It’s official: I’ve owned my 2021 BMW M2 Competition for three years now. It’s the longest I’ve ever kept a car purchased with my own money. The previous three cars, my wandering interests led me to switch out of them before the three-year ownership mark. The difference this time? Interest rates. Borrowing cost is too high right now to take out a loan (or take money out of interest-bearing savings account). Especially for what is really a pleasure vehicle. I’m fortunate to not need a car for my lifestyle.
Not to say I don’t have any wandering interests currently. I am a car enthusiast, after all. The Honda Civic Type R is still calling my name. But I can be patient. Presumably, Honda will be making its flagship hot-hatch for at least a few more years. The plan is to buy a Civic Type R towards the end of its production run. That should give me a bit of time to save up further, earn some of that sweet compounding interest.
Because the goal is to keep the M2 in addition to whatever car I’m buying next. Three years in, I remain smitten with the little pugnacious coupe from Germany. It’s got just enough power, just enough utility, to fit my single car-guy life. The front-engine, rear-wheel drive dynamics is as classic sports car as it gets. The only complaint? The atrocious fuel economy. But that’s the price to pay for all the fun.
BMW offers three years free maintenance on all its new cars. That means for my M2, it has just expired. In a vote of confidence (for myself) in keeping the car for longer, I purchased a two-year extension of the maintenance contract. (Less inclined to sell a car that’s still got money on it, right?) For a relatively cheap sum of $899 (not subject to sales tax), the next two annual visits to dealership service is now paid for. The rear differential fluid change that’s due next year will more than make up for the initial outlay.
Here’s to many more years of happy M2 ownership!
The udders.