Gladius

I've got an E46...I track it a couple times a year. Has anyone gone from one of these to an S5? Or at least have driving experience in an M3 that has also driven an S5?

JasonS4+Festicle

sports car IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I love the car but it's much softer than the BMW (as I think it should be).

It's nice not to have to wind the car to redline to get any power out of it like I felt I needed to do with the M3.

The S5 is a MUCH more comfortable car with a MUCH nicer interior. Great street car.

I think it will not be so great as a track car because it's so heavy. I suspect if you put some Alcons on with track pads and better fluid you'd be OK but it will not be half the fun as your M3 on the track. It will likely eat brake pads and tires.

For a street car, no contest IMO - S5 > > E46. For the track, not so much.

But, as you said, you only need to live with the S5 as a track toy for a few days a year and the rest of the year would be spent happy!

Gladius

Thanks for the data points!

I guess what I really need to do is keep the M3 as the track car and get an S5 for a DD

nicks5

I'm about to go from a 2003 M3 SMG to a stick S5. Can't wait but a part of me will miss the SMG (honest!!). My 09 was re-ordered out of my dealer's allocation on Tuesday

pesos

As I've posted elsewhere, the S5 is superior comfort-wise, and has a much friendlier suspension. Its handling suffers a bit due to the super-light steering (my opinion) versus the tight feel of the m3 -- I feel a bit disconnected in the s5 and hope that a way is found to disable the servetronic. The interior is obviously far ahead of the m3, and I feel much more comfortable at almost 6'3". Not that the m was uncomfortable, but it's a very different feel. My left foot is happy to have something to do again as well!

sjenner

If I had the funds to buy two new cars:

S5 for daily driver
Lotus Elise for the track

Best of both worlds!

The M3 is wicked fast but I drove the 2004 and have not driven the new V8 M3 yet. I like the Porsche but for everyday car, hard to beat the Audi for the perfect GT car. The M3 is too rough for a daily driver.

Gladius

I've daily driven my M3 for almost 4 years now, I guess I'm used to it

sjenner

Well I like both the new Audi S5 and new BMW M3 coupe so will be hard to make decision until I can test out the new M3 next month for a BMW club event.

However, the S5 is about 10k less cash and has plenty of power and unlike BMW M3, you can order those sweet alcantara seats!

But $4 gallon gas has me worried in California SO I may end up with either an Audi A4 2.0T, TT convertible (2.0T) or BMW 128 coupe and if it goes to $8 a gallon than heck buy me a horse or ride my bicycle to work.

Airmoss18

I had a 2003 M3 and picked up my S5 on November 21. I love it. So much more refined than the now outdated E46. This is my first Audi after three different BMW's (E36 M3, E46 330ci, and the E46 M3, and I also had one of the first Infiniti G35 coupes when they came out), and I'm very impressed with the S5. It's amazing how many people gawk at it, which is my guilty pleasure.

I got a Quartz Grey/Black and tinted the windows very dark.

I went with the S5 for a few reasons: it was all-new and very unique, great looking, plenty fast, has has beautiful interior with a phenomenal stock audio set-up, sweet stock wheels, and a 6-speed manual. I couldn't be happier.

I considered the new E92 M3, but it was more expensive and not available as soon. I know I would be very happy with the new M3 as well.