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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions M340i compared to past generations of the M3

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      06-26-2019, 10:09 PM   #67
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Do you let them pull your car into the touchless wash?
No, touchless washes here are much better now. You drive in yourself and it is wide enough that you do not worry about wheel scrapes. Nozzlels just move around you
I think I need to find a better car wash
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      06-29-2019, 07:07 AM   #68
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Do you let them pull your car into the touchless wash?
No, touchless washes here are much better now. You drive in yourself and it is wide enough that you do not worry about wheel scrapes. Nozzlels just move around you
I think I need to find a better car wash
Or better yet, move out of there onto a better climate.
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      06-29-2019, 07:11 AM   #69
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Do you let them pull your car into the touchless wash?
No, touchless washes here are much better now. You drive in yourself and it is wide enough that you do not worry about wheel scrapes. Nozzlels just move around you
I think I need to find a better car wash
Or better yet, move out of there onto a better climate.
Yes sir! That is the actual answer!
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      02-22-2020, 03:12 PM   #70
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I read a lot of posts here referring to a car or make/model's "DNA". I understand the general gist of what this means, but can anyone tell me, specifically, which parts or properties comprise a car's DNA? If not, I have to consider that this term really describes the mindset and expectations of the end consumer more than it defines some inherent, tangible properties of a certain make and model of car.

It's similar to when someone refers to the soul or character of a certain car. At the end of the day, a car is just a machine. Any character ascribed to it comes from our emotional reactions to the experience of driving it. This makes these terms purely subjective, as well as highly malleable.
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I read a lot of posts here referring to a car or make/model's "DNA". I understand the general gist of what this means, but can anyone tell me, specifically, which parts or properties comprise a car's DNA? If not, I have to consider that this term really describes the mindset and expectations of the end consumer more than it defines some inherent, tangible properties of a certain make and model of car.

It's similar to when someone refers to the soul or character of a certain car. At the end of the day, a car is just a machine. Any character ascribed to it comes from our emotional reactions to the experience of driving it. This makes these terms purely subjective, as well as highly malleable.
I started several responses to try and answer the DNA question...

The best way I can explain it...

it's like the scene in Avatar when Jake Sully connects with Toruk Makto...

The M3 and driver become one!
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      02-22-2020, 09:24 PM   #71
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The M340 is not in the same league as the F8X ///M. Go drive both. They are vastly different experiences......and from a roll you will have multiple car lengths pulled on you.


This reminds me of the E9X ///M3 vs 335i threads back when the 335i came out.
I had F82, I drove m340i. I prefer M340i to F8x.
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      02-22-2020, 09:26 PM   #72
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The M340 is not in the same league as the F8X ///M. Go drive both. They are vastly different experiences......and from a roll you will have multiple car lengths pulled on you.


This reminds me of the E9X ///M3 vs 335i threads back when the 335i came out.
I had F82, I drove m340i. I prefer M340i to F8x.
...and that's okay. It doesn't change the validity of my statement though.
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      02-23-2020, 01:13 PM   #73
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Have both in the family. F80 is a much more raw, down to business driving experience. The M340i is stupid fast and when you turn off active sound it SIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSSSS!
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      02-24-2020, 10:33 PM   #74
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M340i compared to past generations of the M3

I've owned E36 M3 with 6MT and 10 lbs of supercharged boost, current owner of a clean AW on cinnamon E46 M3 with 6MT and ethanol (measured 335whp), an F30 328d M sport (wife's car) and now a fully optioned M340i.

Here are a couple of things I can say without hesitation:
- M340 is fast. Properly fast. It will eat my E46 M3 on ethanol for breakfast every time. There is just so much more torque in the stock M340 and the transmission is very quick.
- M340 is a better built car. That is to say that it's structurally more rigid as compared to my E46 M3 and the F30.
- M340 is a very comfortable car to drive (it is my daily driver). All the tech, semi autonomous driving, traffic assist plus, excellent sound system, nice heads up display and all that makes your life so much more enjoyable (I commute 80 miles per day).
- modern generation cars are just better overall cars as compared to even the pure bread M vehicles 5-10 years ago.

That being said, here is where M3 is still an M3:
- the raw driving experience. Hearing my S54 rev to 8200 rpm with the induction noise amplified by a carbon intake is second to none.
- the direct connection to the road. Even when this connection is painfully stiff and you feel every bump.
- the IMMEDIATE, and I mean immediate, throttle response of the gas pedal (as compared to somewhat slower reaction time of the turbo engines).
- the nostalgia of rowing through the gears
- the looks you get on the freeway when you drive your "old" M3.
- the analog nature of it where you have to pay attention while driving it.

I love both cars. I debated heavily between getting a 1 year old M4 comp pack vs a new M340. I test drove four M4s. Comparing the F generation to G generation I can say that the two platforms are worlds apart in technology. F generation plastic feels too cheap, creaky when you push on it and the "stuck on" screen on my wife's F30 feels too dated now.

I thought I'd never say this in my life but I am truly glad that I chose an M340i for my daily car over an M4. M3s and M4s aren't really meant to be daily driven. They're too unforgiving, stiff, and too direct for daily commute IMO. S55 is a brilliant engine but the design language and the atmosphere of F80 is now too dated and I mean it not in a good way

Hope this helps
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      02-24-2020, 10:55 PM   #75
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Some great posts here, I've been on the F80/G20 fence as well.
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      02-25-2020, 11:42 AM   #76
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I've Driven The M3 And M4 as well as M5 and I must say that the M3 is beast, BUT this new M340i is also just as amazing in its own unique way.

I wanted the new M3 but of course it won't be out for at least another year! So I decided to go with the m340i in the meantime.

All I can remember is when I wanted that 2017 340i, to me that was a dream car. It was so fast and I wasn't able to get it. I had to start at a 320 which was an amazing car but the performance of course was not there....

Fast forward today, and this m340i is everything !!!!

What I like about it most, is that it's performance wrapped in an every day vehicle! When you want to cruise and get 50mpg in eco and glide mode your golden, when you want to burn the wheels and smoke someone at the light lol simple as pressing the sport button.

Great Sound
Great Power
Style
Affordability
Tunable

Hey for what it is? It's a great car! I think people need to stop comparing this car to the M cars because it's not an M car it's an M series option and or car with M parts...

Not the same but with a few simple mods, it can smoke a stock M3 for 15k less 🤷🏾*♂️
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      02-25-2020, 11:55 AM   #77
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Originally Posted by Austinm34iMartin View Post
I've Driven The M3 And M4 as well as M5 and I must say that the M3 is beast, BUT this new M340i is also just as amazing in its own unique way.

I wanted the new M3 but of course it won't be out for at least another year! So I decided to go with the m340i in the meantime.

All I can remember is when I wanted that 2017 340i, to me that was a dream car. It was so fast and I wasn't able to get it. I had to start at a 320 which was an amazing car but the performance of course was not there....

Fast forward today, and this m340i is everything !!!!

What I like about it most, is that it's performance wrapped in an every day vehicle! When you want to cruise and get 50mpg in eco and glide mode your golden, when you want to burn the wheels and smoke someone at the light lol simple as pressing the sport button.

Great Sound
Great Power
Style
Affordability
Tunable

Hey for what it is? It's a great car! I think people need to stop comparing this car to the M cars because it's not an M car it's an M series option and or car with M parts...

Not the same but with a few simple mods, it can smoke a stock M3 for 15k less *
according to BMW it is an m car now. just the cheap one or so I read on a post here.

I dont think that means it's the same but
it's a pointless distinction at this point. I mean am x5 m or m5 is an single digit m car and a z4 m40i I guess isn't. I'd probably still think the z4 is for just driving enjoyment ..... I mean are you really "competing" with an x5 m competition. they are all just rungs on BMWs ladder of skus
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      02-25-2020, 12:10 PM   #78
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I've never driven an M3 but all the posts about the raw and rough ride I'm not sure I would want one as a DD after driving my m340. The m340i is the stiffest stock suspension car I have ever had. Its not too stiff but I wouldn't want it any more. I feel like once they finally come out with aftermarket suspension for it, there are going to be a couple that lower and soften it at the same time. Honestly I think think the suspension is about perfect in stock form for a performance vehicle.
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      02-25-2020, 12:25 PM   #79
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I've never driven an M3 but all the posts about the raw and rough ride I'm not sure I would want one as a DD after driving my m340. The m340i is the stiffest stock suspension car I have ever had. Its not too stiff but I wouldn't want it any more. I feel like once they finally come out with aftermarket suspension for it, there are going to be a couple that lower and soften it at the same time. Honestly I think think the suspension is about perfect in stock form for a performance vehicle.
The dct of the m cars is pretty unforgiving ie 2 second hold instead of auto-h forever hold. And having so much torque it. Blows the tires from a stop always even with pilot super sports.

And the jerkiness in sport/sport plus if you try to lightly peddle the throttle. Gets old as a d.d.
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      02-25-2020, 12:33 PM   #80
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The dct of the m cars is pretty unforgiving ie 2 second hold instead of auto-h forever hold. And having so much torque it. Blows the tires from a stop always even with pilot super sports.

And the jerkiness in sport/sport plus if you try to lightly peddle the throttle. Gets old as a d.d.
Really? I almost never spin my tires. Maybe once on a really bad road surface. Heck I can use almost full throttle in the wet with no issues. Using Michelin A/S3+ 285 rear, 265 front. TC engages less in my M3 than any previous 3-series I've owned. It has more traction and grip than any previous 3-series I've owned.

The jerkiness is lack of experience. I drive in Sport 24/7, sometimes in Sport+. Maybe my first few weeks I got driver induced oscillation but got past that really fast.

The ride with adaptive transmission is better than my old 340i with RFTs.

Most of the F8x are criticisms are so overblown. M cars are wonderful daily drivers. The M340i I test drove was boring.

The new tech is nice, so I'll be upgrading to a G82 when the time comes. But no going back.
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      02-25-2020, 01:09 PM   #81
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I think there will never be a substitute for a true M car. Thats is why I keep my M cars nicely parked in a garage and drive them on weekends.

However, the G20 generation had done an outstanding job at breaching this gap. Personally, I think that F generation's interior feels cheap (especially the radio/climate control area with its plastic) I can't help but think how much it bothers me. It does not feel like quality 80k car. This is a personal opinion, and many people don't care about interiors as much as I do.
Every time I go from my wife's F30 (with the latest tech) to G20 I notice a huge difference in quality.
As I commute 80 miles a day, I do not see myself driving a pure M car in CA traffic and avoid idiots every day. The experience just stops being special. You start getting annoyed by small things in your M car. That is why I chose to get an M340 and park my M cars for weekend spirited driving.
Just my 2 cents.
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      02-25-2020, 01:54 PM   #82
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Originally Posted by ryivnx View Post
I think there will never be a substitute for a true M car. Thats is why I keep my M cars nicely parked in a garage and drive them on weekends.

However, the G20 generation had done an outstanding job at breaching this gap. Personally, I think that F generation's interior feels cheap (especially the radio/climate control area with its plastic) I can't help but think how much it bothers me. It does not feel like quality 80k car. This is a personal opinion, and many people don't care about interiors as much as I do.
Every time I go from my wife's F30 (with the latest tech) to G20 I notice a huge difference in quality.
As I commute 80 miles a day, I do not see myself driving a pure M car in CA traffic and avoid idiots every day. The experience just stops being special. You start getting annoyed by small things in your M car. That is why I chose to get an M340 and park my M cars for weekend spirited driving.
Just my 2 cents.
Full Merino leather in my F80 makes the G20 feel lackluster. Case in point the top of the dashboard above the G20 is just hard plastic. The only thing I miss is the LED lighting strip. Full leather option in the G20 would be appreciated.

My commute is 8 to 10 minutes if I'm not working remote so that makes sense. I wouldn't want to commute in any car, period.

The G8x options will perfect the G20 interior.
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      02-26-2020, 08:54 AM   #83
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Originally Posted by ryivnx View Post
I think there will never be a substitute for a true M car. Thats is why I keep my M cars nicely parked in a garage and drive them on weekends.

However, the G20 generation had done an outstanding job at breaching this gap. Personally, I think that F generation's interior feels cheap (especially the radio/climate control area with its plastic) I can't help but think how much it bothers me. It does not feel like quality 80k car. This is a personal opinion, and many people don't care about interiors as much as I do.
Every time I go from my wife's F30 (with the latest tech) to G20 I notice a huge difference in quality.
As I commute 80 miles a day, I do not see myself driving a pure M car in CA traffic and avoid idiots every day. The experience just stops being special. You start getting annoyed by small things in your M car. That is why I chose to get an M340 and park my M cars for weekend spirited driving.
Just my 2 cents.
Couldn't agree with you more. I have had three M3 dailies and they are annoying to put it mildly.

I turned in my '17 M3 competition and am waiting for my M340. I had one for a weekend long test drive and the M340 is a very nice car. I have an air cooled Porsche for weekends and summer fun. Nothing compares.
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      02-29-2020, 08:33 PM   #84
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Comparing interiors between G and F generations of both of my cars. Picture worth 1000 words
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      02-29-2020, 08:36 PM   #85
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And with my M3
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      02-29-2020, 08:50 PM   #86
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And with my M3
M3 leather still looking good tho!
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      03-01-2020, 04:40 AM   #87
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And with my M3
M3 leather still looking good tho!
My extended merino leather wrinkled in the seat portion and one bolster I never touched spider webbed!
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      03-01-2020, 09:13 AM   #88
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E46 M3 interior still looks better than F8x, still looks modern after all these years. My favorite M car to this day, second is the M2C.
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