Fair enough, just had to say what I said because it seems popular to compare the two for some reason.

 

Sounds like you need to go visit the 1 and/or 3 series forums. I recently bought my wife a 535, and considered the 1 or 3 for a track day car. I've read numerous horror stories about guys actually losing their motors, and then dealing with a 20k repair bill. You think Mitsu is allergic to you modding your car? Check into BMW, and see how they react. Their ECU's actually tell them if they've been altered or even piggy-backed(there are rumors that they can also track your highest speeds). Dinan used to have a strong relationship with BMW, and some dealers would even install and honor Dinan's warranty(BMW voids your warranty if you've re-mapped your car, but Dinan picks it up with their own). The number of dealers still doing this is now very low, and I couldn't even find any in my area that still do it. Not to mention Dinan's mods are expensive for a BMW, let alone how they'd compare to an Evo.
Bottom line is my research found that the BMW's don't do very well with driving them hard, and BMW is most assuredly going to find out if you did. The cost of ownership of their cars is therefore through the roof if you drive them how they're marketed to be driven. I also read a magazine article (C&D, R&T, or MT) where they tested an Evo against a 135. the EVO killed it performance wise(4-seconds a lap at RF, IIRC), but the BMW was more "refined". No ****? BMW's own owner mag. "Roundel" ripped on the 135 for handling in an article they did on it, driving around Watkins Glen
It all depends on why you're buying the car. If you're buying it for the performance aspect (I would think the majority does), the Evo is faster, and cheaper. If you're buying it for comfort or poser value, there's a lot of other cars that are more comfortable to sit in, and do a better job at advertising that you spent a lot of money on 'em. For $28,999 (what my local dlr sells 'em for), there's nothing made that will touch the Evo in value, IMO. The 135 and 335's are still selling for over $40k around here, which to me means you have a $12-13K head-start with the Evo. I think you could dump half that in to the interior of the Evo, and have one that does practically everything but blow you as you drive, and still have a car that runs circles around the BMW on the track.
To each his own, but calling the BMW a "better value" is off-base, IMO?
Oh..one last thing. After we bought the wife's 535, and I I cruised around the BMW forums, I was confronted with what I thought was the stereo-typical BMW owner: Refering to the brand as "Bimmer", talking about how everyone always looks at their car(s), how they comment on how neat/nice it is, and wishes they themselves own one... The whole nine yards.
Well, I found that that stereotype is very much alive and well with at least the BMW owners who frequent the two forums I found. Just reading people using the word "Bimmer" over and over and over was enough to make me want to vomit, but being smacked in the face with the pink-Izod, deck-shoe wearing, 1980's preppy wannabe rejects that make up the majority of these forums, damn-near made me regret buying the freakin car. Since the car really works well for what we need, the wife likes it a lot, and I constantly have a look on my face that doesn't lend to people wanting to come up and chit-chat with me, I can simply choose to not invlove myself with that "community", and simply get out of the car what we need, and call it a day.
Hopefully Porsche people aren't that way, because if I win the lotto, my first purchase will be a GT3 RS in green, and my second purchase will be a full-body "Porsche" tatoo

 

You have some valid points, but you also need to take a deep breath.

"Bimmer" does not drive me half as crazy as "1er" or "3er". I _hate_ those. Its just a pet name for a car. People here say "Mitsu", Jaguar people say "Jag", Subaru people say "Subie." I don't get all butthurt over that and go on a Hulk rage. Its just a shortened nickname when speaking because the letter W is three syllables.

I agree with you that Evo people as a group are much moreso true car guys than BMW people. There are a lot of n00bs in the BMW forums, and they make my head hurt. But we have a few of them here too... Just way less. Why do you think I have an EvoM plate on my car and remain very active on these forums? I love the community here.

BMW has a right to be like Mitsubishi and Subaru have with warranty denial, because people are modding these cars. As you well know, factory forced induction cars are typically capable of a pretty substantial power gains, and the cars are not engineered to be sold at that elevated power. All three companies make a pretty robust car, but out of all the cars, none are as over-engineered as the CT9A 4G63 powered Evos in my opinion. But even those will get you a voided warranty if the dealership sees a boost controller. Each dealership has to justify a warranty claim to the manufacturer to be paid. Some will turn a blind eye for the enthusiast, and some will blow the whistle faster than you can sneeze. This has more to do with personality than place of employment.

Your "numerous stories" of 20k repair bills is grossly exaggerated. There is one such story, and the tech at the dealer was a big JB/BMS leghumper that wanted to get a PROcede guy in trouble. The kid that owned the car was regrettably not quick enough on the draw to see this, and got himself pwned. As far as mechanical reliability, I've had zero issues with either BMW yet. I had a couple assist maladies on my 335, but that was electronics and satellite sync up issues.

I have seen very few N54 failures. I've seen a couple turbo failures due to overboost, and a few failures due to installation of parts that were specifically stated to be NOT run with a certain map. You can't stop stupid. It happens to all car owners.

I don't have any love for Dinan, particularly for E90/E92/E82 stuff. They offer extremely overpriced parts that have very average gains. You're preaching to the choir on that one.

On the 135i vs. the X, yes the X is faster. It is not typically 4 seconds faster, but it has been that much faster. If you want a total track weapon, the X is the better car. If you want a much more civil daily driver that can do a little track duty, the 135i is the better choice.

Don't hate a car because a great number of the ownership base is stupid. There will always be some good apples in there among the bad ones. You just might have to search harder. I attribute this to people who go after more expensive brands are less apt to want to get their hands dirty and thus less apt to know much about cars. All together, it still doesn't take away from the fact that the cars are still pretty good.

 

I've heard that a couple times, and am amazed that people feel the STI interior is better than the EVO. I guess it's a matter of taste. I went down to SouthCoast to drive an 08 STI they had on the lot, and immediately thought it was cheap and plastic-y inside. The center console was loose, the plastic creaked as the car was tossed around, overall it felt too much like a civic. Once I got into the X, it was a whole different story. While the interior is not lavish by any means, other than the big fake carbon fiber-like strip the car isn't too bad inside. It's subtle and functional, and despite what most other people seem to think, I like the sound levels the engine provides. It's certainly noticeable, but somewhat deadened and always there to remind you that you are in a high performance sedan.

I guess you could say that I am very happy with the car overall, and it continues to amaze me every day I get in it.

 

The Evo X interior is crap, Yes its better then the Evo8/9 interiors....but thats dont say much people need to stop lying to themself they're just crappy. STi interior is crappy too.

So if I want a crappy interior car thats fast, I rather get an 05 Evo8

 

The evo 8 is not really faster then a X... but the X is looks much nicer inand out side. For me at least
And just with tune the X will be faster then a 8. /stock vs stock with ecu tune/

 

You are missing the point, they are ALL crappy when it come to interiors, THE END

Now if you wanted a car for racing then you would need something lighter with more hp. An 05 RS Evo8 or an 06 RS Evo9 is the way to go with lots of mods and you dont start off with a $40000.00 sticker price

Now as far as looks go...EvoX looks alittle better then Evo8/9...but again that dont say much since they ALL look like crap also. Type in ugly cars on google.com and you will see your EvoX on the list

 

Its a matter of opinion. I think the CLK55 looks like a teenager girls car. You obviously dont.

 

CLK55 is a women car..its my wife (btw it has over 400hp), I have an EVO. Make sure you check someone sale reps before posting

 

you can make every Evo light... But it is hard to put the S-AYC in them /US/
My X is just as light right now as my 8 SSl was... and i didn't gutted yet

Drag race ... i dont care at all. I leave it for domestics They need they own play ground too.

This way everybody is happy

 

OK I had to stop reading after the few first pages ever try to modify or pay for modifications on a bmw?? I have... 07 M5... eisenman exhaust... 2500.... Dinan chips... Dinian intake... woops there's another 5000... and for what?? BMW's are luxury cars with performance... the Evo's a performance rally sedan... it's completely apples and oranges... and while I can tell you my 07M5 out of the box is a far superior car... it didn't justify 65K extra nor was it as fun to drive light to light... the Evo does need more power though, I'm not used to always having my foot on the floor...

ok to your question... do I have regrets? Sure I regret that I have the car parked in my garage and blocked in by my trucks and don't take it out often... the other regret I have is that I haven't had the time to start modding it yet... because there are too many companies making mods for it... the viper was easy.... want a blower???it's either Roe or Paxton... with the evo it's like... perrin... ams... works... ffs... I don't have all year to research the stuff... and a lot of it's (in works).....

 

Yup and that is all that matters .. Women control retail now... most men do/buy what women want and most women would want to be in a BMW over an EVO.. or mitsu anything..

 

"with the evo it's like... perrin... ams... works... ffs... I don't have all year to research the stuff... and a lot of it's (in works)...."

Thats what makes it fun

 

Good angle,

I got my '05 RS for 30k spent 10k total in receipts for every mod from a X evolution badge to cam install labor. i weigh 3100 lbs give or take 50. My car will rip a X in the keyster in public. No AYC in my CT9A so possibly not at the track depends on drivers and alignments. 52k miles. My car is always for sale - feel free to PM.

I used to roll a C36 AMG until I traded in for Evo RS...no regrets. Interiors mean nothing to me. I left real leather and woodgrain w/climate control for a funner car. Do you really have time to admire your dumb interior (nice or not) while dodging rush hour traffic? I respect pimp interiors but the fact the new X isnt German inside doesnt **** me off I expect it even at 37-40k.

If USDM CT9A's were loaded cars like the JDM cars were, we could have had wagons, AYC, Nav, Climate control and 37-40k pricing during '03-'06....that is the part nobody considers! New Evo's are not overpriced they are just fully loaded 'true' optioned cars unlike before! Hence my decision to roll up my windows and get the 'truer' RS.

 

Um...to keep the thread on topic per the original post, no, none what so ever.