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      11-19-2019, 05:31 AM   #1
yoboi
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Drives: Too many
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: California

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M2C vs GT350 review

Not really considering GT350 seriously, but I did drive a friend's on a backroad recently, and I had some polarizing views I'm curious if other people share.

Engine:

M2C has more of a kick with turbo surge, but my god the GT350 sounds like pure bliss. It also has nice NA throttle response(though M2C isn't bad here either) and feels like a larger S2000 in terms of engine. M2C sounds pathetic with a stock exhaust compared to GT350, which isn't that surprising. However, M2C has more potential with bolt-ons, due to being a turbo car.

Winner: GT350 by far haha

Chassis:

Driving on a tight backroad downhill fairly fast, the GT350 definitely showed its weaknesses. I drove it in track mode, and it did not feel lithe at all feeling downright big, while the M2C felt far more akin to lighter FR cars such as the E36/E46 M3, not showing it's weight close to as much.

Some of this can be attributed to how dialed in each car was, but both cars had basic suspension mods at the least. The GT350 felt clumsy and fat in the rear end, and far less confidence-inspiring while also being less enjoyable. On the track, my answer could change, especially if I drove a GT350R. But on tight-ish backroads, the M2C is a far more potent and agile weapon as it stands.

Winner: M2C

Feel:

This one is honestly a toss-up. My M2C has engine/transmission mounts and a lot of suspension work, while the GT350 didn't have that much. Despite this, the GT350 steering felt more "natural", while the M2C felt more "rubbery" with slightly less communication of what the front tires were doing. The GT350 also seemed to have much lighter steering, which I personally disliked, and not as much feel when losing traction in the rear, though again the modification levels on each car are different, and GT350 steering probably has more potential, as aluminum bushings as available for the steering rack.

In terms of the shifter, The GT350 wins stock for stock no argument, as M2C is very rubbery stock with very little feel, but a CAE in M2C vs MGW in GT350 I think the M2C wins. Seating position in both cars stock is too high, though both can be remedied with a bucket seat. This applies to most flaws in both cars aside from steering haha. The car and driver group test definitely gushed about the steering far too much, as neither car is near perfect. This is definitely a toss-up for me.

Winner: Tie

Interior:

The M2C has the far nicer interior, though the newer GT350/Rs are far better than the older models with nice stitching and the like. Personally I think the M2C is more livable with the higher-quality interior and less NVH stock, so I'd give this one to M2C. But personally I'd be fine with either, especially since I track fairly often.

Winner: M2C

Exterior:

Quality-wise, M2C panel gaps are far better, and paint quality as well, though the GT350 is a little more aggressive-looking IMO. Overall this is your preference. Go with what you like.

Winner: Subjective


Reliability/Safety:

This is where things get slightly dicey. My friend has a 2017 GT350, so it is a Voodoo gen-1, and it consumes a LOT of oil. So much so that it went for the oil consumption test. It also blew its AC compressor, and a considerable amount of other things have gone wrong.

I also have a friend with a 2017 Focus RS, and his engine straight up spun a bearing at 20k miles. This was after he had gotten the head gasket replacement, so it wasn't related to that. Apparently it was a poor tech job replacing the head gasket, or so they said. Though if you care about safety, Ford is generally very good with 5-star ratings. I also have first-hand testimonies, as a friend flew off a mountain in a Focus RS, flipped 18 times, and came out with a few scratches(though the car was totaled).

In comparison to the Ford, my M2C has had one issue, with the shifter being misaligned and popping out of first gear. This was fixed fairly quickly, and no other issues have popped up in 5k miles and 8 track days(knock on wood). However older BMWs have been extremely unreliable at high mileage for me, so honestly, I would also call this a toss-up.

Winner: Tie

Overall, both are great cars, but I think they both need a bit of finessing with mods for hardcore track duty, and neither is perfect. TL;DR, stock, if you want a daily with some character, get the M2C, if you want an emotional car with some daily-ability, get the GT350. Mods toss this out the window for both cars. Even though I said the GT350 was a worse chassis, I think an aggressive alignment and camber plates could possibly mitigate the biggest of my issues. And the engine is great.

Thanks for reading!

Picture of the cars below : )
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Last edited by yoboi; 11-19-2019 at 05:54 AM..
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