[evoeric]

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Excited about the new M2 and almost put down a deposit for a pre-order, but never purchased a vehicle without seeing in-person and test driving. Is the modern car buying process, at least for specialty vehicles, only a digital experience?

Debating just biting the bullet and getting on a dealer pre-order list that doesn't charge exorbitant ADMs, or waiting to actually see the M2 once they land at dealers.

Realistically, is a test drive only possible through either a friend who lets you drive theirs, or after actually purchasing?

[ChanceG8X]

In a way it's kind of dead. Launch cars will be around soon enough and that'll be the car you can find new on the lot. After its all special orders from there really. Unless you just find a dealer with some how zero movement. These cars are in very high demand so why make randomly selected optioned cars.

[Tag]

I'm sure you'll be able to see it at some point in IRL but it will be extremely hard to be able to test drive it because a) it's an M car so they don't get many each month and b) being this is a hot new model they will all be spoken for quite some time. This is why I'm hoping they startup the M drivers events again that BMW holds over the summer and hoping they have an M2 in their fleet. I did this before the pandemic and got to drive the M2c, M5c, X3M and other cars. It was a blast and a great way to get behind the wheel of cars that are hard to test drive.

[FryCookOnVenus]

Originally Posted by evoeric

Excited about the new M2 and almost put down a deposit for a pre-order, but never purchased a vehicle without seeing in-person and test driving. Is the modern car buying process, at least for specialty vehicles, only a digital experience?

Debating just biting the bullet and getting on a dealer pre-order list that doesn't charge exorbitant ADMs, or waiting to actually see the M2 once they land at dealers.

Realistically, is a test drive only possible through either a friend who lets you drive theirs, or after actually purchasing?

Yeah, very likely that it's almost impossible to test drive a car. That's due to availability, but also because dealers know that M2 buyers do not want an example that already has 150 test-drive miles on it.

I've never bought a car without a test drive, but I have deposit down on a G87. I'm going to read all the reviews that come out in April and if there seems to be some glaring deficit, I'll just take my name off the list and find something else.

[02M3ForMe]

There will be M2s to test drive, but your window is likely right at launch when all of the HEA cars land or 1-2 years from now when used cars start to appear in quantity. In either case, expect to have to call around a bit.

The reality is there is a large contingent of existing M2 clients who are prepared to buy without a test drive, so dealers don’t need to “sell” this particular model.

[Rx-7ames]

Honest question: What do you need a test drive for? Are you unsure if the size will be right for you? Go drive a 230 or M240. Are you questioning the performance? Go drive an M3 or M4. There are lots of ways to get a feel of how the M2 will be. Will you know exactly? Of course not. But I've driven so many BMWs I have no doubt that I will like this car. Ordering without driving was a no brainer.

[evoeric]

Thanks all for the comments so far, it makes sense. I get we're talking about M-cars and not the standards series, so inventory and availability are different.

I do get the comment around buyers not wanting to get a car with 100s of miles of hard driving. I bought one of the first Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8s, and getting it brand new with low miles was an important factor in dealer decision.

It's just hard to completely get bought into a $70k+ decision over photos, videos, and other people's opinions.

How good the manual gearbox is, is a really is a personal driver preference. How good the Zandvoort blue color looks, depends on how it looks to someone in the light/dark etc.. How crummy the wireless car charging, depends on the utility for using it.

Love the idea of a M driver's event, something to look into if they start it up again.

Also, struggling with if demand will be effected by the recent economy and improvements to the car supply chain, or if the M2 is in a bubble unaffected by those dynamics.

[evoeric]

Originally Posted by Rx-7ames

Honest question: What do you need a test drive for? Are you unsure if the size will be right for you? Go drive a 230 or M240. Are you questioning the performance? Go drive an M3 or M4. There are lots of ways to get a feel of how the M2 will be. Will you know exactly? Of course not. But I've driven so many BMWs I have no doubt that I will like this car. Ordering without driving was a no brainer.

Probably the same reasons that any performance car enthusiast evaluates in a car riding experience.

A few questions come to mind:

• How does butt-seat HP feel, from start to highway speed?
• How does the weight/torque balance feel both in straight lines and in curves?
• How does the understeer/oversteer feel on turns, especially on twisty speeds?
• How does the gearbox feel, both from a catch point and throw perspective?

I get your point and it's probably the reality of the situation. But I also think it is a little unreasonable to test drive multiple different car models to triangulate on the experience of one. And even after that, there are going to be some gaps. Maybe the bottom line is that I'm not BMW experienced enough to draw firmer personal conclusions.

[DrJLag420]

Just jump in. With the current car market (especially for these enthusiast type cars) you can prolly drive it for free for 6-12 months. Then sell it. Make a buck or at least break even. Of course, none of us can predict the future. Good luck with your choice and I hope you can get a chance to test drive a G87 M2. I’m not holding my breath.

I’ll take my own advice and put my build in and see how I like it when it arrives. I’ll take her for a test drive before I complete the transaction. If I don’t want it, the dealer can keep my deposit and I’ll walk into another dealership (there’s a P-Car dealership across the lot).

If I do decide to take her home and I feel the manny is too rubbery, clutch uptake isn’t up to my liking over time (or anything else that bothers me enough to want to get rid of her) I might have to do some ‘tweaks’. If I still don’t like the ‘feel’, I’ll bail, sell her, and get something else.

BTW, my wife has already come up with a name for her: Emmy. And you know what they say about naming things…

[Rx-7ames]

Originally Posted by evoeric

How does butt-seat HP feel, from start to highway speed?

How does the understeer/oversteer feel on turns, especially on twisty speeds?
.

I would be very hesitant to allow any client test these out in a new BMW. If you are truly testing a 0-highway speed pull then you are breaking BMWs engine break-in rules. Full HP isn't even unlocked until the break-in service anyway, so the feel will be irrelevant. An M240 will likely feel faster.

If you are truly testing the understeer/oversteer feel in turns then you are most likely breaking laws and driving recklessly. That's too fast for a client to test out on a brand new car that they aren't even sure they want to purchase. I would interpret this kind of driving as a joy ride and end the test drive immediately. I'm not getting fired when someone crashes a new M2 because they wanted to test under/oversteer.

Originally Posted by evoeric

How does the gearbox feel, both from a catch point and throw perspective?

It feels exactly the same as a manual M3/4.

Originally Posted by evoeric

I get your point and it's probably the reality of the situation. But I also think it is a little unreasonable to test drive multiple different car models to triangulate on the experience of one. And even after that, there are going to be some gaps. Maybe the bottom line is that I'm not BMW experienced enough to draw firmer personal conclusions.

Let's say I am flat out wrong about everything I said above. Maybe I'm just a jerk. This is the reality of the situation. All the stars will have to align and you will have to find an un-sold M2 to test drive. Good luck. I don't even have M3s and M4s to test drive unless by an off chance I have a used one on the lot. Sometimes those hang out a little longer than the new cars.