Jalopnik: Short Review, M4 on Public Roads

[GrussGott]

Repost?

On a scale of 1-10 (1 being old lady with bad vision and 10 being Afroduck) I drove the car at about a 4. Pete got behind the wheel and took it up to maybe 7. Despite my lack of hoonage, I discovered some unexpected things that you should know.

What You Learn Driving The BMW M4 On A Public Road

[AustinYellowMakesMeHard]

Honestly, I only like jalopnik for it's comedic value. IMO their reviews are very mediocre and don't really give you a good understanding of how a car drives at it's limit.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by AustinYellowMakesMeHard

Honestly, I only like jalopnik for it's comedic value. IMO their reviews are very mediocre and don't really give you a good understanding of how a car drives at it's limit.

To be fair, I think this particular review was about how the car drives when you are not on the limits and by an average Joe in terms of driving skills which the author is quick to admit and point out. Some cars have a WOW factor all the time, the M4 is not one of them for this guy. Doesn't mean it isn't for others, just one guy's opinion, a bit concerning none the less.

[Black Gold]

Originally Posted by solstice

To be fair, I think this particular review was about how the car drives when you are not on the limits and by an average Joe in terms of driving skills which the author is quick to admit and point out. Some cars have a WOW factor all the time, the M4 is not one of them for this guy. Doesn't mean it isn't for others, just one guy's opinion, a bit concerning none the less.

it doesn't concern me at all

he has all the stereotypical comments in there.

I love how he complains about lack of road feel from EPS when driving 30 mph through some neighborhoods. that just flies the BS flag for me personally.

I found that it was basically a useless review that had zero substance.

personally, I cant tell anything from a car from driving it in those conditions.

BUT, he is entitled to his opinion. Just as I am in considering his opinion worthless

[onatuesday]

Originally Posted by KennyPowers

it doesn't concern me at all

he has all the stereotypical comments in there.

I love how he complains about lack of road feel from EPS when driving 30 mph through some neighborhoods. that just flies the BS flag for me personally.

I found that it was basically a useless review that had zero substance.

personally, I cant tell anything from a car from driving it in those conditions.

BUT, he is entitled to his opinion. Just as I am in considering his opinion worthless

Every car I've driven that truly impressed me, I was able to tell within the first 5 minutes of driving it. If you're buying a car to be a daily driver and not a track car, then it ought to impress you even when you're just driving around the block. Some cars immediately feel special in a way that's hard to put in words. I think the F8X could benefit substantially from having a more aggressive start-up bark. The F8X does feel special when you sit in it for the first time (much more special than the regular 3 series) but when you fire-it up there's no sense of occasion or theater --- and the rest of the drive while good just feels too run of the mill ---at least to me. Could I live with it everyday and enjoy it? YES. Could I see myself keeping it for more than a couple of years and falling in love with it? Probably not.

[AustinYellowMakesMeHard]

Originally Posted by solstice

To be fair, I think this particular review was about how the car drives when you are not on the limits and by an average Joe in terms of driving skills which the author is quick to admit and point out. Some cars have a WOW factor all the time, the M4 is not one of them for this guy. Doesn't mean it isn't for others, just one guy's opinion, a bit concerning none the less.

Agreed, but the review itself lacks any substantial feedback on how the engine/car behaves at low speeds. It's a very superficial review, if you catch my drift.

[Black Gold]

Originally Posted by trinim3

Every car I've driven that truly impressed me, I was able to tell within the first 5 minutes of driving it. If you're buying a car to be a daily driver and not a track car, then it ought to impress you even when you're just driving around the block. Some cars immediately feel special in a way that's hard to put in words. I think the F8X could benefit substantially from having a more aggressive start-up bark. The F8X does feel special when you sit in it for the first time (much more special than the regular 3 series) but when you fire-it up there's no sense of occasion or theater --- and the rest of the drive while good just feels too run of the mill ---at least to me. Could I live with it everyday and enjoy it? YES. Could I see myself keeping it for more than a couple of years and falling in love with it? Probably not.

Cool, to each their own.

I'll relay my experience. I have been fortunate to drive a lot of nice and impressive cars. A good example is the gt3.

If all I did was drive a gt3 in traffic and at low speeds, i wouldn't have a good feel for the car at all. It was only until I took the car to redline, downshifted to feel the gearbox and throttle response that I began to get a feel for the car.

Point being that a lot of these high performance cars have limits so high that they don't come alive until you push them.

Furthermore, steering feedback is something that is typically experenced near the limits of grip / traction, not trolling the streets in traffic at 30 mph. So for this guy, who states he has limited driving experience and skill, to comment on steering feedback and road feel in these driving conditions is ridiculous IMO.

I wouldn't begin to judge a cars feel from a run in traffic, not a car the caliber of an m3. I like to track my cars for fun, and want to be able to somewhat exploit those limits.

Any car can be used to commute. The m3 is capable of so much more, and won't stand out while being driven in traffic. No performance car could, or at least they haven't for me.