2009 BMW M3: What's It Like to Live With?
Read all about the comfort of the 2009 BMW M3 in our long-term road test on Edmunds.com.
We just finished the break-in and ran our new arrival to the track for initial testing yesterday — results to follow shortly. Maybe we ran it to redline a few times during testing (yup), maybe it's normal protocol to change the first sumpful of oil after the car's initial break-in, but after the M3 sedan had a night to consider such things, the dash offered the international symbol for "look at me," or the exclamation point within a red triangle. Navigating (quite easily I might add) the new iDrive menus brought this message. It didn't offer this guilt-ridden message 40 miles ago, mind you, so the implication that we ignored it is false. Sheesh, layoff, okay? More to come.
On Tuesday we tested our M3 on with 1,166 miles on the clock in 96-degree weather. Neither of these conditions were ideal. But do either of them really matter? No, probably not. Why not? Well, because the 34 miles remaining to our official 1,200-mile milestone wouldn't have made the M3 any faster or extended its durability any longer. And the weather, well, we correct for weather.
Still, we could tell the M3's 414-horsepower, 4.0-liter V8 was working hard in the boiling atmosphere at our test track.
Acceleration
0-30: 2.0 sec.
0-45: 3.4 sec.
0-60: 4.8 sec. (4.5 sec. with 1-foot rollout like on a dragstrip)
0-75: 6.7 sec.
1/4-mile: 12.9 @109.8
These times are identical to those produced by the last M3 sedan we tested which just happened to be in a comparison test against the Mercedes-Benz AMG C63. That test was performed in 82-degree weather.
Braking
30-0: 26 ft.
60-0: 105 ft.
The M3's brakes needed quite a few stops to reach maximum efficiency and achieve this stopping distance, but they never hinted at fade.
Handling
Skidpad: .90g
Slalom: 70.0 mph
These numbers are both lower than our previous test car which was fitted with the optional 19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport rubber (our car has 18-inch wheels). We also tested the M Dynamic stability control mode which produced .87g on the skidpad and a 69.4-mph slalom speed.
Over the course of this year, you'll no doubt be hearing a lot of comparisons between our 2002 BMW M3 Coupe and our 2009 BMW M3 Sedan. No doubt, there'll be lots of Josh Sadlier pining for the old car as he weeps gently in the corner with a picture of his dear "Emmy." No, he hasn't admitted to naming the M3, but I just know he has.
So to kick off the festivities, I thought I'd weigh in about an area not typically discussed in regards to a BMW M3: how easy it is to drive in traffic. The old M3 has a rather stiff clutch pedal that feels like it's attached to a taut coil spring (at least according to my leg). It's marvelous during aggressive driving, but it grows tiresome in stop-and-go traffic. Other than our STI, it was the last long-termer I wanted to get stuck in gridlock with.
By contrast, I'd be happy to take the new M3 any day of the week. The engagement point can be a little tricky at first, but after three or four blocks, there was no more jerking about. Clutch effort is now much easier on the old hamstrings, but still manages to feel mechanical and communicative. Perhaps this is where the car has lost some raw charm, but on a day-to-day basis, I could live with that.
Oh, and the audio/nav interface doesn't make me want to rip it out of the car and chuck it onto the street. That's right, I'll say it, "Yay iDrive!"
As part of the break-in procedure, a service is required at 1,200 miles. They change the oil (10w60) and the final drive gear oil and check for potential updates to the software — there were none. The service took BMW of Beverly Hills about 4 hours and cost absolutely nothing. The GT-R's 1000-mile service only cost $179 because they didn't have official pricing yet.
Free maintenance, I dig it.
Editor Oldham speced our M3. It's white. It's got red leather and 18-inch wheels. He's the boss so he gets to make the call on these things. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
But there are a few things that need to be said about the choices. White? Seriously? There isn't another color in the spectrum which more effectively steals a car's soul — not to mention its glorious subtleties. The Alpine White on our M3 does a brilliant job of hiding the hood's power bulge and the otherwise striking fender flares. I'm not a fan.
And the red leather: Who am I Bozo The Pimp?
And the wheels: He chose 18s because he likes the way the look. "They've got dish," says Oldham. But they don't have dish. Not any that matters anyway. He pointed out that they do, however, cost less — the 19s are a $1,200 option. But according to the hairsplitting M3 nerds on M3 post.com the 19s (with tires) actually weigh less.
Thing is, they might just be worth it. I think they look better and the last M3 sedan we tested with 19s outhandled our car.
What say you?
As I said in the title, Jacquot's a fool. Our white long-term M3 sedan looks great in white and those dark 18-inch wheels are the only way to go. The white with dark wheels thing is cool and they are proportionally right for the car. The optional 19s are too big and too shiny. But Jacquot is known for his love of the bling. The guy just put 22-inch spinners on his wife's Mazda 3. So I urge you to consider the source.
Last Thursday Jacquot called me out on our white 2009 BMW M3 sedan. He said he didn't like the white with dark wheels thing, which I chose.
He wrote: "There isn't another color in the spectrum which more effectively steals a car's soul — not to mention its glorious subtleties. The Alpine White on our M3 does a brilliant job of hiding the hood's power bulge and the otherwise striking fender flares. I'm not a fan."
Well ladies and gentleman I believe that Mr. Josh secretly likes the look of our M3, and I present this photo as exhibit A for the prosecution.
On Friday Jacquot and I went down to Anaheim to check out qualifying for the D1GP. Upon arrival we parked next to this white 135i, which is obviously wearing black wheels.
Before Jacquot could control himself, the guy was calling the car "bitchin'" and running over to take a closer look. I do believe he is even displaying a thumbs up (the universal symbol for "I likey"), which is partially captured in the photo.
So, is it possible that Jacquot likes one white BMW with dark wheels and not another? I don't think so.
The prosecution rests. The Inside Line long-term M3 Sedan is cool.
This subject doesn't really need to be brought up again, so of course I will anyway. When it comes to the great M3 wheel and tire debate, Oldham is big on 18s, Jacquot thinks the 19s would look better.
Originally I was with Jacquot on this, at least when it came to buying our '02 M3 coupe. Then those 18s grew on me and I switched to the Oldham camp. He's also the boss, so I figured it was the smart move anyway.
When it was time to decide on the rubber for our M3 sedan, I had no trouble with the 18s. And whenever I look at them I have no regrets. I mean check out that sidewall. Sure, it's a little taller than you may be used to, but the way its rounded off and smooth makes it looks like some sort of racing slick. And in a world of increasingly frail-looking wheels and tires, these look sturdy and durable. Nothing wrong with that.
There aren't many seats capable of contracting to the point of gripping my slender torso, so when I find some that do I feel the need to call them out. The front chairs in our M3 sedan are nearly flawless despite their relatively basic appearance, and it's not just because of their claw-like grip. They are also easy to adjust, firm without being uncomfortable and nicely finished.
I expect seats this good in a sedan this expensive, but that doesn't mean BMW doesn't deserve a little back slap for delivering on the promise.
I've driven our long-term BMW M3 sedan a couple of times, but haven't had to transport my 3-year-old in it until last weekend. Gave me the opportunity to try out our Recaro child seat in it. Installation was a snap; the grippy Fox Red Novillo leather and firm cushion kept the seat in place really well. I was able to get the seat cinched down tight the very first time, too. Legroom for the kiddie was decent, and the hard plastic seatback on the front passenger seat took the brunt of her dusty shoes after a park trip, then easily wiped clean with a damp cloth when we got home.
As you can see, this sticker, which is essentially stuck in the driver's face, dictates that our new long-term 2009 BMW M3 sedan gets a mild break in; no full throttle and a 106 mph max speed for the first 1,200 miles and only short periods at top speed and constant cruising at 137 mph until the odometer clicks past 3,100 miles.
Well, the day has come.
On my way into work this morning the M3 clicked past the magic number. The reins are officially off.
On a related note, I think I'll sign out the M3 for the weekend.
What do you want to know about the 2009 BMW M3 Sedan?
Have you seen any sedans on the road or only coupes and convertibles?
If you've driven one, write a review in the comments section.
Ed mentioned the subtle details of the M3 door sill in a recent post. I noticed the same when my shoe caught the neighboring trim piece and flung it from the car yesterday. Its marred underside gave the impression I wasn't the first down this path. The trim piece snapped back into place with minimal effort. But it reminded me of a related problem with our long-term Z.
Is this a new trend in build quality or are we just clumsy? There must be similar stories out there. Do you have one? Let's hear it.
I spent the past few days with our 2009 BMW M3 sedan. And we spent more time at Lowe's than an M3 ever should. I dropped the 60/40 back seats and stuffed it with 8-foot lengths of door trim, furniture, plants, a small tree and compound miter saw. But all you get to see is this stack of boxes. Try doing that with an M3 coupe.
You gotta love any car that features a prominent button on the center console labeled "power". Who cares if it's even connected to anything, just the very act of pushing it in and seeing it light up is kinda fun.
Then again, in the M3 pushing the power button doesn't actually increase the V8's output, it merely quickens up the throttle response to make it "feel" more powerful. Sounds like a no-brainer right?
That's what I thought, but the more I drive it the more I realize that I might like the standard setting better. I mean let's face it, the thing isn't exactly limp off the line as it is. The added response does introduce a little more urgency to the drive, but sometimes I find it a little distracting. Maybe it's the overabundance of power that makes it seem unnecessary, but the immediacy of the throttle in power mode seems a little overkill. Either that, or I'm old, one of the two.
Here are some beauty shots of the 2009 BMW M3 Sedan. All photos by Scott Jacobs.
Pretty, huh?
This is a cool feature.
And now all the domestic fanboys can tell me why it isn't.
Why does BMW assume my headlamps need to be blasted repeatedly with high-pressure cleaning solution (that also douses the otherwise clean car with mist) when all I want to do is to clean my windshield before I set out for work in the pre-dawn morning? I know the car knows it's dark outside because I have the headlamps on, but instead of linking the headlamp- and windshield-schpritzers when the lights are on, how 'bout a dedicated button for blasting my headlamps when I want to?
When you first fire up our long-term 2009 BMW M3 you get serenaded by all the standard warning lights and bells found in modern cars. Honestly, sometimes I suspect collusion between the automakers and the light bulb/electronic chime industries.
Beyond its expected light show this M3 sedan provides additional sound and fury of a nature rarely seen in a 21st Century automobile. The 414 horsepower V8 actually shakes and rumbles like a classic muscle car powerplant on a cold winter morning. The drama fades quickly as oil flow increases and (I assume) components like the fuel injection pulse and hydraulic lifters settle into a comfortable pace. But those first 30 seconds or so hardly feel like a modern luxury-badged sedan costing over 60 grand.
The real question is: Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
I'll admit the cacophony of sound caught me off guard the first couple times I started the car after it sat all night. "What is all that racket?!" I found myself asking. But then I remembered how much power the car makes and how few cars exhibit any sense of mechanical soul these days.
Thus I've come to grips with a 2009 BMW that feels and sounds a lot like my 1970 Dodge Challenger for the first 30 seconds every morning. Assuming you value soul over silence, even in your 21st Century ride, you should be fine with the M3's cold-blooded nature.
Thanks to eidolways for this week's favorite caption. Your efforts paid off.
These were the others that lit our fire:
Roman Candles vs. Bavarian Rocket (ergsum)
Fireworks owner Bubba "Two Fingers" would give it a thumbs up, if he could! (ergsum)
Smokey and the Bavarian (ergsum)
Objects in the mirror more explosive then they appear. (dougtheeng)
No question about it, that arrow in the parking lot took off from here. (mnorm1)
BMW joins Nascar in the Firecracker 400 (stpawyfrmdonut)
We decided to "fix" the iDrive with a couple of M80s. (vwthing1)
The M3: Its Dyn-o-mite (jay_r)
"Get your mortar running, head out on the highway..." (funkymunky)
Inside Liner's famous last words, "I saw this in a cartoon once but I'm pretty sure I can do it." (ergsum)
M3 meet M80. (pontneuf2503)
American spirit meets German artillery. (pontneuf2503)
BMW: A new kind of Launch Control. (hunter312)
German Candle. (sherief)
Scott took this picture around the Fourth of July. Don't worry he didn't buy any illegal fireworks. The store was closed.
We suggest "Smoke M If You Got M"
There's plenty of room on this photo, so have at it.
We'll post our favorite at 4PM Pacific Time.
Even from 5 feet away, our M3's gray wheels look pretty normal. It's only when you get up close to clean them do you realize that the M3 isn't an exception from BMW's typically prolific brake dust generation.
With previous iterations of BMW's M cars, you could order some pretty outlandish colors such as Phoenix Yellow Metallic and Laguna Seca Blue. The latest M3 sedan, however, has a less expressive and expansive palette. Its Lemans Blue is darker than Laguna was; Melbourne Red is about as exciting as it gets. Alpine White is, well, white.
Henceforth, our M3 causes barely a flutter on other motorists' awareness meter. Most people probably think it's just another 3 Series with aftermarket wheels. And you know, this suits me just fine. Little do the masses know that that I've got 414 horsepower under the hood and tires so sticky that they leave rubber marks on my driveway.
To take a theme from the movie The Hangover, driving our 2009 M3 sedan is like a going to a batchelor party in Las Vegas that has tigers and strippers while everyone else thinks you're on your way to Napa Valley to stay in a quaint lodge and gently sip Pinot noir.
I put over 300 miles on our 2009 BMW M3 sedan over the weekend. This was my first extended visit with the four-door, E90 version of the M3. Unfortunately, I was too heavily scheduled to get it on any back roads, but I enjoyed getting to know it on the freeway.
The 4.0-liter V8 (414 hp at 8,300 rpm, 295 lb-ft at 3,900 rpm) has all kinds of power, but it's not all evenly distributed throughout the range as it is on BMW's DI twin-turbos, so you feel like you're cheating yourself if you shift much before the 8,500-rpm redline. I like engines that give you this kind of incentive.
I could probably do without the engine's cold-start lumpiness. But I like that I can always hear the V8 at a 75-mph cruise, thanks to the modest overdrive reduction on the 6th gear (0.872) combined with a shortish final drive (3.850).
I have to agree with the criticism leveled against the M3's manual gearbox, but I'm so desperate to have a conversation with the cars I drive, that I find myself wanting to put up with the Getrag's long, springy clutch pedal stroke. I kept a pair of M3-friendly driving shoes in the trunk all weekend.
I had two additional passengers in our M3 sedan about a third of the time, so those rear doors and extra inch of rear legroom (34.6 versus 33.7 in the E92 coupe) were indispensable. Actually, our long-term M3 turned out to be a very practical car in these situations. It was adequately roomy for all of but one of the my passengers (there were 5 in total).
Even more surprising was its utterly compliant ride quality. With the exception of a slight busy feel (and audible resonance) over rain-grooved pavement (which doesn't exist in Germany where I'd guess the chassis tuning was finalized), it manages to feel highly controlled yet never, ever brutal.
A while back I wrote that I'd buy an M3 with the manual transmission just for the gratifying third-to-fourth upshift alone. (Should I ever be in a financial position to buy an M3, of course.) Well, I stumbled across an M3 video on BMW's consumer site video recently, and it captures that same shift and the resulting V8's euro-snarl. The video is 40 seconds long; look for the quick cut scene of the guy shifting 22 seconds in.
If you haven't checked out BMW's consumer site before, you can also find a bunch of other M division videos, including various M product promotionals, one on the new AMLS M3 racer and a sum-up of the division's racing history. They're all under the Experience gallery.
Driving a sedan with a 4.0-liter 414-horsepower V8 engine shouldn't be this easy.
It's impossible to get a sloppy shift. The BMW gearbox is too forgiving.
If you're stopped uphill at a red light and some joker pulls within an inch of your bumper, have no fear. The new BMW M3 has a hill-hold feature.
Need to match revs on a downshift? The M3's pedals are placed close enough together that even my small feet can manage it.
Shouldn't you have to work much harder to enjoy this much sophisticated power?
Has BMW made driving too easy?
Our 2009 BMW M3 is Car of the Week.
What do you want to know about the 2009 BMW M3?
Have you driven one? Is there any detail that you want us to take a picture of?
Let us know in the comments section.
Here's one thing I love about our M3. You can't do this in the GT-R. And just listen to that thing.
What's the point of a sedan?
Well, it's got 4 doors - presumably to facilitate easy ingress and egress of passengers to the rear seats. It's probably got a decent trunk on the back of it too, you know, for stuff. In other words, it's safe to say that someone who buys a sedan carries 2-3 other people and their assorted stuff, on a regular basis. I'm sure there's a fair amount of people who buy them to appear older and more responsible, but those people are sad and we won't be talking about them.
The (my) problem with the M3 sedan is, if you're going to spend your days driving around with friends and family in the back seat and all of their stuff in the trunk, the M3 is a little pointless. While you might relish attacking freeway ramps and back roads, I doubt your friends and coworkers are going to appreciate getting thrown around like dice in a back alley on their way to an Olive Garden. Trust me, you showing off your bonkers car and questionable car control skills to your friends is going to get old.
Imagine if you had a family.
If your wife didn't wind up losing her voice screaming at you to slow down, regurgitating her lunch all over the dashboard or poking her eyes out with a mascara wand as you clip that perfect late apex, someone's going to call child protective services because your baby's going to have all the hallmarks of Shaken Baby Syndome.
The ride is just too stiff, and the temptation to destroy every road you drive is too great in this beast. Not mention the back seat isn't even that roomy. Sorry, M3's were born as two door cars and that's how they should stay. You want a good sedan? Buy a G8.
After 9,000 miles of use the leather on the seat bolster of the M3's driver's seat is visibly showing wear. Not a huge surprise considering it's impossible to climb in the car without rubbing your derriere across it, but it does seem premature after just 9,000 miles.
I put about 500 miles on our long-term 2009 BMW M3 sedan this weekend. To say I'm enamored with the machine is like saying Megan Fox looks good with her back arched.
Then on Sunday I found a rerun of Top Gear on my DVR list. It was an old episode with a comparison between the new M3, the Audi RS4 and the C63 AMG Mercedes. (If you've never seen it I've included the videos on the next page.) So I crack a beer, grab the couch and watch it.
An hour and three beers later I found myself thinking; "Which would I want?" Obviously there isn't a bad call here. These are three great cars anybody would be lucky to own, but they are quite different from one another.
At first I tell myself I would choose the M3. After all, it won over the C63 in our comparison test about a year ago and it's without a doubt the best all-arounder. But I am from Jersey, so the Benz's big cubes and billows of tire smoke are appealing.
But this time I choose beauty over burnouts. This time I choose the Audi RS4. Yes, I know they don't make them anymore and I know it's the slowest of the three. I can't help it, I still want one.
We've never compared an M3 with a C63 and an RS4 in a direct comparison test. But the RS4 has gone head to head with the BMW M5 manual and the toe to toe with the Lexus IS-F and it stands undefeated.
Fact is, for me the RS4 just has an "IT" factor that the M3 and the C63 lack. I don't know if it's the sound of its V8 or its slammed squat stance or the fact that most folks never heard of it, but the Audi pushes my buttons. Maybe it's because it was only available with a manual gearbox, unlike the M3 and C63, and it's a sedan bought only by true enthusiasts, while every wank in L.A. seems to own an M3 or an AMG.
Bottom line is; I just want one. I think it's cool. When I see a guy driving an RS4 I pang with jealousy, even if I'm driving our long-term M3.
Which one would you choose?
We've posted about the M3's variable redline before. Start the car cold and the BMW's tach shows a lesser redline (How much less depends on temperature.) and then the redline adjusts as the car warms, eventually reaching the engine's true redline which is 8,300 rpm.
Thing is we've only shown you photos and this is the kind of thing that demands video. So I shot some. Yesterday morning. But I warn you now, it's very, very, very, very, very boring. It takes 8 minutes before the BMW says it's free to be revved to 8,300 rpm.
But don't fret. For those with ADHD I've posted a much faster version of the video on the next page. Enjoy.
Yesterday, our long-term 2009 BMW M3 sedan escaped from LA. We left late. I turned on public radio. My passenger chatted about work. The ride was composed, compliant and not-at-all busy, even on the I-405 freeway. The 4.0-liter V8 was loafing in 6th gear and barely audible. I was perfectly situated in the cockpit — the driver seat was supportive yet the lateral bolsters never felt too confining, and the steering wheel was positioned exactly as I like.
We arrived. I realized I hadn't given a single thought to our E90 M3's Motorsport identity (whereas in our departed E46 M3, it was all I thought about). I could have been in a 335i.
Then, I looked at my watch. Hmm, we got here awfully fast. And the fuel light did come on around 230 miles. So, there it is, a morning commute in a 2009 BMW M3.
When I first heard rumors that the next BMW M5 would ditch the glorious 5.0-liter V10 in favor of a twin-turbo V8, I didn't buy it. No way. M cars are for purists who know there's no substitute for a purpose-built high-revving naturally aspirated motor. Porsche would sooner slap a turbo on the 911 GT3 than the Motorsport division would turn to forced induction.
But then the X5 M and X6 M happened. A triple whammy for M loyalists. Not only had BMW violated the unofficial turbocharging taboo, it had also reneged on its promise "to keep the Motorsport realm pure and only include cars" — and thrown in the second-ever M-badged conventional automatic transmission for good measure (the E36 M3 had an ill-advised slushbox option). In one fell swoop, the M brand went from a symbol of unadulterated driving passion to something disturbingly like AMG.
Since then, of course, the M5's twin-turbo V8 has been confirmed, and it will surely find its way into the next M6 as well (if there is one). Which means that in a couple years, the M3 will be the last naturally aspirated M car standing. And why should we believe that the next M3 won't be turbocharged too? If you're with me in finding the current M3 a bit too emotionally distant for its own good, just wait till it's got a blown motor under the hood like every other M.
A turbocharged engine simply can't match the instantaneous throttle response of a naturally aspirated one, and no amount of low-end torque can approximate the thrill of winding out a classic M motor to its 8,000-ish-rpm redline. I thought the Motorsport folks understood that.
Guess not.
As our 2009 BMW M3 nears its 10K milestone, it feels as tight, powerful, and tacitly capable as it did the day it arrived. The current E90 M3 has been derided as being a sell out by those who feel the M3 peaked with the E36 (or even E30). Regardless of whether you feel this is the best M3 ever, it is perhaps the best sedan there is at any price. Here's why...
The 2009 BMW M3 Sedan is honest about what it is. I mean it doesn't attempt to be anything other than it is and it does everything that's expected of it. Sure you could say that a Prius is just as honest and I wouldn't argue with you. But this sedan combines just enough practicality and luxury with that rarely-achieved driver-machine bond. The most obvious clue is in how the seat holds you tight and makes you feel like you are truly a required part of the hardware (and software). Then you'll notice how the steering allows you to feel like you've got the palms of your hands on the tarmac. Finally, the way it rewards (and sort of even thanks you) for doing things correctly (like up- and down-shifting, trail braking, and so on) makes you realize others who value such things have been sitting exactly where you are, doing precisely what you are doing, and insisting that it behaves as it is. Only a handful of cars have felt to me as if they've been designed and engineered from the driver's seat where Hans-Joachim Stuck himself was calling the shots. Don't get me wrong. This car isn't hard to drive. It's not even scary to drive. No, it's just that when push comes to shove, the car gets better the more you ask of it. And in case you were wondering, the other three honest cars that come to mind at this very moment are the Porsche 911 GT3, Ferrari 430, and Mitsubishi Evo IX GSR (didn't see that one comin' did ya?).
I was kind of hoping something would have gone disastrously wrong with our M3 by now. Maybe a tranny explosion or complete electronic meltdown. At least then I would have a reason to scoff at its sky high price. Then I would look at it and wonder if it was worth all the money and headaches.
But I crossed the 10,000 mile mark this weekend and realized that not much has happened. We've been wringing it senseless for months now and it doesn't seem to mind a bit. It's suspension is tight, there are no rattles and it feels at fast or faster than it did the day it arrived. Wish I had $70K, I'd get one for myself.
I was kind of hoping something would have gone disastrously wrong with our M3 by now. Maybe a tranny explosion or complete electronic meltdown. At least then I would have a reason to scoff at its sky high price. Then I would look at it and wonder if it was worth all the money and headaches.
But I crossed the 10,000 mile mark this weekend and realized that not much has happened. We've been wringing it senseless for months now and it doesn't seem to mind a bit. It's suspension is tight, there are no rattles and it feels at fast or faster than it did the day it arrived. Wish I had $70K, I'd get one for myself.
At least that what this odd detail on our M3 looks like to me. I only noticed it over the weekend, so clearly it's not much of a styling issue.
It appears as though this odd cut line was made so the mirror housing could fold in, but it doesn't look particularly well finished, especially for a car that's so utterly spectacular in virtually ever other respect.
Surely, there must be a good reason for the lapse in detail here. Any suggestions?
This is the view you command when you're behind the wheel of our long-term 2009 BMW M3.
The power dome in the hood is in plain view. You don't need any M badges to remind you that this is the 3-series big dog.
Just glance out the windshield and look at that bulge: it tells you that this isn't just another USC-stickered 328 that litters the West Side of Los Angeles.
This is the all-conquering, magnificent-sounding, V8-powered M3, at the height of its existence.
Because, as Josh said, it's all downhill from here.
Maybe my eyesight is getting worse. Or much, much better. Either way, I managed to hit a screw at the exact intersection of the sidewall and the tire tread. Bullseye! And by 'bullseye', of course I mean, 'damn.'
Short story short: A new Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 size 265/40ZR18 rang up an as-installed cost of $420.81 and took Stokes Tire Pros here in Santa Monica about an hour to do and about 12 hours to locate a tire.
(Our 2009 BMW M3 awaits its next freeway adventure. Photo by Andrew Reed.)
I've always said I would never own a BMW. I just hate the image. I'm sure you've all heard the joke about the difference between BMWs and porcupines. Sorry, I can't deliver the punch line here.
But after spending serious time in the 2002 BMW M3, the 2008 BMW 135i and now the 2009 BMW M3, I'm changing my tune.
I think that the BMW is the ultimate commuter car. Here's why.
I hit the 405 freeway in Los Angeles every morning at 5:45 a.m. Everyone on the road knows it's about to turn into gridlock so they drive like the pagan hordes were coming over the horizon. Five lanes wide and everyone is cutting in and out. But in a BMW, you feel you have everything at your disposal to cope with this chaos.
Specifically, you have more tools to work with than any other car. You can out-accelerate anything to merge into openings in other lanes (rather than dropping back and merging with less rear visibility). The brakes are so strong they give you security at the other end of the speed equation. And the handling is razor sharp for any kind of unexpected maneuver the situation calls for. Plus, the seats offer more adjustments than a chiropractor; the '09 M3 seats fit me like a glove.
Basically, it's like driving around in a safe on wheels. Then, throw in good resale value and decent fuel economy (I know, I know, it takes premium) and it all adds up to an attractive and surprisingly practical package.
So, I'm not saying I'm going to turn into a porcupine, but if I had to buy a commuter car I'd look for a well-maintained 3 or 5 series.
I love our 2009 BMW M3, just the way it feels, the way it sounds, the way it drives. It seems like a bit more car than I can handle, though. I'd be wracked with guilt if I owned it and didn't drive it the way it needs to be driven. To me that would be equivalent to keeping a wild animal as a pet — they'd never get to realize their true potential. This baby does 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, 60-0 in 105 feet and slaloms at 70 mph. The average driver, like myself, just wouldn't know what to do with that.
Fortunately, our car gets its share of hard driving so I don't feel as guilty simply enjoying its luxuries like that very effective seat heater, red leather seats and, oh yes, superior passing skills.
Picked up this little number from the local furniture store recently. For a second I thought about running home to get a bigger car, but I figured it was worth trying to squeeze it in to the M3 first.
Sure enough, with a little adjustment of the front seat I wedged it in there. Could I have done the same in the M3 coupe? Maybe, but to me this was just another instance of why the M3 sedan makes more sense.
We used our 2009 BMW M3 sedan as a chase car to shuttle the GT-R to a service appointment this morning. Seeing the two beside one another made me wonder just how they sized up in terms of performance. Check out these numbers. Then look at the total package.
Which would you choose?
M3 Sedan
Price: $67,370
0-60 mph: 4.8 seconds
1/4-mile: 12.9 @ 111.0 mph
Slalom: 71.8 mph
Skidpad: 0.93 g
Service: 4-yr/50,000-mile free scheduled maintenance
Cost to date: $500.00 (@ 12,000 miles)
GT-R
Price: $73,165
0-60 mph: 3.8 seconds
1/4-mile: 11.8 @ 118.6 mph
Slalom: 74.0 mph
Skidpad: 0.93 g
Service: Pay as you go
Cost to date: $8,000.00 (@ 30,000 miles)
Notice anything missing here? Here's a hint, stop looking.
There nothing missing. Despite the rather simplistic center stack layout, the M3 isn't lacking any of the creature comforts you would expect in a $70K sedan. Seat heaters, dual zone climate control, adjustable suspension, sport throttle setttings, it's all there, it's just not stuffed all into one spot.
Having iDrive actually helps in this regard. Yes, there I said it, iDrive to the rescue. Actually, I'm not exactly sure why our M3 seems so simple inside, but I know that I like it. After fumbling through all too many consoles full of buttons, it's nice to get by with a couple of knobs and not much else.
What is it about certain cars that bring out the drag racer in other people? Or maybe it's just L.A. I've experienced stoplight challenges when I was in our GSR and our GT-R but the list of challengers to our 2009 BMW M3 seems to be more diverse than the tuner cars after our long-termers with rear spoilers. Case in point, the following are cars with drivers who I've encountered at various stoplights in the past 24 hours who think they're faster than our 2009 BMW M3, which can hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds.
- 2005 Ford Mustang 5.2 seconds
- 2006 Honda Civic Si
5.96.8 seconds - 2007 Infiniti G35 5.5 seconds
- 2008 Porsche Cayenne S 6.4 seconds
My guess is that they assumed our BMW was a regular 3 Series, but even that will go from zero to 60 in about 5.3 seconds. ::Shrugs:: Have you ever done that? Size up the competition at a stoplight and consider if they're worth the effort?
If we had the opportunity to choose one car from our fleet that we could call our own, the BMW M3 sedan would probably top many of our editors' lists.
I know it would be on the tippy top of mine (now that my beloved GT-R and R8 are gone).
It's fast, it's quick, it's sexy, it's powerful and it's ridiculously easy to drive.
Our 2009 BMW M3 is car of the week.
What do you want to know about the 2009 BMW M3 sedan?
Have you driven one, ridden in one, dreamed of one, seen one on the road?
Write your questions and reviews in the comments section.
Any details you want a picture or video of?
I've noted the convenience of our M3 sedan in the past. With so little lost in terms of styling or performance, the sedan would be an easy choice for me.
But I don't want to oversell it either. Just take a look at those back seats. Not much room there for actual people. Sure I shoved a pre-packaged lamp back there once, but I'm not sure I would feel great about asking someone I liked to spend much time in back.
If I actually used my car to cart people around on a regular basis I might look into something a little bigger. But I don't, so the M3 would still be my $60K sedan of choice.
I have a regular passenger who is convinced there's a rattle coming from the vicinity of the passenger-side C-pillar in our long-term 2009 BMW M3 sedan. He reminds me about it every time we get in the M3, but from the driver seat, all I really hear is the sweet howl of the 4.0-liter V8. I usually just stare at him blankly.
So last night he climbed in the backseat with his BlackBerry Curve and made this recording of the apparent rattle. Anybody agree with him?
I was fortunate enough to have the M3 this weekend, and even on the freeway, in steady rain, the 414-hp RWD M3 maintained its composure and its "better-than-the-sum-of-its-parts" character still shined through. So much so that my wife could tell I was driving the M3 with more gusto and enjoyment than most weekend cars. She asked, "So, is this car special?" To which I replied, "Oh, Hon. You have no idea..."
Sure, there are "better" cars on paper; more powerful, more nimble, less expensive, and some would say better looking. But as I listed for my wife all the things that make the M3 the ultimate 3 Series sedan, I realized that it wasn't the parts list, but rather its character that had me hooked.
There's a short list of cars that for me are far better than the sum of their parts: this M3, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, and the Porsche 911 GT3 come immediately to mind. Yes, they all have an enviable parts list and should be "special" for the amount they cost, but there's more to it than that. It's how the parts are screwed together, the way in which they interact, and the fact that somebody, with an even greater knowledge than me of what makes a car feel the way it does, tuned all its systems to a level of harmony that few manufacturers have ever achieved — and others fail to even notice.
There's one manufacturer (who shall remain nameless) who has a knack for making a vehicle look competitive on paper, even superior in terms of track results, but rarely does the vehicle feel "right" or come close to overall benchmark status because the feedback is all wrong.
Not so in the M3.
After explaining all that to my wife, she said, "I'm happy for you — now can you please stop driving like that?"
"Sorry, Honey. No can do. It wants to be driven like this; it needs to be driven like this — I owe it to the guys who designed and built it."
Oh, and last night, a Sunday night, at around 4:30 pm, I noticed this giant screw-head in the right-rear tire. I checked the pressure, it was the same as the left-rear and from the look of the screw's head, it had been there some time. Rather than run around town and bribe some tire store guy to stay open to either patch or replace the tire, I decided it was safe enough to wait until this morning and take it to Stokes.
Took the M3 on a nice slice of Mulholland Highway yesterday. The engine still feels brilliant along with the brakes and steering. I've noted before that the "sport" button is a bit overkill, and now I'm convinced that the Electronic Damping Control is a similar piece of unnecessary hardware.
Dial in the stiffest setting and the whole car turns into an unyielding piece of aluminum and steel. There is almost no roll while turning or dive under braking. It feels like your very own NASCAR stock car.
Which is great if you're on a track. On a normal road it's not quite so enjoyable. The whole car feels nervous as it bounces and jumps over every imperfection in the road. It may be more capable, but it's not necessarily more fun.
I prefer to have a little give in the car so I can feel the suspension working a little, not to mention feel confident about predicting when it might stop working. Besides, there's already so much capability baked into the car, so it's not like you're missing out on much in the normal setting.
So our BMW M3 burns through its fair share of oil. And lo and behold, the exhaust tips are quite sooty. Dirty tips bug me, so I'll be cleaning them up this weekend. I've got a couple ways to go about it on my own car, but anybody want to recommend a particular technique or product they're fond of for cleaning exhaust tips? I've got four tips to experiment on.
Remember earlier this week when I raved about the seat in the S5? Well, a night in the M3 reminded me that the BMW's seats are even better. And it has about the same amount of mileage on it.
I did notice that the M3's seats are definitely showing more noticeable wear though. Check out that left side bolster. So which would you prefer? Seats that feel great but look a little worn at 15K? Or seats that feel almost as nice, but don't look more than a few thousand miles old?
I reported last week how our long-term 2009 BMW 750 has a sporty steering wheel.
Our 2009 BMW M3's wheel is even sportier.
Measuring 365 x 360 mm, the pic shows how the small-diameter wheel is almost perfectly circular, a bit unusual as most steering wheels are slightly oval shape. This sized wheel would probably be too small for larger cars like the 7-series, but for our M3 it's fine.
One thing I don't care for is the cross-section — it's a bit too thick for my medium-sized hands.
Most people I know like the thick cross-section; it's popular on many sports cars.
I prefer a medium diameter cross-section (as on our BMW 750).
How about you?
We're 600 miles late in reporting that our 2009 BMW M3 sedan has passed the 15,000-mile mark. Other than some tire issues, this staff favorite has been good to us.
Here's a beauty shot for your enjoyment.
Maybe it's the white paint, maybe it's the white LED light, but the puddle lamps on the 2009 BMW M3 Sedan are very effective.
See what I mean?
By the way, the right-rear rattle is gone.
Two things:
1) Can't figure out what's causing that rattle on the passenger side. But I hear it clearly even when I am flooring our 2009 BMW M3. It's definitely not the passenger-side seatbelt. It sounds like the door is rattling, like when you don't close it all the way. But I checked and they were both securely shut. Hmm.
2) Even though the M3 comes with a slew of seat controls to ensure that every driver is comfortable behind its wheel, for some reason they just weren't working for me. I couldn't seem to adjust the seat so that I was close enough and low enough to operate the clutch pedal. The thigh extender wasn't extended and I pressed the seat down button as low as it would go. It's funny because I don't recall it being this uncomfortable the last time I drove it back in November.
Since I wasn't comfortable and my left foot was just hovering in the air, my clutch work suh-hucked. Felt like a newbie all over again when just the night before I had a rip-roaring time with our Mazdaspeed 3. I know it's just me since none of the other drivers have complained about this. But I figured it was something to point out. Any theories...besides mean ones, that is?
This morning I fired up our 2009 BMW M3 and this is what it told me. Turns out we're due for a service. We'll set up an appointment next week and let you know how it goes.
Thanks to bobjonesesq for this week's favorite caption. You guys are the best. There were so many good ones to choose from.
Here are the others that made us giggle:
M3 vs Prius: Which one generates the most SMUG? (lowmilelude)
Green with envy! (ergsum)
Autobahn vs Autoblah! (ergsum)
I'm here, offsettin' ur greenhouse gas emissions. (cx7lover)
Smokey Burnout and the Green Bandits (e90_m3)
Give me a brake! (adavis2493)
The Green Hell (e90_m3)
Made contact with locals today relationships already strained. (hybris)
Prius Envy (ergsum)
The Fast and the Priuses (ergsum)
Didn't you get that memo? (mrdang)
Bimmer vs. Bummer (aleclance)
Oh sorry guys, didn't notice you were in the middle of a bored meeting. (sherief)
Did you guys see that Top Gear episode, where I beat you in a mileage test? (sherief)
Assaultin' batteries. (misterfusion)
I'm dating Triplets (bluepunk82)
The M3 suffers an outbreak of Priusis. (ergsum)
All your carbon footprints are belong to me. (ahightower)
I made a special category for Star Wars references:
Look sir, droids! (sherief)
It's a trap! (71vetteboy)
Help me, Bei-Emm Duhbiou; you're my only hope. (ergsum)
Mos Eisley shopping center: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. (ergsum)
Uncle Owen, this M3 unit is a badass motivator, look! (ergsum)
I have a very bad feeling about this. (ergsum)
These are not the droids you're looking for. (sherief)
There is a great disturbance in the Green Force. (ergsum)
What was your favorite?
P.S. Click here for video confirmation of the happy dance.
Another 16 hour day. Meetings. Politics. Email. Conference calls. Conference rooms. Skype. More meetings. More email. More politics. Fewer people. More effort. More hours. Less satisfaction. It's another day in the cubicle. Another day dealing with the boss. Another day working for the man. Another day in the Matrix.
And then you walk out to your M3.
Life is good.
Senior Editor Ed Hellwig sent me this photo of the 2009 BMW M3 surrounded by Priuses.
We suggest: More Gas for Me
What is your caption?
We'll post our favorite this afternoon.
Know what I liked most about our BMW M3 was last night? It wasn't its sweet, purring V8 — nope. It wasn't its unparalleled handling, nor its heated seats that do a back good after a long day spent chained to the computer screen.
What I liked most about the M3 last night as I waited behind a line of cars, halfway up the steep incline that leads out of our underground parking dungeon, was its hill-start assist. Works like a charm and makes starting on a slope nothing more than business as usual.
Our service visit to Long Beach BMW was quick and cheap. Free scheduled maintenance covered the cost of the oil, oil filter, air filter and the typical moving parts inspections.
We had scheduled the appointment for our 2009 BMW M3 by phone. At the time we were warned, "Be sure you are on time. If you are more than 10 minutes late we will not take your vehicle and you will have to reschedule." We couldn't tell you if the threat was legitimate or not because it worked on us. We showed up on time.
A couple of hours later we received email notification that the service was complete. That was a welcome change to the usual phone call. Welcome until it was followed by multiple spam advertising messages from the dealership. Three before the day was up. We unsubscribed and the barrage stopped. Our phone rang the next day, "This is Long Beach BMW. We see you missed your appointment yesterday. When can we reschedule?" After explaining that we had in fact shown up, and on time, the call ended.
We were satisfied with the pre-service experience. But post-service communication can use some work.
Total Cost: None
Days out of Service: None
As you can see, our BMW M3 has rake. I'm referring to that slight tilt forward that makes it looks like it's ready to take off even though it's just sitting there. The look is a combination of its actual tilt and the rising waistline of the car.
This used to be a common design theme that you would see if everything from sportscars to station wagons. Now you see all too many cars that are cursed with slab-sided lines and a perfectly flat stance. Some cars can pull it off e.g. Chrysler 300, but most can't. On the M3, it's actually a pretty subtle design cue, but it makes a big difference when you see the car on the road. Those big meats on the back help too.
See that tread pattern on the rear tire of our 2009 BMW M3? Huge tread blocks, shallow grooves, narrow sipes — this looks like an out and out performance tire, right? Throw in some tire wear for good measure and they probably suck in anything but bone-dry conditions, right?
Wrong.
A couple weeks ago, the Los Angeles region experienced ususual amounts of rain. Really, any amount is unusual, so maybe that's not saying much. But we did get pretty much deluged.
I was driving the M3 back from Burbank when the skies opened up yet again, adding to the already-flooded roads. But what's this? Oh, it's hail mixed in with the rain. Great. This ought to bring the region's irrationally terrified motorists to their knees.
It did, but the M3 was unfazed by the conditions. I mean completely and utterly care-free. Not even a hint of hydroplaning in any of the countless standing water patches it tore through. It was nearly as though the road was dry for the M3 and wet for everyone else, such was the car's unflappable nature and, uh, large speed differential.
This M3 is a hell of a car, and its wet-weather composure simply reinforces that notion.
Perspective is a good thing. You'll probably roll your eyes at what I have to say here, but I do get spoiled with the cars we have available from time to time to drive. I can take things for granted and don't always appreciate a beautiful machine when I drive it.
I own a Mazda 3. It's a solid car. Does nothing great, but does a pretty good job at most everything to make it a well rounded car. For the better part of two weeks I've been in that, and no long term/test cars. I thought my 3 was peppy and fun. It wasn't until I got into our BMW M3 over the weekend did I realize my car is a dog.
I know, "No sh**, Sherlock. It's an M3 with a V8." It's not fair to compare the two, I grant you that. But the perspective of Mazda 3 ownership just makes you realize how awesome the M3 is.
It's pretty. It's got a muscular shape that exudes an "I like to go fast" attitude. It's got a beautiful growl, a responsive throttle and a fat steering wheel to control it all. I purposely drove late at night just so I could hit those freeway entrances and blast through the gears with no traffic and no worries. Just hearing that sucker scream as I hit fifth gear brought a big smile to my face. I wish I could own this mean machine on a full time basis.
Come Monday morning and back to the 3. Talk about letting the air out of my balloon. On the way out of the garage I stared at the M3 like that one hot college girlfriend I let get away because I was an idiot. Right as she left my sight I knew I missed her. You never really know what you had until it's gone.
Hell, maybe next weekend I can ask for the keys again?
Crank the volume on your speakers, as this was not shot with the best camera or by the best videographer (also, the sun suddenly went nova while the video was being shot... go figure). So listen and then decide if you're yay, nay or meh.
First off, please excuse the photo, I know it's crap but I wasn't about to put off my Saturday morning bagel and coffee for a better angle. Anyway, it just so happens that an identical white BMW M3 parked next to our long-termer. It had the red interior and everything, but as you can sort of see, the owner chose to go with the larger wheel and tire combination.
We liked the look and ride quality of the slightly smaller 18s, but it's rare to see one so equipped. What look would you choose?
I didn't come to work yesterday, and one thing I did with my free time was to take a real drive in our 2009 BMW M3. I've made far too many laps on the freeway in our sedan not to get it on a proper back road.
Well, my first choice for a back road (the northwestern-most section of Mulholland Highway) was strewn with rocks that had fallen from the cliff-faces during the weekend storms. After gingerly picking my way around those, I decided to check out Yerba Buena. This little road is rougher, tighter and narrower — but has fewer canyon walls looming over it.
Well, I have to eat a slice of humble pie now. The M3 was not as much fun on this road as our departed 2008 BMW 135i, a car I often said was boring. Partly it was an issue of size. The M3 sedan is significantly longer (180.4 in. vs. 171.7 in.), wider (71.5 vs. 68.8) and heavier (+ 300 pounds), and just did not fit as well on the road. I felt less comfortable diving into blind corners.
The other factor was suspension tuning. Our 135i had a soft setup for a BMW, and this allowed it to smooth out a lot of the roughness on Yerba Buena. Our M3's ride felt brittle by comparison. I didn't touch the EDC button, so the adaptive dampers remained in their default, least sporty setting, but the damping was still too aggressive for this road and the car felt nervous.
I couldn't end the day on at note, though, so we finished up on a smoother road where the M3 was happier. I enjoy the howl of the 4.0-liter V8 on its way to its 8,300-rpm redline, and I love the exhaust snort upon a smoothly executed heel-and-toe downshift.
The car is so quick coming out of corners, and there's so much grip, that it's almost a little too much for public roads littered with rocks and shared with cyclists. Perhaps my next personal day will find us on a racetrack.
By the slimmest of margins, our 2009 BMW M3 sedan overtook the GT-R for second place. Its one-year test is not quite done, but it's obvious that the M3 has long-lasting appeal due to its combination of exemplary performance and everyday practicality.
Interestingly, there seems to be two camps within our editorial group; of all our 20-plus editors, only one voted for both the GT-R and the M3. Everybody else, if they voted at all for one of these two cars, made their choice an exclusive pick. Blue state versus Red. GT-R versus M3.
And with that, Editors' Favorites Five, Four, Three and Two are done. Tomorrow we conclude with Number One (hint: it's not the Veracruz). Following that on Monday, we'll also have the runners-up and the winner (?) of our Biggest Long-Term Loser vote.
It's no surprise that our 2009 BMW M3 was voted as the No. 2 long-term favorite of our editors. I know I love it. The only thing is that I also realized that if this were my car I'd be such an a-hole. I'm not saying that every M3 owner is an a-hole, just that I know I would be.
It seems like when I get behind the wheel of this car, suddenly everyone in the world doesn't know how to drive. Why so slow, people? The M3 aggravates my impatience.
This is the question I posed to myself this weekend. Sure, I essentially wrote it a love letter on Friday, and another canyon drive (this time a wee bit faster) reinforced my appreciation for this brilliant machine. However, on a day-to-day basis, I fear that its frenetic nature would grow tiresome, like being friends with Jim Carrey. Sure, great fun on the weekends, but sometimes you just want to relax and watch some TV.
Usually, the "should I drive a sports car every day?" debate centers around ride quality and space issues. Well, those aren't the M3's problems. The ride is actually quite comfortable and the thing is a sedan, after all. My issue is that it takes due diligence to drive it smoothly at normal speeds around town. The M3 is a performance machine and it wants to be treated as such, yet sometimes you just can't or don't want to blast away up to 7,500. Getting the clutch and throttle application just right to prevent herking and jerking takes a lot more concentration than in the S5 or in the easiest car to drive smoothly ever, our new GTI. There's also a fair bit of road noise. These are problems, they are inherent sports car compromises.
As such, I think for the M3's price tag of $67,370, I'd opt for something a little more neutral in character. Something a little more civil for those times away from a canyon and/or in the presence of a girlfriend who'd quietly prefer her travels not to feel like a roller coaster. The E550 Coupe would probably have the exact opposite problem (like being friends with Jim Cameron), so perhaps the answer is an S5, or perhaps a 335i and a boat load of cash.
Either way, I probably wouldn't buy an M3 ... but I'm certainly thrilled to drive it whenever I can.
Another Inside Line BMW M3, another flamboyant red interior.
Every time I drive our 2009 M3 sedan, I'm reminded of a James May column (read it) in Top Gear. He wrote it a few years back when Jeremy Clarkson was shopping for a Gallardo. May's point, made convincingly I thought, was that it made no sense to buy a Lambo and do it up with understated black or dark green paint. There's no racing heritage in a Lamborghini; rather, these cars are all about flamboyance bordering on vulgarity. So you have to choose one of the wild and crazy paint codes, or else people will think you're delusional about the marque's history.
For different reasons, I feel BMW M3 buyers are obligated to get the Fox Red Novillo leather.
BMW builds some entertaining cars, but they take themselves so darn seriously. How else to explain their conservative designs (the company is doing its best to eradicate all traces of the Chris Bangle era) and dour, no-tolerance-for-nonsense interiors?
As capable as it is, our M3 sedan has no business taking itself seriously. Yep, this is a car a businessperson might drive, but it makes all sorts of nasty, vicious sounds at startup, and as you drive around town, you hear all sorts of noises and vibrations that you wouldn't hear in an ordinary 3 Series sedan. This is the soundtrack of a car, or a warship, with so much power and weaponry, it's trying to tear itself apart. Sold under a different brand by less prosperous dealerships, this car might be called "Lancer Evolution."
Of course, the M3 has evolved into a pretty luxurious car over the years. But there's still a streak of rawness in it and there's no sense hiding that under beige or black leather. So it's up to you to encourage BMW to be a little less serious. It's up to you to order the red hide.
Another week, another BMW tire repair. This time it was the left rear on our M3. No TPMS warning, just caught it at the gas station when checking tread wear.
Stokes fixed this one for $25.
