[wasya152]

Just came back from a drive. Figured would take her out for some usual highway runs since break in is just done and while we still could before weather goes to crap. Did the usual favorite 3 runs ( back and forth from 2 points is one run, probably 20 miles apart each way)

Verdict..............

Kinda disappointed. 😞 The car as a car is objectively better in almost every single way. Love the mean looks. Better chassis, way more capable (I don't think we've even used full throttle yet since it's so stupid fast) much nicer interior, and way better tech. I'm sure on the track this season it will be a monster and we'll be getting constant point 👉 from all the Porsches we'll be passing😊 Very much like the interior and screens. Nice and sharp and not laggy. Bucket seats are just amazing. Best seats been in. Comfortable and adjustable. Probably better than the gt3 we spent some time in.

At 2/3 and slower city speeds, it's an exciting car. But at full tilt higher highway speeds, it's kinda lacking. Definitely doesn't touch my soul kinda way like the f80 CS was. It just sounded and felt so visceral and especially at full tilt. Sure helped that the sound was organic and real. No fake synthetic adaptive sound in that. I think it also might be the tranny. With the g80, I think cause of the auto tranny and lack of full engine braking as a result, on throttle its nice, but as soon as you let off, it's pretty much coasting with the auto and engine noise just falls off. When the engine loads falls off, it loses that growling effect, that soul touching noise and effect, that I'm about to lose my shit, fuck it effect. As soon as you apply throttle again, and it goes back on load, it comes back. But without proper engine braking, it's hard to keep it in that zone and control deceleration enough and you gotta touch the brakes and it disappears again. Don't remember having that issue with the dct. Dct was definitely more exciting to drive spirited.

In my f80, after 3 runs, I'd be ready to lose my shit and pop. But not on the g80. 😞 Just doesn't tickle the soul the same way. Again, at 2/3 and less, it's great. On acceleration and throttle it's not bad either. But at full tilt, not as good. Came back around 9 when I normally would have stayed out, "just one more run" before, like a degenerate.

Over all, such a good car. Almost better in every single way, but that one super critical item that's kinda meh is also kinda huge. Want to try to manually set up to keep the exhaust valve open but turn off the synthetic active noise to see if it's better. Maybe the fall off effect from that, throttle to coast, effect amplifies that drop off effect.

Jury is still out. It's definitely different experience. Reminds me a lot of my e39 actually for some reason. Before break in was done and could fully unleash her, thought it was amazing. But right now, feels like what the car gained in refinement, luxury, and tech, it lost in soul. That point between 6 mk rpm and redline so pure sex in the f80. Maybe cause it's stupid fast and capable now, and conditions didn't let to push hard enough to reach nirvana levels like the f80. Maybe it needs a mid pipe. Like I said, want to try to have exhaust flaps open but active sound off to see the difference it might make. It sounds more organic but currently with active sound off, the exhaust is in quite mode and is super quiet. It's a CS damn it. The f80 was perfect and nothing was wanting to be changed but with the g80 we're now looking into intakes and exhaust options. It almost came close to the e90 and e60 in visceral noise and feeling with proper exhausts. The e60 was running a tubi and was just pure sex. Nothing comes close. But still.

My bro has a g80 comp and it's the same issue really. Hoping others know what I'm talking about and figured out a way to make it that last needed part perfect like the rest of the car.
Having some major fomo right now for the f80. Also, missing that special look and feel looking over that hood bulge too from the f80. Just made it feel so special and mean. the g80 is nice with the carbon stripes, but not even close.

[Needsdecaf]

G80 is the modern E39 M5. Not the successor to the F80

This is exactly why I skipped the F80, skipped the F10 M5, and bought a G80. For me, nothing you described is untrue. And nothing you described is a negative for what I want the car to be. I’m sorry it’s not what you wanted from the car, sucks to be in that situation. The car is not what it used to be. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends on what you’re looking to get out of it.

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

G80 is the modern E39 M5. Not the successor to the F80

This is exactly why I skipped the F80, skipped the F10 M5, and bought a G80. For me, nothing you described is untrue. And nothing you described is a negative for what I want the car to be. I’m sorry it’s not what you wanted from the car, sucks to be in that situation. The car is not what it used to be. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends on what you’re looking to get out of it.

Absolutely. I stated relatively early into owning mine in 2021 that my M3 had fulfilled my long-standing E39 M5 dreams that had stuck with me since I drove my boss's E39 when it was new. Coming up on 3 years with it, nothing has changed that early impression.

[vasillalov]

With the g80, I think cause of the auto tranny and lack of full engine braking as a result, on throttle its nice, but as soon as you let off, it's pretty much coasting with the auto and engine noise just falls off. When the engine loads falls off, it loses that growling effect, that soul touching noise and effect, that I'm about to lose my shit, fuck it effect

This is why the manual exists!

[BryanCO]

Thanks for sharing.

You’ve generally described the progression of the M3 (and GT3…). All M3’s have been great cars with similar missions but executed a bit differently. Each generation is objectively better in essentially every way but not necessarily a better driving or ownership experience.

[Ed_P]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

G80 is the modern E39 M5...

My thoughts too. And similar to what the OP observed, the E39 M5 had qualities that stirred the soul, even though the G80 is objectively better in every way. The N/A V8 engine is the most obvious one - I had a Tubi exhaust on my car. Amazing sound. For me, the other was the understated design of the E39, which always made me smile on the inside.

[jmg]

I came from a F80 M3 CS to my G82 M4 Competition X-Drive. I tracked the F80 M3 CS for the 3 years I’ve owned it and I track my G82 M4 currently. I have a on-track comparison in this thread:

F80 M3 CS vs G82 M4 Competition X-Drive: My Impressions

Strangely enough, I find the G82 more compliant and less wild at 2/3rd speeds and more exciting at full tilt, which is almost the opposite of your impression of I’m interpreting your post correctly. Maybe it’s because it’s the X-Drive’s added grip on corner exit? Maybe you’re still adjusting to the added weight of the vehicle, which is one of its weaknesses compared to the F80.

Either way, I agree about the exhaust. It needs a midpipe. With the factory setups, the F80 M3 CS sounds better than the G82. However, I found the F80 lacking as well, which is why I added a MPE to it. Comparing the F80 MPE setup to the G82 Midpipe setup, however, I find that the S58 sounds much better than the S55.

As far as engine braking I do find that the ZF is smoother than the DCT, so maybe your still used to the more satisfying snappiness of the DCT. Are you in manual S3 level 3 shifting when you noticed this? Engine braking is more consistent in manual mode.

After break-in and on my first track day, It did take a few laps to get a feel of the differences between the two, but overall I feel the smoothness of the ZF outweighs the slightly faster shifting DCT. It seems to reduce chassis disruption when shifting. It could also just be a placebo effect, inspiring confidence when down-shifting without sending too much weight transfer to the front. That way I can just focus more on initial brake application. It’s just one less thing to worry about when you hit your brake zone.