My friend and I been switching our F and M3 back and forth......and we start liking each others car lol. Both are great cars, you just have to know what you like, test drive a pick one. M3 has been around so people know about it. With the F, you'll get mix responses....some knows about it, some ask about it, some think it's an FSport and other will think it's another fixed up ISX50. So pick one and don't look back.

 

All points made are very true! I see tons more M3s than isf's here in NY. The F was a lot more firm compared to the M3, the M also feels a lot lighter eventhough the on paper difference is negligible.
I always drove the F in Sport, manual mode with DSC off, although the car shifted scary fast it still didnt give me that raw manual feeling. Next gen ISF should be a very special car! Like I stated earlier, one of the best cars I have ever owned and there are some rare beasts on that list!

 

Manual sedan with comp package....kick *** combo! Mine is AW coupe carbon roof all options except comp and DCT. Enjoy your M!

 

This past summer while hunting down a super clean low mileage isf I went to a chevy dealer in va that had a 10 isf & a 09 M coupe. I drove the F 1st and it drove great but it had paint work and a poor buff job. There was paper work in the glove box from the body shop lol. So passed on this F. Then I drove the M . I start down the road and the oil low light was on but I did not let that stop me from beating on it. I felt uneasy, this had the smg trans. I did not like the way it shifted, also to much road noise. Did not like the interior, felt cheap. To me the F is tight and more rare to see on the road. But I do love the look of the M coupe, wish they made 2dr F. LFA just a litte pricey.
I went Japanese 08 USB F . If and when Iam ready to move on. I will probably go to a GTR.

 

ISF!!! I wanted a C63 or M3 but with low MPG and gas tax I decided on the ISF. Plus you can't beat the options and reliability! Also I get a lot of comments from Supra owners and people who don't even know the car about how nice the car was. I also like that it's rare and people look at it like it's some future production car!

I know the M3 has the name but when people see an M3 they don't break there necks anymore and just think O nice car, when people see an ISF they stare even the haters! LOL I dont really care about tracking or bias reviews plus the ISF is a great Daily Driver!

 

i have driven both extensively, owned an 08 F and now have an 11 F....M3 did have better overall feel than my 08 F but car felt weak compared to F in around town driving...M3 have to be driven hard to get everything out of it, Plus as everyone mentioned M3 4dr compared to F which is a fair comparison F being 4 dr...F takes this trophy just in the looks alone.

M3 4 dr doesn't look any special and it goes unnoticed like any other 3 series.

Now 2011 F does have much better driver's feel (Steering feedback is much better), not to mention suspension doesn't seem as harsh as an 08 F.

I would test drive them both back to back...Just make sure to turn Sports Mode on for the IS-F prior to having any fun and GL with whichever you choose.

 

A huge reason why I bought the F over the M3 or C63 was exclusivity. I've noticed that a lot of people, including bimmer drivers, still have a lingering stare when an F passes by. The C63 is a flat out beast, but I wasn't fond of the interior, and it was already pretty damn pricey as a base in comparison to a fully loaded F. I, along with Sello, wish that it had a panoramic roof (something for the guests to check out in the rear seats). The M has its heritage and driving feel, but it just wasn't for me. And both the M and AMG have a large amount of aftermarket parts, whereas the F is still in development. People have said to get the F for reliability and a better bang for your buck, the M3 if you want the manual, and the C63 if you just want to show you got the dough within this bunch. Each car has its pros and cons, but go with your gut. It'll almost always be right.

 

I live in So Cal (Orange County) and I see maybe 1 M3 Sedan every month or two. The M3 sedans are certainly rare here in So Cal. Probably more so then the ISF's.

 

i would have to say i see the most m3 sedans in west la or orange county for me. so i dunno

 

no way, i see all kind of m3s in oc. mostly coupes of course, but still plenty of sedan. definitely fewer convertibles

 

loll for e93 m3's i must say the most i see is in the koreatown area and they have been driven by 90% women in their mid 20's

 

IMHO, if you got money and want speed, get the GTR. Lexus vs MBZ, the IS-F gets the vote for reliability. As for the m3, if you love to drive a manual, then this is the car for you.

 

The M3 and C63 interiors are a bit of a disappointment to be honest. The M3 is brilliant, but I'd take the 1M over it every time. The Merc has fantastic power, but seems lacking everywhere else.

I got the IS F because I felt the interior was better, it has better build quality, the maintenance costs were normal / sane, its got better fuel economy, and it has way better reliability that the others. Performance is great, not as raw as the M3, but more suited for a daily driver. It's smooth and comfortable!

I mainly got the IS F because here in Australia it comes fully loaded where the other two don't, and its about $40k cheaper than the M3, and $50k cheaper than the C63! We get ripped on cars here, but even more so for anything European!

 

You really should give the 09+ a look. GM has really stepped up their game on this car. And there are NO similarities between the 05 V and the current Gen cars. That would be like me saying that because the engine in 3 F's that I personally work on are JUNK all of the rest of the Lexus line cars are junk... Our particular 5.0L V8 has had a disproportional amount of issues compared to almost any other Lexus/Toyota engine I have ever seen. That being said these are still great cars, but like any manufacture there are clearly some bugs that need to be worked out.

 

OK. 2nd reply on here. Hi all by the way.

I moved to Canada from Ireland almost 3 years ago. Bought an M3 Coupe when I got here. Had it for almost 2 years. Loved it. Absolutely fantastic handling. No problems whatsoever and I actually liked the interior. The looks were fantasic IMO. Graphite with matching wheels. Loved it. Build quality was 100% unlike my wifes 328xi wagon which fell to pieces. Luckily both were leased.

Z06 was the greatest disappointment of my car buying career without exception. I can't believe the price of these pieces of archaic ****e. Unbelievably bad. Don't get me wrong. It looked great from the outside and if the road was dry, smooth and straight the acceleration and noise was to die for. Unfortunately the interior was to commit suicide for and the wet or uneven road handling was lethal. I read places that they are a performance bargain. Well having owned one for 9 months I can officially say that they are overpriced by about 200%. Junk.

The F was what I tried to buy when I moved here but the store sold the one I was after 3 days before I landed officially and couldn't find the same spec. for me. The dealership was part of a larger group including BMW which is where the M3 came from.

I've only had the F for a week now but I can say without any hesitation that it is the nicer car for normal life and day to day driving but it doesn't touch the M3 for handling feel.

MUCH nicer noise.

I prefer to looks of the M3 coupe but when it comes to the 4-door my preference is F then C63 and lastly M3. But then I'm a firm believer that looks are a personal choice and I don't judge others in their preferences there and don't get insulted if someone doesn't like my choice.

Buy it. Drive it. Love it.

On the interior comments I actually think the current C63 has a decent looking interior. I like the seats too. I like the M3 look too. In fact of the 3 I think the F would be my last choice mostly because of the Silvery trim. It's the one think I hate about the interior and I hope to change it soon but hey. Other than that I love it.

Looking forward to many, many thousand KM of driving and swapping of ideas with everyone here.

P.S.
Moved here from Ireland where an IS-F costs over 100,000 euro. Ouch.