[BMWinAZ]

I finally took my wife's e90 to the stealership for the two most recent recalls. The car was there for 24 hours and I got a Melbourne Red / Black Dakota Leather 430i loaner. First off, even though I don't really like red cars, I liked the Melbourne Red. I would have preferred it with a Saddle Brown interior but the black worked fine. In my opinion the outside of the car was quite handsome and the inside very similar to my 2013 335i MSport, so no complaints there either. The only thing I didn't like was the „sea" of cheap plastic surrounding the automatic shifter. In my manual f30 that space is mostly occupied by a handsome leather shift boot. The turbo four provides adequate power to the vehicle but can sound a little bit unrefined at times and I think the inline six would match the GT character of the car better. It was a pleasant surprise that in this generation of f3 cars the stupid auto stop feature stays off even after turning the car off and on again! I also liked the hatchback rear deck of the f36. The blindspot monitoring was unobtrusive enough to not be annoying at first. However, I turned it off on the second day when I did some busy freeway driving and it started to vibrate the steering wheel every time I pulled in and out in front of another car. I followed the old driving training rule that when you can fully see all of the vehicle in the other lane in your side mirror, it's safe to change lanes. Apparently that wasn't safe enough for the built in Nanny, so I fired her! Now to my biggest complaint about the Gran Coupé and why I would never buy it! This car is longer and wider than my f30, has four doors and yet, my head hits the roof liner when I sit in a normal, upright position in the back seat! I am six foot tall and don't have a freakishly long torso and still I could not do what I can do in my 335 and sit in the back without bonking my head on the roof. I totally get the point of the 4 series Coupé as the nice, comfortable Grand Tourer when it has two doors, but in my opinion, anyone who wants or needs a four door sedan, is much better of with a 3 or 5 series!

[Danddd]

I had a black/red GC loaner. I noticed the steering had better feedback than my F31 '16 wagon. I did like the idea of a hatchback, then again, just get a wagon. But looks wise it does look smooth.

[AndDown]

A big reason why BMW has so many niche varieties of a given model. Personally, I enjoy driving our F36 GC over our previous F30...I’m under 6 ft in height and the GC’s lower roof line is not a problem. In fact, I felt kinda lost in the F30 with it’s taller roof line. A big plus with the GC is that huge trunk when needing to transport something bulkier. I just picked up a 2-series coupe for my daily drive and that car brings back the ultimate driving experience but it really is comfortable for only 2 people, the back seat is probably best for those under 5 ft.

[movietub]

I'm a recent 4GC owner and it's all about having the hatch. That one feature is worth more in terms of practicality than the sloping roof takes away in the form of headroom.

I accept the headroom issue back there is real, it's just that... I struggle to care very much. Most people will only use the back seats for kids, so no issue, and occasionally for adult friends - but if it's occasional and you're giving them a lift, they aren't likely to complain. So it's not ideal, but also not really a limitation. The saloons however.. They are limited as you can't carry anything long or particularly bulky.

My previous car was an F31 which was super practical, I loved that car. Then when they made the 4GC it was only a matter of time before I was seduced by the coupe looks combined with genuine practicality.

To be honest, leaves me wondering who exactly the 3 saloon appeals to now. Unless you frequently travel with 3 other tall adults, it's tough to take the 3 saloon over the 4gc, and lose the hatch and folding seats. And the lower driving position

[BMWinAZ]

Update on my GC loaner experience. My f30 had to go to the dealer for some follow up to a warranty repair and I got another 2019 430 GC as a loaner. This one was Imperial Blue with Cognac Dakota Leather and Burl Wood trim. I thought this was a most elegant and handsome color combo.
However, I feel less charitable about the vehicle as a whole. It felt more boat like and lumbering than my F30 335i M Sport. And when I drove our 2008 e90 328i on the same day, I have to say that the e90's interior somehow seemed more luxurious and classy.

[N26Ghost]

The rear headroom was exclusively the one item that removed the GC line from our list. We are mid-30s with no kids and an active social life. Many times we commute to venues with friends and we'd be embarassed to have people resting their noggins on the headliner (not to mention, I don't want anyone's head touching the beautiful black headliner at all). We settled on an F30 M Sport with every option and couldn't be happier. Fully-loaded M Sport is the best trim/owner experience imho. Before anyone croaks about price, we payed $22,300 for a CPO Elite '14 model with 40k miles, so there are hardly affordability concerns. It did take a long time to locate the right car (6+ months), but it was worth it. Thanks for posting your impressions and sharing.

[BigJack75]

Originally Posted by N26Ghost

The rear headroom was exclusively the one item that removed the GC line from our list. We are mid-30s with no kids and an active social life. Many times we commute to venues with friends and we'd be embarassed to have people resting their noggins on the headliner (not to mention, I don't want anyone's head touching the beautiful black headliner at all). We settled on an F30 M Sport with every option and couldn't be happier. Fully-loaded M Sport is the best trim/owner experience imho. Before anyone croaks about price, we payed $22,300 for a CPO Elite '14 model with 40k miles, so there are hardly affordability concerns. It did take a long time to locate the right car (6+ months), but it was worth it. Thanks for posting your impressions and sharing.

I guess I have the exact opposite view. I came from a G37 Coupe and wanted 4 doors. The 4-series coupe did not work for me. I also like the hatchback on the GC. Tons of space with the seats down. I agree. You really have to wait for the car you want. I looked for nearly a year. I bought mine used for half off sticker.

[vooonoo]

How are you gonna post this thread without pics of the car?! Lol

[BMWinAZ]

Originally Posted by vooonoo

How are you gonna post this thread without pics of the car?! Lol

Sorry, my bad. Unfortunately that ship has sailed. I have my 335i back.

[BMWinAZ]

Had to throw that in.

Here is the real car, maybe ...