M4CS to RS3...

[C1CDG]

Hi everyone

So, the RS3 is a car that’s always interested me, my wife and I currently have 2 BMW’s between us, her 116d which is a fantastic little run about and literally costs peanuts to run, and I’ve had an M4Cs for just around a year now, by a mile the absolute best car I’ve ever owned, feels so special to drive and look at. However, it doesn’t get driven a lot and I don’t need it to drive to work etc, so it’s a serious direct debit every month for relatively little use...

My thoughts on an RS3 were to get rid of both and just use it to it’s full, wife duties through the week and when I get in on a weekend I can enjoy the performance aspect of it.
I have been reading up on pre face lift which I love the sound of, but would ideally prefer the best possible drive, and I think the increased power and better handling of the facelift would be more me, another issue seems to be a big lack of demos, BMW are usually happy to throw the keys for a whole day which gives me a great feel of what I’m getting into, Audi’s response so far is usually, sorry we can’t get a demo of one.

Also, have the supersports seats been discontinued? I’d really like to see red with the aluminium pack if anyone had pics of that combo.

Any advice and help appreciated.

 

[mangobay]

Hi there and welcome! Recognise you and the CS from M3cutters...lovely car!
I am a longtime M-car driver and I came from an early (tuned) M4 in the RS3. They are quite different cars to be honest, real plusses and minuses to both. The RS3 for me is all about pace, fun, practicality for everyday with kids/bikes (Sportback) and most importantly the SOUND. The M4 was obvs just as quick, but sharper, in most ways. Steering, gearbox etc. so the M was more engaging when really on it to be honest, but I havent looked back and think the RS3 is a better all rounder. My wife also loves driving it whereas she found the M a bit intimidating.

If was only driving it weekends though.....not sure, i'd possibly keep the CS. as long as the CS sounds less sh1t than my old M4 did....
Hope that helps. Where do you live? May find someone willing to give you a +1 ride?
cheers

 

[Matt2010]

I came from an M3CP and like mangobay say, they are completely different cars so hard to compare like for like but I'll try..

My PFL with sport exhaust really does sound epic. The M3 CP/CS do sound better than the standard M3/M4 but the RS3 is just much better and nicer sounding.
If you want the best noise (keeping things stock), it has to be PFL model though or one without OPF filter.
Both cars are noisy on a cold start with no option of quietening them dowm (again if stock) and neither sound great when cold starting.

Pace wise, off the line, point to point and around town, the RS3 definately feels faster and more stable. On an wider open road, the M3 would have it having more power.

Steering on M3/M4 is better and overal the car is nicer to drive (when dry) although the RS3 gearbox in manual is prob slightly better unless really pushing on.
Going down gears 3-2-1 in M3 was a bit jerky at normal speeds.
A simple thing like creep when letting off brake also helps in town which you don't get on M3/M4.

Sizewise, RS3 is smaller and that was a plus for me. M3 was a big car and felt big driving it so RS3 is more practical parking, narrow roads etc.
Definately smaller in back seats though for kids/adults.

Lookwise, The RS3 is more understated but was another bonus for me. Its a good looking car from all angles where the M3 looked great from front and rear but i never really like the way nose dropped so much at the front.

MPG, I'd say the M3 just wins.

A bit part of a car for me is the look and how it sounds and the RS3 does that for me.

Resale, well, you own a BMW so you know how much you lose
RS3 seem to hold value far better and seem more rare than M3/M4.

 

[paulmc]

Interesting you say M3 has better MPG (I came from an RS7 so everything is better lol). Mine is GPF car. I get around 36mpg (wife gets 38ish) on a run and easy 34 when driving normally on "A" roads. I would say they have increased the engine noise (prob piped into the cabin) sounds aggressive from inside and very addictive. I agree exhaust noise is pretty disappointing.

 

[Matt2010]

I only use mine around town and B roads really as work from home so do no motorway driving. M3 I got around 23/24mpg and RS3 is very close and probably only 1mpg difference in it.

 

[paulmc]

nothing wrong with 23/24, M3 or RS3 impressive figures from both

 

[ChrisRS3]

Im probably in the wrong place to say this but i definitely prefer my BMW 440i with MPPSK over my PFL RS3, having the M3 CS over the RS3 would be a no brainer for me.

 

[D0C]

Must say I’ve driven so many BMW’s over the last month, from X5’s to 5 series...most of them I reckon, and I find them sooooo boring. Previously driven M3’s and recently the M5 and think the same.

Interest on @terminator x thoughts as appreciate he now owns one.

 

[Philb65]

All modern cars are pretty dull to be honest as the driving experience is sanitised by modern engineering, brand doesn’t matter much. Recently sold an M2 which was really competent and quick but never set my world on fire. Great handling and extremely quick just predictable and lacking driving appeal for me (sounded good though). I’m looking for a 7 type car at the moment for a bit of back to basics fun as a weekend toy. I’ll probably end up going backwards into a hedge but at least I’ll know if I can drive....or not!

 

[Terminator x]

Must say I’ve driven so many BMW’s over the last month, from X5’s to 5 series...most of them I reckon, and I find them sooooo boring. Previously driven M3’s and recently the M5 and think the same.

Interest on @terminator x thoughts as appreciate he now owns one.

M5 not boring imho, massively quick and turns in well for a big beast tbf. My favourite car is still the RS3 though, properly loved it.

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

 

[paulmc]

I have owned 3 M5's can’t say I found any of them boring. All they ever did was try and kill me. Huge power and RWD = fun?? Although sold them because they were RWD. Too much rain where I live, waste of time!! Going sideways and spinning tyres gets tiresome quickly

 

[Terminator x]

I have owned 3 M5's can’t say I found any of them boring. All they ever did was try and kill me. Huge power and RWD = fun?? Although sold them because they were RWD. Too much rain where I live, waste of time!! Going sideways and spinning tyres gets tiresome quickly

Current one is 4WD though so no longer trying to kill you

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

 

[paulmc]

Current one is 4WD though so no longer trying to kill you

TX.

I agree, but just cant bring myself to sink over £90k into a car anymore. happy with my 1/2 price car

 

[Monkeychops]

As much as I like the RS3 not sure I’d be changing from an M4CS if I didn’t have to.

Taking out any financial logic and reasoning here, the RS will feel like a fast tourer/GT, as much as it’s a hatch in size I think you have to think of it more like a mini RS4/6 rather than a hot hatch.

The M4 will feel more precise I’d have thought, and probably more rewarding a drive, the RS3 is more a blunt force and ignorance tool . Having 4WD possibly beneficial though from a practical point of view.

I’m an old CS’er so recognise your name from your plate, so go find Waitey’s thread over there on when he had his as there were a few comments there he made that rang true, I.e. it’s not a sports car, ‘just’ a very fast A3!

But think I’d struggle to give up the M4CS, yours looks awesome in that colour, change it for an M3CS?

 

[zaka7]

Not a CS, but I had an M4 for the weekend (with a view to getting one) and wrote this comparison.

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/m4-competition-vs-rs3-fl.380315/[URL]https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/m4-competition-vs-rs3-fl.380315/[/URL]

 

[NevMan]

Not a CS, but I had an M4 for the weekend (with a view to getting one) and wrote this comparison.

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/m4-competition-vs-rs3-fl.380315/[URL]https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/m4-competition-vs-rs3-fl.380315/[/URL]

Weird, as the picture is of X3 M40i

 

[45bvtc]

Hi everyone

So, the RS3 is a car that’s always interested me, my wife and I currently have 2 BMW’s between us, her 116d which is a fantastic little run about and literally costs peanuts to run, and I’ve had an M4Cs for just around a year now, by a mile the absolute best car I’ve ever owned, feels so special to drive and look at. However, it doesn’t get driven a lot and I don’t need it to drive to work etc, so it’s a serious direct debit every month for relatively little use...

My thoughts on an RS3 were to get rid of both and just use it to it’s full, wife duties through the week and when I get in on a weekend I can enjoy the performance aspect of it.
I have been reading up on pre face lift which I love the sound of, but would ideally prefer the best possible drive, and I think the increased power and better handling of the facelift would be more me, another issue seems to be a big lack of demos, BMW are usually happy to throw the keys for a whole day which gives me a great feel of what I’m getting into, Audi’s response so far is usually, sorry we can’t get a demo of one.

Also, have the supersports seats been discontinued? I’d really like to see red with the aluminium pack if anyone had pics of that combo.

Any advice and help appreciated.

Happy you went SQ5!

I've an SQ5 and RS3 (lots and lots of very hard saving and still my pension - better than in a bank!!!) and for sure the SQ5 does near 95% that an RS3 will do and do it for 90% of the time on slow and/or fast driving UK roads anyway - the SQ5 is oh so 'chuckable'

To put it into perspective since we purchased our SQ5 8-months ago we've used the SQ5 99% of the time, the RS3 1% Oh, and we've a TT roadster too, and that also is in the 1% category. Don't get me wrong, I love ALL 3-cars for different reasons and each are FUN in their own right; but the SQ5, especially with a panoroof, seems to do so much more ALL of the time; just sayin'

So good choice C1CDG

 

[C1CDG]

Happy you went SQ5!

I've an SQ5 and RS3 (lots and lots of very hard saving and still my pension - better than in a bank!!!) and for sure the SQ5 does near 95% that an RS3 will do and do it for 90% of the time on slow and/or fast driving UK roads anyway - the SQ5 is oh so 'chuckable'

To put it into perspective since we purchased our SQ5 8-months ago we've used the SQ5 99% of the time, the RS3 1% Oh, and we've a TT roadster too, and that also is in the 1% category. Don't get me wrong, I love ALL 3-cars for different reasons and each are FUN in their own right; but the SQ5, especially with a panoroof, seems to do so much more ALL of the time; just sayin'

View attachment 194233

So good choice C1CDG

I’ve still got the M4Cs lol... changed the wife’s 116d for the SQ5... now I feel like I have a very expensive but perfect 2 car garage. Although the M4 hasn’t been started since the SQ5 arrived lol!!!

 

[45bvtc]

I’ve still got the M4Cs lol... changed the wife’s 116d for the SQ5... now I feel like I have a very expensive but perfect 2 car garage. Although the M4 hasn’t been started since the SQ5 arrived lol!!!

Oh, well 'that' does surprise, NOT!

Our RS3 and TT are just no longer the preferred choice, period. And nothing else, and I do mean NOTHING' else AUDI/BWW/JAGUAR/PORSCHE rocks. OK, a 911, maybe - but soo many opportunities missed when I could have enjoyed one I just no longer see the point: DRIVE an SQ5 HARD and it IS a LAUGH!!!

Do you have a Sales and Pricing Brochure for you car? If not, PM me with your email address and I'll send,.

 

[C1CDG]

Oh, well 'that' does surprise, NOT!

Our RS3 and TT are just no longer the preferred choice, period. And nothing else, and I do mean NOTHING' else AUDI/BWW/JAGUAR/PORSCHE rocks. OK, a 911, maybe - but soo many opportunities missed when I could have enjoyed one I just no longer see the point: DRIVE an SQ5 HARD and it IS a LAUGH!!!

I’m only a few weeks in, but I can already see that although it’s rapid and extremely capable. It’s not what I’d call fun, and it’s also completely lacking any form of steering feel at all. Like you turn the wheel and you know it’s going to turn, but you have zero feeling.

However, in the current conditions the M4 is sketchy at best... so would be much slower overall lol

 

[45bvtc]

I’m only a few weeks in, but I can already see that although it’s rapid and extremely capable. It’s not what I’d call fun, and it’s also completely lacking any form of steering feel at all. Like you turn the wheel and you know it’s going to turn, but you have zero feeling.

However, in the current conditions the M4 is sketchy at best... so would be much slower overall lol

C'mon, drive it HARDER; I'm 74-years of age and for sure don't get overtaken much - neither does my 72-year old RS3copilot: always in 'DYNAMIC' and paddle shift everywhere...

I'm already on 20" rims and snow tyres and cannot wait for the white stuff!!! Must be something I do...

​

As for the M4, wait till the white stuff arrives, you'll not be using that! Not if you want to get out and home again, anyway, lol

 

[royalsteve68]

I agree, but just cant bring myself to sink over £90k into a car anymore. happy with my 1/2 price car

Used M5 values are dropping like a stone though. This is another issue with M cars, BMW just flood the market and by offering massive discounts - current M4 new i have seen for as low as £47K

My mate had an M3 2015 but said it was unbalanced in all but the dry. Now has an M2 which for me is a better more usable car - m3 / m4 are too big now. Still reckon the Rs3 saloon is the best all rounder you can buy if you forget the cost. Otherwise you have to go for the Honda civic type r and close your eyes every time you need to look at it

 

[royalsteve68]

C'mon, drive it HARDER; I'm 74-years of age and for sure don't get overtaken much - neither does my 72-year old RS3copilot: always in 'DYNAMIC' and paddle shift everywhere...

I'm already on 20" rims and snow tyres and cannot wait for the white stuff!!! Must be something I do...

View attachment 194239
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As for the M4, wait till the white stuff arrives, you'll not be using that! Not if you want to get out and home again, anyway, lol

Agreed, im almost 52 and always drive it in individual setting with everything set to dynamic except suspension. Had a 4 wheel slide in the wet lol...and that was on pretty new tyres....now that was interesting. Surprised that a 911 turbo 2016 wasnt quicker and a 2018 audi s4 is slow, lol.

For me the best new cars coming out are the new M4 but thatll be silly money and whilst the 4x4 will be a good idea will it ruin the car.

If someone forced me to go electric, id probably get the tesla model 3 performance and just at the interior and build quality

 

[45bvtc]

Agreed, im almost 52 and always drive it in individual setting with everything set to dynamic except suspension. Had a 4 wheel slide in the wet lol...and that was on pretty new tyres....now that was interesting. Surprised that a 911 turbo 2016 wasnt quicker and a 2018 audi s4 is slow, lol.

For me the best new cars coming out are the new M4 but thatll be silly money and whilst the 4x4 will be a good idea will it ruin the car.

If someone forced me to go electric, id probably get the tesla model 3 performance and just at the interior and build quality

Same here: 68 years of age when the RS3 first arrived and I was 'encouraged' to drive one, even though I wasn't at all interested in purchase; and came back shakin! 4-days later we'd purchase one of only two available here in the UK (the order book was closed, ALL of the first 250-cars had been sold), and we still have it, and will for some time yet!

The RS3 on UK roads is a buzz, no doubt! That said, since purchasing our 2016 SQ5 (19k miles; 326 PS @ 4000-4500 rpm and 650 Nm @ 1400-2800 rpm, and all for £33k, ) in March, earlier this year, our RS3 has done less than 50-miles! We'll be trying hard to use it more next year, promise...

 

[Whateva411]

I’m only a few weeks in, but I can already see that although it’s rapid and extremely capable. It’s not what I’d call fun, and it’s also completely lacking any form of steering feel at all. Like you turn the wheel and you know it’s going to turn, but you have zero feeling.

However, in the current conditions the M4 is sketchy at best... so would be much slower overall lol

I recently purchased a rs3 too after getting rid of my f80 and yeah the rs3 is faster but i did enjoy my f80 a lot more!

 

[45bvtc]

I recently purchased a rs3 too after getting rid of my f80 and yeah the rs3 is faster but i did enjoy my f80 a lot more!

I bought my/our 2016 SQ5 for "ambulance" duties!

As most here know we do hospital visit 5-day a week: ok, sometimes, maybe, 4-days a week; and yes, truly, if I'm honest, 3-days a week. But some weeks more than one hospital in the 'same' day, so lets not count, lol.

For sure our RS3 (BLUEY) created way too much attention in hospital car parks and we were advised, by hospital parking staff, please "don't park 'that!' here." And so an 90bhp Audi A2 (great FUN) ambulance was procured followed by a rare 185BHP 7-sped DSG A1 (even more FUN but the 'ride' was not so good - getting older of course!) and now a 2016 SQ5 and that/this provides just MEGA enjoyment!

Our 2016 SQ5 was a loooong time coming - for sure we rejected anything later than 2016 - much too many Auto BHP/torque politics going on. And for me Audi have lost them aesthetics post 2016, all 'angles; now! I much prefer 'CURVES'!

We get 42mpg on steady/boring 15mile hospital runs. Or 15mpg if someone wants to 'play' yeah!

Ok, I've been told already; gotta sloooow dooown a bit! 74-years of age and all that! But then I've the "no way officer was I goin' that fast/ or makin' that much noise" defence lol.

Let me be CLEAR: there's nowt in a UK Audi garage I'd swap my 2016 Audi SQ5 for! PERIOD!

And nothing 'others' offer excites either! Just want to be clear here....

Our 2016 SQ5 does ALL, and we've a 16K 2010 TT convertible and/or 14K 2011 RS3 to entertain BUT no way would I sell OUR SQ5 before these others!

Yep, I think a 2016 8R SQ5 that good!!

RECOMMEND a 2016 AUDI SQ5 TO EVERYONE/ALL....

PS: don't miss roadwork with our RS3 with this SQ5, and there's a statement to think on...

 

[C1CDG]

I recently purchased a rs3 too after getting rid of my f80 and yeah the rs3 is faster but i did enjoy my f80 a lot more!

That’s interesting mate, do you find the RS3 genuinely faster, or that you can use more of the power all the time making it feel quicker?

 

[45bvtc]

That’s interesting mate, do you find the RS3 genuinely faster, or that you can use more of the power all the time making it feel quicker?

What an interesting question!

Faster? Having both an RS3 and an SQ5, here's my emphatic NO!

Quicker? Yes! The RS3 is both lighter and way more agile than the SQ5 so overall in: acceleration, direction change, and braking 'feel' the RS3 'feels' way more on edge at silly/illegal/give me your licence 'now' road speeds. Is that where we (and ours) want to be, today, I ask!

But the SQ5 from the right-hand seat feels way more 'chuckable,' more 'engaging' too! And way more comfortable!

OK, more weight in the SQ5, and that dumbs down the 'feel'!

But is one 'faster' than the other? On UK public roads and driving hard but to 'driving licence retaining' levels? No! I don't think so!

The SQ5 offers so much more. And more involvement too with which to exercise its abilities. Sure, I love our RS3, it still ain't going anywhere else, yet; and it can still get me 'shaking' after a "quick" run, and that after 7-years of ownership!

Here's what I said back in 2015, of the SQ5 compared with other 'interesting' machinery on a cold and damp and slippy duck-and-dive roads - just evaluating you'll understand (lol) and my 'opinion' just has not changed!

"OK, I've been called an Audi 'tart' before and I'm sure I will again, especially after today...

And what a day; sunny and dry to start but misty and damp at Stafford Audi; but these are all 4-wheel drive beasties and its slippy/slidy stuff out there.

Some are standing around somewhat surprised that they're just getting a set of keys to whatever and told to go and 'experience'.

Not me; I know what's coming and can't wait to get my hands on the RS7; everything else will be judged against it as for me the RS7 ticks all of my boxes. And so it did; out on my prescribed route to Uttoxeter and back with some mid 3-figure numbers shown on the head-up: kept trying to get closer to that display but couldn't. Came back exhausted, how can you improve on the engine/brakes/dynamics of this machine?

A coffee, a quick chat, a "who wants a go in an RS5?" and my hand going for the ceiling lights. This is the old RS5, Stafford Audi has had it some time, and the tyres are seriously well run in. Same route but hey, this thing is a' sliding like the RS7 didn't. However, I've now an RS4 stuck-to-me-bum so I need to push; push and slide, push and slide. A great noise the RS5 makes must have woken up several road users between Stafford and Uttoxeter but hey, the morning's getting on.

Another coffee and bacon butty. The S1; hand up again; been practising clutch-in, move the knobby gear-stick, clutch-out, with our A2 (Suzy) for two weeks now so we're thinking we're ok... We obviously need more practice; however, what a superb motor car: brakes, steering, interior trim, and noise, just about everything is ticking all the right boxes...

Andy Poole keeps on saying I've got to try the S8, "you MUST try the S8" again and again.

OK, we'll give it a go. A different route but ok. 1000yards and were both speaking words I don't want to print here but WOW! What a piece of machinery. This is some big piece of machinery that gave a Jaguar driver a work-out (and lost...) The short run was extended, doubled maybe, and this piece of machinery was hugely impressive in every way; brake and steering feel on the damp, undulating, duck and dive roads was hugely impressive; I couldn't fault it. I didn't try what 'jojo' did mind, and 'desertstorm' will be happy if he doesn't do it again with him passenger, either...

What else? Who wants a go in an SQ5 shouts Andy Poole and this bl**dy hand is in the air again with me looking at it...

OK! The SQ5 is a twin turbo diesel; now I didn't know that until I got back! Believe me, I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS A DIESEL. I'll be checking later; but this thing was, again, amazing! Out on the twisty, wet stuff, and this thing was behaving like a hooligan, just like all the others, actually..

With a TT and RS3 available (mega hard work for two over many years), we use the SQ5 way more; way, way, way, more

Just sayin'

 

[45bvtc]

From the memory banks: back in "the day" a Jaguar E-Type was regards as fast, but a Lotus Europa Twin Cam or Lotus Elan on A-roads and B-roads would run rings around it and without even trying and "we" often did, lol!

While the Jaguar E-Type was 'motorway' fast it sure wan't 'quick', there is a difference...

 

[infernox]

It seems like the 8P RS3 that 45bvtc has is quite rare, I don't think I've seen one on the road before. I think it would be slower than the SQ5 but the 8V RS3 would be faster than the SQ5.

 

[Whateva411]

That’s interesting mate, do you find the RS3 genuinely faster, or that you can use more of the power all the time making it feel quicker?

The f80 felt faster to me...maybe it was because it used to squirm a lot...with the rs3 you get the power down with no real drama...having compared thebstraight line performance of the rs3 ..the f80 is a bit quicker topend but not much in it

 

[infernox]

The f80 felt faster to me...maybe it was because it used to squirm a lot...with the rs3 you get the power down with no real drama...having compared thebstraight line performance of the rs3 ..the f80 is a bit quicker topend but not much in it

I just heard a similar quote to this (can't remember exactly, maybe from Jay Leno); 'its not about how fast you're going, its about how fast you think you're going.' It fits quite well with what I found from driving the S3 which was a fast car but didn't feel it, to getting the RS3 where you at least have the exhaust sound which makes you feel like you're going fast.