E92 M3 or M340i? Why?

cognoscenti wrote

Hi all, resurrecting this thread as I've been a E90 M3 6MT owner for seven years now but have been bitten by the (Pre-LCI) G20 M340i bug, so I've been driving examples at local dealers and scouring the classifieds & car sales apps. I would love to hear an update from CSBM5 (or anyone else with input) on a specific question:

If you had to have only one car almost all of the time but still dealt with plenty of traffic during your commute, what would you do? Yes, I know a lot of people gave their opinions on page 1 of this thread, but not those who have now owned and operated both at the same time for a while!

I have my M340i still. The E90 M3 which I owned for 15 years has been sold as I have a new to me garage queen now to replace it.

I would probably drive my M340i if I had to commute a lot. It is currently my daily driver and it never skips a beat. Maintenance is easy. No repairs as it is still very new. Also no M3 can match the gas mileage. In the city the M340i would do about 20mpg and highway cruising at 80mph - it does 32-34 mpg. The E90 would do max 20 mpg on the highway and I would get single digit mpg in the city.

In spirited driving, the M340i drives pretty good. Feedback is not as good as the M3 but I can have some fun when pushing it. The M340i's M-LSD makes a huge difference in the way the car handles, gives it that great cornering feeling and being able to apply power without drama. I've added a Dinan Stage 1 tune plug in, Project Mu brake pads, upgraded brake fluid, stickier and wider Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires.

Z K wrote

I have my M340i still. The E90 M3 which I owned for 15 years has been sold as I have a new to me garage queen now to replace it.

Out of curiosity, what did you get to replace it?

VR1 wrote

Out of curiosity, what did you get to replace it?

It probably won't be a popular choice on a BMW forum.

I bought a Nissan S15 Silvia Spec R. It's something I always wanted since I was a teenager and one of the forbidden fruit that was never sold in the USA. Now legal to import from Japan since it is 25 years old.

There's nothing new that can replicate the feeling of a RWD lightweight (2600 lbs!) turbocharged 4 seater coupe that is completely analog. It is so fun to hang corners and feel every pebble on the road through the steering while it darts from corner to corner. The turbo power and torque allows the driver to throttle steer at will. I already did a Laguna Seca track day in it and it was great.

Is it worth 2x the price of an E9x M3? That really depends on the buyer.

M3, it’s a lot more track worthy than a m340i

I owned the 2020 M340i. Throw an exhaust or muffler delete and you're driving a very fun car.

I would stretch and go with the G80 M3 if prices continue to come down on Preowned

M3Sleeper wrote

I owned the 2020 M340i. Throw an exhaust or muffler delete and you're driving a very fun car.

I would stretch and go with the G80 M3 if prices continue to come down on Preowned

I think many people are not buying the G80 M3 because of the hideous front end. It's so bad that BMW has backed off from the vertical grilles on all their other new models.

I think I'm going to wait this one out. There are way too many sellers of G80 chassis right now and I'm trying to learn over time as the data comes out why that is. I still really like the pre-LCI M340i cars, and would even consider an X-Drive one for increased traction though I don't live near bad weather at all.

I recently sold my E92 M3 6MT with suspension mods after 10 years of ownership (was my daily for 6). I was sad to see it go but I replaced it with a more dedicated sports car, a C5 Z06. I purchased a 2022 M340i yesterday which replaced my 2021 Camaro LT1 for daily duty. I needed a 4 door with a kid, considered getting a clean E90M DCT but couldn't justify having two 15yr plus old cars.

My first impressions after test driving a G20 and G30 was that material quality has taken a dive. My E92 had extended leather, most of the new BMWs have sesatec interiors and they just don't feel as 'nice'. That being said, the build quality of the G20 is very good with no squeaks or rattles.

The M340i drives exceptionally well. The body stiffness is noticeable over the E92, the ride is compliant even with non adjustable suspension. It still corners fairly flat. With the M-Diff you can still pop the rear end out for antics. The steering lacks some texture compared to the E92 but its direct and very enjoyable. Motor character is completely different. The S65 has a lot more fizz but the B58 is so competent. The performace and fuel economy are incredible. With wider tires and an alignment it would be a formidable weapon on track assuming it doesn't overheat.
It's much better as a daily than the E9X, and on a backroad I would say its maybe 90% as fun. The balance of both cars is pretty similar.

For a one car solution they are both great but the for the E9X you must be careful with suspension choice, and be willing to accept dealing with the maintenance, repairs, and horrible fuel economy. As a 2nd car, I don't think either of them are great choices when there are more 'fun' options available at a similar price or less. I would get compliments weekly from bros with my E92, I don't see that happening in the M340i; However, my yellow Z06 fills that box with making kids, mom, and dads smile.

Just had my 2020 M340i totaled by insurance after someone fell asleep and hit me on the interstate.

I ended up replacing it with a mint condition 2009 E90 M3 DCT. I can honestly say that I should have bought this car over my M340i the first go round for my personal use case. I don't have a daily commute apart from the gym which is ~12 mile round trip and only interstate driving every couple weeks.

The feels and engagement from this car simply cannot be emulated by the M340i, although I did love my M340i and it was a fantastic daily / commuter, I don't think it can hold a candle to the raw feel and fun factor of the E9x M3. The torque from the B58 makes it really easy to hang the rear out, I had a RWD M340i and that was a ton of fun but chewed through tires. I have nothing negatve to say about the M340i at all, fantastic car.

If I had a daily commute though the M340i is hard to beat in traffic and is plenty fun on B roads still. I had KW coilovers and monoballs, the car handled on rails and felt really really balanced. Just less of an "experience" if that makes sense

PapaMurph wrote

Just had my 2020 M340i totaled by insurance after someone fell asleep and hit me on the interstate.

I ended up replacing it with a mint condition 2009 E90 M3 DCT. I can honestly say that I should have bought this car over my M340i the first go round for my personal use case. I don't have a daily commute apart from the gym which is ~12 mile round trip and only interstate driving every couple weeks.

The feels and engagement from this car simply cannot be emulated by the M340i, although I did love my M340i and it was a fantastic daily / commuter, I don't think it can hold a candle to the raw feel and fun factor of the E9x M3. The torque from the B58 makes it really easy to hang the rear out, I had a RWD M340i and that was a ton of fun but chewed through tires. I have nothing negatve to say about the M340i at all, fantastic car.

If I had a daily commute though the M340i is hard to beat in traffic and is plenty fun on B roads still. I had KW coilovers and monoballs, the car handled on rails and felt really really balanced. Just less of an "experience" if that makes sense

For me, a lot of it comes down to DCT vs ZF8. If I had to get a daily for 50-70K and has to be a non-manual, I rule out ZF8s since they are just not fun to shift. Considered Golf R for its practicality but sticking with the E92 becauseracecar.

Both engines are rev happy, but 8400rpm S65 is something else isn't it?

kyrix1st wrote

For me, a lot of it comes down to DCT vs ZF8. If I had to get a daily for 50-70K and has to be a non-manual, I rule out ZF8s since they are just not fun to shift. Considered Golf R for its practicality but sticking with the E92 becauseracecar.

Both engines are rev happy, but 8400rpm S65 is something else isn't it?

Totally agree here, while the ZF8 is a great box it feels lifeless and sterile in comparison.

I was initially eyeing a manual E90 but after driving the DCT I knew it was the box to have with this car, the kick in the back on a flat out shift at 8k is really something that cannot be emulated!

Love the input here, guys! I still watch the G20 M340i market, but I'm a bit cautious because these Ultimate Driving Machines can be ultimate wallet drainers as they age. @PapaMurph I'm surprised at the move back to the E9X platform, but after many years in one myself, I do understand at least some of the reasons why.

How reliable did you guys find the G20 to be?

I didn't have a single major issue on my G20. Just regular maintenance which included motor mounts a bit early than I would prefer but with the torque monster B58 it is understandable

Reason for the move back is that I never had an E series to begin with and figured it was now or never! There will be plenty of twin turbo I6s out there but never again a V8 like this one!

PapaMurph wrote

I didn't have a single major issue on my G20. Just regular maintenance which included motor mounts a bit early than I would prefer but with the torque monster B58 it is understandable

Reason for the move back is that I never had an E series to begin with and figured it was now or never! There will be plenty of twin turbo I6s out there but never again a V8 like this one!

The M3 is just special. The m340 is a dime a dozen and that motor is in everything. If you want a V8,8400rpm street car, it’s the only game in town