M4 Ordered. Now the wait.
- Thread starter StevenH72
- Start date
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CornishRob
Senior member
Was in BMW the other day and had a poke around an M4 Convert and an M3 again, although I have already tested an M3.
Interiors do seem very nice, and car has lots of presence in amongst the 318 type dross in the showroom. They had an M4 demo outside in the same colour as yours. Do you have the blue brake callipers?
Looks great
Interiors do seem very nice, and car has lots of presence in amongst the 318 type dross in the showroom. They had an M4 demo outside in the same colour as yours. Do you have the blue brake callipers?
Looks great
Yeh, I went for the cheap brakes 
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Had black grilles and side bars fitted, together with the carbon roof I think they make the car look very stealthy.
Having had a full week in the M4 this week, I'm starting to familiarise myself with FI natured cars. It feels quick immediately, no noticeable turbo lag at the front end, but around 3.5k revs it really shoots off, with a very noticeable shove in the back, quite exciting and very different to the linear progressive swelling of our NA Z's.
Still in the running in phase, so not sure what it will feel like when consistently making progress on A / B roads.
. Had black grilles and side bars fitted, together with the carbon roof I think they make the car look very stealthy.
Having had a full week in the M4 this week, I'm starting to familiarise myself with FI natured cars. It feels quick immediately, no noticeable turbo lag at the front end, but around 3.5k revs it really shoots off, with a very noticeable shove in the back, quite exciting and very different to the linear progressive swelling of our NA Z's.
Still in the running in phase, so not sure what it will feel like when consistently making progress on A / B roads.
CornishRob
Senior member
StevenH72 said:Yeh, I went for the cheap brakes
Still in the running in phase, so not sure what it will feel like when consistently making progress on A / B roads.
F-ing fast I would imagine!
CornishRob said:StevenH72 said:Yeh, I went for the cheap brakes
Still in the running in phase, so not sure what it will feel like when consistently making progress on A / B roads.
F-ing fast I would imagine!
That was the one phrase I took away from my test drive of an M3. I maximum attacked it a couple of times through 2nd and 3rd and it was damn fast. Seriously laugh out loud fast.
Am getting more use to the S55's preferred rev ranges and the ranges in which to keep the engine in order to obtain the most immediate response. Had a good play at the weekend and on the dive to work this morning the performance felt unbelievably brutal (perhaps lower ambient temperatures played their part today).
I have come to the conclusion though that this car is too fast to really enjoy on public roads. I felt the Z4M was borderline, but ultimately you could still have a lot of fun without endangering one's licence.
The M4 is till "running in", gearbox and tyres are now run-in / scrubbed according to the owner's manual, but I am limited to 5,500 rpm.
I don't think I'd ever need more than this, the thought of revving to 7,500 rpm in 2nd and 3rd gears, whilst making me tingle in special places, will just not be practical on public roads. The M4 is a 'top trump' of a car. Would be great for hooning, but I can't practically see this as a possibility, without a) losing my licence or b) killing a cyclist.
It as two purposes in life. 1) attracts a lot of attention / kudos. I've received only positive reactions as yet, including an enthusiastic thumbs up from a white van man. 2) tootle along at 35mph in 2nd gear and 'floor it' to gauge your passenger's reactions. Potentially also a 3rd reason, 3) change up from 2nd to 3rd and proceed to negotiate a corner at speeds that aforementioned passengers would conservatively describe as 'optimistic'. Again, gauge reactions once cornering has ceased.
The M4 really does have amazing levels of grip and a very direct turn-in. Just a shame it's too fast to enjoy a prolonged hoon. Once you've completed the first phase of acceleration / cornering put your foot back n the accelerator and you'll be 100mph+ in 3-4 seconds, you need to reign it in constantly, which somewhat detracts from it being a driver's car imo.
It really is a fantastic car and It does make me smile / full of child like excitement, but it's too good to be the full package.I'd love to have the Z4M back, or better yet, perhaps I'll start saving for an E30 M3.
I have come to the conclusion though that this car is too fast to really enjoy on public roads. I felt the Z4M was borderline, but ultimately you could still have a lot of fun without endangering one's licence.
The M4 is till "running in", gearbox and tyres are now run-in / scrubbed according to the owner's manual, but I am limited to 5,500 rpm.
I don't think I'd ever need more than this, the thought of revving to 7,500 rpm in 2nd and 3rd gears, whilst making me tingle in special places, will just not be practical on public roads. The M4 is a 'top trump' of a car. Would be great for hooning, but I can't practically see this as a possibility, without a) losing my licence or b) killing a cyclist.
It as two purposes in life. 1) attracts a lot of attention / kudos. I've received only positive reactions as yet, including an enthusiastic thumbs up from a white van man. 2) tootle along at 35mph in 2nd gear and 'floor it' to gauge your passenger's reactions. Potentially also a 3rd reason, 3) change up from 2nd to 3rd and proceed to negotiate a corner at speeds that aforementioned passengers would conservatively describe as 'optimistic'. Again, gauge reactions once cornering has ceased.
The M4 really does have amazing levels of grip and a very direct turn-in. Just a shame it's too fast to enjoy a prolonged hoon. Once you've completed the first phase of acceleration / cornering put your foot back n the accelerator and you'll be 100mph+ in 3-4 seconds, you need to reign it in constantly, which somewhat detracts from it being a driver's car imo.
It really is a fantastic car and It does make me smile / full of child like excitement, but it's too good to be the full package.I'd love to have the Z4M back, or better yet, perhaps I'll start saving for an E30 M3.
Yes I really enjoyed that write up too 
I just love the look of the M4 and I think they look the business, having had a E92 M3 I do understand the its too good to be a full package bit as the M3 was a very difficult car to enjoy on the road without turning a blind eye to speed limits and road rules.
I can only imagine how the M4 must feel in terms of performance because it will wipe the floor with the old V8 model in every respect.
I just love the look of the M4 and I think they look the business, having had a E92 M3 I do understand the its too good to be a full package bit as the M3 was a very difficult car to enjoy on the road without turning a blind eye to speed limits and road rules.I can only imagine how the M4 must feel in terms of performance because it will wipe the floor with the old V8 model in every respect.
Steven,
I don't know whether you recall my feedback on my test drive but it was exactly as you suggest - too fast for public roads. Or more specifically, too fast to drive enjoyably on public roads. It's literally a couple of seconds of WOT before being in serious licence threatening territory.
I don't know whether you recall my feedback on my test drive but it was exactly as you suggest - too fast for public roads. Or more specifically, too fast to drive enjoyably on public roads. It's literally a couple of seconds of WOT before being in serious licence threatening territory.
You never mentioned the mpg values 
I can imagine it is a little frustrating that you have all that power and you can only tickle the bottom end of it, as without a doubt you will find a speed check the moment you have some fun with it and many roadtrips abroad is also not an option (nor trackdays).
I can imagine it is a little frustrating that you have all that power and you can only tickle the bottom end of it, as without a doubt you will find a speed check the moment you have some fun with it and many roadtrips abroad is also not an option (nor trackdays).
original guvnor said:
I do remember your feedback, I think my mistake was not being to empathise from a 1st hand perspective. The Z was the most powerful car I'd ever owned, so an additional ~100bhp with no significant weight increase was always going to be far more spirited. Having now experienced it, I can certainly understand how a car can be too fast.
The good thing is that being a turbo'd car, in the right rev range (typically from 3k) the power is much more accessible, whereas the Z was progressive the power swelled, you needed to approach the red line to bring the best out of the S54. The S55 requires a different driving style. That a lot more power (relative to the Z) is available from lower down in the rev range means that not all is lost.
I'm sure I'll find a way to enjoy it :wink:
pvr said:You never mentioned the mpg values
I can imagine it is a little frustrating that you have all that power and you can only tickle the bottom end of it, as without a doubt you will find a speed check the moment you have some fun with it and many roadtrips abroad is also not an option (nor trackdays).
Ah MPG, I've calculated 24.5 over the first 500 miles. Not atrocious and similar to what I was achieving from the Z, around similar roads.
StevenH72 said:
I'm sure you will....
flimper said:
It is a challenge as:
1. You attract unwanted attention from any speed check group (even if you are not speeding) so you can not get away with anything.
2. The moment you hear the exhaust, you have reached illegal speeds.
However, on unguarded roads you can still enjoy it as you know the risk is very low of getting caught. And most miles I have done have been abroad where I have not had to pay attention to limits.