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I have been reviewing these two new redesigns for 08 and its a tough choice. I like the looks of the Mercedes C63 but I like the handling of the BMW M3. I cant go wrong either way but trying to find a particular feature or reason to chose one over the other has been tough.
Any opinions out there about which one you like best and why?
Ive never driven either, but would always go with the M3, its just more pure. I cant really stand Benzes and their automatic trannies and electronic grannies. Ugh.
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C63 AMG; Much more low end grunt and acceleration. Much better handling than past models from what I've read. Abysmal gas mileage and a pretty rough ride compared to the M3 (what?) according to reviews.
E90/92 M3: More top end, more rev happy, better handling. Gas mileage is still not great, more refined than previous generations, rubbery transmission (per usual), brakes are said to fade under prolonged track use.
Most of the reviews I've read so far favors the M over the AMG. The last article I read pitted the M, the AMG and the new Lexus IS-F. M won all out as the best of the three.
AMG are hammers in a straight line... but the M's have always been the true GT. They do have a even more souped up AMG - the C63 Black Series... with even more horse power (500HP), stiffer suspension and other changes (i.e. no back seat). But its also very limited.
To me, the M has always had an edge over the other German tuners (AMG, R/RS, etc) in terms of providing raw performance. I gave up my E46 M in preparation for the E92..... my only problem is that the price for this new car is a bit steep (70K with the normal options) not to mention some of the packages leave you a bit underwhelmed as some performance enhancements come bundled with the comfort options (read: added weight). Talk about offsetting the CF roof right out of the gate.
Also - it seems that the competition has stiffened up a bit too..... for that price, you can get a used 996 TT ... which will put you in an entirely different class of performance. Not to mention the Z06 is just a tad higher... and like it or not, the Z06 is a supercar in a blue-collar price. And if you want utility - there's always the RS4. Of course.. coming in at the same price point is one of the hottest cars in years... the Nissan GT-R... which blows all of the above mentioned cars away... Although you'd be extremely lucky to get one for the MSRP this year (my experience was a 20K premium - too rich for my blood).
Back on topic... between those two - it'd be no question: M
Also, BMW's maintenance will save you some money during the first 4 years as just about everything is covered.
But the decision is a tough one... there are a LOT of options out there now...
AMG are hammers in a straight line... but the M's have always been the true GT. They do have a even more souped up AMG - the C63 Black Series... with even more horse power (500HP), stiffer suspension and other changes (i.e. no back seat). But its also very limited.
Im still leaning towards them M3 at this point. It just has a richness about it and is well tried in quality concerns. Actually in negotiating with the dealer they are discounting this car about $4500 off MSRP. I have never seen BMW do that before. Most M series are MSRP plus. Im looking at the sedan model instead of the coupe since it will also be a daily driver for me. My local dealer only got two C63's this year and they are both presold. Decent trade in value and the discount is making the M3 look sweeter by the minute to me.
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. My bad.
