[U235]

I'm sure a lot of this can be searched individually, but I have so many questions, and I also felt the context might yield a worthy conversation.

I've had a long list of sports cars, and I have an absolute itch to get a 2+2 sports car. We also recently bought a brand new 23 BMW X7 M60i, so we've got the large family and Costco hauler in the bag. I've had numerous BMW M cars, mostly M3s, Z4MC. I've also had numerous Audi S/RS, Cadillac ATS-V and earlier in my life 300ZXTT, 350Z, etc. These were mostly entirely manual transmission cars. When my ATS-V lease was up and the residual was too high to justify buying out, I bought a 2018 Tesla Model 3 Performance (one of the first ones). It was cool at first, but every other car on the road was a Model 3 and the interior quality was rubbish. I then was able to score a 2022.5 Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered Extended Range, the first one into the country, a car we love as it has PHEV and great usability. I could sell it for more than I paid, especially since I got it with $10k in Fed/State rebates.

However, my friend has lent me his 2023 Corvette Stingray Z51 for the last week, and it is just absolutely insane. The sounds, the speed, the handling, the uniqueness. I'm smiling ear to ear like I haven't before. It's extremely civil and dailyable except there's no backseat and trunk space is limited. I have an 8 year old son and a wife that I need to accommodate. We do have the X7, but we would need the flexibility to use both cars for all three of us.

My ultimate dream is for a 992 911 GTS in manual transmission, but the prices are at supernova level right now. I just can't justify their prices. I'd order a new one but there's no allocation. Even 911T and S models are just priced ridiculously. I've routinely borrowed a 2018 911 GTS with PDK and it is fabulous and the backseat is totally fine for us, but lack of a trunk is one issue.

Hence we come to the M8 Coupe. I know the Gran Coupe makes sense, but I just really want a 2dr... I'm also seeing reasonably well kept and loaded 2020 models with 10-20k miles still under warranty trading at half their original MSRP. Maybe it's too good to be true, but there are few cars in this class that have depreciated like this. Granted, I know there were heavy discounts on these and issues moving them originally, but still...

So questions are:

1. Are there any major differences between the model years? I know in the X7 world there was Covid related equipment deletion that occurred, so 21 and 22 models got short-changed. I believe the M8 even skipped a model year, but it seems there's no major changes between the model year and a 2020 could make sense given the prices.

2. Any real world reports from parents with kids in the back? I'm 6'0" tall, my wife is 5'4". We're both very lean, and our son is 50" now. He fits in a 991.2 911 in the backseat on a small booster (no back). Any pictures with kids?

3. What would the ballpark Platinum warranty and maintenance package look like on these cars? I'm looking at one in particular, a 2020 with an in-service date of January 2nd, 2020, meaning warranty and maintenance is good for another 4-5 months, but I would not own this without those packages. We would drive maybe 4000-5000 miles a year.

4. I've struggled with non manual sports cars in the past. Slow shifting, wrong gear, etc. However, the dual-clutches in the Stingray and 991.2 PDK GTS have really been mind-blowing. The DSG on my 2013 Audi S6 was not that impressive except for at the limit driving. I can't say our X7's transmission can hold a candle to either of those. It does shift crisp, but there's just something that's in a different league with the Vette and 911 dual-clutches. Wondering how the M8 fairs, a test drive would probably be needed for that, but anecdotally, if anyone has any comparisons, I'm all ears.

Here's an example of one nearby: https://www.audinorthaustin.com/used...d57d6ced5a.htm

I'd prefer <10k miles, but the way this one is config'd is nice:
https://www.mdecoder.com/decode/wbsae0c09lcd38206

My wife wants to hold out for a 911 as she knows my heart has been there, but this is half the price even with adding the extended warranty and maintenance.

Finally, I do not track cars, I like to have a little fun, but I don't drive at the limit or anywhere near it. I'm best suited with something that has all the modern tech, comfortable/luxurious cabin, reasonable service intervals and maintenance requirements are requirements.

Thanks for the conversation.

[Tenac]

Not sure if the M8 fits your wants honestly... Sounds like you enjoy actual sports cars, nimble light etc.... While I cannot say anything about how it does with kids, it is a true GT car (Grand Tourer). Wonderfully comfortable and powerfully fast, but heavy and disconnected from the driver. It truly is a car for someone who has never had say the Cayman or 911 and lacks the skill of driving those. It does it all for you. Don't get me wrong I love my M8 and its a long term car for me but when I hit track or canyons the Porsche comes out unless its a subdued chill cruise.... Might not be the most like thoughts here but its truth if you know you know.....

[U235]

Originally Posted by Tenac

Not sure if the M8 fits your wants honestly... Sounds like you enjoy actual sports cars, nimble light etc.... While I cannot say anything about how it does with kids, it is a true GT car (Grand Tourer). Wonderfully comfortable and powerfully fast, but heavy and disconnected from the driver. It truly is a car for someone who has never had say the Cayman or 911 and lacks the skill of driving those. It does it all for you. Don't get me wrong I love my M8 and its a long term car for me but when I hit track or canyons the Porsche comes out unless its a subdued chill cruise.... Might not be the most like thoughts here but its truth if you know you know.....

It is a concern, but I drove with my wife today in the C8 and she was complaining about noise and size, so I have to sort of thread a needle between sports car and luxury. I think she sees the Corvette as an obnoxious toy. I think she's more palatable on the 911, but the extra size/comfort/quietness of a proper GT car would be good for her. So the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde type of car has it's promises. As I don't track, I'm on the fence if the M8 is unique enough, has enough athleticism and soundtrack to put smiles on my face when driving alone yet shoot the gap and pacify the better half.

[mjr24]

The backseat is pretty much non-existent in the coupes.....

[downeykp]

Back seat is a joke. Wife would have to have her seat really far forward for anyone to be in the back. There just is not enough room for anyones legs in the back. It is a great 2 person car.

Warranty, BMW Buy More Warranty. Buy as much as you can afford.
This is a car I would not be willing to own if I have to pay for stuff after warranty is over.

The coupe or the gc are wicked fast. All wheel drive is your friend in an M8.

[Carlito_UK]

I think it's best to check the back seat for yourself. If your kid is on a booster seat it might be doable if your wife's seat is forward. We all have opinions but I suggest test drive the M8 and decide from there. I absolutely love my M8 coupe, its the oddball in the mix and despite all the noises around where it fits in the world of cars I tend to see it as a unique offering. Cruise when I want and misbehave when the opportunity presents itself on the roads. There are very few cars out there in that price range with the power and luxury that the M8 offers.

[balefire]

Picked the M8 convertible specifically because it fit my whole family.
Me, 5'8". Wife 5'4". Teenage kids 5'10" and 5'4".
I test fit with my whole family many cars.
The only other convertible that fit my teenagers was a BMW M4 and a Maserati Granturismo.
It's much easier to get in the rear seats of a convertible than a coupe.

I bet yours would fit fine but you should certainly test fit your family.

[plutnicki]

I test drove an M8 comp coupe yesterday. My wife currently is at 5'2" and her head touches in the back seat. I'm 5'7" and with the drivers seat in my position (never mind someone 6'), her legs were basically pinned.

I can't imagine who/what they expect to sit in the back of this car. A small dog?

[bloozemanAZ]

Drove the wife's friend to the airport in my M850i coupe a few years back. I'm 6'6" so my seat is all the way back and hits the back seat. My wife is about 5'5" so her friend 5' sat behind her with the wife's seat forward. Wife still had plenty of legroom and her friend fit for the 20 minute drive to the airport. Not sure the wife's friend would have been comfortable for a 4 hour road trip though.

Sounds like your son would fit for now and a year or so more behind your wife. As others suggested just do a seating test to ensure. This is easily achievable as there should be at least a M850i coupe on the ground at a dealer somewhere near you. The model year won't matter as nothing has changed seating wise whatsoever and the 2023 LCI aka facelift was nearly zero interior wise (just enlarged the iD7 screen a bit) and minor exterior changes.

The M8 did skip a model year in the US 2021 to be exact as the flood of 2020s and high MSRP kept many on the ground. There were bits of stuff missing in the 2022s depending on when built due to COVID supply chain issues but everything was available for the 2020s and back since 2023 (as far as I know).

Platinum warranty wise I'm guessing the price may change based on a vehicles MSRP vs just the model but not sure on that as have only bought one to date. Picked up a 84 month/75K Platinum warranty for my 2020 M850i back in June for $5400. The same months and 100K miles wasn't much more but I'm at 12K so the car will never even see 75K in 84 months of in-service.

There was supposed to be a cost increase in July for the warranties (maintenance care plus packages increased in January) so along with the potential MSRP difference (mine was $127K) YMMV on the warranty cost. Good luck in your search. 👍

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by plutnicki

I can't imagine who/what they expect to sit in the back of this car. A small dog?

Works perfectly for my intended purpose, i.e., a box of Kleenex, my sun visor and an Adams Double Soft to dust the iD7 screen as needed. That said I hear you loud and clear as they are a joke unless small kids in the back and the drivers/passenger seats pulled forward.

I wanted the coupe as we're empty nesters and frankly I'm solo in the car 90%+ with the other wife with me in the passenger seat. We have an X5 for people hauling, Home Depot runs, etc. The story posted of driving my wife's friend to the airport was only because she wanted a ride in the car. Otherwise the sensible X5 would had made the trip.