The dealer Richard Symonds (no relationship) did a test of MIC and Fremont and measured the sound and found no difference. It wasn't the most scientific test, an sound meter on an app, but given a 3db measured change is a doubling of noise and a 10db change is the audible perception of doubling, the meter being a much better judge than the ear, if the meter can't spot it I doubt a person can.
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M3P 2021 ride quality on UK roads?
- Thread starter NJR46
- Start date
I
The problem with those apps is they just give you a weighted average over a broad range of frequencies. The human ear is far more sensitive in the presence region of around 2kHz, than low frequencies, for example. If they've been able to flatten the peaks in the presence band, then you will perceive a quieter environment.
I came from a Mercedes AMG C63 on 19" wheels. The LR has much the same performance, a far better ride and is quieter.
In the C63 I always felt as if I was taming a wild beast, the M3 LR is a much more soothing place to be. On the new, low noise tarmac that hs been applied to Churchill Way, the Salisbury ring road, it is virtually silent at 40 to 50mph....
I think the LR, Aero wheel trims removed and performance upgrade is the sweet spot!
In the C63 I always felt as if I was taming a wild beast, the M3 LR is a much more soothing place to be. On the new, low noise tarmac that hs been applied to Churchill Way, the Salisbury ring road, it is virtually silent at 40 to 50mph....
I think the LR, Aero wheel trims removed and performance upgrade is the sweet spot!
Nick77
Deep Blue Model 3 LR (2021 MIC)
Agree with this. The roads round where I live are pretty crappy with plenty of speed bumps.
After an Audi with sports suspension that I lowered on springs making it even firmer, I was glad to stick with the 18 inch wheels on this.
Always found Audi suspension setups appalling. S-Line, where the S stands for spine-breaking. Or the regular setup which is 3 inches of travel, straight into spine-breaking. BMW and Merc have always had more more progressive suspension.
The LR and P have very similar suspension setups. The main difference in ride quality is down to the tyres. They are both crashy IMO much like the last few BMW 3s I owned. The fix is to spend a bit of money on the car after you get it and replace the factory suspension with decent coilovers. But it's all very subjective.
Apologies all for my radio silence. Had a lazy hangover day after last nights football fun!
I very much appreciate everyone’s comments so far.
I’ve got the M3P test drive booked in at Tesla on Tuesday so I’m going to have to try very hard to stifle the grins and drive some mixed roads to get a true sense of the ride comfort. I’m likely overthinking this to a degree based on my current and last cars both being SUV’s (previous was an X5). It’s clearly not going to drive like those cars.
I’m not looking for perfection, and I certainly don’t want to shell out for a replacement suspension set up on such an expensive car.
One other thing I do need to properly consider though is the daily drives the car will be doing. For the most part it’s going to be my wife doing short sensible drives (such as doing the school drop off and various other local drives, shopping etc) and so the ride comfort (or lack of) likely won’t be hugely noticeable (?). There’ll be the odd longer drives (motorway etc) on the weekends where I guess the speed/noise/comfort will be more pronounced. Of course, that then begs the question of why get a P at all given our current lifestyle. But then why get an SUV if I’m not driving up a mountain every week!
I very much appreciate everyone’s comments so far.
I’ve got the M3P test drive booked in at Tesla on Tuesday so I’m going to have to try very hard to stifle the grins and drive some mixed roads to get a true sense of the ride comfort. I’m likely overthinking this to a degree based on my current and last cars both being SUV’s (previous was an X5). It’s clearly not going to drive like those cars.
I’m not looking for perfection, and I certainly don’t want to shell out for a replacement suspension set up on such an expensive car.
One other thing I do need to properly consider though is the daily drives the car will be doing. For the most part it’s going to be my wife doing short sensible drives (such as doing the school drop off and various other local drives, shopping etc) and so the ride comfort (or lack of) likely won’t be hugely noticeable (?). There’ll be the odd longer drives (motorway etc) on the weekends where I guess the speed/noise/comfort will be more pronounced. Of course, that then begs the question of why get a P at all given our current lifestyle. But then why get an SUV if I’m not driving up a mountain every week!
Nick77
Deep Blue Model 3 LR (2021 MIC)
I'd say the LR is more suited to those circumstances. 18 inch wheels/tyres for the wife's comfort and get the acceleration boost for yourself. Trust me it's plenty fast enough as standard. Boost takes it to 0.5s shy of the Performance. Plenty for anybody IMO.One other thing I do need to properly consider though is the daily drives the car will be doing. For the most part it’s going to be my wife doing short sensible drives (such as doing the school drop off and various other local drives, shopping etc) and so the ride comfort (or lack of) likely won’t be hugely noticeable (?). There’ll be the odd longer drives (motorway etc) on the weekends where I guess the speed/noise/comfort will be more pronounced. Of course, that then begs the question of why get a P at all given our current lifestyle. But then why get an SUV if I’m not driving up a mountain every week!
Great to hear of your positive experience with the M3P but what makes you say “surprisingly”? And when did you get your M3P (is it the Made in China model or previous)? Thanks.
I have the LR with the 19 inch alloys and have just done a week in Cornwall with it. Ride comfort was great and it was a very relaxing drive, even in awful constant stop-start traffic on the M5 and A30 which meant our 5hr drive home took nearer 8 hrs. Even the Mrs found it comfortable.
I don't have the acceleration boost but even without it I find the car is more than quick enough for British roads.
For me, the significant extra cost of the M3P over the M3LR is not worth it for the additional performance, but that's my personal view and others will no doubt think differently.
Thanks for your feedback on this point.I have the LR with the 19 inch alloys and have just done a week in Cornwall with it. Ride comfort was great and it was a very relaxing drive, even in awful constant stop-start traffic on the M5 and A30 which meant our 5hr drive home took nearer 8 hrs. Even the Mrs found it comfortable.
I don't have the acceleration boost but even without it I find the car is more than quick enough for British roads.
For me, the significant extra cost of the M3P over the M3LR is not worth it for the additional performance, but that's my personal view and others will no doubt think differently.
As above, I've got the M3P test drive tomorrow so I'm hoping it answers more questions than it raises!.......**cut to tomorrow and I'm back on here more confused than ever!**
Best of luck with it! Enjoy it... I thought it would help my decision but for a while it made it worse!!
gil.i.am
Member
Enjoy! Got my 2021 M3P a couple of weeks ago and loving it so far. Yes, the ride is firm but those are 20's you are sitting on and as for cabin noise it's quiet enough for me (although like others said if you listen to music most of the time this is kind of irrelevant). I was surprised how smoothly it handled a load of speed bumps near where I live but I still wouldn't want to be going over any potholes or particularly bad roads with it.
Back from my test drive......I've now changed my order! 
B
Back to an LR or to the P?Back from my test drive......I've now changed my order!
Changed it to the P!
……BUT, I’ve got yet another test drive booked in for this Saturday and will be taking the boss (my wife) along.I did the “pre agreed” test drive route which perhaps isn’t representative of all possible road conditions, but I didn’t find it uncomfortable necessarily, more that it just felt a bit bouncier, akin to a go-kart, if that makes sense?
I want to make sure we’re both happy before I/we finally decide. I’ll keep you posted!
Go with the more comfortable setup!!!
I came from a BMW M2 to a M3LR and the ride is so much more comfortable yet the performance comparable. My wife basically refused to go on trips in the M2 as the ride was simply too harsh. As you our other car is a Landrover and that is a comfortable barge by any means.
I don’t think that a short test drive will be the deciding factor but wait until you go on a longer trip and then the complaints come in. You can always put bigger wheels on the LR but you are stuck with the P, and don’t get me started on curbing the 20”.
I came from a BMW M2 to a M3LR and the ride is so much more comfortable yet the performance comparable. My wife basically refused to go on trips in the M2 as the ride was simply too harsh. As you our other car is a Landrover and that is a comfortable barge by any means.
I don’t think that a short test drive will be the deciding factor but wait until you go on a longer trip and then the complaints come in. You can always put bigger wheels on the LR but you are stuck with the P, and don’t get me started on curbing the 20”.
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