[Artemis]

bri1042, sit down for a moment, pour yourself a gin tonic and hear your car singing a song for you.

It's late | Time for bed | So I sit, and I wait | For that gin and tonic | To go to your head | I know | It's a devious plan | But it's the only way that I know | To get those big bad car keys | Out of your hand | You know | That I remain a gentleman | But even so | There's only so much | A gentleman can stand | Drive with me | Oh, drive with me tonight

[veenut28]

Originally Posted by bri1042

The fun part of the small tank, MMMBRAP, is that gas station attendants seem to REALLY like LBB. "That's a great color!" or some such three times out of four.

This is the sort of thing that most people outside of new jersey or Oregon will find strange 😉

[Mavallone]

Originally Posted by BigKutta

Expectations. If you expect perfection every time, or to be 100% satisfied every time, then every thing is a mistake. If you listen to everyone (enthusiasts, spouses) and let it always bother you, then every thing is a misatke

But if your glass is usually at least half full, you'll have a good life. Go out and enjoy the beast. I was up at 6AM today, and decided the little beast and I needed some time together on the back roads and twisties to watch the sun rise. What a great start to the morning. Now off to beers and football. Have a great Sunday!

I did the same thing this morning. Very few cars on the road. 2hrs and 1/2 tank of gas. First tike I really started to explore her limits. Great way to start the day!

[W///]

Originally Posted by bri1042

I doubt you're in the minority around here. I feel like the folk around here are by and large happy with their M2's in whichever form they exist (OG, C, CS).

Mine is also the best car I've ever had. I'm not zero regret with it, and there are one or two things that I would change if I had a magic wand, but compared to everything else I've ever owned, it's the best car I've ever had. So was my last car, at the time.

Not always the case...my 1980 Pontiac Phoenix that I had for a very brief time in 1990 was not, for a single moment, the best car I had ever had up until then. Nope. Not one second.

Maybe I missed it, but out of curiosity, what are your complaints about it minus maybe transmission choice?

For me personally, I've literally never regretted one car purchase, which might be an odd thing. I've owned a total of 8 cars since 2008, still have 5 of them. One of the things I've learned is:
No car is perfect, so I learn go focus on the overwhelmingly good things about them than the bad. I even love my 2016 Tundra Platinum. I've learned to love its comfort levels, reliability, good looks ect (ignore the abysmal gas mileage and not so great sound system)

I guess I feel like we've already peaked in terms of golden era of cars, which was late 2000s/early 2010s IMO. So when amazing cars like the M2C pops up, it really tests my resolves because I'd love to add an LBB 6MT Comp

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by bri1042

Every car purchase is a mistake. Or, at least, every purchase I have ever made certainly has been.

It doesn’t matter how much research or thought you put into a car purchase, something about the one you buy will be a mistake, or not be what you hoped it would be. You might get home, put the car away for the night, and then by first light of day you’ll realize that the color only looked good in the fading light of the evening and today it looks terrible.
If you have a car enthusiast for a significant other, a lot of us will be jealous that you have someone in your life that might understand your willingness to lose thousands to correct your mistake. But the two of you will probably go broke, so perhaps the rest of us are wrong to be jealous. Hard to say.

If few of your friends are enthusiasts, and your significant human is not an enthusiast, you are an island surrounded by a sea of people who already think you are utterly insane. Accept it. You will have almost no support for living with or fixing your mistake. If you are lucky enough to get a “do whatever makes you happy” response from your human, that is the best you are going to get. They will never actually understand why it made you happy. Life is compromise.

What about the following idea for Christmas. Apart from the 'regular' X-mas gifts you also give your significant other an envelope with a handwritten piece of paper: "Voucher - Valid in 2021 for 1 car wrap - Color to be chosen by consensus".

By doing so you involve your significant other in the process of wrapping your M2C in a different color and in 2021 you get the impression that you got yourself a 'new' car. Fully reversible: someday in the future you can remove the wrap and show the original color again, or decide to choose yet another wrap. Will save you way more money than trading in the car, you keep your existing car, your significant other may appreciate being involved with the 'common choice' color and you both may have a good laugh at Christmas too.

[Bumpinjeep]

1. No car is perfect
2. The M2C is so much fun to drive that it takes away any flaws that the car may have.
3. Okay I lied, there is a perfect car. Sports car + SUV + Boat + whatever the hell was needed for that week's episode.

[bri1042]

Wish I could agree, Bumpin...I always thought the Viper was hideous.

[W///]

Originally Posted by bri1042

Wish I could agree, Bumpin...I always thought the Viper was hideous.

Dang, you are hard to please

[Mavus]

https://jalopnik.com/the-full-story-...1787624865/amp

[richard in NC]

Originally Posted by 5.M0NSTER

Don't think of a car as an investment, think of it as a fun toy, or a practical daily necessity.

So appreciate the positives of each car, note and remember the negatives, and evolve your tastes. But most importantly, stay positive my friend.

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

Life is a series of mistakes, not a series of perfections.

Live.

To me, life is a series of events you can learn from.

My thoughts are that cars are a way to enjoy diversions from the realities of daily adult life. Work, bills, responsibilities, etc. I have the fortune to enjoy nice cars, leasing 2 BMWs and trading frequently. Although that may change during retirement.

I didn't always have that option but few of my cars were mistakes. I enjoyed my $1500 Chrysler Cordoba despite its cold start problem. I enjoyed my $15k Dodge Daytona Turbo & Shelby Z. I enjoyed my $32K Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4.

My biggest purchase mistake was a '90 Ford TBird SC that had electrical gremlins. I traded it in a year at a loss for my first 3000GT. Huge upgrade...

My biggest regret is getting rid of my 2002 e39 BMW M5. At the time it was wise because I was fearing an $8k repair bill. They've since resolved that issue and values have shot up. But I've enjoyed plenty of BMWs since from X models to a Z4, to the current M2C and X3M. I wish the X3M ride was softer but I don't regret the purchase. I wish the M2C had HUD but I don't regret the purchase.

[richard in NC]

One more thought, I use mountain drives or beach trips to clear my mind before back to life's and work's realities.

I recall a big coastal trip that didn't fully work out but was still enjoyed.
Go find a B&B or lodge in the mountains, grab your SO and head there for a 3 day weekend. Bond more with the car and its upsides. Stare off at a mountain sunset with a glass of wine.....

[NEfan508]

1) Know the streets are a war zone. Within the past couple years I've witnessed five car accidents and driven by at least a few dozen more. About 75% of the time I drive somewhere, I experience or witness a close call: drivers running red lights, speeding, sideswipes, distracted cellphone driving, road rage, drunk driving, and more.
There is only so much defensive driving you can do. If there is a reckless driver on the road, they might plow into your vehicle and cause serious harm.

The feeling I had when another truck sideswiped my 20 day old tundra this summer, thank god I wasn't in my M2

Cars/trucks are Disposable, meant to be driven, I'm tired of being concerned about road conditions and where I park it etc, it is what it is, be careful but know your not in control, enjoy your vehicle

Notes: a tree limb fell on my roof, decided to double down to get a carbon roof not repairing the dents with bondo and paint (keeping my m2 until I expire)

[Bumpinjeep]

Originally Posted by bri1042

Wish I could agree, Bumpin...I always thought the Viper was hideous.

Bro, I got you.

This one is beautiful and has all sorts of options. I'm assuming you're in a multimillionaire so its also affordable for you.

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by Bumpinjeep

Bro, I got you.

This one is beautiful and has all sorts of options. I'm assuming you're in a multimillionaire so its also affordable for you.

I'm far from it...but I had one of those once. A bald guy with a white cat stole it. So rude.

[bmwdrive]

If I get the M2C with the DCT I will wish it were a Manual. And vice versa. And it is great either way.

[scoale]

Originally Posted by danf72

If I get the M2C with the DCT I will wish it were a Manual. And vice versa. And it is great either way.

I took delivery of SO DCT w/ executive package 5 days ago...I'm already wishing it was manual . Good news is, M2c is a GREAT car, so I got that part right! And the DCT is, no doubt, a very good transmission

[GarageMadness]

Originally Posted by scoale

First, good morning bri1042.

It is interesting to consider how many factors go into the car buying process, and whether or not the ownership experience is ultimately satisfying. We are all influenced be so many factors including growing up poor or affluent, income level now, whether or not significant other is an enthusiast, kids, use cases, formative cars, friends opinions, forums (LOL), risk tolerance, OCD level, analytical versus impulse, etc.

The more cars you've had, the more difficult it is to be fully satisfied with any ONE car because you tend to compare each characteristic to the best of any cars you've had.

I, personally, would spend the money to make a change if I really thought I had made a mistake and bought a car I was going to be unsatisfied with day-in-and-day-out. However, you want to be sure you are not replacing one car you are 90% satisfied with for another car you are 90% satisfied with.

This is so true...

"The more cars you've had, the more difficult it is to be fully satisfied with any ONE car because you tend to compare each characteristic to the best of any cars you've had."

[Davil]

I am trying to think of the last car I was disappointed with. Probably the e36 M3 i owned. In reality the e36 318is I had before (I traded that on the M3) was a more fun car. I bought the E36 m3 as it was the pinnacle. In reality it felt heavy, and only fast when you were driving it like you stole it which meant too fast for the road. The 318is was much lighter, and so slow, that driving it like you stole it was amazing fun. I really enjoyed that car.

The M2C for me is just about my perfect car. So perfect that I am trading it on the M2cs. Analyse that.

Just remembered. I bought a round tail light 2002 at the same time as the E36 M3. That was a retro piece of joy to drive. But I regret that on 2 levels. 1. It was a money pit. 2. I sold it and I can't help thinking the guy that bought it got something with no more problems.

[richard in NC]

Originally Posted by GarageMadness

This is so true...

"The more cars you've had, the more difficult it is to be fully satisfied with any ONE car because you tend to compare each characteristic to the best of any cars you've had."

True. Of the many cars I've had, many were the best at something and a few were the worst. I have learned to appreciate each car for its strengths and ways to enjoy it, overlooking its shortcomings. But the '02 M5 is STILL the benchmark I compare every car to.
Very few have led to true disappointment of ownership. The electrical gremlins in a '90 TBird and harsh bouncy ride in an '06 650i being the only 2 I recall. Note the M2C and new X3M are firm riding but I don't see the passenger seat shake just driving down the highway going over bumps and joints, like I did in the 650i. First gen RFTs sucked! I traded for an '08 550i with non-RFTs and was MUCH happier.

[bri1042]

I have three cars where the issues with them were minor enough, and the rest of the car was good enough that they stand out as benchmarks.

1. My M2C - a lot of folk read this thread as overall dissatisfaction with my blue lady. That's not the case. There are some things I don't adore about it, but the car is such a joy to drive, that my complaints about it are minor and entirely personal (boredom with F-series interiors, etc..). It's so balanced. Every part of it is in sync with every other part. And after 26 months, I still can't walk away from it without turning back for a parting glance. Even the fact that my SO hates it just amuses me. With modern car requirements (safety, etc...), I'm constantly amazed that BMW pulled this off.

2. My 340i X-Drive - The car was so easy to deal with on a daily basis. It was the best daily driver I've ever owned. Price to performance to comfort, it was so good at everything. I could have driven it for a decade if I hadn't gone M. The only negative about it was that I shouldn't have bought a black car (that's on me, I'm not dedicated enough to car cleaning) and that it's attributes faded into how good it was at everything. No one thing stood out...almost too balanced. It is my benchmark for a one-car solution in areas that actually have winters.

3. My 2006 Acura RSX-S (but not my 2002 RSX-S) - Honda perfected the daily-driver, naturally aspirated I4 FWD sports car with the last of the Integra line. No traction control or driver aides past ABS, unmitigated torque steer that you had to learn how to drive through, small, comfie, perfect 6-speed manual, and a hatchback. It was convenient in a way that the dinky M2 trunk opening will never be, and was everything I needed for 7+ years of ownership. It's my benchmark for an affordable pre-modern-safety-stuff car. And the seats were better than my M2C's seats. We'll never see such a thing again. Also, the trade in price after 7.5 years of ownership and 82000 miles was 55% of what I originally paid for it (in 2013)...so that was pleasant.

[m2compred5]

Originally Posted by bri1042

Every car purchase is a mistake. Or, at least, every purchase I have ever made certainly has been.

It doesn’t matter how much research or thought you put into a car purchase, something about the one you buy will be a mistake, or not be what you hoped it would be. You might get home, put the car away for the night, and then by first light of day you’ll realize that the color only looked good in the fading light of the evening and today it looks terrible. You might drive the car for months and eventually get to the point where you are completely used to every aspect of the car and you come to realize that the transmission choice was the wrong one for you, or that one feature you skipped you deeply miss.

Something will not be right.

If you have sufficient resources, and you do not mind wasting money, you can go back to the dealership and fix the mistake. You can buy the same care in silver instead of brown, manual instead of automatic, or go get something else entirely. You will leave thousands on the table, and your significant other may growl at you for months, but you have the option.

If you do not have sufficient resources, you are stuck. If you are not willing to lose that huge chunk of change even though you can afford it, you are stuck. If angering your favorite person is a worse idea than living with the issue, you are stuck. Depending on what the issue is, you may be able to go aftermarket and fix the problem. But probably not. You are stuck with a car that is not what you want it to be. It is probably the most expensive thing you own, other than your house (or rent payment).

Whatever your mistake is, you can be sure that there will be an argument on many internet forums about your mistake. You can lose yourself in those arguments, and they will make you feel better and/or worse about the mistake you made, depending on the moment. People will call you a moron for buying a brown car (brown is, after all, a terrible color for cars). You will be told you are not a real enthusiast because you did not get the silly wheel package, or you chose to have a sunroof. There is nothing you can do about this. The internet is what it is.

If you have a car enthusiast for a significant other, a lot of us will be jealous that you have someone in your life that might understand your willingness to lose thousands to correct your mistake. But the two of you will probably go broke, so perhaps the rest of us are wrong to be jealous. Hard to say.

If most of your friends are enthusiasts, they will understand why your mistake was such a big deal. They will commiserate with you and lament their own terrible mistakes. And you will drive your friend’s car and quietly congratulate yourself for making less mistakes than they did. Or realize that your friend made less mistakes than you did and then decide if you should trade in your car for a car like theirs. If you do, you may like your car more, but the whole thing may get really weird.

If few of your friends are enthusiasts, and your significant human is not an enthusiast, you are an island surrounded by a sea of people who already think you are utterly insane. Accept it. You will have almost no support for living with or fixing your mistake. If you are lucky enough to get a “do whatever makes you happy” response from your human, that is the best you are going to get. They will never actually understand why it made you happy. Life is compromise.

Whatever mistake you made, whatever mistakes I made, it is Sunday. Good weather or bad, go out and drive a bit today and enjoy your car for what it is, and try to forget what it is not. Have some fun today. Edit: But stay away from people, most of us are on lock-down.

Dude I think you need to get ahold of yourself and be thankful for what you have.
What a depressing outlook on life, I would imagine this perspective of yours carries over to the rest of your life as well. Do yourself a favor and change something in your life to find a fresh perspective. What ever you are surrounding yourself with is not positive

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by m2compred5

Dude I think you need to get ahold of yourself and be thankful for what you have.
What a depressing outlook on life, I would imagine this perspective of yours carries over to the rest of your life as well. Do yourself a favor and change something in your life to find a fresh perspective. What ever you are surrounding yourself with is not positive

Dude - way to jump to a lot of conclusions. You're just a total treasure.