BMW M3 vs. 2017 Grand Sport
07-09-2018, 03:48 PM
#21
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St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
The "free service" was reduced to 3 years for 2017. It also excludes a lot of replacement parts like brake pads and rotors, wiper blades, etc. The warranty is still 4 years/50K miles. I have driven many BMWs and Audis since 1985. They are well built cars and drive very well but they can be expensive to keep long term. I typically trade about every 3.5 years to that I am always driving one that is under warranty. I will probably be trading my 2016 BMW 5 series for a new Audi A6 next year. If you want a 4 door sedan that handles well and provides a decent trunk and room for 4 adults, the Germans do build some nice cars. None of the US manufacturers are currently selling anything in a sedan that interests me.
The Audi R8 is really the only car that is a direct competitor to the C7 but it is much more expensive. The new BMW Z4 will be out this fall but it will retain the 3 liter straight six with about 335 HP so it is not competitive with the C7.
The Audi R8 is really the only car that is a direct competitor to the C7 but it is much more expensive. The new BMW Z4 will be out this fall but it will retain the 3 liter straight six with about 335 HP so it is not competitive with the C7.
Last edited by rmorin1249; 07-09-2018 at 03:50 PM.
07-09-2018, 03:58 PM
#22
I drove many BMW’s before buying my Corvette. If I was looking for a daily driver, I would have probably gone for a BMW 540 or 550. Everyday comfort and visibility are way better than what the Corvette has to offer.
Since mine is a weekend driver, I would rather have the Corvette. The visceral connection with a Vette just doesn’t compare to the engineered perfection with a BMW. The Corvette still has some of its 1960s chest hair, which is something BMW never really had.
If a Corvette was a woman, it would be a busty blonde bombshell in an American flag bikini. The BMW would be the green eyed brunette in a well tailored black dress speaking with a very slight German accent. Both are hot in their own way, but appeal to a different situation.
So, would I take a Vette over a BMW “every” time? No. But for how I use the car, the Vette wins handily.
Since mine is a weekend driver, I would rather have the Corvette. The visceral connection with a Vette just doesn’t compare to the engineered perfection with a BMW. The Corvette still has some of its 1960s chest hair, which is something BMW never really had.
If a Corvette was a woman, it would be a busty blonde bombshell in an American flag bikini. The BMW would be the green eyed brunette in a well tailored black dress speaking with a very slight German accent. Both are hot in their own way, but appeal to a different situation.
So, would I take a Vette over a BMW “every” time? No. But for how I use the car, the Vette wins handily.
Last edited by Billy346; 07-09-2018 at 04:03 PM.
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Bigfoot16 (07-10-2018)
07-09-2018, 04:08 PM
#23
I was just coming out of my 2008 335i with 135k miles (needed some work) so I ordered a 2017 M4, Sakhir Orange, M7, full leather interior with CF dash. If you want a sporty coupe that can really seat two people in the back, IMO it's the best choice, and I need that for my kids. Really nice car. But then I got cold feet and cancelled the order because: (1) It's a pretty rough and loud car for a DD, and BMW ride compliance is awful, and (2) reliability concerns based on my past experience. I ended up getting a Macan S instead, which is a great commuter I can take up to the mountains in the snow. Later on, I "traded" one of my classics for the C7 GS M7, thinking it is a great car I can take to work when I want to and get far more use out of vs the classic. Having spent a lot of time driving both an M4 and a C7, I have to say the M4 drives great and the interior is much nicer if you upgrade it. The infotainment is far better as well. But the raw performance and reliability of the GS is better. Both excellent cars, just a bit different.
07-09-2018, 04:31 PM
#24
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That's not true. Corvettes have come a long way, but it's by no means anywhere near the overall ownership experience of European luxury counterparts. The material, fit and finish, switch gears, soft touch plastic, just about everything else that does not involve the actual straight-line performance on a BMW, Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes are far superior. Just look at how much the "mode" select dial wobbles in place vs. how much BMW's iDrive dial wobbles and you'll know what I mean.
Another example, my 12 year old MZ4 Coupe rattles and creaks LESS than my new Corvette Grand Sport. None of the factory panels vibrate when I drive it. The gaps are consistent across all panels, the fit and finish superb with minimal orange peel. Taken as a whole package, without strict consideration of performance, the BMW IS a better car, period. The dealership experience, buying, servicing, etc...Are all far superior than Chevy. And in the BMW you WILL be visiting the dealership quite a bit, so on that front it IS important to have a good dealership experience IMO.
You can try and justify it by sheer performance alone. I did. That's why there's a C7 Grand Sport in my garage rather than a new BMW M2 or M4. It's a far better value to performance proposition than anything BMW or Porsche makes. But IF I were to have sprung for a Porsche instead of the C7 Grand Sport, it wouldn't have been just for "panache" as you put it. A Porsche GTx or any of their "R" cars are truly special and fantastic all around cars. Even their base "S" models are superb. Sure, better "fit and finish" isn't going to win any races. But it sure as heck makes for a better all around experience.
Like I said, different strokes. I now have a car that I can take to the track that wraps me and surrounds me in comfort with built quality, and now I also have a car that I can take to the track that basically DESTROYS 99% of the other cars on track. They serve different purposes.
Another example, my 12 year old MZ4 Coupe rattles and creaks LESS than my new Corvette Grand Sport. None of the factory panels vibrate when I drive it. The gaps are consistent across all panels, the fit and finish superb with minimal orange peel. Taken as a whole package, without strict consideration of performance, the BMW IS a better car, period. The dealership experience, buying, servicing, etc...Are all far superior than Chevy. And in the BMW you WILL be visiting the dealership quite a bit, so on that front it IS important to have a good dealership experience IMO.
You can try and justify it by sheer performance alone. I did. That's why there's a C7 Grand Sport in my garage rather than a new BMW M2 or M4. It's a far better value to performance proposition than anything BMW or Porsche makes. But IF I were to have sprung for a Porsche instead of the C7 Grand Sport, it wouldn't have been just for "panache" as you put it. A Porsche GTx or any of their "R" cars are truly special and fantastic all around cars. Even their base "S" models are superb. Sure, better "fit and finish" isn't going to win any races. But it sure as heck makes for a better all around experience.
Like I said, different strokes. I now have a car that I can take to the track that wraps me and surrounds me in comfort with built quality, and now I also have a car that I can take to the track that basically DESTROYS 99% of the other cars on track. They serve different purposes.
As for exterior fit and finish it will be a very long time before a plastic car has the same panel fit gaps as a metal car. Plastic panel dimensions can't be controlled as accurately as steel panels that can be cut and then stamped out of a press. GM has made fantastic progress on that front but I doubt the technology will ever get that degree of consistency. However, when somebody keys your car you can get it repaired at your leisure as the panels don't rust. They also take abuse better than metal cars and don't show all of the little dings that happen over time as cars get dinged by doors, kids, debris, etc.
What is impressive about BMWs is their overall performance. Like they say if you want to seat more than 2 people in a sports car you need to go with a BMW M Car. However, their total performance is lacking when it comes to running the fastest lap times with a stock car. Late model Corvettes usually have them well covered. I was at an event last year and there was one 4 door BMW that was rocketing around the track faster than I was. After the session was over the driver came over to talk to me as he knew I had tried to keep up with him. That is when I found out the car was a professionally prepared Pike's Peak Hill Climb car and had recently won its class a couple of times with him as the driver. I know that some BMWs really communicate with their drivers. I instructed a student with an E30 Race Car. Sitting in the passenger seat of that car I knew what it needed from the driver and when it needed it. It was like it was having a conversation with me.
Bill
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witch hunt (07-12-2018)
07-09-2018, 04:37 PM
#25
If a Corvette was a woman, it would be a busty blonde bombshell in an American flag bikini. The BMW would be the green eyed brunette in a well tailored black dress speaking with a very slight German accent. Both are hot in their own way, but appeal to a different situation.
I would add that if Corvette was a woman it would be rather sassy. The BMW a lot more refined.
07-09-2018, 04:54 PM
#26
I drove many BMW’s before buying my Corvette. If I was looking for a daily driver, I would have probably gone for a BMW 540 or 550. Everyday comfort and visibility are way better than what the Corvette has to offer.
Since mine is a weekend driver, I would rather have the Corvette. The visceral connection with a Vette just doesn’t compare to the engineered perfection with a BMW. The Corvette still has some of its 1960s chest hair, which is something BMW never really had.
If a Corvette was a woman, it would be a busty blonde bombshell in an American flag bikini. The BMW would be the green eyed brunette in a well tailored black dress speaking with a very slight German accent. Both are hot in their own way, but appeal to a different situation.
So, would I take a Vette over a BMW “every” time? No. But for how I use the car, the Vette wins handily.
Since mine is a weekend driver, I would rather have the Corvette. The visceral connection with a Vette just doesn’t compare to the engineered perfection with a BMW. The Corvette still has some of its 1960s chest hair, which is something BMW never really had.
If a Corvette was a woman, it would be a busty blonde bombshell in an American flag bikini. The BMW would be the green eyed brunette in a well tailored black dress speaking with a very slight German accent. Both are hot in their own way, but appeal to a different situation.
So, would I take a Vette over a BMW “every” time? No. But for how I use the car, the Vette wins handily.
07-09-2018, 04:57 PM
#27
07-09-2018, 05:09 PM
#28
Or... a beautiful car is just a beautiful car and women aren't transformers.
Nah, crazy thought.
Nah, crazy thought.
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fsvoboda (07-10-2018)
07-09-2018, 06:46 PM
#31
Safety Car
Actually this is backwards. The Corvette is a great performance car. However the M cars are good performance cars and great daily drivers that are actually practical for family life. Anyone with kids should consider one as they do everything very well. They do compromise for a track car though.
07-09-2018, 06:50 PM
#32
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St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
The current 3 series cars are as large as an older 5 series. The back seat room is tolerable for short rides.
Last edited by rmorin1249; 07-09-2018 at 06:50 PM.
07-09-2018, 06:57 PM
#33
07-09-2018, 07:01 PM
#34
Le Mans Master
The HACK:That's not true. Corvettes have come a long way, but it's by no means anywhere near the overall ownership experience of European luxury counterparts. The material, fit and finish, switch gears, soft touch plastic, just about everything else that does not involve the actual straight-line performance on a BMW, Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes are far superior. Just look at how much the "mode" select dial wobbles in place vs. how much BMW's iDrive dial wobbles and you'll know what I mean.
Another example, my 12 year old MZ4 Coupe rattles and creaks LESS than my new Corvette Grand Sport. None of the factory panels vibrate when I drive it. The gaps are consistent across all panels, the fit and finish superb with minimal orange peel. Taken as a whole package, without strict consideration of performance, the BMW IS a better car, period. The dealership experience, buying, servicing, etc...Are all far superior than Chevy. And in the BMW you WILL be visiting the dealership quite a bit, so on that front it IS important to have a good dealership experience IMO.
You can try and justify it by sheer performance alone. I did. That's why there's a C7 Grand Sport in my garage rather than a new BMW M2 or M4. It's a far better value to performance proposition than anything BMW or Porsche makes. But IF I were to have sprung for a Porsche instead of the C7 Grand Sport, it wouldn't have been just for "panache" as you put it. A Porsche GTx or any of their "R" cars are truly special and fantastic all around cars. Even their base "S" models are superb. Sure, better "fit and finish" isn't going to win any races. But it sure as ]heck makes for a better all around experience.
Like I said, different strokes. I now have a car that I can take to the track that wraps me and surrounds me in comfort with built quality, and now I also have a car that I can take to the track that basically DESTROYS 99% of the other cars on track. They serve different purposes.
Another example, my 12 year old MZ4 Coupe rattles and creaks LESS than my new Corvette Grand Sport. None of the factory panels vibrate when I drive it. The gaps are consistent across all panels, the fit and finish superb with minimal orange peel. Taken as a whole package, without strict consideration of performance, the BMW IS a better car, period. The dealership experience, buying, servicing, etc...Are all far superior than Chevy. And in the BMW you WILL be visiting the dealership quite a bit, so on that front it IS important to have a good dealership experience IMO.
You can try and justify it by sheer performance alone. I did. That's why there's a C7 Grand Sport in my garage rather than a new BMW M2 or M4. It's a far better value to performance proposition than anything BMW or Porsche makes. But IF I were to have sprung for a Porsche instead of the C7 Grand Sport, it wouldn't have been just for "panache" as you put it. A Porsche GTx or any of their "R" cars are truly special and fantastic all around cars. Even their base "S" models are superb. Sure, better "fit and finish" isn't going to win any races. But it sure as ]heck makes for a better all around experience.
Like I said, different strokes. I now have a car that I can take to the track that wraps me and surrounds me in comfort with built quality, and now I also have a car that I can take to the track that basically DESTROYS 99% of the other cars on track. They serve different purposes.
You happen to sound like a "car guy" but 95% of people who buy the European "Wunder Machines" buy them for their "panache" and don't have a single clue about performance. Sure they make great cars. I never denied that. But you pay dearly for them and believe me they're NOT PERFECT. I have many friends who own Audi's, BMW's, Jags, and Mercedes and all will reluctantly admit this. Plus any repairs once the so call 'free maintenance" is done is out of sight while a Corvette, not perfect, doesn't even come close to any European car's maintenance costs. It's still a Chevrolet. To me I've never had large amounts of disposable cash and always have had to spend wisely. For it's niche a Corvette is a wiser choice. Just saying. 
07-09-2018, 07:04 PM
#35
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I learned a long time ago not to care why someone bought any particular car. If the kid was driving a newer M3 then it probably cost nearly as much as the GS, meaning he or his family bought what they wanted at the time. I tend not to bash any make of car, regardless of what I own. We all buy our cars for different reasons and heck some of us have models from different manufacturers and actually enjoy them all.
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65fastback (07-09-2018)
07-09-2018, 07:07 PM
#36
The 2018 BMW M4 Competition Package makes 444 hp and does 0-60 in 3.7 seconds, same as our cars:
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...t-drive-review
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...t-drive-review
A handful of years ago I was instructing at a local event, and another friendly instructor brought a C6 Z06. At the time (before the ZR1) the pinnacle of American sports car. Fantastic car. Driven by a fantastic driver. We were out on track when another fellow instructor queued up ahead of us in a brand new E92 M3. Keep in mind this is the 420HP, 295ft*lbs NA V8 we're talking about. Both cars on Nitto NT01s and track pads.
Sure enough, on a relatively technical track (Buttonwillow) the Corvette Z06 was faster in straights, but the M3 would slowly pull alway in the twisty section. This isn't just two drivers with disparate skill set. Both instructors in both cars have been instructing for DECADES. It was shocking what the M3 could do being significantly down on power and torque. The BMW Ms are fantastic performance cars that will hold its own against the best performance cars on track on a weekend, and then turn around and take your kids to school on Monday.
Their ultimate performance level may have been compromised for some practicality purposes, but the lateral grip and track performance numbers are nothing short of any Corvette not marked with a "Z" in front and with Z07 handling package.
And yes, you DO pay a premium for that. Whether that's "worth it" is up to the person paying it.
07-09-2018, 07:14 PM
#37
Truth is the only people that gives a rat's @ss about what any of these cars can do, comprises a very small percentage of the actual ownership of each marquee.
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07-09-2018, 07:33 PM
#38
Instructor
I have an MZ4 Coupe in my garage. Unless you own one you won’t understand. BMW Ms were never about straight line speed, but the WHOLE package. They were the real deal, imo, and worth every penny paid.
Just as I never understood why people buy Corvettes, I do now. My 2017 GS M7 is a fantastic car, I certainly wouldn’t trade it for a new M3 or M4 because I already have a BMW M in the garage.
Different strokes. Imagine a 4 seater Corvette that is more comfortable and more luxurious (in some regards) that can hang and sometimes beat the Corvette on track, and you’ll have an idea WHY they cost so much.
Just as I never understood why people buy Corvettes, I do now. My 2017 GS M7 is a fantastic car, I certainly wouldn’t trade it for a new M3 or M4 because I already have a BMW M in the garage.
Different strokes. Imagine a 4 seater Corvette that is more comfortable and more luxurious (in some regards) that can hang and sometimes beat the Corvette on track, and you’ll have an idea WHY they cost so much.
Day to day, winter, summer, spring or fall you can easily drive most high end Porsche, BMW, Audi models--I simply cannot do that effectively in my Vette.
In my books they win on practicality and finishing, and some come very close on performance while others exceed. Personally, the thing I don't get from most Euro cars in the same price range is the "badass" factor I get from Vettes, Shelby's, and Challengers--which is what I enjoy about my Z06. There is definitely room for Euro and American muscle in my garage.
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65fastback (07-09-2018)
07-09-2018, 10:44 PM
#39
I have owned 7 Bimmers(M, 5,6,7 series) in the last 15 years and can vouch they are great automobiles. However, their exterior changes very little, within the same model, from year to year and the interiors all look the same (except the 6 series). I have previously compared my GS to an M3 in previous threads and feel the current C7 is finally in the same class of car, and in some ways exceeds that of the Bimmers. Even my friends who only buy European sports cars that start with a 'P' or 'F' are impressed with my Grand Sport. Our Corvette has come a long way.....
Last edited by Vette_17; 07-09-2018 at 10:47 PM.
07-09-2018, 11:28 PM
#40
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To each his/her own... imagine if we all loved the same person! 
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danm1 (07-12-2018)
