East Tennessee Region SCCA

lcoleman wrote: ↑Tue May 22, 2018 7:36 pm The s65 rod bearings should be done every 80k unless you REALLY like pain. Otherwise, the cars are pretty solid and a lot of fun. I'd probably steer you towards an LCI e90 335. The n55 seems a lot more solid than the n54, but there are still the typical "German" issues to consider. You really can't go wrong either way if you know it's not going to be maintenance-free going in.

The newest Mustangs are pretty nice (especially the GT350R! ), but I wouldn't want to haul a kid in one.

Lucas, is the N20 as big a turd as I have read?

It's even worse. Run away.

Fwiw, my pick would be a 6spd e90 328i, but I don't mind having <300hp.

DCT seems reliable if you keep up with fluid changes, every 50k I think. I still prefer 6spds, though. SMG is terrible....drives like your girlfriend who lied and said she knew how to drive stick.

lcoleman wrote: ↑Wed May 23, 2018 2:02 pm It's even worse. Run away.

Fwiw, my pick would be a 6spd e90 328i, but I don't mind having <300hp.

DCT seems reliable if you keep up with fluid changes, every 50k I think. I still prefer 6spds, though. SMG is terrible....drives like your girlfriend who lied and said she knew how to drive stick.

10-4 on the N20.

My mother used to have an 03 M3 with the SMG. In S6 it was fine if you just beat the hell out of it and never lifted when it shifted. Otherwise, yeah, it was pretty rough in the lower settings.

That car spent almost 2 months at the stealer trying to diagnose some computer gremlin (and was almost bought back by BMW) that was keeping it from starting that ultimately ended up being an SMG fault. Then it started blowing SMG pumps about once a year after the warranty lapsed. She went running for a Cadillac and never looked back.

and I have customers mad cause the windshield sprays non-uniform patterns across the glass...


and folks still buy those cars.. what price is prestige


btw.. I got a V-10 Audi in the shop currently. I bet that guy was sick after that purchase.. I was amazed at the lack of quality..and performance

John Brown wrote: ↑Wed May 23, 2018 2:19 pm and I have customers mad cause the windshield sprays non-uniform patterns across the glass...


and folks still buy those cars.. what price is prestige


btw.. I got a V-10 Audi in the shop currently. I bet that guy was sick after that purchase.. I was amazed at the lack of quality..and performance

In all fairness my Z4 has been bullet proof (knock on wood). I hate to have to get rid of it. But yeah, a 60K++ car shouldn't go through rod bearings in 80k miles under normal use...

Anything V10 and German - no thanks.

John Brown wrote: ↑Wed May 23, 2018 2:19 pm and I have customers mad cause the windshield sprays non-uniform patterns across the glass...


and folks still buy those cars.. what price is prestige


btw.. I got a V-10 Audi in the shop currently. I bet that guy was sick after that purchase.. I was amazed at the lack of quality..and performance

Now that you mention it the Charger's spray misses a couple of square inches in the middle of the window.

Ill go ahead and tell you the cure....


... SPEED UP!

Have you considered the Cadillac CTS with manual transmission.
A friend bought one several years ago to replace his corvette daily driver and loved it. I was a nice ride but gas millage was not great.

Phil Smith wrote: ↑Wed May 23, 2018 9:15 pm Have you considered the Cadillac CTS with manual transmission.
A friend bought one several years ago to replace his corvette daily driver and loved it. I was a nice ride but gas millage was not great.

They are on my radar screen but hard to find.

Edit: the V model anyway. My mother has a 14-15 cts base coupe i don't like it.

John Brown wrote: ↑Wed May 23, 2018 2:19 pm btw.. I got a V-10 Audi in the shop currently. I bet that guy was sick after that purchase.. I was amazed at the lack of quality..and performance

Welcome to VAG products, enjoy your stay.

Ryan, have you considered the new Q50/Q60 with the 3.0TT engine? Those things are sweeeeeet.

435i 6MT?

E9x M3s dont have to get the bearings. I'd do em, but only a small number of cars ever had issues. 2-5%

I really like the new Mustangs. I have spent time in a GT350R and it blew me away.

lcoleman wrote: ↑Thu May 24, 2018 5:34 pm

John Brown wrote: ↑Wed May 23, 2018 2:19 pm btw.. I got a V-10 Audi in the shop currently. I bet that guy was sick after that purchase.. I was amazed at the lack of quality..and performance

Welcome to VAG products, enjoy your stay.

Ryan, have you considered the new Q50/Q60 with the 3.0TT engine? Those things are sweeeeeet.

Yeah, they are on the list. I've never driven one so I'll have to remedy that at this point.

JOHN226 wrote: ↑Thu May 24, 2018 9:39 pm 435i 6MT?

E9x M3s dont have to get the bearings. I'd do em, but only a small number of cars ever had issues. 2-5%

I really like the new Mustangs. I have spent time in a GT350R and it blew me away.

Talk about a freaking unicorn (435i M6) unless I wanted to buy one brand new (which I don't). I'm searching for them though.

If I go the e9x M3 route I'll just do regular oil analysis on it and go from there. I already do that with the Camaro so no big deal. That is going to be a talking point with respect to price negotiations unless the seller has proof its been done. Local shop quoted me about 2K to do them.

Make sure your shop uses BE bearings if it comes to that. No point going back with stock if you're that far in.

lcoleman wrote: ↑Fri May 25, 2018 10:55 am Make sure your shop uses BE bearings if it comes to that. No point going back with stock if you're that far in.

Yeah, that price contemplated that.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I let the M3 go - too many issues. I settled on this secretary special out of Texas - should be here in a week or so. Its supposed to have hair dryers under the hood or something. At least its black.