Tony Lewis & Berry BMW gave me a BMW M4 Competition Pack for a week back in September, after pitching it against the brand new ALPINA B4 S, It made sense to do a quick individual review too! Hope you like the video.
Hi Jo, on the traction issue - is the loss of traction ‘dangerous’ (as in you could easily collide with another car), or is it just annoying from a driving perspective? Thanks in advance.
joe, i have an f80 M3 and the main issue when these cars first came out was the traction like you mentioned repeatedly in your video but once i got my PS4S tires, i can't even describe how much more confident i am entering a turn or off ramp at 70+ MPH. unbelievable what a set of tires can do for a car and your confidence in this tail happy car.
I am writing this after watching the negatives and a few beers so bear with me. As an ex M4 owner the word frustrating is the best description of the car. You pay for xxx horsepower but can only access 50% most of the time which drove me mad. In terms of steering, I agree, it doesn't have any feel and whilst my old M135i had more (although still not great) I found the M4 more stable at 3 figure speeds as the rack is slower and less twitchy, but that's just me and others may disagree. Thanks again for posting more great videos we all enjoy...
Haha love a beer reply! But you make perfect sense, I really think a set of PS4S's improve this car by 10-15%, but there is still so much room for improvement by the M division.... Cheers
I have a 2017 M3 Comp PCK. I have the same complaints. I have always wanted to share them but people seem like I am sniveling, so I don't say anything. Totally agree with everything you said the bad and the good. Truly a great honest review.
Good to hear, I knew this video would get a few haters, thankfully only a handful of owners who are lying to themselves. On the whole they are incredible machines, I'm very jealous of you M3 Comp :-) Cheers
Nice to see & hear an honest review. Yes, we can find fault in anything, any car, but if your thinking of buying an M4CP, then this is great prep before you test drive. Top vid, Joe👍
Thoroughly enjoyed the review, especially the front facing camera segments where you show some spirited driving. It actually re-calibrates my brain to how a proper driver and car can carry such speed and momentum whilst staying dead center and seemingly not breaking a sweat! :) I'd love a separate video of such content :)
After a little over 7 minutes, I genuinely thought you hated the car... It didn’t seem to be your favourite car ever by the end but you certainly appreciate the car for what it is and you’ve put up another great video! I think my favourite thing (and there’s a few) is how you don’t just praise it and aren’t afraid to criticise it for its weaknesses
Haha yeah it's far from a perfect car, but on the whole it's really good! I like to be as honest as possible, count myself as a tester, not a typical RUclipsr who only gives positives, nobody will believe that. Cheers man hope your M2 is going well :-)
Joe Achilles As a buyer of a car I’d rather be sold a car I know the flaws of than get into something thinking it’s perfect as I know it will have its disappointments and your reviews highlight the good and the bad! The m2 had its running in service this morning and definitely agree with your comments about the steering weight - that and the brakes are the steepest learning curves but absolutely loving it so far :)
I know this video is a year old, but the timing of me viewing it couldn't have been better, as I'm taking delivery of an M4C next week. Funny thing, I was talking last night with a Michelin employee about the difference in tires. Cheers, Joe!
Hi Joe, nice review. Ive had a comp pack m3 for a year and a half and agree a lot with your review. My main complaint of the car is the tyre roar. Gets noisy in the cabin very quickly at high speeds. Apart from that, is like chalk and cheese during winter and summer. Winter when it's wet and cold it's unusable power, but in the summer when you get the tyres warm and it hooks up, it's amazing, and like you say the engine is so rapid. If you reel out 3rd gear it's monstrous.
Yep the ps4s was the first thing I did to my f80 comp, was a night and day difference, not just grip but also took the edge off the harsh ride. They also square off the shoulder and don’t look as stretched as the oe star spec mpss. As for negatives totally agree, though steering doesn’t really bother me but the ride quality should be better. BMW need to ditch Sachs as an oe supplier and switch to blistein. You really should be using the car in sport or sport+ throttle as that’s where the s55 pulls all its advanced anti lag turbo tricks and puts the biggest gap to the m2
Great review as usual Joe. Interesting with the traction issues- with a tuned M240i the car suffers the same. I put a Wavetrac mechanical diff in it and it keeps the nanny from intervening as much, especially off the line. Can’t wait for the 18 inch MP4Ss! Cheers.
Joe - great review - appreciate the descriptions of the various settings and how they translate on the road - not something I hear too much so kudos to you for describing the driving experience in this way...love these cars especially in this configuration.
My sister owned that exact model M4 in 2018. She borrowed me the car for the day, and I did notice the benign steering feedback. But I absolutely loved the hard unnecessary jolt it gave changing gear in setting 3, it just felt more aggressive and exciting! ( I sincerely hope my sister never reads this next bit! ) And my goodness I could power slide that car with ease around roundabouts with TT completely disengaged and not once did I ever feel it lacked grip/control or the ability to stabilise it again without ending up in a hedge! Lol. Shocking straight line speed also! Amazing car! ( my best car to date that I have owned is a Ford Escort RS Cosworth modified to 307bhp. That only did 0-60 in 5.1 so this beema felt much faster. ) great review my friend! 👍
Just picked up a 2018 M4 Comp. Everything, I mean everything you said about the traction control is spot on. For that matter, the whole review is spot on in my opinion. Awesome review. Thank you!
This is the best review of the M4 I've seen. Too many reviewers focus on technical specs instead of telling how it really translates to the car itself. You hit the nail on the head saying it struggles with putting down power. I'm an owner of E92 M3 on P4S and even with less power and torque it struggles to get traction when the conditions are less than ideal. It's frustrating really, around town you feel like you're driving a much slower car due to the TC kickin in all the time. I test drove an M2 recently and I was stunned at how this thing grips, probably due to lower HP figure the car just goes without hesitation - hence I do not understand people who mod this car to 450hp+, you're all missing the point of this car. I'm selling my M3 and thinking about going to something with AWD like the RS3 (you have to drive the FL) or A45 or maybe sticking with less power/more grippy RWD like M140i or M2. Fun and "dailybility" is all I care about at the moment and the current sport coupe/saloon line up (M4/C63) just doesn't do the former. Would love to hear your thoughts on this
Don't get me wrong, it's a great car hence why I bought it in the first place. I'm talking about the real world scenarios where you cannot really use that power. Even if it's hot you still need to drive for a solid 30 minutes before the tires get any heat in them and then start to grip. When I take it to the track where the tires are constantly getting heat it just goes without hesitation no matter the gear and it's a blast. However, I only do trackdays 2-3 times a year so it just doesn't cut it for me anymore. At this point I'd rather get something stripped out track focused and a nice luxurious daily. But I want a car that can do both and it seems like there are limited options in
Solid review Joe for daily drivers which is probably the majority of people who buy this car. People only see reviews from people who are more focused on track performance and then think it's the better car for them.
I was lucky enough to get a 2020 M4 with the Competition Pack last October in manual with the carbon ceramic breaks (I had no choice on this option because of the color combo I wanted, white with the orange interior was not easy to find). It's been almost a year now and owning this car actually makes me look forward to my daily commute to work. Starting it cold every morning feels like an event every time and always puts a smile on my face. I intentionally did not want to get the 2021 model , because I am not a fan of all digital dash displays and like the simplicity of the analog dash to go along with a manual transmission. Great video Joe , I just hit the SUBSCRIBE button!
Hi Joe, I made a test drive some months ago with exact the same car and I had the same impression regarding steering and suspension. At least in comfort it should be different but it wasn't. The same with the speed of rotation in automatic mode. In comfort the system holds the rpm over 3000 and more. Also during stop and go and less gas . These points are for me not understandable. It makes daily driving anyhow nerving ;) Most impressing point of this car was for me the traction. It was pouring down that day and first I drove not very fast in curves. Later I found out how good the grip of that thing is also under that conditions and high speed;) Gorgeous!
It was interesting watch some older content from you. You've progressed lot as an content producer and even more as driver. I stumbled on this video because I'm planning to acquire F82 M4 Competition this spring to serve as my hobby / summer car. Sounds like it absolutely needs to get Michelin Pilot 4S's on (if it doesn't have these already).
Thank you buddy! Yes it only had PSS's which were standard fit at the time, I actually compared this F82 to an ALPINA B3 S that came on PS4S's, worth a watch if you have the time 👌 Cheers for the support 👊
Great video as always Joe, although this is years after the video was made i am finally getting a 2017 m3 competition, thanks for all the effort you put into these videos 👌👍
Best thing you can do on an f8x comp is m performance exhaust and swap the star spec mpss with ps4s - grip is transformed and mdm doesn’t impede acceleration off a corner
Nice one Joe, put this on while having my dinner - what a perfect video to watch as well! Really felt at home and relaxed watching it, you went through all the parts of the driving experience and gave perfect clarity on the good & bad. I think you really nailed the issues with the car as well - too much hardness with no option to chill out, stupid traction problems (maybe ps4s solves this), the shunting during gear changes upsetting the car - this happened and threw my dad's M4 up a kerb at one point which he had to get himself out of! haha :P Also you must have balls of steel the way you zoom through those lanes and get so close to the verge! :O Anyway yeah, great video and enjoyed the drive at the end too, I'm sure that scene with that music on it reminds me of something ;) Looking forward to the next video mate, or the next live too!
Owner or M3 with PS4S, it does improve a bit but it still struggles to put the power down in anything less than ideal conditions (weather and tire temperature)
Steering feel changes greatly with the width of tires. Wider tires, the harder the steering will be, but you will get a lot more grip. As someone who regularly goes to the gym, I don't find the steering too heavy. In fact, I've driven E90 3 series which have much harder steering feel than the F8x M cars. At least the steering is adjustable on these cars
Brilliant video👍 and can 100% agree about the PS4S’s.. I ran the pilot super sports on my 330 now have the PS4S’s they are day n night better especially in wet conditions
I’ve been watching your stuff Joe for years - big fan (I’m also a similar height and enjoy mountain biking) I’ve just bought my first M car, and it’s an F82 M4 competition 2017 with PSP4S tyres. Love it, though it’s taking some time to get used to the difference from driving diesels for years. I’ve had a 330d, two 335d’s (both e90s) and a 535d - tuned to stage 2+. The M4 is quicker still and the handling and specialness is in another league
Fantastic review. Funny to see the roads at 7.30 as I was driving there last Sunday morning!! Probably one of my favourite little spots locally to have a play now!
Very nice review, I have got the first version of the m4 and I am really disappointed that after 3 years, a competition package and a facelift, they haven't fixed the suspension, steering and traction (traction control). I dont get that if you have adjustable dampers, they can't make a soft, a medium and a hard setting. Other companies manage that.
Cheers man! Yeah, they maybe need to do UK specific suspension setups, I can imagine the M cars feel so much better on an average German A road . Cheers
A very interesting and informative review as always! Liked the honest bit at the beginning and agree with you regarding the traction. Had a go in a pre-owned one recently whilst looking for a new toy and it was too peaky for me. I'm considering a Lexus RC-F for the V8 and linear power delivery alone. Would be great if you could get your hands on one somehow!
Great review - thanks Joe Ive got an 2018 M4 comp pack and the only car that came close to being as fun to drive on the road in its class was the Merc C63 s
And then it would be yet another boring 4wd performance saloon / coupe. Feel the car come alive and move beneath you, learn to drive it and it's way more satisfying. Get a manual and it's jumps to another level of driver engagement. For me it's not about ultimate pace if it was I'd buy a GTR, it's about driver engagemnet and fun without needing hyper speeds to achieve it.
Hi Joe, enjoyed your honest review of the M4. 335D touring Shadow Edition now ordered, delivery for March. Had a few options based on your recent videos.
Midland Grounds hi, I have the C43 amg 2017 4 door sedan and I’ve driven the normal M4. I feel the C43 is good on the acceleration part but the driving engagement is better in an M4. And the M4 challenges you to become a better driver and irrespective of the car you choose I really feel that the m4 is a notch above in terms of handling and power.
Thanks for the review. I was looking to buy this as a daily driver. Didn’t realize how stiff it was. I think I’ll stick with a 5 series with the Dynamic Handling package.
I'm lucky enough to own one (M4CP). Unbelievable performance and value for money, esp if you by ex-demo or 6 months old!! (£68k cars new, down to about £48K!)
Great review. I won’t lie when I first started watching this I felt frustrated. I’m currently in the market for a m4 and this video really has me second guessing myself. The second hand market is fantastic for these cars at the moment. Decisions decisions
Don't be put off, they are great cars. I bought mine new over a year ago (cp lci) and it's been fantastic. It's an absolute joy and every drive is a lot of fun. The ride is fine, tolerable in all modes if you're a keen driver and fine in sport and comfort. Dynamically the car is a delight, performance is certainly ample. These cars were crowned Evo coupe of the year and finished 4th in the Auto Expess Sports Car catagory. To put this in perspective the incredible 911 GTS finished 3rd! Personally I think the Super Sport tyres should not be fitted to North European cars, they are very temperature sensitive and below 5c they are really bad. The tread blocks go hard and perform worse than a normal summer tyre. Once upto temperature the grip levels are fantastic but remember this is a 444+bhp rear drive car, it's going to have traction issues but for me this makes the car feel alive. Buy a manual if you can find one and enjoy :)
Totally concur with the comments made in this video. To me, the problem lies in the torque delivery of the engine which is not metered out at all and arrives in one big hit thereby upsetting the balance and traction. If anybody can get hold of a base Carrera 991.2, you will be amazed at the much more linear way that Porsche has engineered the turbos to spool up progressively throughout the rev range. It gives the car an almost normally aspirated sensation from just above idle to the red line. To me, this is what BMW should be trying to achieve with these high torque, power turbo engines as it makes for a much more measured and enjoyable driving experience. Just my thoughts having driven both cars.
Agreed! Also the fact that no engine is resting on the back wheels is an obvious advantage for the porker. BMW should consider going transaxle, or at least manage the torque better. I’m not expert, maybe all that low end torque was useful for emissions numbers?
Great review Joe, I have a 2018 M4 (opted to not go for CP due to great price deal on stock with options) and love it. I agree with your traction comments, but having owned M3s since the 90s I understand why BMW went with a more intrusive TC setup for this car for the general population. Your thoughts on the PS4S are really interesting as well and I will take a look at that.
Great and honest review, Joe. Looking forward to also seeing a BMW M4/M3 CS review :P Do you think you'll get your hands on one of these 2 any time soon? I know it'd make a good Xmas present :)))
Great video Joe. :) Quick correction though - you mention the ceramic brakes are standard on CP cars - they're not, and are still an expensive option! Keep up the good work :)
Joe - Great video as usual. After the Wales Alpina vs M4 review you nearly did for my plans for an M3. After this video you would have completed the job except that a couple of weeks ago I borrowed the exact same spec M4 as your test for half a day (shout out to Amy from Sytner Tamworth). The drive went just like your video. I almost hated it at first; rough ride, heavy steering and noisy! Bear in mind I have driven a standard M4 on just the same roads so I already had a reference. By the time I gave it back I almost loved it but the key conclusion was that the comp pack is too much for a daily driver. So much so that I turned down a really good deal on an M3 with comp pack in stock. Since then I have thought about it and modified my opinion to comp pack with the 19” wheels and less radical tyres. Especially noting a recent test by Evo magazine with that just setup and your previous comments on the PS4s on the Alpina. So seeing your video has confirmed my thoughts and M3 comp pack it will be sometime hopefully soon. Near miss again! All the best.
Joe, I think expecting to put all the power and torque down in 1-3rd gear without any traction issues is almost impossible in such a car. This beast of an engine produces power down low and the DCT does not have the so-called boost-by-gear feature like for example Ferraris or aftermarket tuners do. It's just ain't happening without xDrive (F90 says hi) and/or Cup 2's, I am afraid. Just be more gentle on the throttle... But I agree that BMW can't make the suspension work - had to fix the soft-yet-crashy 135i suspension too. Will probably have to do the same to the maybe-incoming 340i next year. Oh, and I've found memory seats to be sat at least one inch higher than manual sports seats in the 1 and 3 Series. P.S.: Good review either way! At least you're not like others that do not criticize anything just because they are too scared. Manual M4 Comp with 18" wheels and M Perf suspension for me. :-)
If you were planning on purchasing a used M3/M4 what would you safe is a safe bet on the lifetime mileage of the car? Being honest to myself buying a new one is way out of what I could afford so I am going to be looking at a 2017 CP M3 with 30K miles or less. I'm just wondering if these cars would last 100K + miles if you took care of the car and didn't drive like a maniac all the time. With the financing and everything for a 50K car it would be roughly 1000$ a month for 60 months which is 5 years. Just wondering if the reliability would be safe enough to say that this car will last more than 5yrs or the 100K mile mark. Great vid! 👍🏽
@@Rohan-ly1rl it’s mad though. As impressive as that Golf R was I’d never change my F82 as I’ve had it three months now and it’s such an amazing daily driver and so much fun to drive. I thought getting out my superb G30 530d would a step back in terms of tech but widescreen coding for CarPlay on the F82 keeps it fresh.
Nice one Joe. Totally right about the steering - why oh why do they try and convince that weight equals feel? MDM vastly improved with map and GTS flash - awful out of the box - far more nannying than early F80’s.
Great Video Joe as an owner of one, you cover it all ,and you do as a driver get used to how they feel , BMW quiet underrate the hp a bit was shocked when i put mine on a dino!
Joe. Cracking review. I had an M4 comp pack on loan last week and was left a bit cold by the experience which made me very disappointed as the M4 had always been a dream car. The time I had it was wet and it was a constant battle to get any power down. I could definitely drive my m140i quicker in the wet which seems like an odd statement. The ride was also far too harsh for a daily driver and being similar size to you I didn't fit into the seats height wise or across the shoulders ( I'm quite wide) . Would I be right in thinking an m2 sits somewhere between an m lite and an M4 in terms of comfort and useability as a daily driver? I would still love to get my hands on an M4 in the dry for another blast the power is fantastic. Excellent non biased review Joe. keep up the work.
great video, speaking as an M4CP owner I agree with everything you said. The worst thing about the car is the lack of traction, on many occasion i have been embarrassed at the lights by cars with far less BHP - maybe its time for 4WD like the new M5???? Need new tyres soon so might try the PS4S as your recommendation
Great review . I drive a mk7 golf gti and once the novelty wares off sports mode the steering is so heavy with very little performance gains . So have it set mid way . Or all off 👌
Hey Joe. I was fortunate enough to drive an M4 Competition Pack 2 weeks ago. Totally bonkers. What would you say are the major differences between this M4 and the 135i/140i? Is the 140i far off?
Another great video Joe. I’m currently in the market for either an F80 M3 Competition or wait for the M2 Competition/CS/CSL. Having already had an M2 I’m swaying towards the M3 especially when it looks like the new M2 will be similar money. What are your thoughts?
Would the PS4 be as good as the Yokohama advan neova ad08r? I have had super sports on my vehicle before and I didn't like them because the steering response was not that great and at the limit of traction, the tyre used to squirm a lot and feel underinflated. It's as if you had to give two steering inputs in order to turn too. It was a very weird experience. There were times I thought the tyre busted because of the squirming. I got rid of these tyres after 2 months. Alignment etc was spot on. When I switched to Yokohama, problem solved instantly. The Yokohama have a very responsive sticky steering feel to them that just feel a lot better on the road and gives the car great front end feel. My steering feel came back and the vehicle was just more nimble and required less steering inputs to negotiate turns etc. I have noticed that Every single car with these super sport tyres always have complaints about the numb steering feel. This guy has said it, as well as various other RUclips reviewers too on m cars. I'm willing to bet it's the tyres.... I have never understood why everyone loves the Michelin's so much. There are many people who have had negative experiences too but they are hard to find on the internet.
Looking at a 2018 M4 CP Telesto grey and a 2018 Daytona blue M4 CS, about 10.000 euro more expensive. I’m thinking the CS will not depreciate so much? Both cars have a 4 year warranty from the BMW dealership. I CANT CHOOSE. HELP.
Tony Lewis & Berry BMW gave me a BMW M4 Competition Pack for a week back in September, after pitching it against the brand new ALPINA B4 S, It made sense to do a quick individual review too! Hope you like the video.
U need some Michelin sport plus tyres mate
@@marqcole5187 never heard of them
@@JoeAchilles1 the actual name is Michelin pilot super sport... no traction issues after that
Hi Jo, on the traction issue - is the loss of traction ‘dangerous’ (as in you could easily collide with another car), or is it just annoying from a driving perspective? Thanks in advance.
joe, i have an f80 M3 and the main issue when these cars first came out was the traction like you mentioned repeatedly in your video but once i got my PS4S tires, i can't even describe how much more confident i am entering a turn or off ramp at 70+ MPH. unbelievable what a set of tires can do for a car and your confidence in this tail happy car.
I am writing this after watching the negatives and a few beers so bear with me. As an ex M4 owner the word frustrating is the best description of the car. You pay for xxx horsepower but can only access 50% most of the time which drove me mad. In terms of steering, I agree, it doesn't have any feel and whilst my old M135i had more (although still not great) I found the M4 more stable at 3 figure speeds as the rack is slower and less twitchy, but that's just me and others may disagree. Thanks again for posting more great videos we all enjoy...
Haha love a beer reply! But you make perfect sense, I really think a set of PS4S's improve this car by 10-15%, but there is still so much room for improvement by the M division.... Cheers
Did u own base or comp pack m4?
Just received my M4 Competition!
Congrats man🔥
wow!! congrats :D i am jelous!
how is it
Nah you didn’t
Me2 😎
I have a 2017 M3 Comp PCK. I have the same complaints. I have always wanted to share them but people seem like I am sniveling, so I don't say anything. Totally agree with everything you said the bad and the good. Truly a great honest review.
Good to hear, I knew this video would get a few haters, thankfully only a handful of owners who are lying to themselves. On the whole they are incredible machines, I'm very jealous of you M3 Comp :-) Cheers
Nice to see & hear an honest review. Yes, we can find fault in anything, any car, but if your thinking of buying an M4CP, then this is great prep before you test drive. Top vid, Joe👍
Cheers buddy, hopefully my honesty doesn't come across negative, I love the car, just not perfect haha
Nice work Joe. It's refreshing to see an honest review, most reviewers shy away from the negatives.
Cheers man! Yeah I pride myself on honesty, people would rather hear the truth about a car, otherwise it just becomes advertising ;-)
BMW finally is bringing their brand forward. I’m liking these cars more and more with your Videos Joe!
Thoroughly enjoyed the review, especially the front facing camera segments where you show some spirited driving. It actually re-calibrates my brain to how a proper driver and car can carry such speed and momentum whilst staying dead center and seemingly not breaking a sweat! :) I'd love a separate video of such content :)
That cinematic intro was incredible, great unbiased review with good information, can't wait for the next one!
Cheers buddy, hope you're well in Ferrari land haha
Just watched this for the second time, the wormhole deepens!
😂😂😂😂🫣
After a little over 7 minutes, I genuinely thought you hated the car...
It didn’t seem to be your favourite car ever by the end but you certainly appreciate the car for what it is and you’ve put up another great video!
I think my favourite thing (and there’s a few) is how you don’t just praise it and aren’t afraid to criticise it for its weaknesses
Haha yeah it's far from a perfect car, but on the whole it's really good! I like to be as honest as possible, count myself as a tester, not a typical RUclipsr who only gives positives, nobody will believe that. Cheers man hope your M2 is going well :-)
Joe Achilles As a buyer of a car I’d rather be sold a car I know the flaws of than get into something thinking it’s perfect as I know it will have its disappointments and your reviews highlight the good and the bad!
The m2 had its running in service this morning and definitely agree with your comments about the steering weight - that and the brakes are the steepest learning curves but absolutely loving it so far :)
I know this video is a year old, but the timing of me viewing it couldn't have been better, as I'm taking delivery of an M4C next week. Funny thing, I was talking last night with a Michelin employee about the difference in tires. Cheers, Joe!
Haha no way! That's great to hear man, amazing how much better the M4 feels on some PS4 S's :-) Enjoy your new weapon! Joe
Those shots from the rear seat are an incredible camera angle
With all my love for the Alpina counterpart, I think the M4 seats are effin sexy.
Haha Very true!
Hi Joe, nice review. Ive had a comp pack m3 for a year and a half and agree a lot with your review.
My main complaint of the car is the tyre roar. Gets noisy in the cabin very quickly at high speeds.
Apart from that, is like chalk and cheese during winter and summer. Winter when it's wet and cold it's unusable power, but in the summer when you get the tyres warm and it hooks up, it's amazing, and like you say the engine is so rapid. If you reel out 3rd gear it's monstrous.
Yep the ps4s was the first thing I did to my f80 comp, was a night and day difference, not just grip but also took the edge off the harsh ride. They also square off the shoulder and don’t look as stretched as the oe star spec mpss. As for negatives totally agree, though steering doesn’t really bother me but the ride quality should be better. BMW need to ditch Sachs as an oe supplier and switch to blistein. You really should be using the car in sport or sport+ throttle as that’s where the s55 pulls all its advanced anti lag turbo tricks and puts the biggest gap to the m2
Joe. Congratulations on another, honest, intelligent review. I very much look forward to the next.
Cheers Mark, glad you liked the video :-)
Happy to hear honest comments on the M4. It really is a great car but way too expensive for me
Great review as usual Joe. Interesting with the traction issues- with a tuned M240i the car suffers the same. I put a Wavetrac mechanical diff in it and it keeps the nanny from intervening as much, especially off the line. Can’t wait for the 18 inch MP4Ss! Cheers.
Joe - great review - appreciate the descriptions of the various settings and how they translate on the road - not something I hear too much so kudos to you for describing the driving experience in this way...love these cars especially in this configuration.
Cheers man, glad you liked it and appreciate my approach :-)
My sister owned that exact model M4 in 2018. She borrowed me the car for the day, and I did notice the benign steering feedback. But I absolutely loved the hard unnecessary jolt it gave changing gear in setting 3, it just felt more aggressive and exciting! ( I sincerely hope my sister never reads this next bit! ) And my goodness I could power slide that car with ease around roundabouts with TT completely disengaged and not once did I ever feel it lacked grip/control or the ability to stabilise it again without ending up in a hedge! Lol. Shocking straight line speed also! Amazing car! ( my best car to date that I have owned is a Ford Escort RS Cosworth modified to 307bhp. That only did 0-60 in 5.1 so this beema felt much faster. ) great review my friend! 👍
Just picked up a 2018 M4 Comp. Everything, I mean everything you said about the traction control is spot on. For that matter, the whole review is spot on in my opinion. Awesome review. Thank you!
This is the best review of the M4 I've seen. Too many reviewers focus on technical specs instead of telling how it really translates to the car itself. You hit the nail on the head saying it struggles with putting down power. I'm an owner of E92 M3 on P4S and even with less power and torque it struggles to get traction when the conditions are less than ideal. It's frustrating really, around town you feel like you're driving a much slower car due to the TC kickin in all the time. I test drove an M2 recently and I was stunned at how this thing grips, probably due to lower HP figure the car just goes without hesitation - hence I do not understand people who mod this car to 450hp+, you're all missing the point of this car. I'm selling my M3 and thinking about going to something with AWD like the RS3 (you have to drive the FL) or A45 or maybe sticking with less power/more grippy RWD like M140i or M2. Fun and "dailybility" is all I care about at the moment and the current sport coupe/saloon line up (M4/C63) just doesn't do the former. Would love to hear your thoughts on this
Don't get me wrong, it's a great car hence why I bought it in the first place. I'm talking about the real world scenarios where you cannot really use that power. Even if it's hot you still need to drive for a solid 30 minutes before the tires get any heat in them and then start to grip. When I take it to the track where the tires are constantly getting heat it just goes without hesitation no matter the gear and it's a blast. However, I only do trackdays 2-3 times a year so it just doesn't cut it for me anymore. At this point I'd rather get something stripped out track focused and a nice luxurious daily. But I want a car that can do both and it seems like there are limited options in
The PS4Ss are probably the best tires on the market right now, very durable and grippy even in wet.
This production quality is bloody brilliant mate.
Solid review Joe for daily drivers which is probably the majority of people who buy this car. People only see reviews from people who are more focused on track performance and then think it's the better car for them.
I was lucky enough to get a 2020 M4 with the Competition Pack last October in manual with the carbon ceramic breaks (I had no choice on this option because of the color combo I wanted, white with the orange interior was not easy to find). It's been almost a year now and owning this car actually makes me look forward to my daily commute to work. Starting it cold every morning feels like an event every time and always puts a smile on my face. I intentionally did not want to get the 2021 model , because I am not a fan of all digital dash displays and like the simplicity of the analog dash to go along with a manual transmission. Great video Joe , I just hit the SUBSCRIBE button!
7:34 transporter mode engaged
Hi Joe, I made a test drive some months ago with exact the same car and I had the same impression regarding steering and suspension. At least in comfort it should be different but it wasn't. The same with the speed of rotation in automatic mode. In comfort the system holds the rpm over 3000 and more. Also during stop and go and less gas . These points are for me not understandable. It makes daily driving anyhow nerving ;) Most impressing point of this car was for me the traction. It was pouring down that day and first I drove not very fast in curves. Later I found out how good the grip of that thing is also under that conditions and high speed;) Gorgeous!
Jesus the first 45 seconds of that vid is epic. Great vid over all obviously. 🤙
A nice honest review joe 👍🏻
It's interesting watching this video after seeing all of the videos on the new M3 definitely shows how BMW has improved the new one.
It was interesting watch some older content from you. You've progressed lot as an content producer and even more as driver. I stumbled on this video because I'm planning to acquire F82 M4 Competition this spring to serve as my hobby / summer car. Sounds like it absolutely needs to get Michelin Pilot 4S's on (if it doesn't have these already).
Thank you buddy! Yes it only had PSS's which were standard fit at the time, I actually compared this F82 to an ALPINA B3 S that came on PS4S's, worth a watch if you have the time 👌 Cheers for the support 👊
Great video as always Joe, although this is years after the video was made i am finally getting a 2017 m3 competition, thanks for all the effort you put into these videos 👌👍
Epic review again Joe. You are totally right about the m4. I thought the same with mine but I had a 2016 model and it was the same old issues.
Best thing you can do on an f8x comp is m performance exhaust and swap the star spec mpss with ps4s - grip is transformed and mdm doesn’t impede acceleration off a corner
24k, and counting...Well done! Not many reviews I always look forward to, but always to yours Joe!
Cheers Russell! Yeah slowly growing, hopefully 25 by Christmas :-)
Nice one Joe, put this on while having my dinner - what a perfect video to watch as well! Really felt at home and relaxed watching it, you went through all the parts of the driving experience and gave perfect clarity on the good & bad.
I think you really nailed the issues with the car as well - too much hardness with no option to chill out, stupid traction problems (maybe ps4s solves this), the shunting during gear changes upsetting the car - this happened and threw my dad's M4 up a kerb at one point which he had to get himself out of! haha :P
Also you must have balls of steel the way you zoom through those lanes and get so close to the verge! :O
Anyway yeah, great video and enjoyed the drive at the end too, I'm sure that scene with that music on it reminds me of something ;)
Looking forward to the next video mate, or the next live too!
Haha Cheers buddy glad you like and appreciate the video! A fun and frisky car ;-)
It most certainly is! That music on the end of the video was great, gave me shivers just like the aston video I mentioned with Clarkson :D
Owner or M3 with PS4S, it does improve a bit but it still struggles to put the power down in anything less than ideal conditions (weather and tire temperature)
Steering feel changes greatly with the width of tires. Wider tires, the harder the steering will be, but you will get a lot more grip. As someone who regularly goes to the gym, I don't find the steering too heavy. In fact, I've driven E90 3 series which have much harder steering feel than the F8x M cars. At least the steering is adjustable on these cars
Brilliant video👍 and can 100% agree about the PS4S’s.. I ran the pilot super sports on my 330 now have the PS4S’s they are day n night better especially in wet conditions
Cheers man and glad you agree with the PS4S's, unbelievable all round tyres!
Joe Achilles yea my favourite by far
Can't wait to upgrade the Conti runflats on my 430d to these! How much of a change was it for you when you made the change from runcraps?
What a dope car to have for a week, smiles for days!
I’ve been watching your stuff Joe for years - big fan (I’m also a similar height and enjoy mountain biking)
I’ve just bought my first M car, and it’s an F82 M4 competition 2017 with PSP4S tyres. Love it, though it’s taking some time to get used to the difference from driving diesels for years. I’ve had a 330d, two 335d’s (both e90s) and a 535d - tuned to stage 2+. The M4 is quicker still and the handling and specialness is in another league
Very honest review, but in my option all the negative review
sound like a + to me…..
Fantastic review. Funny to see the roads at 7.30 as I was driving there last Sunday morning!! Probably one of my favourite little spots locally to have a play now!
Driven one of these on track, and agree with you - but find the fake noise so frustrating - again, a win for the M135i/M140
I'm one of very few who doesn't actually mind the fake sound, maybe I'm a bit deaf haha
Joe such a brilliant video! Really enjoyed it.
Been following you for a while and love the naturalness and honesty.
Very nice review, I have got the first version of the m4 and I am really disappointed that after 3 years, a competition package and a facelift, they haven't fixed the suspension, steering and traction (traction control).
I dont get that if you have adjustable dampers, they can't make a soft, a medium and a hard setting. Other companies manage that.
Cheers man! Yeah, they maybe need to do UK specific suspension setups, I can imagine the M cars feel so much better on an average German A road . Cheers
Joe Achilles that was exactly my thought. The problem you have in the UK is that moisture is always present on roads.
love the look of this car on the road, looks beefy and manly
Superb job Joe and good to hear constructive criticism!
A very interesting and informative review as always! Liked the honest bit at the beginning and agree with you regarding the traction. Had a go in a pre-owned one recently whilst looking for a new toy and it was too peaky for me. I'm considering a Lexus RC-F for the V8 and linear power delivery alone. Would be great if you could get your hands on one somehow!
Another great review and production Joe! Love those panning shots!
Cheers man, yeah NFOXTV did those beautiful shots :-)
Great review - thanks Joe
Ive got an 2018 M4 comp pack and the only car that came close to being as fun to drive on the road in its class was the Merc C63 s
The Beamer's need to have all wheel drive to get the power down
And then it would be yet another boring 4wd performance saloon / coupe. Feel the car come alive and move beneath you, learn to drive it and it's way more satisfying. Get a manual and it's jumps to another level of driver engagement. For me it's not about ultimate pace if it was I'd buy a GTR, it's about driver engagemnet and fun without needing hyper speeds to achieve it.
*Bimmers
Hi Joe, enjoyed your honest review of the M4.
335D touring Shadow Edition now ordered, delivery for March. Had a few options based on your recent videos.
Great to her man, what a weapon the 335d is :-)
Hope so Joe. Got a 330D at the moment so hopefully should notice a bit of a difference.
Man I love your videos... your reviews helped me decide which car to buy
Hi Joe, I’m in the market for either an M4 Coupe or Merc C43 AMG - just wanted your thoughts
Midland Grounds hi, I have the C43 amg 2017 4 door sedan and I’ve driven the normal M4. I feel the C43 is good on the acceleration part but the driving engagement is better in an M4. And the M4 challenges you to become a better driver and irrespective of the car you choose I really feel that the m4 is a notch above in terms of handling and power.
Great stuff as usual mate, was wondering when you would get in one of these !
Cheers Shane!
What magical fairy land are you finding these roads on? Where's grandad doing 30mph in front of you? :D
Haha I had some luck on my side when I filmed it, grandad must have been asleep... :-)
It feels like you driving on IOM
Thanks for the review. I was looking to buy this as a daily driver. Didn’t realize how stiff it was. I think I’ll stick with a 5 series with the Dynamic Handling package.
Great job Joe! Keep up the good reviews 💪
Nice one young Joseph, thanks for shooting straight as always.
I'm lucky enough to own one (M4CP). Unbelievable performance and value for money, esp if you by ex-demo or 6 months old!! (£68k cars new, down to about £48K!)
Great review.
I won’t lie when I first started watching this I felt frustrated. I’m currently in the market for a m4 and this video really has me second guessing myself.
The second hand market is fantastic for these cars at the moment.
Decisions decisions
Don't be put off, they are great cars. I bought mine new over a year ago (cp lci) and it's been fantastic. It's an absolute joy and every drive is a lot of fun. The ride is fine, tolerable in all modes if you're a keen driver and fine in sport and comfort. Dynamically the car is a delight, performance is certainly ample. These cars were crowned Evo coupe of the year and finished 4th in the Auto Expess Sports Car catagory. To put this in perspective the incredible 911 GTS finished 3rd! Personally I think the Super Sport tyres should not be fitted to North European cars, they are very temperature sensitive and below 5c they are really bad. The tread blocks go hard and perform worse than a normal summer tyre. Once upto temperature the grip levels are fantastic but remember this is a 444+bhp rear drive car, it's going to have traction issues but for me this makes the car feel alive. Buy a manual if you can find one and enjoy :)
Totally concur with the comments made in this video. To me, the problem lies in the torque delivery of the engine which is not metered out at all and arrives in one big hit thereby upsetting the balance and traction. If anybody can get hold of a base Carrera 991.2, you will be amazed at the much more linear way that Porsche has engineered the turbos to spool up progressively throughout the rev range. It gives the car an almost normally aspirated sensation from just above idle to the red line. To me, this is what BMW should be trying to achieve with these high torque, power turbo engines as it makes for a much more measured and enjoyable driving experience. Just my thoughts having driven both cars.
Agreed! Also the fact that no engine is resting on the back wheels is an obvious advantage for the porker. BMW should consider going transaxle, or at least manage the torque better. I’m not expert, maybe all that low end torque was useful for emissions numbers?
Like others have said Joe You tell it how it is. Keep up the good work.
Great review Joe, I have a 2018 M4 (opted to not go for CP due to great price deal on stock with options) and love it. I agree with your traction comments, but having owned M3s since the 90s I understand why BMW went with a more intrusive TC setup for this car for the general population. Your thoughts on the PS4S are really interesting as well and I will take a look at that.
You need the GTS gearbox/traction control software. I have just had it installed on mine and it makes the car soooo much better
What is exactly the difference?
Awesome review Joe 👌 Those 18mins passed too quick 😎
Nice one Joe, still love my 135i though :)
Hit like before watching. I know i wont regret doing that!
Haha Cheers man, hope it lived up to your pre like!
Joe Achilles Of course it did!
Now thats one hell of a review
Great and honest review, Joe. Looking forward to also seeing a BMW M4/M3 CS review :P Do you think you'll get your hands on one of these 2 any time soon? I know it'd make a good Xmas present :)))
Haha I would love to try the CS, looking unlikely at this stage though... Cheers man
Great video Joe and very fair comments on the overall package.
Great video Joe. :) Quick correction though - you mention the ceramic brakes are standard on CP cars - they're not, and are still an expensive option! Keep up the good work :)
Thank you! I actually talk about the ceramics being a £6k option that probably aren't worth it for everyday use. Cheers
Joe - Great video as usual. After the Wales Alpina vs M4 review you nearly did for my plans for an M3. After this video you would have completed the job except that a couple of weeks ago I borrowed the exact same spec M4 as your test for half a day (shout out to Amy from Sytner Tamworth). The drive went just like your video. I almost hated it at first; rough ride, heavy steering and noisy! Bear in mind I have driven a standard M4 on just the same roads so I already had a reference. By the time I gave it back I almost loved it but the key conclusion was that the comp pack is too much for a daily driver. So much so that I turned down a really good deal on an M3 with comp pack in stock. Since then I have thought about it and modified my opinion to comp pack with the 19” wheels and less radical tyres. Especially noting a recent test by Evo magazine with that just setup and your previous comments on the PS4s on the Alpina.
So seeing your video has confirmed my thoughts and M3 comp pack it will be sometime hopefully soon. Near miss again! All the best.
Joe, I think expecting to put all the power and torque down in 1-3rd gear without any traction issues is almost impossible in such a car. This beast of an engine produces power down low and the DCT does not have the so-called boost-by-gear feature like for example Ferraris or aftermarket tuners do. It's just ain't happening without xDrive (F90 says hi) and/or Cup 2's, I am afraid. Just be more gentle on the throttle...
But I agree that BMW can't make the suspension work - had to fix the soft-yet-crashy 135i suspension too. Will probably have to do the same to the maybe-incoming 340i next year.
Oh, and I've found memory seats to be sat at least one inch higher than manual sports seats in the 1 and 3 Series.
P.S.: Good review either way! At least you're not like others that do not criticize anything just because they are too scared. Manual M4 Comp with 18" wheels and M Perf suspension for me. :-)
Absolutely right. The comp wheels are fine, they look great and the ride quality is excellent, my Z4M is harder.
If you were planning on purchasing a used M3/M4 what would you safe is a safe bet on the lifetime mileage of the car? Being honest to myself buying a new one is way out of what I could afford so I am going to be looking at a 2017 CP M3 with 30K miles or less. I'm just wondering if these cars would last 100K + miles if you took care of the car and didn't drive like a maniac all the time. With the financing and everything for a 50K car it would be roughly 1000$ a month for 60 months which is 5 years. Just wondering if the reliability would be safe enough to say that this car will last more than 5yrs or the 100K mile mark. Great vid! 👍🏽
Another great video joe
Getting to be 1 of the better car youtubers 😀
Thanks buddy appreciate it :-)
Joe is the hidden gem of You Tube car reviewers.
Just got my 2018 F82 CP. terrible traction even on PS4S but love it
Same with my G80, anything below 7-8 degrees at this time of year, be thankful you don't have PSS's 👌
they definitely teach you to not have a heavy right foot... but I wouldn't trade mine for anything. absolutely love it
I got smoked in a 50 mph rolling race by a tuned 2016 Golf R. He just catapulted forward whereas I just got sideways! Mental.
Can’t wait for summer
@@davetreanor5303 the worst feeling... yeh you'll love the summer mate - definitely a purchase you won't regret
@@Rohan-ly1rl it’s mad though. As impressive as that Golf R was I’d never change my F82 as I’ve had it three months now and it’s such an amazing daily driver and so much fun to drive. I thought getting out my superb G30 530d would a step back in terms of tech but widescreen coding for CarPlay on the F82 keeps it fresh.
Nice one Joe. Totally right about the steering - why oh why do they try and convince that weight equals feel? MDM vastly improved with map and GTS flash - awful out of the box - far more nannying than early F80’s.
Cheers man, yeah no idea why they weight the steering sooooo much :-(
Absolutely cracking review that fella.
Its still no M2 bud, but yeah is pretty wicked.. Great work as always Joe.
Yeah the M2 is a better road car, still poor ride though unfortunately
i have an m4 comp. its more a turbo issue as you get max torque from 1850 rpm. You have to have a light right foot. !!!
Great Video Joe as an owner of one, you cover it all ,and you do as a driver get used to how they feel , BMW quiet underrate the hp a bit was shocked when i put mine on a dino!
What did it Dyno at? With a tune to what are you getting to the rear wheels now?
Joe. Cracking review. I had an M4 comp pack on loan last week and was left a bit cold by the experience which made me very disappointed as the M4 had always been a dream car. The time I had it was wet and it was a constant battle to get any power down. I could definitely drive my m140i quicker in the wet which seems like an odd statement. The ride was also far too harsh for a daily driver and being similar size to you I didn't fit into the seats height wise or across the shoulders ( I'm quite wide) . Would I be right in thinking an m2 sits somewhere between an m lite and an M4 in terms of comfort and useability as a daily driver? I would still love to get my hands on an M4 in the dry for another blast the power is fantastic. Excellent non biased review Joe. keep up the work.
Great review mate as always 👌🏻
Cheers Nick, much thanks to some of your mega clips!
great video, speaking as an M4CP owner I agree with everything you said. The worst thing about the car is the lack of traction, on many occasion i have been embarrassed at the lights by cars with far less BHP - maybe its time for 4WD like the new M5???? Need new tyres soon so might try the PS4S as your recommendation
Great review . I drive a mk7 golf gti and once the novelty wares off sports mode the steering is so heavy with very little performance gains . So have it set mid way . Or all off 👌
Hey Joe. I was fortunate enough to drive an M4 Competition Pack 2 weeks ago. Totally bonkers. What would you say are the major differences between this M4 and the 135i/140i? Is the 140i far off?
Another great video Joe. I’m currently in the market for either an F80 M3 Competition or wait for the M2 Competition/CS/CSL. Having already had an M2 I’m swaying towards the M3 especially when it looks like the new M2 will be similar money. What are your thoughts?
Fantastic review, like to see one on the manual M4.
Love your work and passion for BM's Joe! I've just picked up a 335d touring, love it!!! Weapon
I enjoy your channel a lot keep up the great review videos!! :D
Thanx Joe, good as usual, thumbs up! Looking foward to your new comments on your own M135i.....when is the m140 comin?
Honest and well executed... Perfect. I'll keep in mind on the test drive next week. :-)
the conclusion seems to be that the car is tuned closer to track driving than every day driving. Maybe the non competition is tad softer?
Maybe the heavier steering is contributing to something you yet have to discover in the overall performance of this car
I really want this- currently have a M135i
Would the PS4 be as good as the Yokohama advan neova ad08r?
I have had super sports on my vehicle before and I didn't like them because the steering response was not that great and at the limit of traction, the tyre used to squirm a lot and feel underinflated. It's as if you had to give two steering inputs in order to turn too. It was a very weird experience.
There were times I thought the tyre busted because of the squirming.
I got rid of these tyres after 2 months.
Alignment etc was spot on.
When I switched to Yokohama, problem solved instantly. The Yokohama have a very responsive sticky steering feel to them that just feel a lot better on the road and gives the car great front end feel.
My steering feel came back and the vehicle was just more nimble and required less steering inputs to negotiate turns etc.
I have noticed that Every single car with these super sport tyres always have complaints about the numb steering feel.
This guy has said it, as well as various other RUclips reviewers too on m cars.
I'm willing to bet it's the tyres....
I have never understood why everyone loves the Michelin's so much.
There are many people who have had negative experiences too but they are hard to find on the internet.
Looking at a 2018 M4 CP Telesto grey and a 2018 Daytona blue M4 CS, about 10.000 euro more expensive. I’m thinking the CS will not depreciate so much? Both cars have a 4 year warranty from the BMW dealership. I CANT CHOOSE. HELP.