Am I crazy?

[jbawden]

Pfff...here comes the 4BW Nimble Army. @668LT4 nailed it...everyone has a dream car that makes them smile, why do some of you feel compelled to stand on the street corner trying sell your personal decision to others? I can't fathom why @5VBW Nick put his BDT Carbon AF BW on a truck to me, but we're both stoked at the result. The BW mojo is strong, but its not for everyone and that is totally cool. #lifeisshortdontsip

 

[Throat Yogurt]

This is one of the few things that doesn't make me feel like a horrible person for having the A10 right now (.... although I fully expect @Throat Yogurt to make me feel horrible again)

Well I'll be damned, I think you have just made the first convincing argument for the A10 that I have ever heard!

 

[fordperfaddict]

I have had a few cocktails so I’ll toss a molotov into this thread for good fun.

I saw the earlier post about Camissa. The part left out is that curmudgeon (and smoking tire) indicate the 4BW is the better car. They indicate that because it is.

I drove both. I “can afford” the 5. I bought the 4 because I think it is leagues better than the 5 as a driving machine. Anyone can mash throttle on a straight, in any gear, and go fast in a 5. The 4 requires some degree of work to extract power and has a FAR superior chassis.

did the precision pack bring "fix" this chassis issue? the Caddy engineers mentioned on how the PP makes the 5 more like the 4 BW.

 

[hawk02]

Everyone has different tastes. I found my 2022 M4 Competition xDrive to be exactly what the OP is describing - too perfect. And too perfect translates to boring to drive, at least that was how I felt about that particular BMW.

I preferred the exterior of that car (I like my Blackwing, but the M4 nose and hood are awesome to me, even if deplorable to most), I definitely preferred the interior of that car. Fit, finish, paint - all superior on the BMW, no questions asked. Performance? That car in auto and AWD will scorch my manual Blackwing on regular streets.

But I never smiled driving that car (or any other car) like I do my Blackwing. Every single time I drive my Caddy, it makes me happy. And yet the car is less than perfect in every area except one - driving enjoyment. Here, it is perfect... for my tastes.

I hope every person hones in on what is that car for them. It is a very satisfying feeling.

You describe my exact feelings every time I drive my 5BW. I’ve never had a car put a bigger smile on my face. Yes, it’s a big car. Yes, the gearing is tall, so you don’t shift as often — but man, is it a blast to drive. Maybe I can’t use the full power on the street without legal implications, but when I do need to use it (like when passing a car on a two-lane highway), it makes me giggle like a little kid.

My previous ’17 ZL1 was a distant second when it came to a fun driving experience. The BW, however, outshines it by a wide, wide margin.

 

[Finally-a-V]

I really liked my 4. It was very good in the canyons, but to me, it felt a little under powered...for 472 hp, and not much exhaust noise.

I LOVE my 5. Yes, illegal speeds in fractions of a second, BUT, the exhaust, the power! Much better cruiser on the highway and in the canyons, it kicks ass. I'd almost say, better than the 4. At least on the roads I've been on, especially in CA. I also think the car shrinks around you and you don't feel the size or weight.

 

[BW56M]

One instructor hot lap at SM should convince anyone that the big girl has THE moves.

This!

 

[1Evil55]

Feel free to consider this another asshole post of mine but some people still question why I have both..

 

[stephen k]

I think it really all comes where you are with your car journey and how much space + time you have.

On a direct comparison I do not think the current gen CTR or a e36 euro m3 will be as fun. They are slower and still carry weight and you will be in a similar space of where you are at now.

A dramatic difference like a Z06, 720s, GT4 or RS would be a more exciting change versus going back into another 4 door.

 

[Melon]

Yes and no.

Driving dynamics? Yes, I get it, the E36 is a great car to thrash on.
Reliability? No, Lol, it's nice to have a car with working A/C.

I agree with others, a two-car solution seems to be in your favor.
It's what I did.

My old E36. (Sold it for the 1LE that got wrecked)

My current CT4 V garage mate, and for the driving dynamics:

 

[dribs15]

Feel free to consider this another asshole post of mine but some people still question why I have both..

... pure jealousy

 

[The Hoon]

I was thinking about getting a Honda manual as a daily too. Right now I have a GTI that needed to be automatic at the time because my wife needed to drive it. I'm kind of considering selling both my GTI and BW and getting an E36 M3 for the weekends and maybe a Civic Si as a daily.

Try test driving an Si and a CTR/ITS if you can. The Si has rev hang that I found really annoying that wasn't present on the ITS. I really enjoyed the ITS but ended up going with a 4V BW instead. Worse practicality and price but felt the driving dynamics were worth it.

 

[stephen k]

Try test driving an Si and a CTR/ITS if you can. The Si has rev hang that I found really annoying that wasn't present on the ITS. I really enjoyed the ITS but ended up going with a 4V BW instead. Worse practicality and price but felt the driving dynamics were worth it.

Yes and the CTR seats do not have heated cooled and massage chairs. It does have a trunk that is 2x larger though.

 

[KatyTxCT5V]

Feel free to consider this another asshole post of mine but some people still question why I have both..

And don’t forget, you also have the fastest color on both of them!

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Pfff...here comes the 4BW Nimble Army. @668LT4 nailed it...everyone has a dream car that makes them smile, why do some of you feel compelled to stand on the street corner trying sell your personal decision to others? I can't fathom why @5VBW Nick put his BDT Carbon AF BW on a truck to me, but we're both stoked at the result. The BW mojo is strong, but its not for everyone and that is totally cool. #lifeisshortdontsip

As much as I love my 4BW, the only car I would ever replace it with would be a 5BW. I suspect most 4BW owners would have gotten the 5 if they could afford it, I know I would have. Justifying one over the other is silly, they both have their (slightly different) advantages and disadvantages.

There is nothing on the market that can do what the Blackwing does. There are other cars that can do different things, but as they said in Car and Driver, a Blackwing can lap a track in the morning and take 4 people to the opera that night. Nothing else can do that better. I would bet that everyone who is selling their BW because they think the grass is greener is going to really, really regret it in a few years.

If your Blackwing isn't satisfying all your automotive desires, the two-car solution is the way to go. I really like driving a convertible in the summer, so...

 

[jbawden]

I don't have any other "fun" cars, just fun-ish versions of regular cars (like my retired FBI Crown Victoria, lol). I'm certain there are 1-2 others cars that I would love as much as the 5, like a GT3, but to me there isn't a more special front engine/rear drive car on the planet than the 5. We're all lucky the BW exists and in whatever flavor floats your wings.

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

did the precision pack bring "fix" this chassis issue? the Caddy engineers mentioned on how the PP makes the 5 more like the 4 BW.

I'm with @jbawden in that I don't see the point in fighting each other over what's best, 4BW or 5BW. Very different philosophies, so everyone can be happy with their choice.

However I'm compelled to point out there is no 'Chassis Issue' with the 5BW even without the PP. The 4BW and 5BW do not handle the same, but as my prior post was trying to articulate, the 5 can hustle just fine on a twisty backroad. I would go so far to say that the chassis is pretty darn incredible. It's just lazy to assume that because it's a bigger V8 that it's a boat.

 

[white98ls]

Yesterday I took a day off and went for a drive through the twisties, first in the 5BW and then in my Lotus Elise.

I cannot recommend the combo highly enough. Both are extremely fun in completely different ways. Blackwing in gobs of instant supercharged V8 power, angry noise, tail-out antics, while also being a cosseting luxury car. Elise in moving like a tiny insect, delivering unbelievable feedback through the manual steering, revving the hell out of it to 8.5k rpm, and having just enough power (10lbs/hp) to not feel irritatingly slow after the Blackwing and to make use of its outrageous grip (1.06g on 2004 tire technology when C&D tested it way back when).

To add, Elises hold value, are pretty reliable, and cheap to maintain.

 

[DAC17]

You could also consider a BRZ/GR86. I have a 2025 BRZ and, for most of my driving, it's a lot of fun.