[esoulliard]

I was hopelessly hooked the first time I drove an M235i. I really can't get enough of it. This car makes me want to drive for the sake of driving. It makes me want to seek out back roads.

I find it funny though, that other people really don't understand this car. Most people I talk to equate BMW with luxury. They frown and ask how expensive it was. They wince and ask how much it will cost to maintain. They say, "oh, I can't drive stick." They respond with "2-series, huh, never heard of it."

Sure, I guess not everyone is into cars. I just can't explain it to people though. They don't get it. I guess I should be happy to have something exciting in a sea of blandness. Not that there's anything wrong with the Accords and Camrys and Priiiiii of the world, but c'mon, that's not living!

[zkeeper]

That's the beauty of owning one of these 2ffers....

[e-man2]

I think brand loyalty comes into play. I've always loved BMW since being a teen. The look has evolved gradually over the years but the cars maintain a familiar face. Maybe even a bit of nostalgia comes into play when sitting in these vehicles.

I also like responsive fast cars and like driving stick. Others like a smooth comfortable ride and don't appreciate what most 2-series fans look for. When this vehicle launched, I thought to myself that this is the car that I've been waiting for.

[Xiaoxi]

It's simple... you don't need to explain or justify.

[Transfer]

I've had two of my neighbors ask me about the new M3 in my driveway. lol

I don't even bother explaining the M badge. I either say it's a 2 series or 235. No one in my neighborhood knows anything about performance cars and my wife and I have the nicest cars by miles. I guess our priorities are just different (ie: no kids ha!).

[3.0L]

Other than 2-series owners, the only other folks that seem to care are WRX-STi owners.

[Avian]

Originally Posted by esoulliard

I was hopelessly hooked the first time I drove an M235i. I really can't get enough of it. This car makes me want to drive for the sake of driving. It makes me want to seek out back roads.

I find it funny though, that other people really don't understand this car. Most people I talk to equate BMW with luxury. They frown and ask how expensive it was. They wince and ask how much it will cost to maintain. They say, "oh, I can't drive stick." They respond with "2-series, huh, never heard of it."

Sure, I guess not everyone is into cars. I just can't explain it to people though. They don't get it. I guess I should be happy to have something exciting in a sea of blandness. Not that there's anything wrong with the Accords and Camrys and Priiiiii of the world, but c'mon, that's not living!

I don't have my 2er yet, only arriving in November but when I did a 24hr test drive with one, the amount of attention this car got was very interesting and it was purely because people didn't know BMW did a 2 series. I think this is brilliant I almost want to say that it makes you feel like you owning an "exclusive" vehicle although I do think this would get annoying after a while but either way I still find it cool no one knows about it Just my opinion

[midwest 340xi 6sp]

Not hard to explain to the car guys who value and know performance vehicles. They know what we have in the 2...

I had two guys stop me at two different spots yesterday to comment on my M235...One in an M5, the other in a GTI..So they get it.

[Outrun]

Originally Posted by Transfer

I don't even bother explaining the M badge. I either say it's a 2 series or 235.

Haha same. I realize most people only know of the 3/5/7 series, and don't even know of the M cars, let alone that a 2 series exist. When I tell them I have a 2 series I usually get blank stares or "never heard of it" type comments.

[TBro2002]

Originally Posted by esoulliard

I was hopelessly hooked the first time I drove an M235i. I really can't get enough of it. This car makes me want to drive for the sake of driving. It makes me want to seek out back roads.

I can relate. Our 228i is my wife's daily driver (12 mile RT commute city streets) and my weekend driver (my daily is a Subaru Forester XT). So today was my day to drive the 228i.

I streched out 3 places I needed to go today, just to spend most of the day driving the 2. When I got home today, I told my wife I made the 2 very happy, because I took it out on the freeway and drove it fast.

The 2 makes the driver feel really connected to the car, and the car feels really connect to the road. It's hard to explain, but the car feels connected to your senses as you accelerate, brake, or turn into a curve.

[nike001]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

Other than 2-series owners, the only other folks that seem to care are WRX-STi owners.

And Mustang owners (at least in my area). I pulled out of work today for lunch and only went about 30 yards to the stop light and I guess this mustang owner in the CVS parking lot to my right heard me and was revving his engine at me. Too bad for him it was a mid-90's GT that'd probably get smoked by a 320i

[uberspeed]

I wish the 2 had been out when I got my 3. Or rather I wish the N20 would've been out in a coupe. If you need to explain it, chances are they'll never really get it. Shrug and enjoy driving your great ride.

[mfourn20]

I don't think its hard to explain once someone drives it. I've got a friend with a dinan stage 3 550i...he really likes my stock 228 m sport.

Says he feels so much more connected when he drives the 228.

[Kidu]

2 of my local friends:

“$55K for a 2-series??? You could have got a 528 man, it’s a 5-series!!”

“Its Rear Wheel Drive? Why would you want Rear Wheel Drive, All Wheel Drive is so much better at everything”

“Manual? Man, Autos are so simple to operate.”

“Summer Tires? I have All-Weather Tires, I can use them all the time, they are great”

I nodded along. One of them has a leased Nissan Rogue and the other has the proverbial beige Camry AND a beige Lexus RX. There is no point explaining.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by mfourn20

I don't think its hard to explain once someone drives it. I've got a friend with a dinan stage 3 550i...he really likes my stock 228 m sport.

Says he feels so much more connected when he drives the 228.

Well, that depends. I think true car enthusiasts would get it, but I do know a number of folks who are so dull to cars, they wouldn't know a performance car from a bass fiddle.

[mfourn20]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

Well, that depends. I think true car enthusiasts would get it, but I do know a number of folks who are so dull to cars, they wouldn't know a performance car from a bass fiddle.

I agree...cars are appliances to most people now. People don't understand driving for fun anymore. I find I can't really talk about cars with most people because my opinion is so drastically different than the general car buying public.