BMW and M Power Owners

Draeger said:
Has anyone here got a G80/G81 M3? If so (and you have them) how are you finding the carbon bucket seats?

About to pull the trigger on a G81 M3 Touring to replace my G21 M340i Touring and looking at whats currently available for sale, I'm keen on getting an example with the carbon buckets. They seem to be quite rare to find on LCI examples too, I believe the 'Ultimate' pack no longer includes these compared to how it was with the pre-LCI, so LCI's with carbon buckets appear to be a rare thing. I may plump for a 2023/24 car as the spec's seem much more generous than the LCI's.
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Worth trying the buckets first I find them great but my partner finds them uncomfortable to sit in and get in/out as the bolsters are pretty high, she can sit in the back :cry: The AUC LCI ones are generally more expensive than buying a new discounted one. I am on the look for one aswell and a couple LCIs with buckets have came up recently but they sold within a couple of days.
 
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Dangerous Dave said:
Worth trying the buckets first I find them great but my partner finds them uncomfortable to sit in and get in/out as the bolsters are pretty high, she can sit in the back :cry: The AUC LCI ones are generally more expensive than buying a new discounted one. I am on the look for one aswell and a couple LCIs with buckets have came up recently but they sold within a couple of days.
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Cheers :)

Curious, where did you find the LCI's with buckets? I've been daily checking the BMW AUC website, Autotrader and PH Classifieds but I don't think I've seen an LCI with buckets on any of those? Seen a couple with the 'Ultimate' pack but then that doesn't include the carbon buckets anymore, they need to be specced individually now I believe.

I've sat in a bucket seat at my local dealers, albeit it was in an M4 but I'd guess they were likely the same seats. Found it fine, although a bit tricky to get in/out.....I'm sure I'd get used to it. Like you say, always back seat options for passengers who don't appreciate them :D

The only other thing that irks me about the LCI is no Laser Lights. I have Lasers on my M340i and they are utterly brilliant, especially since we live in the middle of the sticks and in the autumn/winter the Lasers have proved very useful.
 
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I found them on AUC site, I say recently it is when I've been looking for a new car for 6 months was likely 6-8 weeks ago. Last one was an Isle of Man Green, red interior, Ultimate Pack, Buckets and the M Drivers pack so delimited.

For the bucket seats you can't just sit in them you need drive in them for 30-60 minutes at least this was where my partner found them uncomfortable. She finds the sport seats in her Mini really comfortable so she is used to fairly hard seats with bigger bolsters.

I personally wouldn't worry about lossing the laser lights I've had them and never personally rated them as brighter/better than adaptive LEDs on VAG/Merc cars. I've not driven a LCI in the dark yet but I expect the new adaptive LED headlights will offer simialir performance to the laser lights.
 
Carbon seats are one thing I'm wishing I'd have gone for in my G87. They give extra leg room in the rear which helps with my boy being in a child seat still. But, I've only ever sat in them in a showroom and I've never tried them on the road.
 
One thing I would add it is worth driving one, couple of things that jump out compared to a M340i is the ride is noticeably stiffer and the power is slightly further up the rev range on the M3. Roughly the M340d is 1500, M340 1900 and the M3 is 2500 for starting peak torque. In normal driving which is under this rev range the M3 is shifting around the gearbox a lot more than the M340d/M340i it pretty noticeable when you are on it doesn't really matter as the gearbox keeps it in the right gear to be in the power band and the M3 feels significantly faster than a M340i when revving it out but if you are on the motorway and want to nip past a car with out wanting to drop down multiple gears both the M340d/i on the initial throttle press will be quicker.

It's made me think M340i is the better daily but when I drive an M3 I do not stop grinning or out right laughing. I want to try a Alpina B3 it's got the M3 engine but tunned for more low down torque and a better ride might be the better daily out of the 3 but not many about and suspect it will be hard to get a longer test drive.
 
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Seems pertinent to drop this here:

B3 will be harder to find due to lesser numbers, but it's probably the best all-rounder. Probably has the best ride quality too if my previous Alpina D3BT with 20" rims was anything to go by.

Irrespective of the motorway comment, I'd still rather be in my M3 over the M340i/d.
 
I find the M340i versus M3 arguments miss the point and convince nobody of anything they didn't already think.

I bought an M340i because despite offering massively more performance than you can realistically use, there is almost no downside to it and they cost largely the same to run as a 320i. The only exception is the extra purchase price. By contrast, the M3 offers even more performance you can't use, but also brings with it an inferior ride quality and significantly more all round cost. So, for me, the M340i was the obvious choice and I wouldn't even consider swapping it for an M3. I just don't want one.

But he does want one - and that's what cars like the M3 are about. They'll fail most objective comparisons but it's not about what it does on paper its about how it makes you feel. If you drive an M340i and keep thinking you want an M3 to the point you're actively shopping one then it's decided isn't it.
 
I've several times considered an M340 - mate has one, and it's a great car - especially in touring form. I'm shallow however, and I think it would just irritate the crap out of me everytime I saw an M3 touring.
 
If you want an M3, then an M340i isn’t the right car for you.


If you want a quick 6 cylinder, and don’t know if the M3 is worth the extra, the M340i is the right answer. They’re much closer now in the current gen than the F30/F80 too.
 
As mentioned above, the B3 is the "best" one in terms of all-round ability. The M3 is on edge all the time - it's an M car.
However, you get the wide body and it looks mega (honestly, complaining about the nose is so 2020).
 
[TW]Fox said:
I find the M340i versus M3 arguments miss the point and convince nobody of anything they didn't already think.

I bought an M340i because despite offering massively more performance than you can realistically use, there is almost no downside to it and they cost largely the same to run as a 320i. The only exception is the extra purchase price. By contrast, the M3 offers even more performance you can't use, but also brings with it an inferior ride quality and significantly more all round cost. So, for me, the M340i was the obvious choice and I wouldn't even consider swapping it for an M3. I just don't want one.

But he does want one - and that's what cars like the M3 are about. They'll fail most objective comparisons but it's not about what it does on paper its about how it makes you feel. If you drive an M340i and keep thinking you want an M3 to the point you're actively shopping one then it's decided isn't it.
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Agreed. Have had a G81 for just over 12 months, having test drove an M340i (and d). The M340's are so very good, and are clearly the more practical and thus sensible choice, but I needed to scratch an itch and no manner of research, talking to others etc could have scratched that itch for me.

In short, don't compare the M340's with the M3 when lookong to purchase; they are different beasts and, deep down, you will know what you want.
 
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