's a boy's car and I'd like to step into something classier. I'm looking at 2011-2013 M3s.

I need to make a decision between the Manual 6speed and DCT. I need to decide what trim to get and I also need to know more about this car..

How is reliability, everyday driving etc..
 
Last edited:
^Your response is why this website exists.

You are an articulate and successful person I have no doubt. You pretty much answered all my questions.

I will be going with the 6speed. I'm thinking Jet-Black or Blue. I drove a jet-black manual yesterday and a DCT White Alpine. Had the white one been manual it would be sitting in my garage right now.

The STi needs to go. It's a 2013 with 20k on it. It's a sportech with all the options but I'm tired of the raceboy feel. I need to move on.
 
j'ai regardé le vidéo au complet et wow, la M5 est vraiment on the edge tout le long. les tires doivent être finis! Je n'aurais pas pensé que la M5 serait de calibre contre la e92 dans les courbes. awesome video!

Yeah, looks like the M5 has trouble coming out of the apex. Bold tires or too much downlow torque?
 
od man i went BMW 5 series and never looked back, and its not even an M. i think i owe you an apology for to some degree influencing you into subarus. I shouldve been pointing you at BMWs.

i want an E92 M3 so badly.
 
od man i went BMW 5 series and never looked back, and its not even an M. i think i owe you an apology for to some degree influencing you into subarus. I shouldve been pointing you at BMWs.

i want an E92 M3 so badly.
YOU!

stone-of-shame-triumph-o.gif


;)
 
Thanks, a pleasure to take time and help.

There is a beautiful, brand new 2013 E92 M3 ZCP BLK/BLK at BMW Dorval sitting at 69K (25k off MSRP). Not sure if it's a manual though.



^Your response is why this website exists.

You are an articulate and successful person I have no doubt. You pretty much answered all my questions.

I will be going with the 6speed. I'm thinking Jet-Black or Blue. I drove a jet-black manual yesterday and a DCT White Alpine. Had the white one been manual it would be sitting in my garage right now.

The STi needs to go. It's a 2013 with 20k on it. It's a sportech with all the options but I'm tired of the raceboy feel. I need to move on.
 
od man i went BMW 5 series and never looked back, and its not even an M. i think i owe you an apology for to some degree influencing you into subarus. I shouldve been pointing you at BMWs.

i want an E92 M3 so badly.

The STi was an amazing car regardless. I enjoyed the hell out of it. I don't regret anything. I owned a generation's icon. I'll never forget seeing it for the first time in 2002 at the car autoshow. It was a 2003 WRX and I wanted it so bad. When I had the RSTi, I remember pulling on Porsche and yeilling at the top of my lungs in my car on the 116. I remember the snow days driving to work without a worry in the world.

With the 2009, I enjoyed beating it, it was a fun hatch, but slow and clunky.

The 2013 STi was new and it's a sedan. I drove it for 20k, I enjoyed having a Rally Blue/Gold Wheels 250Awhp car. I enjoyed the wosh sound of the turbo. I loved the AWD.

What can I say? We grew apart.. Sometimes I'd look back at it in the parking lot and I'd feel a pinch in my stomach, I couldn't believe she was mine. But then the problems started, we started arguing about power and the exhaust note was too tame.

I read the Subaru thread. It broke my heart, but I knew it was true.
 
If you care about the looks of your car do not get a jet black. Such an awful paint to maintain !
 
I have stepped out of a sedan STI to get into the M3 coupe. I had just blown an engine and I couldnt trust the car anymore. I was fed up with the NVH, performance wasn't there for my driving style and couldnt stand the overall boy racer look of the car.

I flew out to New Brunswick to pick up a garage queen E92 6MT with every options available; premium sound, M-drive, comfort access, executive package, 19s, EDC, even the useless rear sunshade. The must have options are definitely EDC, M-Drive and Executive Package for the iDrive. ZCP are hard to find as of now and you can source the wheels very easily (I personally did). I feel not having iDrive in such a car is missing out on useful tech.

The most important aftermarket modification on this car is an exhaust system, I am using Supersprint's complete system with HJS cats and it is unreal, interior resonance is limited to 2,000 RPM and I spend more time with the windows down and back seats folded down hunting for overpasses than turning on the radio. There is nothing quite like the sound of an S65 short of a Ferrari V8, it sounds just like a race car.

What makes this car amazing is the specialness of the engine, flexibility of the chassis (with M drive and EDC) and overall driving experience that makes it a perfect DD. The dual personnality of the car allows you to either cruise on the highway and stay laid back in trafic just like 335i or push the M button and start chasing 911s.

I drive her as an M should be driven and I average 15/100 in the city, rear tires last about 15,000 to 20,000km and it is overall a very reliable car. I am closing in on 80,000km and have had no significant issues outside of burnt light bulbs. There is a major service at every 50,000km (plugs, filters, diff tranny and engine oil).

DCT vs MT is really all about personal preference and driving style. I have switched to the shorter and heavier F10 M5 knob and find the shift feel to be ideal, clutch is pretty light too and rev matching a very easy. DCT has the upper hand on performance, even more so when tuned and has proven to be quite reliable, the gasket can leak but is cheap to replace. I find the idea of a daily driver with 8,400 RPM V8, RWD and a stick to be truly unique and quite the experience.

People the say this car lacks torque either have not driven it and stick to on paper specs or shifted below 4,000. The gear ratios are extremely short and revs climb up fast, I never found myself lacking passing power.

I find the M3 has spoiled me and I'm having a hard time deciding what is next, I do not keep cars over 80,000 km but I'm hesitating this once if I should get an extended warranty on it or switch to another car. The C63 lacks the nimbleness and the RS5s are brand new F8X money, the only substitute is Porsche for that specialness feeling.

Div you're a gentleman and a scholar. easily in my top 10 favorite posters on MR (no nuthugging intended)
 
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