[SydM240i]

Hi all,

Sydney-sider here new to the BMW family. Have just traded in my 2013 CLA45 AMG and placed an order on a 2017 M240i in Melbourne Red. I'll be ordering a whole bunch of M-Performance parts, namely all the interior (alcantara steering wheel, CF console/alcantara dash, CF shifter, CF door handles), front lip, rear CF spoiler, rear diffuser, CF mirror caps, side decal (still 50/50 on this, as I may have to tune my car for the extra +13hp the sticker gives).

Upon delivery, I'll be taking my car straight to a paint protection place that apply glass coatings for the extra gloss (and to try prevent fading due to oxidation of the red paint). Looking at the Modesta BC-03 product.

Will also be getting the roof wrapped in black, windows tinted to match the privacy glass of the rear windows, and rear lights (very lightly) smoked.

Soon-after will be wheels (black APEX ARC-8, but still unconfirmed), then exhaust (likely to be Milltek due to convenience of local supplier), and potentially a tune (with the typical warranty concerns in mind).

Anyway, end of first post/rant, will be posting photos here once the car arrives around end of May, early June.

[terminator335i]

Sounds like an absolute beauty!!!
Post up some photos Syd....

[RonBurgundy]

Would love to hear your thoughts on the CLA45 vs the BMW M240i. I am considering one of these two or the Audi RS3 myself.

Drawn the RWD of the BMW but I'd love the drama, pops and crackles of the CLA45 or RS3

[den525]

Originally Posted by RonBurgundy

Would love to hear your thoughts on the CLA45 vs the BMW M240i. I am considering one of these two or the Audi RS3 myself.

Drawn the RWD of the BMW but I'd love the drama, pops and crackles of the CLA45 or RS3

Personally I haven't owned a cla45 or rs3 but haven't switched cars with mates.

In my opinion the cla45 easily comes last out of the 3 and we aren't even comparing it with a m2. For the price and what you get it's not worth it.

Interior both the Audi and BMW are much better, the engine produces high power and torque numbers but the other 2 are stronger in terms of driving feel, plus much smoother.

M235/240 are much more "softer" compared with the other 2, but engine smoother and just as strong as the others.

As for the rs3 I think it's the best of the lot, driving hard only car that beats it is the M2, interior especially with the updated VC hands down the best, pricing also much more competitive, old rs3 were around mid 80s, my mate just ordered a brand new rs3 sedan with a few options for $92k. Plenty of low mileage ones for mid 70s. So I think it's the best bang for your buck.

[seedyrom]

I couldn’t stand the way the A45 and CLA45 drove.

When I was learning to drive, my old man would clip me over the ear if I was riding the clutch ... but that’s what it felt like the A45 was doing when taking off from the lights (in sport mode).
Rev rev rev sliiiiiiiiiip away like a rocket.
I couldn’t handle driving that Junker in Sydney traffic. Would do my head in.

I drove the M140i first, a CLA45, the A45 then had a test drive of an M240i. Within 150 metres i knew the M240i was the right choice.

Just felt like a much better car in handling, sound, performance, & driver experience.
Don’t get me wrong, I preferred the look internally and externally of the A45, but I hated the car to drive. And the Mercedes salesman was a dick.

My build to order M240i in Estoril Blue, with my other options cost $72k, which I think is pretty sharp.
The wait time has been long (ordered in March, will pick up in August), but I’m very happy with the customer experience of the dealer, so I don’t mind.

[den525]

The m240i are so cheap these days... at the start people were paying near 100k... I bought mine 2.5 years ago at 82k and thought that was cheap... now it's 72k!!!

Fml trying to sell mine lol

[RonBurgundy]

Originally Posted by seedyrom

I couldn’t stand the way the A45 and CLA45 drove.

When I was learning to drive, my old man would clip me over the ear if I was riding the clutch ... but that’s what it felt like the A45 was doing when taking off from the lights (in sport mode).
Rev rev rev sliiiiiiiiiip away like a rocket.
I couldn’t handle driving that Junker in Sydney traffic. Would do my head in.

I drove the M140i first, a CLA45, the A45 then had a test drive of an M240i. Within 150 metres i knew the M240i was the right choice.

Just felt like a much better car in handling, sound, performance, & driver experience.
Don’t get me wrong, I preferred the look internally and externally of the A45, but I hated the car to drive. And the Mercedes salesman was a dick.

My build to order M240i in Estoril Blue, with my other options cost $72k, which I think is pretty sharp.
The wait time has been long (ordered in March, will pick up in August), but I’m very happy with the customer experience of the dealer, so I don’t mind.

$72K on road? That's an amazing price especially for a built to order car. What options did you get? Not that there's much to add to the standard package anyway

[seedyrom]

It is a cracking deal, and I was able to beat the price of a professional negotiator (part of the "value add" of the leasing company) by $9k. They were stunned.

I do negotiate for a living, but its limited to IT goods and services. The gods smiled on me ... as did the North Shore BMW team.
I cant say enough good things about them.

[DanielGr]

Great price, and here I was thinking I did well when buying my 235 last July!

There was a guy on another forum recently that says he got his M240i (not sure if built to order or an already built car, but still in Germany) for 67k!

Compared my receipt to yours and was interesting to note I paid $1100 more dealer delivery and nearly $1000 more in stamp duty as well in VIC!

[den525]

Originally Posted by DanielGr

Great price, and here I was thinking I did well when buying my 235 last July!

There was a guy on another forum recently that says he got his M240i (not sure if built to order or an already built car, but still in Germany) for 67k!

Compared my receipt to yours and was interesting to note I paid $1100 more dealer delivery and nearly $1000 more in stamp duty as well in VIC!

That was on ozrenaultsport saw that today, great for new buyers ridiculously great value! Fully optioned for $67k.

Awful for us with 1-2 year old cars who paid 80kish having to take 30k+ loss for our cars.

Don't really understand why BMW Australia have lowered the prices so much, rather frustrating to be honest. Considering M2 aren't being discounted much, really think the M240i for BMW don't need a 30k+ discount over the M2 for people to buy?

[DanielGr]

Could be they're trying to shift as many pre-LCI models as possible? Who knows. Could also simply be trying to get more of them out there as I doubt they're selling a great deal.

Makes me glad I got full circle on mine though!

[fury13]

Originally Posted by den525

That was on ozrenaultsport saw that today, great for new buyers ridiculously great value! Fully optioned for $67k.

Awful for us with 1-2 year old cars who paid 80kish having to take 30k+ loss for our cars.

Don't really understand why BMW Australia have lowered the prices so much, rather frustrating to be honest. Considering M2 aren't being discounted much, really think the M240i for BMW don't need a 30k+ discount over the M2 for people to buy?

Don't suppose you have a link to the $67k deal?
Cheers.

[den525]

Originally Posted by fury13

Don't suppose you have a link to the $67k deal?
Cheers.

http://www.ozrenaultsport.com/index....is-the-winner/

You'll need to be a member to see it unfortunately

[DanielGr]

I have my suspicion it's a ex-GST lease price as it seems too cheap for a brand new car, but who knows!

[seedyrom]

Yeah, I do too.
I registered with the site and read the post. Was a bit odd. Like talking of getting LSD installed as well.

Whilst it was bought just before the end of the financial year ... I cannot see them losing $5k off the low price posted above.
The model has gone EOL, with the factory now producing MY18 vehicles, here in Australia they aren't desperate to shift stock, when there is already a 5 month waiting list

[DanielGr]

Who knows, maybe he did just get lucky? Just before financial year is always a great time to buy. Think what also helped when I was buying mine was that it was the last lot of cars made for Australia (think mine was the 8th or 9th last M235i made for here).

[den525]

From what I've heard and read it seems like BMW are just doing some really great prices on cars, my mate's dad ordered a brand new factory order m3 in April just delivered last week for $134k driveaway, that's significantly lower than any I've read

[SydM240i]

Sorry have been MIA, work deadlines took over life. Addressing some of the points above: the CLA45 was fun and turned heads (I actually had one of the very first delivered in the country). The bangs, pops and crackles were entertaining, however the transmission was a nightmare for a daily driver in Sydney traffic, very jerky. When it came time to trade, as with others, it was the M240i, FL S3 or pre FL RS3. The S3 with VC was beautiful, ticked all the boxes, nicer interior than the BMW, however it just felt like a toned down version of my CLA45; very little character and quite predictable/boring. Looking at the M240i, I was slightly disappointed with the same old BMW interior, lack of electronics (distronic style cruise, blind spot assist etc), however within a few minutes of driving the M240i I was hooked and had a massive grin on my face through the test drive. I'd literally forgotten all the box ticking I was doing with the Audi and just wanted more of the BMW! So, I ordered it in the red as there were none in the country. Couldn't be happier! (and got it for $75k drive away).