First Z - 3.0si or M?

[Incompatible]

Originally Posted by pokeybritches

The maintenance will be far more in the M with its valve adjustments and more expensive brakes. Gas mileage will be about 30-40% better in the 3.0si. The shifting in the 3.0si is smoother, and the engine revs buttery smooth.

However, there is little aftermarket support for the 3.0si. So, what you buy off of the dealer's lot is pretty much what you will have to live with. There is one supercharger kit under development, and it's expected to run very mild boost (3 PSI for stage 1, 6 PSI for stage 2 with water/meth injection). Its cast crank won't handle the power levels of the M54 (pre-2006 models) or S54 (M).

You can also check out the 3.0i (2006+) to 3.0si conversion. You won't have the uprated brakes or suspension, but you can achieve a big power gain over the standard 3.0i for just a few hundred dollars in parts and a tune.

If you ever plan on tracking the car, go for the M. Good luck!

Well said.

Keep in mind that the non-M models came with the option of standard or sport suspension and M/std seats. As sold, 17" wheels on the standard and 18" on the sport (at least for the Si). The sport suspension will give a better handling/stiffer ride over the standard, but will not be what the M is handling wise, but still impressive. If you're planning on tracking the car, go M. If not, it's more of a personal preference/finances call.

[esqu1re]

"Buy once. Cry once." has been my philosophy lately. When you know which one you'd really want to have, buy it. The Si may be cheaper right now, but if performance and rawness is what you're after, you know the obvious choice is the ///M. The Si isn't a slouch either, and may be much easier for daily driving once you get rid of the run flats. Good luck.

[Vertigo//SD]

///M is the way to go. It's my only car so it's used daily.

[Huz-Z]

If you buy an ///M and roll it, will it become a W\\\?

One thing to consider is whether it will be just you driving the car. The ///M is only available in a manual shift, so if your wife / girlfriend is wanting to drive the car but can't drive a manual, or if she finds the ///M to be a bit of a beast, you may have a problem.

My 3.0si has the sport package, sport button, M sport seats, Sport button, auto transmission with paddle shifters, 18 inch style 108 wheels and I've tossed the run crap I mean run-flats. While the ///M can outperform me on the track, I don't feel that my car is in any way deficient.

And, now that the run flats are gone, my wife loves to drive it too.

And look - my 3.0si made the cover of the BMW Atlantic club's latest newsletter:

http://bmwclubatlantic.ca/Propellor_JAN2011.pdf

Some nice articles in there too, including one where the guys took a spin on the Nurburgring.

[bhoch]

I have the 3.0si. sport, manual. ///M would have been GREAT. If I could have found one, that I liked enough to get while I was looking, I would have had no worries getting the ///M and it is my DD. The 3.0si is just fine to me. Has plenty of pep when I really need it and the shifting, a little notchy, is not that bad.

My only complaints are the run flat tires will need to go sometime and I wish sport mode was the default. I'll probably keep the run-flats till I get a new set of wheels and then go with out.

Personally, I don't find the firmness of the sport suspension on the 3.0si to firm. Sure, it's a little firm over some joints and bumps, but I like it that way.

Not having driven a ///M, I would assume the ///M "stuff" such as differences in steering, suspension, wheels width and items like limited slip would really make it a much better car for driving and really might make it actually slightly better as a DD (minus the less gas mileage due to more performance). The only draw back from a DD standpoint on the ///M would be slightly higher maintenance costs. But that really would not be a concern to me.

Lighting is fine for a DD, seats are way comfy (for me) for a DD, radio is good enough to me and it's quiet enough for me with the top up. Could it use more power... everything needs more power!

I really don't find my 3.0si lacking. These cars are not about straight line, stop light to stop light speed from the factory anyway but even with that, they are very decent drivers and you can get a ticket for speeding in them very easily.

[roo97ss]

I'm not sure what the dip in M prices has been about, but they classicly will hold their value better from a used standpoint. ie spend 25k on an si or M now and i'd expect to see better money out of the M when you sell.


To me on the test drive it's the edge the M has or the si lacks that makes the difference. I had z3m (both s52 and s54) those cars were edgy; compared to them the si is downright civil, i mean camry civil. compared to the current gen M the si is like my 135, capable, quick, but comfortable and soft enough to forget that it's supposed to be a sports car. My 135 (+tune and suspension) is my true daily yet the m is my "fun" car.

[Huz-Z]

Did I mention the time that I though I was going 60 mph but I was actually doing 100 mph?

My car came from the US. Here in Canada, the speed limit is typically 100 kph which is roughly equal to 60 mph. Canadian speedometers display kph in big numbers, mph in small numbers. US cars are the other way around. So, I'm used to glancing at the speedometer and if the needle is on or just over "100", Bob's yer Uncle!

Of course, one day when I passed a car, I forgot that my Z4 displays miles per hour in the big numbers. I can tell you this. at 100 mph, the car rides lovely at that speed!!!!!

[imom]

I've had the 3.0SI and the M back to back. If you are a daily driver: are the pros and cons

Pros:
SI: Better gas mileage, softer suspension (sport suspension), better low end power. Little cheaper
M: Above 4K RPM it really goes...above 5K you'll understand why you bought it. Handling is about 10 to 20% better.

Cons:
SI: 10 to 20% slower than the M. You don't have bragging rights that you have an M.

M: Bite and tense yourself while driving on rough pot hole roads...more defensive driving than 3.0SI...though both cars you still want to watch out for rough roads. You lose about 3 to 4MPG. Cost more, but in long run may hold it's value. Brake squeak, unless you late break all the time...but the brakes will stop on a dime.


Bottom line is that if you can open up your car more often, then get the M. Otherwise the 3.0SI is not going to disappoint you. If you want the best of the Z4s than the M is it...just be prepared for the slightly higher maintenance cost.

So to summarize from a guys' point of view. It's like having the hottest girlfriend/wife, but then you see the other hottest girl and now want that one too. It's the grass is always greener on the other side deal. Both have their quirks...but I'm sure you'll be happy with either one...I was never disappointed in either cars... It's not a perfect car...but damn fun.

[mhughett]

I had a 3.0si coupe for a year before I traded for the M. All of IMOM's comparisons are pretty accurate. The only things I would like to add are:

1. The steering has much better feel on the M. I liked the additional effort when the sport button was pushed on the 3.0si but it's still not comparison.
2. If you use the bluetooth car phone, the M's engine noise is much louder than the 3.0si. At 75mph in the M's it's tough sometimes for the other party to hear what I'm saying because of the engine and road noise in the M. The 3.0si was much smoother and quieter. When I saw the Ultimate Factory presentation for the Z4, they said they used different levels of insulation for different Z4's. I'm guessing that the M got the thinner insulation so that we could experience more engine noise.
3. Despite the fact that the 3.0si sport may address 95% of your sports car needs, it just drives you crazy knowing that there is something out there that is that little bit better. If you are one of those that has to have the best of something, you better get the M. You'll forget about the worse mileage and valve adjustment costs after have it for a while.

[pokeybritches]

The cars are both fun in their own right. I always love hopping back in my 3.0i because it's noticeably lighter, smoother, and more predictable. Driving it is a joy. It's more tossable, and it feels very nimble and safe at the limits. It's quick. It makes me smile when I drive it. Obviously I'm pretty attached to it because I have an M as well, and I have no desire to part with my 3.0i.

The M is a different beast. It makes me question how it's even street legal at times. Driving it cannot be accurately described without the use of profanity. Careless driving will result in a terrifying experience. It makes me swear from exhilaration.

The 3.0si is the good-looking girl that does everything well... a keeper. She cooks, would never cheat, and doesn't enjoy arguing. She does what she's asked, and the results are rewarding. The M is the hottest chick in the bar, knows she is, will bite you if she gets the chance, but you keep coming back for more because you're hooked. She can take you into a different world- something you've never experienced before and can't get from any other girl out there. There's more baggage, but if you can tolerate it the end result is an unparalleled experience... and an addiction. If my 3.0i was totaled, I'd take the insurance money and spend it on the M. If my M was totaled, I'd use the insurance money to buy another.

You can't decide which car is better for you based on what others have said and what they look like on paper. That would be like choosing a significant other based on a resume. You've gotta get out there and drive both. The feeling of the LSD hooking up (M) vs watching the blinking traction control light (non-M) while the torque is cut; hydraulic vs electric steering; 8k rpm near-race engine scream vs 7k rpm efficiency-minded performance engine smoothness... the value of all these things cannot be totally quantified.

The 3.0si is a better street car for most people out there. If you're one of those that isn't interested in paying a premium for features you don't care about or will notice (LSD, hydraulic steering, solid lifters), go for the 3.0si. It's plenty quick and a better car for anything but very spirited or track driving. Don't let anyone tell you you should have ///Mvy if you don't! But, only a test drive will confirm if you feel like you need the M. After several years with a 3.0i, I decided I had to have the LSD, more steering feel, better seats, and S54 power. Many others have made similar upgrades, and not too many have gone in the other direction (M to 3.0i/si).

[RBull]

Like others have said it's simple. Drive them both. You've also got some anecdotal information listed in this thread that may help you form some ideas first to verify for yourself.

G/L
You'll probably be a happy camper whatever you end up with.

[Huz-Z]

And in addition to all that:

Welcome to the board!!!!!

[MetMan]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

And look - my 3.0si made the cover of the BMW Atlantic club's latest newsletter:

http://bmwclubatlantic.ca/Propellor_JAN2011.pdf

Some nice articles in there too, including one where the guys took a spin on the Nurburgring.

Nice Huz! I'm sure you've got that framed, right?

[RBull]

Nice going. Keep watching for an IR Z4MC!

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

If you buy an ///M and roll it, will it become a W\\\?

One thing to consider is whether it will be just you driving the car. The ///M is only available in a manual shift, so if your wife / girlfriend is wanting to drive the car but can't drive a manual, or if she finds the ///M to be a bit of a beast, you may have a problem.

My 3.0si has the sport package, sport button, M sport seats, Sport button, auto transmission with paddle shifters, 18 inch style 108 wheels and I've tossed the run crap I mean run-flats. While the ///M can outperform me on the track, I don't feel that my car is in any way deficient.

And, now that the run flats are gone, my wife loves to drive it too.

And look - my 3.0si made the cover of the BMW Atlantic club's latest newsletter:

http://bmwclubatlantic.ca/Propellor_JAN2011.pdf

Some nice articles in there too, including one where the guys took a spin on the Nurburgring.

[Eccentric]

OP, i DD my m coupe, even in the snow. If you arent shitting yourself about getting hit by an asshole, or trying to take your car out in the blizzard, the m coupe is absolutely fine so long as you have snow tires.

the suspension is not nearly as rough as runflats are.

Power-wise, i've never been in a 3.0si but the only other car ive driven since i picked up my m was an r8 4.2, and the power delivery feels almost the same.

No regrets here, despite the New York Snowpocalypse

[AtoB]

ive owned both... each for three years... get the M, no regrets.

[ramp]

I just had to have a coupe. Bought the first one I found. Happened to be a 3.0 si. If I found an M first, I'd probably be driving that.

Enjoy

[VinnieAces]

i daily drive my moupe in the summer and the only issue is after about an hour of straight driving my lower back tends to hurt a little bit, nothing major tho, and keep note i'm 6'5''
other than that theres plenty of room for me and i'm very comfortable inside

if you have the option of going ///M, i say go for it but like everyone has said, test drive them both and see how you feel

[M_Six]

I'm certainly impressed with the power and handling of my 3.0Si, but I still lust after an ///M. If there had been one in the same price range as my Si (doubtful), I would have bought it. That said, I still break out in a huge smile every time I toss the Si into a corner or blast past a semi in a nanosecond. Sport mode is a very addictive drug.

I know it's been said over and over and over, but it's absolutely true; DUMP THE RUNFLATS ASAP. I had heard all the claims about the improvement and I was still stunned by the change. I went to regular tires shortly before garaging it for the winter and I cannot wait to get out in it this spring to really enjoy the tires.

[txz4]

test drive both cars, seriously! i actually test drove two si coupes an M roadster and an M coupe and i actually prefer my si coupe to the others. (i would appreciate the gain in power though) I may be in the minority but the only way to know is drive them all.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by MetMan

Nice Huz! I'm sure you've got that framed, right?

Thanks! That is the plan!!

RBull - you're next!!!

[RBull]

haha, doubtful I'll have that distinction ever.

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

Thanks! That is the plan!!

RBull - you're next!!!