[paradocs98]

I put together my thoughts on the new car after a couple of months of daily use. Hope this may be helpful to those on the fence about picking up an M2C. Thoughts and suggestions welcome (I really need an external mic... ).

[silverds]

Funny what people gripe about. I gripe about the steering but am perfectly content with the transmission and shifter.

Nice review though. I thought it was as objective and fair as could be despite being personal opinion. You managed to make the car sound pretty good at least from the inside with the ASD on and windows closed.

Congrats on your M2C. I'm sorry about your roads though....ouch.

[KevinM]

Nice review. In general, as a long-term BMW owner I agree with most of your observations. My only real difference in opinion is with the MT. I have been driving MT BMWs since 1999 continuously, and I think this is a great transmission. Now, I don't have a Porsche MT for comparison, although I have enjoyed driving them on occasion. Compared to the MT in my Z4M coupe and M5, the M2C MT (as was the case with my previous F80 M3) is much smoother and the clutch much lighter. I suppose my ideal BMW transmission would combine the shift feel of the F8X MT with the heavier clutch feel of my older Ms.

I haven't "researched" this issue at all, but I noticed you referred to "pseudo carbon fiber" trim. Not that it matters, but my general understanding is that the trim is plastic covered with real uncoated carbon fiber. Do you know differently? (Parenthetically, I think the whole CF thing has gone overboard. I think it is a great material for structural components, but overused for all the cosmetic stuff it is mostly used for. I ordered CF trim in the M2C for the same reason you did.)

[paradocs98]

Originally Posted by silverds

Funny what people gripe about. I gripe about the steering but am perfectly content with the transmission and shifter.

Nice review though. I thought it was as objective and fair as could be despite being personal opinion. You managed to make the car sound pretty good at least from the inside with the ASD on and windows closed.

Congrats on your M2C. I'm sorry about your roads though....ouch.

That's funny--I guess it is all personal perspective, and individual preference. Yes, our roads are absolutely horrible here in the NY 'burbs. It's very frustrating driving on them in a nice car. Our tax dollars at work. I've often thought the ideal daily driver for here would be an '80s Group B rally car. Long suspension travel, takes tremendous abuse, quick and maneuverable for traffic, small enough for easy parking, and with spare body panels for the inevitable contact with the generally terrible drivers in this area. In any case, I need to figure out a better camera system and/or mount for in-car use to reduce the transmitted vibration. Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by KevinM

Nice review. In general, as a long-term BMW owner I agree with most of your observations. My only real difference in opinion is with the MT. I have been driving MT BMWs since 1999 continuously, and I think this is a great transmission. Now, I don't have a Porsche MT for comparison, although I have enjoyed driving them on occasion. Compared to the MT in my Z4M coupe and M5, the M2C MT (as was the case with my previous F80 M3) is much smoother and the clutch much lighter. I suppose my ideal BMW transmission would combine the shift feel of the F8X MT with the heavier clutch feel of my older Ms.

I haven't "researched" this issue at all, but I noticed you referred to "pseudo carbon fiber" trim. Not that it matters, but my general understanding is that the trim is plastic covered with real uncoated carbon fiber. Do you know differently? (Parenthetically, I think the whole CF thing has gone overboard. I think it is a great material for structural components, but overused for all the cosmetic stuff it is mostly used for. I ordered CF trim in the M2C for the same reason you did.)

Good to hear different thoughts on the manual transmission. I'll let you all know what I think of the AutoSolutions shift kit and UCP clutch pedal once they're installed. Thanks for correcting me on the carbon fiber trim--I had just assumed it was a treated fabric material made to look like carbon fiber. I am glad I chose it over the gloss black, though, because the gloss would be a fingerprint nightmare.

[NEfan508]

Nice review!

I haven't driven manual in years but also got the MT, my son learned the basics @ the EU delivery, did his first movement around the delivery track without stalling! learning just letting out the clutch in 1st is all you need, low low speed does not stall the car to my surprise


Easy to drive it, a teen boy learned on it, back home he is now driving it in empty parking lots practicing moving it from a stop to 3rd gear on a long incline (simulation driving in the city up beacon hill)

Notes, IMO as a 6 month owner the 6MT is not as harsh as I expected, it's a modern manual with rev match with comfortable shift feel (after 1500 miles) feels 20% smoother or I just got more relaxed with it?!? Idk but I'm definitely happy/satisfied

[paradocs98]

Originally Posted by NEfan508

Nice review!

I haven't driven manual in years but also got the MT, my son learned the basics @ the EU delivery, did his first movement around the delivery track without stalling! learning just letting out the clutch in 1st is all you need, low low speed does not stall the car to my surprise


Easy to drive it, a teen boy learned on it, back home he is now driving it in empty parking lots practicing moving it from a stop to 3rd gear on a long incline (simulation driving in the city up beacon hill)

Notes, IMO as a 6 month owner the 6MT is not as harsh as I expected, it's a modern manual with rev match with comfortable shift feel (after 1500 miles) feels 20% smoother or I just got more relaxed with it?!? Idk but I'm definitely happy/satisfied

The manual in the M2C is certainly okay, but it just suffers in comparison to my GT4's transmission, in my opinion. May be a personal preference. Hopefully the AutoSolutions shift kit will give me the firmer, more solid and mechanical feel I'm after. And the UCP clutch pedal will get rid of all of the excess pedal travel.

Glad you went for a manual again and are liking it. Your son is a lucky boy! Sounds like he's got the hang of it. My first manual was a 1980s Ford Courier mini-pickup. My stepdad gave me the keys, put me in a large, empty gravel parking lot, and said, "You'll figure it out. Have fun." Lots of flying gravel later, I had it down pretty well.

[uniqueMR]

[DKM2]

I love my car. even with DCT. (I can hear the booos coming in)
Only thing I don't like about my car is the seating position. A bit high for my liking, but nothing I will sell a car over.

[BlkSVT]

Originally Posted by DKM2

I love my car. even with DCT. (I can hear the booos coming in)
Only thing I don't like about my car is the seating position. A bit high for my liking, but nothing I will sell a car over.

Nahhh, No shame in DCT! It's awesome that we have both to choose from. ...Almost unheard of nowadays.

I've been thru more MTs than I can count, stock ATs, race ATs, stock and tuned ZF8, DCT... Each has their place for different reasons.

I always come back to MT for a daily driver. It just keeps me engaged and able to horse around on otherwise dreary Chicago BS roads. I doubt many others will agree with MT for that, but I love it. Drag racing, track days, best times - it likely won't be MT on top of my list, but again, great to have choices. A DCT hammering gears is something that everyone should experience at least a few times!

[rj45m]

The M2 Competition’s manual can be a bit challenging at first, but one soon adapts to it and can drive it smoothly, IME. A few break-in miles on the clutch seem to help as well.

[paradocs98]

Originally Posted by DKM2

I love my car. even with DCT. (I can hear the booos coming in)
Only thing I don't like about my car is the seating position. A bit high for my liking, but nothing I will sell a car over.

Yes--a bit too high. And I still feel like I haven't achieved a perfectly comfortable position for me yet.

Originally Posted by rj45m

The M2 Competition’s manual can be a bit challenging at first, but one soon adapts to it and can drive it smoothly, IME. A few break-in miles on the clutch seem to help as well.

It's funny. The shifter and clutch weight and action are so different compared to my GT4, and yet I'm seeming to develop a muscle memory for the M2 now as well. So it takes less reorienting going from car to car than I thought it would.

[BlkSVT]

Originally Posted by paradocs98

It's funny. The shifter and clutch weight and action are so different compared to my GT4, and yet I'm seeming to develop a muscle memory for the M2 now as well. So it takes less reorienting going from car to car than I thought it would.

It's funny to me, but some MT cars just never get comfortable/2nd-nature, others it feels like you were born knowing how. The M2c, for me anyway, is in the 2nd category.

My history is a bit odd, having worked in a garage/gas station for most of HS and thru college. Drove many 100s of MT cars from 60hp shitboxes that struggled to stay running when the AC kicked on in middle of a turn to 900hp+ aluminum flywheel, barely streetable drag cars, to semis, bikes, to any Honda/Ford/Chevy/Toyota....

The M2c MT, for me, is just a simple drive. I still jump back and forth across several cars, and the M2 is always the easiest to get back in. No thought, just drive. Yes, I've read all the throttle-hang, long throw, high pickup, rubbery shifter, overly light threads, but despite all that, it does just work.

[DKM2]

oh and the leather they used... seems way more brittle compared to my 2015 M3 I had. Already got some part on the seat that had some rubbing scruffs.

[SEAT TIME RULES]

Originally Posted by paradocs98

That's funny--I guess it is all personal perspective, and individual preference. Yes, our roads are absolutely horrible here in the NY 'burbs. It's very frustrating driving on them in a nice car. Our tax dollars at work. I've often thought the ideal daily driver for here would be an '80s Group B rally car. Long suspension travel, takes tremendous abuse, quick and maneuverable for traffic, small enough for easy parking, and with spare body panels for the inevitable contact with the generally terrible drivers in this area. In any case, I need to figure out a better camera system and/or mount for in-car use to reduce the transmitted vibration. Any suggestions?



Good to hear different thoughts on the manual transmission. I'll let you all know what I think of the AutoSolutions shift kit and UCP clutch pedal once they're installed. Thanks for correcting me on the carbon fiber trim--I had just assumed it was a treated fabric material made to look like carbon fiber. I am glad I chose it over the gloss black, though, because the gloss would be a fingerprint nightmare.

Curious on your feedback after the AS SST & UCP install. Its magical IMHO.

[skier219]

Nice review, thanks.

One of the key factors in getting an M2C was the shifter and clutch. The last manual BMW I owned was a 2011 Z4. I thought the car was beautiful and I loved the normally-aspirated inline six -- it was a gem of a motor and you can't get them like that anymore -- but the clutch and shifter were terrible and sort of ruined the driving experience. I owned that car for 7-8 years and never got used to the clutch, and the shifter never really grew on me either. I have driven a couple other MT BMWs and found their MTs to be similarly lousy.

So when it came time to consider the M2C, I was wary of the clutch and shifter, but a couple minutes into my test drive my concerns went away. It's not as good as the sublime setup in my Honda S2000s (owned two of those), but it's not nearly as horrendous as the setup in that Z4. I find the throws to be pretty accurate and there is satisfying snick going into 3rd and 5th (2-4-6 might have it too, but we tend to not notice snicks when pulling back into those gears). If there is a lot of clutch travel, I don't notice. All I can say is that if you think there is a lot of clutch travel on the M2C, you should go try an older Z4 where moving the clutch in and out was like stepping in and out of a gopher hole with cowboy boots.

My main complaint with the M2C's shifter is that occasionally I will get lost in neutral when lazily downshifting in traffic and I have to go find 5th and work my way back down. It's never a problem when driving faster or more deliberately, so it may be just a matter of paying attention to what I am doing when slogging through traffic.

I didn't like the auto rev match at first, and it kind of interrupted my habits for downshifts. After a few days I got used to it however.

What I'd really like is a gear indicator somewhere in the instrument panel. I know the car can tell which gear we're in, and it would be nice to see that indicated somewhere other than having to look at the shifter. Again, in city driving with traffic, occasionally I will be puttering along in a middle gear, and when it comes time to finally downshift or upshift, I'd like a quick indicator of where I previously left things off before reaching for the shifter.

[paradocs98]

Originally Posted by BlkSVT

It's funny to me, but some MT cars just never get comfortable/2nd-nature, others it feels like you were born knowing how. The M2c, for me anyway, is in the 2nd category.

My history is a bit odd, having worked in a garage/gas station for most of HS and thru college. Drove many 100s of MT cars from 60hp shitboxes that struggled to stay running when the AC kicked on in middle of a turn to 900hp+ aluminum flywheel, barely streetable drag cars, to semis, bikes, to any Honda/Ford/Chevy/Toyota....

The M2c MT, for me, is just a simple drive. I still jump back and forth across several cars, and the M2 is always the easiest to get back in. No thought, just drive. Yes, I've read all the throttle-hang, long throw, high pickup, rubbery shifter, overly light threads, but despite all that, it does just work.

All things considered, the shifter and clutch are probably pretty decent. The manual transmission cars I’ve had in the past (‘80s Toyota Supra, BMW 330Ci and 545i) were long enough ago that I just don’t remember exactly how they felt. My current frame of reference is the GT4, and that’s a tough standard to meet. Glad you love your M2C—these manual transmissions aren’t going to be around forever.

Originally Posted by SEAT TIME RULES

Curious on your feedback after the AS SST & UCP install. Its magical IMHO.

Great to hear! UCP has arrived, and now waiting for the AS shifter.

Originally Posted by skier219

Nice review, thanks.

One of the key factors in getting an M2C was the shifter and clutch. The last manual BMW I owned was a 2011 Z4. I thought the car was beautiful and I loved the normally-aspirated inline six -- it was a gem of a motor and you can't get them like that anymore -- but the clutch and shifter were terrible and sort of ruined the driving experience. I owned that car for 7-8 years and never got used to the clutch, and the shifter never really grew on me either. I have driven a couple other MT BMWs and found their MTs to be similarly lousy.

So when it came time to consider the M2C, I was wary of the clutch and shifter, but a couple minutes into my test drive my concerns went away. It's not as good as the sublime setup in my Honda S2000s (owned two of those), but it's not nearly as horrendous as the setup in that Z4. I find the throws to be pretty accurate and there is satisfying snick going into 3rd and 5th (2-4-6 might have it too, but we tend to not notice snicks when pulling back into those gears). If there is a lot of clutch travel, I don't notice. All I can say is that if you think there is a lot of clutch travel on the M2C, you should go try an older Z4 where moving the clutch in and out was like stepping in and out of a gopher hole with cowboy boots.

My main complaint with the M2C's shifter is that occasionally I will get lost in neutral when lazily downshifting in traffic and I have to go find 5th and work my way back down. It's never a problem when driving faster or more deliberately, so it may be just a matter of paying attention to what I am doing when slogging through traffic.

I didn't like the auto rev match at first, and it kind of interrupted my habits for downshifts. After a few days I got used to it however.

What I'd really like is a gear indicator somewhere in the instrument panel. I know the car can tell which gear we're in, and it would be nice to see that indicated somewhere other than having to look at the shifter. Again, in city driving with traffic, occasionally I will be puttering along in a middle gear, and when it comes time to finally downshift or upshift, I'd like a quick indicator of where I previously left things off before reaching for the shifter.

Gopher hole with cowboy boots—I love that! Interesting that the Z4’s manual was so terrible. I couldn’t agree more re. losing track of gears on occasion in the M2. Same thing happens to me—cruising in traffic, then forgetting if I’m in 5th or 3rd. It will probably get better with time as we learn the typical speeds/RPM in each gear. Then it will be more intuitive which gear you’re in based on road speed and RPM.

[M1Curious]

Originally Posted by skier219

My main complaint with the M2C's shifter is that occasionally I will get lost in neutral when lazily downshifting in traffic and I have to go find 5th and work my way back down. It's never a problem when driving faster or more deliberately, so it may be just a matter of paying attention to what I am doing when slogging through traffic.

I didn't like the auto rev match at first, and it kind of interrupted my habits for downshifts. After a few days I got used to it however.

What I'd really like is a gear indicator somewhere in the instrument panel. I know the car can tell which gear we're in, and it would be nice to see that indicated somewhere other than having to look at the shifter. Again, in city driving with traffic, occasionally I will be puttering along in a middle gear, and when it comes time to finally downshift or upshift, I'd like a quick indicator of where I previously left things off before reaching for the shifter.

All this 100% agree. I've never had any problems shifting or losing track of gears in any of my previous gen bmws until this one. they must have changed seating orientation or something because i dont feel squared up to the shifter either, which might be some of the issue. my muscle memory just can't dial it in for some reason :/. still an amazing car though with all its little issues

[white2abbit]

Gonna watch this later! I'm definitely intrigued to hear your thoughts as I own the exact same two cars!

[jkoral]

Great vanity plate, I always wanted to do the same (chassis code and engine code), but MA requires two letters to start and does not allow letters and numbers intermixed.