[PatientM]

Which would you choose and why?
I only ask because my lexus is now giving me problems and will likely need to sell leaving us with 2 cars and would need to be automatic now instead of manual incase my wife needs to drive it when we go out. Since I am going automatic now, would paying 80K on an m3 still be worth it?

thanks !

[NoSugar]

Originally Posted by PatientM

Which would you choose and why?
I only ask because my lexus is now giving me problems and will likely need to sell leaving us with 2 cars and would need to be automatic now instead of manual incase my wife needs to drive it when we go out. Since I am going automatic now, would paying 80K on an m3 still be worth it?

thanks !

Different beasts. M3 is more athletic and light on its feet.

The M5 still feels like a barge around corners compared to the M3. But it is otherwise a powerful and pleasurable GT car with all the trappings and performance of an M car.

Different beasts.

[JM322]

Originally Posted by PatientM

Which would you choose and why?
I only ask because my lexus is now giving me problems and will likely need to sell leaving us with 2 cars and would need to be automatic now instead of manual incase my wife needs to drive it when we go out. Since I am going automatic now, would paying 80K on an m3 still be worth it?

thanks !

This isn't a depreciation argument but for me at the same price point I'd go for the new car rather than the used

[jm490]

Originally Posted by PatientM

Which would you choose and why?
I only ask because my lexus is now giving me problems and will likely need to sell leaving us with 2 cars and would need to be automatic now instead of manual incase my wife needs to drive it when we go out. Since I am going automatic now, would paying 80K on an m3 still be worth it?

thanks !

I was in the same dilemma and ended up purchasing a new G80 to end up trading it in 6 weeks later for an F90

Some good thoughts are in this thread so you can get a perspective from both forums as you will ALWAYS have some bias in either one.

https://f90.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1927492

My two cents are if its a 2021 LCI F90 comp or up and you can afford it, thats what I would go with. If its the pre-lci I would go with the G80.

Both are great cars but to me the F90 is just MORE car for the money.

[Buddym850icoupe]

Depends on the year of the m5 (ie lci or not), the spec and what u need it for. I have limited experience driving m5c but I didn't think it felt that heavy. I can't imagine the difference in weight between the m3 and the m5 being more than 300 or 400lbs (I'm probably wrong lol). Way more rear seat room in the m5, m5 has the v8 and if your m5 is optioned with B&W, the difference in audio quality is massive. Also, interior quality is a notch up in the m5. The m3 imo stands out a bit more visually compared to the m5 (the m5 is the ultimate sleeper) and obviously u would be getting a brand new car vs a used one

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by PatientM

Which would you choose and why?
I only ask because my lexus is now giving me problems and will likely need to sell leaving us with 2 cars and would need to be automatic now instead of manual incase my wife needs to drive it when we go out. Since I am going automatic now, would paying 80K on an m3 still be worth it?

thanks !

I test drove a new M550.

If the M5 drives anything like an M550 that's a hard pass for me.

My driving style is a bit ambitious and the size of the M5 would be at odds with how I drive. If I had more a lazy style or relaxed driving I'd get an M5.

I sat in a 2023 M5 and I was not WOWED; I gotta have one.

G80 is not far off for interior space.

I'd say the major difference would be leaning heavily on luxury and relaxed drive.

All of the reviews knock the M5 for vague non communicative steering. That's how the M550 felt. It was really strange. It was like steering was not connected to anything.

Imagine you're hands are hovering over the steering wheel and your actually steering without touching the wheel. That's how I describe it…

The F80 steering feel was a 6.9 out of 10
G80 is an 8+
M550 is a 5
My MK7 a GTI 7.5

[Buddym850icoupe]

Originally Posted by 2011ninja

I test drove a new M550.

If the M5 drives anything like an M550 that's a hard pass for me.

My driving style is a bit ambitious and the size of the M5 would be at odds with how I drive. If I had more a lazy style or relaxed driving I'd get an M5.

I sat in a 2023 M5 and I was not WOWED; I gotta have one.

G80 is not far off for interior space.

I'd say the major difference would be leaning heavily on luxury and relaxed drive.

All of the reviews knock the M5 for vague non communicative steering. That's how the M550 felt. It was really strange. It was like steering was not connected to anything.

Imagine you're hands are hovering over the steering wheel and your actually steering without touching the wheel. That's how I describe it…

The F80 steering feel was a 6.9 out of 10
G80 is an 8+
M550 is a 5
My MK7 a GTI 7.5

From my experience from m850i to m8, I would say the steering is drastically different, i cant imagine that the same isnt true from m550i to m5. No, it's not the most communicative but it's not far off from my m4. Bmw steering has been fairly poor for a good 10+ years. The m50i's drive very different from the true comparable m models. X5m vs x5 m50i or m850i vs m8 etc. The same is true for m40i vs comparable m. If u drive a m340x drive and then m3cx, they feel drastically different. I think giving the g8x 8+ on steering is very generous.

[jm490]

Originally Posted by Buddym850icoupe

From my experience from m850i to m8, I would say the steering is drastically different, i cant imagine that the same isnt true from m550i to m5. No, it's not the most communicative but it's not far off from my m4. Bmw steering has been fairly poor for a good 10+ years. The m50i's drive very different from the true comparable m models. X5m vs x5 m50i or m850i vs m8 etc. The same is true for m40i vs comparable m. If u drive a m340x drive and then m3cx, they feel drastically different. I think giving the g8x 8+ on steering is very generous.

I agree with this. I've had both the F90 M5 comp and G80 M3 comp and the steering is meh on both of them. One is not clearly better than the other. The G80 is just lighter smaller and easier to throw around. That being said you can NOT compare the M550 steering to either one. It's totally different.

[brava09]

Had a new F90 M5 Competition for three years, and got bored of it after 6 months. Too large to throw around, no confidence insipiring to push it to the limit, too insulated, no excitement whatsoever.
Now I have a new M4 Comp xdrive, couldn’t be happier .

[Bimmerfun82]

New M3. Smaller, more agile, more athletic, and the size of the E39 M5...was one of my favorites... and $30k less. For the M5 price I'd stretch for the 911.

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by M3macster

New M3. Smaller, more agile, more athletic, and the size of the E39 M5...was one of my favorites... and $30k less. For the M5 price I'd stretch for the 911.

$140k and I have a family and I come back with a 911?

I hope the seats recline all the way back like a bed!!!

I’m beginning to hate 911’s at this point.

They have become an invasive species on the M3 forum.

So you’re shopping for a 4 door sedan.

The price gets to $140k now your family car is a 2 seater. SMH

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by 2011ninja

$140k and I have a family and I come back with a 911?

I hope the seats recline all the way back like a bed!!!

I’m beginning to hate 911’s at this point.

They have become an invasive species on the M3 forum.

So you’re shopping for a 4 door sedan.

The price gets to $140k now your family car is a 2 seater. SMH

Don’t be so angry with the 911, it’s not good for your outlook on life . Yeah, if you need a family sedan, and the SUV isn’t good enough… or you need the space, and you want to have an enormous sports car that weighs over 4300 pounds and is over 16 feet long, get an M5. The M3 has plenty of room for my family. It’s huge inside. And I feel the weight, although 500 pounds less than the M5. Porky compared to our F80 comp which was around 3450. The 911T is 3250 lbs, for comparison. Point is, why lay out so much more for a heavier, longer car if you want all-around performance.

By the way, I was watching an X5M comp keep up with GT3s at silverstone. That thing is a beast! But this isn’t an X5M v M5 forum…

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by M3macster

Don’t be so angry with the 911, it’s not good for your outlook on life . Yeah, if you need a family sedan, and the SUV isn’t good enough… or you need the space, and you want to have an enormous sports car that weighs over 4300 pounds and is over 16 feet long, get an M5. The M3 has plenty of room for my family. It’s huge inside. And I feel the weight, although 500 pounds less than the M5. Porky compared to our F80 comp which was around 3450. The 911T is 3250 lbs, for comparison. Point is, why lay out so much more for a heavier, longer car if you want all-around performance.

By the way, I was watching an X5M comp keep up with GT3s at silverstone. That thing is a beast! But this isn’t an X5M v M5 forum…

🤓
It’s M3 or M5 post not and what would you get if your budget was near the price of a 911. 😂

Had an F80 also great family sport sedan.

Yes; 1,000,000%.

If you need a “family sedan” get an M3.

A 911 is a single persons car
Or a second car.

Cool now I’ll add the X5M and M3 as sports cars on the list of what you describe as “sports cars”.

I would get an X5M over a 911

911
M3
X5M

🤣

[Buddym850icoupe]

Originally Posted by M3macster

New M3. Smaller, more agile, more athletic, and the size of the E39 M5...was one of my favorites... and $30k less. For the M5 price I'd stretch for the 911.

He is looking at a used m5 so likely the price is pretty much on par with the new m3 which would explain why he is cross shopping the 2

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by Buddym850icoupe

He is looking at a used m5 so likely the price is pretty much on par with the new m3 which would explain why he is cross shopping the 2

Ah yes, which brings up a good point... I wouldn't buy a used M5. So I would go with the new M3 if choosing between the two. I've seen expensive problems with the engines and transmissions over the years, and people rag them out... for $80-90k you'd probably be looking at a 2019 with 20k miles.