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Post by Tim on May 15, 2024 10:32:38 GMT
I was hanging around a BMW showroom this morning so took the opportunity to sit in the M2 there. I was surprised to see it was a manual, which was nice. The interior is VERY generic BMW - all models now have the dashboard slab TV display thing. However, the thing that was really different was that the car had the crotch pocket seats. I experienced these a few weeks ago on an M3 estate but these ones were slightly easier to get out of. The only problem with them was that they don't work properly with a clutch. The pedal is so far offset to the right that when I depressed it fully the stupid raised bit on the seat was pressing up in the space between the 2 tendons that come out of the back of my knee. Don't BMW have any short arse testers? Given the price of the car in the showroom was £77k I think I'd opt for the 73 plate M3 Comp saloon - with normal seats - they have outside at £73k usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/202403057234136?quoteref=395efaf7-d27c-4a02-8853-da2023b49ed6 |
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Post by johnc on May 15, 2024 10:53:05 GMT
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Post by Tim on May 15, 2024 12:56:59 GMT
That's not helping.
My 430 is in for a service and since they don't do courtesy cars I blagged an extended test drive in a 340d.
No doubt when I go back later the salesman will be trying to flog me one of those
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Post by racingteatray on May 15, 2024 14:00:17 GMT
Only for a mega-discount - 40d engine has been (or is being) discontinued in the UK I think.
The residuals on M2s are not good - you can get a nearly new nicely-specced manual (and the manual costs more) for a shade over £50k. Clearly the fact that they are fugly is not helping matters.
The M240i looks heaps better - more than butch enough without the XM-alike titivation (still think an XM is a Citroen rather than a gopping BMW SUV).
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Post by Martin on May 15, 2024 16:45:18 GMT
I’d rather have an M240i than M2.
Part of a longer story, but we’re booked in to test drive an M240i on Saturday as well as a couple of EVs.
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Post by Tim on May 15, 2024 18:12:49 GMT
40d engine being pulled from July apparently. If I order a new 40i - my preferred choice would be an M340i Touring - then there's a £4k manufacturer incentive and I noticed he increased that to £6k when doing the numbers so there's a dealer discount available too. List price is £61k plus options. PCP and HP rates were 5.5%. Delivery would be 4-6 months no matter if I specced it differently as they're all 'to order' now anyway. I could cancel the order at any time up to delivery. The 430 is worth £11.5k as a trade in at 7 years old and 70k miles. It was tempting but Mrs Tim would kill me  Plus I'm sure there's a better deal to be achieved. I'll do a write up on the M340d in the next few days. |
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Post by johnc on May 16, 2024 6:50:27 GMT
I’d rather have an M240i than M2. Me too. The M240i has the bonnet bulge and the flared arches without the stupid M2 addons and having seen a few being given full throttle on the road they are plenty quick enough. |
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Post by johnc on May 16, 2024 6:54:25 GMT
40d engine being pulled from July apparently. If I order a new 40i - my preferred choice would be an M340i Touring - then there's a £4k manufacturer incentive and I noticed he increased that to £6k when doing the numbers so there's a dealer discount available too. List price is £61k plus options. PCP and HP rates were 5.5%. Delivery would be 4-6 months no matter if I specced it differently as they're all 'to order' now anyway. I could cancel the order at any time up to delivery. The 430 is worth £11.5k as a trade in at 7 years old and 70k miles. It was tempting but Mrs Tim would kill me Plus I'm sure there's a better deal to be achieved. I'll do a write up on the M340d in the next few days. Looking at Autotrader these are holding their value pretty well and any used car is not going to come with 5.5% finance (as long as that is apr!) which could make them more expensive. Are you trying to spend the new house funds before you are forced to move? |
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Post by Tim on May 16, 2024 7:57:29 GMT
40d engine being pulled from July apparently. If I order a new 40i - my preferred choice would be an M340i Touring - then there's a £4k manufacturer incentive and I noticed he increased that to £6k when doing the numbers so there's a dealer discount available too. List price is £61k plus options. PCP and HP rates were 5.5%. Delivery would be 4-6 months no matter if I specced it differently as they're all 'to order' now anyway. I could cancel the order at any time up to delivery. The 430 is worth £11.5k as a trade in at 7 years old and 70k miles. It was tempting but Mrs Tim would kill me Plus I'm sure there's a better deal to be achieved. I'll do a write up on the M340d in the next few days. Looking at Autotrader these are holding their value pretty well and any used car is not going to come with 5.5% finance (as long as that is apr!) which could make them more expensive. Are you trying to spend the new house funds before you are forced to move? There are 11 on autotrader and I was quite surprised to see a 2020 with 35k miles at £39,950 (the grey one with the red leather). Fair enough I think its well specced but when I tried the configurator last night that's still only (!) a £68k car if you choose, say, Tanzanite Blue at £2,800 and the comfort and tech packs. I'm still very tempted but there's absolutely nothing wrong with the 430 and I need to replace the Kia first. Not sure about house funds - what we would really want is about £100k more than we can afford and on the nice days we've had recently we both wonder why we want to move from where we are as the location is brilliant (although sadly the house is fairly bland which is the problem). |
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Post by racingteatray on May 16, 2024 11:54:07 GMT
I’d rather have an M240i than M2. Me too. The M240i has the bonnet bulge and the flared arches without the stupid M2 addons and having seen a few being given full throttle on the road they are plenty quick enough. My mother's neighbour bought one in Portimao Blue last year - well-optioned with sunroof etc - and I have to say it looks very smart. Has a great stance and just harks back to the E30 325i in appeal. |
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Post by PetrolEd on May 16, 2024 13:29:25 GMT
I'd still take the M2, in black to best disguise all the hideousness and put on some much nicer wheels. Job done.
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Post by racingteatray on May 16, 2024 16:47:20 GMT
I'd still take the M2, in black to best disguise all the hideousness and put on some much nicer wheels. Job done. Depends. If you want a manual, it must be the M2. Otherwise I'd have the M240i. I keep looking at the Z4 M40i manual. But then I remind myself that a lightly used Boxster GTS manual is not hugely more. |
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Post by alf on May 17, 2024 8:35:46 GMT
I'm another fan of the M240i - this and the last generation. It's always really well reveiwed, and since (unlike journos) 99.9% of owners will not regularly drive on tracks or proving grounds, I think it's vastly better value. The current one in that aubergine colour is a bit of a crush of mine.
Unfortunately BMW seem to have realised that because of the hype around the M2, they can charge M3 money, and its also no narrower and barely lighter (so what's the point?).
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Post by myself on Jun 1, 2024 18:34:42 GMT
The Boxster GTS would feel more 'special' for me. Not logical perhaps and more from the heart but, there ya go.
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