M3/4 VS C8 Aftermarket Options
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
M3/4 VS C8 Aftermarket Options
Hi, I'm on the fence between a new M car and a C8.
My understanding is that you can have a 9 second car with just a tune and maybe a flex fuel kit on the M car.
What can be done with the C8, including all 3 types (stingray, eray, and z06)?
My understanding is that you can have a 9 second car with just a tune and maybe a flex fuel kit on the M car.
What can be done with the C8, including all 3 types (stingray, eray, and z06)?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 239
From: Colorado
My '21 M4 Comp was a fantastic car--power and luxury. And you get closer to 600 at the crank than the 503 advertised. 800+ hp is readily available, but costly. 9 seconds is pushing it a lot unless you change out turbos, but low 10s easy. Still and all, I traded it for my '24 Vette--4th one since '06. The passion is greater with a sports car than one of the best GTs made.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 3,978
Likes: 1,289
From: Plano, Texas
2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
The M4 with competition, DCT, and AWD will be neck-to-neck or faster without mods. With mods, turbos in the M4 will be more responsive to power gains and will likely pull away strong. The C8 is a mid-NA engine exotic yet everyday sports car (and attainable). The M4 is a sports coupe/GT and can easily become more expensive to get into. They are both great cars, but I feel the C8 is more special to most people, especially when you ask the general public. It's America's sports car for a reason. The C8 or the Z06 are not going to be the fastest cars, but they may feel, look, sound, and drive more special. Tough decisions for car guys unless you can afford multiple cars and squeeze in an M4. The C8 and Z06 will be my first choice, and the M4 will add to the spice and variety if I am fortunate. The M4 has gotten way too expensive in its most complete form. I was looking at them and they are approaching well over $100k and the CS is $130-140k+.
Last edited by Bald Guy; Apr 12, 2025 at 07:56 PM.
Sr.Random input generator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,811
Likes: 2,236
From: Sammamish, WA
I don't think OP is asking about comparing cars, but it's rather specific on what can be achieved performance wise. If you're looking to get power mods for drag racing, I don't think C8 of any flavor is a good platform. Basic power mods are much simpler on turbo cars. ZR1 might be a beast, but we obviously don't have any aftermarket support for it yet.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 196
Likes: 78
From: Orcutt CA
My old G80 M3 xDrive with flex fuel tune, downpipes and mid pipe.
Racer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 405
Likes: 1
From: Dallas
I looked at M4 Competition based on the power potential with mods, but I was completely uninspired by the interior, general look, and the sound of a 6. Then I looked at M8 Competition. It sounded great, the shifts were priceless, but the interior, and it felt very heavy and slow somehow.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
I don't think OP is asking about comparing cars, but it's rather specific on what can be achieved performance wise. If you're looking to get power mods for drag racing, I don't think C8 of any flavor is a good platform. Basic power mods are much simpler on turbo cars. ZR1 might be a beast, but we obviously don't have any aftermarket support for it yet.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
You're not going to see any substantial gains unless you go with one of the aftermarket twin turbo kits for the C8. C8Z has plenty of power, tech and feels much more special driving around. Interior quality is on par with my old G80 with full leather. Intakes, headers, catback exhausts, test pipes and high flow cats are available. Some people install these things and have reported that it feels faster. I have Milltek HFCs and Valvetronic rear and didn't notice much if any power increase.
My old G80 M3 xDrive with flex fuel tune, downpipes and mid pipe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ZTFbkpTEM
My old G80 M3 xDrive with flex fuel tune, downpipes and mid pipe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ZTFbkpTEM
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 196
Likes: 78
From: Orcutt CA
The G80 was super easy to drive, had torques everywhere and I never had to worry about traction going WOT. I think the G80 held my interest longer because of the larger aftermarket, tuning abilities and coding. It just didn't feel special when driving it and I didn't like the downshifts with the ZF even after trans tuning.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
I do prefer the Z06. It's a car I'll always remember, even if I am getting a little bored with it. It's more engaging to drive, sounds great, feels special and you don't see them as often.
The G80 was super easy to drive, had torques everywhere and I never had to worry about traction going WOT. I think the G80 held my interest longer because of the larger aftermarket, tuning abilities and coding. It just didn't feel special when driving it and I didn't like the downshifts with the ZF even after trans tuning.
The G80 was super easy to drive, had torques everywhere and I never had to worry about traction going WOT. I think the G80 held my interest longer because of the larger aftermarket, tuning abilities and coding. It just didn't feel special when driving it and I didn't like the downshifts with the ZF even after trans tuning.
Yeah, the thing about the RCF I dislike the least is probably the transmission. I test drove a M4 last week, though, and even stock, it feels better than the RCF.
When you say you don't see the that often, you mean Z06 specifically right? Where I live, I see C8s everywhere all the time, but dont see too many G8 cars, especially M4.
Do you have to wring it out to redline too get any enjoyment out of it? With my car, even though it's a naturally aspirated V8, it still has VTEC or something, and is boring under 4000 RPM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 239
From: Colorado
You're not going to see any substantial gains unless you go with one of the aftermarket twin turbo kits for the C8. C8Z has plenty of power, tech and feels much more special driving around. Interior quality is on par with my old G80 with full leather. Intakes, headers, catback exhausts, test pipes and high flow cats are available. Some people install these things and have reported that it feels faster. I have Milltek HFCs and Valvetronic rear and didn't notice much if any power increase.
My old G80 M3 xDrive with flex fuel tune, downpipes and mid pipe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ZTFbkpTEM
My old G80 M3 xDrive with flex fuel tune, downpipes and mid pipe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ZTFbkpTEM
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 196
Likes: 78
From: Orcutt CA
Thanks for the response.
Yeah, the thing about the RCF I dislike the least is probably the transmission. I test drove a M4 last week, though, and even stock, it feels better than the RCF.
When you say you don't see the that often, you mean Z06 specifically right? Where I live, I see C8s everywhere all the time, but dont see too many G8 cars, especially M4.
Do you have to wring it out to redline too get any enjoyment out of it? With my car, even though it's a naturally aspirated V8, it still has VTEC or something, and is boring under 4000 RPM.
Yeah, the thing about the RCF I dislike the least is probably the transmission. I test drove a M4 last week, though, and even stock, it feels better than the RCF.
When you say you don't see the that often, you mean Z06 specifically right? Where I live, I see C8s everywhere all the time, but dont see too many G8 cars, especially M4.
Do you have to wring it out to redline too get any enjoyment out of it? With my car, even though it's a naturally aspirated V8, it still has VTEC or something, and is boring under 4000 RPM.
You don't have to wring it out every time. There's a decent amount of mid range power to be had and it still be fun. It's not as bad as say an E92 M3 or GT3.
If you end up getting a Z06, find a good deal on a used one or a new one at a substantial discount. Otherwise you'll get killed on resale if you decide not to keep it long term.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 196
Likes: 78
From: Orcutt CA
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 220
Likes: 119
c8s have a horrendous aftermarket. They respond poorly to mods , can’t tune the trans and even the boosted ones are fast for their power level and certainly not for the money.
If you want a modable Vette buy a C7Z. I own a G82 M4- bolt Ons only is easily in the low 10s or maybe high 9s.
It’s on E55, trans tune, ECU Tune, mid pipes and downpipe
<edit- I didn’t see you were picking a c8 Z06, which would probably change my answer - they’re plenty fast from the factory and pick up 40-50whp from bolt Ons without tune>. Easy low 10s car that way and sounds amazing . Sorry I jumped my answer.
Last edited by MoparZ06; Apr 14, 2025 at 04:20 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 220
Likes: 119
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 196
Likes: 78
From: Orcutt CA
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 220
Likes: 119
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 196
Likes: 78
From: Orcutt CA
