2018 BMW M3 Competition (550whp) Review - Is it Overpowered?

[@mullner88]

How could you forget about the grille stripe mod? Easily worth 20hp

[@PC-hr2rc]

This is Paul, the owner of the M3. Each stripe is actually 10 hp, so *30hp 😂

[@mullner88]

@@PC-hr2rc 😂 I’m glad you have a good sense of humor about it! Only teasing of course

[@KuostA]

tbh that shit is tacky af on such a nice, classy car man. @@PC-hr2rc

[@BlakesGarage]

You gotta drive my M4. MCS 2WNR full aero, tuned and on proper wheels and tires. It absolutely rips! You’d love it.

[@Zygrene]

I'm so down! Shoot me an email or DM on IG so we can make it happen

[@Swaangin]

I know this is an M3 but when I installed RSR springs to my IS, it drove more sloppy than stock suspension. I feel like you really have to get proper coil over set ups or stick with stock than throwing on some springs

[@seansmith246]

Its a good enough review but I want to comment on your reference to build quality. I own a 2018 (October build - so one of the last) and it has just ticked over 75,000 kms. My car does not make one single sound. I suspect due to modifications done on the car you are reviewing, internal panels have probably been removed and refitted and perhaps not done so in the best possible way. Also the way an owner treats and drives the car might impact interior panel fit.. i.e if you are going a cross a lot of rough roads the NVH will take its toll on internal fits - OR - if the car is left parked out in the elements instead of being parked under cover, that will impact plastic panel fit.... My car has the extended leather so I also don't have big plastic dash panels as that car might. Finally, you have multiple cameras mounted in the car and it could be those that are contributing to vibration sounds. I just wanted to give you another owners perspective. I have not done much by way of filming my car but it has after market 20 inch titan rims on wider rubber than factory, full carbon exterior and interior, the BMW MSport Alcantara Performance Steering wheel with LED display and Shift lights.. It is Black on black. You can see it on my channel - Search #WharpedDrive. I am in Australia. By the way M Cars are way more expensive here so you are all very lucky to have such a low entry level for cars like the F80 M3 Competition.

[@MrLIVELINESOLUTIONS]

My F87 Comp has 572whp on stock turbos and it is manageable on Dinan suspension (HAS) and PS4S. On track I use A052 +1 sizing.

[@adamfrancombe4577]

I had a 435i so obviously no way near as powerful but my feelings were still similar. Numb steering and the chassis just never felt settled. Even with B12 pro kit and eibach ARBs.

[@dwaynebolan2583]

Great review! Thank you

[@cs2294]

This thing seems fast as fuck on the canyons. Perfect south florida highway car lol

[@PC-hr2rc]

Car has been sold to a South Florida family now! His 8 min commute time has decreased by 5 mins

[@cs2294]

@@PC-hr2rc Haha checks out!

[@throbbybobby7893]

Do you feel the extra weight/size on the m3 over the m2c? Trying to decide between the two as a daily, however I don't really care for 4 doors/extra space. I liked how easy it was the slide around in the m2c. Have yet to drive the m3

[@Zygrene]

M2C feels nimbler but might not be a night and day difference. I'd say it's the better driver's car overall

[@kenifchung]

So the M2 Comp gets none of the uncontrollableness stock?

[@dannyyin9663]

It’s the tires. Regular PS4S have soft sidewalls that make the handling less confidence inspiring. Cup 2’s or at least BMW star-marked 4S’s would help a lot.

[@SaturdayWinter]

Nah, stage 2+ is overkill unless all you care about is highway races & burn outs. The power you can get out of the car with FBO is insane but quickly outperforms what the chassis is capable of for spirited driving

[@tractioncontroldelete]

This car is so underrated. Nice review as always

[@afaqahmed43]

first time im seeing zy get overwhelmed by the power haha, lovely video as always cheers

[@sunnyvalentino]

Check out his video driving the Corvette ZR1 (and Viper). 😂 Wild power

[@Zygrene]

@@sunnyvalentino lol so true. And the ZL1 1LE from years ago

[@sunnyvalentino]

@@Zygrene ok. I need to watch that. I've been following Que the Chaotics journey (similar to mine) from overpowered cars to slow(ish) car fast. 😆

[@edcadiri8720]

BBS Fi-R ... my boy's won a few lottos i see

[@jhr1572]

Nice video! I have a 600 whp flex thned F80 and I do it all a lot of canyons too. You have to trust the car point where you want to go and the car sorts itself out. It's an amazing machine and very satisfying to drive. But, you have to respect it but not be scared of it too much. It slides it spins but if you point where you want to go it just goes. If you want all traction no slide f80 is not for you imo. You can spin the entire way and have total control I've never driven a car this precise and so playful. When you go into it half ass it won't reward you as much. I agree with suspension 100% I have similar and it's comfortable but NOT inspiring like my last setup but more comfy. Oh well.

[@skateinspace]

sounds like it needs proper suspension work to control all that power. regardless sounds like a monster

[@metooblueshoes]

500 wheel is the sweet spot. This m3 is beautiful

[@Philip7119]

Can’t agree more!

[@patrickbateman7122]

That ain't no sports car, more like a german muscle car..

[@ksajan16]

Yup, peak torque hits so low in the rpm range you don’t have to rev it like a sports car

[@johnmitchell2269]

The 6.2 V8 C63 AMG is the true German muscle car.

[@876yuugt]

BMW only makes muscle cars now. I don't think they've made a proper sports car since the Z4 coupes.

[@spazzinvader9083]

@@876yuugt Supra GR and bmw m4 are not muscle, stupid

[@carsandcoldbrew6489]

A custom tune will make power more linear and driveability will be much better than stock. Apply proper throttle helps too, can't jab at it like NA😂.

[@AW.SO.M3]

Hard to deny the m3, all the practicality of a normal sedan but with a playful character. Installed Ohlins RT and upgraded bushings, feels like a completely different car.

[@burnoutclips]

bbs wheels go great with the F series

[@porschegt2346]

Basically a muscle car type handling. Mines back when i had it wasn’t good for anything but highway pulls. The turbo kicks in and car goes sideways.

[@PC-hr2rc]

Think that is a fair sentiment, certainly a German muscle car! Will definitely be looking into proper coilovers. Previously (as in two weeks before this video was filmed), I had been living in the northeast where the public roads were the limiting factor of running any sort of track focused suspension. Some friend/fellow enthusiasts had everything from KWs off a M4 GTS to Ohlins R&T which are supposed to be dual purpose and they all wanted to shake your teeth filings out haha.

[@Areku06]

I would delete edc and get proper coilovers on this f80, like ohlins road and track. I don’t have f80 but f30 with adaptive msport suspension, by far best mod was bilstein coilovers. I only have around 470whp, it feels just right for this chassis and suspension. Granted f80 chassis is better, should handle 500whp no issues with proper suspension.

[@dannyarooster]

I had an F80 Comp Manual that was a Dinan S3 but tuned it with Bootmod and tuned the steering/suspension/diff etc to CS/GTS stuff as well. I drove it around most of the time in the CS+ Tune, as you stated, it can have too much power and it just isn't as fun as it just builds so much torque you don't ever need to rev it out. The CS tune is more NA-ish. You'll also want the rear stabilizer links, the car under hard acceleration can toe out in the rear from the bushing flex which could be what you're feeling. Overall F80 is a terrible backroads car (i live in norcal too), horrible steering communication, and if you ever try the brakes on a downhill section, you'll find them to be overmatched and lack of confidence. The motor/engine/transmission is incredible though

[@porschegt2346]

Agreed with what you said. My old m4 Comp was only a fun car on the highway. It’s definitely traction limited..

[@patrickbateman7122]

I found the og M2 the same, so much hype then drove it. Arcade machine steering feel, no finesse, felt like a pig with high cog. Haven't driven one but I'd imagine the E9x gen M3 was probably the last goodun..

[@porschegt2346]

@@patrickbateman7122 each generation introduced more electrical shenanigans that further deviated from the pure driving experience + weight gain. Our days are limited

[@akkando]

@@patrickbateman7122e9x is a pig but you do have steering feel and the right noises. Also more reason to rev it out.

[@patrickbateman7122]

@@akkando yeah i just looked and they're around 1600kg so probably not for me either. Why couldn't BMW just make a modern version of an e30 m3, it doesn't even have to be the top model..i just want manual,tops 1350kg, 2 door 😭

[@seansmith246]

Plus anytime you lower a car you are reducing the possible suspension travel so on uneven roads, it will feel awful

[@chasejohnson6587]

One thing I'll say about mechanical "weak links" in the S55 is the charge pipes, j pipe, and the top mount intercooler. Each of these have failed me on my dual-purpose M2C, which has never been tuned and is on the OEM turbo. It sees half a dozen track days a year and a decent amount of street miles. If you track an S55, you might run into these issues. If tuned, it is even more probable. Still, I'm considering picking up a ZCP F80 with DCT so I can have a family sedan that my wife can drive in a pinch, but that can also hang for a full day of lapping if my M2C is sidelined. I'm awfully tempted by the 8Y Audi RS3 (2022+), since it'd be a great family sedan, can send a bit more torque to the rear compared to other Audis with the old Haldex system, and with some very minor tweaks it might handle a day of lapping in a pinch. I hesitate because I fear it'd feel artificial and lack a sense of humor on the street that the F8X platforms bring in spades. Anyone drive an 8Y RS3? Fenton, got any plans to get your hands on one?

[@johnshuarwamirama]

bro just get an F80 the Audi is soulless in comparison... F8X is a timeless classic

[@chaseespinoza4288]

I agree with you in that last month I bought an F80 CS. Tracked it and have some street miles on it, but I like my M2C much more. They’re similar, but the F80 is now redundant in my garage. I’ll flash the very linear tune of the CS to my M2C. The CS’s tune is S55 perfected, but I much prefer my manual box and the shorter wheelbase of my F87.

[@camai75]

The cars not over powered, you’re not a good enough driver.

[@_ABC_123]

F80 m3 = beast

[@germanengineering204]

Great review! You really explain everything well.

[@doca8792]

In stock form the rear tyres already want to break loose, so I don’t understand why anymore power is needed?

[@seansmith246]

I have not flashed my car yet as Service Plan is still in place.. But I have thought about doing it for the mid range rolling punch. I agree off the line, even with Michelin Cup 295 rears, I can't stop wheel spin through 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear.

[@maxymillion7480]

Too much engine without proper money spent on suspension and braking. Its a very 'American' build. 12 grand set of wheels but no brake upgrade? Bizarre.

[@PC-hr2rc]

The Dads in the Costco parking lot love the 12k wheels so…..😂 For my uses of highway cruising and grocery runs, the factory suspension (especially the EDC) is a better fit. Running upgraded brake pads works for my current uses. Definitely sacrifice a bit of the handling sharpness, but have a C8 Z51 for that.

[@andresperezsoderi9398]

BBS’s are top choice though 👌

[@KuostA]

@@PC-hr2rc what's work for u?

[@carsandcoldbrew6489]

The oem brakes are good. Might just need a pad uograde with something like Ferodo, etc...

[@jimbaranresidence8]

F series wif s55 expecially m2 comp is a playful car, nice to drive & counter interact wif the car feeling......

[@seansmith246]

Think part of your problem is your driving style, you turning into corners with no throttle mate...

[@FreshFL5]

Love f80s. And lol at you admiring your car at the end 😂

[@derianc3]

That grill though 😅