[ggggbmw]

I got a new car. So, I'm moving on. I'm going to really miss my M235i. Best car I've ever owned.

But, I'm just moving next door. I'll still be close. Bought a 2017 M2.

This is going to be an adventure. Wanted something with more track potential, but not outrageous. Been thinking about all sorts of things, from new to an old track toy. Got a decent deal on this M2. Been getting back in the groove with a manual also. Also part of the adventure. Haven't stalled it, yet....

The M235i is listed in the For Sale forum if anyone is interested.

[mecheng77]

Do give us a detailed review in how they compare! Congrats btw

[celsdogg]

LMFAO, moving on? More like moving up! Congrats OP!

When I was looking for my F22, I test drove mine and a OG F87. For what I needed, I decided I didn't need the extra-ness of the F87 and the difference of $7k would be lost on me. Might have been wrong about that, haha.

[JMcLellan]

Congrats! That might be my favorite M2 color. And those f series M2's are so good looking. Good luck on selling the M235. I had my M240 listed for quite a while on the forum and on FB marketplace. Got lucky and another forum member reached out last week to inquire. Car is on it's way to its new home in Arizona now.

[atek]

nice upgrade! do share how the M235i stacks against the M2 from your perspective of owning both back to back!

[lostlife656]

Im saving up for an m2 as well. Beautiful car. Have fun!

[ggggbmw]

Since a few of you asked, I have a few brief impressions of the M2 vs. the M235i. Sadly, I've been traveling a lot for work, so I haven't done much driving on the M2 yet.

I can't really judge the drivetrain yet. I'm moving from the ZF8 to a manual on the M2. Getting used to driving a stick again is coloring a lot of my judgement. As I expected, traffic sucks. But I only commute one day a week now typically, so it's bearable. Still a bit torn though on the involvement of stick, vs. the easy luxo-coupe driving of the ZF8. But I got the stick partly as an experiment, partly to test/improve my manual track skills, and partly as an adventure.

Driving the stick is coming back quicker than I thought it would. Been nearly 30 years since my last one. (A lot of boring family first cars in there.) With the torque of the N55, and six gears, I find that I'm often skipping gears. Accelerating on to the highway is often 1,2,4,6. And I wish there was a 7th gear. Be nice to drop the revs at higher speeds.

The biggest modern improvement in stick driving though is the automatic hill hold function. Makes it SO easy to deal with one of the trickier parts of driving stick. No more scary dance to get away from a light on a hill with someone right on your bumper. Makes living with a stick a lot easier.

I also can't really judge the power. Former owner put a stage 2+ tune and a catless downpipe on it. It's a lot of loud raucous power. But I am planning on putting the stock cat back on, and a stage 0 tune. The M235 had plenty of power for me, even on track, and I'm sure the stock 360 will suit me fine.

The catless downpipe also makes it hard to judge the noise difference between the M2 and M235i. Right now it is SO LOUD. Another reason to get the cat back on. What I can hear of the chassis/road noise though, it is a bit louder, but not annoying. At least on shorter trips.

One thing I can comment on is the suspension. I was worried that the M2 would be too harsh. One person I know his wife won't ride in his M2 because it bothers her. Well, my wife hates bouncy cars, and this one isn't bothering her. It is definitely more firm. But not jiggly or harsh. You feel the bumps and thumps, but they are controlled. Then again, MnDOT spent the whole summer filling in potholes. I'll see what it's like in the spring.

The biggest difference I feel is in the steering. Turn in is WAY more authoritative on the M2. You steer, it turns. The M235 was hardly sloppy, but the M2 is so much more aggressive. There is no sense of the tire skittering, it just sets in and goes. Same PS4S on both cars, so it's not a tire difference. And the feedback is still the vague BMW electric rack response. But with the M2 you just feel like you have more control.

As a daily driver, which this will be, there is no doubt the M235 is the better car. Everything is less abrupt, quieter, and smoother. The M2 is more outrageous in every respect. Especially with those gorgeous round hips. But I bought the M2 to ratchet up my track driving while still being reasonably useful as a DD. And I think it will fill that bill perfectly. I can't wait to get it on the track.

Oh, and as gorgeous as the Long Beach Blue is, I think I prefer the Estoril Blue on the M235. I like the true bright blue of EB, more than the aqua tones of LBB. But they both look better than almost any other color BMW has.