I was bored this weekend b/c I couldn’t work out (at the tail end of a cold) so I decided to be very “productive” and test drive some cars. I jotted them down below. I’d never driven a BMW since forever and my 82yr old Dad has an A8 M235i, so figured why not. Then I drove Camaros.
‘ 17 BMW M240i manual (used)-$33K low mi, used
Pros-comfortable, solid, reasonably quick, perfect size IMO, handles pretty well.
Cons-Shifter a bit rubbery and throws are long, power only comes on when you floor it. Ride is a little stiff/jittery. A bit too civilized? Sound was ok, but no V8 visceral thrill of course.
Verdict: Nice car just wasn’t for me. Configuration screens, controls, nav…etc. Jeez….need to take a class. But I’m sure you get used to it. I wouldn’t mind driving the A8 honestly.
‘ 18 BMW 230i (auto) $32k ultra low mi used
Pros-GREAT transmission. Quick shifting in manual, paddle or sport mode. Even comfort mode was good. Quick car. Power was impressive for a 248hp 4cyl, decent handling. High quality feel. Almost no turbo lag. Gas mpg is pretty good.
Cons-Sound. Decent for a 4cyl but of course not that satisfying. While power is good, it’s not going to light you on fire. It looks like a nothing car, LOL. Like a middle aged woman would park at Coffee Bean (and I’ve seen this
. It’s a sleeper for sure. That may good or bad for some.
Verdict-I’d never fault anyone for buying this car.
’16 BMW 340i (auto) $33K (low mi, used).
Pros-Comfortable, roomy, fast. Great tranny. Minimal turbo lag.
Cons-Handling was good but 3 series is getting large.
The Verdict-Great all in one car but for me as weekend ride, too boring. But BMW knows how to make some fast V6s.
2018 Mustang GT 10spd auto (new) base-($31K w/dealer discount)
Pros-Good steering, great auto. Felt FAST even with 3.15 gears in Normal mode. Stock exhaust sounds awesome. No need to upgrade to the Active Exhaust. Seats have lumbar.
Cons-Base comes with 235 tires/18 inch wheels. Seats are not that great. Found Camaro seats better.. No power recline which I think sucks on a car with $37,xxx MSRP and limited on adjustments.
Verdict-Almost bit on this car (for $31k) but the ticking issues going on with the Mustangs shied me away and the seats.
2018 Mustang GT base manual (new)- ($30K w/dealer discount)
Pros-Once again the stock exhaust…..it sounds really good. IMO better than NPP on the Camaro. Kudos to Ford on that one! Good visibility. Easy to drive. Probably the most “livable” daily American muscle.
Cons-I don’t like the shifter that much compared to the Camaro. The car is noticeably slower than the Camaro manual and worlds slower it seems than the GT auto.
The Verdict-An enjoyable V8 to drive around but it’s not the focused machine the SS is. Nope.
’19 Camaro 1SS 10spd Auto
Pros-Pretty good automatic. Shifts quickly. Downshifts good. Responsive with paddles. Stock cloth seats very comfortable to me and have power recline unlike the Mustang.
Cons-Well……the front end. Although in person, didn’t bother me so much. In Sport mode, it seemed to hang on the gears a bit too long sacrificing smoothness. Touring mode you had to push on it to downshift. The A10 Mustang GT auto I test drove, just seemed a little more eager….but who knows. That car had 150mi, this one had 7 mi. Only would knock off $3K off MSRP so about $37,500. BMW automatics I drove seem to be better. Visibility compared to the others but I didn’t find it to be a big deal. Seats have no lumbar but don’t feel like they need it.
Verdict-If you want an automatic SS, I think you’ll be happy. For some reason, I wasn’t that drawn to it.
’18 Camaro 1SS (new) manual-Base no NPP.
Same as the NPP but honestly I think non-NPP exhaust is too muted. And this from a guy who doesn’t like loud exhausts. It sounded quieter than Touring mode on the NPP. Sure you can put an aftermarket on there but for $895 option, the NPP is tough to pass up. That is if/when you get the NPP rattle. Then you'll wish you didn't get it.
’18 Camaro 1SS (new) manual-base with NPP (right now around $33,500 w/dealer discount).
Pros-Comfortable seats, faster than all the BMWs. Pretty violent in 1-3rd . Great shifter. I actually like the taller gears on the street (compared to my former Whippled Mustang GT w/3.73s). You can ride them out and the car really pulls, great torque, V8 sound, car felt planted and nimble. Even base SS has 20s and 275s on the rear. Best bang for the buck.
Cons-Visibility not the greatest of course. I think 6th is a little tall. I know it’s for freeway cruising and gas mpg, but my former 3.73 geared Mustang GT, revved higher and has some punch in 6th even at 70. Hwy gas mileage sucked as a result of course. But any punch of the freeway, requires 5th gear downshift.
Verdict-
The best car for me and anyone that wants/values/requires rawness and visceral feel injected into their driving experience.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Really all good cars when it comes down to it.