Hi Guys,
It's been some time since I sold the M340i, and in true BMW Fanatics fashion, I thought it would only be fair to post about the new car—a 2024 G87 M2 in Sapphire Metallic Black (Boy, what was I thinking getting a black car?). Nevertheless, keeping the paintwork in the same condition as the day I took delivery is hard work but ever so rewarding. Now, for those who are thinking of getting a black car, know this: All it takes for your pride and joy to be ruined is a single wash at any car wash that doesn't follow the two-bucket method with a separate cloth for each wash process! Then you basically have a black car that has swirls for days! And no, this did not happen to me, but it serves as a warning for those who own or are considering black cars—if you don't care much for swirls, then any car wash is for you!
Moving on, it was difficult to find something to replace the M340i. As fast as it was and as fun to drive, I always missed the ///M drama from my previously owned F82 M4. The M340i sort of bridged that gap, but coming from an F82 M4, you start to miss what an ///M car delivers in pure emotion and driving pleasure. The M340i is a solid all-rounder, though. It has all the bells and whistles you could ever need while being fast and inspiring confidence in your driving like no other car can. This is not only true for the M340i with xDrive but also for any G8X platform with M xDrive—these cars tend to bring out your inner "Stig." If you're chasing a performance machine, one of the best all-rounders could be the M340i/M240i or even the X3/X4 M40i cars. Just drop in an M Performance exhaust and never look back—trust me, that exhaust is well worth the money BMW asks for!
Let's get on with it. In my search to find something as close as possible to my F82 M4, I ended up test-driving many cars, including Audi RS3s (Sedan and Hatch). While being fast and having good exhaust notes and engine noise, the interior didn't speak to me. No offense to any Audi RS3 driver reading this, but I couldn't live with the extensive amount of plastic material in that cabin. I also considered the M3/M4, but after much consideration, jumping into a new one wasn't on the cards, especially at the asking price. And I am very particular about cars—I would rather buy a new M3/M4 than risk being sold a pre-owned, secretly modded and returned-to-stock car. Yes, that's right; I'm a millennial—I know what goes on behind the scenes. Any salesperson who tells me, "No, sir, we would know if that car was modded," just gets laughed at. Now, I'm not ranting and saying that every pre-owned car follows this fate, but rather I am wiser from past experiences. So, call me foolish for spending on a new car, and I'll take you through the pain and trauma of the first F82 M4 I was sold—now that car was a LEMON for sure!
Moving on to 2023, the so-called Lego Car, hideous M2, Fugly G87 was released. Yes, that sentiment followed through until more and more people and car reviewers got their hands on it. I was part of that very crew, especially when the first leaked pics came out—I remember telling a friend I would never buy it. But at that point in time, we were also discussing the G80 M3 and how we both said we'd never buy that either
Well, fast forward to 2024, he now owns a G80 M3 Competition—a monster with M xDrive—and I own a 2024 BMW M2! Looking at how things have progressed, the G87 is probably the most highly modded vehicle overseas, with guys doing light mods like tune + downpipe and getting 650hp, or monster builds exceeding 800-1000+ hp. The same is true for the M3/M4 big brothers. On the styling front, there's a wide variety of aesthetic and visual upgrades available now. This was essential for me, and I threw on a front splitter and rear boot spoiler on day 2 of owning the car 😂. Yes, it's not the prettiest thing, but the visual upgrades make the car look more aggressive—though that may be subjective, as many people still can't live with the looks. But hey, I'm not going to defend that 😎. After all, the G87 M2 is only the 2024 Old Mutual and Motor Trend Car of the Year .
Let's talk about the drive. During my first drive, which I never intended on doing, I was rather on a casual visit to BMW Midrand with my three kids one Saturday. We were looking at cars on the floor, and the sales rep I deal with, Reece, was passing by. He handed me the keys to a white BMW M2 and said, "Go on and test drive that car," then rushed off to set up a M240i for another test drive as he had a customer waiting. I plopped the kids in the M2—my 9 and 10-year-olds in the back. These little buggers are agile and full of youthful energy, so getting in and out was easy peasy for them—+1 point for me! My naughty 4-year-old was excited and naturally ruled his reign of terror over the other two, getting dibs on the front passenger seat. I took a few minutes to see how the M1/M2 buttons were programmed and noticed that M1 was in ECO setting and M2 in full-blown DSC off! Now, immediately that raised flags—why is BMW letting customers showcase their advanced driving skills in the M2 setting? 😂 I then proceeded to change M1 to a sport setting all around for engine, suspension, and gearbox level 2 with traction control on. I adjusted M2 to have full-blown sport+ settings for the engine and transmission level 3, brakes in sport, steering in sport, BUT I did not put it in MDM or TC off. No sir, I just left the traction control "on," knowing that if I had to mess up, those little turds with mobile devices would pop out of nowhere like mushrooms after a thunderstorm! And I'd be known as that guy who went on a test drive and got it wrong—all thanks to social media! Besides, I had my three kids in the car, so going all out was not on the cards!
We drove out of the dealership in efficient mode—that's the standard mode when you jump in and start the car. My 10-year-old was recording the test drive. We got onto the main road, and I gave it some gas—whew, they got pushed back into their seats and were all giggling as children do. At the next robot, I was ahead of the pack. I switched to M1, gave it gas, and noticed that hey, this thing has a ton of power, which the TC system decided it had to put an end to (ah, damn). Okay, that was bleh... and I knew if an M340i was beside me, it would outlaunch me. But hey, if I had it all dialed in and was alone, I would potentially be neck and neck with an M340i if I launched the M2 properly—and I say properly, not consistently! There ain't no consistent launches on an RWD platform. Moving on, I switched to M2 mode, booted it a little, and the kids got planted in their seats, still giggling and cheering me on to go faster. But common sense prevailed, and I let off. However, the manner in which the M2 gained speed already told me that this little rocket is way faster than my M340i. Even my 10-year-old son hinted at that. We spent the rest of the drive playing with the ID8 system and testing the car on our perfectly laid out South African roads (as per Government-awarded tender standards). And for a high-performance car, it did very well in comfort settings!
I noticed that it didn't have a 360-degree camera system like the M340i—bummer, hey, but something I could live with. The seats were quite average; this car had the carbon bucket seats—they hug you tightly, but I could tell they were not for daily driving. So on my M2, I got the standard M seats, which in my opinion, are way more comfortable. They're also heated, so winter, bring it on! The interior feel was premium, and this is expected from BMW. If you're old school, you might not like the new screens, but I enjoy them—they make driving the car even more special. The seats are electric with memory settings for the driver only. Now, the back seats—I would say—are a space for kids only or a tiny wife 😍. Please do not put large humans back there! Remote start is a feature you pay for, but it makes life easier and can be done with the key fob or from the "myBMW" app. It eliminates cold start waiting times, so I find that very helpful. And if you were wondering, the car remains locked if you initiate remote start—only a valid key, digital key via phone, or the digital card will get you into the car. The car also has a bit of AI built in, so if you repeat a behavior such as opening a window at the booms of your office, it will suggest automating this habit and will open the windows automatically when you arrive at the office booms. In addition, it comes with BMW Park Assist and lane departure warning and avoidance. It has front collision sensing, but I don't think it intervenes if there's a potential collision.
A few months went on, and I was intending to get an M2 but was busy, and the only time I had for an M2 was at night while resting in bed and watching YouTube videos... The wife then tells me one Monday morning that we're going to BMW. Casual browse? Yes, dear! Off we go, and there’s a black M2 on the floor—no, it was not a surprise. But Reece walks up to us, and she proceeds to greet him and then tells him, "He is taking delivery of an M2, and we need it before Father's Day!" I was in shock and speechless for a while, just nodded with a smile, and said, "Yes!" I guess I needed the shove to get going!
The rest is history. We took delivery one Friday, and here she is:
It's been some time since I sold the M340i, and in true BMW Fanatics fashion, I thought it would only be fair to post about the new car—a 2024 G87 M2 in Sapphire Metallic Black (Boy, what was I thinking getting a black car?). Nevertheless, keeping the paintwork in the same condition as the day I took delivery is hard work but ever so rewarding. Now, for those who are thinking of getting a black car, know this: All it takes for your pride and joy to be ruined is a single wash at any car wash that doesn't follow the two-bucket method with a separate cloth for each wash process! Then you basically have a black car that has swirls for days! And no, this did not happen to me, but it serves as a warning for those who own or are considering black cars—if you don't care much for swirls, then any car wash is for you!
Moving on, it was difficult to find something to replace the M340i. As fast as it was and as fun to drive, I always missed the ///M drama from my previously owned F82 M4. The M340i sort of bridged that gap, but coming from an F82 M4, you start to miss what an ///M car delivers in pure emotion and driving pleasure. The M340i is a solid all-rounder, though. It has all the bells and whistles you could ever need while being fast and inspiring confidence in your driving like no other car can. This is not only true for the M340i with xDrive but also for any G8X platform with M xDrive—these cars tend to bring out your inner "Stig." If you're chasing a performance machine, one of the best all-rounders could be the M340i/M240i or even the X3/X4 M40i cars. Just drop in an M Performance exhaust and never look back—trust me, that exhaust is well worth the money BMW asks for!
Let's get on with it. In my search to find something as close as possible to my F82 M4, I ended up test-driving many cars, including Audi RS3s (Sedan and Hatch). While being fast and having good exhaust notes and engine noise, the interior didn't speak to me. No offense to any Audi RS3 driver reading this, but I couldn't live with the extensive amount of plastic material in that cabin. I also considered the M3/M4, but after much consideration, jumping into a new one wasn't on the cards, especially at the asking price. And I am very particular about cars—I would rather buy a new M3/M4 than risk being sold a pre-owned, secretly modded and returned-to-stock car. Yes, that's right; I'm a millennial—I know what goes on behind the scenes. Any salesperson who tells me, "No, sir, we would know if that car was modded," just gets laughed at. Now, I'm not ranting and saying that every pre-owned car follows this fate, but rather I am wiser from past experiences. So, call me foolish for spending on a new car, and I'll take you through the pain and trauma of the first F82 M4 I was sold—now that car was a LEMON for sure!
Moving on to 2023, the so-called Lego Car, hideous M2, Fugly G87 was released. Yes, that sentiment followed through until more and more people and car reviewers got their hands on it. I was part of that very crew, especially when the first leaked pics came out—I remember telling a friend I would never buy it. But at that point in time, we were also discussing the G80 M3 and how we both said we'd never buy that either
Let's talk about the drive. During my first drive, which I never intended on doing, I was rather on a casual visit to BMW Midrand with my three kids one Saturday. We were looking at cars on the floor, and the sales rep I deal with, Reece, was passing by. He handed me the keys to a white BMW M2 and said, "Go on and test drive that car," then rushed off to set up a M240i for another test drive as he had a customer waiting. I plopped the kids in the M2—my 9 and 10-year-olds in the back. These little buggers are agile and full of youthful energy, so getting in and out was easy peasy for them—+1 point for me! My naughty 4-year-old was excited and naturally ruled his reign of terror over the other two, getting dibs on the front passenger seat. I took a few minutes to see how the M1/M2 buttons were programmed and noticed that M1 was in ECO setting and M2 in full-blown DSC off! Now, immediately that raised flags—why is BMW letting customers showcase their advanced driving skills in the M2 setting? 😂 I then proceeded to change M1 to a sport setting all around for engine, suspension, and gearbox level 2 with traction control on. I adjusted M2 to have full-blown sport+ settings for the engine and transmission level 3, brakes in sport, steering in sport, BUT I did not put it in MDM or TC off. No sir, I just left the traction control "on," knowing that if I had to mess up, those little turds with mobile devices would pop out of nowhere like mushrooms after a thunderstorm! And I'd be known as that guy who went on a test drive and got it wrong—all thanks to social media! Besides, I had my three kids in the car, so going all out was not on the cards!
We drove out of the dealership in efficient mode—that's the standard mode when you jump in and start the car. My 10-year-old was recording the test drive. We got onto the main road, and I gave it some gas—whew, they got pushed back into their seats and were all giggling as children do. At the next robot, I was ahead of the pack. I switched to M1, gave it gas, and noticed that hey, this thing has a ton of power, which the TC system decided it had to put an end to (ah, damn). Okay, that was bleh... and I knew if an M340i was beside me, it would outlaunch me. But hey, if I had it all dialed in and was alone, I would potentially be neck and neck with an M340i if I launched the M2 properly—and I say properly, not consistently! There ain't no consistent launches on an RWD platform. Moving on, I switched to M2 mode, booted it a little, and the kids got planted in their seats, still giggling and cheering me on to go faster. But common sense prevailed, and I let off. However, the manner in which the M2 gained speed already told me that this little rocket is way faster than my M340i. Even my 10-year-old son hinted at that. We spent the rest of the drive playing with the ID8 system and testing the car on our perfectly laid out South African roads (as per Government-awarded tender standards). And for a high-performance car, it did very well in comfort settings!
I noticed that it didn't have a 360-degree camera system like the M340i—bummer, hey, but something I could live with. The seats were quite average; this car had the carbon bucket seats—they hug you tightly, but I could tell they were not for daily driving. So on my M2, I got the standard M seats, which in my opinion, are way more comfortable. They're also heated, so winter, bring it on! The interior feel was premium, and this is expected from BMW. If you're old school, you might not like the new screens, but I enjoy them—they make driving the car even more special. The seats are electric with memory settings for the driver only. Now, the back seats—I would say—are a space for kids only or a tiny wife 😍. Please do not put large humans back there! Remote start is a feature you pay for, but it makes life easier and can be done with the key fob or from the "myBMW" app. It eliminates cold start waiting times, so I find that very helpful. And if you were wondering, the car remains locked if you initiate remote start—only a valid key, digital key via phone, or the digital card will get you into the car. The car also has a bit of AI built in, so if you repeat a behavior such as opening a window at the booms of your office, it will suggest automating this habit and will open the windows automatically when you arrive at the office booms. In addition, it comes with BMW Park Assist and lane departure warning and avoidance. It has front collision sensing, but I don't think it intervenes if there's a potential collision.
A few months went on, and I was intending to get an M2 but was busy, and the only time I had for an M2 was at night while resting in bed and watching YouTube videos... The wife then tells me one Monday morning that we're going to BMW. Casual browse? Yes, dear! Off we go, and there’s a black M2 on the floor—no, it was not a surprise. But Reece walks up to us, and she proceeds to greet him and then tells him, "He is taking delivery of an M2, and we need it before Father's Day!" I was in shock and speechless for a while, just nodded with a smile, and said, "Yes!" I guess I needed the shove to get going!
The rest is history. We took delivery one Friday, and here she is:
