S18 RSG

I'll be there 🙂

I bought an M235i after deciding the difference between it and the M2 wasn't worth the £18k premium I'd have had to pay. It was initially a step down in cornering ability, and not a massive step up in power (my GT86 was turbocharged), but in almost every other area it was a huge improvement. After a year of ownership I've improved the handling with a set of Bilstein coilovers, wider and lighter wheels with Pilot Sport 4S's and recently a mechanical LSD. It's still heavier than the GT86, but I'll be driving away from one on any road now. I've also added some performance mods, taking the car to 420hp and 450lb/ft of torque, so in terms of power, even compared to the turbo'd guise of my 86, it's in a different league. For me, it was an obvious choice due to a change in lifestyle, and I 100% do not regret it. I've grown accustomed to the comfy ride, auto gearbox, effortless power and techy interior, it's changed my views on cars in some ways. I've put a deposit down on the Alpine A110 Premiere as next years' replacement, but after seeing the specs of the new Supra, I'm almost certain I'll be getting my deposit back for the A110 and using the money on the Supra when it comes out next year. Wishful thinking, but the idea of a more grown up, GT86-like sporty feel, coupled with an updated version of the engine in my current car sounds like a perfect compromise.

Pretty sure I'm free that weekend, so count me in

I've driven a few lightly modified E46's, as you'd probably expect, straight line performance mine is in a different league. Around the corners is where I'd probably fall a little bit back, just because the E46 has such a massive amount of mechanical grip. That being said, looking at a lap of most tracks, I can imagine the extra straight line speed would keep mine ahead fairly comfortably (although perhaps not with me at the wheel haha). I test drove so many cars in the £30-40k used range, and without doubt the M235i is the one car that struck me as the best value for money "dual personality" car out there. The difference between the calm, subtle, quiet comfort mode, and the loud, manic sport+ mode is addictive. I couldn't recommend one as a daily driver more. Usually German cars tend to be a little emotionless, but this one has such a personality, it's really grabbed me.

Thanks for the comments guys. I must admit, the first time I took the Beemer on a good back road, I did miss the flat cornering and playful nature of the GT86, but as explained, because my situation changed so drastically from a 5 mile/day commute to an 80 mile/day commute with lots of traffic, the BMW had so many areas in which it trumped the GT86, I could overlook the one or two flaws. Since changing the coilovers and tyres, it's by no means suddenly a GT86 with 400+bhp, but it certainly gets itself around. While not exactly a "lightweight" car, 1450kg approx. is fairly decent for a modern car, especially with a big 3 litre engine and an auto gearbox. I'm certainly missing the GT86 less and less as days go by. @Lauren, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised driving one of these. Many car reviewers (Chris Harris included) have made comparisons to the E46 M3, and nobody would call that a heavy, boring car. Sure, it's heavier and not as playful as a GT86, but it makes up for it in a lot of other ways

Figured it was about time I updated you guys (at least, those of you who know me anyway) on what I've been up to since I sold my GT86 in August 2017. For those of you who didn't know my last car, feel free to delve into that, at your leisure, here, but the highlights: Tuning Developments Turbo (first one to have a UEL manifold) Tein Coilovers 3SDM 0.01 Wheels Brakes, minor body mods, minor interior mods etc etc. In June 2017, I started my new job. Working 37 miles away from home, and earning twice my original wage, meant that my requirements and availability of replacements changed quite quickly. I daily drove the GT86 for the 75 miles per day round trip for 2 months, before realising it just wasn't a great proposition any more, so I had to sell it on unfortunately. After some deliberation, and much disappointment (finding out an F10 M5 wouldn't fit in my garage was a particular lowlight), I decided upon the replacement for the GT86...a BMW M2. And here she is... The eagle eye'd amongst you will no doubt have noticed, this isn't an M2 - Despite the 3 hour journey to buy an M2, I just couldn't convince myself that spending £42,000 on a car was a good idea, when for £18,000 less, I could buy an M235i, with more or less the same engine, interior and running gear, but with about £10k less fancy M bits. Not a huge concern given the fact that I never buy a car and leave it standard. The car remained much the same for the first few months of ownership, as the buildup to Christmas was all about saving money to make some modifications leading up to summer. A few small changes, but nothing I can't summarise now. That brings us very quickly to today, and the way it currently sits: To summarise the build so far: Richter 4" 200 cell sports cat downpipe BMS JB4 ECU Bilstein PSS9 Coilovers M Performance front grills, front splitter, rear spoiler, rear diffuser and carbon tailpipes 2Forge ZF3 (semi-forged) wheels - 19x8.5 front, 19x9.5 rear Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres (225/35/19F and 255/30/19R) M4 brake pads and discs Dyno'd at 420bhp and 450lb/ft Safe to say, everything I've done so far has increased my enjoyment of the car a huge amount. From factory, I would say the M235i is slightly quicker in a straight line than my turbo GT86 was, but wouldn't have a chance through the bends or around a track. The car also had a very strange ride from factory, quite compliant and soft, but very bouncy. The combination of Bilstein coilovers and PS4S's has transformed both the ride quality and road holding capability of the car, and it can truly handle the increase in power with very little issues. I have timed the car (on a private road, of course) using a Dragy GPS, at 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, 0-100 in 8 seconds, and 60-120mph in a little under 8 seconds. Comparing that to stock cars, it sits somewhere between a 911 Carrera S and an Audi R8 V10, not bad for a little 3 litre Going forward, the plans aren't massive as I feel the car is in a good place. Non-resonated mid-pipe for some extra burbles and some gloss black wrapping (roof and a few accents) will likely be next. Will then look to explore a custom map for the JB4 to really make the most of it (should approach 440bhp and 500lb/ft), at which point some reinforced charge pipes and boost pipes may be required, but nothing major. I appreciate this may not be to everyone's taste, seeing as this forum can, at times, look down on any car that weighs more than 1300kg, but please be gentle I'll still be attending local meets and non-Jap only shows, so keep an eye out for me on your travels, and give me a wave if you see me Thanks, Ross

Yeah I'd have thought so mate, nothing else to do tomorrow, so I'll be hanging around as long as there's something to look at/talk about/buy

I'll be there Jeff, that's reason enough Will be aiming to get there around 9:45 probably, unless people wanna meet up somewhere beforehand.

I hate to poison this thread with the German influence, but it's the first time mine has been clean, probably in 2018. Considering a few weeks ago, it looked like this: It will shortly be having the wheels redone in Anthracite, and having the Bilstein's fitted too. A full day spent fitting new exhaust, diffuser and spoiler, so I had to give it a clean too.

I'll be going. Snow held me back last time

Every time the topic of "forced induction" is brought up on this forum, the most popular argument against FI is "learn to drive on track before increasing power", or some other nonsense, as if driving the car on a track is the only way your opinion becomes validated. People need to learn that not everyone who buys a sports car buys it for track use. I tracked my car twice in the 2 and a half years I owned it. I did everything from a full NA setup to a near 300hp turbo setup, yet, to some people, because I wasn't at every track day or didn't join the Sprint Series, my opinion is far less valid. Nearly everyone on this forum will spend ~90% of their time driving a GT86 driving it on the road, and quite likely on a boring road. Simply put, for that ~90% of the time, the GT86/BRZ being "built for corners" and "fast enough on the right road" isn't enough, and you're kidding yourself if you think 200hp is "fun" on a straight road, or the daily commute through town. Adding a turbo/supercharger doesn't detract from the fun the platform offers on the right road, or a track. It requires more concentration and more skill to master, as well as some supporting mods to really make the most of it. However, the extra power means the platform can be enjoyed for the other huge percentage of driving, such as motorway miles, as the enjoyment of keeping up with much faster cars is a joy in itself. I've developed a theory over my time on here, that most of the nay-sayers on this forum (when talking about FI) are only nay-saying as they either can't afford to do it themselves, or are scared of the potential consequences to reliability (or similar). To those people, I'd suggest that your voice has been heard, so no need to keep repeating yourself. To everyone else who wants more power, whether for better track times, more enjoyment on the road, or simply to get more "scene" points in the McDonalds car park, I say go for it. Your money, your car, your life

I'm not bothered about coming for dinner, but if I get away from the OCUK meet in time, I might pop down for a chat after lunch.

In all seriousness, be good to see you Mark Good news also, I've managed to book my car in to Indigo GT on the Wednesday before for upgrades and tuning. I'll either be there with almost 450bhp or it'll blow up before I have chance. 50/50 at this point.

Oh wait, @Mark-in-Stoke is going? Damn, just realised I have to get my haircut that day...

I'll be going along providing my car has no issues going stage 2 the Friday before.