What to buy next...G80, F90, or R8?

[SDPLV]

Been thinking for a while now about what I should step into next. And need help...

I've wanted an AWD M sedan my entire life to eventually consolidate down to one car.

Finally, BMW has created one in the F90 M5. This is a car I will 100% own eventually, but just not sure I need it right now.

Only downside I could find is that it's not manual (or DCT for that matter) but it could quite possibly be the greatest daily driver ever created - and for my commute, the auto is okay.

Along the same lines, I do like the size of my M3 as my daily (at this age). I don't necessarily want the size of the M5 at this stage in my life. My kid is not big enough for it to matter - rear facing car seat. Barely goes in my car anyways.

Do I wait for the G80 AWD w/ manual for best of all worlds?

My other option is buying my first supercar now, in the form of a pre-owned Audi R8 V10 gated manual, and keeping my current E90 DCT M3 as my daily.

Opinions are welcome...

[EnVe46]

I'm a secret Audi fan boy, seriously. If they made an avant in the states I'd be selling my E90 today. So if you could swing the R8 and keep the E90, I think you're accomplishing the best of both worlds.

Now I agree on the F90 being all around perfect daily and baby hauler. Modern, safe, fast. But you kinda already have that with the E90 minus AWD. Are you in a state that gets snow?

[Montaver]

An R8 is a completely different proposition to an F90 or a G80. Are you looking for a sportscar or a 'do it all' car? The V10 in the R8 is epic, I'd love to own one. The same money gets you into a GT3 or GT4 though so it would be a very tough call.

I wouldn't get an F90, sounds a bit dull. If I was getting an all round sedan to replace the M3 it would be a Giulia Quadrifoglio.

[New2Roundel]

If you can afford the R8 V10 manual now, that's frankly the best option. It's practically a bargain at the moment, IMO. And it's the only car you have listed, IMO, that's going to rise in value. So that would be my answer. And to keep the M3 as well? Jeeze, that's about perfect.

For me, if I didn't need the space/room, I'd buy a 997 4S coupe with manual and call it a day---if I wanted a single car all-weather call.

[Transfer]

I would definitely wait for G80 details. I think it's going to be quite a special M3, especially if you are interested in M xDrive. It will be interesting to see what they offer us.

[SDPLV]

Originally Posted by EnVe46

I'm a secret Audi fan boy, seriously. If they made an avant in the states I'd be selling my E90 today. So if you could swing the R8 and keep the E90, I think you're accomplishing the best of both worlds.

Now I agree on the F90 being all around perfect daily and baby hauler. Modern, safe, fast. But you kinda already have that with the E90 minus AWD. Are you in a state that gets snow?

Minimal really, I live in the DC area. Wife has an X3 and works from home so I can just take that if it's truly bad weather.

[SDPLV]

Originally Posted by New2Roundel

If you can afford the R8 V10 manual now, that's frankly the best option. It's practically a bargain at the moment, IMO. And it's the only car you have listed, IMO, that's going to rise in value. So that would be my answer. And to keep the M3 as well? Jeeze, that's about perfect.

For me, if I didn't need the space/room, I'd buy a 997 4S coupe with manual and call it a day---if I wanted a single car all-weather call.

I would be buying pre-owned. I'm guessing between a 2008-2010 would be the sweet spot. I'm in escrow on a property, so I am in a holding pattern and researching the R8 market for now.

If I were to consolidate down to 1 car, it would have to be a 4 door - so the G80 or F90.

[SDPLV]

Originally Posted by Transfer

I would definitely wait for G80 details. I think it's going to be quite a special M3, especially if you are interested in M xDrive. It will be interesting to see what they offer us.

Yeah, if they make the G80 sedan with M Xdrive, and manual, then that's the end of it.

I'd buy that and never look back or sideways at another car again - as long as it doesn't sound like the current F80.

That's 2 years out though. Right?

[SDPLV]

Originally Posted by Montaver

An R8 is a completely different proposition to an F90 or a G80. Are you looking for a sportscar or a 'do it all' car? The V10 in the R8 is epic, I'd love to own one. The same money gets you into a GT3 or GT4 though so it would be a very tough call.

I wouldn't get an F90, sounds a bit dull. If I was getting an all round sedan to replace the M3 it would be a Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Haven't given the QF much thought. Maybe I should look into it.

[HadesM3]

if you want an involving sports car I'd say a 997 gt3 is a better choice. However, if you are looking for an attention grabber the r8v10 is flashier and much cheaper compared to a gt3. A neighbor bought a manual v10 r8 coupe for $80 with very low miles.

[gcf12]

Originally Posted by SDPLV

Been thinking for a while now about what I should step into next. And need help...

I've wanted an AWD M sedan my entire life to eventually consolidate down to one car.

Finally, BMW has created one in the F90 M5. This is a car I will 100% own eventually, but just not sure I need it right now.

Only downside I could find is that it's not manual (or DCT for that matter) but it could quite possibly be the greatest daily driver ever created - and for my commute, the auto is okay.

Along the same lines, I do like the size of my M3 as my daily (at this age). I don't necessarily want the size of the M5 at this stage in my life. My kid is not big enough for it to matter - rear facing car seat. Barely goes in my car anyways.

Do I wait for the G80 AWD w/ manual for best of all worlds?

My other option is buying my first supercar now, in the form of a pre-owned Audi R8 V10 gated manual, and keeping my current E90 DCT M3 as my daily.

Opinions are welcome...

If you can keep the M3, I'd get a gated R8 manual no questions asked. They're plenty quick and it's hard to argue with mid-engine handling. Like others have said, they should hold their value well being a model Audi doesn't make with a 6MT anymore.

[wyatth]

Save the M5 for when you need the extra space.

[sibhusz06]

I have a 997 9114S along with my E90m3, if your going to spend R8 money, you should look at the GT3 as im pretty sure will outperform the R8. I think the R8 will have similar performance as a 997.2 4S model

[pbonsalb]

I’d like an AWD M5 or AWD E63 AMG in a few years when prices drop in the used market, but won’t spend $100k+ on a 2018. I am more inclined to keep my 08M3 and buy a used 991.1TT or 991.2TT instead. The replacement sedan could wait. AWD is great for putting big power down and for winter traction (I live in NH). If I lived in a warm area, I could be OK with big power and R compound tires.

Personally I am not into flashy cars so I don’t need to make a statement with something like an R8. I don’t want the attention. But if it’s what you want, buy it. Fulfilling your dreams is great.

I grew up in DC — Cleveland Park, Burleith, Georgetown and Foxhall Road. I liked it back then thirty plus years ago when it was a smaller town but would have no interest in the rat race I would have to go through to live there today — I could not afford to live in Georgetown.

[SDPLV]

For those saying Porsche, my friend has a 911, but I'm just not sold on them. I see them a lot. I know they're probably the better car overall, but it's not a childhood dream car (the M3 has always been for me, and the R8 ever since 2008 when it first came out.) That's a big part of this process.

It's not a rational choice of any sort to drop $80k on a car, it's just living out a dream. The M3 was THE car for me. I always said "someday". And then, I got mine at 30 (used, but still). It was expensive for me but one of the best decisions I have ever made. It gave me motivation. Worked harder and kept moving up because I achieved that goal.

The R8 was the equivalent of thinking, "wow, must be nice, but I'll never be able to afford one". I used to take pictures of them - even while driving next to them on the highway (back when I was younger and stupider and cell phone cameras just came out). I still remember seeing one roped off in front of a Regal Cinemas movie theater once and being amazed by it.

Also, I don't want to track a supercar so that additional performance isn't necessary to me.

I was hoping to track my M3 eventually. That's a long term goal. I'm headed to the BMW M Car Control Clinic tmrw to see if it's something I want to commit to long term. Never even done a HPDE event before.

The performance difference between the GT3 and V10, I would think is the equivalent of upgrading to the R8 V10 Plus. Correct me if I'm way off. And at a much higher cost.

Where I live (Maryland suburbs of DC), I can't use anything over 400hp anyways. I got a hell of a ticket while commuting back from work the other day in my M3 (and I was going under 80 on a highway - with the traffic).

It was ridiculously unrewarding. After two years of blasting around the M3 on the West Coast's wide open highways, I get cited on stupid 495, one of the most congested commuter highways in the US.

That being said, I've thought about the R8 V8 gated manual, but I'd literally be buying the same power as my M3 again. The V10 makes more sense - as its something still fairly unique to me, and everyone seems to appreciate it.

[Soden82]

I know it was stated above, but I just drove a QF and it very much exceeded my expectations. They're not too common where I live, my friends father has the only one in the Boston area I know of. Very capable car.

But for your current predicament I would get the r8 no questions asked

[Bartledoo]

R8 V10 with the gated 6speed or GT3. I would not buy any BMW newer than my E90 M though. So my opinion is probably irrelevant.

[Richbot]

E63 became all wheel drive in 2014 two years after it went twin turbo. 5.5tt, awd, 7speed mct

“Only” a mid 11 second car at 122-123 instead of low 11’s/high 10’s like the 2018+ cars

Coming off lease now

[pbonsalb]

I like those. You can find them from $45k on up. Easily modded for more power. About 4400 lbs so not a lightweight.

[Richbot]

I just bought one. It handles like the chassis dept found out two weeks before production that the car would have 600hp, but it’s an amazing car

The most surprising thing of all is how GREAT the greenhouse is. It’s easier to see out of than anything I’ve driven built in the last 15 years short of...well my e90m. Except according to IIHS the w212 crashes way better

EDIT...oh, and my car was parked for a while so I hadn't had a chance to compare the E90M to the E63 yet. Still like my 10 year old 113,000 mile E90M better than a 2015 merc with 200 extra hp and 27000 miles. My car rides just as well (even on 19's same as the Merc), it's much more wieldy in all situations, you can shift it yourself, it doesn't beep when there's a car nearby, and OH MY GOD THE NOISE. The E63 makes great noises particularly with windows down, because turbos, but it only plays the bass notes with the occasional tom tom on the upshifts (no made-up Look How Performance Car My Exhaust Is Because Racecar snap crackle popping every time you go near the throttle, just upshift pops). The E90M is like having the whole brass band show up and point their bells at your face. Acceleration doesn't feel any less eventful in the E90, just because of the rush to redline and the way the car feels so happy to be doing what it's doing. The big difference is when you grab a new gear the E63 is relentless and the E90M...isn't, heh, because smaller engine with no turbos duh, but the E63 is so quick you barely have a chance to notice the delivery other than THAT'S A LOT. The handling on the E63 is fine but the E90M can carry an easy 5-6mph more without feeling at all wayward, the E63 is just waiting for the corner to end so you can do the fun stuff again. The merc's steering is really good for an awd car, maybe the best I've ever experienced in an AWD car.

So yeah, don't sell your E90M.