New to M3 and have a few questions

[Wurdalak]

I had posted before about picking up a 2017 base M3 with 21K miles no mods.
I have been driving it for about a month now and have a few questions.

1. The car appears to start in the Sport suspension setting which is harsh, is there a way to have it start in Comfort.

2. Back to question # 1, even in the comfort setting the ride is very harsh and noisy. Is this normal? The car came with some Hanook tires could it be the tires?

3. I'm coming from a Hellcat with mid mufflers removed and the cold start is glorious, the M3, on the other hand, sounds like lawnmower with a broken mufffler on cold start. Even my wife pointed it out (you know it's bad). Is this normal, is there a fix.

4. The car is a DCT I expected a little more wheelspin off the line but it seems to move a little and then the power comes on but little in the way of wheelspin. Am I doing something wrong? I've tried launch and it is better but it just does not light the tires off of 1st like I expected it would.

Now, don't get me wrong I love the car but I'm just trying to get used to it.

[WESTCOASTTRADING]

1. Just program your M1 or M2 mode to comfort suspension and press the M1 or M2 buttons before you start the engine.
2. Comfort Mode is harsh so better get used to it - It's very firm ride.
3. You can do coding - "cold start delete" then it will sound less lawnmower at the cold start.
4. Try it with traction turned off

[doug_999]

Let me guess, you have the 20" wheels ?

[Wurdalak]

I have the 19 437 wheels.

[mjposner]

This is a European sports car, the Hellcat is a fast American luxo barge with soft bushings and suspensions for that American ride. Did you really take a test ride?

As stated, you can choose two custom setups using the M1 and M2 buttons. M1 could be all comfort with dct in position 1, My M2 is sport plus all around except steering is sport, and 3 on dct.

V8 sound far better than i6, when cold the muffler valve flaps are open, more sound (mine are tied open at all times) but clearly not V8 sound.

If you want wheel spin you need to switch to MDM mode. Will loosen the nannies a bit.

https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/maga...e-m-setup.html

P.S. Funny I never feel that the M is harsh or noisy and I am in sport plus all the time. We have pretty decent roads here, so I guess that is a factor. I would have tires checked and alignment checked just in case.

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by mjposner

This is a European sports car, the Hellcat is a fast American luxo barge with soft bushings and suspensions for that American ride. Did you really take a test ride?

As stated, you can choose two custom setups using the M1 and M2 buttons. M1 could be all comfort with dct in position 1, My M2 is sport plus all around except steering is sport, and 3 on dct.

V8 sound far better than i6, when cold the muffler valve flaps are open, more sound (mine are tied open at all times) but clearly not V8 sound.

If you want wheel spin you need to switch to MDM mode. Will loosen the nannies a bit.

https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/maga...e-m-setup.html

P.S. Funny I never feel that the M is harsh or noisy and I am in sport plus all the time. We have pretty decent roads here, so I guess that is a factor. I would have tires checked and alignment checked just in case.

Originally Posted by Wurdalak

I had posted before about picking up a 2017 base M3 with 21K miles no mods.
I have been driving it for about a month now and have a few questions.

1. The car appears to start in the Sport suspension setting which is harsh, is there a way to have it start in Comfort.

2. Back to question # 1, even in the comfort setting the ride is very harsh and noisy. Is this normal? The car came with some Hanook tires could it be the tires?

3. I'm coming from a Hellcat with mid mufflers removed and the cold start is glorious, the M3, on the other hand, sounds like lawnmower with a broken mufffler on cold start. Even my wife pointed it out (you know it's bad). Is this normal, is there a fix.

4. The car is a DCT I expected a little more wheelspin off the line but it seems to move a little and then the power comes on but little in the way of wheelspin. Am I doing something wrong? I've tried launch and it is better but it just does not light the tires off of 1st like I expected it would.

Now, don't get me wrong I love the car but I'm just trying to get used to it.

Originally Posted by mjposner

This is a European sports car, the Hellcat is a fast American luxo barge with soft bushings and suspensions for that American ride. Did you really take a test ride?

As stated, you can choose two custom setups using the M1 and M2 buttons. M1 could be all comfort with dct in position 1, My M2 is sport plus all around except steering is sport, and 3 on dct.

V8 sound far better than i6, when cold the muffler valve flaps are open, more sound (mine are tied open at all times) but clearly not V8 sound.

If you want wheel spin you need to switch to MDM mode. Will loosen the nannies a bit.

https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/maga...e-m-setup.html

P.S. Funny I never feel that the M is harsh or noisy and I am in sport plus all the time. We have pretty decent roads here, so I guess that is a factor. I would have tires checked and alignment checked just in case.

I'm on 18's 32 psi; rides perfect!

[RugbyBro]

Originally Posted by Wurdalak

I had posted before about picking up a 2017 base M3 with 21K miles no mods.
I have been driving it for about a month now and have a few questions.

1. The car appears to start in the Sport suspension setting which is harsh, is there a way to have it start in Comfort.

2. Back to question # 1, even in the comfort setting the ride is very harsh and noisy. Is this normal? The car came with some Hanook tires could it be the tires?

3. I'm coming from a Hellcat with mid mufflers removed and the cold start is glorious, the M3, on the other hand, sounds like lawnmower with a broken mufffler on cold start. Even my wife pointed it out (you know it's bad). Is this normal, is there a fix.

4. The car is a DCT I expected a little more wheelspin off the line but it seems to move a little and then the power comes on but little in the way of wheelspin. Am I doing something wrong? I've tried launch and it is better but it just does not light the tires off of 1st like I expected it would.

Now, don't get me wrong I love the car but I'm just trying to get used to it.

1. No, you have to use the M buttons and just hit them on startup. I had this same wish as well

2. Yeah it’s a stiff car, more so than any other street car I’ve driven. Changing tires might help noise, but I would suggest trying 18in wheels to further damp out the harshness (makes a noticeable difference). Apex EC7 or Titan Ts5 are great looking 18in options.

3. No, although there is an overall solution to the sound utilizing equal length exhaust piping - there is a whole thread on it in the engine section. Many manufacturers are now coming out with their own versions although you can get a muffler shop to do weld an equal length midpipe for significantly less.

4. Try MDM mode, should let you break traction more. Or turn off TC fully, but be careful on the street - this car responds very quickly to throttle in sport plus.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by Wurdalak

I have the 19 437 wheels.

Interesting - the ride should be fine in comfort. Therefore I suspect the tires. I have the Michelin's on mine and it is perfect.

Unfortunately as noted, you can't charge the startup settings - I have my M1 just switch to comfort with the other two on sport.

And in 2017, BMW changed the torque curve of the engine - rumor has it the 2015/2016 spun the tires really easy and people couldn't put the power down. So the torque comes on a touch later in the RPMs.

Some said that was only on the Comp models, but I don't think that is true, I could be wrong. I'd see if you can find a dealer with 19s on the car and see how it rides -assuming it has different tires.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Wurdalak

I had posted before about picking up a 2017 base M3 with 21K miles no mods.
I have been driving it for about a month now and have a few questions.

1. The car appears to start in the Sport suspension setting which is harsh, is there a way to have it start in Comfort.

2. Back to question # 1, even in the comfort setting the ride is very harsh and noisy. Is this normal? The car came with some Hanook tires could it be the tires?

3. I'm coming from a Hellcat with mid mufflers removed and the cold start is glorious, the M3, on the other hand, sounds like lawnmower with a broken mufffler on cold start. Even my wife pointed it out (you know it's bad). Is this normal, is there a fix.

4. The car is a DCT I expected a little more wheelspin off the line but it seems to move a little and then the power comes on but little in the way of wheelspin. Am I doing something wrong? I've tried launch and it is better but it just does not light the tires off of 1st like I expected it would.

Now, don't get me wrong I love the car but I'm just trying to get used to it.

1) I program M1 into sport , comfort, comfort and hit it automatically when I start up. Sport steering is too artificial anyway and I can't stand driving in it.

2) Depends on your wheels and tires. Is it stiffer than Hellcat? Probably, since it's more tuned for handling, and not straight line acceleration like the Hellcat.

3) Stock exhaust doesn't sound that great. MPE helps. It's a must have as far as I am concerned. It really enhances the driving experience.

4) MDM? Base DSC is too conservative, and the GTS and CS MDM flash allows for more driver intervention. Either get the CS MDM flash, turn DCT completely off, or use launch control. You can increase RPM launch with the stalk.

[sna66]

I think an M5 would have been a better option for you, this car is far from a soft, comfortable ride. My wife always complains when driving it

[65fastback]

Its been said the F8x is a race car built for the streets.

Going to a 18" rim with more tire sidewall may be in your future. This will help noise and ride harshness somewhat.

My F82 is a dct ... hold down MDM button for a few seconds ( turns off the tc nannies) for the smoke show.

[paliknight]

Originally Posted by 65fastback

Its been said the F8x is a race car built for the streets.

Going to a 18" rim with more tire sidewall may be in your future. This will help noise and ride harshness somewhat.

My F82 is a dct ... hold down MDM button for a few seconds ( turns off the tc nannies) for the smoke show.

I thought it was a street car built for the track

[Humdizzle]

if a tuner/coder could create a way to edit the startup settings they could probably pay off their M3 overnight lol.

[NewM3driver]

Originally Posted by Wurdalak

I had posted before about picking up a 2017 base M3 with 21K miles no mods.
I have been driving it for about a month now and have a few questions.

1. The car appears to start in the Sport suspension setting which is harsh, is there a way to have it start in Comfort.

2. Back to question # 1, even in the comfort setting the ride is very harsh and noisy. Is this normal? The car came with some Hanook tires could it be the tires?

3. I'm coming from a Hellcat with mid mufflers removed and the cold start is glorious, the M3, on the other hand, sounds like lawnmower with a broken mufffler on cold start. Even my wife pointed it out (you know it's bad). Is this normal, is there a fix.

4. The car is a DCT I expected a little more wheelspin off the line but it seems to move a little and then the power comes on but little in the way of wheelspin. Am I doing something wrong? I've tried launch and it is better but it just does not light the tires off of 1st like I expected it would.

Now, don't get me wrong I love the car but I'm just trying to get used to it.

Welcome to the M3.

Turn off all your traction controls and you can burn all the rubber you want.