[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Carefree

You wore me out.
Go for a test drive.

Waiting for the audio version.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Didn't ask you two specifically to answer nor did you have to read this.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Didn't ask you two specifically to answer nor did you have to read this.

But I did.
Deal with it.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Carefree

But I did.
Deal with it.

That's your own damn time that you wasted.
And if that's your attitude, I'm glad my thread wasted your time.

Keep it up.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

That's your own damn time that you wasted.
And if that's your attitude, I'm glad my thread wasted your time.

Keep it up.

You don’t have the stomach.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Didn't ask you two specifically to answer nor did you have to read this.

The good thing is, don't need your permission, invitation nor care if you like my post or not.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Carefree

You don’t have the stomach.

And you don't have the brain. Walk away boy. Nobody specifically asked you to talk here and you're as helpful as a 3rd grader so far.

[HNLG87]

I think I get what you're going for here. I always bought more sensible/used cars until recently.

My current cars:
- 2024 M2 6MT (stock + MP HAS). ~3700lbs
- 2022 XC40 Recharge (EV) ~4600lbs
- 2000 S2000 (mostly stock) ~2800lbs

I also had a 2003 RSX Type-S. Had maxed it out for autox street class, and ran a supercharger for a while before that, so pretty similar experience to your Mazdaspeed 3.

In a word, the M2 is "robust". It's feels more isolated than the Volvo at speed despite being lighter, and it grips harder than the S2000 in corners despite being heavier. It's really amazing and surely the result of better technology all around (tires, suspension, etc). Mid-corner bumps that would send the S2000 backwards feel composed in the M2. The most impressive thing about the M2 is just how flipping fast it feels. I live in Honolulu and it's totally overkill for here with our roads, but for those short bursts of speed it's just epic.

Was it my first choice? Not immediately. In Hawaii and the Honda tax is just crazy, so the price to get an FL5/DE5 and the drama surrounding it was really off-putting. Not to mention I don't have days to invest in the process of buying a car anymore! I mean, I nearly clicked "buy" on a Tesla Model 3P just because of how easy it is to do. By chance the BMW dealer here got back to me a few months ago saying an allocation dropped and I could have a spec'd out car here in 3 months. The local BMW dealer experience is an order of magnitude better than Honda/Acura here.

And that's how it became my first choice. Is it perfect? No, not at all. It's pretty "extra" of a car compared to the S2000. A lot more going on between you and the road.

Compared to the RSX (and your Mazdaspeed 3) it's a pure upgrade. For me I bought this car as an attempt to be able to have an "S2000 with a backseat" so I can carry a toddler around. As of now it's not doing that for me, so I'm keeping the S2000 around. But I am driving the S2000 a lot less.

Oh, and the shifter "feel" thing people keep complaining about. I don't get it. The M2's is not the same but it's really fun. And the pesky 2nd-gear Honda MT grind is absent

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

The good thing is, don't need your permission, invitation nor care if you like my post or not.

Same here, you can walk away too boy. Or you can keep being as helpful as that other 3rd grader.

[xxyion]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Hi all, I've been a long time lurker and I may be in the market for a new car in the next year or two. I'm obviously way early in the process. I mean, hell, I'm still pre-grieving the idea that my daily is reaching the end of his life.

My 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 has been my daily for the last (approaching) 15 years. I'm the original owner and I loved everything about that experience. At 130k miles, I'm due for some suspension overhaul that doesn't make much financial sense due to the current market value of the car. With that being said, I'm considering riding out the the car's golden years. And yes, I am pre-grieving because this was my first big post-college purchase with my own money, and I grew old with it.

My weekend car, the year 2000 Honda S2000 will stay with me. I bought that car used in 2018 when I had enough money to buy my childhood dream car, and turn it into a reality. That car, is better engineered, better built, with the tightest of quality control. At 150k miles, it drives like new.

Now, onto the prospect, the G87 M2. I'm NOT in love with it. That's not really a knock on the G87 M2. I'm just not in love with vast majority of new cars. I'm considering it purely based on the specs sheet. Spec wise, I don't see anything else competing with it in the $60-70k range. I have very little interests in cars like the Supra because I already have my S2000. (with the exception of the GT4) And it will be a daily/second dual purpose track car if purchased.

I do want to hear your ownership experience, and I have some questions:

1) Styling, both interior and exterior. This is purely subjective and I will be honest about this thing stopping traffic for all the WRONG reasons. As a matter of fact, I've already decided that if I were to purchase the car, I'd have to invest another $10k for exterior/aero bits to un-uglify it. Did any of you who shared similar sentiments about the style at the beginning, but eventually came around to it? I can almost see myself starting a car conversation about this car with "Yeahhhh... but, it makes a lot of power and it's a great driving car."

2) Reliability. I've never owned a German car, but I've heard endless horror stories about the ownership experience. I've always thought BMW motors are some of finest but their cars were always held back by something else. Both of my cars are JDM and they've never given me problems, or left me stranded, or left in-operable for any reason. The only CEL I've ever seen in either of the cars were for random sensors that started to go bad. Please be honest about the reliability of G87 M2. If purchased, it will be my daily with "some" track days.

3) Daily Driving. This car will be use for daily driving. The G87 M2 looks like it'll do daily driving just great. Decent trunk space, usable backseat. I'm not going to be concerned about gas mileage, because I know what I'm getting myself into. My Mazdaspeed 3 was horrible on the gas too so it won't be a surprise to me. However, Please comment your experiences on daily driving, the interior's build quality, etc.

4) Factory Carbon Bucket Seats. If you have a set, please comment on how comfortable they are for longer drives and just daily usage. I've seen from many media outlet saying these are the best factory bucket seats, even better than the Porsche's GT bucket seats. Sourcing and fitting aftermarket seats is a pain, not to mention the factory buckets will retain the adjustability and heating.

5) Weight. At ~3,800lbs, this thing is approximately 1,000lbs heavier than my S2000. I understand that new modern cars are just heavy by design, there's just no getting around that. Obviously, I'm biased because my current cars are from another era, and I've considered the F87 generation M2 because it's slightly lighter. However, I'm considering the G87 because it has newer tech and amenities. If the Mazdaspeed 3 ownership showed me anything, is that, nothing dates a car like old, outdated, irrelevant interior tech and amenities. So I don't want to buy another that's already a generation behind, not especially if it's going to be my daily. So, did you guys ever considered the enormous weight of the G87 M2? How did you come around that reality?

6) Feel and emotion. I've heard it all, BMW steering and shifting feel is numb and nonexistent. Please share with me your own personal take on it. It does matter to me. Both my Mazdaspeed 3 and S2000 have excellent shifters. Properly mechanical and positive engagement with each shift.

Thank you all! Appreciate your feedback.

Track photos from Gorilla Tornado Photography, credits to them.

I feel like i know you from the S2000 forums.

But anyways i'll answer what i can even though i DIDNT get an M2.

I did however have an S2000 as well as a GT4. So maybe my perspective will help a bit.

1. Looks: I ended up purchasing a G82 M4 Comp xDrive. Like you when i first saw this car, in my mind i figured i'd have to spend a small fortune just to get it to look better and even then it wouldnt come close. However what made the difference to me was the color i managed to get mine in. When i was considering the m2, it was Black Sapphire Metallic or bust. Any other color i thought made the car look bad. That all being said, i highly recommend not buying a car you do not like the looks of. You'll just not enjoy it as much. The worst is making excuses for the purchases you made. DOnt do that to yourself.

2. Reliability: I've owned my fair share of BMWs. Reliability has gone up a lot in recent years. In the past it was mostly the electrical systems and not the engines that were the issue. Now? Most of that stuff has been fixed. My M2 Competition and Supra (lol) were incredibly reliable even though i only drove them a little over a year each. Compared to my Focus ST which had braking issues within 6 months.

3. Daily Driving: I daily drove my F87C, My Supra (lol even my GT4) and now i daily my G82C. All were and are amazing daily drivers. Very compliant on roads while still giving enough of an oomph to feel sporty even in the most comfy settings. Dont worry about that here, these cars are very good at double duty.

4. Bucket Seats: I wanted these on my M2. To be honest i dont like how the standard seats feel. But part of the reason i bought a G82 is because i was told that ordering bucket seats is going to add between 4-6 months to my build. The M2 is not a dream car of mine, and as its very much a transition car, i cant imagine waiting that long for something that i will get rid of in just a few years at most.

5. Weight: This was a big one for me, as me and you have similar car tastes. I've always been about the NA lightweight cars. Had a BRZ, had the S2000 and GT4, and had a ND Miata for a bit as well. The G82 is massive and weighs a ton. BMW did a really good job making sure the car drives lighter and smaller than it is, however it's still there. The M2 has the advantage of being smaller than the M4 so it will feel a bit lighter, but where you will notice the difference is in corners. Since i'm down to 1 car, it was an ok sacrifice for me.

6. Feel: The shifter is a big point of contention in the BMW community. Some people love it, some people hate it, and others are just happy it exists. I'm in the group of people that hated it. I owned my F87C with my S2000, and the S2000 is just superior in every way. The BMW transmission is rubbery and not direct, and from the get go i'd have issues every now and then going into first from a stop. Not the experience i wanted and it was to the point where i didnt want to drive the car. As far as driving feel, it wont be nearly as raw as your other cars. Not by a long shot. However that can be a benefit and can help enhance your S2000 experience. The BMW is much more numb, but that doesnt mean it's not good. It's still good, but if you're looking for a super raw driving experience like the S2k? M2 wont be there.

Hope some of this helps! These are still great cars and i'm happy driving mine, but just keep in mind BMW has a very different mindset than Porsche.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

And you don't have the brain. Walk away boy. Nobody specifically asked you to talk here and you're as helpful as a 3rd grader so far.

You have no friends, huh?

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by HNLG87

I think I get what you're going for here. I always bought more sensible/used cars until recently.

My current cars:
- 2024 M2 6MT (stock + MP HAS). ~3700lbs
- 2022 XC40 Recharge (EV) ~4600lbs
- 2000 S2000 (mostly stock) ~2800lbs

I also had a 2003 RSX Type-S. Had maxed it out for autox street class, and ran a supercharger for a while before that, so pretty similar experience to your Mazdaspeed 3.

In a word, the M2 is "robust". It's feels more isolated than the Volvo at speed despite being lighter, and it grips harder than the S2000 in corners despite being heavier. It's really amazing and surely the result of better technology all around (tires, suspension, etc). Mid-corner bumps that would send the S2000 backwards feel composed in the M2. The most impressive thing about the M2 is just how flipping fast it feels. I live in Honolulu and it's totally overkill for here with our roads, but for those short bursts of speed it's just epic.

Was it my first choice? Not immediately. In Hawaii and the Honda tax is just crazy, so the price to get an FL5/DE5 and the drama surrounding it was really off-putting. Not to mention I don't have days to invest in the process of buying a car anymore! I mean, I nearly clicked "buy" on a Tesla Model 3P just because of how easy it is to do. By chance the BMW dealer here got back to me a few months ago saying an allocation dropped and I could have a spec'd out car here in 3 months. The local BMW dealer experience is an order of magnitude better than Honda/Acura here.

And that's how it became my first choice. Is it perfect? No, not at all. It's pretty "extra" of a car compared to the S2000. A lot more going on between you and the road.

Compared to the RSX (and your Mazdaspeed 3) it's a pure upgrade. For me I bought this car as an attempt to be able to have an "S2000 with a backseat" so I can carry a toddler around. As of now it's not doing that for me, so I'm keeping the S2000 around. But I am driving the S2000 a lot less.

Oh, and the shifter "feel" thing people keep complaining about. I don't get it. The M2's is not the same but it's really fun. And the pesky 2nd-gear Honda MT grind is absent

Thanks! Those are some great point and I am envious of your garage! I mean, you have a "true" daily! I wish I could have a 3 car lineup!

I get what you mean with the recent Honda "Tax" with those Type R/S, the markups on those are still insane.

I think your comments about the way the G87 M2 handles is minimizing my concerns about its weight, thanks!

Do you have the buckets in your car too?

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

You have no friends, huh?

More so than you, otherwise, why else would you take the time to come here and be a 3rd grader? Haha

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Keep driving those cute little rice beaters, they’re so you.
Participation here isn’t by invitation cupcake.
Don’t like it? Read between the lines.

lol you think I have to like everything you post? Nope. Wake up dumbass. I didn't ask you, but feel free to run your loud mouth. I know you need to be heard since there's no one else to listen to you.

Keep it up.

[Carefree]

Nah. It’s too easy jerking your chain.
Hope I get to meet you soon.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by xxyion

I feel like i know you from the S2000 forums.

But anyways i'll answer what i can even though i DIDNT get an M2.

I did however have an S2000 as well as a GT4. So maybe my perspective will help a bit.

1. Looks: I ended up purchasing a G82 M4 Comp xDrive. Like you when i first saw this car, in my mind i figured i'd have to spend a small fortune just to get it to look better and even then it wouldnt come close. However what made the difference to me was the color i managed to get mine in. When i was considering the m2, it was Black Sapphire Metallic or bust. Any other color i thought made the car look bad. That all being said, i highly recommend not buying a car you do not like the looks of. You'll just not enjoy it as much. The worst is making excuses for the purchases you made. DOnt do that to yourself.

2. Reliability: I've owned my fair share of BMWs. Reliability has gone up a lot in recent years. In the past it was mostly the electrical systems and not the engines that were the issue. Now? Most of that stuff has been fixed. My M2 Competition and Supra (lol) were incredibly reliable even though i only drove them a little over a year each. Compared to my Focus ST which had braking issues within 6 months.

3. Daily Driving: I daily drove my F87C, My Supra (lol even my GT4) and now i daily my G82C. All were and are amazing daily drivers. Very compliant on roads while still giving enough of an oomph to feel sporty even in the most comfy settings. Dont worry about that here, these cars are very good at double duty.

4. Bucket Seats: I wanted these on my M2. To be honest i dont like how the standard seats feel. But part of the reason i bought a G82 is because i was told that ordering bucket seats is going to add between 4-6 months to my build. The M2 is not a dream car of mine, and as its very much a transition car, i cant imagine waiting that long for something that i will get rid of in just a few years at most.

5. Weight: This was a big one for me, as me and you have similar car tastes. I've always been about the NA lightweight cars. Had a BRZ, had the S2000 and GT4, and had a ND Miata for a bit as well. The G82 is massive and weighs a ton. BMW did a really good job making sure the car drives lighter and smaller than it is, however it's still there. The M2 has the advantage of being smaller than the M4 so it will feel a bit lighter, but where you will notice the difference is in corners. Since i'm down to 1 car, it was an ok sacrifice for me.

6. Feel: The shifter is a big point of contention in the BMW community. Some people love it, some people hate it, and others are just happy it exists. I'm in the group of people that hated it. I owned my F87C with my S2000, and the S2000 is just superior in every way. The BMW transmission is rubbery and not direct, and from the get go i'd have issues every now and then going into first from a stop. Not the experience i wanted and it was to the point where i didnt want to drive the car. As far as driving feel, it wont be nearly as raw as your other cars. Not by a long shot. However that can be a benefit and can help enhance your S2000 experience. The BMW is much more numb, but that doesnt mean it's not good. It's still good, but if you're looking for a super raw driving experience like the S2k? M2 wont be there.

Hope some of this helps! These are still great cars and i'm happy driving mine, but just keep in mind BMW has a very different mindset than Porsche.

Maybe, I was definitely more active on S2000 forums, but not so much anymore. Since the pandemic, I actually lost interests in cars, and more specifically, lost interests in the S2000 community as I found the demographic of that community is shifter towards to kids who "do it for the boyz" and hard parking their cars. Not my cup of tea. So I sort of dropped out of the community. And just focused on making the car "mine" and trying to get more track hours under my belt. But anyways, good to hear from you again if we ever came across one another in those S2000 forums!

You mentioned the weight... I mean yeah everyone is telling me that I won't "feel" it. But to your point, I know it's still there. But I feel like this is just something I have to accept with modern cars, unless I go for something bespoke like a Porsche product.

I envy you man, I'm torn between getting the G87 M2, or sucking it up and keep my Mazdaspeed 3 and try to get lucky with a GT4 myself.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Nah. It’s too easy jerking your chain.
Hope I get to meet you soon.

I don't meet idiots. I'm allergic to them especially those that haven't hit puberty.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

More so than you, otherwise, why else would you take the time to come here and be a 3rd grader? Haha

Hmmm...lets see, no one else here acting like an ass but YOU. The thing is, you obviously had no idea what I even said. Wasnt directed at you, specifically, nor was it even an attack. But you you either couldn't take the time to realize what I said or lack the smarts to figure it out.

Good luck with your life...

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

Hmmm...lets see, no one else here acting like an ass but YOU. The thing is, you obviously had no idea what I even said. Wasnt directed at you, specifically, nor was it even an attack. But you you either couldn't take the time to realize what I said or lack the smarts to figure it out.

Good luck with your life...

No one acting like an ass but me? You must be blind or have selective seeing. Either way, you came into the thread and contributed nothing so far. What's your point even?

Handful of people actually helped me with my inquiries but you two idiots have done what? You're not required to provide your input, nope. But otherwise, why are you even here? You stop at every rock to talk about it?

I've been out of the forums for too long, forgot there are idiots roaming all the time.

[TheLegend]

I'll probably offer a different opinion than most of the owners who ended up purchasing the M2 here. I ended up sitting in one but test driving a G80 M3 manual since I couldn't test drive the M2.

1) Styling, both interior and exterior: Does look better in person, but the rear end is what bothers me more.

2) Reliability: BMW straight 6 is quite reliable and especially the latest generation I drove my previous F82 M4 for over 45k miles before I sold it without any issues and I took it onto the track multiple times. I imagine they've pretty much ironed everything out, unlike the S65.

6) Feel and emotion: Since you come from older cars I think maybe your expectation is similar to mine, I still have and love my STI and unfortunately this is where it falls apart and all modern bmws falls apart for me. They've become too refined and too numb so you need to hit crazy amounts of speed to get any enjoyment out of it. That's why I sold my F82 M4 and I wanted to see if the newest generation was better. It's better in the sense that it's faster, more refined, more capable and more comfortable so if that's what you want then it does all those things well. Steering is as numb as they say. I think all of it would be forgivable if BMW put a good manual, but its the same BMW manual and my problem with it is more so the clutch engagement in 1-2. It's somehow very difficult to drive smoothly and I've been driving manuals for 22 years. Sadly on the G80 M3 the manual felt more of the same with this regards, I doubt the M2 is much different, but maybe I'm wrong. The manual in the new supra is a lot better and it's sad BMW won't put in the development to make it good, because it's possible. You're coming from one of the gold standards the s2000 so I can't imagine you'll enjoy daily driving this manual at all. I ultimately bought a GT4 and absolutely love that thing, obviously not something you can fit a family in. I'm hoping the new FL5 Type R stops being marked up.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what anyone says, go out and test drive it and decide for yourself if it's what your looking for. Ultimately I decided the G80 M3 nor the G87M2 is the car for me

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by TheLegend

I'll probably offer a different opinion than most of the owners who ended up purchasing the M2 here. I ended up sitting in one but test driving a G80 M3 manual since I couldn't test drive the M2.

1) Styling, both interior and exterior: Does look better in person, but the rear end is what bothers me more.

2) Reliability: BMW straight 6 is quite reliable and especially the latest generation I drove my previous F82 M4 for over 45k miles before I sold it without any issues and I took it onto the track multiple times. I imagine they've pretty much ironed everything out, unlike the S65.

6) Feel and emotion: Since you come from older cars I think maybe your expectation is similar to mine, I still have and love my STI and unfortunately this is where it falls apart and all modern bmws falls apart for me. They've become too refined and too numb so you need to hit crazy amounts of speed to get any enjoyment out of it. That's why I sold my F82 M4 and I wanted to see if the newest generation was better. It's better in the sense that it's faster, more refined, more capable and more comfortable so if that's what you want then it does all those things well. Steering is as numb as they say. I think all of it would be forgivable if BMW put a good manual, but its the same BMW manual and my problem with it is more so the clutch engagement in 1-2. It's somehow very difficult to drive smoothly and I've been driving manuals for 22 years. Sadly on the G80 M3 the manual felt more of the same with this regards, I doubt the M2 is much different, but maybe I'm wrong. The manual in the new supra is a lot better and it's sad BMW won't put in the development to make it good, because it's possible. You're coming from one of the gold standards the s2000 so I can't imagine you'll enjoy daily driving this manual at all.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what anyone says, go out and test drive it and decide for yourself if it's what your looking for. Ultimately I decided the G80 M3 nor the G87M2 is the car for me

Wow, that came out of nowhere! Haha thanks for that input!

I haven't considered the M3 because well... I personally think that car has grown a bit too large for me? I hear you on the steering/shifting feel. And I'm glad you came from an older era so you have know what sort of feeling and emotions I'm referring to.

I guess I just have to accept this is how new cars will be?

P.S. I personally think the M3 styling is easier on the eyes than the M2...

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

No one acting like an ass but me? You must be blind or have selective seeing. Either way, you came into the thread and contributed nothing so far. What's your point even?

Handful of people actually helped me with my inquiries but you two idiots have done what? You're not required to provide your input, nope. But otherwise, why are you even here?

Answer that and bye!

Again, I don't need your permission nor invitation to post. When you attack, I will attack back. I didn't call you any names nor make derogatory comments to you (although you deserved it).

If you need others to make your decisions for you, I feel sorry for you. Maybe best you keep your kiddie Speed3...or better yet, go for the GT4.

Oh, and since I am not leaving I guess you are.. don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.