Experiences of those who have gone from Si to M

[DR Z4]

I think I'm in a good position to give you an opinion since I had a 2007 3.0 Z4 Roadie on lease for 39 months. When that ended I put a deposit on a 1M coupe, but when I drove it I actually preferred the M Roadster, so I bought a 2008 CPO with 16K kms.

I also live in downtown Toronto, so I know the roads are pretty bad. As for ride harshness, the biggest dictator of that (and easiest things to change) are the tires. If you use the runflats, the ride is abysmal. I had the factory runflats on my 3.0 for street use, and they made the car almost unbearable to drive. Ironically, the M with traditional tires, is a much more plush ride
even though the suspension is firmer.

Based on your criteria, I say you should stick with what you have. If you don't like to really rev the car, you will probably experience the si as being faster than the M around town. As noted, the si is lighter; the M only has 262 lb-ft of torque, and that peak is at a lofty 4900 rpm. It's a high-revving engine and you won't see that benefit the way you like to drive.

If you track the cars, they are worlds apart. Everything on the M is beefed-up and for the hydrualic vs electric steering alone, the upgrade is worth it (not to mention the additional 75 hp).

One thing I don't agree with is the characterization of the M as a handful. To drive on the street (and even on the track), I really don't get how this car is seen as an enfant terrible of the sports car world. It's not like some 1970's-era widow-maker Porsche 930 with boost that comes on mid-apex and kills you.

I find the handling very neutral, and the oversteer extremely easy to modulate.

I also prefer the M for its looks and little touches like the fantastic steering wheel. I still stare back at it after parking, even a year after having it.

[Huz-Z]

Good looks are not exclusive to the M. I've had my SI since 2009 and I still look back at it after parking it.

But I think the OP should try and get a test drive in an M to see if it really speaks to him. We can talk until the cows come home, but a test drive will settle the question.

[Z4-VILLA]

I went from a 2.5 base model to an M and oh boy. Then came Mods....holy sh$t

[tomhole]

Originally Posted by baege

Thanks to those who have replied. Your insights and experiences are appreciated.

For the purposes of clarity I should add a little more about my current experience and usage.

I love my coupe. I've owned more powerful cars, but the N52 is a peach of an engine, torquey and silky smooth and plenty quick for the type of driver I am. I tend to shift at relatively low revs (maybe 4500 to 5000 when I am pushing the car and about 2500 to 3000 when driving normally), so its low end grunt that I most appreciate and use. I also will not be someone tracking a car and tend to drive at maybe 70% of a car's limit at the most.

I do not use my car for commuting but pleasure use only. And I live midtown toronto, canada which means the road surfaces are not the greatest and the opportunities for really opening up the car are limited.

So I just drove my M around all morning shifting at 2500-3000 rpm. That was boring. No need for an M to do that. I then tried it at 5,000 and that was better, but it didn't go any faster than my wife's Acura. Then I took the onramp and shifted at the redline. Almost crapped myself when I looked down and saw 90 in 3rd gear. Now THAT was fun. Holy heck fire, the pull above 5,000 rpm is why you would buy an M.

So then I tried the curvey bits. I took every corner at twice the advised limit they posted. That was fun but the exit and accel to 40 mph was dreadfully boring. So I tried that twisty backroad that goes out to the barn where my daughter keeps her horse. That was great for the first 45 seconds whilst I had the road to myself. Then I had to follow a blue hair for the next 3 miles. That was boring.

Based on all my data so far, I'm not sure why anyone needs an M, or even an si. Just get a Prius. This is the most frustrating car I have ever owned. My truck gives me satisfaction when I load 2,000 lbs of mulch in the back or I'm pulling the horse trailer. Or hauling furniture to the local charity place. My wife's Acura gives her great pleasure when she loads up the show choir crew of 6 and hauls them all over the place in posh comfort. The Z is an enigma: it wants to go hard, I just can't go hard. I need to find a track.

So, why do I still own it? It looks good. And I grew up in an MGB roadster and roadsters make me happy. Sometimes I giggle for no reason. Or I put both arms up while cruising down the highway and just smile (people think I'm crazy). I Love those longer trips when I get wind burned and sun burned (with raccoon eyes from the sunglasses). I think that's really why I own a Z4 roadster. I'm happy I have an M, I'd be happy with the 1979 MGB Limited Edition I had in college. Life is good.

For you, if you have someplace you can let an M run above 5,000 rpm and get above 100 mph, then you should get an M. If not, just get whatever makes you smile.

Tom

[ShakyDog]

I never owned an Si or a M, I find I want a M just for the 'Exclusiveness' of the M club.

I would be very bad in an M. I am bad enough in the slow assed 3.0i. I do find that if it had a bit more :-) ...

Steve

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by baege

I am seriously considering making this move and would love to hear the impressions of those who have made it.

I am familiar with the SI v. M threads (which I reviewed prior to making my purchase of an SI) and don't mean to incite that kind of debate again.

I'm just interested in hearing from those who have themselves actually made the switch from SI to M (or from M to SI...has that even happened?)

Were operating costs actually higher on the M?
Do you use the vehicle as a daily driver or pleasure use only?
How did the M fare for everyday use?
How often do you find you actually appreciate the extra performance of the M?
Overall do you feel the move was worth it?

The thread on depreciation of M coupes is related to my thoughts on this, since it would seem that the M will likely depreciate at a slower than the SI which perhaps makes the real cost difference negligible.

I didn't go from Si to M, I went from a 3.0i Roadster to MZ4 Coupe.

1) Were operating costs actually higher on the M?

Yes. Gas along, if both the 3.0i and the MZ4 Coupe were driven in the same matter, would have cost more. Insurance, registration, and various consumables all cost more on the MZ4 Coupe if they were operated in the same manner. If I had to guesstimate, the M cost about 25% more to operate and maintain.

2) Do you use the vehicle as a daily driver or pleasure use only?

The 3.0i was driven daily, with a handful of track days sprinkled in. The M is driven only on weekends, maybe once a week tops, and primarily on the track.

3) How did the M fare for everyday use?

No worse than the 3.0i, except for the cost of operation. For about 8 months I drove the M daily because my carpool buddy did not enjoy driving in a car sans air conditioning in the middle of the So. Cal summer. It's only marginally "harsher" than the 3.0i with run-flats. It's serviceable as a primary vehicle driven daily.

4) How often do you find you actually appreciate the extra performance of the M?

Between 2006-2008, about 15-20 days a year. After that? Maybe 6-10 days. But, to be honest, the same can be said of the 3.0i, except I maybe got to enjoy the full performance of the car 3-4 times over its lifetime (most of the organizations I work with do not allow convertibles without certain modifications).

5) Overall do you feel the move was worth it?

Yes. For the wonderful ///M variable LSD alone.

[Incompatible]

Hack mentions this and beat me to it. One of the operating costs is your insurance expense. With some carriers the difference is nothing significant, while others however want a serious amount of money if they will even cover the car. Another factor to look into before purchase.

[BruceJ]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

Good looks are not exclusive to the M. I've had my SI since 2009 and I still look back at it after parking it.

I did this too, always thought the Si looked great - but since I added the M Front end/Mstache its to the point my wife has to tap me and mention why I got out of the car........ I could just pull up a chair!