[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Chipped B6

That's funny. 95 percent of us are current BMW owners. We wouldnt be contemplating this if BMW hadn't lost their way.

Let me know the exact date that BMW " lost their way" ... I'm kinda curious...

[GhostyM]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

Let me know the exact date that BMW " lost their way" ... I'm kinda curious...

As soon as they stopped making N/A M cars.

I've owned every single M car they have made since 2008. No E46 or E36 under my belt sure, but M has lost their way. Sound isn't desirable, looks good but has creaks and rattles. Sure, its fast but at the same time has no real linear power curve.. also makes it a bit tough to track with the power band being as wonky as it is
.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Chipped B6

As soon as they stopped making N/A M cars.

I've owned every single M car they have made since 2008. No E46 or E36 under my belt sure, but M has lost their way. Sound isn't desirable, looks good but has creaks and rattles. Sure, its fast but at the same time has no real linear power curve.. also makes it a bit tough to track with the power band being as wonky as it is
.

Ok. You Better buy a cayman gt4 quickly ! Porsche is next..!

Seriously, the addition of turbo chargers at BMW, has led you to go buy what was up until just recently, a supercharged car ?

[GhostyM]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

Ok. You Better buy a cayman gt4 quickly ! Porsche is next..!

Seriously, the addition of turbo chargers at BMW, has led you to go buy what was up until just recently, a supercharged car ?

Wait.. you think the GT350 is supercharged?

[arsenalrocks]

couple pics:
washed and stored, shift light+tone should be in very performance manual coupe

[Spook410]

I'm not interested in the GT350 because BMW went mainstream or because all automotive manufacturers have been driven to turbochargers. I'm interested in it because of the engine, dynamics, steering, and brakes. This would be in spite of the size and relatively poor visibility. Still leaning towards the M2 but wanting a GT350 has nothing to do with being unhappy with something else. Ford just did an amazing job in making me want a Mustang.. something I never thought would happen.

[olaosunt]

Originally Posted by arsenalrocks

i am still breaking it in, didn't want to pull to redline until at least 500miles or so. and yes redline is 8250, the oil has to be heated up to a certain temp (i think it is 190f, else redline is 8000)

i much perfer the size of 235i, felt small and nimble, gt350 is so much wider and longer, the visibility doesn't help either, felt like a much bigger car

First of all, great to see another enthusiast that loves both Mustangs and BMW.
I went from a 2007 335 to a 2009 E90 M3(initially missed the twin turbo but soon swore I would be buried in it ) and then "back to" the M235.

I have had 5 mustangs since my first GT in 2005 including a 2011 GT500 and still have a 2012(859 rwhp race car) and 2 2015's with TT.
I was going to get a GT350 via military auto sales but ended up keeping the GT I had to order first and then slapping on a Helion TT.
I am sure it is obvious by now I am into drag racing ,hence I think I made the right decision in foregoing the GT350 as I would have ruined it eventually by trying force air through it .lol

I agree size wise the Mustang GT feels like a tank when you drive it back to back to the M235.
I had considering "upgrading " my FBO M235 to an M2 but I think I am going to pass since the only type of racing I really do is in a straight line.lol

As it is now my M235 would hang with a stock GT350( 11.9 for both ) all though the higher trap speed of the GT350 tells the difference in power (121 vs 114)

The M235 is my all time favorite "in town " street car because of the gobs of torque it makes so I presume the M2 would also make a much better DD.

To be honest I can't really say I miss the E90 M3 that much since it was a relative dog in the 1/4 ,but like the GT350 that was not what it was built for .

I don't know if I will ever get into open track racing but if I ever do that might be the time to "upgrade " the M235 and trade in one of the TT 2015's for a GT350.
Pictures below do not quite capture the size difference especially from behind the wheel.

[damnitBobby]

These two cars make good opponents.

For me personally I'm leaning towards the M2 mostly because of size. The high revving, badassery from the GT350 is cool but after much vacillation 3,800 lbs just isn't going to fly with me.

Another thing, and this may sound silly to some people, but I see way too many mustangs at stoplights. I prefer to own a car that not everybody and their sister drives. It just makes the ownership experience that much more satisfying to me when I know I have an individual car.

Yet another thing, to contrast everyone else, I prefer the slower, less powerful car. Powerful cars that can only be driven 7/10th's is a big turn off to me. It would be nice to have a dedicated track car, but I haven't reached that point in my fiscal life. So until then I would like a car I can enjoy on and off the track. The M2's smooth inline 6 should be quite gratifying to drive.

[///M3Owner]

Originally Posted by arsenalrocks

couple pics:
washed and stored, shift light+tone should be in very performance manual coupe

hows the gas been? I've been very interested in getting a gt350 as a replacement to my M, but I've been skeptical on the gas and the interior

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Chipped B6

Wait.. you think the GT350 is supercharged?

No... Please read again.

I said up until just recently. As in.. For how many years have mustangs been blown recently?

[///Mpossible]

Looks like they like the Shelby very much, every aspect of it!!

[arsenalrocks]

gas mileage...still breakin it in, but for sure uses more gas than the e92 m3. with the same redline and 30% larger displacement it just can't be more fuel efficient than the m3.

interior is very nice in my opinion, nothing special or jar dropping, much improved from last gen for sure. prev gen was not acceptable. I got tech pack with the nice 8.0 in touchscreen, track/base has that pathetic 4.3in thingie which is unacceptable in my opinion.

for interior you can go sit in a mustang gt with sync3 to get a feel for it. the gt350 has all the chrome dull out to prevent reflection from the sun on track.

Originally Posted by ///M3Owner

hows the gas been? I've been very interested in getting a gt350 as a replacement to my M, but I've been skeptical on the gas and the interior

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by damnitBobby

These two cars make good opponents.

For me personally I'm leaning towards the M2 mostly because of size. The high revving, badassery from the GT350 is cool but after much vacillation 3,800 lbs just isn't going to fly with me.

Another thing, and this may sound silly to some people, but I see way too many mustangs at stoplights. I prefer to own a car that not everybody and their sister drives. It just makes the ownership experience that much more satisfying to me when I know I have an individual car.

Yet another thing, to contrast everyone else, I prefer the slower, less powerful car. Powerful cars that can only be driven 7/10th's is a big turn off to me. It would be nice to have a dedicated track car, but I haven't reached that point in my fiscal life. So until then I would like a car I can enjoy on and off the track. The M2's smooth inline 6 should be quite gratifying to drive.

I think its kind of funny when i hear guys on BMW forums talking about picking a M car because they are more rare on the road. Many a M2 or M3 car model is rarer on the streets than vettes, camaros or mustangs... but the streets have so many BMW non M models on the road. That makes the M only a rare sight for car guys. everyone else will view it has a nice BMW. Part owning a rare car is that its truly a rare car.

IMO you got Lamborghini, ferrari, aston martin, McLean etc... and then you got everything else. this is my experience with owning a M3 for years.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Ezio

I think its kind of funny when i hear guys on BMW forums talking about picking a M car because they are more rare on the road. Many a M2 or M3 car model is rarer on the streets than vettes, camaros or mustangs... but the streets have so many BMW non M models on the road. That makes the M only a rare sight for car guys. everyone else will view it has a nice BMW. Part owning a rare car is that its truly a rare car.

IMO you got Lamborghini, ferrari, aston martin, McLean etc... and then you got everything else. this is my experience with owning a M3 for years.

I think you're a a little off the reservation here, and it's probably because you own the ACCORD/CAMRY model of the BMW lineup.

The 3 series/4 series are quite common place.

One, two , and six , series M cars are rather rare actually.

Compare any of those with production figures with Ford Mustang production numbers ..

Seeing an x5 may not be rare but finding an x5m is... And of course the x6 and the x6m aren't often found in the wild.

The z3 was fairly commonplace, but the z4 sold in small numbers and the z4M coupe and roadster certainly have some exclusivity.


Of course, that's coming from a guy who actually has owned two truly rare M cars .... ;-)


I have almost gotten used to all the stares after owning an e30 m3 for 17 years and a 1m for 4..

[TireFire]

Originally Posted by Briancanadiano

As much as I am a BMW fanboy and everything, That ford is a serious machine and will probably eat the m2 for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lol

This. I am BMW 4 Life and all but the M2 and GT350 aren't even in the same category.

[arsenalrocks]

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2015-...t350r-mustang/

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2016-...urce=pulsenews

"A true driver’s car is rare, much less one that’s affordable. Or endowed with an 8,200-rpm V-8. Or steering and handling that shame the Germans. This Shelby settles any doubts. America now makes the best driver’s cars in the world, R or not."

[Ajameson23]

Had a Shelby, traded it in for the F80 and I couldn't be happier. Granted that was a 2010 and a much older car (in comparison to the GT350 and its tech) but being in my first BMW I was amazed at how much time engineers put into driver ergonomics. I'm using it as a DD so comfort, practicality, and overall layout are important to me. At least they are now that I know what I've been missing.

[Spook410]

Originally Posted by Ajameson23

Had a Shelby, traded it in for the F80 and I couldn't be happier. Granted that was a 2010 and a much older car (in comparison to the GT350 and its tech) but being in my first BMW I was amazed at how much time engineers put into driver ergonomics. I'm using it as a DD so comfort, practicality, and overall layout are important to me. At least they are now that I know what I've been missing.

Glad you like your M3 but a 2010 Mustang Shelby and a 2015+ GT350 don't seem all that comparable.

[Three Pedal Steve]

I just wonder about durability of that flat plane V8?

[neckthrough]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

The 3 series/4 series are quite common place.

One, two , and six , series M cars are rather rare actually.

Compare any of those with production figures with Ford Mustang production numbers ..

Seeing an x5 may not be rare but finding an x5m is...

Shouldn't you apply the same standard to the fords as well? Shelbys are the "M"s of the mustang lineup, and are quite rare.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by neckthrough

Shouldn't you apply the same standard to the fords as well? Shelbys are the "M"s of the mustang lineup, and are quite rare.

Apparently our definitions of rare differ.


I didn't have to look, but I just did and perhaps you should look up mustang production numbers.

The boss 302, a car many considered a competitor to the 1M was produced in numbers of 4016 in 2012, 4273 in 2013.


There we're approximately 750 Laguna SECA edition models made in both those years.
That compares to the 740 1M models that were produced in 2011.


Shelby gt500 models from 2007-2009 typically were made in figures of 8- 11,000 vehicles annually!

Compare this to TOTAL production of all e9x models in the US and Canada's from 2008-2011 of 5.867 and keep in mind that the 3/4 series is the most mass produced M car !

[neckthrough]

E9x M3 US/Canada production (2007-2013) = 25,672.
GT500 total production (2007-2013) = 42,266.
For reference, BMW 3 series sales in the US/Canada (2007-2013) = 846,760.

So yes, I concede that the GT500 is more common than the M3, but comparing the numbers to a mass-produced car, to me it seems they are in the same ballpark of rarity among traffic on the road.

Sources:
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=863649
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...uction-numbers
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html