M4 Vert performance - how much less than coupe or M3?

[23109VC]

I'm in the market for a fun car and I've been shopping for an M3/M4.

I was able to test drive an M4 competition a while back and LOVED it. I did the M Town tour that my local dealer participated in and got to drive the M5 Comp, M4 Comp, and M2 Comp back to back. I had each car all to myself - not even a salesperson came along with me - and I had each car a good 30 minutes. Yes, not a long time, but long enough to really have fun and drive the stink out of them all.

While the M5 was the beast of them all, it was too big for my taste. I found the M2 fun but I liked the M4 the most. I have spent the last several months doing a ton of online surfing/shopping/searching looking at M3s and M4s. I was originally thinking I'd get an M3 as it has the practicality of 4 doors and easily accessible back seats - but the wife is really in favor of a convertible.

I had never seriously considered the M4 convertible...I've honestly seen very few of them in person on the road and never driven one. I have, however, owned a couple of convertibles in the past. I've owned a first gen Miata in college and years ago had a 986 Boxster. I live in so cal so top down driving is a year round option.

I loved both my drop top cars and top down driving is a lot of fun. Give out nice weather - top down driving is an option all the time - even at night. with seat heaters - it's a blast.

so now i'm wondering if maybe an M4 vert would be the ideal choice. I know they are heavier - so i'm wondering what the consensus is on whether they are close enough to a coupe or the m3 in performance?

I likely will not track whateer car I get. I mean, I could see myself doing a track day once... but it's not going to be something I do all the time, so I"m not worried about lap times or dreag strip times.

I"m thinking the top down aspect would be fun enough to warrant a car that is marginally heavier and therefore not quite as fast in terms of actual specs...

I know the trunk is not as functional - but I have an X5 for family trips where I need cargo. I'm really looking for a fun car that *can* fit a couple of people in the back for shorter road trips that I could use in lieu of the X5, but i'm not looking for a true "family" sedan...

any of you have verts? I"m curiosu how you find the car for daily driving?

can you put the top u/down while you have the windblocker in place?

are the back seats functional in an M4 vert for children? I have a 12 year old and a 14 year old that would be in the back seat on occasion.

thanks for any input or suggestions. you can see in my sig.. I considered myself a future M3 owner..but now i'm thinking maybe M4 vert?

[mjposner]

"I know the trunk is not as functional" Not true. I have a full time subwoofer tucked under the back, and with the top up I can still stow two bankers boxes. Please the rear seats fold to give you a large parcel shelf, and with the top down you can carry large tvs or ladders.

I daily drive the M4 and top is down except in rain.

"can you put the top u/down while you have the windblocker in place?" Yes mine is in place all the time (I never carry back seat passengers)

"are the back seats functional in an M4 vert for children? I have a 12 year old and a 14 year old that would be in the back seat on occasion." Yes, but you have to move front seats up a bit.

You lose .3 second to 60mph. You gain blue skys.

I have that .3 seconds back with a stage one tune from MHD.

You have an X5, why get another family car (M3). And you have no winter driving so why not get a vert?

[mjposner]

Fits perfectly underneath and add whoomp

[SMB F83]

Do it!!! Especially if you have convertible history and know you love top down driving. My past car list runs through MG’s, multiple miatas, and a 2 series convertible, and the M4 is the pinnacle of what I love about driving a convertible.

(That, and you can find one with a manual if you look hard enough)

Yes, it feels a touch heavier than a coupe M4, but it still feels like an M, and on a sunny day for me at least the trade off is well worth it. As far as being “close enough” I’ve never wanted for more power or handling capability on the street. And if I did, tunes and other options are easily accessible. My wife steals it all the time, she loves driving it also.

The back seats are usable for humans for shorter, slower drives with the top down. Because the wind blocker is out, they’re not as good for freeway speed mileage. Of course putting the top up fixes that.

The trunk is functional. Even with the top down you can get a case of wine in the back if you use the top stack lifter function to get it in/out.

Go find one and drive one!

[Sherhart]

Just went through a similar dilemma (wanting fun car, previous S2000 owner, worried about weight of M4 vert, etc.) and decided to pull the trigger. Few cars are going to be able to deliver the blend of fun, performance, and practicality of the M4 vert.

Is it slower? For sure. Adding 500 lb to any car is going to slow it down. Law of physics applies.

Does it matter? I personally don't think so. I mean, we're talking about a car that will still do a mid 12s quarter. And with the top down, it actually has better weight distribution with 52% over the rear vs. 48% for coupe, so traction off the line is less of an issue. I'd be willing to bet the vert would match a coupe or sedan off the line up to about 100 in real-world driving.

If it does matter to you, get a BM3 and call it a day. I don't know your wife, but my girlfriend will have no idea what to do with that power. She would have been fine with a 435i, but the price diff was so small, the M4 vert was a no-brainer.

I was looking at S5 verts, but this is so much more car in every way. And the hardtop - while it adds weight - makes the car actually usable as a daily driver which was key as I live in Seattle proper and literally have nowhere to park a 3rd car 😁

Oh, and now is the time. Dealer's are getting desperate. They can't send to auction and need cash. I got a 2016 CPO pretty loaded with 27K miles for $42K out the door. List was $85K, so less than half price for effectively new car.

Good luck!

Jimbo

[65fastback]

I think OP has already made his own case to get a vert. Being he lives in california and not a track rat or roll racer...seems like a great choice.

I say go for it! get a F83.

[LOW4LYF]

Agree...wish I would have a F83 instead of my F82.

[mjposner]

You will lose about .3 second to 60.

Weight Issue:

M4 driver equation: Roof = 500 plus fit driver of 200 plus smoking hot wife because you drive an M4 vert = 125 so 825lbs

M3 driver equation: 'Merican man with mortgage and kids, 250, plus sturdy wife at 175 and two kids older 150, younger 125 so 700lbs.

Not much difference.

P.S. Sensitive types, this is a joke for humor only.

[dinanx6f16]

Honestly, I say the f82 > f83!! The back half of the car just doesn't look right on the f83 compared to the f82! Feel like the F82 has a much more slick and aggressive look compared to the f83, kind of look like the top half of the car is cut short and the trunk extends longer (?) Don't really know how to explain it hahaha. But if you like the F83 go for it bro!! at the end of the day it's your car my man! as long as you're happy with it!

[icebiker]

The top down experience for me is worth the slight weight gain and performance tax. Today it was 72 degrees and my wife and I drove from PA to NJ as the the sun set, wind deflector up and music cranking. Even at highway speeds no problem holding a conversation nor hearing every note. Sublime. Go for it!

[Ibiza]

Go for the convertible!! Unless your tracking your your M4, you won't tell the difference on the road. For track days, just do a BMW program stateside or Germany and abuse those cars. I'm a proud leaser of 5 BMW verts and my 2nd car like yourself is always a X, now a X5M which is a F'ing beast!!

[Rbc44]

I love my M4 vert, which I have been daily driving since September, 2015. Recently added Akrapovic mid-pipe and exhaust (for weight savings and sound) and a Carbahn Stage 1 tune, for extra horsepower and torque (549 hp and 564 lb/ft torque at flywheel).

[hilld]

Another vert owner here. Mine is a 15 and I love it. I also have a sub in the "trunk", actually in the space between the trunk and rear seat, where the wind deflector is normally stored.

As to your question, I generally keep the wind deflector installed all the time, even if simply folded down. If I need to put people in the back, I fold up the wind deflector into the storage position and throw it in the trunk. Yes, the top goes up and down with the deflector in place.

I did lower mine onto some Ohlins coil overs and find the ride much better than stock (mine has ESA, or should say had).

One person mentioned the looks of the coupe vs. vert and while I agree that the car with the top up is probably not the the most aggressive looking, I find it a stunner with top down.

[jdarwin]

I just purchased a CPO 2018 M4 vert w/ 7800 miles. Car was loaded with every option including MP exhaust. I sold my F80 because I wanted something closer to a grand touring without giving up the M persona. Personally, I like the look of the F83 w/ the top up. I liked the E93 also. As for the trunk, it is not as functional but it works fine. The ability to raise the top up while folded in the trunk is a nice feature and allows me to utilize the entire trunk area when the top is down. The wind deflector makes highway driving very pleasant.

I find the ride in comfort to be smoother than the F80. I've heard the M4 vert suspension is modified in this manner. The additional weight of the roof probably contributes to this as well. As far as performance, I don't really find much difference between the F83 and the F80. But the top down experience is worth any performance drop. The sound of the M Performance exhaust with the top down is awesome! The back seat is accommodating for children and medium adults for short trips but as others have stated, it's not nearly what the F80 is. But that was not an issue for me. Overall, I love the car and have not determined any downsides vs. the F80 which was a fantastic car.

[Slynkyone]

I've been lurking here for several months and registered just to respond to this thread. I've got a 2016 M4 convertible with the 6MT and it is by far my favorite car I have ever owned. A friend at work has a 2017 M3 and his car is slightly faster, but I think the difference is so slight in real world use that it's negligible. For me, the feel of riding with the top down more than makes up for the slight performance drop due to extra weight. The car is already scary fast... I really don't need it to be any faster... though that may be sacrilegious to say here, lol.

[Ray Khan]

I echo the logic of all of the folks who have posted thus far. Coupe looks better, but I found the trade off more than worth it. That being said, I haven't experienced any of the performance yet as I have been tooling around with the kids and just been taking it easy for the break in. I never test drove one or any other F8X cars. It definitely feels heavy to me coming from my S4 which is only a couple hundred pounds lighter. I would suggest test driving one back to back with an M3/M4 so you can feel the difference before you decide.

[SMB F83]

Since people have been providing visual incentives for getting an F83, I'll add mine...

[23109VC]

Thanks for the "motivation"!!!!

[icebiker]

Originally Posted by 23109VC

Thanks for the "motivation"!!!!

More motivation, top up... And when you pull the trigger you better post pics

[Brentis]

I love my sakhir orange vert. Never expected Id like a convertible, but now wonder why inever bought a convertible before. Put bm3 on mine and cant imagine having less traction than i do now. When top is up, feel it is quieter than hardtop.

[PhatLyfe]

I have a 2018 AW/SO with competition pk the Dinan exhaust . It's a sweet ride. I think is a great ride even with 20s.

[PhatLyfe]

Originally Posted by Brentis

I love my sakhir orange vert. Never expected Id like a convertible, but now wonder why inever bought a convertible before. Put bm3 on mine and cant imagine having less traction than i do now. When top is up, feel it is quieter than hardtop.

Did you get the crack hub done prior to bm3 ? What's you up now?