[GOC]

Some great advice and wise words here. I think I’ll just have to be patient. Much obliged

[Raisin Man]

Originally Posted by GOC

I’m almost 5 months waiting for my allocation to be accepted on a 2022 2SS 1LE. Happy with the deal, dealership and car - but the waits killing me.

Going to look at a 2018 M4 competition and a 2021 M2 competition this weekend, although I can’t quite make my peace paying 15k more for a car that could get smoked by a 1LE on track - they are both available with multiple choices on the used market now and it’s primarily road use.

Opinions please gents

Friends with expensive BMW engine problems have discouraged me from buying one. See link or search on Jalopnik - article entitled "BMW Engines are Gigantic Pieces of Shit", by Freddy Hernandez.


https://jalopnik.com/bmw-engines-are...hit-1784684330

[Christian1LE]

Originally Posted by Raisin Man

Friends with expensive BMW engine problems have discouraged me from buying one. See link or search on Jalopnik - article entitled "BMW Engines are Gigantic Pieces of Shit", by Freddy Hernandez.


https://jalopnik.com/bmw-engines-are...hit-1784684330

Funny article but I really like my 330CI, it's no race car but It's been amazing the 9 years I've owned it, getting close to 200k miles. Granted I do all the preventative maintenance before it breaks.

[ZPirate]

Originally Posted by Christian1LE

Funny article but I really like my 330CI, it's no race car but It's been amazing the 9 years I've owned it, getting close to 200k miles. Granted I do all the preventative maintenance before it breaks.

My 135i that I just sold was like that too. Although looking back I did have to replace a few parts, including the fuel injectors and the charge pipe with an aluminum one after the plastic one exploded under boost (which was a common issue with tuned 135i's). I did all the preventive maintenance on it too.

[GOC]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

M2 Comp is a very good car. Camaro doesn't "smoke" it. Camaro is a little better, so it can get out in front, but not by much and size of M2 is better for autoX stuff, although weight is a bit disappointing for the size. M4 is more of a porker, still a very good car, but the better chassis of the Camaro starts to shine more in that comparison.

I was looking hard at the M2 when shopping for my 1LE, but the comp wasn't out yet. It wasn't a very hard decision given that, but if the comp existed when I was shopping, it would have been a much harder decision. The M2C is what the M2 should have been at first. BMW heard the masses though and quickly came out with the C, which solved most of the issues with the regular M2. They at least did this a hell of a lot faster than it's taken Ford to make a good non-GT350 mustang.

Have you driven all 3 of these cars on the road and track?

[LA_LT1]

Originally Posted by GOC

I’m almost 5 months waiting for my allocation to be accepted on a 2022 2SS 1LE. Happy with the deal, dealership and car - but the waits killing me.

Going to look at a 2018 M4 competition and a 2021 M2 competition this weekend, although I can’t quite make my peace paying 15k more for a car that could get smoked by a 1LE on track - they are both available with multiple choices on the used market now and it’s primarily road use.

Opinions please gents

The M2 and M4 are fast and perform great but lack the feel of other BMWs. The Camaro has more feel and sounds better at the expense of a worse interior and visibility.

Have you driven an E92 M3? The V8 sounds special, more high strung with amazing intake noise (8 ITBs!) It lacks torque compared to the Camaro but it drives great, and with a set of KW Clubsports and wider wheels should keep up with a 1LE on track.

[GOC]

Originally Posted by LA_LT1

The M2 and M4 are fast and perform great but lack the feel of other BMWs. The Camaro has more feel and sounds better at the expense of a worse interior and visibility.

Have you driven an E92 M3? The V8 sounds special, more high strung with amazing intake noise (8 ITBs!) It lacks torque compared to the Camaro but it drives great, and with a set of KW Clubsports and wider wheels should keep up with a 1LE on track.

Have been advised against them. Almost bought one about a year ago. Friend of mine was a main engine mechanic/rebuild tech for both BMW and Mercedes’. Cool car all the same.

[LA_LT1]

Originally Posted by GOC

Have been advised against them. Almost bought one about a year ago. Friend of mine was a main engine mechanic/rebuild tech for both BMW and Mercedes’. Cool car all the same.

Just take care of the rob bearings which is about $2,500 and you are more or less good to go.
General maintenance isn't cheap, if you budget about a G a year if you drive it regularly.
I bought one with around 50,000 miles in 2015 and now have over 120,000 and it's been reliable. Just gotta keep up with maintenance.

[zxspeedspec]

I've owned an E36 M3, E60 M5, and a E92 M3. These cars are meant to be leased, driven like they were stolen, and returned after the lease period ends. Unless you're independently wealthy or have a huge BMW boner, it's never worth it in the end. If you need something sporty with a nicer interior than the Camaro, try the RCF. It's slower than the Camaro around the track, but it's a good in between a SS and M4 in terms of interior luxury mixed with performance.

[Vettethret]

Originally Posted by GOC

I’m almost 5 months waiting for my allocation to be accepted on a 2022 2SS 1LE. Happy with the deal, dealership and car - but the waits killing me.

Going to look at a 2018 M4 competition and a 2021 M2 competition this weekend, although I can’t quite make my peace paying 15k more for a car that could get smoked by a 1LE on track - they are both available with multiple choices on the used market now and it’s primarily road use.

Opinions please gents

I LOVE my American muscle, but the M Comps are BLINDINGLY fast! Cant go wrong with either!

[UnknownJinX]

Originally Posted by pzoom

And that is just the entrance fee. As a former M4 owner, yes it is nice and the interior is better in some aspects. However, after the warranty expired I was afraid to push it.

Maybe I spent too much time in the forums, but I was afraid of breaking something. Every week someone would post their latest issue and $$. Multiple turbos, timing chains, plastic guides, VANOS, etc..

I do miss it sometimes but once I fire up my 1LE all is forgotten.

Forgot to add: If you like an amazing sounding exhaust, the BMWs are awful. The exhaust plays through the stereo.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. BMW's out of warranty are scary. They are engineering marvels, but that also means much higher complexity compared to a good'ld pushrod V8 and many more things to fail and leak. Especially leaks. Oh how BMW's love to leak.

And yeah, S55 sounds like a bloody weedwhacker. S58 sounds a bit better, but still nothing compared to S65. I have once come across an E92 M3 on the road with an aftermarket exhaust. It sounded so good that I had to stop by him at the light to tell him how good the car sounds.

Originally Posted by zxspeedspec

I've owned an E36 M3, E60 M5, and a E92 M3. These cars are meant to be leased, driven like they were stolen, and returned after the lease period ends. Unless you're independently wealthy or have a huge BMW boner, it's never worth it in the end. If you need something sporty with a nicer interior than the Camaro, try the RCF. It's slower than the Camaro around the track, but it's a good in between a SS and M4 in terms of interior luxury mixed with performance.

Like LC500, RC-F is more of a GT car than it is a sports car. We all make fun of the Zupr4, but if someone is looking for a Camaro SS or BMW M, that is a better recommendation than RC-F.

The V8 in that car is meh. V8 is never a strong suit for Japanese manufacturers. Their domestic market never has a demand for V8 engines so the R&D is very limited compared to American V8s. If RC-F uses the 2UR in LC500, they use a bunch of expensive material like titanium rods only to achieve worse torque than Coyote(and of course LT1 and B58, but let's be fair and compare it to a DOHC V8 of the same displacement) and only a hair more power. Again, B58 in the Zupr4 is a much more capable engine, though like most BMW engines, it is probably at the expense of longevity. Also, aftermarket is practically nonexistent for 2UR when compared to American V8 or BMW engines. No one mods a Lexus, LOL.

If you never track the RC-F then it's fine, just don't expect Camaro or BMW handling. Toyota chassis is pretty meh in general. I think it was either BMW or Porsche that straight up said that Toyota can't make a capable chassis. I know it is anecdotal, but I have never, ever seen a Lexus show up to run on the track at an open tracking event or AutoX. Heck, I think I have seen more LC500 than I have seen RC-F on the road. The LC500 knows what it wants to be, while the RC-F unfortunately doesn't please anyone. Not capable enough for car people, but also too aggressive for your typical Lexus owner.

[zxspeedspec]

My parents own a LC500 and that's definitely a GT car. The RCF is kinda a niche drift car. It's actually super fun sliding it around on a track, but no it's not going to be as nimble as a 1LE. It's still more than capable of most people's skillsets on a racetrack and plenty capable. You need a near professional level driver before you start finding the RCF's limits pretty consistently.

The problem with the new Supra is it's essentially a BMW which brings us back to the original reason the M2/M4 probably isn't suitable unless you have lots of money to spend. Plus, less than $5k in suspension parts and the RCF will be a very fun track/daily car. Definitely far more luxurious/comfy on the inside than a SS 1LE.

[wjones14]

I had a 2018 2SS 1LE for 3 years and loved every minute of it. I also had a 2015 Mini Cooper that was my daily driver at the time, so I stored the Camaro during winters and essentially only drove it in good weather. Took it to 3 track days at Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, and Palmer Motorsports. I'm just a casual track guy who does 1 track day per year (since 2007). But the 1LE is super easy to drive fast even for an intermediate driver like me.

The pandemic and the fact that I'm nearing retirement age made me rethink things, and I decided to simplify and downsize to a single car. I wanted to stay with a sporty high horsepower RWD manual transmission car that could handle the occasional track day, but also could be a good year round daily driver.

I loved the how the Camaro looked and sounded, and the driving experience was phenomenal. It felt like a race car every time I got in it. Got compliments wherever I went. Took it to a bunch of Cruise nights and Cars & Coffee meets and had a blast. It had all the bells and whistles too, with the heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated Recaros, HUD, Bose, parking sensors, blind spot monitor, etc.

As a daily driver, however, it wasn't perfect. At least for me. It was a chore to get in and out of it being so low. Storage was crap. Visibility was, you know, lacking... And it was a big car.

So last March I ordered a 2021 M2 Comp and took delivery in June. I worried that I would miss the explosive power of the LT1, but honestly, the M2C is just as explosive. The seating position is higher in the M2, so it feels less racy than the Camaro, but it's so much easier to get in and out. The exhaust note is nowhere near as sweet as the Camaro, but still sounds plenty sporty without being obnoxious.

Things I miss about the Camaro:

• V-8 sound
• Menacing look
• Raw driving feel
• HUD
• Ventilated seats
• Suede seating area

Things I love about the M2C:

• Perfect size
• It's a real M car
• Torque curve
• Thick leather steering wheel
• Nimble driving feel
• Overall quality

I got a set of winter rims and tires from the forum classifieds. I don't drive it in snow, but still can drive it in cold weather otherwise. By the time it was broken in the track season was already over, but hopefully this year I'll take it to the Glen or Lime Rock. I'm not worried about matching my previous lap times with the 1LE - that's not why I go to the track. I'm sure the M2C won't be a slouch, and I'll have an awesome time with it.

I miss the Camaro for sure, but don't regret getting the M2C. I wish I could have both. The Camaro is the better bang for the buck no doubt. But if you can swing another $10K, you can't go wrong with the M2C.

[wjones14]

I should have attached pictures to the post. Here they are: