[YakyYaky]

My dealership was quite different, I went up to them and said I've just came from an M2 test drive and was really keen on it due to its extremely attractive pricing. They were very keen with me testing it out before making my M2 purchase, so I was booked in for a few hours with it. My dealership always sit in with M cars.

smokeythecat If they decline, you can always ask why, if they don't trust you, you can always welcome them to test drive with you.
Depending how you look at it, sometimes you can pick the salesperson brain during test drive to see how things are going. Nit pick during the car and try and get the saleperson to agree on certain things or sweeten the deal etc. Don't talk about the price yet, generally speaking accessories, driving experience package, gifts, warranty.
For me, normally by the time I get to the let's talk price section, it's normally the manager that deals with you. At this stage you can try the 'he said she said' stuff on the manager and at least try and haggle.

[stefan]

Originally Posted by smokeythecat

Hey guys,

New to the forum and I've been considering to buy a used 2018 M2. Currently own a 370z which I had for awhile and although I love the car, its just getting old. I never drove a M2 let alone a BMW and I called up a few dealers in SD to test drive the M2 but to my surprise they wouldn't let me touch the M2C. I know they have different engines but I wanted to get some sense of what the car feels like. I also contacted a local seller about checking out and testing driving his M2 but he wasn't willing unless I'm ready to buy.

Kinda bummed but wanted to get some feedback from anyone who has driven the Z and can compare it to the OG M2. Is it noticeably faster? Is the suspension more stiff? Would I have no issues daily driving the M2 in terms of comfort? Any feedback is appreciated!

I owned a 2018 M2 with MPE and an FI catted DP. It's going to be much much quicker than your Z. And the very minor (essentially unnoticeable in daily conditions) dip in power near redline vs the competition's S55 is WELL WORTH the trade off in initial bite (lower max torque rpm) and the beautiful noise that N55 makes--remembering of course the N55 is modified for the M2. I miss that car, and having driven the competition, I missed it even more. Really it comes down to a bit more upper end power in the S55 and less torque down low. I didn't notice a difference in power but you'd probably need to launch it I suspect to really feel it. Of course keeping in mind my M2 was breathing a lot better with the FI downpipe.. so maybe that's it. BMW uses crazy restrictive cats on their turbo cars. Subjectively I prefer the look of the pre-competition car. I had the LCI with adaptive LEDs, but actually personally prefer the OG look with non adaptive LEDs.

Personally I would go 2018 M2, save some cash. If it's not enough, go with BM3 which will make the N55 pull like an S55. Skip the comp and wait for the S58 M2 if that's not enough.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by Bluedevil82

So after a lengthy search, I think I have picked the 2018 M2 as the best candidate. The only issue I see is the stiff ride, especially after these scathing reviews....(and the roads in New England, not the best)
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...nce-ownership/

IMHO, that C&D review is over the top in criticism of the ride. The M2 feels very similar to my previous 135i with BMW Performance suspension. Frankly, it doesn't feel much harsher than my 2019 Mazda CX-5 (which has a nice firm ride).

And I drive the same New England roads as you.

[Bluedevil82]

Originally Posted by jkoral

IMHO, that C&D review is over the top in criticism of the ride. The M2 feels very similar to my previous 135i with BMW Performance suspension. Frankly, it doesn't feel much harsher than my 2019 Mazda CX-5 (which has a nice firm ride).

And I drive the same New England roads as you.

Yeah I thought it was an over-the-top review, and it won't be a daily driver so it won't bother me as much.

Quick noob question cause I couldn't find it... are all 2018s LCI? if not how do I know if it is LCI if I'm looking at car listings, I haven't seen any that say LCI, which means no one is letting theirs go or all are LCI lol

[tranck]

Originally Posted by Bluedevil82

Yeah I thought it was an over-the-top review, and it won't be a daily driver so it won't bother me as much.

Quick noob question cause I couldn't find it... are all 2018s LCI? if not how do I know if it is LCI if I'm looking at car listings, I haven't seen any that say LCI, which means no one is letting theirs go or all are LCI lol

All 2018's are LCI - secondly, I have 60K on my 2018 M2 as a DD and it has been awesome - every.single.mile.

Harsh ride as the review says?
Love it - it's a sports car.

[Al Bundy's Dodge]

I don't think harsh is a fair word. It implies a reduction in enjoyment as a result of the suspension.

Quite the opposite imo. Yeah, it's stiff. But that's why it handles so well and makes it fun to drive to the post office.

If you want soft and comfortable, buy an F30 and float your way around town.

[Gizmo 335i]

IMHO, the M2 rides better than my old e92 335i with non-run flats and Koni FSD/special active shocks/struts. Also seems quieter. I don't get the reviews stating otherwise

[Nezil]

If you want to get the OG M2 to ride better, retrofit the aluminium and CFRP strut brace from an M2C / M3 / M4. The whole thing is at most a $2k job if you buy the parts used from a wrecked car, and it transforms the ride.

There is a reason that the reviews say the M2C rides better than the OG M2...

[mr_lab_rat]

Originally Posted by Nezil

If you want to get the OG M2 to ride better, retrofit the aluminium and CFRP strut brace from an M2C / M3 / M4. The whole thing is at most a $2k job if you buy the parts used from a wrecked car, and it transforms the ride.

There is a reason that the reviews say the M2C rides better than the OG M2...

I don't see how bracing can fix oversprung underdamped suspension. I agree that it will make a difference buy I doubt it would affect comfort.

[Nezil]

Originally Posted by mr_lab_rat

I don't see how bracing can fix oversprung underdamped suspension. I agree that it will make a difference buy I doubt it would affect comfort.

Anyone who has first hand experience would disagree.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by mr_lab_rat

I don't see how bracing can fix oversprung underdamped suspension. I agree that it will make a difference buy I doubt it would affect comfort.

Sometimes suspension setups do weird stuff when you least expect it. For example, back when dinosaurs ruled the earth and I raced an E36M3, you increased the diameter of the front sway bar to decrease understeer. Exactly opposite of what every suspension tuning rule of thumb told you to do.

I could see how stiffening up the front of the car helps the shocks to better do their job, leading to a smoother ride.

If I ever do buy an OG M2, I plan on adding the CFRP strut brace, right after I get done adding sound deadening.

[Aversion]

Originally Posted by Bluedevil82

Yeah I thought it was an over-the-top review, and it won't be a daily driver so it won't bother me as much.

Quick noob question cause I couldn't find it... are all 2018s LCI? if not how do I know if it is LCI if I'm looking at car listings, I haven't seen any that say LCI, which means no one is letting theirs go or all are LCI lol

Keep in mind that it's all very subjective when you read articles like that one from C&D. Everyone is different and has a different level of tolerance. I drove a '16 STi daily for the past 5 years and that was a car that was also criticized by many of the reviewers as being harsh. It was very stiffly sprung and it did feel unsettled if I was driving on crappy roads downtown. Despite that it still didn't bother me because I wasn't on crappy roads often and the handling was worth the trade off IMO. The M2 is not as stiffly sprung as an STi so it's not a car that I would call harsh. I don't think it's as stiff as my STi or my wife's BRZ. But again, everyone's level of tolerance is different.

[dtmurf]

Originally Posted by smokeythecat

Hey guys,

New to the forum and I've been considering to buy a used 2018 M2. Currently own a 370z which I had for awhile and although I love the car, its just getting old. I never drove a M2 let alone a BMW and I called up a few dealers in SD to test drive the M2 but to my surprise they wouldn't let me touch the M2C. I know they have different engines but I wanted to get some sense of what the car feels like. I also contacted a local seller about checking out and testing driving his M2 but he wasn't willing unless I'm ready to buy.

Kinda bummed but wanted to get some feedback from anyone who has driven the Z and can compare it to the OG M2. Is it noticeably faster? Is the suspension more stiff? Would I have no issues daily driving the M2 in terms of comfort? Any feedback is appreciated!

Call BMW NA, ask they to set up a test drive for you?

[Dalmango]

I owned a 350Z for 15 years & reluctantly had to purchase the M2 after a leaking brake caliper finally was the straw that broke the camel's back in selling the 350Z. I had the engine rebuilt, replaced all the bushings myself but a new job & lack of spare-time forced my purchase.

My honest feedback & I'm no doubt going to alienate myself here on the forum but I'll be truthful. I immediately was disappointed with the M2 if truth be told. I purchased a second hand M2, 1.5 years old with 5,000 miles on the clock & use the car as a daily-drive whilst welcoming the opportunity to enjoy the vehicle as much as possible. Its an M2, that's why we did not buy Fiesta's. With the different sport modes I have found comfort to be like driving a Prius, compared to the lovely torque the 350Z used to provide. It's all or nothing really, Sport+ mode which is an unbelievable car. The handling, speed, throttle response, sound all awesome, BUT on the daily drive extensively bumpy & stuck behind other cars in traffic I find myself crying a lot due to the inability to not be able to drive it properly. Yes I can tweak the settings down in the suspension but not to individual customization that the M3 allows. UK roads are in atrocious condition, & I think I may be unfairly marking it for it's stiffness here. The roads 15-20 years ago were quite different to what they are today. I don't think I saw a pothole as a kid, now they are absolutely everywhere.
Strangely I found visibility to be better in my 350Z. Yes this is contrary to another post here, & you'd never think it looking at the car, but I find the M2 to with it's side mirrors, reverse camera to be more difficult positioning than my plain old 350Z with no reverse camera.
Exterior - The wheels on the M2 are sublime. I have alpine white, a beautiful colour. I drove 160,000 miles in my 350Z, each and every mile enthusiastically on motorway, country lanes, behind plenty of cars as a daily driver; barely a stone chip. I've driven the M2 5,000 miles & the paint is like butter. Stone chips everywhere.
Interior - M2 feels a lot more expensive. But don't let luxury fool you for quality. The stitching in the seats looks to be drawn too tight, & it will only be time that punching-shear (sorry I come from a bit of an engineering background) will occur & the stitches will tear through the leather. Sound system is much better in the M2, but again don't let luxury fool you for quality. There is a recall here, because some genius didn't properly isolate the amplifier, allowing water to get in the amp's & blow them; google it.
The other day the rear indicator failed on me. Yep unable to indicate, now imagine if I was close to a motorcyclist & I was exiting from a more central lane.
I had issues with the boot not closing which required a day off work with a warranty repair & all the messing around to go with it. This is another problem with the car; google this also. £50k car but the rear indicators fail due to BMW excluding a wire which was needed. Sorry I'm probably not explaining this properly, but it's a well known thing; google it! how this is legal I don't know.

My experience is I miss my 350Z, which was more of a road car. If I used the car daily on a race-track it would be different. But for real roads, in the real world, where you expect your boot to shut, radio to work, indicators to flash when you use them & paint not to dent when a rain drop hits it (yes we're talking about a car £20k more than the 350/ 370Z) then you're going to be disappointed with the M2. This is my experience with the M2 so far. The build quality is not there & is masqueraded with "luxury" in an attempt to disguise this.
Also I've read that the oil-pan's warp at around 40,000 miles & require replacing. This is not at all acceptable (in my mind). I'd be biffed about this on a £10k car, but on a £50k car it's outrageous).

Now I prepare myself from the stoning which is about to happen .

[Moflow]

And here I thought I was the only one on the internet who made a habit of defending the 350Z....

[GoneIn4Secs]

Originally Posted by Dalmango

I owned a 350Z for 15 years & reluctantly had to purchase the M2 after a leaking brake caliper finally was the straw that broke the camel's back in selling the 350Z. I had the engine rebuilt, replaced all the bushings myself but a new job & lack of spare-time forced my purchase.

My honest feedback & I'm no doubt going to alienate myself here on the forum but I'll be truthful. I immediately was disappointed with the M2 if truth be told. I purchased a second hand M2, 1.5 years old with 5,000 miles on the clock & use the car as a daily-drive whilst welcoming the opportunity to enjoy the vehicle as much as possible. Its an M2, that's why we did not buy Fiesta's. With the different sport modes I have found comfort to be like driving a Prius, compared to the lovely torque the 350Z used to provide. It's all or nothing really, Sport+ mode which is an unbelievable car. The handling, speed, throttle response, sound all awesome, BUT on the daily drive extensively bumpy & stuck behind other cars in traffic I find myself crying a lot due to the inability to not be able to drive it properly. Yes I can tweak the settings down in the suspension but not to individual customization that the M3 allows. UK roads are in atrocious condition, & I think I may be unfairly marking it for it's stiffness here. The roads 15-20 years ago were quite different to what they are today. I don't think I saw a pothole as a kid, now they are absolutely everywhere.
Strangely I found visibility to be better in my 350Z. Yes this is contrary to another post here, & you'd never think it looking at the car, but I find the M2 to with it's side mirrors, reverse camera to be more difficult positioning than my plain old 350Z with no reverse camera.
Exterior - The wheels on the M2 are sublime. I have alpine white, a beautiful colour. I drove 160,000 miles in my 350Z, each and every mile enthusiastically on motorway, country lanes, behind plenty of cars as a daily driver; barely a stone chip. I've driven the M2 5,000 miles & the paint is like butter. Stone chips everywhere.
Interior - M2 feels a lot more expensive. But don't let luxury fool you for quality. The stitching in the seats looks to be drawn too tight, & it will only be time that punching-shear (sorry I come from a bit of an engineering background) will occur & the stitches will tear through the leather. Sound system is much better in the M2, but again don't let luxury fool you for quality. There is a recall here, because some genius didn't properly isolate the amplifier, allowing water to get in the amp's & blow them; google it.
The other day the rear indicator failed on me. Yep unable to indicate, now imagine if I was close to a motorcyclist & I was exiting from a more central lane.
I had issues with the boot not closing which required a day off work with a warranty repair & all the messing around to go with it. This is another problem with the car; google this also. £50k car but the rear indicators fail due to BMW excluding a wire which was needed. Sorry I'm probably not explaining this properly, but it's a well known thing; google it! how this is legal I don't know.

My experience is I miss my 350Z, which was more of a road car. If I used the car daily on a race-track it would be different. But for real roads, in the real world, where you expect your boot to shut, radio to work, indicators to flash when you use them & paint not to dent when a rain drop hits it (yes we're talking about a car £20k more than the 350/ 370Z) then you're going to be disappointed with the M2. This is my experience with the M2 so far. The build quality is not there & is masqueraded with "luxury" in an attempt to disguise this.
Also I've read that the oil-pan's warp at around 40,000 miles & require replacing. This is not at all acceptable (in my mind). I'd be biffed about this on a £10k car, but on a £50k car it's outrageous).

Now I prepare myself from the stoning which is about to happen .

You dont know what youre talking about man,

All your points are like non driving related issues thst can happen to any random car...?
Taillight busted ? Really? Complaing about things that never happended like thr sound and stiching coming out? Ok

Plus you dont drive this car like a tesla autopilot, just pick a direction and hit gas, you have to know the roads, pay attention and drive accordingly,, you know how ppl used to drive before all the nannies and plush suspension, it makes you a much better and alert driver, and realy rewarding to just go for a drive rather than a chore with other cars.

And comfort mode has its purposes, its perfect for hwy cruising, or when you dont want all the attn and noise from the burbles

Idk dude your post doesn't really defend the nissan, just show how you dont really understand the car your have on your hands.

[bimmer98]

Update on my shopping experience and opinion....I’ve mostly been looking for a black LCI MT with service records, limited or no track time, and 10-20k miles. Mostly research for now but I am an active buyer as my lease is up in January. Finally.

There’s a couple of my unicorns out there and lots of other colors and DCT choices to get a feel for the market. Ive been looking long enough now to notice price reductions and identify those to just be sitting on lots for a long time (spoiler, majority of my first dealer and non forum watchlist have not sold). I checked out a 2016 with 13k miles at a nearby BMW dealership (wanted to see Gray in person) and it has been sitting so long that I could write my name in the dust that collected on the trunk. $45,000 just seems way to high for a 2016. Granted I’d personally value the performance as an amazing deal, but I’ve talked with a several private sellers that have the 2018 I want with even less miles for two from auotrader for example: $45 and $46000 with over a year warranty time left. The guy at $46 said he’d come down to $43k but it was literally 1500 miles away, I’m not ready for that yet. The other stopped responding when I politely offered $40k cash and I even said I was prepared to come up if he was interested in coming down, only 200 miles away. That caught me off guard wondering if he was insulted, but as any seller in public they should expect a variety of attempts to negotiate. Here’s more reason I’m starting at 40k. bring your own trailer sold a LBB LCI low miles for $41,000 (I think for a forum member here), and some other members selling theirs for $42-$43k in classifieds (if you want white) usually with mods or some extra carbon fiber. Those over $45 are still for sale. I’ve also talked to actual buyers who have purchased and some have bought with a few extra miles than I prefer and non LCI LBB for $35-37k and see one listed with 50k miles for $32k on autotrader. LCI on this forum have sold under $43k with mods in a couple case. So $40k offer isn’t a lowball start for one owner, low miles, and service records unless the seller doesn’t want to sell. Surprise, why would anyone sell their M2, so we aren’t working with rationale thought process in a lot of private party cases. Forum guys and gals are usually stepping up to C or CS. Holla! Alas, buyers have the money and so I move on to the next unicorn (and maybe check again in a month when it’s likely still for sale). I should probably note that if I was a seller, I wouldn’t be jumping at $40k and would be sad to find selling at $45k or more isn’t going to be quick. I understand the performance value this rocket brings. The difference is what are people actually buying these for.

So then I’ve talked to numerous private sellers, countless dealerships, watched the forum like a hawk and generally what I find seems to be dealers like having them sit as jewelry in the showroom, want $45k - $50k plus for cars without much more than a car fax, some with a few owners already and even a few lemons listed at $43k! This influences the private sellers on cars.com, AT, etc and then they are all slow sales eventually coming down in price. Forum sellers seem to understand the true value for quick sales and sometimes offer mods and carbon fiber.

Also 2018 leases are coming off now and are 55% residual or whatever with a decent amount of warranty left. Winter is coming. I hate I just said that. But the lessees I’ve talked to understand that buying out the lease for $33k and selling it for $38-40k+ is a nice recovery of the bad residual. I expect that to depress prices going forward. Shoutout again to the OG guys heading to C and CS opening up the market for LCI’s. I’m an n55 guy having owned many, so LCI M2 is a fitting and probably long lasting end to this saga.

I’m thinking a stock one owner LCI with ~10,000 miles and clean car fax will be found for $40,000 cash in the next couple months, maybe a lil more, fair enough. Probably not in CA, lol, but east coast probably. especially in LBB or white because there seem to be a lot more of those than gray and black. If I don’t find that in a few months I’ll pay more because I’m holding out for Black Sapphire.

Quick shoppers background.....I’ve owned 30 BMWs, almost all 3 series or smaller including three 135’s and have a lot of buying experience with dealers and private party on both sides of the sale. With patience and persistence the market usually delivers what I’m looking for. Mostly my searches are East coast to the Mississippi. Two of my friends own dealerships, one BMW, and another is a top sales guy for a decade or longer with high volume BMW dealer, so I get good commentary from them from dealer perspective.

Good luck shopping! You will love the M2 at any price

Disclaimer......this is all just my opinions from my own research. All buyers need to value a car on their own terms and walk away from lemons and bad deals.