Originally Posted by danwlee

I just picked up a GS-F a couple of days ago and was looking at similar cars as you listed (GS-F, BMW M5, BMW M6 Gran Coupe). I also have a 2013 Audi S6 Prestige in the garage. For me, I like a combination of performance, luxury, tech, and unique design.

I can't say a ton about the GS-F yet as it only has 230 miles on the odometer, but I can give my take on the GS-F vs S6 based on my experience so far. I will definitely say that are totally different animals considering the combination of things I listed above that I was looking for.

From a design perspective, the GS-F has that love it or hate it design that really satisfies the 20 year old in me (I'm 35), while the S6 satisfies the professional profile I'm supposed to exhibit at work. Interior of the S6 screams class and refinement from the diamond stitched seats to the classy font on the digital display. GS-F screams "look at my predator mouth" (sorry, couldn't resist...) while S6 is the sleeper (for an S6 that screams "look at me", check out the S7, which is essentially the same car with a different body... not unlike the M5/M6 Gran Coupe)

From a driving perspective, I haven't pushed the GS-F in S+ mode, so this might just be the lack of time with the car, the S6 FEELS faster. Mine is powered by the 4.0 V8 twin-turbo, but I don't feel any turbo lag: it just goes. You HEAR the engine on the GS-F (and ASC obviously supplements that), whereas the S6 is a bit quieter in the cabin (more emphasis on luxury). There are a couple of modes to choose from on the S6 as well, but from my experience so far, they all have a softer ride than the GS-F. Both cars feel tight, but GS-F is definitely tighter. I also live in Ohio, so we get some snow in the winter... meaning, I'm trusting the Quattro S6 over the GS-F RWD. GS-F has Eco mode and S6 has "Cylinder Deactivation", where it actually shuts off 4 of it's cylinders under low engine load. I prefer the Cylinder Deactivation on the S6 over having to manually switch modes in the GS-F. We're not buying these cars to save gas, but I have to say that the S6 gas mileage is pretty impressive.

From a tech perspective, I feel like the S6 has fewer features, but does what it does have better than the GS-F. S6 has heated steering wheel, my GS-F does not (i don't know if it's even an option on the F's?). The Navi on the S6 is just beautiful (Google maps), while the screen on the GS-F is huge and fantastic to look at for that reason. I LOVE the Google maps integrated GPS. The S6 has a pop-out screen that feels a bit cheap and aftermarkety (and waiting to break), but that's just a personal preference... you can retract it into the dash, but you can't have it engaged permanently. The dash, center console has alot more buttons than the GS-F and takes a bit of getting used to and can be a bit cumbersome because some of the buttons are on the center console and some are in the area on the gear shifter. Some things which should be simple to do are more complicated than it should be (like adjusting dual zone fan speeds) because you have to start the gear shifter buttons and then jump up to the center console or you have to go through several layers of menu commands to do something rather simple. I'm probably knit-picking, but it does slightly annoy me from a user-experience perspective, so I thought i'd mention that. The GS-F seems more intuitive, but so far, there are a few things that have me jumping from the joystick to the steering wheel. To make the most of the the S6, you need to subscribe to Audi Connect which will get you more integrated with Google services and apps and features similar to Lexus Enform - car locator, statuses, SOS, etc and it does so through cellular service through a SIM card. GS-F has the HUD, S6 has an optional Innovation Package which adds features like the HUD, Lane Assist, and nigh vision road scanning, but comes at like a $5k premium that I opted out of simply because of the price.

From a reliability perspective, the S6 has 35k on it, but has already been in the shop to replace some hoses for a coolant leak (bad initial design, but were replaced with redesigned hoses through Audi Care). It's a German... cost ownership is going to be higher. :-p

Overall, I love both... I feel geekier and "younger" in the GS-F, and more refined and snobby in the S6.

There's a ton more for sure, but this was what was top of mind for me when comparing the two. Hope this was helpful.

Originally Posted by DavidL

My GS F is almost 13 months old and as a daily driver with over 16,000 miles racked up I'm still loving all the features, power and reliability Lexus built into this car. I too often find myself cruising at well over the speed limit and force myself to use the adaptive cruise so as to avoid another gift from the CHP . I've had very few issue with mine and the service department at South County Lexus has been great. I had the fuel pump TSB applied and it made the throttle much more responsive. Not until recently have I seen any other GS F's on the road here in SoCal but with the deals people are getting, I glad to see more of them showing up. I don't plan to track the car (but I will be at the upcoming Lexus Performance Driving event) so the stock setup is more than enough for public roads IMO. The tight suspension and contouring seats really help get the most enjoyment out of this car while still feeling in total control of the situation.

As a side note, I wasn't expecting to get more than 12K on a set of tires so I guess I'm not abusing them too bad. Since I am not planning on changing the wheels, any suggestions on replacement rubber or should I stick with the same?