S3PANG

I've been a longtime Audi driver... from S4s to TTs. Up until a week ago I was driving a 2016 S3. I wanted something more powerful but couldn't wait for the RS3 or specifically the TTRS.

Thus, I bid the Audi brand adieu in favor of BMW. Got myself into a 2017 M3 with the Competition package (pushing around 445 horsepower). It definitely takes getting used to from the driving dynamic to normal ergonomic controls but all in all, it really is a phenomenal, phenomenal vehicle. The sound is amazing as is the handling (and this is coming from the very sporty AWD S3).

Audi just really doesn't have anything in the lineup to compete with the M3. The S5 won't be as powerful and who knows when an RS5 would come out. I love Audi but it's a nice change and definitely more fun to drive.

DennisMitchell

Nice. Good luck with it and your conversion to the dark side...

I had an X5 one time at the same time I had an Audi A6. It drove me crazy with the different ergonomics of the two brands.

wtmeyer

As a long time BMW owner, I recently bought a 2016 Audi S3 as my daily driver. Yesterday I got a chance to drive a 2017 M3 at a BMW event. My thoughts were very similar to yours, except I think I will enjoy driving the S3 more on a daily basis. Here in Maryland I will need the AWD a couple of times a year. The M3 felt big and heavy compared to the S3, but you could definitely feel the extra horsepower. The M3 is much easier to drive fast, but I did not really get a chance to check out the handling since we were on public roads. Let's us know your experience living with the M3 on a daily basis. Maybe my next car will be an M3 or M4 when my 335I lease is up in a year or so.

gamegenie

the turbocharged V6 RS4 avant with it's 450-500 horses will eat that M3 alive.

shansoft

But when it comes to a corner, that understeer mess is gonna be nasty.

arU4ic

Cool man, please keep posting about your experience, I'm really curious how your ownership pans out and whether you have pangs for Audi in the future.

AWD has kept me away from the M3 - I go to the snow too often and like the security in the rain - understeer sure, but the quattro makes up for it - M3 is a totally different car, I don't think comparisons work, even the RS3.

markN1689

im not a fan of the 'try hard' bmw styling. not to mention the douche factor of owning an m3.

arU4ic

That's a little harsh, but I get what you're saying - at least he didn't get a Tesla

CaseyS4

I too went back to the dark side (BMW).

I had a 2013 S4. My prior ride was a 2009 E90 335i. I also have had an 06' E46 330i vert with zsp package and an 02' E46 325i.

I left BMW over quality. The E90 335i I had was just a mess. Was on a first name basis with my mechanic! Not good.

So I went over to Audi in 2013. I loved my S4. Solid and not a single quality issue in 3 years of spirited driving. It just ran and ran well.

Although...it was not as tight and dialed in as my BMWs.

So in September when my lease was up I went to my Audi dealership.

Guess what? No S4s until Summer of 2017. No S5s either. Also no S3 on the lot and months before he was sure to have one.

I was very surprised to find that Audi was in a position where it had no S3s, 4s, or 5s for the near future. Those have to be the lion share of their "S" car sales--the $45K to $60K range.

So I went across the street to BMW and test drove a 2017 340i XDrive! Sold! That B58 engine is amazing. The 340i is very tight and dialed in...made my S4 feel "sloppy."

I only hope the 340i's quality will hold up.

BMW has been making the F30 for a while...hopefully all the bugs have been worked out.

Diztek

i had a 2016 328i for a loaner. had the car for about 2 weeks. my wife and i both could not stand it. i know it was a base model. after a week i called audi to see if my car was done, and they said they needed it for another 5 days. i said fine, but you gotta get me out of this 3 series. i got a base model a3. it was sooo much better. my wife and i were pretty shocked that we, hands down, preferred a lower tier audi a3 over the bmw 3 series. now the bmw had great power but it had no soul. it was too big and i felt like i was driving a car from the 90s.