640i vs Panamera: Owner experience comparison

[SanDiego640]

I'm currently blessed to have both a 640i and a Porsche Panamera in my garage. I wanted to share with the group my comparison of the two and experience with each.

First, the cars:

2016 BMW 640i GC with Executive, Driver Assistance, and MSport packages. It's loaded. Purchased 9/19 with 31K miles. Now 44K.
2015 Porsche Panamera base with Premium Package Plus. Purchased 1/21 with 23K miles. Now 27K. 3.6L V6 engine, naturally aspirated.

ADVANTAGES OF THE 640
It's faster off the line, 0 - 60 in 5.5, and feels it.
Way better technology, including iDrive vs. Porsche PCM (), top and side cameras, Siri accessibility through steering wheel button (although no CarPlay in my unit).
Much more information concerning vehicle status, maintenance, etc available through iDrive.
Ability to customize through BimmerCode or similar tools. This a huge advantage in getting rid of all the stuff the legal department forces into the car like inane dinging, warnings, disclaimers and gongs. I've shut all of that down.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PANAMERA
Dual clutch transmission (PDK) — there is no substitute. Significantly improves driving experience, particularly during acceleration.
Superior steering, braking, and ride quality.
Choosing sport/comfort modes has a bigger impact on suspension performance than the 640.
Superior handling on twisty roads.
Better cargo space accessibility due to hatchback.
Gauges! Like, real gauges for oil temp, water temp, and oil pressure.

DRAWBACKS TO THE 640
I'm frustrated BMW is not offering a technology upgrade to keep ConnectedDrive going past 2/22 when 3G connectivity will be shut down. My iDrive is 3G not 4G.
Premature tire wear and much harsher ride quality due to the low profile RFT's.

DRAWBACKS TO THE PANAMERA
Idiotic system for checking oil level through the dashboard display resets every time you open the hood, forcing you to drive around a while before getting a new reading.
Piano black interior trim pieces scratch if you breathe on them wrong.
Having to remove the plastic shield below the engine, AND a bracket, to do an oil change.
Want to change the engine air filter? Remove front bumper first.

Overall impressions

I was wrestling with the 640 or Panamera purchase in 2019 and opted for the BMW because it offered (and still does offer) more stuff per dollar compared to the Panamera where you are paying a premium for the Porsche badge. Yet, when I was in a financial position to get a Panamera in January of this year I did, and I love it. To me it has both a more sporty feel AND a more luxury feel than the 640.

They are both great cars and I'm keeping them both. The 640 will become the daily driver when BMW 2006 E90 (with 249,000 original miles on it) finally goes. The Panamera is being saved for long road trips through the desert southwest.

I hope you found this helpful!
Ron

[iamvanja]

Interesting to read about the ZF 8-speed vs PDK.
Drove a V8 Panamera and Macan S (both PDK) and I prefer the ZF. PDK seemed a bit nervous and jerky in a slow city traffic. It did shift slight faster.
What makes PDK better for you?

[SanDiego640]

Originally Posted by iamvanja

Interesting to read about the ZF 8-speed vs PDK.
Drove a V8 Panamera and Macan S (both PDK) and I prefer the ZF. PDK seemed a bit nervous and jerky in a slow city traffic. It did shift slight faster.
What makes PDK better for you?

I've driven the Panamera (PDK) in all kinds of traffic conditions ranging from driving is across country (from Minneapolis to San Diego where I bought it) to stop and go traffic and it has always performed smoothly. The biggest difference between the PDK and the ZF or any other traditional transmission is the speed of the shifts. They're not just "faster," they're virtually instantaneous.

For those who may not have delved into the mechanics of how a dual clutch transmission works, it has basically two banks of gears rather than one. While accelerating for example and you're in gear 2 on bank 1, the computer anticipates you'll soon need gear 3, so over on bank 2 gear 3 is already engaged, and when it's time to shift, the transmission instantly switches engagement from bank 1 (where gear 2 is engaged), to bank 2 where gear 3 is engaged. If you're still accelerating it anticipates you'll soon need gear 4, so back on bank 1 the transmission has gear 4 engaged and it's ready to go. (Forgive the terminology, it's just how I explain it).

[iamvanja]

Yep, hence why i experience the jerkiness. It's micro jerkiness, but in slow stop-go traffic it is often stuck undecided between the two gears.
Granted, i did not drive Panamera/Macan (1-2k miles altogether) nearly as much as I did 640i (30k miles).
I may be a ZF fanboi though. People want a DCT for that special feel, but idk, 8-speed ZF is pretty near perfect for me.

[Wanwansuii]

The 8 speed in our cars is very well calibrated. And with additional tuning from XHP, the transmission now feels closer to a DCT in sport/manual modes without the harshness or jerkiness of a DCT.

[BMPOWERED]

I've driven a Panamera and agree with your assessments. Just out of curiosity, since both cars serve similar purposes, have you ever considered ditching them both and opting instead for an M6 or a Panamera GTS or Turbo? Or is straight line speed not all that important to you? I'm thinking the M6 would provide at least some of the driving dynamic advantages of the Panamera since it has a whole different suspension and has DCT (albeit not as good as PDK) trans.

[SanDiego640]

Originally Posted by BMPOWERED

I've driven a Panamera and agree with your assessments. Just out of curiosity, since both cars serve similar purposes, have you ever considered ditching them both and opting instead for an M6 or a Panamera GTS or Turbo? Or is straight line speed not all that important to you? I'm thinking the M6 would provide at least some of the driving dynamic advantages of the Panamera since it has a whole different suspension and has DCT (albeit not as good as PDK) trans.

This is a very solid question, and I've thought about it.

I've opted to stick with both the 640i GC and the Panamera, even though they are in the same "class" for a few reasons.

Mainly, I am in need of one of them to be a daily driver (although I do not have a daily work commute) when I retire my 2006 325i (with 250,000+ miles on it, bought it new!) and if I consolidated to one high performance model that would wind up being the daily driver and I'd rather spread my usage across two vehicles.

The 640 will eventually become my everyday car, while the Panamera is reserved for a few road trips a year throughout the desert southwest. With the hatchback, much smoother ride, and tremendous rear seat headroom it's ideally suited for long road trips.

I would much rather the Panamera be an S, GTS, or Turbo, but the base model I got is so pristine and drives so well that on balance I'm quite pleased with it. It is a 2015 and at the time I got it, it had only 23K miles on it. I picked it up for just $41K from a dealer in Minnesota in January. If I got another Panamera it would need to be a 2017 or later with the newer technology and other updates, but the price for used Panamera skyrockets when looking at 2017 models vs 2016 and earlier. On balance, I'm delighted with what I have.

As for an M6 or 650, as I tend to keep my cars for many years, an N63 motor doesn't appeal to me when considering all the factors important to me. My 640 is plenty fast (faster than the Panamera 0-60) and I feel the longevity will be greater with it than with an N63 vehicle. That, and I'm not in a financial position to take the hit and do a trade.

Overall your question is excellent, as I have looked longingly more than once at a Panamera Turbo, S or GTS, or an M6/650. In the final analysis, keeping them both is the right call for me.

Ron

[Chaos236]

Great write up, thank you. The fact that you own both and drive both makes it very accurate.

[BMPOWERED]

Originally Posted by SanDiego640

This is a very solid question, and I've thought about it.

I've opted to stick with both the 640i GC and the Panamera, even though they are in the same "class" for a few reasons.

Mainly, I am in need of one of them to be a daily driver (although I do not have a daily work commute) when I retire my 2006 325i (with 250,000+ miles on it, bought it new!) and if I consolidated to one high performance model that would wind up being the daily driver and I'd rather spread my usage across two vehicles.

The 640 will eventually become my everyday car, while the Panamera is reserved for a few road trips a year throughout the desert southwest. With the hatchback, much smoother ride, and tremendous rear seat headroom it's ideally suited for long road trips.

I would much rather the Panamera be an S, GTS, or Turbo, but the base model I got is so pristine and drives so well that on balance I'm quite pleased with it. It is a 2015 and at the time I got it, it had only 23K miles on it. I picked it up for just $41K from a dealer in Minnesota in January. If I got another Panamera it would need to be a 2017 or later with the newer technology and other updates, but the price for used Panamera skyrockets when looking at 2017 models vs 2016 and earlier. On balance, I'm delighted with what I have.

As for an M6 or 650, as I tend to keep my cars for many years, an N63 motor doesn't appeal to me when considering all the factors important to me. My 640 is plenty fast (faster than the Panamera 0-60) and I feel the longevity will be greater with it than with an N63 vehicle. That, and I'm not in a financial position to take the hit and do a trade.

Overall your question is excellent, as I have looked longingly more than once at a Panamera Turbo, S or GTS, or an M6/650. In the final analysis, keeping them both is the right call for me.

Ron

Thanks for the response. It seems as if we think similarly in terms of weighing out vehicle decisions. I love my 650 but it is a 2014 w/66k miles so I'm really weighing out whether I want to gamble on potential N63tu issues (albeit it has been trouble free and is waaayy better than the N63). I've shopped Panameras, both 1st gen (maybe a GTS) and second gen (the most I could afford would be a 4S). I've also considered a base 1st gen Panamera or a 2017+ 640 combined with a dedicated sports car (maybe a C6 Corvette GS or C7)....decisions decisions. Welp, your two clean rides!!

[Pixl]

I too had both for almost two years. BMW gives you $1.35 worth of car for every $1 with Porsche. Porsche dealers are intolerable. The steering in my Panamera S could only be described as loose/no feedback, Buick-like. You read that right. BMW’s 8 speed ZF transmissions have a horrific drawback; downshifting in BMW (sport mode/sequential) means engine revs up with car lunging forward, the opposite of the desired result — very unfortunate. Down shifting with a manual shift means engine breaking/car slowing, exactly what one would expect.