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      11-24-2016, 10:34 PM   #1
jonnyM6
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Stepping out of M6?

Guys, did a quick look and didn't see it, so sorry if a thread like this already thread exists.

I've been in an M6 2014 for the last three years and still love it.
I am friendly with the guys at my local dealership, and they let me test an i8
for a full week (I am on day 2.)

I'd be interested in hearing from other M drivers that now have an i8.
Happy? Any regrets? Would like to hear about the overall experience
M6 vs i8.

Impressed with the i8, but I am completely on the fence.
Thanks in advance for the feedback.
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      11-25-2016, 12:51 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnyM6 View Post
Guys, did a quick look and didn't see it, so sorry if a thread like this already thread exists.

I've been in an M6 2014 for the last three years and still love it.
I am friendly with the guys at my local dealership, and they let me test an i8
for a full week (I am on day 2.)

I'd be interested in hearing from other M drivers that now have an i8.
Happy? Any regrets? Would like to hear about the overall experience
M6 vs i8.

Impressed with the i8, but I am completely on the fence.
Thanks in advance for the feedback.
I love it, and do not regret it! Pros and cons here: I had a '14 M6 myself, just traded it for the '17 i8. First impressions is how light the i8 is vs the m6...i guarantee you will love that coming from the 4,400lb m6 to this super light paper cup on wheels called the i8 lol. It just feels so light and agile on the road and cornering. One thing i do miss about the M6 is the sound (Akrapovic exhaust) Also the interior options like 16 way adjusted seats/electronically adjusted steering wheel etc etc. The i8 interior is much more simple. But i do not miss taking 3 trips a week to the gas station, and dropping $60+ to fill it up ($100+ when i used racing fuel) I filled my i8 up the other day and spent $22 No regrets my boy, none at all.
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      11-25-2016, 05:35 AM   #3
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I traded in a 2013 M5. I8 is a better daily driver and doesn't try to kill me on a daily basis with our wet weather. I imagine in Florida you have some downpours as well.

You need a second car for hauling kids or luggage but you won't regret it in my view.

On a daily real world situation, the power is more accessible as an M5/6 needs to be driven hard. I always thought I had 200hp unutilised.

People miss the point of the i8 comparing it to NSX's and 911's in this regard it is about usuable power and torque. People compare with teslas and range. The i8 is about efficiency giving you enough e power for a commute but not hauling around unnecessary weight.

My daily one way commute is 25 miles and I am achieving 100-130 UK mpg. Not that I care about fuel cost with an expensive car but it's about the ethos, that you need to buy into.

I'm afraid if you can't buy into that, it's not the right car for you in my opinion. But if you can it surprises me how easy you adapt to the negatives.
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      11-25-2016, 09:36 AM   #4
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Thanks for the input. Just 2 days in and I can see where both of you are coming from.
No doubt the power is always there with the M6, relative to the way it tops out on the i8.

I love that paper cup comment. To me it feels like a puck on ice. It's glassy smoothness is almost freaky--in a good way. Actually, that's my overall experience so far--it's just freaky--nothing drives like this car. Whether I am ready for this or not it's the future here and now.

At $150K sticker fuel savings don't sway much in any direction. But I agree it's got to feel good to pass the gas station by vs filling up 1-3/week.

I also agree that the comparisons w the vehicles you mentioned really steer the conversation the wrong way. Of course I understand the comparisons. They just don't work.


I just haven't wrapped my arms around it yet. It's such a different driving experience. I'd love to hear from anyone else M6 drivers or otherwise. Thanks guys.
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      11-25-2016, 04:06 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnyM6 View Post
Thanks for the input. Just 2 days in and I can see where both of you are coming from.
No doubt the power is always there with the M6, relative to the way it tops out on the i8.

I love that paper cup comment. To me it feels like a puck on ice. It's glassy smoothness is almost freaky--in a good way. Actually, that's my overall experience so far--it's just freaky--nothing drives like this car. Whether I am ready for this or not it's the future here and now.

At $150K sticker fuel savings don't sway much in any direction. But I agree it's got to feel good to pass the gas station by vs filling up 1-3/week.

I also agree that the comparisons w the vehicles you mentioned really steer the conversation the wrong way. Of course I understand the comparisons. They just don't work.


I just haven't wrapped my arms around it yet. It's such a different driving experience. I'd love to hear from anyone else M6 drivers or otherwise. Thanks guys.
I've owned both modern versions of the M6, the E63 gen with the S85B50 V10 and the SMG III and the F13 with the S63TU and M-DCT which I traded for the i8. I love all 3 cars but I gotta say that out of the 3 the F13 M6 was by far the fastest but also my least favorite of the bunch. The i8 comes in a close second, would be the clear winner if it weren't for the transmission. Goes to show you that raw power and speed aren't the only things that make cars enjoyable.
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      11-25-2016, 04:10 PM   #6
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Massacre I hear you.
On the highway it felt great when I got on it, but it felt like it was missing a mode after "Sport." The lack of top end power is really felt.
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      11-25-2016, 05:13 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by jonnyM6 View Post
Massacre I hear you.
On the highway it felt great when I got on it, but it felt like it was missing a mode after "Sport." The lack of top end power is really felt.
While I agree that the top-end pull in the i8 is not as convincing as at lower speeds, I'm not quite sure what you're after. You're in the US, right? I lived there for six years. Got pulled over way too often - in an Audi TT, a Porsche Cayman S, heck, even in rental cars. Where do you test the top end of a car like the i8? And how would that not come up satisfactory?

I'm German, and although I live in Switzerland now, I have been taking out the i8 on the Autobahn whenever possible. I HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED. I'm not saying it's impossible, obviously. But the chance of encountering an equally nuts driver in a faster car on the same stretch of road at the same time, are astronomical.

The i8 is a properly fast car until it hits the limiter. But it does that in a package that is more futuristic than anything else you can buy today. And, unlike all the other fast cars out there, it lets you cruise in spaceship stealth mode (is there a Klingon word for that?) when you get to the city.

The i8 is awesome!!!
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      11-25-2016, 05:25 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnyM6 View Post
Thanks for the input. Just 2 days in and I can see where both of you are coming from.
No doubt the power is always there with the M6, relative to the way it tops out on the i8.

I love that paper cup comment. To me it feels like a puck on ice. It's glassy smoothness is almost freaky--in a good way. Actually, that's my overall experience so far--it's just freaky--nothing drives like this car. Whether I am ready for this or not it's the future here and now.

At $150K sticker fuel savings don't sway much in any direction. But I agree it's got to feel good to pass the gas station by vs filling up 1-3/week.

I also agree that the comparisons w the vehicles you mentioned really steer the conversation the wrong way. Of course I understand the comparisons. They just don't work.


I just haven't wrapped my arms around it yet. It's such a different driving experience. I'd love to hear from anyone else M6 drivers or otherwise. Thanks guys.
I think it's great that you're coming here to get input.

Nobody can tell you how you're going to feel about the switch. But personally, I LOVE the car. Yes, there are faster things out there for the same money. But that's not the point - and i8 owners understand that. It's the dual personalities of the car, the light it casts into the future of fast motoring, the noiseless cruise through town, ... It's without comparison at the moment.
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      11-25-2016, 05:33 PM   #9
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You'll love the i8. But it's very different from any of the M cars.

My M6 was the E64, so it had the V-10 engine and puny torque. My current M4 is a torquey and noisy M car. Very different from the i8, but I love them both. (I hated the M6.)
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      11-25-2016, 06:55 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aye-eight View Post
While I agree that the top-end pull in the i8 is not as convincing as at lower speeds, I'm not quite sure what you're after. You're in the US, right? I lived there for six years. Got pulled over way too often - in an Audi TT, a Porsche Cayman S, heck, even in rental cars. Where do you test the top end of a car like the i8? And how would that not come up satisfactory?

I'm German, and although I live in Switzerland now, I have been taking out the i8 on the Autobahn whenever possible. I HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED. I'm not saying it's impossible, obviously. But the chance of encountering an equally nuts driver in a faster car on the same stretch of road at the same time, are astronomical.

The i8 is a properly fast car until it hits the limiter. But it does that in a package that is more futuristic than anything else you can buy today. And, unlike all the other fast cars out there, it lets you cruise in spaceship stealth mode (is there a Klingon word for that?) when you get to the city.


The i8 is awesome!!!
Totally agree. Not to digress, but the other day, a speeding car came barreling down on my 6 in the fast lane. I proceeded to step on it while merging into the right lane to let it pass. Without easing off the throttle, I then briefly waited to see what kind of vehicle was trying to pass me. To my surprise, its headlights weren't drawing closer. After easing off the accelerator, Cayman GT4 driver finally pulled up alongside to give me the hand bowing and thumbs up gesture. He then proceeded to tell me that the i8 is damn fast.

For me, the i8 has proven to be more than properly fast, especially when it comes to its mid range acceleration. So Aye-Eight, I can totally recognize the fact that you have not been passed on the Autobahn thus far.
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      11-25-2016, 07:10 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aye-eight View Post
While I agree that the top-end pull in the i8 is not as convincing as at lower speeds, I'm not quite sure what you're after. You're in the US, right? I lived there for six years. Got pulled over way too often - in an Audi TT, a Porsche Cayman S, heck, even in rental cars. Where do you test the top end of a car like the i8? And how would that not come up satisfactory?

I'm German, and although I live in Switzerland now, I have been taking out the i8 on the Autobahn whenever possible. I HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED. I'm not saying it's impossible, obviously. But the chance of encountering an equally nuts driver in a faster car on the same stretch of road at the same time, are astronomical.

The i8 is a properly fast car until it hits the limiter. But it does that in a package that is more futuristic than anything else you can buy today. And, unlike all the other fast cars out there, it lets you cruise in spaceship stealth mode (is there a Klingon word for that?) when you get to the city.

The i8 is awesome!!!
Thanks for the input. Love all the posts. Aye it's not that I am looking for a fast car, you're right for far less money we could all get into the latest American muscle cars that stuffed w tons of HP. I am just relaying that it's such a different experience driving these two cars, one such difference being all the power I am accustomed to in the gorilla on steroids in a tuxedo, i.e. the tuned M6. I get on the car all the time. The i8 feels astonishingly light quick and fast, but not all that powerful. Does that make sense?

You're absolutely right about the futuristic aspect. And to that extent they got it dead on right! It's not alienating. It's inviting. The hi-tech in the driving experience is bad ass! I had to look away from my M6 in the garage as I headed into the house!

Jeez: I was just ripping my friend apart 5 months ago when he was talking about jumping out of his M5 and raving about the i8. I was closed minded about the entire notion. Now, it looks like I am getting hooked...
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      11-26-2016, 06:21 AM   #12
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While I liked the M5 I never fell in love with it, the i8 she's like my first girlfriend,
Hot, and willing to try anything!
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      11-26-2016, 01:35 PM   #13
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While I liked the M5 I never fell in love with it, the i8 she's like my first girlfriend,
Hot, and willing to try anything!
Yeah but she was ruined for anyone else after that.
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      11-26-2016, 01:45 PM   #14
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Day 3. I got to spend a lot of time in it yesterday. People love the vehicle. Lots of love from strangers and everyone I know basically gives credit to the M6 and then goes on the be pretty much in love with the i8. One friend called getting out of the i8 egregious and just didn't like it much.

I find day three going to the gym and running around, the novelty is wearing off. It's nicer ride just tooling around town. Very smooth and stealthy. But I miss the M6. Some angles the vehicle is a stunner. Some are a little weird. I am not a huge fan of the looks as you approach it from a distance head on. But any other angle and it's amazing.

I think the i8 is my next car. But I just may wait until my m6 lease is up.
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      11-26-2016, 03:23 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aye-eight View Post
While I agree that the top-end pull in the i8 is not as convincing as at lower speeds, I'm not quite sure what you're after. You're in the US, right? I lived there for six years. Got pulled over way too often - in an Audi TT, a Porsche Cayman S, heck, even in rental cars. Where do you test the top end of a car like the i8? And how would that not come up satisfactory?

I'm German, and although I live in Switzerland now, I have been taking out the i8 on the Autobahn whenever possible. I HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED. I'm not saying it's impossible, obviously. But the chance of encountering an equally nuts driver in a faster car on the same stretch of road at the same time, are astronomical.

The i8 is a properly fast car until it hits the limiter. But it does that in a package that is more futuristic than anything else you can buy today. And, unlike all the other fast cars out there, it lets you cruise in spaceship stealth mode (is there a Klingon word for that?) when you get to the city.

The i8 is awesome!!!
This.
First things first: The Klingon word for 'cloaking device' is 'So'wI'', literally 'something that cloaks'.

Now that the language business is done, this is exactly my experience. The only time performance has become an issue is when my crazy friends are around and I can still out-brake all of them!
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      11-26-2016, 03:26 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer View Post
You'll love the i8. But it's very different from any of the M cars.

My M6 was the E64, so it had the V-10 engine and puny torque. My current M4 is a torquey and noisy M car. Very different from the i8, but I love them both. (I hated the M6.)
Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I no longer know who you are.
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      11-26-2016, 05:45 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by MKSixer View Post
Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I no longer know who you are.
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      11-29-2016, 09:00 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightymousemighty View Post
I traded in a 2013 M5. I8 is a better daily driver and doesn't try to kill me on a daily basis with our wet weather. I imagine in Florida you have some downpours as well.

You need a second car for hauling kids or luggage but you won't regret it in my view.

On a daily real world situation, the power is more accessible as an M5/6 needs to be driven hard. I always thought I had 200hp unutilised.

People miss the point of the i8 comparing it to NSX's and 911's in this regard it is about usuable power and torque. People compare with teslas and range. The i8 is about efficiency giving you enough e power for a commute but not hauling around unnecessary weight.

My daily one way commute is 25 miles and I am achieving 100-130 UK mpg. Not that I care about fuel cost with an expensive car but it's about the ethos, that you need to buy into.

I'm afraid if you can't buy into that, it's not the right car for you in my opinion. But if you can it surprises me how easy you adapt to the negatives.

Totally agree. So much so. That I went from 2015 i8 to 2016 M6 (which im currently trying to get rid of). Then currently back to a new i8. If you are a tracker car enthusiast. The M is for you. i8 is actually far more enjoyable on daily basis. Just feels more moden in every sense.
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