Ludikraut

iTrader: (17)

If you have a maintenance fund, get the M5. Otherwise get the Evo X.

l8r)

Mmelmann

iTrader: (1)

I would never buy another domestic vehicle... especially a pontiac. I'm not in it for the badge, but the badge does carry a reputation. A BMW M car and a pontiac are on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Again, I've owned a BMW M Coupe before, so I have a knowlege base about the maintenance costs and I know how much I adored the characteristics of a proper BMW inside and out. I also do most all of my maintenance outside of warranty items or recalls if they are called for. My neighbors sometimes get to hear the sound of impact wrenches and air compressors on occasion. It's the sound of freedom... freedom from paying the stealership.

That said, the Evo X really peaks my interest like no other... even the GT-R. (cause I can't afford that one) When I drive up to the dealership, the salesmen there recognize me as the guy to go to for info on the new Evo X. It's kind of cool to teach a salesman about a car.

I'm sure that a GTO or this new GXP you talk of is nice and all... it's just absolutely not for me and my wife. That's like having a preferance for Warsteiner dunkel beer and then some dude asks you if you want a Bud Light instead... and I hate Bud Light.

(Greetings to everybody from Ramsteinn, Germany by the way. I'm sitting in a terminal at the air base while I type this. The Autobahn is close by. I'm on my way to Afghanistan to pick a fight with some Taliban. )

klipsch0

Here's my 2 cents...

I HATE that BWM owners always talking about their cars. "Yeah, I spent 70000k on my BMW, it rides like a beast!" or "What? You like my car? Thanks, I bought it at that dealership in the very expensive part of the city." or the infamous (Random Guy) "Dude nice car, how much horses it got? Done any mods, how's the handling?" (BMW Owner) "Huh? It's a BWM, what do you expect!?" Not saying all owners are like that but, most definately are. They buy a brand, not a car.

That's why I wont ever buy a BMW. If I ever get the money to buy a 75k car, I will go into the real performance line cars rather than luxury with big power.

What I hate about the Evo is the usual. High school kids cutting me off in the morning while I'm half a sleep on their civics thinking they're so cool and fast. Cops always got an eye out for me to bust me for anything. But, what I hate about it the most is that people insist Evo owners buy it cause of The Fast and the Gay. Homie, I buy an Evo cause for the money I got, it's one of the best performance 4 door sedans and EVERYTHING in it has a purpose plus, just fits my style. I like to feel the road, I like the road noise, I need 4 doors for family time, I can take it to a track here and there and have some fun, I love that it's a Mitsubishi (just a regular car company, not like AUDI BMW MERCEDES that when you mention them you basically mention money [even though evo is in price range of some of their stuf, lol]) I'm a easy-going chilled guy. I hate making myself seem larger than life but, I LOVE performance cars. Gotta admit though, I like that the X grew up a little over the 9. It still got the raw touch with a tad of comfort and styling.

bimmerbong330ci

I'm in a similar boat as the OP with choosing between a BMW (E90 M3 DCT) and an EVO X MR. I too was a bike guy who loved to rail Palomar's south face and do a bunch of track days but a bike is no longer in the cards for me so I got into cars.

To the OP - my vote goes to the M5 since you already have your bike and a Subie that you can track with very little mods (brakes). Why not diversify your automobile portfolio? The M5 would add a dimension of sophistication (interpret that word how you will) that the EVO never could and to get your track jollies, you have your Subie (though nothing beats the feel of a bike). How hard and how often are you going to push it on the street anyway? Esp. since you have a son on the way…

I've been lucky enough to drive the EVO X GSR through some back roads and it's a phenomenal automobile. It was supremely confidence inspiring. Made a crappy driver like me feel like I could do no wrong and still go fast.

Last night I test drove the new E90 M3 in the rain it was also a wondrous experience. I ended up ordering one on the spot.

I have a “ricer” car already - 1993 MR2 Turbo with a hardtop (1 of around only 20 in the US) and I plan on keeping it. Like the OP, it's only a set of rims and tires away from being a trackable car. But it's very loud and the ride is harsh and it has a bit of the "ricer" image. So all things considered, I decided that I'll keep the MR2 as my fun "toy" and ordered a more "mature" ride in the M3 sedan. This way, I can have my cake and eat it too.

Now if I could only get back on a bike...

c_reber

iTrader: (13)

Could you explain what you mean by a real performance line car? I always thought that the "M" was BMW's performance line car? When I think of "luxury with bit power" definetly the AMG cars come to mind.

93HardTopTurbo

iTrader: (1)

My guess is that he'll pick up a dedicated sports car like the GTR or Exige S or 911. The M cars are basically re-engineered passenger cars that perform surprisingly well but in the end, aren't "true" sports cars in the traditional sense of the term.

I'm all about compromise until the time when I can afford to have dedicated, single purpose vehicles. That's why I think the EVOs are so damn awesome!

gt3nut

Interesting thread. In my case, I've got a E60 M5 and just recently - a Evo X. Formerly, I had a 997 Gt3 and a Evo VIII. The Evo VIII was fast but not great as a daily driver so decided to ditch the Gt3 for the M5 and sold the VIII for the X. Now the X and the M5 are almost similar cars in a certain way so I'm thinking of ditching the M5 for a 'sports car' like a 996 GT2 or perhaps a 360 Modena. In the end, there's nothing like a light, powerful two door-two seater coupe.

Mmelmann

iTrader: (1)

Could you explain how the E60 M5 and Evo X are similar? That's suprising to hear.

Mmelmann

iTrader: (1)

I was just reading a Bimmer magazine and noted how expensive a E39 M5 engine is... a whopping $21,000 per engine. It has a nice E39 buyers guide within. It kind of sways my decision to stick with an Evo. Owning and maintaining a M5 is "really expensive".

With regards to the Subie... I could either trick out the car with pricey Brembos, adjustable suspension, shifter bushings, a VF-34 turbo, STi intercooler, injectors, new tuning, etc... or just sell it for a car that has the power, technology, and refinement already. We'll see how things go.

Thanks for the input everybody. This is a good thread.

DER MotorSports

We have a lot of customers over there civilian contractors and military. Be careful, be wise, be discerning and most importantly be honourable. When you get back, stay in touch.

Dan Law
DER MotorSports

Paulnsx

iTrader: (7)

my buddy has an E39 M5 and its sick. 03' black with orange leather interior. if my options were Evo X or E39 I'd go with the M easy.

chrisevo8

iTrader: (1)

why not 335i?

kRT

That's fine, though you might get a kick out of test-driving one anyway. The G8 is actually a Holden, designed and built in Australia. Pontiac didn't have any say in the platform development or the interior quality, so it looks to be a significant step beyond anything the brand has had in the past. The various reviews have pegged it as a modern incarnation of the E39 M5, if not up to the standard set by the E60 M5.

As to the Evo, it's really a question of which you value more: the engine or the handling. The M5 and the G8 are feelsome and chuckable, but to nowhere near the extent of the Evo. Because they're both around 4000 lbs, there's a heft that dulls the responses a bit by comparison. And when you push them to the limit, they'll plow or slide, sometimes entertainingly. The Evo's electronics tuned all that out, which is either brilliant or boring depending on the extent to which your bloodline traces back to an Andretti. Personally, I think the AWD system is the most compelling feature of the car, but I wonder if it would get any sort of workout on public roads.

Nothing approaches the M5 engine for sound and tractability. Both that mill and the Corvette engine in the G8 have huge swells of torque in the low range that the Evo doesn't, and they have a sound that'll make you want to wind them up. The Evo sounds more like a vacuum-cleaner, and it's comparatively torque-deficient below 2500 RPM. Powerful to be sure, but less involving.

Anyway, if you can afford the M5's maintenance, that's the one that never ceases to turn my head. It's unlikely you'd have to replace the engine, but the suspension pieces will definitely give out at some point. A small price to pay for one of the best autobahn cruisers ever built, one would think.

gt3nut

In simple terms, both are super saloons. One (Evo X) are for those with a budget and the other (E60 M5) are for those with a bigger budget. Both offer near like sports car performance with the practicality of a four door sedan. In my case, I have a four car garage. Two for my wife/kids and the other two for me. My ideal set up is a sports saloon and a sports car. I just sold my M5 for a 996 GT2 to add to my Evo X. So indeed I get the best of both unadulterated worlds. Before, I didn't really like to use my Evo VIII sometimes as a daily driver. It was fast but had a tin can feel to it. This is completely gone with the X. Now I don't mind using the X for daily drives. Of course, it falls below the build quality standard set by the Germans. But I believe the Japs have narrowed the gap in this years model. Best band for the buck.

Mmelmann

iTrader: (1)

I drove a 335i sedan a couple of weeks ago and while it did impress me with minimal turbo lag, it just didn't have enough of a character for me. Engine wise, I could definately feel the "flat as a washboard" torque curve. The engine does have it's potential. Vishnu has done some awesome work. Shiv Pathek has personally custom tuned my Subaru and Evo, so I'm very confident in his work. He's seeing 400 whp with the Procede V2 package.

That said, my wife liked the car.... so it kind of suits my wife much more that it does for me. I'm not saying that it's a chick car though. The coupe definately looks better and a sport package would be nice, but then we're getting into a higher price range than I want to spend right now. The 335i is a nice car though, it's not off of the radar scope.... if only it came standard with a limited slip rear diff. Too bad BMW reserves such items for M cars only... too bad they don't make a M "Turbo". That would be cool. (Actually I think they are going to add a turbo M car to the lineup soon.

(Hello Evom readers from Kyrgzstan. This place definately has a very "cold war" feel to it. I'm hitting you guys up from all over the world. Next stop: Kandahar, Afgahnistan. Talk to you guys later)