Hello! Looking to hear from owners what you think of moving from a BMW 435i to a C63. I currently have a '14 435i, x drive, manual. I've only had it for 2 months and bought it pre-owned, so I'm not going to be taking too big of a hit on it. The car I am looking to trade it in for is a white '12 sedan with no performance pack (sadly). Has anybody made a similar switch?

I live in Toronto, so 4wd isn't really a necessity. I will miss the manual in the bmw though. The C63 is just a beast, I test drove it and fell in love.

I will have to pay an extra 3500 dollars for the switch, is it worth it? Warranty on the C63 goes until Jan 2019; my car's warranty is only good til Nov 2017.
How well do the C63's hold their value? Pros and cons please? Would you recommend going for the trade?

Thanks!

I haven't owned a 435i but If you are looking at a '12 than the head gasket problem won't be an issue, only affected 2011 and before.

Pros - You won't think of anything else once you have one.
Pros/Cons - Dear lord the mod bug...hard to stop once you get going!
Cons - Some say you will burn through tires (haven't experienced that yet), gas...but then again you should already know you aren't getting it for its mpg.

If you have any specific questions, I don't mind helping out

The price you paid for your 435xi, why didn't you go for a C63 instead? I sold my 335 a couple of months ago and I'm currently shopping for an M3 or C63. I think your 435i would depreciate more after a couple of years.

just listen to the M156...that's all you'll need to make your decision

No. Early '11 and before had the headbolt issue. Facelift cars (2012 MY+) are fine. I wouldn't worry too much about no Performance Pack (P31). It's cheaper to make your own with a tune and a diff. I'd say go for it. My buddy has a 135i (N54) and i much prefer the linear power delivery of the C63. And the sound! I would love to have a manual in the car, but once you get used to the gearbox, it will be 80% as much fun as a manual.

I had a 335i convertible, and the C63 outperforms it all day long. Honestly, a 435 x-drive would be nice for 4 months out of the year the C63 the other 8.

I came out of a GTI, and I wanted something with a manual and 4wd for a change. I regret it now for sure.
That's also a reason, if I buy the c63 now when time comes to sell it'll keep its value better.

I'm getting 18mpg right now, hopefully it won't be too much of a jump. Thanks! I'll let you know if I have any more questions.

The N55 in my car is slower than the N54 which sucks. How much does a diff go for usually including install?

I say YES !

Lol do you expect to get an unbiased opinion asking a question like that on a C63 Forum?

All jokes aside, the 435 is kind of sterile feeling in comparison to the C63.

C63 is just raw, 435 feels great with some decent torque out the box / with a tune. But it just feels very numb to me. They are nice cars, they look great. But i don't think you can really compare them to a C63.

Two totally different cars, no one can tell you whats good or not for you. You have to do that yourself.

I had 2 F30 M Sport 335i sedans (I had all of the available BMW M Performance parts installed on them) prior to acquiring my '13 C63.

My F30s had three great attributes: 1) the N55 motor was fairly potent (especially when tuned); 2) the ZF 8-speed "Sport Auto." transmission was lightning fast; 3) the exterior(s) were sharp-looking (thanks to the M Sport bodywork).

Here's the attributes I didn't like: 1) the car felt floaty, unsettled, and skittish during cornering; 2) the electric steering felt artificial and lacked feel; 3) the N55 runs out of breath as the revs climb.

Compared to my F30s, my C63 has the following advantages: 1) the motor pulls like a freight train all the way to redline; 2) the engine/exhaust sounds are incredible; 3) the steering feel is outstanding (consistent weight irrespective of driving mode; plenty of feedback; crisp turn-in); 4) the suspension is much more composed/firmer (the damping is high-quality, too).

As far as the interior is concerned, the C63 sedan has some of the best seats ever fitted to a production car. The flat-top, flat-bottom steering wheel on LCI models is also lovely (perfect width; perforated leather or alcantara at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions).

The MCT transmission's automatic modes are great. It's not quite as good as the F30's ZF "Sport Auto." when it comes to M mode but the overall performance difference is marginal.

In sum, the W204 C63 is an unequivocal performance upgrade. Thus far, I have been thrilled with my decision.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

If the C63 had a manual transmission...

2012 won't have the headbolt issue

PP isn't a must imo. A tune will basically give you more power. Can wait for a tune deal for around $800ish.

LSD with install can be had for about $1800ish.

Car will still give you lots of fun for the time you drive it before you get those mods done.

Having both types of cars come to my shop to get work done on them fairly often, I would agree that the C63 outshines the a regular 435i.

-Don

I can't remember exactly, but I think ACG is running a special on Wavetracs installed for like $1800. I could be wrong. It might be more like $1500. The diff should be around $1000-1200. Plus install.

can't believe someone is actually asking this.

i don't care what board we are on. if it was an m3 i'd understand, but 4 series, really?

had manual cars before.. I just don't understand why people keep saying this.


it would be slower with a manual trans

It's not about speed. It's about a level of control and feel. I know EXACTLY when the rear tires are going to bite based on clutch feel/modulation. Downshifts happen when I want. I can FEEL when I get a perfect heel and toe downshift right. Faster isn't necessarily better. It's a 4000 lb car...something is always faster. I like the auto a lot, but a good manual would be hard to resist.

There is a sense satisfaction from knowing when you've performed a perfect heel/toe downshift and having complete control of the upshifts/downshifts. I realize it's not faster or even more efficient, but the control and feel that you gain is all worth it.

I quite prefer these auto/manual capability transmissions. It makes driving in traffic MUCH easier.

I swore off ever driving a traditional manual on a regular basis years ago because of the traffic.

Headbolt issue was already addresses before - it affects cars up to mid-2011, so nothing to worry about in that particular department.

A LSD on any 200+ hp RWD sports car is a no-brainer, so why MB omitted it from the base config is beyond me. I would put one in ASAP (gear-based Quaife or Wavetrac are probably your best options).

If you have (and want to keep) your engine warranty, stay away from "tunes". Yes, you could gain about 10% in power, but IMHO it is not worth it considering the risks.

^ This.

If you want practicality, keep the 435. If you want a lot more fun and enjoyable ride, C63 all the way!

There's nothing impractical about the C63 in comparison to the 435i.

Unless you consider 30% more frequent trips to the gas station to be "impractical".