M240i - M Sport front gril

[JackReacher]

LocoBlade said:

Do you know if the test drive car was on runflats or MPSS? I took mine on a driving tour around Wales a few weeks ago and it didn't disappoint, I'm sure a Cayman or something would give more driver involvement but this is the first car I've owned in the last 10 years (various hot hatches, 2 old shape 1 series and a 2012 Audi S4) that I've really enjoyed driving quickly because it gives me that certain level of interaction and feedback to give confidence in what its going to do. I'd suggest giving the manual a good test drive before settling on it though because I tried both and really wasn't impressed with the manual. It feels a bit rubbery and vague, not really any improvement over the boxes in the 130i or 123d I had which were 10 years older. The auto on the other hand is brilliant, perhaps removes a small part of the driving enjoyment but adds to it in other ways and it's so nice to drive when just dawdling to work etc.

Thanks, they were MPSS tyres and not runflat. It wasn't a problem with the ride, just a lot of snaking in the damp due to the traction control. Presumably a locking diff would reduce the traction control having to step in as much.

The gearbox is an interesting debate, it was an auto I drove but it lacked any element of control I am used to with manuals. Perhaps its a matter of getting used to and adapting to it, but decided to go manual. I hear mixed comments about the manual box, but haven't actually tried it. Maybe I should to make sure it's ok, as I hear concerns about offset pedals as well.

[JackReacher]

NelsonM3 said:

Cannot comment on the diff. But I purchased a manual over the auto and very happy with my choice. Just adds a little "old school" feel to the car.

Personally, having had an E90 M3 saloon the car doesn't really want for a diff. I would say it's 80% of my M3 with 35mpg vs 24mpg

One thing I would say is do not fit the 19" wheels. I personally feel this compromises the ride/handling of the car. i would recommend the M Performance exhaust though. Very addictive to hold the revs at 2000rpm for the burble ??

So you don't feel the car would benefit from the diff in the road? Do you experience snaking in the damp? Good to hear a positive review for the manual.

I'm definitely not interested in bigger wheels, I prefer to keep it as discreet as possible looks wise, and may well debadge the car. Ideally I'd like body coloured mirrors as well. Might try the exhaust though!

[KobayashiMaru86]

Looks great. I'm thinking M235i or M240i as my next car. I'll probably wait until the M240i is in my price range first as there's a few differences between them I'd like

[LocoBlade]

JackReacher said:

Thanks, they were MPSS tyres and not runflat. It wasn't a problem with the ride, just a lot of snaking in the damp due to the traction control. Presumably a locking diff would reduce the traction control having to step in as much.

The gearbox is an interesting debate, it was an auto I drove but it lacked any element of control I am used to with manuals. Perhaps its a matter of getting used to and adapting to it, but decided to go manual. I hear mixed comments about the manual box, but haven't actually tried it. Maybe I should to make sure it's ok, as I hear concerns about offset pedals as well.

I was 100% swayed towards manual cars until about 2 years ago and if I used my car predominently for weekend fun drives etc then I'd probably still go for a manual if its a nice slick box but I found the one I test drove a bit rubbery and vague so not that fun to stir when pressing on. Having had the chance to drive mine hard on a Wales driving tour a few weeks ago, I certainly didn't feel I was missing out, the auto in sports mode feels like a precision tool with no delay in shifting and it adds it's own theatre that's quite addictive.

I asked about the tyres because runflats with stiffer sidewalls tend to tramline and follow road camber more and also have slightly less grip so more likely to behave like you mentioned under acceleration. The MPSS do need a bit of warming up to perform at their best but having had mine since March and driven it a couple of times quite enthusiastically in the damp in Wales, I never found the rear end feeling wayward or the TC kicking in unduly so I'm quite surprised you experienced that, so could perhaps be incorrect tyre pressures or just the particular road you drove on, not sure?

[JackReacher]

LocoBlade said:

I was 100% swayed towards manual cars until about 2 years ago and if I used my car predominently for weekend fun drives etc then I'd probably still go for a manual if its a nice slick box but I found the one I test drove a bit rubbery and vague so not that fun to stir when pressing on. Having had the chance to drive mine hard on a Wales driving tour a few weeks ago, I certainly didn't feel I was missing out, the auto in sports mode feels like a precision tool with no delay in shifting and it adds it's own theatre that's quite addictive.

I asked about the tyres because runflats with stiffer sidewalls tend to tramline and follow road camber more and also have slightly less grip so more likely to behave like you mentioned under acceleration. The MPSS do need a bit of warming up to perform at their best but having had mine since March and driven it a couple of times quite enthusiastically in the damp in Wales, I never found the rear end feeling wayward or the TC kicking in unduly so I'm quite surprised you experienced that, so could perhaps be incorrect tyre pressures or just the particular road you drove on, not sure?

Out of interest, how new was the manual you drove? I've heard they loosen up a bit and get better but probably won't be as good as a good Honda or Porsche manual box. I hear so many good things about the auto, and 80% of my use will be commuting on the motorway and in traffic. It should be a no brainer to go auto, but I just have a slight nagging doubt.... The market says auto as well, I think as little as 10% of all m240i in the UK have the manual box. I expect long term a manual one will be more desirable, but that's not a concern for me if only planning to keep for 5 years ish.

It didn't have any tramlining like run flat equipped BMWs I have driven before, so that was good. The damp traction is not a big deal for me, as I drive to the conditions and have no intention of traffic light grand prix's with Golf Rs, but just wondered whether the diff helps with traction in the slightly damp surface I experienced. Even the wife found it slightly unnervy under moderate acceleration.

[LocoBlade]

The manual I drove was the dealer demo so still quite new and I would expect it to loosen up a bit, but it wasn't the tightness that was the let down for me, it was the lack of precision and slightly rubbery feel which I couldn't see improving with age but could be wrong. Also the armrest gets in the way of your elbow on backwards shifts unless you like sitting high up like a bus driver which I found really annoying as I had to change gear with my elbow unnaturally high to clear it. Unlike the E87 where the armrest could flip out the way or even be removed, the F2x armrest just slides back and forward but it's always too far forward to get properly out of the line of fire for your elbow

[Dizeee]

LocoBlade said:

The manual I drove was the dealer demo so still quite new and I would expect it to loosen up a bit, but it wasn't the tightness that was the let down for me, it was the lack of precision and slightly rubbery feel which I couldn't see improving with age but could be wrong. Also the armrest gets in the way of your elbow on backwards shifts unless you like sitting high up like a bus driver which I found really annoying as I had to change gear with my elbow unnaturally high to clear it. Unlike the E87 where the armrest could flip out the way or even be removed, the F2x armrest just slides back and forward but it's always too far forward to get properly out of the line of fire for your elbow

I was leaning into the back and sorting my sons seatbelt out the other day in my recently acquired 240 and the arm rest slid all the way back unexpectedly. I thought I had broken it! It slid forwards again but I was worried I had broken it and have not touched it since! Is it supposed to slide then?

[VerySideways]

Dizeee said:

I was leaning into the back and sorting my sons seatbelt out the other day in my recently acquired 240 and the arm rest slid all the way back unexpectedly. I thought I had broken it! It slid forwards again but I was worried I had broken it and have not touched it since! Is it supposed to slide then?

Yes