BMW M3

Best at speed

By M3CV (Georgia) on Saturday, October 10, 2009

"I have owned this '08 M3 Convertible for 1 year and 10K miles. It has the 6 speed manual transmission and virtually every option. The build quality is excellent, although the paint is more susceptible to road rash than any car I've owned. The engine revs freely and sounds great, but doesn't develop much torque at lower rpm and thus doesn't have the grunt of even a base Corvette. In convertible trim this is a relatively heavy car as well, but feels very solid, especially with the roof up. Cowl shake is minimal with the top down. The quality of materials used in the interior is impressive. Mine has the optional wood trim and looks great. The seats are well bolstered and comfortable. One issue for tall drivers is the adjustment limit of the steering wheel if the drivers seat is all the way back on its tracks, which I need to do to accommodate my legs. Unfortunately gas mileage (14-18mpg) is poor for such small (4 liter) displacement, the effect of which is compounded by the small fuel tank. These cars also consume oil, which is an unusual 60W Castrol synthetic blend that is expensive and usually found only at the dealership. The car is a pleasure to drive fast on an open road, where the horsepower and high rev limit can best be utilized. BMW offered a free one day M school which was great fun and an opportunity to safely explore the cars (M3, 5 and 6) capability. Free service is a definite plus and helps with resale value. Overall I feel this car has met my expectations."

11 people out of 11 found this review helpful

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What a drive!

By ACF (PA) on Friday, March 23, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 20,000

Pros: "High quality fit and finish, great drive!"

Cons: "Ummm, a little pricey?"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I have the 2011 M3 convertible. Great drive, a symphony of RPMs from the engine with the top down, great fit and finish, though you do pay for it. Fully loaded it gets pricey but worth every penny and compared to others in it's class it has held it's value well. The current M3 is 2007 technology and still competes with new versions of the 911, C63, and RS4. My car has been very reliable, and I drive it frequently, no problems thus far. This E9x will be a well regarded M3, although it is heavier than prior versions, it will likely be the last naturally aspirated M3 and newer versions will not be as customizable. Bolt on a supercharger to this M3 and it will easily achieve over 500 or even 600 bhp. The double clutch transmission is easy and fun to drive, and though not the enthusiasts choice, it is nice to knock it into auto when you have to get to your phone or briefcase. If you want a car that has similar performance measures and costs $20k less, get a 2012 ford mustang GT. If you want quality and refinement with your performance, get the M3. If you want both, buy it used..."

10 people out of 10 found this review helpful

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Worth the wait

By whitem3 (Phoenix) on Wednesday, September 23, 2009

"Let's just say "wow". If you really want power than this is your car. I have been in many nice rides and this car blows away just about anything out there. The car is refined, classy, but mischevious. If you pull up in a porsche or a ferrari, the guy next to you obviously thinks you have an ego problem of some type. Although, this is probably true, the M3 says something different - you like being unique but like even more that you can have a fun drive or a "fun" drive without drawing so much attention to oneself. Any time I have driven over 120mph in a car I began feeling uncomfortable but the M3 is saying "can i get out of 4th gear or what?" The car handles well in all arenas, feels solid, stereo sounds great and the ability to have a few thousand songs stored into a hard drive is ingenious, the cell phone conversations are clear, navigation is simple to use, leather feels incredible, back-up monitor is phenomenal, split-rear seats fold down for significant amount of room, double-clutch is insane....i could really go on forever. The only things that are unfortunate is the gas tank is too small but filling up at the station and being able to look at such a fine machine is fine by me. The price may seem high to some people and I never really thought I would spend this much on a car but I got almost every option but heated seats (I live in Arizona) and got full maintenance, Lo-jack, etc so it ran over 80k - but to me a car is a thing to get from point A to point B -- I just get there faster and in style..."

10 people out of 10 found this review helpful

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