[RATED__M]

This will be a review and also a comparison to an e46 M3 as I owned both long term. Rewind to last June, I was the owner of my then dream BMW. A 2006 Manual Interlagos Blue E46 M3 ZCP with 45k miles. The epitome of E46's in the U.S.. I loved that car. I Owned it for 3 years. I Bought it from a family friend who was the original owner. It was perfect. I had no intentions of getting something else. Nothing on the market enticed me to want anything else. The F80 was too big, the F82 was too long, and the F87, as great as it was and as much fun as I had driving it around a track, it just didn't do it for me. I said, multiple times, I wish Bmw would make the m2 with the m3/4 aspects and then I'd buy one. Well, that's just what they did and that's just what I did. So I went into my local dealership in June of last year and placed the order. HS, MT, Exec package, orange stitching, no sunroof. I regretfully at the time put my E46 on Bring a trailer and it brought almost 50% more than what my reserve was. So at that point, there was really nothing to be regretful of lol. Fast forward almost 3 months to September 3rd, my M2 comp arrived. I was in love. It was perfect. I described it to everyone as just a more modern, better, faster e46 m3. The size is great, the technology is great, everything is great. I had a few negatives about it but nothing crazy. Just my own and I'm sure a few others, annoyances.

1. The exhaust hangs down way too far (I painted mine black and that solved that)

2. The gas tank isn't large enough

3. This is a lame one but my e46 m3 came with an illuminated shift knob from the factory back in 06' and so do the new m3's so I was disappointed to find out it didn't come with one although, that's not hard to retrofit.

4. The fact that you can't take off rev match unless you take off traction completely which I'm forced to do every time I drive it lol. Although, I will I don't mind the rev match. I think it's great. I just wish it was easier to turn off.

5. This is more of a complaint of all BMW's and not just the m2. I've owned 3 Manual BMW's in the past and all of them lack the feedback wanted for a manual. It just doesn't engage with you like some other manual cars I own.

Anyway, aside from those few things, I couldn't be happier. It's sorta my daily but not really. I have a few bikes which I ride more than I drive a car, and other cars that I can use but do find myself driving that more often than any other I have which include some cars that people would argue are better than the m2 but I'd disagree to an extent. I've driven it exactly 8k miles in the year. I have tracked it and I have autocrossed it. I have taken long trips and I have taken short trips. I've pretty much done everything I could do with it with where I live (flat south Florida)...

Now for the daily driving. The gas mileage does indeed suck and is worse than the e46 m3, but I won't dwell on that. The suspension is not as stiff as people make out for it to be. It's not any harsher than any other sports car I've owned or do own. I personally think that too many people focus on the harshness. What do you expect it to feel like? It's a sports car that it track focused. It's an extremely practical car. I can go out with the family one night, and then take it to the track the next. I can get some groceries, or I can go for a nice Sunday drive. It's very versatile just like the e46 was without looking like it's versatile and I always appreciated that. I get compliments everywhere I go with this thing which is surprising to me since I got almost zero attention in the E46, and when I did it was only Uber enthusiasts who came up to me at a cars and coffee or something like that. This car attracts everyone, everywhere especially the Hockenheim silver and I appreciate that because it is such a subtle yet beautiful car. It's nothing crazy, but just the right amount of wow factor for people to take a gander.

What mods have I done? Not much. I haven't felt the need to do a lot. I like very subtle mods if any at all. I Painted the muffler black, black vinyl on the roof, Goldenwrench blackline tail kit, tinted windows, and some software programming using the BimmerCode app. That's it.

So to wrap this up, the m2 competition is a fantastic car. The power is there when you want it. The sound is there when you want it, and my smile is there every time I drive it. The E46 m3 was/is a fantastic car as well and definitely an enthusiast car that will forever go down as one of the greats but this car is everything the m3 isn't and that's why I love it so much. Maybe someday I'll get another one, but for now, the m2 will continue to take its place. Every time I regret selling the m3, which is almost everyday, I take the m2 for a drive and understand all over again why being regretful is the wrong emotion to have. Plus, I don't have to worry about the vanos, rod bearings, and subframe ... yet

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this lengthy post. Now, Here's some pictures of the m2.

[rj45m]

Nice review. Car looks great. Any photos of the rear showing the painted muffler? Thanks.

[RATED__M]

Originally Posted by rj45m

Nice review. Car looks great. Any photos of the rear showing the painted muffler? Thanks.

Ah yea, forgot to post that. Here you go. Kinda hard to see the muffler in pics from far away but here's the best one I have

[Davil]

Nice car.

What is the weird small blue penis entering a ring emblem on the number plate?

[nomoracin]

Nice house!

[MystroX5]

Great review. I don’t mind the big/low hanging balls under my M2C but I thought about spraying it with flat black grill paint as you did. Pretty much visual muffler problem solved for $6.99. Just thank the BMW gods we have real beautiful quad tail pipes. Those days are numbered.

[KevinM]

Nice. Thanks for your thoughts.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by Davil

Nice car.

What is the weird small blue penis entering a ring emblem on the number plate?

Because you are Australian, I will say it's the Miami Heat logo - American basketball. But in case you are trolling - lol.

[Davil]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

Because you are Australian, I will say it's the Miami Heat logo - American basketball. But in case you are trolling - lol.

Ah I see. I suspect Clarkson designed that logo.

[SEAT TIME RULES]

5. This is more of a complaint of all BMW's and not just the m2. I've owned 3 Manual BMW's in the past and all of them lack the feedback wanted for a manual. It just doesn't engage with you like some other manual cars I own.

I took care of the clutch and shifter before I took delivery...

With the Auto Solutions SSK and the Ultimate Clutch Pedal

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...auto+solutions

Its perfect now :-)

[akkando]

Originally Posted by RATED__M

Ah yea, forgot to post that. Here you go. Kinda hard to see the muffler in pics from far away but here's the best one I have

You can turn off rev match with bimnercode. It's the setting called something like no clutch in for starting car. You still have to push the clutch in, but you have to hit start button twice. Should turn off rev match, forever.