(Long first post, apologies in advance)
Hi Guys. I've spent the past ten years in various Benz, fairly confident in their overall greatness. I haven't had any experience with BMW. Last month, on an impulse I decided to rent a convertible for a two week road trip we had planned. I didn't have a particular car in mind, basically just drove up to the airport to see what they were sitting on. There was a Mustang and a pair of 430 verts. The 430 was $600 more but I figured with the hard top it would be more livable on the interstate.
Driving it home, and having no clue what the BMW model nomenclature means, I assumed it was a 6 cylinder of some sort. It was very smooth, much smoother than our little 2016 C300. We (carefully) packed the car for the trip and while it was sitting in the driveway with the top down I was struck by how great it looked. I snapped a couple of pics...of a rental car. The following day we dropped the top and headed north out of Gainesville, Florida. The car started getting under my skin almost immediately. The ride quality, the steering, the engine note, and what felt like a surplus of power for daily driving. The audio (base system) blew the Burmester in the Benz away. (Not a huge feat. The system is a joke). Overall the car felt alive vs the C Class and much more fun to drive.
Once I had it on the interstate with the top up I realized just how smooth and balanced the car was, because I kept looking down at the speedo and seeing the needle holding north of 100 mph. There were no audible clues (no wind noise, no drive train noise, no suspension drama). I have a decibel meter app and at 80 the ambient noise held in the low 70's. (The C is a good 10db louder). I eventually set a speed alert at 90 and it went off a LOT. The trip itself was a blast, with the 430 providing plenty of entertainment between destinations. I knew I was in trouble when on the second day the valet brought the car around and I instantly cracked a smile.
Meanwhile I started a thread on my home forum at MBWorld detailing my daily impressions of the 430. I've been a member long enough that nobody took offense, but I pretty much trashed the C. I decided my next car would be a 4 series of some sort, but since the C had 18 months left on the lease, it was silly to start thinking a year and a half ahead.
Then, fate intervened. My son graduated college a few months ago and was hired by ESPN, which meant he was driving several hours a week back and forth to Orlando to fly out to meet the production trucks for games. (He's a technical director). He drives a little Scion FR-S with a 6 speed, and he wanted to trade it for something a little more comfortable. "Take the C!" I said, and threw the keys at him. He said he'd have it back in a couple of days. No...take the C. Like just keep it for the next 18 months and I'll trade the Scion on a used 4 series. He graciously accepted the use of my year old $60,000 Benz. I told him I'd get him something else when the lease ran out to cover the value of the Scion.
I started looking for a used 435 Vert. I figured if the 4 was that much fun the 6 had to be even more fun. I was driving the little Scion daily and I realized I really missed driving a manual. Since the vert can't be configured with a stick, that lead me to the coupe with a 6 speed. They're very hard to find. Like a half dozen in the country nationwide at any moment, and they sell fast. Plus a lot were built with no navi, and that little bitty screen is heart breaking.
Finally I surrendered and put together a deal on a 2018 4 series coupe build, with a manual. I intended to build a 440, but I took out a new 430 and 440 (automatics) for a test drive and I actually thought the 430 was more fun. The 440's engine seems like it's never working hard at all. There was plenty of acceleration and torque, but honestly it reminded me of a Tesla in how little mechanical fury was involved to get the speed. The 430 on the other hand was making all kinds of nice noises, and I could feel it working, in a good way. Maybe getting accustomed to the angry little boxer engine in the Scion had colored my thinking.
The difference in base MSRP would give me an extra 5k or so to play with on a 430 build. Monday I'm locking the order. Here are my candidates:
430 Coupe, 6 Speed,Black /Black Sensa/ Dark Carbon trim, M Sport, Essential/Premium, Harman Kardon/CarPlay, Black kidney grilles, 19's.
440 Coupe, same build (no charge Harman Kardon).
Money isn't a huge factor in the decision but if I can get away with the 430 that would be nice. I'm hung up on the 4 or the 6, on 18" vs 19", and whether the stand alone adaptive suspension is a smart add. (I drove a 430 and a 440 on both 18 and 19 and the 19 was mildly stiffer. Both felt very cushy to me. On the 430 I could add the track pack, but the adaptive steering gets mixed reviews, and I'm never going to track the car. The 440 is expensive enough without it.
I'd love to hear your thoughts before I stroke the deposit check. Thanks!
I'd look at all the safety stuff. Like the side-warning, and emergency braking stuff. If you're really into black, there are a couple of black trim options you might consider (grill particularly.) Make sure it comes with at least Xenon lights; maybe LED also (I'm not sure on all the newer options.) I think some people are going to say: "buy the adaptive suspension", but it's one of those "meh" features to me.
F30post is a much more active f30 forum FYI
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