agentutah

Hey there-

New to the boards, but just wanted to throw a question out there to this "unbiased" crowd. :-)

Might be in the market for a 4 door sedan. These two cars are the finals. I've always been a BMW guy (previous M3 owner), but the RS4 is pretty sweet and has caught my eye. Plus, I live in MN so having AWD would be key. The perfect car would be the E46 M3, but I need 4 doors cuz of kids.

Just wondering what you guys think of the two cars and how to appropriately compare them.

I'll break down what I see as pros and cons to each, feel free to add your own or dispute mine.

BMW pro:
brand new
Like the M3 styling
Bigger than RS4
Maybe more fun to drive?

BMW con:
RWD
brand new
possibly iDrive?

RS4 pro:
LOVE the blue/white color combo
super fast
AWD
Interior seems nicer than BMW

RS4 con:
more spendy
gas mileage and CO2 emissions are worse

Any other thoughts???
Thanks!

shurick888

I dont think you will get too many unbiased opinions on RS4 forum. Might want to try some generic car forum for has nothing to do with BMW or Audi. Everyone here will obviusly recommend RS4. heh

Reggie

Snow - with good snow tires the BMW will do fine.

iDrive does suck.

You probably should go with the new V8 M3 - nice car and with new car warranty. For me personally I went the other way but I was biased toward Audi because of the exclusivity and stronger frames.

April

Additionally, since it is a model produced at the end of the this design run, it may have dated aspects, but it's also had most of the bugs worked out. Anybody who remembers the E46 M3 motors blowing up might appreciate that;-P

absoluteis

Maybe thats what he WANTS to hear

Chan

M3, C63 and the IS-Fugly.

MARKNMTT

drive anywhere any time with nearly all power available. No BMW or MB can do the same. Interior is far nicer in the RS4, up to you if you like the styling or not. As suggested below I would buy a used RS4 that is CPO'd (certified) so you get the reduction from the depreciation hit and an already extended warranty. Plenty available...in Chicago anyway.

simonlok

If you ski, get the RS4.

If you want an M3, I would wait for 2 years. My 2001 M3 (first production year of the E46) was a big mess, as any car that is a first production year tends to be. Then in 2002, the E46 M3s had the exploding engine fiasco. Luckily neither of mine had that problem.

If you care about telematics, go with the M3. While the telematics on the RS4 are not garbage, they are far below what BMW has to offer and I really don't have any good things to say about them.

If you want more people to know you are a car nut, get the M3. Less people immediately recognize the RS4 for what it is than the M3s that I had.

MYROCKET_S4

your RS6 is stunning!

ESFO

M3 is also cheaper by almost 10k. But you gets no AWD. Question is, how important is AWD for you?