E92 M3 Comp

[Steve84N]

Took a C63 out for a long spin today, the grunt of the thing, quite frankly, is just bull**** genuinely laugh out loud kid stuff. I've recently bought a C4 corvette with straight pipes and the C class still delivered more childish laughs.

Glad you enjoyed the C63, I have an estate and use it daily. Such an easy decision over the RS4 in so many ways and BMW don't make an M estate in this class. I find it has a better handling balance than the Z4, it's got lovely steering and is special all the time.

The C63 pretty much just needs fuel and tyres with no major problems other than head bolts on early cars.

M5 is a far better motor than a merc.

How so?

The V10 is epic but it's a car that frequently has potential for scary repair bills. The F10 is very quick but lacks the character of a C63.

The C63 needs an LSD and a remap which can be done for £2k. Then it's 500bhp+ and decent traction. Easy to add more noise in stages too, from secondary decat all the way through to headers and straight pipes.

[Jaw]

I really wanted the SLK 55AMG before I got the Z (albeit the older model) and test drove a couple. The auto box felt pretty lazy compared to modern transmissions but it had loads of low down grunt and was more refined than the E85 (I'm guessing somewhere between the E85 and the E89). BUT, literally at almost every set of traffic lights in the town centre I was getting jaunts from idiots saying things like "girls car..." and "out for a drive in the wife's car eh...". I've never have comments like that in the E85 at all.

I guess you can just ignore it but it does seem to have a pretty strong perception as being a womans car which ultimately just put me off it. I did like it otherwise though.

Ha funny that, I had the same when I had the Z4M, down to getting postit notes by the construction crew at work on the windscreen 'what time do you knock off darling' etc

But that said I think the '12 onwards ones are decisively more macho/pointy and with a little added noise and a few visual tweaks look very aggressive!

Interesting to read about the lazy autobox, kind of expected it to a degree - did it spoil the fun at all?

M5 is a far better motor than a merc.

Depends on what you really want for that budget. I assume around 15k?

Rs4? Pretty monstrous.
Impreza p1? Depreciation proof and pretty solid.
Evo FQ400...
Freshly imported but risky r34 Skyline? Cheaper than a known one with UK history.

All big and bargy with stupid power.

Depends if you want convertible or not.

Budget is about $30-75k (I'm in Aus, probably talking 20k-50k sterling) But then prices here are a bit different. 80k is GTR money, so if I went Jap I'd probably put the extra in and go that way - R34's P1s are awesome but I already have a supra track build and I'm looking for something relatively new with some mod cons, I miss being able to jump in a car and have a good media system and just go to a to b smoothly (but still have fun when I get a chance!)

I did consider an Evo (if I go for cash and e60 M5 money, then it's an option too!)

As for convertible / non convertible, annoyingly I don't mind either way - I have the corvette for roofless cruises so it's more about the car as a whole. Think that's what's making it hard as I don't have a lot of requirements which means more options. I have recently had a baby though so I suppose smart hat on, 4 seats is probably the way now I think out loud.

Glad you enjoyed the C63, I have an estate and use it daily. Such an easy decision over the RS4 in so many ways and BMW don't make an M estate in this class. I find it has a better handling balance than the Z4, it's got lovely steering and is special all the time.

The C63 pretty much just needs fuel and tyres with no major problems other than head bolts on early cars.

M5 is a far better motor than a merc.

How so?

The V10 is epic but it's a car that frequently has potential for scary repair bills. The F10 is very quick but lacks the character of a C63.

The C63 needs an LSD and a remap which can be done for £2k. Then it's 500bhp+ and decent traction. Easy to add more noise in stages too, from secondary decat all the way through to headers and straight pipes.

Do like the sound of even more noise

The F10 doesn't interest me in the least, they seem much too bland The V10 is epic, I loved the M6 that I didnt buy. Repair bills are a concern and could easily see me spend the same as the c63 costs to buy but that's more of an 'if' I suppose.

The RS4 (and most audis) does seem a bit bland in comparason although I have a real soft spot for the circa 2008 model, but they sit at the 'too much to justify spooging cash on and too old to finance' age. Good to know re heaad bolts, I'd be looking at 2012 and on so hopefully resolved?

Are the same problems found on the SLK do you know? (different engines I know, wondered if a merc-wide thing?)

[Steve84N]

Not sure about the other engines. All the facelift are fine as are the later pre-facelift ones.

I was seriously considering the B8 RS4 but on a test drive the engine was bland until over 6k rpm, the steering was awful, it plowed wide on a roundabout at very modest speed and the seats had no lateral support.

I discounted the B7 as too old but it's meant to be a better car to drive. Main things are the coking up of the engine and the DRC dampers going bad.

[Jaw]

Not sure about the other engines. All the facelift are fine as are the later pre-facelift ones.

I was seriously considering the B8 RS4 but on a test drive the engine was bland until over 6k rpm, the steering was awful, it plowed wide on a roundabout at very modest speed and the seats had no lateral support.

I discounted the B7 as too old but it's meant to be a better car to drive. Main things are the coking up of the engine and the DRC dampers going bad.

Yeah I can't fall in love with the audis, I really can't! Good to know re the facelift, the ones I'm looking at are all 2012's.

Have all bout ruled out the slk now, going by the above they're not going to deliver the same experience of the z4m whilst being as quick as the C63 with none of the practicality.

The new dilemma is that I've just been looking at an m3.. I know I ruled them out, but e92 competition pack, gorgeous alcantara wheel, and the same money fetches a two years newer car with less kms. I only had a very reserved dealer drive - does anyone have more seat time to compare? Little sportier than the C class perhaps, but a little less brutely - genuinely stuck

Also drove a CLS63 - absolutely disgusting performance but just doesn't appeal to me in the same way. The C63 has the performance pack, nicely coloured seats, but a very bland dash/interior

[Monkeydonkeyratmagic]

Does it have to be German? What about a Jaguar XF R?

[Jaw]

Does it have to be German? What about a Jaguar XF R?

As much as I like the idea (and I really like the idea), only see two in the country for sale at 105k and 130k and I’m hoping to not spend more than 70 unfortunately, otherwise I’m back into gtr and 360 money

[Monkeydonkeyratmagic]

Wow really? They are a hell of a lot less here. £15k..Granted they are built here but damn..

[Jaw]

Wow really? They are a hell of a lot less here. £15k..Granted they are built here but damn..

All cars especially euro cars have an Aussie premium on

People whine but really there will be an extra premium in type / government safety approvals, import duties and luxury car tax (a premium designed to cream off the top of high end cars and possibly promote local cars). It’s settling down a bit now as there’s isn’t much of a local car market with most builders shutting up shop here

The m3 I’m looking at is probably the equivalent of 45k sterling for a car I’d assume you could buy for 30 in the uk :/

[Monkeydonkeyratmagic]

If it's an e92 M3 £30k is probably the absolute top end here unless very very special.

I guess that merc is a pretty good option. I'd rather one of them over an M3. I'd be starting the M3 everyday with my fingers crossed.

What's the Yankie market like out there these days.

Dodge seem to do some pretty stupid motors at the moment. Like a Hellcat. Granted Yank motors are nowhere near as lux as Ze Germans but they are getting better.

[Jaw]

If it's an e92 M3 £30k is probably the absolute top end here unless very very special.

I guess that merc is a pretty good option. I'd rather one of them over an M3. I'd be starting the M3 everyday with my fingers crossed.

What's the Yankie market like out there these days.

Dodge seem to do some pretty stupid motors at the moment. Like a Hellcat. Granted Yank motors are nowhere near as lux as Ze Germans but they are getting better.

Yeah 30 (and one or two in the 37 sort of mark) Seemed the market for a low mile e92 competition with a good spec. Fingers crossed in a 'hope nothing goes wrong' sort of sense? Thought they were quite solid?

other than mustangs we don't really get much of the Yank Tanks here (the good ones at least) - unless privately imported (which with the exchange rate, taxes and mandatory conversion means that a $60k usd corvette becomes a $150k + car on the road!

[Jaw]

very tempted

[Monkeydonkeyratmagic]

Looks beasty. Actually looks menacing.

I get what you mean about importing. When the ZR1 launched a few years back they were like $75k..
I thought awesome £50k for that.

American car imports in the UK wanted £115k all in....

I could probably have bought the car there and my own rusty ship and done it myself for the same.

[Jaw]

Looks beasty. Actually looks menacing.

I get what you mean about importing. When the ZR1 launched a few years back they were like $75k..
I thought awesome £50k for that.

American car imports in the UK wanted £115k all in....

I could probably have bought the car there and my own rusty ship and done it myself for the same.

That’s it, I could buy a viper drive it across the states and import it home for the price of buying one here, but the premium.. just couldn’t justify it..

Yeah it looks stunning in the metal with the extra drop from the c63

Comp pack. Sounded 7/10s as good as the c63 and handled very nicely, the turn in was nice and sharp and the feel was another’s level. Preferred the interior to the c63 which I found seriously dull

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[Z4M-2006]

Did you actually drive it ?

[Jaw]

Did you actually drive it ?

Yep drove the c63 and this back to back again.

The c63 made an awesome cruiser, the motor and pull it has is savage. beyond savage.

just couldn't fall in love with it, looks are a bit too understated, dash is a bit plain, drive slightly less engaging.

liked the idrive (I know many don't)

What the M3 lost in torque it gains in engagement

It's a 2013
DCT
Harman kardon audio
competition pack (19" black CSL rims, alcantara steering wheel with rev gauge, lowered suspension, more advanced stability control)
heated seats
folding mirrors
adaptive headlights