Throttle Lift

I currently have a BMW M2 Comp which is a lot of fun, especially for the price. I’ve had a few short drives in 718s and remember the handling, ride, and 6MT to be better. But, the M2 sits higher which results in better ingress/egress and visibility (I’m old). In the end, I think I owe it to myself to own a Cayman S for the superior dynamics. But, I also remember the 718’s low seating and loud cabin with the engine 6” behind my head.

So my long-winded questions is…has anybody owned both to compare long-term livability? Just concerned that I may regret sacrificing some comfort/familiarity for that extra 10% of performance in a 718.

Every review I’ve seen favors the Cayman for its dynamics but those are typically focused on track prowess, not normal driving. Just looking for opinions on long term livability. This will not be daily driver BTW.

manifold danger

Interestingly enough I'm heavily considering an M2 Competition as a daily driver. I think it's the all around best performance car for the money on the market today.

That said, a 718 Cayman S dynamically is probably a better driver's car, for not that much more than the M2C is currently going for on the used market. So this is a good comparison.

There are surely some great YouTube vids out there that go into this in detail if you haven't already gone down that rabbit hole. And my disclaimer is that I haven't actually driven an M2C- but I've driven the OG M2 and M2 CS, and owned an F82 M4 for several years, and owned and driven many 718s.

The 718 will have hands down better steering, better shifter feel, and overall noticeably more agility than the M2. Practicality could be considered a push because of the frunk, but if you need to get people (or dogs) in the back seat that's a big plus for the M2. Dynamically though, you can't get the car to oversteer. That could be considered a plus or a minus. Ride quality could vary slightly, the sports PASM is a relatively stiffer ride but it's adaptive so overall probably a better ride than the fixed suspension on the M2C. I don't think either is terrible for a sports car, but you could look for one that has the standard PASM that sits a bit higher and maybe even has the smaller diameter wheels.

But the engine HANDS DOWN goes to the BMW. I've owned and lived with the 2.5T and I'm one of those who feel that it's a disappointment every time I started the car. I know that's a dramatic reaction and many don't (and shouldn't) feel the same way. It's objectively a great engine- but for whatever reason Porsche engineered a fantastically capable engine but deprived it of its soul, at least relative to other sports cars, M2C included. I couldn't get past it... but worth mentioning, I've heard a couple aftermarket exhausts that may make me feel differently if I ever got to experience them. I never gave the car the chance though, and upgraded to a 718 GTS 4.0. Solved all the problems with the engine, but at double the price of an M2C.... money no object that's the way to go, but I'll vote for sticking with your M2 vs a Cayman S at the ~$60k USD price point. It will all depend on whether you prefer the precise handling characteristics of the 718 or the "fun" of the M2C... and if you can get past the engine noise.

ldamelio

I'm still in love with my 718S after five years and have a fair number of miles on it (35k) including some use as a daily.

Despite the love affair, I'd pick the M2C for a daily. While I've never owned one, I have a friend who owns one and have spent enough time in/around it to be familiar.

The 4 cylinder 718 can drone a fair bit especially on highway drives. I think the engine sounds great above 4000 RPM, but you're not spending a lot of time there just getting around day to day.

I much prefer my relatively ancient Audi A6 or my wife's new Audi A5 as transportation. 2012 Audi A6 infotainment is better than 2018 Porsche and 2021 Audi infotainment makes the 718's look like a 1960's TV.

As you age, ingress/egress may become an issue. I'm 62 and athletic and have no problems at all. I have noticed some of my less fit and slightly older friends struggle a little getting in and out of the passenger seat.

My 718 gets driven for fun and 20 or so track days per year. For this, it's absolutely outstanding. Before retiring, I would sometime commute in it as a way of easing workday drudgery. It didn't help much in this context. As a daily, it's just a small noisy car IMO. On the track, every session is a 25 minute orgasm.

Sooo....I remain highly enamored with my 718S, but if I were not a track junkie and had to daily it, I would pick the M2C. Not as special as the Cayman, but the most special of the recent BMW lineup and a future classic.

Throttle Lift

Great responses! Thank you. The BMW forums are pretty much the same too. Universal praise for the 718 but at a higher dollar cost and less daily utility.

At some point I’m going to have to get the 718 out of my system so I’m just going to pull the trigger while also keeping my M2C. We’ll see which one sticks around.

For a bit of nostalgia, I did that with a Supra and a 280ZX way back in the late ‘80s…maybe 1990. The Supra stayed. But it was fun being able to switch whenever the mood struck.

spdracerut

I think Idamelio summerized it perfectly. The M2C will be the better option if you're not carving corners at elevated rates of speed a high percentage of the drive time. The 718 is something special, just not necessarily for everyday use, unless your driveway leads straight onto a fun road

SoCal-NSX

the M2 is more practical, but the 718 is on another level

Do you want to see a BMW in the garage or walk out and see a stunner in there?
To me it's much more than just a 10% performance upgrade...

This is no brainer imo....unless you really need those back seats and practicality and if that's the case, get a Model 3 Performance...it will smash both of those choices and for much less money....ask me how I know

SoCal-NSX

my 981 with aftermarket exhaust had droning issues...my base 718 6MT has never once had any drone issues

Throttle Lift

I don't "need" a back seat but it is kind of handy once in a while. The low seating position was really the only thing holding me back from the Cayman but as I wrote before, I can afford a Cayman without dumping the M. But which one will stick around long-term...

Now, to find a CS, black over bordeaux/black full leather, 6 spd, Carrera S wheels, sport design, PTV, yada, yada, yada...

ldamelio

It might be a difference between the 2.0 and the 2.5. My 2.5 (S, PDK, no PSE) unmistakably drones at legal highway speeds. I have not pulled the Soundaktor fuse. With a manual, maybe you're keeping the RPM in the non-droning zones. Most of the drone is around 200 - 2500 RPM for me.

nineball

if you ever plan on tracking the 718 (once you have one) try to find one WITHOUT PTV. it eats the rear brakes like a fat kid in an ice cream factory. i would average 4-6 track days per set of stock break pads in the rear, double that for new rotors.

never had a drove on my 2.5 (S, PDK, NO PSE), either stock or my aftermarket cat-back system.

DriverDaily

I went from an M2C to a 981 GTS. The flat 6 sound and the mid-engine balance is nice, but the M2C was more fun to slide around. The M differential and TC is so much better than what the manual 981 got.

ldamelio

Maybe a perception thing then. I have a mild, specific hearing deficit at 3 - 5 kHz; the T4 probably sounds different to different people.
In any event, the consensus of the thread for the OPs question appears to be established.

Xxyion

So i'm going to offer a slightly different opinion. I used to own a M2C and now own a GT4. Personally, i prefer the GT4 as a daily. The M2C was good and fun but the gas mileage was horrific. I averaged 18 MPG in normal mode. Compare that to me averaging 27 MPG in the GT4. Not to mention the GT4 has a significantly bigger gas tank which means im just filling up less.

The M2 C had back seats but honestly it just ended up being trunk space cuz no-one could fit back there. By contrast the GT4 has both the frunk and a trunk and while i can't fit a set of wheels in the car like i could the M2C, i never had to do that in the M2C so it was a moot point.

The GT4 sounds better to me and the sound system is better. And i don't even have anything crazy, just the standard sound system. The Harmon Kardon system in the M2C was crap imo.

TBH if i needed to go with a cheaper car for my daily but still wanted to keep a sports car, i'd go with the Toyota Supra again. It was a much better BMW experience compared to the M2C. it was also faster and put down the power a lot more reliably. Got average 27 MPG, and you can get one in a manual now! People talk about the M2C being the best bang for your buck around that price point but i personally think the Supra beats it by a large margin. Its more comfy, has more power (Toyota says 385 crank, but i dyno'd mine and it came out to about 400 whp), is cheaper by about 10k if comparing used examples, sounds better, and looks more exotic imo. The M2C looked cool but to everyone else it was just another 2-door BMW.

manifold danger

This is a good take, and something I've also considered. But the wind buffeting issue is a big deal to me. I love the Boxster as it's a drop top that a) looks great and b) isn't completely compromised from a performance perspective relative to the coupe version. If I were to get a coupe, I'd love to at least feel like I can put the windows down and enjoy the fresh air and exhaust sound on a nice day- like I've been doing since my first 240SX almost 25 years ago. Apparently that was an afterthought in the Supra, as I've seen it in videos and looks horrendous.

Personally that's a bigger drawback than the gas mileage/tank size... and being able to fit a set of wheels (or at least tires) in the car is compelling too because I do swap out my tires in the spring and fall for mid-Atlantic winters and not having to enlist one of my kids to follow me in their Civics sounds great. Also I have a large dog that I think I could get in the backseat of an M2...

But it is a compelling car. Visually I love the M2C, takes me back to the E46 M3 which I fantasized about as a young adult, but the Supra does rival it aesthetically (M2 CS has it beat, sorry...). Somehow the Supra sounds better. I've heard it has better steering. And now has a better manual transmission... if I can find one without a markup, I think I'll have to drive one.

The Civic Type R also has my attention, but dealers are being incredibly stupid. The one I inquired about was asking $12k over MSRP. Not paying $60k for ANY Civic, sorry... but the 4 doors would be nice and apparently it's a track-ready car with great dynamics. Doesn't sound that great though.

Xxyion

The wind buffeting in the Supra is honestly such a non issue. Just a 100$ mod which is easily removable fixes that issue. The GT4 honestly does the exact same thing (just not as bad) and they make a mod for that as well. And its not even a "kinda reduces it", it completely fixed the issue and i drove many roads with both windows down for the year i owned the car.

If you do get a chance to drive one, definitely do so. If i had to sell the GT4 and choose another sports car again, i think it would be the Supra.