Re: Owner of '99 328i & 2K S4 - honest opinion (archive)

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: My wife and I own a 99 328i sedan sport/premium 5 speed and just got a 2000 Audi S4(traded in a 98 Avant) so I think I am in a unique position to judge both cars (after all i bit the bullet on both of them). While the 328i sport is not an M3 the platform, interior, and the general look of the car will be similar to what is available now. I know all the changes that will be made on 2001 M3 so save your breath. The fact of the matter is you can get a good taste of how good the M3 will be by driving their current offerings.

: First, I love our BMW, in terms of fit/finish they make one of the finest cars on the road. My boss's Mercedes CLK seems cheap compared to the Bimmer. The M3 will certainly build on already awesome 3 series.

: I have no doubt the E46 M3 will be faster than the S4. It will have 100 more horses and will certainly cost alot more than the 42K we paid for the Audi. Having said that I would trade the 328i in a second if they offer the M3 in a Sedan.

: I realize most everyone here is diehard M3 fan..and is annoyed by Car and Driver replacing the E36 M3 with the S4 as their top sport sedan. In my opinon, they were right on the money. First, the S4 is way fast and has a ton of torque and will easily "compete" and in most cases beat the E36 M3 in 0-60 times (no flames please). In terms of fit and finish the E36 M3 seems like "old technology" compared to the S4. The interior is less than comfortable and plastic in the BMW is a joke for 40K+ car. Go drive the S4 and an E36 M3 back-to-back (I did) and you will see what I mean. IMHO, there really is not alot that is comparable on the two cars.

There are a couple of problems with the C&D review. First note that they compare a 1999 M3 with a 2000 S4. One platform is was in its last year while the other is brand new. Secondly, they call the 2-door M3 a "sedan" by redefining the common meaning of the word and then complained that the back seat was hardest to get into compared the the 4-doors (well... yeah). What I'm getting at here is that this was a very contrived review that shouldn't have been done in the first place. While I'll agree that they do compete in 0-60 I don't know what you mean that the S4 beats the M3 0-60 in most cases (stock form). The simple fact of the matter is that the M3 runs 0-60 in 5.5s while the S4 does 6.0s, which is what I've seen in every review with this one exeception. But the simple fact is the M3 is about handling. The article even goes as far as saying: "This car remains a benchmark of performance-car handling." Most of us have a hard time understanding why an enthusist magazine would pick the S4 when it said "The six-speed doesn't shift as precisely", "Its handling isn't as intuitive", and "The steering is a tad numb on-center." They blasted the M3 for not having such "features" like headlight washers and rear fog lamps of dubious value. But you're right on about the interior, although I like the style and do find it comfortable, plastic has no place on any over 40K car.

: When the E46 M3 is released it will still have one HUGE disadvantage to the Audi. If you add rain or snow to the equation the BMW is down right scary. On the other hand, I can drive the quattro equipped S4 like it was sunny and 80 degrees. Do not discout Quattro - people are dies hard fans of it for a reason - it rules.

The Quattro option is great without a doubt. But the reality is that M3 buyers by and large don't care about snow performance. I wouldn't even think about driving my M3 in the snow, that's not why I got it. As for rain, you're off the mark. With a good set of tires along with its traction control the M3 handles perfectly fine in even the heavist of rain. I do it all the time.

What it comes down to is what you're looking for. If want the ultimate in a autox type car that can lap anything on the track without compromise the M3 is it, and the new one should be raise the bar even higher.

As for the Audi S4, its a great car but it makes some compromises for luxury that I don't want in a high performance auto. But I have driven the S4 and if I had the extra cash I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

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