12-25-2018, 08:12 AM | #15 |
Drives: 3 kraut burners Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Beer, Brats, Cheese and Beer
Posts: 4
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Thanks for this comparison. My wife and I enjoy weekend touring in the warmer months, and we currently own a 135i convertible with 6-speed manual and M-Sport package. The steering is the old hydraulic rack, the clutch is good (shifter is meh) and the car has been a lot of fun. Couldn’t agree with you more on steering of the newer BMWs - I also have a DD f30 sedan (328i) and the electric steering has little to no feel of the road. And while the 3-series has gained quite a bit of girth over the years, most others have gained as well. I recently test drove the new Honda Accord sport manual - it was fun but the car is not small in any sense. Next spring we will sell the 135i and move into either a convertible 2018+ Mustang GT (coyote gen 3) or 2016+ Camaro SS. Deciding between the two is a genuine first world problem, but I really do appreciate your insights. Looking forward to driving both!
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12-25-2018, 09:02 AM | #16 |
Drives: '16 Camaro SS 6 spd manual transm. Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: RGV Texas
Posts: 1,463
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Of those two, the best sport driver's car: Camaro SS without a doubt.
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'16 Camaro SS
Prior cars: '14 Corvette C7 Stingray Z51 '14 Camaro ZL1 w/. Recaro seats '11 Mustang GT 5.0 w. track package '02 Porsche 911 Carrera '05 Infiniti G35 coupe sport |
12-25-2018, 11:58 AM | #17 | |
Drives: 3 kraut burners Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Beer, Brats, Cheese and Beer
Posts: 4
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Quote:
Must...have...patience. |
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12-26-2018, 03:10 PM | #18 |
Account Suspended
Drives: '14 Jetta 1.8, '19 1SS Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 886
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I test drove another new '18 1SS manual. It's a good car and handles well. Things I didn't like:
1-the shifter seems to vibrate a lot-this was a minor thing but still kind of annoying and seemed a bit unrefined 2-the gearing is tall-1-4 are pretty good gears, 5th and 6th seem too tall. Almost needed to use 4th for any real passing power on the freeway. 3-the throttle response is a bit lazy-Seems like I had to get on the throttle a bit before the car would "respond" to the input. To throw a wrench into the mix, I drove a couple Dodges: 1-2017 Challenger Scat pack A8 w/10K miles-It was loaded with almost every option. It was good. Good transmission, quick for sure. But felt sort of twitchy on the freeway and very muscle car like as in boaty. I did like the steering feel though. 2-2019 Charger Scat Pack new (base, no options)-The Charger looked enormous b/c it is....200 inches long, 4300+lbs. But somehow it didn't feel that huge when driving it. It felt lighter and easier to drive than the Challenger. Visibility was good as was comfort. What was really awesome is the throttle response. You just tap that accelerator and it lunges forward. The ZF8 in Sport Mode in the Charger was freakin' amazing. That big thing moves and shifts lightning quick. It handles pretty flat for its size too. But as a single guy driving around in it, I felt like I was the captain of the Love Boat....lol. I wish the Camaro had the Charger's transmission and throttle response. Anyway, all good cars. |
01-09-2019, 03:44 PM | #19 | |
Drives: 2023 BMW M4 Competition Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 657
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Quote:
The Challenger and Charger 392/scatpack have the SAME EXACT "ZF" TorqueFlite transmission and engine. The challenger is a little lighter and the charger a little more aerodynamic.
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2023 BMW M4 Competition (daily)
2022 ZLE M6 (weekend toy) 2022 BMW X3m40i Past: 2022 Tesla S Plaid 2020 Shelby GT500 sold 2019 Hellcat Redeye-traded for new GT500 2019 ZL1 A10 - sold (meh) 2019 Tesla M3P 2016 Hellcat Challenger - A8 sold but never forgotten 2016 Camaro 2SS M6 2014 Mustang GT A6 2012 Mustang GT M6 "brembo" 3.73/FBO 2012 Camaro SS L99 (Wife's)- slow |
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01-25-2019, 08:47 AM | #20 |
Drives: 2014 ATS 2.0T 6MT Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: ohio
Posts: 66
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I find it interesting you are cross shopping Camaro>BMW and haven't touched a Caddie yet.
BMW advice: Lease and get an M-sport. Also, no matter what car you decide on, make sure you test drive and enjoy the 525xDrive and x3/x5 vehicles... I guarantee you will be spending some time in them as loaners while the car you bought is in for repairs. |
03-21-2019, 07:23 PM | #21 |
I drove a Mini JCW Countryman that just left like a SUV like a RAV 4 or something, a WRX STI which I liked and left similar to the Camaro but with way better vision but 100hp off and less capable, an Alfa Romeo Giulia which the dealers all thought I was crazy wanting in RWD and a Alfa 4C which is a little hardcore gocart I really liked but they were pushing my budget, I avoided BMW due to their lack of steering feel. I wound up getting my SS 1LE and am very happy, not only was it cheaper than anything else but also way faster. One thing a mustang had better is vision. Only negatives of the Camaro are the trunk and the really imprecise buttons and switches inside.
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03-23-2019, 08:38 AM | #22 |
Drives: 2018 SS 1LE Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 776
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Great purchase. I would not be able to let that deal go either. Just keep an eye on the typewriter tick issue and don't let Ford tell you it's normal. Take it easy on the shifter as well.
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03-23-2019, 09:38 AM | #23 |
Drives: 2018 Camaro 1SS 1LE Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Front Range, CO
Posts: 1,868
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IDK, with both engine and transmission issues common there's no way I'd take that deal considering you can also get 15% off remaining '18 Camaros, so $32kish for a base SS. I'd easily pay the extra $3k for a far better car.
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03-23-2019, 09:46 AM | #24 | |
Drives: 2018 Camaro 1SS 1LE Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Front Range, CO
Posts: 1,868
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Quote:
The STi has a great AWD system which is amazing to drive on snow and dirt covered roads, but it also sucks the power and gas down. It does horrible on the highway, both power and fuel economy are simply poor. The car is rather slow, you'll struggle to keep up with V6 Camrys and Ecoboost Ford Escape SUVs. It can't carry much without the handling and fuel economy taking a huge hit. And finally the engine is a ticking time bomb and the opposite of confidence inspiring. The car doesn't have adequate cooling and will overheat and make horrible smells and gurgling noises when driven hard, and it'll cut boost and timing but not throw a code so the dealer can't verify it. It's a nice but old-fashioned and critically flawed AWD system and all else is absolute crap in that car. Subaru has made no effort to make this car significantly better over the years and as a result it's NOT much better than it was in 2004. |
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04-01-2019, 02:25 PM | #25 | ||
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04-06-2019, 11:39 PM | #26 |
Drives: 2SS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: AK
Posts: 2,301
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The engine is mounted in front of the front axle, of course it's going to understeer, and while you can attempt to tame it and tune it out by several methods, it's the proverbial polishing a turd, it'll always be better to have the engine in back of the front axle (or at least in between the wheels). When I had a WRX, it was "massive understeer followed by snap-oversteer" on loose/traction limited surfaces. The moment of inertia created by the engine in that location is arguably worse than just the understeer. The Evo was always lightyears ahead when it came to chassis balance and handling. The regular WRX isn't too bad on the gas, but the STI absolutely pounds it down and like said above, the engine hasn't seen an update in forever. Unfortunately, there are two huge negatives to Subaru. 1, they tend to let things go way way too far, like the old 4EAT transmission, it had no place in a WRX and they were still making it and putting it in there, it wasn't 1985 when they were doing this...How about that turbo lag? That thing that most manufacturers have eliminated by placing the turbo right near the exhaust valves, hot-V setups and the like..This list could go on and on, some of these things were finally addressed, but way way too late. 2, they often handicap the US market cars, where the JDM will get twin scroll and other tweaks, the absolute worst was when they imported the Impreza GT and called it a "WRX".
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Everything happens for a reason, except when it doesn't, but even then, you can, in hindsight, fabricate a reason that satisfies your belief system.
2018 2SS 1LE 2023 Colorado ZR2 2022 Stinger GT-line AWD |
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