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      05-19-2020, 03:41 PM   #1
MauiSteve
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Question Anyone in an 8 GC transition to it from a G30?

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Im interested in hearing from GC owners about their opinion of the 8 GC vs the 5 series on aspects such as driving performance characteristics, interior space, ingress/egress, seat comfort vs the 5 multi-contour, luxury, value, etc...

Really interested in your motivations for choosing an 8 GC over a G30. And please make mention if you bought the rear wheel steer option.

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      05-19-2020, 04:23 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MauiSteve View Post
Im interested in hearing from GC owners about their opinion of the 8 GC vs the 5 series on aspects such as driving performance characteristics, interior space, ingress/egress, seat comfort vs the 5 multi-contour, luxury, value, etc...

Really interested in your motivations for choosing an 8 GC over a G30. And please make mention if you bought the rear wheel steer option.

Not quite to your question but close enough I suspect. I went from a fairly well loaded 2020 F90 M5 Competition to an M8 Comp Gran Coupe. The M8 has a stiffer chassis than my M5s and you can feel that in the twisties. Performance wise: there's almost nothing in it between the two I've had but they share an engine so that's expected.

The 5-series had better seats--massaging, too--my M8 cannot have those but I'm not sure if that's true of other 8-series models. The M8 seats are, however, more than comfortable and I'd miss nothing if I hadn't seen the 5-series seats first.

The 8 is a significant step up in interior design, materials and feels overall far more upscale than even an M5.

Interior cabins are very similar in size although my M8C GC comes with two Captain's chairs in the rear whereas the 5 had a bench seat better able to accommodate 3 people. You could do it in the M8 but an adult wouldn't want to for long.

The 5-series trunk is far more accessible--larger opening... far larger--than the M8.

The 8 will feel more special when you drive it.
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      05-19-2020, 07:09 PM   #3
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I came from a 2010 750 to a 840 gran coupe. I will say the ride is much stiffer. I definitely feel much more of the road and bumps. These seats are also less luxurious and plush. Those multi contour seats in the 7 were the most comfortable seats I ever had and I do miss them lol.
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      06-29-2020, 10:28 PM   #4
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I had a 2017 540I Msport with 19" and multi contour seats. I recently returned my lease and got a 2020 840 GC. The Merino leather seats are sportier and have less options in terms of adjustments compared to the 5 series Nappa leather multi contour seats, however they are still comfortable but not as much. The 20" wheels do give a stiffer ride, but the car handles better on cornering and feels more grounded and looks outstanding. I knew this going into this car, I get more head turns than I did in the 5 series, since its more exotic and sexier looking than the 5. Interior space in the back seat area seems larger in the 8GC and the car looks longer. I love it since I do not see it all over the roads where I am. I loved my 5 series but 8 GC was well worth some of the compromises from the 5 series at least for me.
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      06-30-2020, 08:29 AM   #5
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Upgraded from a 2011 535i to an 840I GC. Echo what others have said below, but the stiffness or less plush seats of the 8 are quickly forgotten by its overall beauty and feeling you get when driving it. The tech and finishes in the 8 is also top notch! I loved my 5series, but the 8 is a special car. Definitely a head turner. Here in Dallas have seen very few driving around, as compared to the 20+ 5ers I come across weekly.
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      06-30-2020, 03:56 PM   #6
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I went from a 2018 M550i to a 2020 M850i GC.

Engine: The M850i has the newer engine with more HP and its noticeable.

Exhaust: The M850i sounds better (from the outside) than the M550i which I though was too tame. Neither are loud.

Ingress/egress: No complaints on the M850i although the headroom getting into the rear is a little bit tighter on the M850i due to the lower roof line.

Interior space: The seats are more snug on the M850i. I'm reminded of the Sport seats on the E39 540i/6 that I had. The seats are comfortable and snug. I haven't done a long road trip yet but I don't see the seats being a problem at all.

The surprise to me was that the rear seats have more legroom in the M850i vs the M550i. That said, the M850i is really a four seater and I couldn't see myself asking anyone to sit in the middle - although technically possible.

Driving dynamics: The cars are very similar although the heft is felt in the M850i. I wish the tires where about 2-4 cm wider front and rear because of both power and weight of the car. The suspension feels different. It's tighter (roll) due to eARS but softer in some situations (pitch) which I also think is a result of eARS. I didn't have eARS on the 5 because I haven't liked BMW's ARS implementation on past 5-series where the springs where softer than the M-Sport springs.

I didn't have IAS on the M550i and it's a standard feature on the M850i. I'm not a fan of the IAS but it's also convenient for daily driving. I just have to keep second guessing what the rear wheels are doing when going through a spirited turn at certain speeds. It's not a deal breaker but if it was an individual option then I would not get it again. Our G05 X5 also has IAS and it feels better suited to a longer car like the LWB 7-series or X7.

Cost aside, the 8-series GC is a really good alternative to the 5-series.

Last edited by Pictor; 06-30-2020 at 04:02 PM.. Reason: added suspension (eARS) info
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      07-06-2020, 03:34 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pictor View Post
I didn't have IAS on the M550i and it's a standard feature on the M850i. I'm not a fan of the IAS but it's also convenient for daily driving. I just have to keep second guessing what the rear wheels are doing when going through a spirited turn at certain speeds. It's not a deal breaker but if it was an individual option then I would not get it again. Our G05 X5 also has IAS and it feels better suited to a longer car like the LWB 7-series or X7.

Cost aside, the 8-series GC is a really good alternative to the 5-series.
Thanks much for your comments and input. I don't see many BM's that post negatively on IAS. Generally it's neutral to positive sentiment. My SA talked me out of it when I ordered my 5 series, and I have never been able to take a test drive with an IAS equiped car. Interestingly on the 8 IAS is marketed as a performance option, but on the 5 a convenience option.

When you say the 8GC seats are more snug- do you mean less shoulder room or is it tighter bolstering? I have the seat pretty far back in my G30, and the B-pillar kinda limits shoulder room already.
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      07-08-2020, 04:05 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MauiSteve View Post
...Interestingly on the 8 IAS is marketed as a performance option, but on the 5 a convenience option.

When you say the 8GC seats are more snug- do you mean less shoulder room or is it tighter bolstering? I have the seat pretty far back in my G30, and the B-pillar kinda limits shoulder room already.
For IAS, look at what's offered on the M cars for the real story. I don't think it's available on the M5 or M8 but it is offered on the 740i(L) which I think says all that's needed to say on IAS.

As for the snug seats, It's mostly bolstering. I'm not a big person so I've never had problems on the 5's with shoulder room. The multi contour seats on BMW's are generally amazing but they lack some of the bolstering.
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      07-09-2020, 11:41 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pictor View Post
I didn't have IAS on the M550i and it's a standard feature on the M850i. I'm not a fan of the IAS but it's also convenient for daily driving. I just have to keep second guessing what the rear wheels are doing when going through a spirited turn at certain speeds. It's not a deal breaker but if it was an individual option then I would not get it again. Our G05 X5 also has IAS and it feels better suited to a longer car like the LWB 7-series or X7.
Given IAS is standard in my 2020 M850i coupe it just came along for the ride in the purchase. For daily driving it is a godsend to reduce the turning radius, e.g., U-turns, tight cornering in the Starbucks drive through, etc. Normally I drive in Sport Individual with the steering, transmission and engine set to Sport along with the chassis (aka suspension) set to Comfort) and have had zero issues with IAS from a predictably standpoint when corning at speeds up to 85 MPH.

That said when truly pushing it I'm in either Sport or Sport Plus and I've done 95 to 105 MPH on winding mountain roads with the curves flagged at 65 MPH with the M850i performing flawlessly. Obviously there is no way to compare what the driving experience in the M850i would be without IAS but at this point I'm 100% happy with it.
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      07-13-2020, 11:31 AM   #10
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So this past weekend I did a 6 hour drive (12 hour round trip). This was actually a longer drive than I ever did in my previous G30. Any concerns I had about comfort in a long road trip has been removed. I'm completely sold on the G16 and I feel it doesn't get the respect that it deserves. My only complaint is that passing cars is dangerously easy to the point that I need pay close attention to the speed because it's far too easy to gain 40+ mph in speed without any drama or effort. That was already a problem with the M550i but it seems 'worse' with the M850i. Seat comfort was also great.
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