[ska///235i]

So the M3 is priced at $62.5, M235 with LSD installed + a few options could run you up $50k. Now I know $12k is alot of money but wouldnt you rather skip that weekend dinner and opt for the M3 (a true M car)???

Now the M2 will prbly start @ $54k...for those thinking about addng lsd and performance parts, wait for the M2

[M.barnes]

i dont think a 2 door coupe to a 4 door saloon is a fair move.

I think M235i vs M4 might be comparable but i cant afford to run (daily) and insure an M4 whereas i can an M235i. plus i do not think i could drive an M4 faster than i could an M235i.

[M.barnes]

In uk m4 is £56k while my fully equipped m235i came in at £40k. I got £4k off as discount from dealer on M235i while i cant imagine a discount on an M4.

That means £36k M235i vs £56k M4( lets say £60k after some options). Thats nearly twice the price lol

[ska///235i]

Not comparing the 2 cars...my pt was if Im paying $50k for a M235, I would much rather have a M3 or even a future M2 base on the US released pricing

I do see that its different in your case

[number1draftpick]

My new car is well overdue. I'd rather get the M235i now and worry about selling/lease trade once the M2 is actually announced and has a release date.

Would be very frustrating to continue waiting another 1, 2+ years for a car that has no release date, not even officially announced.

[Lucky13]

M3 with a few options installed is $70K so what's the point?

[BrunoT]

Remember the "cost" of a car is not the car payment, nor is it the sales price. It is the combination of costs involved with ownership.

1. Depreciation
2. Interest
3. Fuel
4. Insurance
5. Maintenance/Repairs
6. Taxes/fees

Only by understanding all of these factors can you decide if a car is a better or worse buy than another.

So in this example, I assume the M3/M4 would have slightly higher fuel costs, insurance costs, ad valorem taxes, and moderate additional interest on the $12,000 price difference. It might, however, suffer less depreciation, being an "M" car, than a more mainstream BMW, however well it performs. Maybe not.

There are resources available to track all these costs based on how many miles you drive and how long you intend to keep it. It is not uncommon to have more expensive vehicles cost less to own and drive.

One thing you can do to drive more car for less real cost is to own vs lease, sell it yourself vs trading it in, keep it in great shape, garage it, and drive it for more than 3 years. If you have any car payment at all you likely are not really in a position financially to be layering on the options and engine power. Parents' basements are filled with people today who thought they had it all under control back in 2008 and spent it all just knowing they'd soon be making even more.

[BrunoT]

Originally Posted by M.barnes

i dont think a 2 door coupe to a 4 door saloon is a fair move.

I think M235i vs M4 might be comparable but i cant afford to run (daily) and insure an M4 whereas i can an M235i. plus i do not think i could drive an M4 faster than i could an M235i.

Surely you know that 95% of M cars sold are not for performance reasons but ego and one-upsmanship. The regular 1's and 3's have been so good for years now that the vast majority of people can't use the performance difference.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by M.barnes

In uk m4 is £56k while my fully equipped m235i came in at £40k. I got £4k off as discount from dealer on M235i while i cant imagine a discount on an M4.

That means £36k M235i vs £56k M4( lets say £60k after some options). Thats nearly twice the price lol

Hi mate, straight discount on a car not out yet, pretty good deal. I agree on the price comparison M135i/M235i near 1/2 the price of the M4 I'm thinking of. That's an awful lot of petrol money towards the M235i. Any idea how far off the dealer cars are for UK? Will it be March.

Sorry 20 questions by the way but any idea on the rear seat space, I have a 7 & 9 year old and its hard to see from launch pics. Not an issue at all in the back of the 4 series having sat in that. Currently legs getting tight in my wifes mini so 2 series might be a squeeze, M135i looks like plenty of room.

[jmcphillips1]

The price comparison of a 50k m235 vs a 62.5k M3 is ludicrous. If you have priced out the m235 to 50k then you have added a good deal of options. Won't you want those same options on the M3? If your answer is yes then the M3 is not 62.5k but more like 72.5k. So now you are looking at more than 20k difference in the two. Plus as others have pointed out the M3 is 4 doors and the M235 is a 2 door car. So are you really interested in the M4? If that is the case you can add at least another 2.5k-4k to that price so you are looking at either a 50k M235 or a 75k-76k M4.

[M.barnes]

My m235i was ordered in December and will be delivered 28th march ish. Dealer will have theirs on 8th march.

I have a 123d coupe at the moment so hoping for something similar in size. Leg room for kids would be ok I think, not so great for adults but then it's a 2+2 really, want bigger get a 4 series lol.

[JustChris]

Cheers.

[ska///235i]

Originally Posted by jmcphillips1

The price comparison of a 50k m235 vs a 62.5k M3 is ludicrous. If you have priced out the m235 to 50k then you have added a good deal of options. Won't you want those same options on the M3? If your answer is yes then the M3 is not 62.5k but more like 72.5k. So now you are looking at more than 20k difference in the two. Plus as others have pointed out the M3 is 4 doors and the M235 is a 2 door car. So are you really interested in the M4? If that is the case you can add at least another 2.5k-4k to that price so you are looking at either a 50k M235 or a 75k-76k M4.

I was trying to say most ppl want LSD with a few options...a stock m3 already have lsd and leather...just saying, why everyone is so uptight lol

Now base on the new M3 pricing...we can guessimate M2 to be around $54k, wouldnt it be a no brainer to get the m2 if you want the m235, lsd, perf parts...etc

[Cosa Nostra]

I dunno. IMO the M235i is barely affordable, so I can't imagine an M2 version (if there ever is one) w/b affordable for the mortal masses. Who wouldn't want to own an M car - especially a 2-door M3 (as opposed to the incoming butt ugly M4) - but in terms of value for money, IMO these cars are overpriced, too low to the ground (ergo can't be driven in the winter), and have performance parts/options that only a professional race car driver on a track could ever take advantage of. Great for the ego but not for the wallet.

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by ska325xi

So the M3 is priced at $62.5, M235 with LSD installed + a few options could run you up $50k. Now I know $12k is alot of money but wouldnt you rather skip that weekend dinner and opt for the M3 (a true M car)???

Now the M2 will prbly start @ $54k...for those thinking about addng lsd and performance parts, wait for the M2

This is not ridiculous at all. In fact seeing that the M235 I with options and LSD will run close to 52k, I have in fact begun seriously considering a stripper M3 which will come standard with leather, Nav, and LSD obviously.. I prefer the 4 door anyway. I think 10 grand difference is worth it.

[jocamryn]

Originally Posted by BrunoT

Remember the "cost" of a car is not the car payment, nor is it the sales price. It is the combination of costs involved with ownership.

1. Depreciation
2. Interest
3. Fuel
4. Insurance
5. Maintenance/Repairs
6. Taxes/fees

Maint/repairs is free for the first 4 years. Huge factor as to why I will ONLY buy a BMW.

[Lucky13]

Originally Posted by Ramos

This is not ridiculous at all. In fact seeing that the M235 I with options and LSD will run close to 52k, I have in fact begun seriously considering a stripper M3 which will come standard with leather, Nav, and LSD obviously.. I prefer the 4 door anyway. I think 10 grand difference is worth it.

It's not $10K, you have to get the Executive Package at $5,500 to have the same features as the $52K you quote. You can't get heated seats, full leather, sat radio and a lot of other features for $63 so if your going to quote do apples to apples. So using this logic whats a loaded M3 vs a stripped M235, $44 vs $74 or $30K. I'll start a thread get 2 M235's for the price of a loaded M4.

[Ramos]

You're missing the point of what we are saying. Some of us including myself may be willing to forego some options to get into the M3 instead of the M235

Yes it's not apples to apples without the executive package on the M3, but since leather and Nav are standard, the executive package is not a must have

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Ramos

This is not ridiculous at all. In fact seeing that the M235 I with options and LSD will run close to 52k, I have in fact begun seriously considering a stripper M3 which will come standard with leather, Nav, and LSD obviously.. I prefer the 4 door anyway. I think 10 grand difference is worth it.

I've priced an M235i in the uk with all the goodies you get standard in the M3/4 here and it's around £40k on which you might get 10% discount. As pricing is not available for LSD this is not included.

M3 here starts from £56 with little chance of discount, difference here then is £20k IMO which is quite some difference.

I'm more likely to go with a manual but high spec M235i now for the cars size, usable performance for me and cost.