RS3, 1M, M2, Focus RS, other?

[k2skier]

I'm considering a new/newer car and would love to hear some options from the crowd on if you were looking for a car today what would you get? Before we get to far, a couple of constraints/things to keep in mind when thinking about the answer.

• I tend to keep my cars for a while
• I have two kids (3 and 6yrs old) so access to the backseat is helpful

What else if anything should I consider beyond the poll or why what you voted for?

Thanks in advance!

[k2skier]

Follow on question - have any of you put car seats in the back of your 1M and or is the back big enough for a normal sized human being?

[nachob]

Originally Posted by k2skier

Follow on question - have any of you put car seats in the back of your 1M and or is the back big enough for a normal sized human being?

I have two kids. They were 5 and 9 when I bought my 1M. No issues. I even drive last summer from Toronto to San Diego with wife and kids then 9 and 13. Forward facing no prob. Backward facing an issue but that's with any car in your list.

[ORA]

been raising a newborn child with the 1M and it's worked great. he's 10 months old now and it's amazing to use my 'dream car' as our family car. wouldn't want anything else!

after the 1M in 2nd place would be the Focus RS. A hell of a car!

[sdmodified]

I would absolutely get a golf R if I had the coin and wanted a 4 door all wheel drive. The V dub is so much classier than the focus. Plus German Engineering! Maybe not quite as fast stock, but slap an Apr tune on it and you unleash the beast.

[kprocivic]

I like the rs but I feel it doesn't belong on that list. Outside of power it's outclassed.

[redux]

Depends on your goals. If it's a people hauler/daily driver I'd take a hard look at a Golf R before selecting something on that list. If it's a weekend toy then then it's a toss up between the 1m, m2, and RS. If your location stands for the Pacific Northwest and you are left of the Cascades, then the RS gets my nod. The wet enhances 1m's pucker factor several constrictions, the M2 is an unknown, and the RS has AWD.

[uberschnell]

no normal sized 13+ year old will be comfortable in the back seat of any e82 variant. Anyone who tells you different is a fan boy. E82 with 4 people in it is a joke.

1M is moving on to collectors car mode. If you buy one it's as your "weekend" or track car. No one is making parts for it anymore, used parts are non-existent and BMW itself has ended production on many of the parts.

If you have absolutely convinced yourself that a compact coupe is the way to go for a family car (because hey, it's not like they grow up or anything) consider the M2. At least there will be plenty of aftermarkets fun to have and plenty more people to chat with on the chat boards.

[k2skier]

Originally Posted by nachob

I have two kids. They were 5 and 9 when I bought my 1M. No issues. I even drive last summer from Toronto to San Diego with wife and kids then 9 and 13. Forward facing no prob. Backward facing an issue but that's with any car in your list.

Thankfully we're done with backward facing seats, but both boys are getting tall.

[k2skier]

Originally Posted by sdmodified

I would absolutely get a golf R if I had the coin and wanted a 4 door all wheel drive. The V dub is so much classier than the focus. Plus German Engineering! Maybe not quite as fast stock, but slap an Apr tune on it and you unleash the beast.

Hmmm I had looked past it completely and sounds like I should add it to the list. The focus looks nice from the pics I've seen, but have only seen a ST in person (outside was nicer than the inside IMO).

[k2skier]

Originally Posted by redux

Depends on your goals. If it's a people hauler/daily driver I'd take a hard look at a Golf R before selecting something on that list. If it's a weekend toy then then it's a toss up between the 1m, m2, and RS. If your location stands for the Pacific Northwest and you are left of the Cascades, then the RS gets my nod. The wet enhances 1m's pucker factor several constrictions, the M2 is an unknown, and the RS has AWD.

It would be a DD for me, currently driving a Mazda Speed3, and primary people hauling goes to my wife's SUV. That said, I drive our boys each morning and am generally not concerned about driving in the rain (yes PacNW = Pacific NW). Snow, the city stays home and we'll hop in the SUV if we plan to travel through it.

By wet do mean heavy rain or simply wet roads?

RS - Focus or RS3 (soon to be in the USA)?

[k2skier]

Originally Posted by uberschnell

no normal sized 13+ year old will be comfortable in the back seat of any e82 variant. Anyone who tells you different is a fan boy. E82 with 4 people in it is a joke.

1M is moving on to collectors car mode. If you buy one it's as your "weekend" or track car. No one is making parts for it anymore, used parts are non-existent and BMW itself has ended production on many of the parts.

If you have absolutely convinced yourself that a compact coupe is the way to go for a family car (because hey, it's not like they grow up or anything) consider the M2. At least there will be plenty of aftermarkets fun to have and plenty more people to chat with on the chat boards.

Hadn't considered parts as a potential issue considering the M3 that it got parts from and 1 series aren't that old. It would be a DD for me, but I drive about 5-6k miles per yr and seem to have a few solid German specialty mechanics in the area.

Has part availability been an issue for anyone?

[1'M Blue]

The 1M is only a 4-5 year old car ! Reading his reply made me feel like its some old E30 M3 or E9 CSi.

I dont know what that guy is on about parts not being available but there should be no problems with the 1M parts be it OEM or aftermarket .. and what parts are we genuinely talking about ? maybe a worst case scenario would be some major problem happen to it and require some big things to replace but since it would be generally just normal maintanance and service intervals then I dont think there should be any shortage of parts to replace if ever needed.

[Dee Pee]

I'm in Stumptown and have driven a 1M in the wet since day one. Prior to that my DD was an S54 M Roadster. No issues with grip on my end.
To your case, and with some M-car ownership under my belt, I would say Focus RS or Impreza. I am strongly considering the RS as my next DD if the M2 CSL does not come to fruition. A 1M is becoming too collectible to be considered as a DD and the lack of a warranty may eat you alive at some point if you buy the wrong used model.

[uberschnell]

Originally Posted by k2skier

Hadn't considered parts as a potential issue considering the M3 that it got parts from and 1 series aren't that old. It would be a DD for me, but I drive about 5-6k miles per yr and seem to have a few solid German specialty mechanics in the area.

Has part availability been an issue for anyone?

I'm talking more about unique 1M parts like body panels, interior, and aftermarket options like exhausts, lips etc. There weren't enough 1M's made and attention is shifting to the M2.

[ORA]

Originally Posted by uberschnell

I'm talking more about unique 1M parts like body panels, interior, and aftermarket options like exhausts, lips etc. There weren't enough 1M's made and attention is shifting to the M2.

that's not true at all. i recently was hit in my passenger rear fender and the parts were readily available from Germany. I can assure you that 1M parts will be available for a while....BMW generally does a great job of ensuring that older model parts are available. They make take a little while to order from Germany but they are around.

Legally they are obligated to supply parts for a certain number of years; i cannot remember how many that is. 15? However brands like MB and BMW and Porsche ALWAYS keep spare parts for everything. They won't mass produce it but they are able to produce more at will very very easily.

[redux]

Originally Posted by k2skier

It would be a DD for me, currently driving a Mazda Speed3, and primary people hauling goes to my wife's SUV. That said, I drive our boys each morning and am generally not concerned about driving in the rain (yes PacNW = Pacific NW). Snow, the city stays home and we'll hop in the SUV if we plan to travel through it.

By wet do mean heavy rain or simply wet roads?

RS - Focus or RS3 (soon to be in the USA)?

Heavy rain. I had a rear tire hit a some standing water while I was changing lanes on the Freeway; it lead to 200 yards of the most spectacular steering wheel work I've ever done. That short wheel base requires quick hands .

I'd take the focus over the RS3. I can't justify a $50,000+ VW golf.

[craina]

Originally Posted by redux

Heavy rain. I had a rear tire hit a some standing water while I was changing lanes on the Freeway; it lead to 200 yards of the most spectacular steering wheel work I've ever done. That short wheel base requires quick hands .

I'd take the focus over the RS3. I can't justify a $50,000+ VW golf.

Maybe if the RS3 was going to be a hatch instead of sedan that would make things closer. I had a TTRS for a while and that 5cyl is so unique and punchy. That said, Haldex awd is not exciting at all and it sounds like Ford's system in the RS allows a lot more fun.

[nachob]

For daily, I would get M2. It is a really nice car that you would love and cherish for a long time. It does everything the 1M can do and in some cases better. I think the 1M is a special car for different reasons..like it's history, option of focused cockpit, no comfort buttons, etc etc but when you have a special car, there is a burden. I tend to take extra care of the 1M and I stress more. While the M2 is a "better" car, it is not really special to me. It's cockpit is just like every other BMW today, it has fake sound, no oil gauge, comfort mode, etc. but this is a good thing if you want a daily driver.

You won't sweat it as much. If you wreck it, you get another one. 1Ms are much harder to replace and if you were a huge fan of how special the car is, you probably wouldn't be doing a poll. : ) I ran into a guy at a Cars and Coffee that basically blurted out M2 is a better car the instant he found out a 1M and he was frustrated because he was trying to convince his friend that really wanted a 1M and couldn't understand why he really wanted 1M. That guy's friend should get the 1M. I hope that helps!

[ORA]

Originally Posted by nachob

if you were a huge fan of how special the car is, you probably wouldn't be doing a poll.

THIS.

has a story all its own and really has no equal. Other cars will come and go and likely be better, faster, more modern, better designed, better handling, whatever....but the 1M is unique.

[lowbudgethero]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

I like the rs but I feel it doesn't belong on that list. Outside of power it's outclassed.

some of us don't really care about the class of car and only require a supportive seat, performance, and meeting the bare minimum requirements of practicality

to me if the price and performance is similar i'm going to take a look at it

Is OP going to keep the mazdaspeed 3? If so, then I would probably only consider the 1M or M2

[kprocivic]

Originally Posted by lowbudgethero

some of us don't really care about the class of car and only require a supportive seat, performance, and meeting the bare minimum requirements of practicality

to me if the price and performance is similar i'm going to take a look at it

Is OP going to keep the mazdaspeed 3? If so, then I would probably only consider the 1M or M2

I get that I'm just not sure why throw the rs in that league when base prices are at least 20k different. I'll use two cars outside the poll. That's like comparing a STI to a cayman.