If you sold your F8x M3/M4, what've you got now?

[Vic55]

Originally Posted by Graves

More pics of the Benz, inside and out.

Here you go all cell shots:

[NickyC]

GT 350s are so damned nice.

[Graves]

Originally Posted by Vic55

Here you go all cell shots:

Bruh...

I built one last night just because, and well...not within my budget, lmao. That thing is sick man. Nastiest Benz I've seen. Congratulations!

[wj100]

Just scrolled through this entire thread and didn't see a single reference to the Alfa Giulia QV. I'm considering it as a replacement to my 2015 M4. No one else is?

[MEXICO NEW YORK]

I can't believe how much the gt350 came up in this thread! I feel like that would be a downgrade in every way from f8x. I long thought i will do either 17 GTR or c7 z06 next, but after driving a GTR, I feel the interior and daily-drivability is way down, and the c7 z06 i worry will be so much less practical that i will need to buy a 2nd vehicle especially for NY winters. Lately I am starting to think about instead just trading the f80 for an f82 zcp with a more exotic color. Idea being, i get to drive a more exotic looking car and retain my practicality and parts/aftermarket performance plans... If I can sit still with my current f80 or a swap for f82 for another year or two, i look forward to seeing what the new m6 brings. The (f90 m5) platform seems promising.

[Gstone]

Originally Posted by MEXICO NEW YORK

I can't believe how much the gt350 came up in this thread! I feel like that would be a downgrade in every way from f8x. I long thought i will do either 17 GTR or c7 z06 next, but after driving a GTR, I feel the interior and daily-drivability is way down, and the c7 z06 i worry will be so much less practical that i will need to buy a 2nd vehicle especially for NY winters. Lately I am starting to think about instead just trading the f80 for an f82 zcp with a more exotic color. Idea being, i get to drive a more exotic looking car and retain my practicality and parts/aftermarket performance plans... If I can sit still with my current f80 or a swap for f82 for another year or two, i look forward to seeing what the new m6 brings. The (f90 m5) platform seems promising.

I downgraded! No regrets

[doberzus]

Originally Posted by Gstone

I downgraded! No regrets

haha..."downgrade"

I loved the F80, I will never talk down on a past car that I truly enjoyed. However, when it comes to driving dynamics and character. The GT350 is an upgrade in every way. It's on another level.

If you just care about interior/build quality, stick to the F8x platform. The GT350 is a giggle factory. I love this thing! Trust me, I never thought I would like a Mustang as much I actually love this thing. It feels very special.

[Fuller]

I'm usually not too fond of MB exterior styling, but I have to say that E63 looks like a bad ass car. How could anyone not love the way that car looks.

[Fuller]

Originally Posted by doberzus

haha..."downgrade"

I loved the F80, I will never talk down on a past car that I truly enjoyed. However, when it comes to driving dynamics and character. The GT350 is an upgrade in every way. It's on another level.

If you just care about interior/build quality, stick to the F8x platform. The GT350 is a giggle factory. I love this thing! Trust me, I never thought I would like a Mustang as much I actually love this thing. It feels very special.

The other day my son and I were watching video reviews of the gt350, and he asked "can we trade the bmw for one of those loud cars with the cobra on it?" He told me the bmw is "boring".

[basscadet]

Originally Posted by weinerj100

Just scrolled through this entire thread and didn't see a single reference to the Alfa Giulia QV. I'm considering it as a replacement to my 2015 M4. No one else is?

I sold my '15 M3 for a GT350 last August. What a fantastic car. But I'm missing 4 doors and tired of my daughter kicking the back of the passenger seat.

Test drove a Giulia back-to-back with a '18 M3 ZCP and most likely buying the Giulia this week. Giving myself the "48 hour cool-down" before I sign.

All I can say now about the Alfa: believe the hype. If BMW isn't shitting bricks about how to top this car in the next M3, they should be.

[wj100]

Originally Posted by basscadet

I sold my '15 M3 for a GT350 last August. What a fantastic car. But I'm missing 4 doors and tired of my daughter kicking the back of the passenger seat.

Test drove a Giulia back-to-back with a '18 M3 ZCP and most likely buying the Giulia this week. Giving myself the "48 hour cool-down" before I sign.

All I can say now about the Alfa: believe the hype. If BMW isn't shitting bricks about how to top this car in the next M3, they should be.

Finally someone mentions the QV. I drove it too and was certainly impressed with the driving dynamics (except for the drive by wire brakes which have an odd feel). Only problems I have with the QV are the cheap interior bits and infotainment that's a couple gens behind. Oh and I'd really miss the HUD in my M4. Oh and the snick snick feel of shifting the DCT with the center console shifter. Still an amazing machine though and something... Different.

[KevinGS]

Sold the 2015 M4, went back and got the V8, back to the E93. No regrets, love it. The only thing I miss is the look of my beautiful M4. But love the look of my E93 as well.

Hoping to add a used Cayman GTS to the stable soon, because the car is just so damn comfortable and thrilling, the handling is surreal. I'd get the '16 GT4, but the prices keep going up...

[BM dnobagaV]

Originally Posted by Kief

Call me crazy, but after 2 Jag F-Type Coupe Rs, I always seem to come back to ///M--my 3rd F8x in fact!!

And I had to throw in the wife's X3 M40i OP--no hate (p/u last weekend)!

On to the 3yr progression...

*DaHellIsWrongWithYou*

[BM dnobagaV]

Originally Posted by Vic55

posted from another thread but I added this to the DD collection to mate up with the E63S. Even though the R8 can actually be a DD along with the GTS (Benz one)- these are the mainstays. The C63BS is chillin

I knew something was off about your e63.... the fact that it's an Ed. 1

[doberzus]

Originally Posted by basscadet

I sold my '15 M3 for a GT350 last August. What a fantastic car. But I'm missing 4 doors and tired of my daughter kicking the back of the passenger seat.

Test drove a Giulia back-to-back with a '18 M3 ZCP and most likely buying the Giulia this week. Giving myself the "48 hour cool-down" before I sign.

All I can say now about the Alfa: believe the hype. If BMW isn't shitting bricks about how to top this car in the next M3, they should be.

I cannot get over the exterior looks. I want one, though! I am a car addict and always looking for the next toy.

Really wish the local Alfa dealer had at least one in stock. There are ZERO Quadrifoglio's in my area...zero! I really love the interior, the sound and obviously the performance. It is a very unique car. I just don't want to order one before test driving. The resale values also scare me.

[wj100]

Originally Posted by doberzus

Really wish the local Alfa dealer had at least one in stock. There are ZERO Quadrifoglio's in my area...zero! I really love the interior, the sound and obviously the performance. It is a very unique car. I just don't want to order one before test driving. The resale values also scare me.

I drove one at my local dealer and it really is impressive. The only thing that let me down was the quality of the interior bits (everything you touch except for the steering wheel and paddle shifters feels cheap). And agreed - resale value is scary.

[mcc3456]

Originally Posted by weinerj100

Just scrolled through this entire thread and didn't see a single reference to the Alfa Giulia QV. I'm considering it as a replacement to my 2015 M4. No one else is?

Got one and really love it. Try it for longer than one test drive, and you’ll love it too. Took me 3 trips to the dealer to finally get familiar with everything. The interior is much higher quality than you are giving it credit for. It’s no better or worse than an M3, just different, and takes a bit of time to realize what it is and isn’t, and what it isn’t, is how you described it.

There are many areas where stock for stock, the Alfa is nicer than the BMW such as standard leather dash/door panels, steering wheel/paddles, and more comfortable seats. Only real shortcomings are not also adding stitched leather to the lower dash too (and lack of optional heads up display), but then again, the M3 only has it with the expensive Full Leather Interior option.

I had those options on my M3, but without them, felt the BMW was 330i loaner car-like cheap as shit. Definitely would have never gotten one without having Full Leather, so perspective kind of matters when comparing the two. Overall, would say the standard Alfa interior is right between the base M3 and the M3 with optional Full Leather.

[wj100]

Originally Posted by mcc3456

Got one and love it. Try it, you’ll love it too.

Did you come from a DCT M3/M4? How have you found the transmission? And the interior ergonomics/quality?

[mcc3456]

Originally Posted by weinerj100

Did you come from a DCT M3/M4? How have you found the transmission? And the interior ergonomics/quality?

I did come from a DCT in my 2015 F80 M3. The M3 shifted very quick, but got confused pretty regularly in stop and go traffic, if you accelerated reasonably hard (sometimes not), lifted off, and then got back on a gas after traffic began flowing again. Frankly, sometimes it was pretty dangerous as it would buck so violently when going through an intersection and wouldn’t stop until you lifted off the accelerator, and felt like the transmission was going to explode. If I kept my foot in it while bucking as an experiment, it would just keep doing it. BTW...it happened in both Auto and Manual mode. The only thing that (temporarily) remedied it is when the dealer would reset both the short-term and long-term transmission adaption memory. Would be 100% good for about 3-4 months, then start doing it again.

After 4-5 service appointments to address it over 2 years, I finally bailed on the car about 4-6 weeks after I got the Quadrifoglio. Would have kept both if the DCT in my car did not suck so bad (btw...BMW would not stand behind the issue nor could they explain away the problem). After dumping the car, I later learned that there was in fact an issue with certain 2015 DCTs.

After driving both daily back to back for 4-6 weeks, it was crystal clear that the ZF-8 in the Quadrifoglio upshifted and downshifted damn near as quickly as the DCT, but was much, much smoother around town. It was the best of both worlds and is ideal tuned to the Alfas more high strung engine. The Alfa thrives cruising above 5,000RPMs, whereas the M3 sounded uncomfortable maintaining the same high RPM levels, or at least how it felt to me.

Regarding driving position, they were both good, but the standard Alfa seats were much more comfortable than both the stock and ZCP M3 seats for me, and the steering feel is definitely better. Steering, ride, power delivery, and sound of the engine really make the Alfa. Visibility is better in the BMW though, but not by too much. Both great cars, but very different driving experiences. I prefer the Quadrifoglio over the M3 if forced to choose only one car. Hope the added color helps!

[BM dnobagaV]

Originally Posted by mcc3456

I did come from a DCT in my 2015 F80 M3. The M3 shifted very quick, but got confused pretty regularly in stop and go traffic, if you accelerated reasonably hard (sometimes not), lifted off, and then got back on a gas after traffic began flowing again. Frankly, sometimes it was pretty dangerous as it would buck so violently when going through an intersection and wouldn’t stop until you lifted off the accelerator, and felt like the transmission was going to explode. If I kept my foot in it while bucking as an experiment, it would just keep doing it. BTW...it happened in both Auto and Manual mode. The only thing that (temporarily) remedied it is when the dealer would reset both the short-term and long-term transmission adaption memory. Would be 100% good for about 3-4 months, then start doing it again.

After 4-5 service appointments to address it over 2 years, I finally bailed on the car about 4-6 weeks after I got the Quadrifoglio. Would have kept both if the DCT in my car did not suck so bad (btw...BMW would not stand behind the issue nor could they explain away the problem). After dumping the car, I later learned that there was in fact an issue with certain 2015 DCTs.

After driving both daily back to back for 4-6 weeks, it was crystal clear that the ZF-8 in the Quadrifoglio upshifted and downshifted damn near as quickly as the DCT, but was much, much smoother around town. It was the best of both worlds and is ideal tuned to the Alfas more high strung engine. The Alfa thrives cruising above 5,000RPMs, whereas the M3 sounded uncomfortable maintaining the same high RPM levels, or at least how it felt to me

Uhh... have any links that back up that DCT claim? Would it extended to year '14's or even M5's, respectively? Or is it just an m3/m4 issue?

In what world do you cruise above 5k RPM? Commuting from Spain to Germany?

[mcc3456]

Originally Posted by BM dnobagaV

Uhh... have any links that back up that DCT claim? Would it extended to year '14's or even M5's, respectively? Or is it just an m3/m4 issue?

In what world do you cruise above 5k RPM? Commuting from Spain to Germany?

Unfortunately, I do not have a link on the DCT issues off hand, but will look for it sometime. My BMW Genius also mentioned it a few years ago...and I think there was some sort of thread mentioning it as well on this Forum. You’d have to search by DCT. Sorry I can’t help more on that one, but it was really only a few cars, not an entire model year.

I “cruise” around town at higher RPMs in Race Mode-Manual all the time...but not on the highway. On the highway, it goes back to Dynamic or better yet Advanced Efficiency if it is a long trip with traffic. The cylinder deactivation in AE Mode works really well on long trips (28.5-30.0 MPG). Point is, the Quadrifoglio is much more comfortable at sustained higher RPMs than the M3 did. Part of it may just be that the engine sounds better.