BMW E46 M3 vs Audi B7 RS4 - An Owner's Comparison
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- My M3 has been sold but before it went I wanted to get it into ONE video, so friend and fellow Petrolhead Darren came down with his RS4 in the dead of winter to film this comparison, looking at these two cars as potential used purchases.
We hope this will be helpful for anyone considering a blue German super saloon in the sub-£25k bracket in the near future.
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Glorious review, two petrol heads getting together to enjoy each other's car and have a level headed chat about them without it turning into a pissing contest.
I'm 6'1 and own a 46 m3 and no way anyone is sitting behind me.
Love my m3 but I also love the rs4. Both great cars.
deff
Doesnt the csl have thin front seats that allows better rear leg.
A BMW junkie, my son convinced me to drive an RS4 (and I convinced him to buy an M2 instead of a standard 2 series at the end of his 2 series lease). Regardless of the position of that RS4 engine, the car feels like it has the polar moment of a mid-engine car. The first corner I took was a u-turn, and it was like the car was being pulled around the corner by itself. I was very pleasantly surprised by the handling and responsiveness to input. Interior appointments were - I thought - very professionally designed and laid out. The overall feel was very high tone. Having owned and driven M cars, Mercs, Infiniti Q45A, various sports cars from Healeys to Jaguar, etc. you could not convince me that an RS4 was as heavy as the specs show, and as agile in AWD as any RWD car I've owned - particularly the 3-series Mercs. That Audi is a very special car, and I'm looking for one now.
Ew audi sucks
@@keyseven5298 Spoken like someone who has never driven one, has no idea what they are like, and doesn't know what he's talking about. Good comment! Been in Mensa long?
@@keyseven5298 Can't fault you for that - the car responsible for putting more smiles on my face than any other that I've bought was a 633 - elegant design, and easy to compensate for its shortcomings (4 speed, instead of 5 speed I put in, shift linkage, tuning, lights, etc.) After driving an M6, I actually preferred the buzz and exhaust note of the 633. Elegant car.
@@MrGsteele I love these cars, always wanted to drive one but I just got rid of my old 3 series to make room for one. Hopefully I can find one soon and it won’t be a long hunt!
hell yes great response 👏 driven many cars in my life from vipers to z06 vetts ferr porches ect the rs4 b7 of course in my driveway is deff more special than any of these it's so dam amazing my fav car of all times that is affordable 😀
I have owned a RS4 over 6 years now, can't bring myself to sell it.
I definitely think RS4 over M3
@Anthony Galeano yea good luck with that piece of shit engine. the 4.2fsi is notorious for carbon build up. i was checking out some b8 rs5s and they all were FUCKED. ive seen some with 350hp (they are rated at 450) and the same goes for the b7. sure, you can clean that piece of shit with a wallnut blast for 1600€, but if you have bad luck, you might have to do this shit every year. that is just not worth it to be honest.
@@leviathan5207 My 2010 S4 with 69,000 kms only has about 460hp and only a bit short of a Ferrari F40 but quicker. It has never had a single part failure. Only scheduled maintenance.
paul l lol.. you are clueless if you think your car is as fast a Ferrari F40
@@bentalbottalbot hmm.. I didn't read anything from Paul's comment about his car being as fast as Ferrari.
paul l delusional Audi owner. The f40 will smoke you after the quarter mile. Taking pride in driving an overpriced Volkswagen... sad.
The sound that came out that RS4 at first start up was ❤️ I seriously rewound the video twice to hear it again.
E46 is appreciating so well these days, finding one in good condition is not cheap.. Same goes for the RS4. I love both of these models in particular, but something about a V8 with awd and 6mt in the Audi just draws me in, I hope to own one some day. They're getting harder to find in good shape... Both are amazing machines. Cheers from the US, quarantine made me do it... O.o
If you are buying a V8 RS4 you probably are going to need to consider having the car completely rebuilt from the chassis up. It is going to be an expensive endeavor but when complete it effectively will be a brand new car.
Get an rs4 u will not be disappointed what a machine I live In Canada and there maybe 10 here mine is a time capsule so mint love her to death my girl and kids b7 rs4
You missed many key points that distinguish the RS4 from other B7. To name a few: battery in the boot for weight balance, 40/60 front/rear Quattro bias, completely different engine, cross-linked dynamic ride control (DRC) suspension, additional radiators, large Brembo calipers, wider track, Recaro RS bucket seats, exhaust with flaps, etc.
Thanks for adding in the detail.
I must admit my piece "off the cuff", so there was bound to be a few bits I forgot to mention. Apologies, and cheers :-)
Daniel Klein yeah but why would he include stuff that you can find on the internet?
Mercboi UK what comparisson is this .realy !
@@anjeroxjp muppet !i have a highly modded supercharged B7 RS 4 battery is not in the front! the RS4 battery is in the boot , no spare wheel so thats where it is , also he didnt mention the bonnet is aluminium along with the wings , the boot is different too compared to a normal A4 as the rs4 has a slight lip on it
Spirit Blue is a beautiful colour but the Laguna Seca Blue is simply stunning!
Did almost 50K miles in my B7 RS4. That DRC was the only letdown. Soon as a shock starts seeping DRC oil you’re looking at replacing the whole system for the better part of £2K. Secondly was the variable length intake runners, which would sheer their plastic gearing and render the system useless. This occurs due to the Third issue, which is FSI. You’d get soooo much carbon buildup after even 20k miles on a new engine that’d cause the intake runner flaps to coke up and stick, sheering the aforementioned plastic gearing. Fourth, would be the radio aerial, which breaks down after a while due to its placement above the rear screen, and then lastly; it’s a heavy ass Audi. If you’re not constantly replacing the £700 front discs and 250£ pads - you’re replacing tyres.
Still - one of the better cars I’ve owned. Sounded dope straight through, and once you understand Quattro, was a weapon, even with its understeer.
rs4 is amazing, r8 like engine, highway highspeed bomer wth a v8 that revs past 8k, cmon..
hell ya agree 👍 💯 % had to buy one so unreal
Laguna Seca Blue is the best BMW color ever.
I'd love to own one. Got my eye out for an RS4 here in the states. My father bought one new in 07 or 08 in Imola Yellow with the titanium package and special suspension package and that car was amazing. I want to get my hands on one now that they are much cheaper with relatively low miles....and I can fit the kids in still.
Fact
The M3 just looks great. It’s just my opinion though
Amen
John Wallet quite possibly...Laguna is my favorite, especially with the matching blue leather!
Other makers do better greens, etc. but LSB is the only special BMW color that stands out in my memory.
deff rs4 love m3 as well driven a few but this rs4 is just something else it's amazing 👏 love mine to pieces !!!!
I once met an old RS4 expert car mechanic in North London who said "if you buy a B7 RS4 saloon make sure you only buy the one with the xxxxx engine".
It's been almost a decade that I still regret I didn't make a note that day.
I take both in blue and open a credit card for all the repairs then declare Bankruptcy 😂
thanks James for the video. I haven't seen it yet but already I know it will be worth watching.
Thanks for the great reviews on this channel. If you can leave this comment up, I'm working on a full RS4 maintenance series that is sure to be helpful to collector car owners
Love my 2004 M3... undergoing a full engine rebuild now to bulletproof for Vortech supercharger application; JE 11.5:1 forged pistons, Molnar 4340 H-beam rods w/ ARP bolts, King Racing main line & rod bearings, ARP main line & head studs, JE cooper ring head gasket, cyl head has been degreased & skimmed, block is about to be dropped off at the shop for deck, bore w/ torque plate, hone w/ plateau brushing, and complete repaint job. Can't wait to try out the new Status Gruppe sec 1 rasp eliminators & sec 2 unresonated X-pipe w/ the DNA motoring muffler, Megan Racing catless headers, & AFE stage 2 intake. SAP delete mod, crank case breather mod, Mishimoto alum radiator & electric fan + NPT & oil cooler, silicone radiator hoses, new water pump, alternator, starter, Bavautowerkz hi-perf ignition coils + new NGK platinums... suspension/drivetrain refresh; Bilstein B6 shocks w/ reinforcement plates, H&R springs w/ reinforcement plates, H&R sway bars, adjustable endlinks & control arms, poly bushings throughout, IRP 80A alum/poly engine & transmission mounts... new set of Sumitomo P02 tires... gunna be absolutely insane!! Believe me, love my B7 A4 on APR Stage 2! But oh mann... I'm such an E46 M3 guy, what can I say :D the S54 motor is just a work of supreme I6 engineering.. has such visceral throttle response & incredible sound when tuned correctly. With ITBs, high compression ratio, 8000RPM redline, VVT/VANOS, you cannot go wrong w/ over 100hp per litre stock!
My favorite engines are I6; S54, 2JZ, RB26.. can't wait for 2024... I'll be able to import the R34 GT-R V Spec and have it parked next to the ///M!
tell us all about it..
Amazing review! One of the best on the Internet.
In all actuality this is the right comparison. The E46 chassis competes with the B7 chassis. A4 vs 325i. S4 vs 335i. RS4 vs M3. The RS4 was released 2004 before the E90 but after the E46 M3 so it’s in a between space. To close the gap Bmw released the M3 CSL to compete before the E90 was released. In all actuality Audi showed up to the V8 muscle car wars after Mercedes but before BMW.
M3 CSL is another thing. You cant compete CSL with normal RS. CSL is racing tuned car, a lot worse than RS for normal roads.
Im a bmw guy, but im suprised how close you guys did with the scoring. Audi just seems to be that little cut above in most areas. Traction, quality, power etc, and in everyday driving in all conditions is a much quicker car. Even against the e92 M3 the B7 has it off the line to 60mph in all but the most favourable conditions for the rwd M3
agreed 👍
both these cars have awesome engines.
but the M3 looks sooooo much better
The M3 for sure if its gonna be a v8 then I would get the C63 AMG w204
Great review ! I've got a B5 RS4 and my mate has a M3 CSL both been bloody expensive to run and maintain
Both are beautiful cars! I have an e46 m3 and I just love it
Alex Gervais it’s not perfect, but mostly small things. engine has never been a problem. it was my first car so a labor of love.
great vid i needed this when i was car hunting a few years ago. rs4b7 prices jumped up so i bought an m3 and now i doubt i will own an rs4 b7 for fear of it not being as good as the m3 its just for fun not a daily.
The smoked lights are not stock. They're tacky Pep Boys-looking crap. E46 M3 looks awesome stock and too many people cheapen them with dated cosmetic mods that are just fads.
demoskunk the led smoked ones i have on mine look completely stock like the headlight is one long piece
but i do agree some can look tacky
Imo the smoked corners looks better than those ugly factory Amber's. Any stock car can be improved upon
FDB ambers are only required on American headlights.
@@JoJoJoker exactly, European m3s don't come with any fugly factory Ambers
I owned both M3CS and RS4 avant. Loved them both but for me the Audi won overall and I kept it 6 years. V8 sound wins hands down! The standard suspension gives a decent ride as well. The only real advantage to the M is turn in sharpness but adjust to a slower in, faster out style and the RS is very rewarding and fun.
Audi rs4 all day just bought one it's unfockingbelievable best car I've ever driven life is gooooooood!
Love both. I have a mint low Mile e46 m3 and a modern rs7 c8 with 815 bhp. Love taking the m3 for fun boasts. But why have you removed your engine strut brace that adds to chassis rigidity ?
OMG this is amazing! PLEEEESE do more stuff like this in modern times
abit of a pointless video. a older rear wheel drive coupe vs a new four wheel drive saloon. a e90 m3 would have made more sense. i still love my e46 m3
g4rr377 the rs4 came out in 2004 there not a massive age difference
@@00Dusty he is talking about the doors and the room in the car... He should compare a coupe to a coupe
g4rr377 actually because of when they were produced they’re only a year or two off
M3, it's the purer drivers car. Both are great cars though, the 4wd system does feel more planted to the road but there's just something extra special you get with the M3 that the audi doesn't have, you can't put a finger on it but it's there.
8 piston front callipers on the rs4? Is that right?
Yes. 8-piston Brembo made items.
Mercboi UK Jesus, and I thought my 4 pot brembos were big
great video but the E92 M3 is trying to be an RS?..... maybe if you get behind the wheel of an E92 you'll realize that its A LOT more performance focused than the RS4.
Audi drives like a couch
@Paul Thorsen And in the snow and ice it's STILL a fast car. Audi's RS cars are more rally based than the M cars ;)
We need someone to calculate the Doug scores for these two cars
I'm looking for a low mileage b7 rs4 as it's my ultimate iconic car, also due to where I work I'm very biased towards the Audi, however great video guys, nice to see an unbiased sensible review of what are still 2 iconic phenomenal cars. I would argue that the Audi interior fit and finish (even in the brand new cars) is still way ahead of BMW, anyone who doubts this then go and look at switchgear etc side by side. But thanks for such a sensible video showcasing these cars, I have noticed that they are both going up in value, especially for clean examples.
Close friend has an E46 M3, he describes the exhaust as 'a skeleton having a wank'. I can't say I like it
I'd still have the M3 all day, though
Your friend is a genius
Yes. They should have rectified that sound when creating the m3 E46. I didn't like my sound. I changed for milltek and disengaged the sport button mode .
Great review! Subscribed and greetings from Australia.
Nice video. That V8 sound ! :-)
Rs4 for me. How do I know ? I owned m3, now RS4
Love audi just see finish and build quality of that monster
Really nice comparison on the two. It's not just what's better. Mpg, reliability, quality, issues. A complete and comprehensive comparison.
Manual v8 with Quattro fuck everything else Audi is the top
Ew audi
If you ever get you hand on e9x please do the comparison with B7.
One o the nicest e46 I've seen
The rs4 has a different bootlid to the standard model also.
Hi Derek.
I'm Darren, the owner of the RS4.
Many apologies. I realised I missed the boot difference after watching the completed video.
Sorry to James, also!
Darren
Great video guys.
I'm the lucky guy who has the laguna seca blue interior... Titansilver body and the blue leather inside. First when I bought the car I was a bit confused, but than I started to love it :) It is really something special.... in a good way :))
Loved the video. Very informing. Thanks guys!!
For me the biggest problem with the e46 M3 is rusting ... I just hate rusting cars, had problems with the S2000, the e46 and a few other cars. I can live with many potential issues but thinking about doing a rust removal every other year and seeing your car disintegrate on it's own bit by bit ... I just can't take it :P
Never seen a speck of rust on any E46 M3 including the two that I've owned.
E46s love to rust. It's not bad for it, but they have a couple of common weak spots
First video I've seen I'm subscribing
James Martin that's a shame but I love cars so I'm sticking around
Would later models of the e46 m3 such as 05/06 be a better option to consider when in the market for one??
Great video as always! Keep it up mate!
Soo, BMW is a better drivers car, but Audi is ...faster in real world.
Both extremely stunning cars, especially in those choice of colours. If I were single or had a daily driver, M3 for me. If I had to only have one car, RS4 Avant!
I owned m3 e46 and b7rs4 in 2007. The m3 felt old to me and rs4 was better. Only issue was shocks on rs4
RS4 is a much more Special car, much rarer and the engine is much better, sounds a hell of alot better than that horrible M3 exhaust note which I never liked!
i got confused when they swapped commenting i went back to make sure what i smoke was not playing with my head ahahahah
RS4 baby, it’s my dream car
But of a random question, Is the Audi S4 good first car? I've been looking at the B4 and B5 generation Audi's and would those generation cars be easy to drive and easy on my wallet?
If I lived in California or somewhere nice, I'd get the BMW. For here in Canada though? I love my Audi.
Great video this.
You guys might have forgotten that all BMW M cars suffer from cooling systems that are made of paper mache, and for the glass-jaw SMG transmission. I'd take the RS4 all day long, if for no other reason than the all-weather, all-condition usability of the car.
I have never heard of problems with BMW cooling systems (except water pump failure) - but maybe that is the climate I am in? The SMG isn't THAT bad for reliability, but it would not be my choice of box
Surly you would compare it to a b5 rs4 rather than a much newer b7???
Looks like you found them clothes in the bushes behind the cars 😳🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Nothing wrong with bush finds
Hello, I’ve had both of these cars. I’ve had two convertible M3s and an Rs4 avant. In my opinion the Audi is a much better car, I’m looking at getting another one but I’d never buy the M3 again. Admittedly both my M3s were cabriolet so that could have been the problem
I had new E46 M3 from 2004 to 2006 where I sold it and bought new b7 rs4 salon . In my opinion rs4 a better class of car . Although bmw I never opened bonnet once !
RS4 all time
I wouldn’t buy either car. Rs4 is nice but for a little bit more money u could buy a vxr8. A proper super saloon, 6.2 v8. And boy she is a beauty.❤️
If you are referring to a w204 C63, not only is that another price step, it's a whole separate class of car.
M3 for me. Best colour too! I'd have original wheels though not CSL wheels.
Hello James,
I really like your job, as well as many other continental Europeans.
I would suggest using even metric system, maybe as subtitles, in order to be more internationally friendly.
It would definitely help to attract a not British audience.
James Martin hi James thanks for answering. HP is the most common measurement of power even in continental Europe. On the contrary miles are literally never used. Therefore, miles for hour can be tricky since we need to moltiply it for 1.6 in order to get km/h. However, the most difficult measurement to convert is certainly miles for gallons. I have no idea how to concert them to kms for liter.
I don't think think you should use the metric system but adding a subtitles will help your international audience to enjoy your videos.
Excellent and well informed comparison James. Being an RS4 B7 owner I agree with your verdict, either car would make a great daily drive when you consider what new cars could be bought for the same budget!
good comparison, thanks!!
Good review. I had a 2003.5 M3 and my brother an RS4. I liked the driving dynamics in the M better but the RS is quicker and better times around most tracks, but has horrible understeer and heavier feel. As I understand it the rs4 also has Gallardo front brakes and when my bro went to the RS5 he started to have all kinds of brake warping issues and eventually sold it for a 911. I love the motor in the M but the RS sounds soooo sick. I had to fix my VANOS at 30k miles (under aftermarket warranty) and always worried about the subframe. My brother always worried about carbon buildup of the DFI engine. I ended up selling mine a few years ago and got a 997 C2s. Ironically my brother was looking to sell his RS5 around the same time (and we didn't even know it) as he was tired of the heavy feel and lack of driver involvement and took a huge hit and ended up getting a 991 C2s within a month of each other. The funny thing is that he got the 991 from the same dealer and a couple years later he gets an email from the sales team that said "is it time to 'upgrade' your RS5? Introducing the new S5". (It was during the period there was no rs5).........ummmm, no thanks Audi, you already drive away a customer and now you are trying to sell, what you think is in RS5 owner on the "upgrade" of the S5? Lol. Ya, no thanks!
Neither of them are really race cars and the BMW is never going to be chucked around on a public road.
As an everyday car the RS4 is probably going to be better but it really depends on what you want.
@@bighands69 sure! Here in Oz we love throwing cars around on back roads. This is why AWD getting popular. No drivers, just launch at the light latte sipping bitches. ✌🏼
JayEmm after all the pain you ought to have reaped the reward and pleasure by keeping it. What a car, very nice spec. It really is the other side of the performance ar coin (the other side being a Lotus of course). Neither of these cars are great on track though (in standard form). From experience the M3 is far more engaging. Better engine response, overall more reliable (stronger engine, gear box) cheaper to maintain too. Gearbox on RS4 is a bit of a let down being slow whited. The RS4 has expensive clutch issues and the price of the breaks are just insane. Overall more compromised. Lovely in estate form though.
If there was any way I could have kept the M3 I would have. It was supposed to have been sold months before though to help pay for the Evora, so it had to go.
TBH, the Evora makes more sense as a daily/ track car, never mind the fact that its mid engine! Shame though as these Beemers are real growers and the definitive front engine RWD N/A sports car experience... In fact I must admit that having tried the 1st gen 230 ish bhp N/A Evora it was the S54 that won me over (as a keeper). Great vids by the way, really enjoy your channel, lots of good common sense and fair opinions. Thanks.
Getting a review of the audi from its owner. Stupid. M3 is an icon. Rs4 is shit. Nothing special.
yep you right 100%, shouldn't even compare a 4WD with an M3
Imagine calling a b7 rs4 shit.
Curious , at what mileage did the RS4 need clutch changed ? Cheers
Give it another few years and values of both these cars will start climbing. They are both an extinct breed. N/A engines, manual gearboxes, and a chassis that relies on mechanical engineering rather than computers. Also the M3 is one of the best looking performance cars ever made.
m3 ☺
Love them both.
E46 M3 babyy
The only glaring omission in this video is the lack of mention of the S4's timing chain failures which can set you back at least $5k, $8k at a dealer. Many enthusiasts won't touch these cars solely for that. I'm amazed this issue wasn't mentioned, as if they both ignored an 800 pound gorilla in the back seat of the saloon.
Does the RS have the same issue though?
It's a known issue on B6 and B7 S4s, but timing chain problems aren't a common issue on the RS4.
M3 The Best......Kult
M3 for life
Nicolas Font I love m3s but how could you ever chose an m3 over an rs4.. those things are so sick
@@mavericclorah8136 easy better track cars better handling m3 csl was 15.000 pounds cheaper than porsche gt3 yet gave run for its money
The M3 sounds fantastic inside, but my god does it sound like a ricer with a fart can on the outside. Its horrible.
Yeah it's quite raspy from the back. Certain aftermarket exhaust solutions can fix it though, and make it sound quite good, to my ears at least. Of course not everyone will want to modify their car, but I love it so it would likely be the first thing that I would do.
I know what you mean. An exhaust is next on my list for my V6 BiTurbo.
The noise comes from the race spec CATs they fit. When you hear them properly they do not sound like a ricer fart cans.
I disagree, I really like the raspy exhaust note of the m3 a lot, it sounds raw and primal.
That BMW looks awful, I understand why you sold it. That Audi though, it's a real bargain and it looks really good.
Are you drunk
Hi James, what made you decide to sell your M3?
If you flip your screen horizontally, the steering wheel is on the correct side of the car.
Very good
I cant believe ANYONE would pay 20,000 for an E46 M3, what a piece of crap!
surely E46 and RS4 both just crappy now?
you forgot the leather is not the same as regualr 3 series other than that great video ;)
also i have pheonix yellow with kiwi interior loll fuck everyone always says its a cool combo i guess the guy in the video doesnt like the cheerful colors
Do not agree at all that an e92 m3 is trying to be an rs4, have you driven one?
My 56 plate convertible hardtop smg with 34k in silver on billsteins and H&R springs and spacers is untouchable 🖒
Robert Whitfield smg gearboxes are shit had a 03 smg 2 convertible drove shit in auto drove shit on paddles
The real deal Dezzy nar it's boss mate plus my work vans got a gear stick and that's gash.ive had loads of fast cars gtirs r32s etc and this with smg is the best
M3 rear seats fold as well. Very handy from a practical point of view :).
In which case why do you have the release handles for them in your shot? They are in the boot with the release handles either side of the sub ;).
I'm surprise at just how practical mine is. I came from a Clio 172 as well as an Escort RS turbo ; if the latter wasn't so minty it may have won in the practicality stakes
James Martin it happens to the best of us
Put the rear seats down and open the windows at 100mph for much brown underpants and fun
Rs4 fast off the mark no doubt, m3 does it around track, and if we go past the limiter the m3’s 180mph top speed is better than the rs4’s 170-175mph 👍🏻
i would've thought w203 C55 would've been the rival from Merc for these 2 cars...
e90 m3 or b7 rs4? what would you pick?
rs4 all day
I do believe you compared the right cars. I have always felt the e92 m3 was a little redundant since it's sort of competing in house against the 335i which is almost as expensive these days because of how sought it is.
e90/2 m3 can be got for 16k?
Can someone tell me how reliable these really are? Miles to a tank etc
Both can have their faults but overall Audi is more reliable. Realistically there isnt much in it.
MPG wise both similar, 200-350 miles to a tank depending on driving style, etc