RE: BMW M2: Review

[aeropilot]

Vocht said:

Petrolhead said:

I wonder how this compared to the 235i

It'll be better no doubt, but £10,000 better? I'm not so sure.

It depends on what you want or find important.

I thought the M235i electric steering was woeful when I drove one, and why I didn't consider chopping in my E82 135i for one when the M235 came out. So, given it would cost you a couple of k's for the dealer fit LSD in a M235, is 8k worth it for much better steering and better suspension and an extra 50 odd hp....?
To some (or many) it is worth the extra.

If I wasn't looking for a bit more comfort in my advancing years, I'd be already on the list at my dealer for a M2 to replace my 135i.

[DamianQS]

From looking at the configurator most of the options for the M2 come as standard.

[Dale487]

Bladedancer said:

Dale487 said:

works if you have a family

I think you're stretching it a bit here...

You can't put a family of 4 (legally) in a Cayman or a Boxster, was what is was getting at - agreed a Focus RS, A Golf R or a Macan S would all be better for fitting them in than the BMW

[Remagel2507]

nunpuncher said:

Those seats also weigh about the same as the moon. The lovely Recaro CS M performance ones they sell for about £2k should be standard in this.

Yes they should be along with the other M performance alcantara/carbon interior accessories that make the cabin a little bit nicer.

Although it appears while you still can get all the other interior bits, those seats are not listed for the 2 Series which is shame

[rosino]

Remagel2507 said:

Yes they should be along with the other M performance alcantara/carbon interior accessories that make the cabin a little bit nicer.

Although it appears while you still can get all the other interior bits, those seats are not listed for the 2 Series which is shame

I really wanted to post just this.. How about the CS Recaro seats? Pair of those, rear trimmed to match. Job done. You have a much more focuses and special interior.

[D200]

aeropilot said:

Vocht said:

Petrolhead said:

I wonder how this compared to the 235i

It'll be better no doubt, but £10,000 better? I'm not so sure.

It depends on what you want or find important.

I thought the M235i electric steering was woeful when I drove one, and why I didn't consider chopping in my E82 135i for one when the M235 came out. So, given it would cost you a couple of k's for the dealer fit LSD in a M235, is 8k worth it for much better steering and better suspension and an extra 50 odd hp....?
To some (or many) it is worth the extra.

If I wasn't looking for a bit more comfort in my advancing years, I'd be already on the list at my dealer for a M2 to replace my 135i.

You cannot compare this to a ‘mapped’ 235i

As others said it much more than that. It’s got different suspension, different brakes, more power, lighter, trick diff, different exhaust but the biggest thing is the flared arches and kit, wider track etc – it’s make it look much better than a 235i. As you can guarantee a lot of people are buying this purely on the looks. And if it 10/15% better than a 235i than that's enough I suppose

If you were to try to replicate an M2 from a 235i it would cost you a lot more than 10k – even the wheels alone would be a couple of K and they are up there with the nicest wheels on any car in my opinion. Never mind the price of the bodykit and all the other stuff mentioned. In my opinion is well worth the extra 10k. Resale value will also be much higher

Edited by D200 on Monday 18th April 12:25

[rosino]

Some on 2addicts had it done and made it look like a relatively simple job.

[D200]

rosino said:

Some on 2addicts had it done and made it look like a relatively simple job.

Had what done? Tune a 235i into a M2?

I suppose it depends on what your definition of simple job is

Fitting flared arched - properly - is not simple. And wont be cheap.

That alone - if done properly and painted professionally [as in in an oven etc [essential] - and with a new front and rear bumpers is not far off an entire respray- will not be cheap. You wouldd be taking a few thousand for paint and labour alone. Then the parts.

Then add the wheels, exhaust, brakes, suspension, diff, remap etc

That will cost you more than 10k

Then who is going to want to buy a fake M2 when you go to sell it

Makes zero sense in my opinion

[FWDRacer]

D200 said:

rosino said:

Some on 2addicts had it done and made it look like a relatively simple job.

Had what done? Tune a 235i into a M2?

I suppose it depends on what your definition of simple job is

Fitting flared arched - properly - is not simple. And wont be cheap.

That alone - if done properly and painted professionally [as in in an oven etc [essential] - and with a new front and rear bumpers is not far off an entire respray- will not be cheap. You wouldd be taking a few thousand for paint and labour alone. Then the parts.

Then add the wheels, exhaust, brakes, suspension, diff, remap etc

That will cost you more than 10k

Then who is going to want to buy a fake M2 when you go to sell it

Makes zero sense in my opinion

Alright if someone else does it... though??? Alpina. Hartage etc.

M2 front/rear is gargoyle ugly.

[dunc_sx]

D200 said:

Had what done? Tune a 235i into a M2?

I suppose it depends on what your definition of simple job is

Fitting flared arched - properly - is not simple. And wont be cheap.

That alone - if done properly and painted professionally [as in in an oven etc [essential] - and with a new front and rear bumpers is not far off an entire respray- will not be cheap. You wouldd be taking a few thousand for paint and labour alone. Then the parts.

Then add the wheels, exhaust, brakes, suspension, diff, remap etc

That will cost you more than 10k

Then who is going to want to buy a fake M2 when you go to sell it

Makes zero sense in my opinion

Agree, absolute zero imo.

[D200]

FWDRacer said:

D200 said:

rosino said:

Some on 2addicts had it done and made it look like a relatively simple job.

Had what done? Tune a 235i into a M2?

I suppose it depends on what your definition of simple job is

Fitting flared arched - properly - is not simple. And wont be cheap.

That alone - if done properly and painted professionally [as in in an oven etc [essential] - and with a new front and rear bumpers is not far off an entire respray- will not be cheap. You wouldd be taking a few thousand for paint and labour alone. Then the parts.

Then add the wheels, exhaust, brakes, suspension, diff, remap etc

That will cost you more than 10k

Then who is going to want to buy a fake M2 when you go to sell it

Makes zero sense in my opinion

Alright if someone else does it... though??? Alpina. Hartage etc.

M2 front/rear is gargoyle ugly.

Not sure what you mean? Have you ever looked at the price of Alpina and Hartge parts?

Send me a quote from Alpina or Hartge that will turn a 235i into an M2 clone [or as close as possible].

i.e. tuned engine, new suspension, brakes, make it lighter, new wheels, new diff, new exhaust and fit a wide arch body bit with wider track - all this fitted and extensively tested for less than 10k

Plus they don't have a wide arch kit.

If they did [as they did way back for E36] it will cost lots and lots

[rb5er]

Thats a BMW that I really like the looks of and it sounds like its a great car to drive. A great car when it depreciates to a more reasonable price.

As new though it seems a hell of a lot of money and BMW really do put crappy standard seats in all their 'M' cars and not far off their poverty spec style seats. For £50k a nice set of seats should be a given.

[aeropilot]

D200 said:

aeropilot said:

Vocht said:

Petrolhead said:

I wonder how this compared to the 235i

It'll be better no doubt, but £10,000 better? I'm not so sure.

It depends on what you want or find important.

I thought the M235i electric steering was woeful when I drove one, and why I didn't consider chopping in my E82 135i for one when the M235 came out. So, given it would cost you a couple of k's for the dealer fit LSD in a M235, is 8k worth it for much better steering and better suspension and an extra 50 odd hp....?
To some (or many) it is worth the extra.

If I wasn't looking for a bit more comfort in my advancing years, I'd be already on the list at my dealer for a M2 to replace my 135i.

You cannot compare this to a ‘mapped’ 235i

As others said it much more than that.

I know it is..... but I guess you didn't bother actually reading what I wrote

[Oddball RS]

I'm undecided on this, I 'personally' (of course only my opinion) think it could look better, and looking at the cost, and weight of it, it just seems 'M' light.... to me, I guess it just doesn't sit easy that its best they can do with this model, but it isn't, we don't want to tread on other models toes so we will use a lower spec power unit, forget about the diet etc etc,

I guess this is why Porsche doesn't do a Cayman RS?

I know everyone else loves it but I don't know it just doesn't seem right somehow.

[D200]

aeropilot said:

D200 said:

aeropilot said:

Vocht said:

Petrolhead said:

I wonder how this compared to the 235i

It'll be better no doubt, but £10,000 better? I'm not so sure.

It depends on what you want or find important.

I thought the M235i electric steering was woeful when I drove one, and why I didn't consider chopping in my E82 135i for one when the M235 came out. So, given it would cost you a couple of k's for the dealer fit LSD in a M235, is 8k worth it for much better steering and better suspension and an extra 50 odd hp....?
To some (or many) it is worth the extra.

If I wasn't looking for a bit more comfort in my advancing years, I'd be already on the list at my dealer for a M2 to replace my 135i.

You cannot compare this to a ‘mapped’ 235i

As others said it much more than that.

I know it is..... but I guess you didn't bother actually reading what I wrote

I did.

I was agreeing with you and replying to Vocht

[Artey]

M235i with some upgraded wheels looks perfect, this looks like they've realised that M235i looks too good and had to one up it at all cost fking up the flow and coherence of design. They even had to put a round fuel port door rather than the usual square one, that's how desperate they were to make it work.

1M looks like a future classic. This looks like it might fall off the cliff once the marketing budge... I mean hype is over.

[aeropilot]

D200 said:

aeropilot said:

D200 said:

aeropilot said:

Vocht said:

Petrolhead said:

I wonder how this compared to the 235i

It'll be better no doubt, but £10,000 better? I'm not so sure.

It depends on what you want or find important.

I thought the M235i electric steering was woeful when I drove one, and why I didn't consider chopping in my E82 135i for one when the M235 came out. So, given it would cost you a couple of k's for the dealer fit LSD in a M235, is 8k worth it for much better steering and better suspension and an extra 50 odd hp....?
To some (or many) it is worth the extra.

If I wasn't looking for a bit more comfort in my advancing years, I'd be already on the list at my dealer for a M2 to replace my 135i.

You cannot compare this to a ‘mapped’ 235i

As others said it much more than that.

I know it is..... but I guess you didn't bother actually reading what I wrote

I did.

I was agreeing with you and replying to Vocht

Aaaah, confusion reigns.....

[epom]

Really liking this, something about the back though. Is it a bit too long looking? Anyhow I'd have one in a heartbeat :-)

[Vocht]

D200 said:

I did.

I was agreeing with you and replying to Vocht

My argument wasn't really 'Just map an M235i and it's the same thing'. I've no doubt and M2 has much slicker components than an M235i but when, in the real world, the price difference is closer to £15-£20k, are you actually going to get that much more fun out of it?

There's no doubt the M2 is the better car but I'm confident if driven back to back, and then asked if the 50% price increase was worth it a lot would find it hard to justify. Especially considering the interior differences (or lack of).

Do that with an M235i and an M4 and the gulf is much much greater.

[D200]

rb5er said:

Thats a BMW that I really like the looks of and it sounds like its a great car to drive. A great car when it depreciates to a more reasonable price.

As new though it seems a hell of a lot of money and BMW really do put crappy standard seats in all their 'M' cars and not far off their poverty spec style seats. For £50k a nice set of seats should be a given.

All this chat over the seats is madness.

But I guess this is ph, if some people say they wouldn't buy this car solely based on the seats, well, fair enough whatever floats your boat...


They aren't that bad in my opinion, sure there are nicer seats in certain cars but they are perfectly fine

Plus its not 50k, list/base price is 44k and as tested PH price of car with options is 46k

I think 46k is reasonable price for this car. For example PH recently tested an A45 AMG it is cost 45k. And while it seats are nice I think the who feel and quality of the car - esp the interior - feels cheap for a 45k car. Never mind everything [e.g. the engine, dynamics etc etc]

An Audi RS3 is able about the same price.