M3 vs C63 v RS4

[REXman]

I think I'm biased!!

Dont mean to stroke your bonnet, but they are a damn nice car the RS4s.

[Rockett55]

Haven't had an M3 or RS4, but have had C63 and you couldn't give me another one as a gift (well maybe you could and then I'd sell it). Yes goes good, sounds good, but MB servicing costs are outragous and the number of warranty claims is staggering. Definietly not a car to own outside the warranty period. Buying the car is the cheap bit, keeping "consumable" parts up to it is the hard part. If going again I'd get the M3.

[dave_r]

yeah at launch though the C63 was $139,990 (plus on roads/LCT etc). Then I saw in one of the motor mags (Motor/Wheels) it says they are now $151,00 plus on-roads etc..

The taxes and options on all of them are farken crazy. My mates RS5 had an RRP of ~$210k driveaway with a few options which is a massive jump from the base factory RRP before the pricks in Canberra play gang rape!

Buying the car is the cheap bit, keeping "consumable" parts up to it is the hard part. If going again I'd get the M3.

LOL the M3 won't be any cheaper, they're bloody pricey to service as well. Audi corporate program (if eligable) does 3 years full servicing, not sure if the other 2 have something similar.

[REXman]

Haven't had an M3 or RS4, but have had C63 and you couldn't give me another one as a gift (well maybe you could and then I'd sell it). Yes goes good, sounds good, but MB servicing costs are outragous and the number of warranty claims is staggering. Definietly not a car to own outside the warranty period. Buying the car is the cheap bit, keeping "consumable" parts up to it is the hard part. If going again I'd get the M3.

Nice to hear some first hand ownership experience. Can you elaborate on the heap of warranty claims? What are we talking about exactly?

We have just a 325ci, and we have had no warranty claims and my old man forgets to service it and stuff..It's about 7 years old now, (the E46 was a good car - very solid, the E92 looks good but feels so flimsy in comparison - apparently all the panels etc are thinner and the car is lighter.get this, for fuel economy! Like a person blowing $100K on a car cares about an extra $20 a week at the pump!) I digress!

Lastly, which year did you get it and what's the service cost?

[Buller_Scott]

I wouldn't have any of them.
It would be an RS6 or E39 M5 for me. Less electronics telling you what to do & the M5 has a proper manual & great chassis. Plus you'd have loads of money left over for a weekend toy.

yeah wtf is with all the crap in cars these days?!?! it seems like even the barina spark, base model suzuki swift, hyundai i20 etc etc are coming with reversing sensors, rain-sensing wipers, dual zone climate control, non-switch-offable traction control, quasi-lsd's, etc etc...

hang on to your toys, folks. even the 500 abarth has 7 airbags, full time traction control, a fake lsd, and over assisted steering... soon, cars will have so much horse sht in them that you wont actually have to drive them at all.

but on topic, M3 4 door for me, thanks.

[gareth_oau]

and a barina wont have the power to pull it all around

[jamesatfish]

How you finding it jamesatfish?

Unfortunately I don't know yet - still waiting on delivery. Should have it sometime this month (April) - I'll be sure to update the thread with some details and pics when it arrives.

[dubbed]

I wasn't very impressed with the sound of the AMGs running around Albert Park at the Grand Prix, although, the Estate looked tough going around the track. The 6.2 litre (okay, 6."3") sounded like a muffled big-block V8 - not a high-strung, racey V8. Being track-side at Phillip Island and hearing stock M3s barrel down the straight, now that got the hairs on my neck standing, not to mention it's the best performer in the group whilst the others are still playing catch up.

[FLAUNTT]

Driven all three, and if you had to get one for the track it definately would be the M3 just a great balanced car with a screamer engine. The road car would definately be the C63, monster motor and the auto gearbox is bearable in the real world just sucks at the track. This is coming from a major Audi fan !!

[m3103]

Just on the point of servicing costs and warranty claims. Whilst servicing will probably be in the same ballpark, having experience with two M3's over three or four years now. Both manual and auto. Not one problem. Ever! Nothing at all! Pretty good if u ask me.

[REXman]

I wasn't very impressed with the sound of the AMGs running around Albert Park at the Grand Prix, although, the Estate looked tough going around the track. The 6.2 litre (okay, 6."3") sounded like a muffled big-block V8 - not a high-strung, racey V8. Being track-side at Phillip Island and hearing stock M3s barrel down the straight, now that got the hairs on my neck standing, not to mention it's the best performer in the group whilst the others are still playing catch up.

Dubbed mate, I reckon your better off driving your MY00 GTI. The sound of the AMGs is one of the finest man made sounds available in 2011. And you would have to be the first person I have ever heard using the words " unimpressed" , "exhaust noise" and "C63" in the same sentence.

And I was under the impression that in a straight lint they are at a dead lock, if anything gong to the c63!!

[dubbed]

Okay. I wasn't planning on not driving it, mate. But if it helps you sleep better at night....

[bigfoot]

Exposed! Audi's new RS4

And I was under the impression that in a straight lint they are at a dead lock, if anything gong to the c63!!

maybe, but corners are where it matters

[Rockett55]

Nice to hear some first hand ownership experience. Can you elaborate on the heap of warranty claims? What are we talking about exactly?

We have just a 325ci, and we have had no warranty claims and my old man forgets to service it and stuff..It's about 7 years old now, (the E46 was a good car - very solid, the E92 looks good but feels so flimsy in comparison - apparently all the panels etc are thinner and the car is lighter.get this, for fuel economy! Like a person blowing $100K on a car cares about an extra $20 a week at the pump!) I digress!

Lastly, which year did you get it and what's the service cost?

A Service $600+ (Remember this is oil and filter change plus check over car)
B Service $950+ (This is also oil and filter change plus check over car)
Spark plugs $1,100 (Thats installed....)
Transmission service $750+
Air filter $140 (this is not included in an almost $1,000 B service.
Anything else they find on the car is an extra

Standard 2nd B service is
- B Service $950
- Transmission service $750
- Plugs $1,100
- Air Filter $140
That's $2,940 to start with, plus what ever else they find, front pads and rotors......

Warranty -
- Headlight control units $3,000 per side
- Cataletic converter $2,500 per side
- Key amplifier (remote control in rear window) $800
- Rear window $3,200 (not an MB issue, Mr wintow tinter picked up that one, cut the demister)
- Weakened boot springs ($??) with AMG body kit the boot won't open so the springs are set to full hard and then get soggy and won't open.
- Bonnet release latch $?
- Bits of trim, etc. etc. etc.

Whilst at the dealers discussing various "things" with the car, almost every (85%) service sheet that went back to the customer had the big red "Warranty" stamp on it for 1 reason or another. On average about 1 in 3 were rebooked within the next week to get parts installed that had to be ordered in.

Don't want to turn this into a MB bashing exercise, they are great cars (and they put on excellent drive days). I'm sure alot of others could say similar things about almost every brand. But if you want one of these, they are a "Toy" that will cost money, and for those that can blow the cash (obviously not me as I found out)

It's just as well they go so good, cause with the flex of the right foot, there's a thunderous exhaust note, a whack in the back of the seat and a gentle (well that's up to you) stepping out of the rear end at almost any speed that really puts a smile on your dial.

[Sharkie]

Dubbed mate, I reckon your better off driving your MY00 GTI. The sound of the AMGs is one of the finest man made sounds available in 2011. And you would have to be the first person I have ever heard using the words " unimpressed" , "exhaust noise" and "C63" in the same sentence.

With you having only ever had a 325ci and never a M BMW I can understand that you don't understand where Dubbed is coming from ..... whilst a C63 has a really nice big V8 bellow, it is sadly soundwise no match for any of the late generation BMW Ms ....

I too, am unimpressed by the sound a C63 makes ....

I have owned 3 generations of the M straight sixes and have driven the V8 engined M5 (E39) and current E92 M3 quite extensively and the high rpm sounds they emit is pure metallic scream that is far far better than the RS4 or C63 can ever hope to deliver.

Also, refer to the latest Wheels for an article on NA engines, there is a comment on the sound of the E46 M3 in there ...

My pick stays on the latest M3 with a 2nd to the RS4 and sadly a 3rd place for the C63. Too much gansta and not enough substance to back it up when needed.