The M4 is offered with either a manual transmission or a double-clutch transmission.

 

Great choice!!!

 

I sold my 335D and bought the Vette... so much happier now :-)

 

Thank you all again for all the replies.
Need to revive this thread a bit.
As I mentioned before, I have been seeing and reading on some issues with the new LT1 Z51 (specific) engine issues with carbon build-up and oil seepage/leak into the valve train.
What's going on there???? I've known one thing about the corvettes, at least since the C5 came out, they are very reliable when it comes to the drive train.
Also issues with the rear-diff and such. I can live with rattles and noises, every car manufacturer has them including Porsche.

 

The carbon build-up issue actually isn't specific to the Z51 (or the corvette for that matter), it is more related to the fact that the LT1 now uses direct fuel injection. This is actually a common problem with many manufacturers (some more than others), and BMW has had its share of this issue as well (just go do a search for walnut blasting on the BMW forums). Some say you can mitigate the issue with the use of a good catch can and breather oil cap combo (which I did install), but time will tell if it helps with valve coking (carbon build-up).

I am not familiar with the rear diff issue you speak of, I think there was a run of early cars that came from the factory with low oil levels, which was causing diff failures, but that was rectified. Other than that, I don't think there has been an epidemic of diff failures (someone can correct me if I am off here).

 

What are the downsides, so far, to the carbon buildup?
Any engines damaged to the fact?
Where can I find information on the internal build of the LT1 engine? What components are forged?

 

As far as I know there haven't been any reported issues with valve coking (carbon build-up) causing performance or operational issues, and the "Ask Tadge" section of this forum has a thread that claims the issue is only cosmetic. There are others here (including myself) who would disagree with that assessment, and that over time, the issue would start to cause performance degradation and possibly mechanical issues with the valve train. Whatever the case, I am not aware of any hard data that shows that to be true, but that doesn't mean it has or hasn't happened (I haven't done that much research on it). I put a good catch can in to catch the crankcase ventilated nastiness (which incidentally GM has now partially done on the new LT1 that is in the 2016 SS Camaro), and am just going to drive it :-)

I would have to Google the info on the motor to be sure, but I recall it being said in several threads here that the crank and rods are forged, but the pistons are not forged. There are drop in replacement forged pistons available from Weisco, that allow a direct replacement (with cylinder honing of course) for the stock pistons, if you want to take the motor over the 700ish HP mark. Not my research, just what I have read numerous times.

 

If you merely "liked" your previous C6's you'll LOVE the Stingray.

I'll put it this way, after I bought my Stingray (shortly after they came out and without a test drive) I called my salesman, and told him I would not have haggled with him as much if he had let me test drive it. And that's the truth.