The photoionization spectrum of tile threshold region of CH3 equilibrated at room temperature has been recorded and compared to the zero electron kinetic energy (ZEKE) spectrum of Blush et al. [J. Chem, Phys, 98, 3557 (1993)]. The ionization onset region is at similar to 70 cm(-1) higher energy than previous high-temperature photoionization work [Chupka and Lifshitz, J. Chem, Phys. 48, 1109 (1967)], but still similar to 34 cm(-1) lower than that implied by invoking only direct ionization. The residual discrepancy can be accounted for by including fully allowed quadrupole-induced and partially allowed dipole-induced rotational autoionization, thus making the observed onset completely congruous with the ZEKE ionization potential. In addition, the fragment appearance potential of CH3+ from CH4 was redetermined by accurate fitting as AP(0)(CH3+/CH4) = 14.322+/-0.003 eV. With the very precise ZEKE ionization potential, this yields the best current value for the bond dissociation energy in methane, D-0(H-CH3)=4.484+/-0.003 eV =103.40+/-0.07 kcal/mol (104.96+/-0.07 kcal/mol at 298 K). (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(97)03247-9].