JIMB0

Hey there, quick question for any and all. Never thought I’d see the day but am considering putting an order in on a 6 speed manual ‘25 M3 as a daily driver. Just wondering if anyone has any advice/opinions/words of caution; reviews seem to be relatively mixed, but positive. This car will be daily driven, including on salty winter roads with snow tires. Yes I am positive about daily driving a manual and wish Porsche still offered manual panameras!
Appreciate any and all replies.

Schn3ll

I think they are great but the power is limited due to the manual. The G80 feels more complete in higher end trims particularly the CS. But for a manual sedan the pickings are slim, the G80, CT4V blackwing and the CT5V Blackwing are all that’s available. Neither is a bad option. I owned a CT4 blackwing manual and it was great. I did get very close to ordering a G80 but my dealer wanted ADM for an individual color so that was what drove me away. I have tracked a G80 and it’s an awesome car (albeit the auto is what I’ve driven).

The only downside is the touch screen everywhere but I’m sure you’d get used to it quick. The blackwings keep physical buttons which is nice. GL.

Quikag

Haven’t heard good things on the shift feel the M3 manual. I’d definitely drive one and the Blackwings before putting in an order.

I have a 5BW six-speed and it’s sublime.

JC Lacayo

I got an xdrive g80 m3 auto, so I can't speak to the manual. Driven (near daily) the past 14 months, with just over 12k miles.
Haven't had a single issue mechanically. The ID8 interface is sometimes confusing just like any iphone, I guess, but it is a great do-all
car and haven't regretted the purchase. I definitely would recommend a UV tint on the windshield, the very long lcd dashboard gets HOT.

DR_DFW

Had the 2023 G80 6MT for 10 months. Previously (the Ms) e46 M3 6MT, F80 6MT, F80C 6MT, F87C 6MT). Of all of them, the G80 was the least exciting one for me and I enjoy the Macan GTW way more.
The G80 was comfortable, FAST, LARGE...but fairly numb, fake sound,...not sure what it is about the G20/G8x platform that is just not for me. The S58 is amazing but again, I enjoyed the wild side of the S55 more. I do miss my F87 Comp.
The 6MT was fine in the G80, better than the F80/80C I previously owned.
470HP/406TQ is more than adequate.
Zero issues during my ownership of any of the above mentioned Ms.

blueII

Here's my extended take on G8x cars (maybe a bit more than you'd all care to read) from experience in different G82/80's + G80 CS-

For years German automakers have been moving in the direction of speed and luxury & comfort at speed at the cost of weight, sound, & haptic feedback. Can't fault them for it, most of the demand in Germany now is for something that will comfortably do autobahn speeds in luxury, comfort and style. While this was pretty much always the case, divisions like BMW M existed so that a singular platform could do double-duty with a trim for driving enthusiasts (think e36 m3) and a trim for comfortable commuters (e36 323i).

While Porsche and AP have really invested in the duality of the 911 lineup (differences between 992 carrera and 3RS is greater than ever before), BMW has really turned their M cars into less of a break from the entire philosophy of a base model 3-series and more of a "direct upgrade" to do base 3-series things much better while being slightly sportier. In essence, the 3RS and base carrera have totally different use cases where I'd argue the M3 and 330i use cases are much more similar.

That being said, I actually quite like the G8x M cars- you just have to be real about the use case you expect for them. The chassis balance is phenomenal, bolted subframe + revised e-diff make the car do exactly what you want when you want to push it while the edc + tech and comfort in the interior makes for an incredibly comfortable daily experience when you want to relax and run to work/the store.

Because this M does double duty better than any before, I feel like the 4dr G80 w/ ZF 8HP is the only way to go. I respect your commitment to the manual (and I'm there with you) but this car really feels limited by the shift speed, shift feel and gearing of the manual. There's really nothing like ripping off a 2-3-4 gear run on an on-ramp (with plenty of sound & pick-up) then rolling the windows up, dropping into 8th gear and cruising 80mph @1800rpm in total quiet and comfort. 6spd G80s that I've driven always feel less refined and really take you out of the immersion that this car offers. The 4dr both looks better (IMHO) and fulfills the double-duty use case better without compromising on handling (wheelbase and suspension geometry are identical between 2dr & 4dr). The buckets are also a no-brainer IMO, even for a daily they're incredibly comfortable (as far as buckets go) with perfect bolstering.

Either way, this is all one individual's opinion (on the internet, no less!) so take it with a grain of salt. I highly encourage you to drive both G82's & G80's in both configurations and think about how you'll realistically be using the car before you make a choice. Hope this can help anybody viewing / considering one of these cars.