1 Series M or 11 Mustang GT??

[adrean8j]

My ONLY rationale is because its a "M"....M suspension is what excites me the most...the Mustang will NOT have that.

[thebiglubinsky]

Mustang for the win. I'm sure the fuel pump, injectors, plugs and coils should last more than 3500 miles;-) M1's gonna be way overpriced. BMW's are just getting stupid expensive and I expect more reliability from a car in this price range. 13 flat in the quarter before playing under the hood for 20k less, it should be a no brainer for a true auto enthusiast. Not to mention supporting our country...

[JimmyT]

Originally Posted by MarcusDubya77

Which one and why? I ask because these are my two prime candidates when I PCS from Japan in Summer 2011.

Both cars will give you a great bang for the buck...with the edge going to the Mustang. Using the military sales program, I would go with the 1M...and if it dosn't impress you, sell it for sticker price on e bay and buy the mustang.

To the faithful... The OP has to basically order the car sight unseen to take advantage of a military sales program that gives great discounts for servicemen serving overseas. When I was deployed overseas and talking to Pentigon Sales from Iraq, the average discount on a new 135i was aroun 10% off of sticker price for delivery in the US. Not a bad bargain!

[MarcusDubya77]

Originally Posted by JimmyT

Both cars will give you a great bang for the buck...with the edge going to the Mustang. Using the military sales program, I would go with the 1M...and if it dosn't impress you, sell it for sticker price on e bay and buy the mustang.

To the faithful... The OP has to basically order the car sight unseen to take advantage of a military sales program that gives great discounts for servicemen serving overseas. When I was deployed overseas and talking to Pentigon Sales from Iraq, the average discount on a new 135i was aroun 10% off of sticker price for delivery in the US. Not a bad bargain!

Sir, Thank you for clarifying that to the members of the forums. It really is difficult in these circumstances to not have the two cars available here to test drive myself.

[RäDIOCLäSH]

What makes a BMW desirable when other cars are cheaper and have more horsepower?It is as intangible as why rain smells good or the first hint of autumn in the air.
An icon is more than just a symbol.There is a mystique evoked whenever I look at a blue and white emblem.Maybe it's the racing heritage,or the Euro roots,or possibly the amazing amount of pride in every car,but without even talking about drive or performance I get a sense of something complexly rewarding.
I think that the car you drive has the potential to say something about who you are.Unfortunately,for many BMW owners it just says,"I can afford this big car payment".What I'm talking about is something greater than a status symbol(which is a douche concept).Personally,I don't get that from looking at a running horse.

[White1]

Originally Posted by Spartikus

OP, you posted a poll asking which to buy on a BMW forum. You're not going to get a fair assessment. Its funny how people are forgetting one car costs $20,000 more than the other.

Exactly. $20,000 cheaper, more power, and improved dynamics= a pretty good value,no matter what side of the fanboy fence you're on.The 2011 GT cost the same as my 128i with premium pack. Oh and even the base GT interior has decent cloth seats, not vinyl...sorry "leatherette".
Im waiting to see what BMW does with the 1M, and the pricepoint, but as much as i love my 1er the Mustang GT is definitely on "My next car?" list.

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by White1

Exactly. $20,000 cheaper, more power, and improved dynamics= a pretty good value,no matter what side of the fanboy fence you're on.The 2011 GT cost the same as my 128i with premium pack. Oh and even the base GT interior has decent cloth seats, not vinyl...sorry "leatherette".
Im waiting to see what BMW does with the 1M, and the pricepoint, but as much as i love my 1er the Mustang GT is definitely on "My next car?" list.

Yeah I'd get a mustang GT anyday over a 128I. How much will they sell the 1M for 55-60K in canada....euhh I'll add 8-9 and get an E90 M3. Even getting a CPO M3 seems like a wiser choice. The S4 seems like a bargain at 53K ....I'd get a mustang with that 2K pack setting me back at below 40K throw some good incentives by Ford...... I'd get an E46 and a new stang for the price of the 1M. Hell you can almost get a CPO E90 3 series(Luxury DD) and buy a mustang for about the same as the M1 will go for...if I paid 48K plus taxes for a 1er with leatherette, Sunroof,M-Sport...This 1M will be selling for almost M3 money. We don't know the 1M price yet but I'm don't think that it will be cheap.

I just checked and with no nego you can buy a stang GT for 35K.I'm sold the 1er to buy an E90 M3 but thinking about it I can pick up a mustang for cheap and still have money to add an other car used that will not depreciate as an other toy...did I mention that a mustang has a very good resale value?

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by MarcusDubya77

Sir, Thank you for clarifying that to the members of the forums. It really is difficult in these circumstances to not have the two cars available here to test drive myself.

Tell us a little more about your tastes? I think an easy way to make this decision would be to objectify your preferences. I gush on about the things I like, but everyone is different. I can absolutely see why someone would want a Mustang.

How do you feel about retro styling?

How do you feel about reserved euro styling?

Do you perceive any added value associated with the BMW name plate; the Ford name plate?

Do you prefer aesthetics to performance, or vice versa?

Will you feel "upset" living with the fact that you paid more for a "slower" car?

Will you feel "upset" living with the fact that you bought a cheaper car when you could have gotten a deal on a "luxury" car?

[bradleyland]

Ford's website has some really detailed photos:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/mus...allery/photos/

IMO, they make the car look a little better than it does in person, but Ford really has stepped it up a bit. Some of the switches look like they're sourced from VW/Audi.

[LaCroix]

I tried to read all of the comments to make sure that none of this had been said before, but I couldn't get through it. It's been said before, but these threads are always terrible on a forum dedicated to one of the two. The only reason I feel the need to post is I drove the 2011 5.0 GT like 2 days ago, and wow!

Now, I should tell you that I learned to drive stick in a 2001 Mustang, and I've hated them ever since (I did like the car I learned in). I think they're very unattractive, overdone, and there seems to be an attitude of their owners I can't quite stand--ironic, right? Anyways, I read all of the first-drive's of the new 5.0 and I knew I had to drive one. I went to a local dealership and they had just gotten their first one in a 6AT; I took it out anyways. I hated it to it's frame. The transmission was worse than the one in my mother's '96 Cadillac Seville. Sure, the car was fast, but it felt like a boat. They told me they would call me as soon as they got a 6MT in. They didn't, but I checked back a few weeks later and sure enough, they had a few on the lot. I pulled the car out into the open to just get a look at the thing and hear the exhaust note. The whole thing really blew me away. I still thought the car to be quite ugly, but I was very impressed with the improvements over previous years. Just on exterior and interior appearance and quality alone, I'd say it's probably 3-5x better than the 2009. The seats are comfortable but don't grip me the way the seats in my Mazdaspeed3 do, which I didn't like. Of course there are still no rear seats to speak of. I still don't much care for the gauge-cluster and it's retro look. All in all the interior, although better, was somewhat lacking. The BMW will certainly win here. I digress. We took the car out on the road and it was impressive to say the least. The clutch was very light and simple, and while I generally prefer a stiffer more sensitive clutch, it was quite nice. The gear box was one of the two best I've ever encountered, the other competitor would be an '08 STi with STS. Going through the gears at high-throttle feels incredible, and after 5 minutes of driving it I couldn't seem to lose any time at all shifting, it was incredible.The 5 liter V8 is a monster, both in tone and feel. Although the Mustang feels quite large and heavy, that engine throws it forward hard. I'm generally not a fan of NA engines, they just don't seem to feel as quick, no matter how quick they actually are; however, the new GT is amazing. The pairing of the engine and transmission in this car really blew me away.

Now, the 1M is still a pipe dream as of now, so I can't offer a great comparison, but as others have stated, it's a good $20k more. I personally much prefer the feel of the turbo vs. the NA V8, and the refinement of the interior of the BMW is years ahead of the Ford. I personally feel that I'd get bored of the Mustang much sooner than the bimmer, and the performance will be comparable.

I'm sure my post is pretty disjointed, and I'm not sure what all I've said, but it's about the best I can offer you. The Mustang is infinitely better than Mustangs of the past, but it's still a Ford. The BMW will undoubtedly be nice, fast, and rare. Of course it's all personal preference, but I think if you're set financially, you will be alright either way. I'd go with the 1M, though

[Hans Delbruck]

The Mustang looks great on paper, but you'll notice a big difference if you drive a Mustang GT and 135i back to back. The 'stang feels big and bulky, you're sitting in a bathtub, the dash is huge; it's harder to see out of.

But you do get a V8

[Robert]

ED is awesome. I would visit Munich again. Terrific place with great food

[Hans Delbruck]

Originally Posted by Robert

ED is awesome. I would visit Munich again. Terrific place with great food

And bier!

You cannot do ED on a Mustang. Case closed!

[MarcusDubya77]

This is all great feedback, and I am still heavily set on a 1M (why else would I have already dumped 27K into a car I can't own yet), but I just was wondering if anyone in the states had seen and driven the new Mustang and their thoughts.

[BMW269]

M1 vs. Mustang GT is a US discussion, and not a EU discussion. That is why I cannot say anything clever. But now when I think over, this discussion is valid, as M sells more cars in US than in EU. Maybe now many will prefere Mustang GT over M1, but when the EU car brands will invade US with diesels and small hatches, the american muscle cars will not have many buyers, eventhough being cheaper. Cars are not only about performance, specially now with all speed limits and so, and that is the only thing american cars may have (Mustang, Viper, Camaro, Corvette). When it is about efficiency, comfort, security, looks?, and badge, EU cars win. Just look in what cars american stars/celebrities/famous people drive, mostly EU cars: Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Lmaborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Range Rover.Next to them is Cadillac and Corvette. Just like manual transmission and naturally aspirated engines will disapear, so will Mustang and Camaro disapear, if they do not build after EU standards.

[LaCroix]

Originally Posted by MarcusDubya77

This is all great feedback, and I am still heavily set on a 1M (why else would I have already dumped 27K into a car I can't own yet), but I just was wondering if anyone in the states had seen and driven the new Mustang and their thoughts.

Did you read my above post? I put some time into it, lol.

[MarcusDubya77]

Originally Posted by LaCroix

Did you read my above post? I put some time into it, lol.

Oh I know. it was extremely helpful. Last time I drove a car with a live axle was my old Sport Trac back 7 years ago. What a PITA.

[JasonCSU]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

Ford's website has some really detailed photos:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/mus...allery/photos/

IMO, they make the car look a little better than it does in person, but Ford really has stepped it up a bit. Some of the switches look like they're sourced from VW/Audi.

I just took a look at Ford's site for building a new Mustang, and I was surprised at how many random options and accessories there are. You can easily push a new GT over $40K if you wanted to.

If you really want to have fun with an online configurator, build a car on Porsche's site. The number of options and accessories they offer is astounding.

[BoostedTerp]

Originally Posted by Levi

M1 vs. Mustang GT is a US discussion, and not a EU discussion. That is why I cannot say anything clever. But now when I think over, this discussion is valid, as M sells more cars in US than in EU. Maybe now many will prefere Mustang GT over M1, but when the EU car brands will invade US with diesels and small hatches, the american muscle cars will not have many buyers, eventhough being cheaper. Cars are not only about performance, specially now with all speed limits and so, and that is the only thing american cars may have (Mustang, Viper, Camaro, Corvette). When it is about efficiency, comfort, security, looks?, and badge, EU cars win. Just look in what cars american stars/celebrities/famous people drive, mostly EU cars: Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Lmaborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Range Rover.Next to them is Cadillac and Corvette. Just like manual transmission and naturally aspirated engines will disapear, so will Mustang and Camaro disapear, if they do not build after EU standards.

There will always be a market for V8 muscle in this country. People buying those cars aren't interested in status, badge, anything else, but tire smoking RWD V8's at a bargain price. They certainly won't be phased out by diesels and small hatches. The newer muscle cars can even get respectable fuel economy on the highway, especially if you keep your foot out of them. I don't think Euros will ever understand our obsession with those cars, and that's ok.

[FJUNO78]

I would say Mustang 5.0. The M coupe will probably be a bit slower than a 135i running a tune. I'm guessing the ///M suspension will be fantastic, but for the driving I do, the premium would not be worth it to me.

I bet a GT500 and the 1M will be priced the same. And with that said, no question... GT500

[roundel]

1 Series M ? What's that ?

I want 400+ horsepower, gobs of low end torque, a great looking front-side view, dual exhaust that sounds good, LSD, a 6 speed manual quick-throw shifter, a quality car that won't die of an HPFP failure, a kick-ass 1000w audio system with superb voice control to navigate my 2000+ iPod songs, superior turn-by-turn navigation when needed, 19's, and a great value.

That car is:

[BoostedTerp]

Originally Posted by roundel

1 Series M ? What's that ?

I want 400+ horsepower, gobs of low end torque, a great looking front-side view, dual exhaust that sounds good, LSD, a 6 speed manual quick-throw shifter, a quality car that won't die of an HPFP failure, a kick-ass 1000w audio system with superb voice control to navigate my 2000+ iPod songs, superior turn-by-turn navigation when needed, 19's, and a great value.

That car is:

Awesome man, how do you like it? I miss my old one terribly, even as I love my 1er. It's just an itch that can't be scratched.