E92 M3 vs F87 M2C
Discussion
Hi All, Looking for a bit of advice really
Looking at either an E92 M3 or an F87 M2C as my next car, was wondering if anyone on here has had any experience of owning both/either.
I've never owned a BMW before (always been an Porsche/Audi guy myself!), so will be my first one, so just looking at peoples experiences of them really.
Car will start out as a "daily" at first (downgrading to 1 car), but after a while it will be "relegated" to the "fun/weekend car" after I save some £ for a daily to go alongside
Will hopefully keep long term, with aims of eventually making it track day biased, but we talking a fair while in the future with that at the moment. For this reason, probably looking at DCT cars over Manuals (no issue with manuals, just think DCT better suited to this) From what i've seen people also seem to say the cars suit the DCT over the manual.
I'm drawn to the E92 due to the n/a V8 (I'm used to Porsche flat 6s so used to revving engines out ) and what I've seen people do with them as track cars, but aware of the issues they have also! (RBs/TAs/Vanos/Mounts/Bushes etc) The M2 also seems to be following in those trackwork footsteps, and being the newer car I would hope it wouldn't have as many issues (yet!)
From my position, cost to change into either is looking pretty equal, which is why both cars are in contention.
Would be interested to hear what you would go for if you were in my position.
Thanks
Looking at either an E92 M3 or an F87 M2C as my next car, was wondering if anyone on here has had any experience of owning both/either.
I've never owned a BMW before (always been an Porsche/Audi guy myself!), so will be my first one, so just looking at peoples experiences of them really.
Car will start out as a "daily" at first (downgrading to 1 car), but after a while it will be "relegated" to the "fun/weekend car" after I save some £ for a daily to go alongside
Will hopefully keep long term, with aims of eventually making it track day biased, but we talking a fair while in the future with that at the moment. For this reason, probably looking at DCT cars over Manuals (no issue with manuals, just think DCT better suited to this) From what i've seen people also seem to say the cars suit the DCT over the manual.
I'm drawn to the E92 due to the n/a V8 (I'm used to Porsche flat 6s so used to revving engines out
) and what I've seen people do with them as track cars, but aware of the issues they have also! (RBs/TAs/Vanos/Mounts/Bushes etc) The M2 also seems to be following in those trackwork footsteps, and being the newer car I would hope it wouldn't have as many issues (yet!)From my position, cost to change into either is looking pretty equal, which is why both cars are in contention.
Would be interested to hear what you would go for if you were in my position.
Thanks
Thanks for replies all much appreciated.
The V8 is a massive pull, like mentioned already, would I rather spend money on maintenance or deprecation. I guess M4 (F series) would be a compromise on all aspects, and can get them for relatively "cheap" so seem good value for money currently to be fair.
Was slightly worried about the E92s cabin feelings outdated, however I have seen you can get some sort of upgrade for the infotainment that lets you use apple carplay etc. which is nice (think it's called Mr. 12 volt or something along those lines).
I'm on an E92 owners page on facebook, and if what I was seeing was correct, look like the yearly tax had gone up to 700 odd quid! If true, that's more than my current GT4, which is crazy! (This was on April 1st thought, so maybe I shouldn't have taken at face value lol)
The V8 is a massive pull, like mentioned already, would I rather spend money on maintenance or deprecation. I guess M4 (F series) would be a compromise on all aspects, and can get them for relatively "cheap" so seem good value for money currently to be fair.
Was slightly worried about the E92s cabin feelings outdated, however I have seen you can get some sort of upgrade for the infotainment that lets you use apple carplay etc. which is nice (think it's called Mr. 12 volt or something along those lines).
I'm on an E92 owners page on facebook, and if what I was seeing was correct, look like the yearly tax had gone up to 700 odd quid! If true, that's more than my current GT4, which is crazy! (This was on April 1st thought, so maybe I shouldn't have taken at face value lol)
Steve Barrett said:
I've had both (currently have a M4CS), the only thing imo that the E92 does better is the sound, my E92 was fast road spec (APs all round, Nitron coilovers etc) and I found the M2c far easier to drive hard even just on a set of lowering springs and decent pads
Interesting to hear this from someone that has owned both and you sound like you've already been down the route that I would be looking at for the E92. How does the M4CS compare to the M2C? 4340BB said:
I've not long had my E92 M3 manual.
And it was a toss up between the choices you are considering. The things that swung it for me were the following -
The name - I'm a sucker for heritage and it doesn't get better than having an M3 badge on the boot with a coupe body. M3 is now a saloon.
The engine - The S65 is a masterpiece. It's the last of the M3s with a naturally aspirated engine. Add to that, the fact the V8 never went in any other BMW model.
The noise - I have gutted primary cats and a 1.75 mod back box with stage 2 tune. The noise is sublime.
The gearbox - I know the DCT is amazing but, my car is a manual as i had to have one. I wanted it to be a true driver's car with 3 pedals and a stick. It's a weekend car that is for fine weather use only.
The looks - The E92 M3 is, in my eyes, a beauty. A real mix of brute and good aesthetics.
The road tax annoys me and i wish the government would tax cars on usage. But, hey ho, it was it is.
I can only see the E92 M3 going one way in value for all of the reasons above. Its the last of the line.
But, and its a big but, I still always let out an ooooft, when a nice M2 or F80 M3 passes.
Maybe 1 day i could have both!!!!!
Good to hear your experience, and glad to hear that you are getting on well, it's not an easy decision to make is it!And it was a toss up between the choices you are considering. The things that swung it for me were the following -
The name - I'm a sucker for heritage and it doesn't get better than having an M3 badge on the boot with a coupe body. M3 is now a saloon.
The engine - The S65 is a masterpiece. It's the last of the M3s with a naturally aspirated engine. Add to that, the fact the V8 never went in any other BMW model.
The noise - I have gutted primary cats and a 1.75 mod back box with stage 2 tune. The noise is sublime.
The gearbox - I know the DCT is amazing but, my car is a manual as i had to have one. I wanted it to be a true driver's car with 3 pedals and a stick. It's a weekend car that is for fine weather use only.
The looks - The E92 M3 is, in my eyes, a beauty. A real mix of brute and good aesthetics.
The road tax annoys me and i wish the government would tax cars on usage. But, hey ho, it was it is.
I can only see the E92 M3 going one way in value for all of the reasons above. Its the last of the line.
But, and its a big but, I still always let out an ooooft, when a nice M2 or F80 M3 passes.
Maybe 1 day i could have both!!!!!
As much as I'd love the E92, I keep hearing some horror stories from some ownerships and it's really putting me off. Found a young lad on youtube called Hampshire Photography, who has had one and as much as he seems to love the car, his ownership experience is putting me off and pushing me towards M2!!!
Just look through his uploaded videos and you'll see titles like "another big bill for my M3" or "my M3 broke down again"
In one vid where he broke down ownership costs in a calendar year, he spent nearly £17k on the thing in a year!!!!!! (I expect a few £££ bills on cars like this, but that's crazy to me!)
Don't get me wrong, there are some of the typical "wrapping my car xx colour" and "new exhaust for my car" type videos, but there are some eye opening videos on there about repair costs that are helpful to someone like myself, where if something did go wrong I would take the car to a garage and not do the repair myself (I'm useless at manual labour!)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiv9F9uJv-v...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSrY8mEaV-0&li...
Quietly sitting here and hoping cases like that are the "loud minority" for lack of a better phrase, and that most private owners have better experience than this!
Edited by F12DDE on Monday 15th April 17:35
JayK12 said:
So I've been through this process, my last road car was a 981 Cayman GTS, had other Porsches and many other cars before. The last M car I had was a E46 M3, and last year with my Cayman GTS gone and now 2 kids under 2 I really didn't have time for a "special car", I wanted something fun that i can use every day and if i need to take the kids I can. So i wanted an E46 again, as the same as you I was an NA addict not having many turbos in the past. However I didn't want to garage my car, I wanted to use it all year round, and I felt like the E46 M3 was expensive, and just old now so I drove a few cars, M4, M3, and an M2 (both equivalents)
In the end I went for a manual M2 Competition. Even with suspension, chassis, power, brakes, (drivers bucket seat), cae ultra shifter I struggled to bond with it. As I used it more and more I started to appreciate all it can do. Managed to get some good sound too with an equal length mid pipe.
Took it to Donington Park last month and geez it was so much fun to explore the limits, I was on PS4S but a more aggressive geo. My last track car was a Radical but the M2 did no disappoint at all.
A year in and its a nice balance between road and track I think, I don't really do a lot miles generally, but its fun, quick, can do long distance, capable, looks great. I usually change my cars quickly but this one is a keeper another year.
A video to show how the M2C punches well above its weight, yes shes heavy on the scales but it really doesn't fell like it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-BTDScNu_E&pp...
Thank you for your comments JayK12 In the end I went for a manual M2 Competition. Even with suspension, chassis, power, brakes, (drivers bucket seat), cae ultra shifter I struggled to bond with it. As I used it more and more I started to appreciate all it can do. Managed to get some good sound too with an equal length mid pipe.
Took it to Donington Park last month and geez it was so much fun to explore the limits, I was on PS4S but a more aggressive geo. My last track car was a Radical but the M2 did no disappoint at all.
A year in and its a nice balance between road and track I think, I don't really do a lot miles generally, but its fun, quick, can do long distance, capable, looks great. I usually change my cars quickly but this one is a keeper another year.
A video to show how the M2C punches well above its weight, yes shes heavy on the scales but it really doesn't fell like it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-BTDScNu_E&pp...
Looks like TDTs old car from the Porsche forums in that vid? He's no slouch so nice driving! Maybe worth getting an extra set of wheels for track with Cup2s/Direzzas or similar and you'd be set
Tagteam said:
F12DDE said:
4340BB said:
I've not long had my E92 M3 manual.
And it was a toss up between the choices you are considering. The things that swung it for me were the following -
The name - I'm a sucker for heritage and it doesn't get better than having an M3 badge on the boot with a coupe body. M3 is now a saloon.
The engine - The S65 is a masterpiece. It's the last of the M3s with a naturally aspirated engine. Add to that, the fact the V8 never went in any other BMW model.
The noise - I have gutted primary cats and a 1.75 mod back box with stage 2 tune. The noise is sublime.
The gearbox - I know the DCT is amazing but, my car is a manual as i had to have one. I wanted it to be a true driver's car with 3 pedals and a stick. It's a weekend car that is for fine weather use only.
The looks - The E92 M3 is, in my eyes, a beauty. A real mix of brute and good aesthetics.
The road tax annoys me and i wish the government would tax cars on usage. But, hey ho, it was it is.
I can only see the E92 M3 going one way in value for all of the reasons above. Its the last of the line.
But, and its a big but, I still always let out an ooooft, when a nice M2 or F80 M3 passes.
Maybe 1 day i could have both!!!!!
Good to hear your experience, and glad to hear that you are getting on well, it's not an easy decision to make is it!And it was a toss up between the choices you are considering. The things that swung it for me were the following -
The name - I'm a sucker for heritage and it doesn't get better than having an M3 badge on the boot with a coupe body. M3 is now a saloon.
The engine - The S65 is a masterpiece. It's the last of the M3s with a naturally aspirated engine. Add to that, the fact the V8 never went in any other BMW model.
The noise - I have gutted primary cats and a 1.75 mod back box with stage 2 tune. The noise is sublime.
The gearbox - I know the DCT is amazing but, my car is a manual as i had to have one. I wanted it to be a true driver's car with 3 pedals and a stick. It's a weekend car that is for fine weather use only.
The looks - The E92 M3 is, in my eyes, a beauty. A real mix of brute and good aesthetics.
The road tax annoys me and i wish the government would tax cars on usage. But, hey ho, it was it is.
I can only see the E92 M3 going one way in value for all of the reasons above. Its the last of the line.
But, and its a big but, I still always let out an ooooft, when a nice M2 or F80 M3 passes.
Maybe 1 day i could have both!!!!!
As much as I'd love the E92, I keep hearing some horror stories from some ownerships and it's really putting me off. Found a young lad on youtube called Hampshire Photography, who has had one and as much as he seems to love the car, his ownership experience is putting me off and pushing me towards M2!!!
Just look through his uploaded videos and you'll see titles like "another big bill for my M3" or "my M3 broke down again"
In one vid where he broke down ownership costs in a calendar year, he spent nearly £17k on the thing in a year!!!!!! (I expect a few £££ bills on cars like this, but that's crazy to me!)
Don't get me wrong, there are some of the typical "wrapping my car xx colour" and "new exhaust for my car" type videos, but there are some eye opening videos on there about repair costs that are helpful to someone like myself, where if something did go wrong I would take the car to a garage and not do the repair myself (I'm useless at manual labour!)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiv9F9uJv-v...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSrY8mEaV-0&li...
Quietly sitting here and hoping cases like that are the "loud minority" for lack of a better phrase, and that most private owners have better experience than this!
Edited by F12DDE on Monday 15th April 17:35
AndrewO said:
My last E92 had two engines, one at 3yrs old replaced under warranty and then went 8k miles later. It was tracked and looked after but I suspect being a press car the damage was done early on, then something missed on the rebuild.
For balance....mate of mine bought a F80 M4 and the engine went on the first trackday. From memory it was an early one, crankhub fix and had done 80k miles.
So what you're saying is... For balance
....mate of mine bought a F80 M4 and the engine went on the first trackday. From memory it was an early one, crankhub fix and had done 80k miles. Edited by AndrewO on Tuesday 16th April 11:03
If I buy an M car, budget for a new engine
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