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      08-17-2018, 04:25 PM   #1
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F90 M5 vs F80 M3

Which one would you pick and why?

I traded in my '15 F80 M3 (manual transmission) for the current '18 F90 M5 recently. Wondering if there is anyone out there that's owned or driven both the F80 and F90?

I'm sure anyone reading this knows that these cars are set up very differently to serve different purposes. I was really excited to step into the M5 but now I'm missing the M3 at times (mainly due to the 6MT and driving engagement).

What I feel the M5 has over the M3 is luxury, ride quality, a warp drive sitting in the engine bay and more tech than a NASA space shuttle.

Interested to hear what other people have to say about comparing the cars. Also happy to answer any questions you guys have about either car.
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      08-18-2018, 02:47 PM   #2
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I owned a 15 F80 M3....and currently drive an F90. I really dont miss my F80 much. It sounded terrible, no matter what I did to the exhaust, and had major issue putting power down. I did have a Dinan tune on it, along with Dinan muffler and SuperSprint mid-pipes...but it just never blew me away, like my less powerful but much better sounding e92 M3.

The F90 is much more my speed. It has a good bit more power than the F80, and can actually put it all down...which makes it a mad man. The sound is good if a bit quiet, especially with the sound deadening in the F90, but the overall tone is still much better than the F80. I am having the Sport/Competition mid-pipes installed in a couple weeks, which should bring the sound level to exactly where I want it for this car.

So, if I had to choose between the two cars...it would be the M5 all day long.

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      08-21-2018, 04:32 PM   #3
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Thanks for the reply. Your qualms with the F80 actually helped remind me why I upgraded to the F90 in the first place.

Yeah the stock exhaust on the M3 was god awful. I didn't like the way the Euro aftermarket exhausts sounded so I actually went for a Borla on my F80 and it sounded decent but not great. It was way too loud also.

Although the throttle needed some feathering at lower speeds, I didn't think the F80 had too much trouble putting the power down once it got going. I didn't have a tune on mine but I'd imagine you would run into some traction issues with the additional hp/torque you had on yours.

While the F90 is fairly quiet in the cabin, I think it's exhaust sounds pretty good from the outside. I was looking at the E63 S as well which does sound better. Interested to hear what you think about the Comp mid-pipes, I was thinking about doing those as well.
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      08-21-2018, 04:45 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hill Country F90 View Post
I owned a 15 F80 M3....and currently drive an F90. I really dont miss my F80 much. It sounded terrible, no matter what I did to the exhaust, and had major issue putting power down. I did have a Dinan tune on it, along with Dinan muffler and SuperSprint mid-pipes...but it just never blew me away, like my less powerful but much better sounding e92 M3.

The F90 is much more my speed. It has a good bit more power than the F80, and can actually put it all down...which makes it a mad man. The sound is good if a bit quiet, especially with the sound deadening in the F90, but the overall tone is still much better than the F80. I am having the Sport/Competition mid-pipes installed in a couple weeks, which should bring the sound level to exactly where I want it for this car.

So, if I had to choose between the two cars...it would be the M5 all day long.

What color is this?
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      08-21-2018, 04:46 PM   #5
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I had my f80 for 2 years before selling it. It has pure purbos stage 2 with titanium turbines, dodson clutch upgrades, port injection running on e85. It was fully build before i sold it. Had 700whp and putting that power to the ground was a huge problem. I drove the F90 thinking it would be a boat compared to the F80 but it wasnt that much of a difference. Exhaust, night and day difference. Power, it does hold down the power, looking to see what a tune, downpipes can do on this car. Just slowly waiting till it arrives.
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      08-21-2018, 10:10 PM   #6
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I love my F80 but the traction limitations/ride quality/exhaust note/ rattles are all starting to wear on me a bit
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      08-22-2018, 09:30 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by wanesso View Post
What color is this?
Silverstone II for the M3

Donington Grey for the M5
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      08-29-2018, 06:06 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BwoodBMW View Post
I love my F80 but the traction limitations/ride quality/exhaust note/ rattles are all starting to wear on me a bit
Yep I had two the CP and none CP, sold both, for the same reasons you mention.
I now have the F90 M5 a mile better all round.
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      08-29-2018, 09:14 PM   #9
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My same thoughts now. I had a 15 F80 and now a 18 F80 Comp package.

I have a couple problems with the car. Size, exhaust sounds like crap, doesn't stick to the road like i hopes for, feels go carty almost, scrape sounds on a 80k car. It's not all bad I absolutely love the car but feel like it's time to do the F90.

My other problem is I feel like I am 19 driving it sometimes. With the lawn mower sound to the exhaust it just kills me inside sometimes.
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      09-16-2018, 02:30 PM   #10
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Anyone here with track experience in the F90? I've had an F 80 for the last four years and have tracked it maybe 10 times. The F80 is a little "rough" as a daily driver IMO and I completely agree it's always been challenging to get the power down. The extra power, all wheel drive, and obviously better comfort of the F90 are all very seducing, but would it be as fun around the track compared to the F80? I have read tons of reviews of the F90, but track driving impressions compared to the F80 are what I'm looking for. My F80 is not the ZCP and my only upgrades are intakes and the Hex tune (and race tires/pads on track days).
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      09-16-2018, 03:29 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRealOrosie View Post
I owned a 15 F80 M3....and currently drive an F90. I really dont miss my F80 much. It sounded terrible, no matter what I did to the exhaust, and had major issue putting power down. I did have a Dinan tune on it, along with Dinan muffler and SuperSprint mid-pipes...but it just never blew me away, like my less powerful but much better sounding e92 M3.

The F90 is much more my speed. It has a good bit more power than the F80, and can actually put it all down...which makes it a mad man. The sound is good if a bit quiet, especially with the sound deadening in the F90, but the overall tone is still much better than the F80. I am having the Sport/Competition mid-pipes installed in a couple weeks, which should bring the sound level to exactly where I want it for this car.

So, if I had to choose between the two cars...it would be the M5 all day long.

What color F90 is that? And nice choice on SS i have the same F80
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      09-16-2018, 03:41 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freezey View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRealOrosie View Post
I owned a 15 F80 M3....and currently drive an F90. I really dont miss my F80 much. It sounded terrible, no matter what I did to the exhaust, and had major issue putting power down. I did have a Dinan tune on it, along with Dinan muffler and SuperSprint mid-pipes...but it just never blew me away, like my less powerful but much better sounding e92 M3.

The F90 is much more my speed. It has a good bit more power than the F80, and can actually put it all down...which makes it a mad man. The sound is good if a bit quiet, especially with the sound deadening in the F90, but the overall tone is still much better than the F80. I am having the Sport/Competition mid-pipes installed in a couple weeks, which should bring the sound level to exactly where I want it for this car.

So, if I had to choose between the two cars...it would be the M5 all day long.

What color F90 is that? And nice choice on SS i have the same F80
Donington Grey
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      09-16-2018, 04:20 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRealOrosie View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by freezey View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRealOrosie View Post
I owned a 15 F80 M3....and currently drive an F90. I really dont miss my F80 much. It sounded terrible, no matter what I did to the exhaust, and had major issue putting power down. I did have a Dinan tune on it, along with Dinan muffler and SuperSprint mid-pipes...but it just never blew me away, like my less powerful but much better sounding e92 M3.

The F90 is much more my speed. It has a good bit more power than the F80, and can actually put it all down...which makes it a mad man. The sound is good if a bit quiet, especially with the sound deadening in the F90, but the overall tone is still much better than the F80. I am having the Sport/Competition mid-pipes installed in a couple weeks, which should bring the sound level to exactly where I want it for this car.

So, if I had to choose between the two cars...it would be the M5 all day long.

What color F90 is that? And nice choice on SS i have the same F80
Donington Grey
That's a real sharp color.
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      09-18-2018, 11:48 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freezey View Post
My same thoughts now. I had a 15 F80 and now a 18 F80 Comp package.

I have a couple problems with the car. Size, exhaust sounds like crap, doesn't stick to the road like i hopes for, feels go carty almost, scrape sounds on a 80k car. It's not all bad I absolutely love the car but feel like it's time to do the F90.

My other problem is I feel like I am 19 driving it sometimes. With the lawn mower sound to the exhaust it just kills me inside sometimes.
What he said. Going from MW 1016 F80 to AW F90. Time will tell but think the F90 might be a high water mark for dino (gas) powered BMWs.
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      09-22-2018, 12:32 AM   #15
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I have driven both and the M5 is more of a beast.
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      09-22-2018, 01:15 AM   #16
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Quote:
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I have driven both and the M5 is more of a beast.
The raw power of M5 can't be denied. Yes the M4/3 is probably more fun on the backcountry roads but I drive on the freeway most of the time so for me power is more important.
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      09-22-2018, 09:13 AM   #17
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I had an f80 with comp pack and traded in for the f90 with comp pack. I'm not missing my f80 very much now, even though I really liked that car. Other than it feeling like a smaller car, which it is, I'm not sure the m5 loses anything in real world driving. On a track, I'm sure the m3 changes direction easier given it is 600-700 lbs lighter, but the m5 is actually able to use all of its power, and man there is so much of it. If I wasn't careful, I could lose the back of the m3 pretty much anytime I was being aggressive (and have). The comp pack exhaust fixed the sound isolation I felt in the non-comp car and it now feels pretty similar to my m3 in the sound department when in sport plus. It actually sounds a little louder to me, but I haven't heard them back to back to know for sure. The steering actually loads well and it turns in better than the the non-comp as well. With the addition of all the luxury and space, which I need due to having three kids, I really am not missing much other than the looks of the m3, which I prefer, and the fact it is a smaller car, which I also prefer. The m5 fits the bill for me right now and I have a feeling it will keep growing on me as time goes on.
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      10-01-2018, 10:42 PM   #18
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Great to hear the feedback here.
I went from a supercharged e92 with 6mt, no cats and akropovic exhaust- the sound was sublime. Then had a 2016 M4 6mt that I just turned in after a 3 year lease and the exhaust made me want to cry... so BAD! Got rid of the cats- but didn't bother spending the big bucks to get an exhaust cuz nothing I heard made me actually like the engine note. I also had a JB4 on the M4 and could break traction on throttle in 3rd and sometimes 4th fear if the surface wasn't clean. So definitely a challenge to get the power down- although throttle steering with it was fun- but not as fun as the E92, which was simply more tossable and lively. The F82 has a more planted chassis but overall I was kinda disappointed in it.

And now am considering an F90: more comfort, 4 doors for friends/dogs, auto so my gal can drive it easier, and still a monster with the power.
Definitely worried about the size but cool to hear you guys comment that it's not as noticeable as one might think.

What's your take on the seats? I had the carbon/fabric M4 seats and found them a bit uncomfortable in the seat, almost lacking cushion after a longer trip. How are the M5 seats comparatively?

And any more comments on ride harshness between the two? I live in San Francisco and the roads in the Bay Area are pretty bad, as well as lots of steep/weird driveways to scrape on.
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      10-03-2018, 03:35 PM   #19
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The F10 M5 was better than the M3 in almost every way.

F90 is in another league....
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      10-03-2018, 07:01 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan_Halen View Post
Great to hear the feedback here.
I went from a supercharged e92 with 6mt, no cats and akropovic exhaust- the sound was sublime. Then had a 2016 M4 6mt that I just turned in after a 3 year lease and the exhaust made me want to cry... so BAD! Got rid of the cats- but didn't bother spending the big bucks to get an exhaust cuz nothing I heard made me actually like the engine note. I also had a JB4 on the M4 and could break traction on throttle in 3rd and sometimes 4th fear if the surface wasn't clean. So definitely a challenge to get the power down- although throttle steering with it was fun- but not as fun as the E92, which was simply more tossable and lively. The F82 has a more planted chassis but overall I was kinda disappointed in it.

And now am considering an F90: more comfort, 4 doors for friends/dogs, auto so my gal can drive it easier, and still a monster with the power.
Definitely worried about the size but cool to hear you guys comment that it's not as noticeable as one might think.

What's your take on the seats? I had the carbon/fabric M4 seats and found them a bit uncomfortable in the seat, almost lacking cushion after a longer trip. How are the M5 seats comparatively?

And any more comments on ride harshness between the two? I live in San Francisco and the roads in the Bay Area are pretty bad, as well as lots of steep/weird driveways to scrape on.
Seats are way better than the f8x. They are way more adjustable, especially if you had a comp pack f8x in which you could not adjust lumbar support. It may take you a bit to figure out what works best for you as the seats are almost infinitely adjustable, but they are overall great.

The suspension is definitely firm, but I guess it depends on what you like. I like firm suspensions versus very compliant ones. You won't be knocking your fillings out or anything. I think it is more compliant than my f80 was when in comfort. I've driven in San Fran and I know the streets are far from ideal. I think the f90 takes bumps and potholes pretty well for what it is, and in comparison to the f8x, it is better. I hope that helps.
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      10-04-2018, 12:19 AM   #21
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City driving only: F90 Comp is much better than the F80 in so many ways,But so far, subject to change, I feel like the F80 was able to zip around, while the F90 comp feels like it needs to be out on an unrestricted highway to really feel in its element.
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      10-04-2018, 12:29 AM   #22
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Quote:
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City driving only: F90 Comp is much better than the F80 in so many ways,But so far, subject to change, I feel like the F80 was able to zip around, while the F90 comp feels like it needs to be out on an unrestricted highway to really feel in its element.
Yep, driving the M5 (though mine is F10) on the freeway is just awesome.
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