Boiler

I'm about to sell my '96 M3 and take delivery of a new black S4. I have enjoyed my M3 since I purchased it and am sure I will miss the drive. Anyone out there like me who has already made the move and either regrets the decision or is glad they moved on? Please no BMW bashing, anyone who has owned/driven an M3 knows what I am talking about. Thanks, Boiler

AudiRS4ever

The two cars couldn't be anymore different, other than both of them are extremely quick (the M3 has extensive Dinan upgrades). The M3 has the beautiful sound that only an inline-6 can provide, and the S4 has a V8 that sounds very much like the S62 motor from BMW. The M3 is raw where the S4 is refined. If I had to pick one to let go it would be the M3 without a doubt. And I really do love that car. I also didn't hesitate very much about picking the S4 over the E46 M3 (another great car) either. I think you will be very happy with the S4, I know I am.

Boiler

Thanks for the reply. That's the decision I had to make. Buy an E46 M3 or the S4. I'm glad to hear that you agree with my decision.

Benjjman007

The S4 jsut seems to be more of a daily driver. The possibility was out there for me to get the E46 M3 instead of the S4. Test drove both of them, but in the end the S4 came ahead. Frequentely taking 3-4 people is much easier in the S4. I also like the somewhat "stealth" factor that the S4 has.(not much I know) but definately less flashy then the M3. Everyone knows what an M3 is but not really much about the S4. I think that the M3 has a harsher ride than the S4, and overall is a much better daily driver.

My $0.02

sayemthree

looking forward to borrowing it for the track once or twice.....something about passing other cars in a wagon that really feels good!

Boiler

After driving both, I think the S4 and M3 had very similar rides. I have driven the E46 M3 two times (about 30 minutes each). I was loaned a new S4 for two days, so I was able to do a more comprehensive test drive. I agree with your comment that it is an overall better daily driver. I did like the SMG transmission. Sure wish Audi had decided to put the DSG in the S4.

Benjjman007

if you really seem interested to them they WILL give it to you overnight.(many friends have done this to really see if the like the car) Sure they limit you to 75-100 miles. But you can take it home and see what it looks like in your driveway...

DrGP

The S4 is far superior and more enjoyable than either of these cars. You will find that you can actually use the capabilities of this car on the street. All wheel drive emparts a confidence to the driver in inclement weather that is not there with the BMW. You will not miss the M3. The M3 is probably slightly better on the track,but the S4 is superior to M3 on the street.

S4Richard

I had a '95 M3 that I loved. Kept it for 8 years and 90,000 miles. Trust me, the S4 is WAY more car. You are comparing the E36 3.2 liter straight six with 240 crank hp to the B6 4.2 liter V8 with 340 crank hp, M3's 5-speed gearbox and rear wheel drive to the S4's 6-speed and all wheel drive. The S4 is faster, smoother, etc. etc. Your M3 was electrically governed at about 138 mph, I think. The S4 is has the European governor at 155 mph. I have had mine up to 145 mph, and it is by far the easiest car to drive fast of anything I have ever driven.

Make the switch to the S4. You will be very happy you did.

air-cooledJBJ

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.....unfortunately, my M was auto and my S4 is stick so I wasn't able to fully compare the two. My M was Cosmos Black/black and loaded. I love Cosmos Black!! But, right away, I noticed that the M3 has a significantly stiffer suspension, which I loved about it, and other sports cars as well. The S4's suspension is softer, which I was aware of when leasing it due to the numerous articles that explicitly stated this. I do miss some aspects of my M, no doubt, it is one of the greatest cars built, especially the E46 M3, which is most likely my next car. Mainly, I miss the suspension (the CRAZY handling), which in my opinion was better than my current S4 (sorry quattro, M cars with rear-wheel drive are genius), the exhaust note, and the interior.

As for my S4, I love the sound of the two turbos spooling in second and third, especially at high revs when you start to hear the air getting sucked in through the intake along with the turbo sound. I like the dash/speedometer lighting(rich red lights with white needles is amazing), the fact that it's stick, and the uniqueness of having an S4. When I got my Santorin Blue S4 three years ago, there were barely any around, even here in West L.A. Of the few, the only ones I saw were, of course, silver. At least in L.A., there are a lot more M3's than S4's. Why? I have my opinion but I'm not going to get into that.

So with that said, my lease is up at the end of the year and I think that I'm going to have to venture to the dark side again and buy the "competitor". I'm not too impressed with the new S4 so far, but I still haven't driven it yet. I'm gonna drive it soon though, I can't wait any longer. V8!! But the looks aren't aggressive enough for me. Looks too much like a regular A4 (and look at the ultra sports package! Has RS4 rims on it! Looks better than a S4 in many ways to me). Drove two E46 M3's, my friend's cab and a coupe. DAMN!!!!

But going from an E46 M3 to a B6 S4, you will be impressed and happy.

My reward to guys for reading this long post is Adriana above. The hottest in the world.