Observations - S4, Z06 and M3

[strummr]

I'm assuming there's been plenty of talk here about these vehicles - there were plenty on the S4 and 'Vette forums. (less so on the latter) I sold my 'stage 3', just a farcical way to say a B6/B7 S4 had all three: CAI, flash and full exhaust, S4 a few years ago. When I had purchased the S4 back in '05, it was down to the CTS-V, E46 M3, and the B6 S4. I've always been a fan of V8 performance, so when Audi moved to the 4.2, 40 valve V8... it was compelling - and the CTS-V? too crude, especially the interior, and the M3 seemed a bit too 'focused' on sport. The S4 received a CAI, a 93oct flash, and full exhaust (200 cell cat DPs, and non-res catback)... and no doubt, one of the most unique exhaust notes from all of my cars past, and present. I chose the S4 over the M3 since I wanted a car that would make the best DD, and again, I liked V8s - the car proved to be exactly that, a great daily driver with great overall balance: perfect interior ergonomics, overall driving dynamics, and understated style. I racked up on avg, ~24k miles every year in DC metro traffic for 3 years - great all around car, but not great at one particular thing, and toward the end, the driving feel seemed too 'sterile', and I started looking for something else.

Enter the '08 Corvette Z06 - wanting something that returned me to rear-drive dynamics, and more explosive performance. (note: I grew up with Mustangs (4), and I was loathe to pick up a Chevy ) The Z06 proved to be everything I expected, brutal/explosive performance (I have 345/20/20s out back and it breaks traction on accel at 80+), with heavy-handed handling dynamics... oh, and the low-rent, joke of an interior, with seats made for someone with 'more girth'. I figured the latter was going to be overshadowed with the focus on performance... but it's been 1.5 years and it irks me every time I get in the car. So having a combination of an Infiniti FX45/BMW X5 4.8is as the daily driver for about 2 years, I decided to find something that returned more 'usable' driving dynamics, and fun-to-drive factor to the DD. So, with BMW adding a V8 to the M3, I came full circle.

I recently picked up a 2010 M3 Coupe 6mt, which reminds me a bit of the 540i6 I had before the S4. Early impressions have been great... immediate handling responses, lively and agile - 'usable' handling for spirited daily-driving. Granted, I expected a bit more explosion from acceleration, but I still have the Z06 for that. The interior is sweet, and it's truly high on what you'd expect for a great-handling car with balanced luxury amenities. I'm glad to have such a real-world, sports car for my daily driving duties, and it's so much closer to the do everything well S4, but with better handling and performance - and I'm loving the heavily bolstered, seat! Far better than the Recaros in the S4, and not even worth comparing the shiet on the Z.

I'm looking forward to enjoying the E92 M3, and it reminds me that the performance wasn't enough to ignore the awful interior of the 'vette... I tried, so I'll hold on for another year or so and move on to a 911 TT as my halo car.

[Wild_Will]

All you had to do was add a Leather Recaro racing seat to the Vette and a double din Pionner unit to clean the interior up.

But nothing beats the M3 as an overall package..

[strummr]

Have you seen the steering wheel from the Cobalt? the plastic bag like material used for the shifter and ebrake boots? The plastic dashpad with fake stitching? Cheap plastic abounds... and it does irk you after awhile, if the flat seats don't enough. I had no probs with the nav/radio... it seems most 'vette owners also complain about the nav as well, but I never used the nav, nor do I listen much to the radio, there's no issue with the engine soundtrack. And only my bikes have given me a more brutal, visceral acceleration experience than the Z06, but normal driving, it feels like you're manning controls to a very heavy vehicle, almost truck-like. (despite it being only ~3170#) The seat in the E92, is truly one of the most supportive I've experienced and I would expect the 'visceral' component to go up after I get the Corsa exhaust.

[graider]

OP, sound like the GTR is for you. Have you thought about this one?

Originally Posted by strummr

Have you seen the steering wheel from the Cobalt? the plastic bag like material used for the shifter and ebrake boots? The plastic dashpad with fake stitching? Cheap plastic abounds... and it does irk you after awhile, if the flat seats don't enough. I had no probs with the nav/radio... it seems most 'vette owners also complain about the nav as well, but I never used the nav, nor do I listen much to the radio, there's no issue with the engine soundtrack. And only my bikes have given me a more brutal, visceral acceleration experience than the Z06, but normal driving, it feels like you're manning controls to a very heavy vehicle, almost truck-like. (despite it being only ~3170#) The seat in the E92, is truly one of the most supportive I've experienced and I would expect the 'visceral' component to go up after I get the Corsa exhaust.

[strummr]

I've definitely thought about the GTR... but I'm still currently partial to the V8/na route. (I've researched heavily the 335i, and the blown B8 S4 as well) If not the V8/na route, it would help if it had a manual trans option, so what I consider to be my immediate 'end-game' would be a 997.2 911 Turbo with a manual; I'm hoping to have one within the next year or two, and having a GTR (with Cobb or AMS tuning) would make a sweet DD.

Originally Posted by graider

OP, sound like the GTR is for you. Have you thought about this one?

[DARK_M3]

I've only ever seen a 345 rear on a Lamborghini Diablo. Are you saying the Z06 comes stock with that kind of meat on the rear?

Also, I've seen a vid of a 1000 hp Supra lay down rubber at 80 mph. I want to see the video of a stock Z06 doing that.

[strummr]

Originally Posted by DARK_M3

I've only ever seen a 345 rear on a Lamborghini Diablo. Are you saying the Z06 comes stock with that kind of meat on the rear?

Also, I've seen a vid of a 1000 hp Supra lay down rubber at 80 mph. I want to see the video of a stock Z06 doing that.

Plenty of Z06s with aftermarket rims and 345 Nittos... I don't recall saying I had stock - stock Z06 would be 325, stock ZR1 would be 335 spec. Also, breaking loose under full throttle at 80, is a bit different than 'lay down rubber' as you state as vid fact. A buddy was in the Z06 when it broke loose and he was the first to exclaim - 'holy s$#%, we broke loose at 80!'... sorry, no vid was captured.

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by strummr

Plenty of Z06s with aftermarket rims and 345 Nittos... I don't recall saying I had stock - stock Z06 would be 325, stock ZR1 would be 335 spec. Also, breaking loose under full throttle at 80, is a bit different than 'lay down rubber' as you state as vid fact. A buddy was in the Z06 when it broke loose and he was the first to exclaim - 'holy s$#%, we broke loose at 80!'... sorry, no vid was captured.

My bad, I was thinking for a second that it might have come stock with 345's an it didn't sound right.

Yeah I guess breaking loose and laying down rubber are two different things!

[DARK_M3]

I bet 345's are a pretty penny btw!

[strummr]

Getting tires for the Z06 or even the dd before the M3 (X5 4.8is -315/20s out back)... were non-trivial expenses, so it feels like getting new shoes for the M3 will be easy... :P