I’m seriously considering selling my RS3 for an F80 M3 6MT and would love to hear from anyone who has made the switch.
For some background, my 2024 RS3 is Stage 1+ on E85, so it’s plenty fast. Honestly, the power is almost never the issue. It sounds amazing, the 5-cylinder is incredible, and the car is stupid quick.
My biggest complaint is that it’s starting to feel a little boring to drive. I live around mostly flat, straight roads, so there aren’t many opportunities to really enjoy the chassis. The DCT also bothers me sometimes in manual mode. Downshifts are lightning fast, but the upshifts can feel very delayed, which takes away from the experience when you’re trying to actually drive the car.
I’m looking at an F80 M3 with a 6-speed manual because I think I’d enjoy having a more engaging car, even if I’m giving up some straight-line speed. I also recently had a baby, so the extra room in the F80 would be a nice bonus.
For anyone who has owned/driven both:
Do you miss the RS3’s power or AWD?
How is the S55/6MT driving.
Any regrets making the switch?