[Fugly M3]

Finally, after 4 months, I got to take the first little road trip up to Mammoth in my new Mint Grun M4. Uneventful drive, no rock chips that I can see. Lots of looks and points. Average fuel economy per my calcs was just a hair under 23 to Bishop. Some shots:

Desert coffee stop in Mojave



Views from the road.





Fueling up in Bishop. Car could have made it up the hill without it refueling. Bug murderer, as you can see.





Made it up the hill just before sunset.



Overall, very happy. There was one big issue...the active/adaptive cruise. It's not great. And slightly abrupt change in surface elevation/bump at speed and it loses it on come down. Worse was where there was a left turn lane on the open 4 lane highway. The yellow line curved to the left before the white turn lane boundary on the right of the turn lane. It wanted to jolt left. The two points of contact on the wheel/eyesight or whatever it is didn't really react after i took my hands completely off and then went haywire other times when I didn't at all. Maybe this will all be software patched at some point. If not, I'll have to see if I can just use old-school cruise.

Another item of note. I had the MPHAS suspension on my M3. When I first got the M4 (stock suspension), I thought they were fairly close in firmness. I've changed that opinion. The MPHAS is considerably stiffer. Not unbearably so by any means, but stiffer. The stock car is a bit more comfortable on the highway (particularly freeways) in that regard.

Some shots today. Parking lot and then up near Twin Lakes.







Drive home was eventful. Should have waited until tomorrow, but wanted to avoid traffic. Windstorm and then rain. Probably a half dozen or so tiny little chips about the size of a tip of a pencil and then one larger one on the lower lip about 2mm wide. Dodged all but one small tumble weed that I had to pull out of the lower right front grill. Rain did a great job of cleaning off all the bugs.

Couple shots before the storm.





My photo pull out spot on the side of 14 right outside Mojave.







All washed off. Yes, I stopped at the same Starbucks on the way home for coffee.

[jummo]

Excellent! We will driving from Colorado to Mammoth next week. A few days in Death Valley and as few four lanes as possible.
Thanks for the pics!

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by jummo

Excellent! We will driving from Colorado to Mammoth next week. A few days in Death Valley and as few four lanes as possible.
Thanks for the pics!

Probably out of your way but US93 down from I80 to Ely and then across on US6 to Benton Crossing is a phenomenal drive. The part though Eastern Nevada to Ely is insane. If you try it...at that end make sure you do US93 "Alt" route to the east of the main roan!

Edit: See M4 cross country link in my sig for details on that drive above. Was Day 2 there I think.

[Adler11th]

Looking to travel to Yosemite soon in g82. Is your car xdrive or rwd? What was the temp up in the mountains and how the car handled it? I see you had Michelins ps 4 s, any issues with traction?

[Limegrntaln]

I saw the profile picture change, but, you got rid of the M3 pretty fast, what happened? Also, you're right about the MP HAS, they are firmer than the stock suspension. I know you didn't get a chance to drive the car without the suspension, but, the MP HAS is firmer. Mint Grun has always been cool.

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by Limegrntaln

I saw the profile picture change, but, you got rid of the M3 pretty fast, what happened? Also, you're right about the MP HAS, they are firmer than the stock suspension. I know you didn't get a chance to drive the car without the suspension, but, the MP HAS is firmer. Mint Grun has always been cool.

Someone hit it and repairs were meh. Got out while I could!

[CJ421]

Great photos and writeup!

Good info on MPHAS as well. I was thinking about it, but your comment has me second thinking; the stock suspension seems more than stiff enough to me even in comfort mode. (Roads in eastern PA are often horrible.)

Charles

[BugKiller]

Beautiful trip. Less known and on the way for some is Whitney portal outside of Lone Pine.

Cross Death Valley at night and stop to see the stars like you have probably never seen them before.

Hint: Buy gas on the reservation north of Lone Pine, and avoid the outrageous California gas and sales taxes. There is a weed dispensary there too (my brother's girlfriends always want to visit it).

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by CJ421

Great photos and writeup!

Good info on MPHAS as well. I was thinking about it, but your comment has me second thinking; the stock suspension seems more than stiff enough to me even in comfort mode. (Roads in eastern PA are often horrible.)

Charles

Tbh, I’m still tempted by the MPHAS becuase it looks so much better. That said the not fretting at dips and speed bumps is really nice. The good freeway ride is a side benefit. So we’ll see what I end up doing.

Originally Posted by BugKiller

Beautiful trip. Less known and on the way for some is Whitney portal outside of Lone Pine.

Cross Death Valley at night and stop to see the stars like you have probably never seen them before.

Hint: Buy gas on the reservation north of Lone Pine, and avoid the outrageous California gas and sales taxes. There is a weed dispensary there too (my brother's girlfriends always want to visit it).

Yes, super familiar with the road. Some sort of detour at the portal right now. I get gas at shell per the car’s orders. I could save a bit at the reservation but it’s usually crowded and if I have to wait more than 30 seconds, I’m prone to leave. EV charging isn’t for me! ��

[Limegrntaln]

Originally Posted by Fugly M3

Tbh, I’m still tempted by the MPHAS becuase it looks so much better. That said the not fretting at dips and speed bumps is really nice. The good freeway ride is a side benefit. So we’ll see what I end up doing.

Im going to DDCs if they ever release them.

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by Adler11th

Looking to travel to Yosemite soon in g82. Is your car xdrive or rwd? What was the temp up in the mountains and how the car handled it? I see you had Michelins ps 4 s, any issues with traction?

xDrive. No issues. Was downright hot yesterday and it's in the high 50s here today. Supposed to get a dusting this weekend but I'm not worried about it. If they have the Yosemite roads open and no snow in the forecast, you should be fine with RWD on summers.

CJ421 I'd add that thought I'm not a black rim fan, the black rims with the coupe make the wheel gaps not seem as large as they do on a sedan with polished face/lighter colored rims. So, there isn't the same oh it looks so terrible I have to change it urge.

[jummo]

Originally Posted by Fugly M3

Probably out of your way but US93 down from I80 to Ely and then across on US6 to Benton Crossing is a phenomenal drive. The part though Eastern Nevada to Ely is insane. If you try it...at that end make sure you do US93 "Alt" route to the east of the main roan!

Edit: See M4 cross country link in my sig for details on that drive above. Was Day 2 there I think.

We have driven that way several times as well as some other great roads in the area. We try to take a different way each year, but after 25 years, most of the roads have been covered.

[BugKiller]

Originally Posted by Fugly M3

... I get gas at shell per the car’s orders. ...

I seem to remember the gas station of the res being a Shell, but maybe I am wrong.

[jummo]

Westgard Pass and the road to Bristlecone Nat'l Forest are also outstanding drives.
My favorite though, remains 190 outside Panamint Springs to Father Crowley point.
More than once we have driven up there thinking we were pretty bad ass, only to watch fighter jets blast down Star Wars Canyon.
Nothing like a great roadtrip in such a capable car!

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by jummo

Westgard Pass and the road to Bristlecone Nat'l Forest are also outstanding drives.
My favorite though, remains 190 outside Panamint Springs to Father Crowley point.
More than once we have driven up there thinking we were pretty bad ass, only to watch fighter jets blast down Star Wars Canyon.
Nothing like a great roadtrip in such a capable car!

Yup, I've done those. Battled a wind storm and then rain on the way home. Some small chips.

Originally Posted by BugKiller

I seem to remember the gas station of the res being a Shell, but maybe I am wrong.

Don't believe so...but I'll have to pull in to see if the pumps say Shell. Def no shell sign from the road.

[MintyG82]

Love seeing another Mint 4!

Here's me parking at the office the other day next to a boat

[Fugly M3]

Final update, a bunch of tiny annoying little rock chips/scuffs in the bumper and headlights from the windstorm. Frustrating, but only a few through the paint and only two through to the metal on the leading edges of the hood.

The stock suspension is definitely more comfortable than the MPHAS, but the MPHAS is not terrible. The biggest issue with the MPHAS is making sure the headlights are properly aimed. Mine were not on my M3 until it was hit and fixed and I had them re-aligned. Before that, they sat way too low. Not an issue in the stock height.

Overall fuel economy was just about 21. On the drive home, despite being downhill, there was a headwind of about 25-45 mph almost the whole way. On this trip, my M3 averaged quite a bit better, and I'd think the M4, without the headwind, would be the same.

As I said when I reviewed the M3 on the open road, these newer cars are far more comfortable cruisers than past iterations. For better (or worse) you can feel the loss of raw on long trips.

[m3rxn]

Love Mammoth. We were there in mid Feb and early April. Snow was epic. Driving along the stretch between Big Pine and Independence, the views of the Sierras are so mesmerizing and you feel as if you're in the Alps. It never gets old. I wish I was brave enough to drive my M4 up to Mammoth! Appreciate the pics !

[BugKiller]

Originally Posted by m3rxn

Love Mammoth. We were there in mid Feb and early April. Snow was epic. Driving along the stretch between Big Pine and Independence, the views of the Sierras are so mesmerizing and you feel as if you're in the Alps. It never gets old. I wish I was brave enough to drive my M4 up to Mammoth! Appreciate the pics !

A trip in the Fall is fantastic due to the colors (even purple along with the regular Fall colors). People stop to photograph it.