E46 M3 smokes the S4!!
06-06-2001, 12:07 PM
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E46 M3 smokes the S4!!
<center><img src="http://members.aol.com/alexkool76/8m3.jpg"></center><p>Ok just to begin.....This is not intended to start a flame war.
I am 24 years old...Have a brand new 2001 M3. My brother, who is also 24 has a 2001 Casablanca white S4. I am not going to sit here and trash the S4 because I think its a great car. Believe me everytime it rains in NY I wish I had quattro in the M3. The S4 has great materials in the interior...and I think the design of the S4 is sooo much better looking than the 3 series sedan...its much cleaner looking.
Comparing the two is a little ridiculuous due to the fact that my M3 was over $57k after taxes and my broter was able to get his discounted new @36k loaded in Greenwich CT. This either speaks of how overprised the M3 is, or what a great value the S4 is...somewhere in the middle is where I believe the answer lies. I wasnt planning on spending that much on my M3, but it simply comes with no options from the factory.
What really seperates these two cars is their nature. The S4 is a great sport sedan, capable of 90% of its performance in adverse weather conditions. Its quiet, smooth, relaxing, and somewhat fun to drive. The M3 on the otherhand is a full fledged hot rod in a 3 series body. The engine is LOUD as hell, too loud for most of the **** older men on the bimmer.org, but I love it. It has that s2000 feeling where it just wants to rev and rev and rev. Again this is completely the opposite feeling generated by the S4. After driving the M3, the S4 feels like it has no engine, and sounds that way too, its so quiet compared.
Handling also is where the M3 shines over the S4. The S4 has a nice steering wheel and has good response, but it likes to plow through turns, and has nowhere near the grip as the M3. The M3 steering is very light, but also very direct. At first I thought it was too light, but after getting used to the car its an absolute gem. The steering wheel too is also very very thick.... The shifting in both cars is to be desired. We have been spoiled with an s2000 and miata at the same time, so short precise shifts I thought where common. The S4 stock has a very sloppy shifter, very vague, and very very long throws. The clutch too is too springy.
The M3 has shorter more notchy throws. The gearbox is getting better as the car is breaking in. The clutch in the M3 is full race car, immediate engaging. The whole car has a race car feel, its awesome.
Performance wise it really is no contest. The M3 launches off the line like few car out there. I handily have beaten C5 vettes of the line...i simply just shoot away from my brother off the line...and after that the distance just grows. I have a few friends with chipped S4s and off the line my Car still kills them. Although I do believe they would be very close starting next to me on the highway...if there arent any turns.
My point is these are both great cars. My M3 smokes my brothers S4 in every performance category, road feel, fun factor, etc....BUT AS IT SHOULD for $20k more, I would hope it did. I would buy the S4 over any regular 3 series no question. I know a lot of you talk about your chipped cars, but truth is M3 will still beat them easily off the line, and if any turns are involved will still beat it. But again the M3 is much MUCH more expensive, and is a HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR...the S4 is a great sedan with PERFORMANCE ADDED...I dont care what you aftermarket guys say,,you can always tell the difference...you can never change the soul of the car. I love my M3. My brother loves his S4 (i know he likes my car better). But we respect each for being great cars in t heir own right. Unlike many people online who simply hate everything and everyone that doesnt agree with them. Just because the M3 is much faster than the S4 doesnt mean the S4 "sucks"...I am sure the new S4 will have something to say about that...and I have already conceided that the new AMG C32 will beat me on the highway...such is life...I am just happy to have such a great car at my age.......Vroooom Vroooommm
I am 24 years old...Have a brand new 2001 M3. My brother, who is also 24 has a 2001 Casablanca white S4. I am not going to sit here and trash the S4 because I think its a great car. Believe me everytime it rains in NY I wish I had quattro in the M3. The S4 has great materials in the interior...and I think the design of the S4 is sooo much better looking than the 3 series sedan...its much cleaner looking.
Comparing the two is a little ridiculuous due to the fact that my M3 was over $57k after taxes and my broter was able to get his discounted new @36k loaded in Greenwich CT. This either speaks of how overprised the M3 is, or what a great value the S4 is...somewhere in the middle is where I believe the answer lies. I wasnt planning on spending that much on my M3, but it simply comes with no options from the factory.
What really seperates these two cars is their nature. The S4 is a great sport sedan, capable of 90% of its performance in adverse weather conditions. Its quiet, smooth, relaxing, and somewhat fun to drive. The M3 on the otherhand is a full fledged hot rod in a 3 series body. The engine is LOUD as hell, too loud for most of the **** older men on the bimmer.org, but I love it. It has that s2000 feeling where it just wants to rev and rev and rev. Again this is completely the opposite feeling generated by the S4. After driving the M3, the S4 feels like it has no engine, and sounds that way too, its so quiet compared.
Handling also is where the M3 shines over the S4. The S4 has a nice steering wheel and has good response, but it likes to plow through turns, and has nowhere near the grip as the M3. The M3 steering is very light, but also very direct. At first I thought it was too light, but after getting used to the car its an absolute gem. The steering wheel too is also very very thick.... The shifting in both cars is to be desired. We have been spoiled with an s2000 and miata at the same time, so short precise shifts I thought where common. The S4 stock has a very sloppy shifter, very vague, and very very long throws. The clutch too is too springy.
The M3 has shorter more notchy throws. The gearbox is getting better as the car is breaking in. The clutch in the M3 is full race car, immediate engaging. The whole car has a race car feel, its awesome.
Performance wise it really is no contest. The M3 launches off the line like few car out there. I handily have beaten C5 vettes of the line...i simply just shoot away from my brother off the line...and after that the distance just grows. I have a few friends with chipped S4s and off the line my Car still kills them. Although I do believe they would be very close starting next to me on the highway...if there arent any turns.
My point is these are both great cars. My M3 smokes my brothers S4 in every performance category, road feel, fun factor, etc....BUT AS IT SHOULD for $20k more, I would hope it did. I would buy the S4 over any regular 3 series no question. I know a lot of you talk about your chipped cars, but truth is M3 will still beat them easily off the line, and if any turns are involved will still beat it. But again the M3 is much MUCH more expensive, and is a HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR...the S4 is a great sedan with PERFORMANCE ADDED...I dont care what you aftermarket guys say,,you can always tell the difference...you can never change the soul of the car. I love my M3. My brother loves his S4 (i know he likes my car better). But we respect each for being great cars in t heir own right. Unlike many people online who simply hate everything and everyone that doesnt agree with them. Just because the M3 is much faster than the S4 doesnt mean the S4 "sucks"...I am sure the new S4 will have something to say about that...and I have already conceided that the new AMG C32 will beat me on the highway...such is life...I am just happy to have such a great car at my age.......Vroooom Vroooommm
06-06-2001, 12:11 PM
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http://www.donotbuyabmw.com/ - You don't avoid starting a flame war with the title of your post !
Typical bmw driver. Then again I'd be the same way (overly entheusiastic) if I paid too much money for a car that had a super long wait list.
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06-06-2001, 12:15 PM
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wait wait wait... your that kid with LBS/cinamon m3 right?
well yeah the cinamon is ugly but i do like LSB although many others dont, and i respect you for acting in a mature manner here and not like some *** kid (im only 17 anyways), but a chipped s4 off the line runs around 4.8-4.9, e46 m3, its all the driver when the speeds are within a seocnd of eachother atleast, so it may have just been coincidence you beat the chipped s4 by alot,
i look at it this way... the s4 now is like the e36 m3 and the new s4 will be like the e46 m3, it sohuld be faster too
i look at it this way... the s4 now is like the e36 m3 and the new s4 will be like the e46 m3, it sohuld be faster too
06-06-2001, 12:16 PM
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#1 I've beat C5's too and #2 your brother and others need to learn how to drive the S4!
While I'm launching and pulling 2 car lengths ahead of you, your back there spinning your wheels (along with you mouth!) and looking foolish in front of your punk-*** friends! Go troll some place else man...