[Apl440i or 335d?]

It occurred to me this morning, while playing with the configuration for my next car (M4) that you could get a fully loaded 435i for £50k. - 15% discount £42,500 + M Performance body kit c£3000, M Performance exhaust c£1500 ACS dampers c£3000 + 435i ppk c£1500 for somewhere around £52k.

A fully loaded M4 is somewhere north of £10k more expensive.
Is there really £10k's worth of performance difference between the two, considering 99% of drivers will never take an M4 near a track.

Thoughts?

[JustChris]

Don't forget that pretty much any M Performance kit is money down the pan 'IF' you PCP (not sure how you buy Apl335d). So for a 2 cars costing £50k the one with £8k worth of M Performance kit will cost more. For 2 cars £10k apart it might be closer than you think on the monthlies if the £10k less car has a load of M Perf kit.

I agree the 4 series looks truly spectacular in the Alpine White with M Perf kit. When I first saw the pictures released it was hands down for me the best looking BMW for ages.

I agree on the full use of the M4 potential, a 428i M Perf'd to the hilt (there's an exhaust for that too) is also a great great car and will make a larger price difference. I think however you're looking to go performance wise with the 435i PPK too, nice!

It's all about your choice and perceived value. Try to get a manual if you can hack it in some of the uk traffic. One thing I'm enjoying the most on my car.

[Redben]

But the M4 just looks so good. Guy down the road has black on black and it's amazing

The seats are probably worth the difference alone

[Steven1077]

Are they doing 15% off the 435i? Or is that just a number you have in mind?

[NISFAN]

Is there £10k's worth of performance difference between a modded 435i and an M4......YES!!!

[335i nthehouse]

I'm in this situation with my car, I bought it with a view to upgrading later to an M.

I got the love for the performance parts during my wait and took the plunge - only aesthetically thus far. I'm already struggling to keep within road legalities during break in. I have m performance exhaust being fitted Monday next week when back from hols and financially it makes sense to keep this car for a while now, 5-6 years is my plan. I absolutely love the 35i engine and my car looks amazing to me, I absolutely love it.

I would prefer an M3 in a heartbeat but even if monthlies the same, running costs considerably higher for an m3 at 18k miles per year, question is if I am not intending on regular track, will I ever get the benefits of the extra performance, of which I am under no illusion there will be some.

This is an easy decision right now as I have new car infatuation, will be interesting to see how this plays out over coming months/years. I will go for some handling / power upgrades perhaps down the line but for now I am one happy chappy

[teaston]

A very important difference between them is that the M4 will hold it's value much better than the 435i!

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by teaston

A very important difference between them is that the M4 will hold it's value much better than the 435i!

Was just going to post the same. We all know that adds-on and options as brilliant as they are dont cause the car to hold its value any higher particularly. Whereas the M3/M4 has these straight out the box and is priced accordingly and the higher value will stay with the car.

[Tengocity]

In terms of cash outlay then a 435i is going to be 10k cheaper, but you'd really need to try and understand what both cars will be worth at the time you're likely to sell. I suspect you can write off much of the cost of all the M Perf kit.

[MWA]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

Is there £10k's worth of performance difference between a modded 435i and an M4......YES!!!

Detto that! No matter how much you glorify a 3/4 series, it would never be an M Series...

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

Is there 10k's worth of performance difference between a modded 435i and an M4......YES!!!

Yes, but I guess the point is that for someone who will never go near the track... Is that money well spent? 435i is more than enough car for most drivers!

[SkyJawa]

I can't remember the last time I saw an M car been given some beans on the road!!

Mind you its wasted here in the South East, unless you get up in the middle of the night just to drive it you could not get anywhere near its potential on our overcrowded roads.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

I can't remember the last time I saw an M car been given some beans on the road!!

Mind you its wasted here in the South East, unless you get up in the middle of the night just to drive it you could not get anywhere near its potential on our overcrowded roads.

Have to agree- seldom see an M3 being driven fast. Probably because the pain of 15mpg affects your right foot, and the need for stratospheric revs to shake off a hot hatch. The new M3 may be a different story though...

Living down south I do that getting up at 4am for a blast thing. Getting too old for it now though and the suicidal sleeping birds on the road keep it interesting! I think I might move back to Scotland and have decent roads on my doorstep.

[johno]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

I can't remember the last time I saw an M car been given some beans on the road!!

Mind you its wasted here in the South East, unless you get up in the middle of the night just to drive it you could not get anywhere near its potential on our overcrowded roads.

There's an E60 M5 that I see around here occasionally, never below 6k rpm by the sound of it. And it's a great sound.

[Steven1077]

Only 3 series that I've seen going fast are smaller engine one’s, I was cut up by a 320d on the way home Friday with German plates on it, I swear the driver thought he was on an autobahn and not the A2, I was doing 20mph over the limit and he undertook me and then proceeded to cut in front just missing the back of the car in the inside lane and the front of my car, hardly ever see powerful cars going fast

[HighlandPete]

How many guys buy an M-car to simply drive it to the limit and use its full performance most of the time. I know of owners buying them because of what they are, appreciate the honing done by the M-division. Costs a lot more to get the best OEM honed chassis, same for Alpina.

A saying in R&D, "it takes 10% of the time to do the first 90% of the development, and 90% of the time to do the final 10% of the development". I see that applying to honing the 3-series chassis into the M3.

Are they worth it over the 'off the peg' M-sport models with some bolt ons? There is only one full cream model... the value is more than the performance difference, IMO.

If performance was based on 'value for money', would BMW even need to be in the equation?

HighlandPete

[Pablo68]

I'm in a very similar position right now...trying to decide if there really is sufficient justification in changing the 335i for the M3. I have a full day with the M3 in a couple of weeks so will have a bit better idea on how it would be as a daily driver. But (and it's a big one), on the road there is very little in it (apart from the sound and presence). And that is really the kicker: the only real reason for changing would be because it is an M car with all the cache that brings and definitely not because I could get to work or Sainsburys any quicker.

I'm going to do a full comparison and I'm sure that on a track the M3 would be something else, but with the initial limited test drive sitting in normal traffic on normal roads I could have been in my car.

[Irnbrukid]

Originally Posted by Pablo68

I'm in a very similar position right now...trying to decide if there really is sufficient justification in changing the 335i for the M3. I have a full day with the M3 in a couple of weeks so will have a bit better idea on how it would be as a daily driver. But (and it's a big one), on the road there is very little in it (apart from the sound and presence). And that is really the kicker: the only real reason for changing would be because it is an M car with all the cache that brings and definitely not because I could get to work or Sainsburys any quicker.

I'm going to do a full comparison and I'm sure that on a track the M3 would be something else, but with the initial limited test drive sitting in normal traffic on normal roads I could have been in my car.

Think there is more than a little difference, the way it performs & rides will be a good bit better than a normal 3 Msport.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Irnbrukid

Think there is more than a little difference, the way it performs & rides will be a good bit better than a normal 3 Msport.

I would have thought the ride would be worse in an m3, due to the stiffer and lower suspension and the sub frames being mounted directly to the chassis without rubber bushes etc it should have more vibrations/road noise and crash over pot holes etc? :

[Apl440i or 335d?]

Thanks for the responses all. I think it is an interesting question.

I guess it all depends on value and personal preference....

The additional £10k will be worth it to some people, and not others.

I must say, I still have not even got close to the limit of the 335d yet, so am struggling to justify the M3/ M4. But then I see one, and it changes my mind.

[Irnbrukid]

Originally Posted by teaston

I would have thought the ride would be worse in an m3, due to the stiffer and lower suspension and the sub frames being mounted directly to the chassis without rubber bushes etc it should have more vibrations/road noise and crash over pot holes etc? :

I've not driven one but from what I've read from old members of this forum (Andrew) and others who have, say it rides well. Yes it will be stiffer but more compliant with real rubber than the runshat tyres.. BMW made the F3* cars too soft to compensate with them sticking to run-flats. they also make the cars handle poorly compared to what they would with normal rubber.

[dopper99]

Regardless of how it drives, it has the looks.

You won't get that with a standard 3 series, no matter what Performance parts you bolt onto it.
Those wide wheel arches on the back of the M3 are awesome.