Two Weeks and 700 miles on my new M4

[Jim B]

I took delivery of my M4 two weeks ago today. I have put 700 miles on it and have 500 more to go to the magic 1200. I've had a fairly good mix of driving including a 250 mile round trip to Windsor for Thanksgiving at my niece's as well as local freeway and surface street use. I haven tried to "push it" yet and am keeping the engine under 5000 rpm until the 1200 mile service.

I love the car, but it does have a few quirks, among them the A/C that always come on when the car is started and no "ALL" button. The A/C controls on E9x cars was a lot better. My car has the moonroof and the front seat backs will not fold forward when they are raised up; the top of the headrest hits the roof. They clear fine when the seat are in the lowest position.

Some things in iDrive are also different, mainly some items are in different menus than in my last BMW, a 2010 E92 335i.

The artificial engine sound is a hokey idea that seems rapidly spreading throughout the automotive industry, now appearing is such cars as the 2015 Ford Mustang and, I believe Chevy Covette C7, as well as the Lexus RC-F among others. I don't think it will be long before it shows up in the Bentley Continental, various Ferraris, Porsches, and just about anything else.

The engine, suspension (I have M-Adaptive suspension.) and steering default to Engine, "Efficient"; Suspension, "Sport"; and Steering, "Sport". The steering effort in "Sport" is fine for me, and the feel and response is the best of any car I have driven with electric power steering, but is not as good as the hydraulic power steering in by E92 335i.

I love the SO with SO full leather interior. The combination is really distinctive but not gaudy. Every where I get comments like "Love that color" or "This car is beautiful". The Merino leather feels like much higher quality that the Nappa leather on my 335i, and leather on the dashboard and the doors give the car a very special feeling, more like a $100,000+ car.

Throttle response is good with very little turbo lag even in the "efficient" setting. I'm going to wait until I get the 1200 mile service done before I try "Sport" or "Sport +".

I like the back up camera and the side and top view cameras to be very useful, unlike a few other posters. They are along with the Park Distance Control, very helpful for parking in tight places and avoiding curbs and other objects that could damage the plastic bumper covers, wheels and other vulnerable lower body parts while parking.

Overall, the M4 is a fantastic automobile. Sure it has a few quirks but they are minor; no car is perfect. I have yet to hear any rattles or strange noises that have been described in other threads yet, but again I only have 700 miles on it. I haven't yet found any noticeable quality control issues and I rate fit and finish as first rate. So far, I have only scratched the surface of what my M4 has to offer. It seems like I'm finding more little goodies every day. I've had BMW's for 20 years now starting with a 1994 E36 325iS, a 2005 E46 330Ci, the E92 335i Coupe, and my M4 is, by far, the best. There is nothing else on the market that combines the performance and looks I want, and the practicality I need and still offers things I want like 6MT. (Sorry Mercedes and Lexus.) I took 4 months from the time I ordered it back in July to the time it was delivered last month but the delays may have given BMW time to fix some of the problems reported by other posters in this forum.

Love it!!

[chiplee]

Wow, going 1200 miles without even a quick blast up to 4500rpm in sport? That takes some serious discipline. Thanks for the feedback. Picking mine up this week and I don't know if I'll make it home from the dealer without trying at least sport. Was planning to avoid sport+ until after 1200 mile service though. Anyway, congrats!

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by Jim B

I took delivery of my M4 two weeks ago today. I have put 700 miles on it and have 500 more to go to the magic 1200. ....

Love it!!

Congrats, welcome to the family

[gregblackM3]

Originally Posted by chiplee

Wow, going 1200 miles without even a quick blast up to 4500rpm in sport? That takes some serious discipline. Thanks for the feedback. Picking mine up this week and I don't know if I'll make it home from the dealer without trying at least sport. Was planning to avoid sport+ until after 1200 mile service though. Anyway, congrats!

I really don't know how accurate the whole break in period is. With European delivery they tell you to thrash it. I just picked up my M4 yesterday. I have driven it in every setting, however I haven't gone over 6k rpms. The way I see it, if you're going to trade it in for a newer model before the warranty expires, you might as well drive it. I also have some friends that ran theirs hard from day 1. They never had any real issues. I would love to know the truth re break in though.

[GOLFFRR]

fantastic! Congrats. Its look awesome

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by gregblackM3

I really don't know how accurate the whole break in period is. With European delivery they tell you to thrash it. I just picked up my M4 yesterday. I have driven it in every setting, however I haven't gone over 6k rpms. The way I see it, if you're going to trade it in for a newer model before the warranty expires, you might as well drive it. I also have some friends that ran theirs hard from day 1. They never had any real issues. I would love to know the truth re break in though.

I think you just wrote it.

[Lynchmob6]

Congrats…great color combo!

[SakhirM4]

Great looking M4 - including the moonroof

Looks just like mine, except my grill surrounds are body colored

[Needsdecaf]

Nice review. Glad you are enjoying!

FYI - I don't think your 335 had Nappa, unless it was special order. Unless I'm missing something, it had Dakota, which is another rung down from Nappa.

[NorCal f80]

I put 1000 in my first week. There goes my monthly mileage limit.

Originally Posted by chiplee

Wow, going 1200 miles without even a quick blast up to 4500rpm in sport? That takes some serious discipline.

Yea man, I pass 4500rpm everyday since I got the car and now have about 1200 miles. Addiction.

[BEMR]

I like for just basic preflight driving, sport, comfort, sport. I wish it would remember that setting each time, instead of going back to efficient.

[Jim B]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Nice review. Glad you are enjoying!

FYI - I don't think your 335 had Nappa, unless it was special order. Unless I'm missing something, it had Dakota, which is another rung down from Nappa.

I think you're right. I probably confused Dakota with Nappa. I know it wasn't Merino, and had a coarse grain to it. I had for gotten that there was another grade; I guess its what old age does to you. I think it was the same stuff that was used in the E36 and E46 cars as well. My 335i was a special order but I did not order anything from BMW Individual on it. It did have a 6MT and was well equipped with Navigation, Sirius, and the M-Sport Package.

[Mortis]

Nice car Jim B ! I got my car around the same time as you, SO on BLK, but with 6MT. I've already driven it 1,400 miles and am going to take it in for break in service in the next couple of days. My only regret is not getting the park distance control - didn't realize how low the nose was going to be.... Enjoy!

[RickMonet]

Wow - I'd better pick up the pace! I received my car a few days before Jim and have only 400+ miles so far.

Jim B and Mortis - please confirm when you do your 1200 miles service the dealer is willing to change ALL THREE fluids (oil, diff and 6MT tranny). Thanks.

[dmk08]

Originally Posted by RickMonet

Wow - I'd better pick up the pace! I received my car a few days before Jim and have only 400+ miles so far.

Jim B and Mortis - please confirm when you do your 1200 miles service the dealer is willing to change ALL THREE fluids (oil, diff and 6MT tranny). Thanks.

I thought the 6mt was not changed on this car?

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by dmk08

I thought the 6mt was not changed on this car?

My dealer would NOT change the 6MT fluid. Said BMW no longer does that on the 1200 service.

[Das Johnson]

Im sorry for being a noob, but what happens in 1200 miles?

[luvmybluesbb]

Originally Posted by Das Johnson

Im sorry for being a noob, but what happens in 1200 miles?

It is the first service for the car...and the real excitement begins!

[Das Johnson]

Originally Posted by ShibaDucks

It is the first service for the car...and the real excitement begins!

I understand first service, but why is the real excitement beginning then?

[luvmybluesbb]

Originally Posted by Das Johnson

I understand first service, but why is the real excitement beginning then?

It is like unlocking the rocket ship...even though a lot have driven the car like they stole it from the day they got it Launch control gets activated

[m3rxn]

car looks sweet. congrats!

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by ShibaDucks

It is like unlocking the rocket ship...even though a lot have driven the car like they stole it from the day they got it Launch control gets activated

Launch control is always activated with 6MT