e90 M3 M Dynamic

[Fordkoppie]

I recently sold my CSL and replaced it with this:

It is a 1 owner, 2008 model, 50k on the clock, with a proper gearbox and no Motorplan. M dynamic.

Interestingly it had 4x oil services while on motorplan. No strange work except for ordinary serviceable items have been replaced on it.

There is only 1 issue I could find, and that is the exhaust is leaking slightly on the gasket between the manifold and the front pipe.

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4 weeks later I replaced the rear brakes and have to say that ze germans lost their mind with the e90.

Take a guess where the plug is for the brake wire sensor?? - Behind the fenderliner.

WTH? You have to strip the entire fenderliner to get to it, or alternatively mangle the rear half.

Now because I don't get paid by the hour to work on someone else's car that I don't care about, I opted for option 1 to remove the entire liner.

After I removed all 20 mil securing plasinuts and struggling for another 10 minutes to get it out of the fender, I gave up, the dealership mentality kicked in, and I opted for option 2 to mangle the rear part to get to the plug.

The 1 suspension link is also in the way of using an allen key the "long way", so that means you have to undo the sliding pins on the caliper 1/6th of a turn at a time - Fun

Half a day to do rear brakes - I think they would chase me away if I were to work in a BMW workshop.

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One area where they certainly still very much know what they are doing is on the headers.

I managed to fix the leak by replacing the lead taper gasket and cleaning its seal surface.

Just look how nice those collectors are “dimpled” to aid in preserving velocity.

Inside it has a little pinnacle right in the middle of the collector where the 4 pipes meet also for airspeed.

They are equal length headers (obviously borrowed from the web)

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Thanks to Andy who gave me some tinted laminex, this will be the only "mod" I shall perform on this car....

before:



After:

 

[ClassicB]

Looks good :inlove:

Comparison in the drive between the CSl and v8?

 

[Kyle]

I've always loved the E90 M3, would choose this over an E92 any day, congrats bud :joy:

 

[Rascal69]

Looks really good man, congrads

 

[RAArmstrong]

Very very nice! raise::inlove:

Congrats! :thumbs:

 

[Fordkoppie]

Review

I have driven it now for about 1500km and so far these are my impressions.

First of all I think I should state for the record that my views might be a little obscured coming directly from the CSL to this.

To be completely fair in judging if the e9x M3 is a worthy successor to the e46 M3, it should be compared to exactly that – the normal e46 M3.

Now because it has been 2 years and a little since I sold the white e46 M3 I am going solely on memory.

First of all I would like to get one thing off my chest.

This car is nowhere near worthy of a successor when compared to the CSL. It is boring, sluggish, disconnected, heavy and too quiet from a driver’s car perspective when mentioned in the company of the CSL. It is obviously a nicer car to travel in for longer than 1 hour, but not nearly as exiting. But then, if you were to close your eyes and be a passenger in both the normal e46 M3 and the CSL, you would be forgiven for thinking that they are 2 completely different cars. They really are light years apart ITO feel.

Ok. So with that out of the way, let me start comparing to the normal M3.

Ergonomics – I think it is safe to say that the e90 is substantially better. The seats are some of the most comfortable seats I have ever owned and are still very supportive. I usually struggle to get comfortable behind the wheel of a car, but with this one I managed that quickly.
The center console is positioned exactly right without being obtrusive. The e46 one was always in the way – up or down. Window buttons is awkwardly placed on the e90 and I am forever fiddling on the center console looking for the window switches. Something to get used to I suppose.
The e90 is definitely bigger inside.

Driveline – Such an improvement on the G420. This 6 speed ZF box is such a pleasure to cog with that bolt rifle action. Very smooth at all temperatures as well even though you can feel that everything inside is quite heavy. The G420 is notchy by comparison especially when cold. The std. throw on the lever for the e46 is also very long, with the e90’s substantially shorter. I think the ratios are a little silly, because 5th and 6th are extremely close to each other. Final gearing is spot on with 3200 RPM @ 120.

Backlash on the e90 is almost nonexistent, where every e46 I have driven had a lot of that.

Engine – for obvious reasons they are completely different, but their delivery is quite surprising. The S54 in my opinion is the better one here, simply because it is such a torque monster from very low. Now although I love the nature of a high revving peaky engine, the fact that a more linear delivery makes for effortless and enjoyable driving can’t be denied.
The numbers might suggest otherwise, but coupled to a lighter body, the s54 will demolish the V8 M3 in any torque match.

Example – My pvt test facility sports a very steep and long incline with markers. My test consists of driving all cars exactly @ 120 in top gear and floor it at the bottom marker. See what the exit speed is at the top marker.

Now the CSL could accelerate from 120 in 6th up to 235. The e90 only manages 220. (I never conducted this test with the white e46)
I have performed the same test with both when using all the gears as well. Starting in 3rd with both @ 120, both ended exactly at 250 in 5th at the exit point. So my point is that when going all out, there is not much difference in acceleration.

The S54 feels as if it has exactly the same torque from 2000 – 7500 whereafter it noticeably drops towards 8000.
The S65 feels gutless from 1000 – 4500. Then it steadily rises to 6000 where after it really comes alive right up to 8300. It never drops off. It feels as if it would produce even more if it were able to rev beyond 8.3k. I guess that is why there are so many tuners who raise the rev limit. Not that I would ever…

The s65 is way more thirsty than the s54. The white e46 could easily manage 8L/100 average with the cruise control set at 120. That is with the OBC reset while already on the highway and just maintaining 120. The e90 can only manage 10.4L/100 on this same 50km stretch.

The throttle responds exactly to what your foot is doing. Non of that adaptive nonsense. It really is a very nice and smooth powerplant

Dynamics – I would still like to drive an e9x M3 without EDC to have a final say about the system, but this one works beautifully with its 3 settings.
When you compare stiffness I would say that the e90 with EDC set to “comfort” is the softest. It gets a little floaty when going stupidly fast in this mode.
With the EDC set to “normal” it feels exactly the same as the e46 M3 and “sport” is definitely harder than the e46 M3.
But even in its hardest setting it is still nowhere near as stiff as the CSL.
I think it must have a little more suspension travel than the e46 M3, since it does not crash as much when going over bad patches in the road. It also gets slightly less upset than the e46 when you encounter a mid corner bump.

Steering feedback is a little more disconnected in the e90 with little feedback. And the settings in the I Drive only alters the assistance. I don’t really know what I want from it, because when it is heavy, there still is little feedback. It is incredibly sharp though.

As Johannes said before – It handles like a cornering machine. Bodyroll is definitely less than the e46 M3. In fact it feels on par with the CSL. Don’t know if I am delusional, but the body feels more rigid than the coupe e46.
It is quite incredible that such a huge and heavy car can suddenly feel so nimble and surefooted when pressing on. It is immensely competent.
But one can tell that there is more weight to lug around compared to the e46.

Something else on the dynamics is that the CSL begs you to be a hooligan. It is incredibly easy to get it to step out of line AND to rein it in again.
The e90 on the other hand resists antics. If you are sharp with inputs, it will happily play in a controllable fashion. But you can feel that it was meant to be a balanced precision tool instead of a hooning apparatus.

So the question still remains – Is this a worthy successor to the e46 M3??
I don’t know, because it is a completely different car. It is definitely more refined and isolated, while at the same time I think slightly more competent. So yes it is better, but what is the point of going fast when the sensation is diluted? For me at least, driver enjoyment overshadows all-out capabilities.

To me it feels like a slightly better, more nimble e39 M5…. Especially in the 4dr guise.

Peter said something incredibly funny and true the other day. He said that the e90 M3 is like a General from war, where the CSL is a blatant terrorist.

 

[LevanM]

:thumbs: Very Nice

 

[Fuzz@tinyNET]

:bravo: Nice one

 

[zabbo]

Excellent review:thumbs:

 

[Naruto]

raise: Awesome review raise:
Stunning beast you have there :thumbs:

 

[*ace*]

Great review, appreciate that you acknowledge the CSL as a different category. :ty:

Still confused about the E9x, but the heart still wants one :nonono:

 

[Rayzor]

Congrats and many happy miles :thumbs:

 

[Demon tweaked]

I think I may be biased but the E92 is epic and would probably change your feeling in your comparison but then again i have never been in an e90 M3 to know how they differ. Epic thread :thumbs:

:inlove:

 

[Fordkoppie]

I think I may be biased but the E92 is epic and would probably change your feeling in your comparison but then again i have never been in an e90 M3 to know how they differ. Epic thread :thumbs:

:inlove:

I also think it is an epic car. That is why I got it. It would have been pretty silly for me to buy something I didn't like.

It is just that it is a little underwhelming when compared to the CSL.
The CSL was sold for a few reasons, but mainly because I could no longer live with that retarded horrible gearbox.

I appreciate the V8 for what it is, and it has its own merits which makes it a great car IMO.

I have driven all the derivatives, and the e90 and e92 feels exactly the same to me. Only the e93 feels completely different

 

[Ephraimramodike]

:bravo::ty:

 

[mcajee]

congratz man, but do you miss the CSL?

 

[///Moose]

:bravo:
Congrats bud and gr8 review

 

[Demon tweaked]

I think I may be biased but the E92 is epic and would probably change your feeling in your comparison but then again i have never been in an e90 M3 to know how they differ. Epic thread :thumbs:

:inlove:

I also think it is an epic car. That is why I got it. It would have been pretty silly for me to buy something I didn't like.

It is just that it is a little underwhelming when compared to the CSL.
The CSL was sold for a few reasons, but mainly because I could no longer live with that retarded horrible gearbox.

I appreciate the V8 for what it is, and it has its own merits which makes it a great car IMO.

I have driven all the derivatives, and the e90 and e92 feels exactly the same to me. Only the e93 feels completely different

seriously? That is great insight, I have no experience in that department thats why my comment. My friend has a CSL but i never actually went in it, now to think of it I have no idea why not :fencelook: In fact I am under the impression that if i had to let go of my car I would probably wait for a CSL to come available.

Does the E90 and E92 more or less run standing similar speeds and/or time?

It does sort of make sense seeing (IIRC) the fastest NA V8 M3 around is an E90

 

[UpNcOmiNg!]

raise:
This is an immaculate example of a manic saloon!
Love the car and brilliant review thereof! Thanks Chris! :thumbs:

 

[Bugger]

The E92 is slightly quicker (by something like 0.01sec,not 100% sure) than the E90.I loved my E90,but for me, the E46 M3 was more of a driver's car,and obviously the CSL is just in another league. I just felt that the E90 was a sedate car with a vicious engine in it,it didn't give me the complete driver experience I was after. Don't get me wrong,it's an unbelievably epic car,and anyone into performance saloons (note,not coupes),should at least give this car a try,it will take your breath away.
Maybe I am sounding contradictory, but I can identify with a lot of what Ford is saying,and it's actually not worthwhile comparing an E46 with an E90. I felt a lot more connected to my E46,I almost felt as if BMW tried too hard with the E90.Mine wasn't an M-Dynamic,but it was capable in the corners and if you got the clutch control just right,the car would launch as if it had LC.
In short,I regret selling my E46,I should've kept it.Scary thing is,I don't regret selling my E90.
Not saying the E46 is a better car,I just think the two have different applications.
Ford,brilliant write up bud,awesome reading that from a driver's perspective.Really enjoyed reading it.:thumbs: