Why The BMW E92 M3 Is A Flawed Car, But You Need To Buy One Anyway (Review) 

Right after this model they really started throwing the 'M' badge on everything and lost it's prestige. When I was growing up the 'M' was one of the highest achievements as a car enthusiast.

I feel like we need to sit down and have a chat about your shirts one of these days. 😂

I've owned one for over four years now and I definitely agree with a lot of your points. They are a bit compromised as standard but when fettled they can be totally transformed as you discovered with your E92 track car. Other than getting the rod bearings replaced, there's really not a lot that goes wrong on these. Other than maintenance, I've only spent about £1,500 max on things that have gone wrong over the years. Including the throttle actuators, faulty fan belts and a faulty thermostat. It's had loads of track days under its belt and things are going to need replacing on the horizon but I love my E90 and I can't see myself selling it anytime soon not when 997 GT3s and Exige Sport 380s cost X times more...

in case anyone was wondering, the value of these is going up like a rocket. I bought a 30k milage comp pack for £21,000 and just sold it for £27,000 6 months later.

Thank you for the review mate! Glad you liked it :D

Great review as usual. I agree with your comment that how a car makes you feel is more important than just comparing cold statistics. Driving my E46 M3, 6 speed manual convertible, just makes me feel so alive & happy with the world, particularly when the roof is down, better able to hear that wonderful straight six engine through a Scorpion exhaust.

Always welcome to drive my stock (apart from decat/remap) E90 for chassis comparison (18s, manual, no EDC). :)

Just to chime in about your B7 RS4 vs E92 M3 comment, I've owned both simultaneously now for about 3 and a half years and they are top notch cars to own and drive. If someone put a gun to my head and made me decide which is the best, I'd have to say the RS4 is the better road car...but nothing fills me with as much joy as the M3 when it's trying best to kill me. Two true legends of the car world.

The EDC makes a world of a difference in my opinion.

I got mine 2 weeks ago, I absolutely love it. Been in love with them for 4 years now. Exceeded all my expectations

Because of the high rev 8000RPM,NA V8 engine and manual,I bought it right away without doing a test drive at the dealership back in 2012,almost 8 years ownership without any issues,recently done the rod bearings and it’s bulletproof now!

You can feel the second you press the EDC incase anyone wondered

What I love about the older M3 cars is that they were more understated. With increasing cost the manufactures feel the need to outwardly differentiate the car by making it look more gareish.

We've just bought a E93 M3 in the same color white with HMS exhaust a lovely summer vehicle

I have owned mine for 3 years now, and I absolutely love it, aside from the painfully bad gas consumption I really cant recommend this car enough.

There's few cars new and old that sound better than the E92 M3! I don't care that its not the fastest car on the roads these days. The driving experience behind the wheel of E92 M3 is hard to beat or replicate!

I'm really glad I've got EDC on mine. Comfort mode is noticeable better for general cruising

To be fair, the EDC version totally kills your main gripe. I have it and (forgetting mpg) it's the perfect daily cruiser with a hidden demon inside.

That shirt! So right about the engine - sonorous it is. And thrilling. One of the greats.

Easily my fav of all the M3's.

Nice timing. Just bought an LCI E90 manual yesterday. I personally prefer the shape of the E90, I think it has better proportions. Without a modified exhaust they are very quiet, so I think that and coilovers are a must. Can’t wait to put some miles on it!

I owned my e92 m3 for 1 year now and I couldn’t be happier it’s an amazing unique machine

Hi jay..nice review man....very honest and informative...regards from Malaysia

I had the four door version of this with EDC - I regret having not kept it...

Love the channel, love that grandma's curtains shirt even more

....and thank you for the content 🙏🙌

I also owned a 2011 E92 M3 and really liked it, maybe under appreciated it. Comfortable as a daily driver. 100% stock.

Owned a manual with EDC E92 M3, from new, fourteen years now and all I can say is - it’s a keeper! Love it!

Redline is 8400 not 8600 ;), oh and the manual gearbox is a ZF S6-53

Great video and car. I also noticed RU-vidr Ben Rayne has recently got one of these too!

Great review. I have an E90 M3 and I still think it's the best looking car in the world. Most of the time all I do is look at it because the fuel economy is so bad 😅

Great video. Would you have this or and fk8 type r if you could only have one car.

Is there a permanent fix for the rod bearings ? Was there an initial size discrepancy, or is there a serious design flaw for oiling of the big and small ends ?

2:02 this is honestly the first time I've seen James smiling when he floors the car usually it's an all serious face.

My Friend had both E36 and E39, I was more impressed by the E36 in style, but the E39 impressed me more than any other car with the Breaking Speed, really next Gen compared to E36 . Once did a less than 23 Hour trip from Benalmaldena to Amsterdam 1184 miles / 1905.46 km in a E36 M3. Love the E39 Mirror Design ! 12:10 I once read an Article in the Auto Motor Sport Magazine (used to buy these magazine, also Easyrider, In the Wind ect..) , about the E36 , a Review of the M3 , Hartge, and Alpina Version, offcourse Alpina won... While improving the Engine , it had less Power than a M3, but was more fun to drive , ...because of the Comfort !

e92 , c63s or a vxr monaro ? what would you have jay

I find it interesting to hear someone say, "It doesn't quite know what it's trying to be." I do enjoy the e9X chassis m3. In some ways it's mostly about that V8. I personally would get one of these with a DCT. As a daily driver the DCT is way more fun. Good review sir and excited to see more of BMW videos.

I had an E46 M3 a few years ago & also loved it! I currently have a 2008 Golf GT TDI 170 which is great for the mileage that I do but a little boring.. I've been looking more & more closely at E92's as a second car now that they're so much more affordable as a second car. Great video, I think it's time to start searching!

Great honest review 👍👌😎

Thanks for a good, honest, informative review. Shame you never touched on how/ which problems could be ratified by aftermarket parts. i.e. the rod bearing problem.

Great that you collaborated with your relatively local fellow youtuber Adam, really enjoyed watching his Japan vlogs. My dream spec would be to get the ultra rare and ridiculously priced M3 CRT and fit it with Eventuri's Carbon plenum for that CSL-like induction sound, after the notorious rod bearings + throttle actuators issues have been dealt with! Mind you, the M performance Inconel exhaust that BMW offered sounds really sonorous and compliments that S65 without being distorted. Team Schirmer, Evolve Automotive and Mumbray motorsport know these cars inside-out. Savagegeese did a great documentation on his youtube channel, regarding his lukewarm ownership experience in his E92 as well.

LOL James Corden mixed with Mimi from the Drew Carey show

Have an e92 m3 manual with believe it or not bmw warranty. Fully agree with the comments on the passive dampers. It's painful on a non perfect road. So much so I'm thinking of getting the 18" wheels to soften it up.

All the negative posts about reliability you would think people are being paid for it. Quite bitter. It is a very reliable car. Rod bearings? Treat them right and they will never fail (99% do not fail). £1500 to do them once if you feel the need to put your mind at ease (as we don't know how previous owners have treated them) and they will last the life of the vehicle. To anyone who argues with that: no car should be ragged from cold start. Simple. And how many other naturally aspirated engines can you name, with such impressive specific output? That level of engineering requires fine tolerances and the right treatment (WARM IT UP and then swim in 8k revs to your heart's content). Where else are you going to find the same for the money? Yes, innumerable characterless turbos. Okay, some are better than others. But still. People need to appreciate what "thoroughbred" means. This car shares only around 15% of its parts with a non M E9x. That is real dedication to the cause. The last true (NA) M car and one of the greatest engines ever made.

Big up Adam!👊🏼

A couple of months ago I mentioned that I would respect your opinion on a car far more than most other car RU-vidrs. I watched this and it was the last qualification I needed - I now own an e92 M3. Thank you for your help 🙏🏻

Owned mine about 6 months, first RWD car I have owned. Last car was a FN2 Civic Type R. Absolutely love it. No plans to sell it.

I’ve wanted one of these E92 M3’s for so long now. Really enjoying you’re reviews, very honest! I like that 👍👍

M3 E92, designed for track but equipped for street. Love it!

I really enjoyed your review. I’m currently considering between this and a 2010-2011 Maserati Grandtourismo. Before you think I’m absolutely daft, I’m keen on a spirited V8 that I will enjoy driving and one that will become somewhat of a collector’s item for us petrol heads with the constant shift towards diesel, hybrid, electric.

That shirt added 50 hp 🔥🔥🔥

Bought my 2008 E90 M3 four years ago with 69k miles. I now have 82k miles and have no regrets at all. I set aside money for the rod bearings, motor mounts, and actuators. So all the major issues have been taken care of. I believe it will be a collectors one of these days. It doesn't have the torque or turbo like my wife's M235i, but that V8.... it's so addicting to make scream! That's why I quit listening to the radio when I drive it around.

On first acceleration the exhaust doesn’t sound right, sounds like it’s not running 100% right. Doesn’t seem to accelerate as hard as others either.

Thoughts on B8.5 RS4?

Looking forward to the EG!

That shirt is fairly powerful!

i got a question how much does it cost to run a e92 m3?

I have read on a fair few forums that the rod bearing and throttle actuator issues are not as widespread as people think, mainly on the pre 2010 ones, anyone else heard that?

As an owner of an e92 m3, I agree with the majority of the statements made. I was waiting for the usual mention of lack of low end torque 😂 Jay, with 625 brake, yours must have been supercharged? Having driven a standard one, how did the dynamics compare?

Drove mine 2k miles across Europe, love it!

Feel like now is the time to buy a decent manual example, keep it for a while, enjoy it and watch the market develop in your favor. The E46 market exploded in recent years - and with the legendary S65 engine - the E92 will too.

Nice one Adam!

Those shirts O_o a bit James May

I have an original m2 and f80 m3 in the family, l’m thinking this might be a great addition.

Was the limited edition sold in the USA

Fantastic review and handsome shirt !! I believe the E92 is the latest M3 to deserve love. I owned the replacement M4 and sold it after one year. Asides from its great look and horribly sounding, yet brilliant engine everything else is a let down.

0:04 think that sound sold it to me.

I have owned a E92 M3 in manual and like you say the fuel consumption is terrible, but the engine makes up for it with noise. A must though is the edc shocks, unless you want coil overs, but steering feel was never something that I was ever happy with.

Excellent, I hope that you will be bottled like you. I love cars

everyone needs to own and experience the E9X M3 at least once in their life.....they will be very desirable cars in the near future which also means the price for clean/rare examples will go up.

My mate had one with a Meisterschaft GTC and tune. Sounds crazy. Hes had a few issues with it though. More than theyll like to admit. Rod bearings, throttle actuator and gearbox issues. But hey whos counting.

Hi , I’ve decided to buy an e93 m3 but I just can’t seem to make up my mind on the transmission. I want to own the car for a long time so I want to have fun in it but also I want to grab one before they become too much. I want my to appreciate as much as possible so shall I get a manual or dct? Btw the car will be in a dry storage when not used.

had one. competition, 6 speed, last year and it was glorious

That engine is awesome. It has a few issues, rod bearings and throttle actuators being the main ones but they can be sorted for not too much. The stock noise is a bit muted, but a quick OE mod releases a bit more bark. The noise at the redline is intoxicating. The DCT a fab gearbox in my opinion; it works fine around town and adds some real drama in its most aggressive setting (feels a bit unsympathetic though). People bang on about the lack of torque, but the one I drove felt fine pottering about. It did come alive when you drive it hard though. They do like a drink which killed it for me as a possible purchase. I love the B7 RS4, but it feels like a much much older car. Other than the amazing wingbacks it feels like an old interior. It also suffers with issues (DRC, coking), don’t make their claims power either.

I have an e92 comp pack with EDC if you would like to test it :)

Now that’s a shirt love it , and the M3 V8 ....

D5 is great for hard driving as the gear changes are fast without the jolt of the S modes, which I'm sure is just for feel. It will change at redline and hold gears so I wouldn't agree it tries to get in 7th ASAP when driving spirited and the car notices. If you drive gentle in D5 then sure it makes no difference.

E92 M3's aren't flawed, people just don't spend the $$ to take care them.

I had a pre-LCI E90 and it was an epic car. Mine had the EDC and I would argue it was an essential item to have the car at its best, but without it, I'd say it shouldn't be a deal breaker as long as price reflects that and YOU like the way it gulps its way along the road. EDC dampers aren't going to be cheap come replacement time either. In terms of running costs; watch out for the fuel consumption and brake discs!!!! I would struggle to beat 22MPG in mine on normal running, and brake discs and pads were crazy expensive for OEM replacements and have to be changed on every 3rd set of pads (as a guide). Over 18k miles, I had no issues on mine at all. It was used as a family car much of the time, but I did run a cheaper "station car" for the weekday commute. A nice car to own and travel in, but felt a tad bulky to chuck along windy B roads compared to a Golf R with comparable performance. But it's a V8 - a wonderful, high revving V8.

Don't tell Adam I watched your video first shhh!

The EDC does make a huge difference. The car becomes stiffer and seems to squat lower.

Best sounding M3

These are great cars with the last true motorsports engine BMW made. Odd that you state that 390hp on a dyno is disappointing considering they are rated at 414 at the crank, so they must make more than the rated number because of driveline losses

The XHP software for the DCT makes a real difference on the Getrag 7 speeder.

I've had mine for a year and I absolutely love it. Definitely is a temperamental car but that's last great M car. If you can find a good example pick it up. Bc these really wont get much cheaper

Great vid as always, wish u could review a genesis coupe 😏

Find a good one that’s been looked after and it’s not bad at all to maintain. I daily one of these and it’s cheaper to run than my equally low mileage cayman S I traded for

Jaye's shirt isnt standard...!!! 😂👕👍

My friend Tom has one of these.....his terrible shirt collection is equally as bad as yours. 😬💙

Adam Ivell’s. Nice

You do realize KW V3s are very good Mid-High end coil overs. Very hard for an auto manufacturer to develop a suspension as good as a strictly suspension shop from Germany. Part of the reason Porsche use Bilstein for suspension components. General rule, expect nice coil-overs to ride better than stock and perform better

Jay considering the second hand prices of an m3 e92 competition roughly 20-22k for a nice one vrs a 997 911 carrera 2/4s at 22-26k if both are manual gear boxes - what is the better drivers car ???

I loved my E90 M3 I. That exact same individual white. Was spec’d up to competition pack levels which they did t offer on the E90. Had an Eventuri and the M Performance inconel exhaust. That car cost me sooooo much in monthlies, depreciation and servicing that I could have run a McLaren. That engine though! Between 6-8750 was ballistic.

The E92 M3 was a hotrod. Big engine in a small car. Luv and Peace.

Great vehicle. I am sorry but you need EDC on these. It makes a huge difference to the ride for day to day work and then hunkers down when you want it to ( but there are few UK roads you will want the stiffest setting on ). Is it flawed? Of course, what performance road car isn’t. Low end torque , actuators and brakes in particular. Personally I prefer the DCT over manual for a daily driver. Make sure you have the gearbox software updated of you have a pre 2011 model ( inexpensive, even with a main dealer ). Faster and smoother changes and reduces the upshift instability when driving spiritedly whilst cornering. Without it would suggest simply setting shift to 4 rather than 5, it decreases the chance of the back-end stepping out, apparently. I haven’t experienced issues with that particular trait myself ..... maybe I just don’t drive mine fast enough .... on a private road of course 😉). Great second hand bargain at present. Go for a competition spec or the Alpine limited edition ..... with EDC .... and wear a permanent smile.

JayEmm you said the same thing of your review E46 M, E86 M and E92, I am starting to think that you just dislike BMW's handling mainly, the word "flawed" were well used in those review. Personally a flawed rwd is better than these electronically assisted 4wd that does not require any driving skills to go fast. It was the E85 M that you gave a lukewarm approval.

You are so spot on on the automatic "D" mode of the DCT. All it wants to do it get into the highest gear at all times. The US variant is even worse. And with all variants, it seems it only polls the throttle position maybe once every two seconds. I've had many times where I almost floor it on an onramp at 2500rpm and DCT upshifts right after that moment.

Sounds like one of them scientists explaining to 007 how the deadly gadgets work on his car 🤣🤣

Original is always the best choice. And you chose one of the best cars ever to review

Believe it or not, most of those blank buttons are always just blank. In some older models the outer two are heated seats, but later they moved them to the climate controls. One in the middle can be parking sensors and another stop/start. That’s it. The rest are always blank.