1M vs M2

[sirbuler]

I have recently sold my 2017 M2 and bought a 1M. I drove the M2 for about 4 months and 3000 miles and I have been driving my new (to me) 1M for about 500 miles, comprising of highway, canyon, stop and go traffic. I am using it as my daily driver, in LA traffic. I wanted to post here my impressions and personal comparison of the 2 cars.

In terms of previous cars ownership background: several BMWs including a few 3 series, a Porsche 911 (991.1 model), a 2010 135i. Always drove manual transmission except in the 911 which was a PDK. I do not track my cars, but I do like spirited driving and having some level of fun in my daily drive to work. I also need usable back seats, as I have small (but growing) children, which is the main reason why I did no go back to a 911.

2011 1M: BSM, bought with about 11’000 miles, impeccable in and out. Manual seats, no navigation. Only mod: Akrapovic exhaust. I probably paid too much. Damn, but I couldn’t be happier.
2017 M2: Mineral Grey metallic, manual, with Executive package and Apple Air play. I bought the M2 without testing it before, due to lack of availability. This was a mistake.

So why did I sell the M2 and got the 1M? In a nutshell, the M2 did not make my smile. It did not make me sweat. And gave me no goosebumps…

1) Steering feel: my personal point of view is that the M2 steering feel is worse than my wife’s 2012 Honda Odyssey minivan. It was the biggest reason I wanted to get rid of the M2 just after a couple of weeks of ownership! It made me feel very disconnected from the road. Such a fun killer. Big win here for the 1M, with an outstanding steering feel.

2) Seating position, cabin feel: the M2 makes me feel I am seating in a big car. I prefer the smaller, simpler and more intimate cabin feel of the 1M. I feel more in control, more connected to the car and the road. Also, the 1M manual seats are just amazing!

3) Noise: M2 engine sound is pretty damn good with the stock exhaust. However, cabin noise was awful. Too much of a fake kind of drone, at any speed. I have the Akrapovic slip-on on the 1M so I am not able to compare to the stock exhaust. No drone in my 1M, no fake noise in the cabin, alleluia!

4) Gear Shifter: M2 shifter is too rubbery, with lack of a mechanical feel. Again, the 1M makes me feel more connected with the car.

5) M2 Auto rev matching. Could not stand the auto rev feature of the M2. Always there, every time. I had to disconnect the stability control 100% to get rid of it. Why???

Other minor issues I had with the M2:
M2 instrument display kind of sucks. It is very hard to read what speed you are doing etc. Also, lack of oil temperature indicator. I had to press a few buttons to set up the digital indicator.
1M 6 yr old Boston leather looks nicer than the M2 Dakota new.
I am so happy of not having the i-drive and the Navigator in my 1M. The dash is so much cleaner and lets me focus on driving. I use my i-phone and Waze for navigation.
Steering wheel buttons: I like to be able to increase/decrease the music volume with my left hand thumb, while I use my right hand to shift gears etc. M2 volume buttons are on the right side of the steering wheel, and you get the cruise control buttons on the left side. Did not like that.

Looks: I personally prefer the front and the back look of the 1M. The M2 wins from the side viewpoint, and overall the M2 is a really beautiful car.
I find the 1M to be a more unique looking car. With a more aggressive stance. A bulldog, that kind of irresistibly beautiful ugliness.

Things I preferred in the M2:
The frontal collision alert with auto-break system (very useful in daily driving). By the way, both cars are very comfortable for daily driving.
The M2 HK stereo is awesome. My 1M has the standard stereo, a bit crappy sounding. I am currently installing a nice aftermarket system (with Sinfoni speakers and Mosconi amp).
M2 has a more powerful engine with a more linear power delivery. The M2 is super easy to drive fast. If I tracked the car and my goal was to go as fast as possible, then the M2 would be a better choice.

But my goal is to have fun in my daily-drive and week-end canyon drives, and the 1M gives me loads of fun there, it is really a special car. Way more than the M2.

[infinitekidM2C]

I assume your 1M is tuneless? If you tuned that bad boy...oh yea..

Also, which freeway do you "drive" (aka torture) the 1m on regularly?

[digwm1]

Ooooh another daily'd BSM in LA? *high-five totally jealous of your stripper version, wish i had gotten mine clean too but alias i did not, regardless definitely know what you mean about that beautiful ugliness everytime i look at the car i can't help but think damn she looks good

[GimmeanM]

Excellent! Welcome!
Hope the M2CS has better steering feedback than the base.
...and you'd better not post this on the M2 boards, you'll just make people angry :

[CarJunkie]

Drive it!

[balloonsalesman]

Originally Posted by infinitekid2002

I assume your 1M is tuneless? If you tuned that bad boy...oh yea..

Also, which freeway do you "drive" (aka torture) the 1m on regularly?

Going to have to disagree on the "torture" comment haha. it would be torture to let it sit

As for your impressions, sirbuler, could't agree more with you. I also have a BSM "stripper," love the simplicity. Would like to improve the sound system at some point as well, kudos for doing it straight away.

You mentioned only having the akra slip-on, not sure if this includes a mid-pipe. If not, it's worth while investing one, like the Maddad. Really makes a difference and doesn't add any drone. Just a thought!

[1'M Blue]

Always great to read these sort of first hand comparos .. I suppose theyre pretty much subjective to one another.. But the 1M still holds its candle strong !

[griz31]

Very interesting read. I have an m235i and had a lot of the same feelings, especially your first point. While everyone seems to rag on the steering, there really is no comparison. Being that steering, to me, is the primary enjoyment of driving the car, it's a big deal. In a vacuum, knowing nothing else, the electric steering on the 2-series probably isn't bad (I'm not sure I'd go all the way to Honda Odyssey bad ). I know it's the direction car manufacturers are going, and plenty of improvements will be made. I wasn't ready to accept it just yet.

P.S. Excellent Color choice. Share some pics when you get a chance!

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by balloonsalesman

Going to have to disagree on the "torture" comment haha. it would be torture to let it sit

As for your impressions, sirbuler, could't agree more with you. I also have a BSM "stripper," love the simplicity. Would like to improve the sound system at some point as well, kudos for doing it straight away.

You mentioned only having the akra slip-on, not sure if this includes a mid-pipe. If not, it's worth while investing one, like the Maddad. Really makes a difference and doesn't add any drone. Just a thought!

I agree letting it sit is worse, just saying if he's on the 405 then it's mostly a stop and go thing for probably most of his horrid commute.

[Mr. Wilson]

Welcome to the club. I have had a stripped BSM now for over a year and everytime I take it out it always puts a smile on my face. My DD is a F80 ZCP. Great car but not as visceral . I had a FBO m235i putting out more power then the M2. The N55 is a great engine with great sound. Sound wise definitively better then the s55. As others have said with a tune the N54 easily overtakes the N55. So just things to consider. The power delivery is also vastly different. Enjoy the car.

In a few years I might pick up a used M2 for the track and fiddling around with it just as a hobby but there is no way I am getting ride of the 1M. Now that the M2 has been out and we have speculation on the M2 CS I do think the 1M will continue to be a more sort after car. Hell I would get rid of my 2016 F80 ZCP way before the 1M.

[Fahrvergnügen]

Nice write up!

I let go of my M4 for the same reasons and picked up a stripper 1M too. Well, heated seats

[sirbuler]

Thnks for all your nice comments. Couple of pictures here

[gmx]

The 6MT ratios are the same except the M2 has a shorter 3.45

[1mm2]

Originally Posted by gmx

The 6MT ratios are the same except the M2 has a shorter 3.45

Well that settles it, I'm selling my 1M and buying an M2...

[gmx]

Or just throw a 3.45 R&P in your diff which is what I will do ... eventually

[Feco]

Good write up! Welcome to the best... enjoy your 1M

[nacaruh]

Sorry to hear about your experience with the M2.
I just picked one up couple days ago, and I've been loving everything about the car. The car can drive comfortably as a DD, and then you can rip and turn like a monster. IMO, the M2 is a great all-in-one car. Now I don't have a legit 1M (as mine is a clone), but I do have the M3 steering rack put in, and I still prefer the steering in my clone. But the car is not comfortable at all to drive at this point, with all the suspension modifications that I have done. Another reason why I picked up the DCT for some convenience and comfort (traffic), and the clone is just a car for me to risk my life.

Anyways, 1M or M2, are both excellent cars. Enjoy your 1M!!!

[sirbuler]

To answer a few of the questions:

My 1M has no tune. I do not think I will need to tune the engine. The car is already incredibly fast for public roads and for my driving skills. It is a bullett!!

Compared to the M2 - at any given speed -more importantly (to me), the car FEELS faster, hence the higher fun factor.

My daily drive is on the 210 and 134. (By the way I have not seen any other 1M during my daily, over the past 2 years!!).

Yes it is a stop n go torture....but when the road opens up ....I unleash the beast! And that makes me smile and gives me a bit of an adrenaline boost, and ultimately makes my drive more fun!

[GameChangerX]

I have an M2 2017 and 1 series M.

The M2 is a an easy daily driver. You can blip to spare the clutch or let the auto-blip manage it for you. It is a beast on the track, stock. Good drive, even using DOT tires. Brake cooling is terrible, like all BMWs. The 1M is great as well on the track, and was good enough that I converted it into a full race car for club racing.

I drove the 1 series M for a few months as a daily driver. Hard to blip it because of brake pedal and throttle pedal spacing, so be wary of clutch wear. The 1 M is very torquey, so if you like to drive with traction control off, just make sure your tires are in good shape and you are aware of it.

If you want "road feel" in the steering of an M2 turn the traction control and stability control off and set the steering to "sport" and more connectedness. In my opinion, that is not needed. But it will give you more of that sporty feeling to not have all the nanny-mode stuff on. Brush up on your car control.

Creature comforts of the 1M are not like the M2...love the apple play, phone integration, USB etc. Kind of needed these days.

Curb appeal? The 1M is a stocky short wheel base little beast. The M2 a little more streamlined, almost a baby M4 with a wider stance.

If you buy a used 1M just be aware that a lot of the Cars and Coffee and Street Racer enthusiasts like to run some boost so good luck with the turbos and check them for leaking. Power steering fluid can also leak quite easily.

If you want something a little closer to the 1M in an M2, get the "euro-light" version that has door straps and carbon drivers floor and dead pedal. Weighs a little less, only manual, and not as many of the amenities.

[CarJunkie]

Originally Posted by GameChangerX

Cars and Coffee and Street Racer enthusiasts

Yeah, we're just a bunch of punk Fast n Furious wannabe's around here.

[burnsniper]

I own a BSM 1M and an AW F80 ZCP. I also just got back from a 2-day M school where I drove the M2, M3 ZCP, and M4 ZCP all out for two straight days.

In my opinion the 1M has the most soul and is the most fun. It is the only car that literally shoves you back in your seat every shift and has the rear end dance at moderate speeds. The F8Xs on the other hand are the opposite - brutally fast if a bit sterile. The ZCP versions have grip for miles and the ergonomics are nearly perfect (the ZCP exhaust is also pure gold). The M2 attempts to be somewhere in between - if feeling a bit artificial in doing so. The M2 does not have the sheer feel of power like the 1M and does not feel nearly as stable as the F8Xs. Also, I had some ergonomic issues with the slanted seat (definitely noticeable after driving the cars back to back) and just the general seat to wheel position. The M2 is very fast though and only a couple of 10ths behind the M4 on the Spartanburg track for me.

Also, while personal preference I rank the looks as 1M>M3 (both have dat ass) >>> M4 >>>>>>>>M2 (the rear looks to "stilted", high, and large in an unattractive way). I truely think the M3 is more of a modern day E39 M5 (that's the reason I got it to drive my 6 month old daughter around) and the 1M is a bit like a Z3 or Z4 M coupe in that its sole mission is driving pleasure. This leaves the M2 filling more of the traditional M3 role - sporty, fast, luxurious, and acceptable on a date or business function.

[doug_999]

As a 1M and M2 owner... I agree with most of your statements (and disagree with a few too!)- my comments below (of note, I have not driven my 1M since picking up the M2 - still in storage, so going from memory )

Originally Posted by sirbuler

1) Steering feel: my personal point of view is that the M2 steering feel is worse than my wife’s 2012 Honda Odyssey minivan. It was the biggest reason I wanted to get rid of the M2 just after a couple of weeks of ownership! It made me feel very disconnected from the road. Such a fun killer. Big win here for the 1M, with an outstanding steering feel.

Pretty much agree - the soft deadspot on center of the M2 is maddening. However, once past that, it turns so nice - dare I say nicer than the 1M? But/and your comment is about steering "feel" and even though I think the M2 turns better/nicer, it still does not have the "feel".

Originally Posted by sirbuler

2) Seating position, cabin feel: the M2 makes me feel I am seating in a big car. I prefer the smaller, simpler and more intimate cabin feel of the 1M. I feel more in control, more connected to the car and the road. Also, the 1M manual seats are just amazing!

Hmmm.... I always feel like I'm sitting up too high in the 1M. The M2 seats and position are just about perfect for me.
and...
Each and every time I get in the 1M I look up to open the sunroof (which of course does not exist). I've not done that once in the M2. Can't explain - short of saying "I like seating position and cabin feel of the M2 so much more"

Originally Posted by sirbuler

3) Noise: M2 engine sound is pretty damn good with the stock exhaust. However, cabin noise was awful. Too much of a fake kind of drone, at any speed. I have the Akrapovic slip-on on the 1M so I am not able to compare to the stock exhaust. No drone in my 1M, no fake noise in the cabin, alleluia!

My 1M is totally stock, so I get that drone at ... well I forget the RPM... 3,500? Kind of annoying - and yes, there is a fix of course (N55 mid pipe?), but I'm not messing with it. The M2 on the other hand, fake sound and all, is simply wonderful!

Originally Posted by sirbuler

4) Gear Shifter: M2 shifter is too rubbery, with lack of a mechanical feel. Again, the 1M makes me feel more connected with the car.

I need to drive them back to back, have not noticed this too much

Originally Posted by sirbuler

5) M2 Auto rev matching. Could not stand the auto rev feature of the M2. Always there, every time. I had to disconnect the stability control 100% to get rid of it. Why???

I FRIKIN HATE THIS "FEATURE". Hate, Hate, hate. WHY WHY WHY (Ok, I know why, to save the clutch life - but crap, BMW doesn't even cover that anymore as part of the maintenance - so why do they care?)

On that note... the clutch sucks too. Such a late pickup. I'm almost 3 months into ownership and I'm still caught off guard sometimes when trying to take off from a light.

Originally Posted by sirbuler

I am so happy of not having the i-drive and the Navigator in my 1M. The dash is so much cleaner and lets me focus on driving. I use my i-phone and Waze for navigation.

I can't imagine having either without iDrive. And yes, I use Waze - but I love the iDrive in my 1M. Yea, I still listen to music and make phone calls and it is just so much easier to do (in terms of seeing who you are calling - with or without voice and selecting your music choices).

Originally Posted by sirbuler

Steering wheel buttons: I like to be able to increase/decrease the music volume with my left hand thumb, while I use my right hand to shift gears etc. M2 volume buttons are on the right side of the steering wheel, and you get the cruise control buttons on the left side. Did not like that.

BMW made this change across the lineup when they moved the cruise control to the steering wheel (from the stalk). I agree - it really sucks. If I have my hand on the shifter, and want to change volume or music, I can't. Stupid. Unless of course you are in a right hand drive car. Damn those people - now they have it perfect

Originally Posted by sirbuler

M2 has a more powerful engine with a more linear power delivery. The M2 is super easy to drive fast. If I tracked the car and my goal was to go as fast as possible, then the M2 would be a better choice.

But my goal is to have fun in my daily-drive and week-end canyon drives, and the 1M gives me loads of fun there, it is really a special car. Way more than the M2.

The 1M feels faster (from what I remember). I love the back end kicking out a little when I hit 2nd. It might be the whole visceral thing, but every time I get on the M2 I think "and this is faster than the 1M?"

At the end of the day, I really love my M2 (came from a 650 Gran Coupe). It is so much smaller and easier to drive and finally, after so many years, I feel like I'm part of the car when driving. From a DD perspective, it is wonderful (gripes aside).