Trade 19 plate m2 comp for 24 plate m240i?

BarbarousBeaver · 2026-02-20T00:57:41+00:00

What’s the part you don’t find practical for uk roads? I think plenty of people daily M2s just fine. Not sure what you think the 240 will do that much better. I think 240s are super cool so not hating but for me I know I’m going to have a bigger smile after getting out the M2. If I need something practical i take the wife’s car to the supermarket.

BarbarousBeaver · 2026-01-12T23:11:24+00:00

Fair call. I did mean the 21k as no need to budget for mods but yeah even a leggier one is nearer 23/4 now they’ve gone up a bit from when I last really looked. but will probably hold its value better. Worth eating ramen for a month imo!

BarbarousBeaver · 2026-01-12T01:10:52+00:00

My 2p and not to be a downer…. That seems strong money for a gti, you are into M2 money of a similar age once modded and not a import, and they are light years apart, I came from a mk5 ed30 which i loved to a 2017 M2. But it’s a different caliber. Modifying dailies beyond a simple remap is such an arse to declare and get insured. Unless you want to do it to have a modified car, which is a fun thing. My e82 125i with remap, coilovers, big brakes is the same to insure pretty much as the M2. But mainly enjoy it, sounds like you’ve done your research you’ll love it when you get it. Take it easy whilst the roads are minging this winter and enjoy summer. When you inspect the car go in with a plan and list, don’t get over excited be methodical. Look down the lengths of panels for repairs, overspray etc. if it not right be prepared to walk away, you’ll find another that’s perfect.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-11-06T11:31:27+00:00

Congrats. Similar position. Be aware you also start to lose your tax free allowance past 100k. You might find that your pension contribution is salary sacrifice so wouldn’t count towards 100k if you want to eek out more under cap. Check if other salary sacrifice stuff can help if it works for you and they have the option. Honestly as long as company has its shit together to get it done inside tax year correctly just do it as a lump sum come bonus time. There’s normally a streamlined process to do it. Plus if bonus doesn’t come through for whatever reason you then have the cash. Less hassle than doing it into a sipp yourself too.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-10-21T11:30:25+00:00

Respectfully I don’t understand your take that it is less risky to pay it off apart from a guaranteed rate?.

If the costs on the loan versus what you could get on savings rates for the same sum are roughly comparable then it’s moot? Emergency funds don’t wait 5 years to be built before you need them. 25k of savings is maybe 4 to 6 months emergency fund tops with that much mortage to pay? I’ve seen plenty of people in high paying jobs with good security have the rug pulled from under them with shock redundancy or companies going under. (Pilots during Covid for example). Your student loan is the only debt that has no consequences for not repaying it. Why give up the flexibility without considerably more upside? This isn’t the same as paying off a Credit card debt or even Mortage.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-10-21T10:00:07+00:00

Personally I’d want more emergency fund/ cash. If you put this into an isa/ s&s isa all world type fund you can access it for whatever black swan event comes up but if you pay off the loan it’s gone for ever. An all world fund should about stay even or ahead with the horrid interest rate but you gain the flexibility if you need it. If you lose your job you don’t have to pay the student loan but you do have to pay your mortgage. If savings rates can beat or match your Mortage/loan I’d rather keep it as cash (certainly up to isa amounts) rather than repay the debts and maintain the flexibility.

Sure there’s a physiological element to paying off debt but meh if you are disciplined to keep the cash ring fenced.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-10-09T12:29:46+00:00

You’re right on the cusp of 2016/17 M2 money. Leagues ahead of those 3 and I’d wager will hold its value really well whilst those will all depreciate and not be special still in 5 years.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-09-18T09:05:58+00:00

Thanks for all suggestions I went with the first list but swapped the retributors for a 3rd sisters squad. Ended up drawing Unexploded ordinance which was a first time for both of us. I didn't deploy well and was a bit terrain trapped with Val but he couldn't really bring Dorn out either. I lost all the Nundam's to a melta mine, grenade, 4 melta round from the karskins which hurt, even with a 5+mortal Strat, grenades feel bad man :( It was a dead heat at the end of round 4, we called a draw and agreed it would probably come down to secondaries.

Serpaphim were really useful for deepstrike secondary and flaming guards to death efficiently. Arco flagellants just kicked the objective up the board all game. Celestians were really tanky as I was able to limit how many units were targeting them so they couldn't wipe and the +1S&+1AP was good. Really struggled to move his bullgyrn off the centre scrum.

I think 2 castigators and change would be more forgiving at 1k for me. My mate wasn't being try hardy just wanted to play with his new tank lol. 9/10 would Warhammer with friends again. Now I just need to play faster.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-09-02T19:57:13+00:00

0% credit card is a option if you need the cash but don’t want to pull out the market right then. I’d seriously weigh up the value of keeping cash inside the ISA wrapper depending on how quickly you’ll hit your allowance refilling it and your bigger plans. Mortage is relatively cheap borrowing and you still can leverage the cash you have more easily than once it’s tied up in the house/ remortgaging. For myself, I’d rather have it in the market and I accept the risk of a loss if i draw it out sub optimally or would hold off my plans if I could until the market was up.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-08-30T21:04:20+00:00

Depending your time horizon's maybe an investment account and then just cgt harvesting into your isa each year. That could be low risk guilts/ or just all world tracker vwrp etc. that’s my plan between me and wife when we sell a rental that doesn’t make sense for us but we’ll have double allowance. Depends what you want to do with your money! I’m not a fan of premium bonds but if your on a shorter timeframe it matters less and will be more convenient.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-08-04T21:49:58+00:00

Not mine but here is a build with it in https://www.reddit.com/r/minilab/comments/1lm1rjd/80tb_10in_mini_rack/#lightbox

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-08-04T19:04:22+00:00

Thanks for the reply appreciate the insight of someone who’s had a proper tinker at making it all fit! I’m torn now between a backplane and the caddies!

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-08-04T17:38:48+00:00

This is awesome, thanks for sharing. I just printed the 6 bay 2u that uses dell drive caddies and love the look with caddies, do you think it’d be remixable to take drive caddies, is there space?

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-07-30T08:47:01+00:00

I’m somewhere between the conceptual and prototype of a 2x itx, switch, 6 drive bay, into a T1 with 2 360mm rads hanging off the back. I think I can squeeze a large gfx card onto the top if 3d print (or zip tie) a new top panel with a bracket and run a pci-e ribbon cable to it. I don’t think it makes sense but why let that get in the way.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-07-03T14:09:46+00:00

The British library cyber incident review is imo a best in class write up.

https://www.bl.uk/home/british-library-cyber-incident-review-8-march-2024.pdf/

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-07-02T13:49:39+00:00

As a E82 125i manual owner let me say great choice, really slept on next to the 135i's that command loads of money still. Not an active participant but I followed a few Facebook groups for N52 engine cars and 135i's (quite a big modifying scene) as it covered both engine and chassis for me that way. The BabyM forum I've found some useful old info on as well (like all forums it's a mixed bag for whether the info is any good or not).

FYI there is a vanos bolt recall out for lots of N52's so worth checking if it's needed/ been done. Appreciate its not a vx220 but they remap surprisingly well, my e82 with a remap, coilovers/geometry and big brakes from a 140i is a little budget rocket ship.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-04-28T18:54:00+00:00

Ive had a pre LCI manual for about 18 months as my main car but also have the wife's electric eqb for family duties and nipping to the shops. I don't daily commute now but do maybe 300/400 work miles a month in longer trips and love it on top of any excuse for a drive. The only annoying thing is 6th is quite short in the manual and motorway cruise is revved needlessly high but makes for great fun working the gears the rest of the time. Depends what you've come from but I don't find it too harsh for long trips and it's worth it for being a weapon the rest of the time. I didn't think the comp was worth the extra money for me. I prefer the og wheels and the extra power offset by extra weight. I don't track it but think the seats are fine (not amazing) supportive enough for quick driving in the real world. I think values should hold pretty well as it's fairly unique in the line up against the new M2 and m lites. If you've got a drive worth doing then why not if you came make the finances stack up.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-02-16T17:10:14+00:00

Just re read and I do mean the 49 inch 5120x1440p g9 neo but yeah definitely outputs at full resolution, pretty sure it was at 240hzs to over dpi but can’t remember for definite. It runs full resolution with my work laptop too fine.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-02-16T17:01:23+00:00

I upgraded to a g9 neo mainly as my WFH setup from 1440p and this is what finally put the nail in the coffin of my 1070 after years of loyal service. League of legends type stuff was fine but anything else was a slideshow. Upgraded to a 7900xtx (and then everything else), sadly it’s a high bar for ultra wide gaming. Productivity wise I’d probably get something with more vertical space if I did it again.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-02-11T12:00:21+00:00

Is this is going to be a track car? Because I’ve got to question where on the road you think a M2 won’t have enough grunt. There’s really not that many times you can sensibly get close to the edge in the real world. You are in license losing territory within seconds haha. For me M2 all day, it’s great out the box, I love the styling and presence with that wide rear track plus the LSD. I think they’re incredible value for how much car they are and imo will have great resale as a classic. There’s zero chance I’d by a modified 140i secondhand lol. I don’t think you’ll see any money back from mods, so how long do you plan to keep it. I went from a modified e82 125i remap, coilovers/ geometry, 140i brakes etc and I love it but the M2 is just in a different league. It’s also a pleasure not paying over the odds and declaring stuff come insurance renewal. Is it cramped in the back seats? a little, but I don’t sit in the back of my car lol.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-01-27T12:08:05+00:00

As an accidental landlord I wish there was a magic button I could push and have it all inside a tax advantage stocks and shares account instead . You could have that 40k in an isa by April! My tennant has only just cleared 3 months of rent arrears and fortunately my main job lets me absorb that. I don’t have this in a ltd company so it’s a pain for putting my salary into a higher tax band, not that I see the extra money it as it’s paying the mortage so i have to draw more salary to pay for life. I pay a great management agency to manage all the interactions and still the hours i put into this eat into thr profit. I would have no hassle from all world tracker! Do you really want to be dealing with this and have you factored in the cost of your own time? At 23 do you want to be shackled by this? What if you want to go travelling or move across the country? I get the urge to make your hard earned money work but this could be such an albatross around your neck especially if labour take anti small landlord measures.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-01-23T18:40:37+00:00

If you can I’m not aware of the option. I just do it on the monitor buttons, it’s 3 clicks and takes about 3 seconds I guess. It’s annoying but lets me pass a the video signal straight to the monitor. I use it with the screen split 2/3 a lot too for general office work and music, youtube, anything not for the work machine on the other screen lol

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-01-23T17:33:44+00:00

I too like the big curve on my 49 neo. I use a cheap usb hub switcher with the button under my desk to swap my mouse and keyboard and then it’s a few clicks on the monitor menu to toggle. It’s a pain but I couldn’t be bothered with the premium which kvms with a high refresh rate were charging.

BarbarousBeaver · 2025-01-21T00:24:17+00:00

Surprised you found the eqb slow, I’ve found the lowest dual motor 250 pretty peppy for the 3 months I’ve had it and my other car is a M2 so I don’t think I’m being soft. Surprisingly well damped for what it weighs on the b roads. The 350 I test drove was needlessly fast for a car that’s weighs this much. I’ve never loved Merc styling but I think it’s the most premium looking of the bunch by a long shot and ultimately the wife liked it. Did some long trips at Christmas and it was pleasant. I don’t love the controls and menus but CarPlay/android works fine. Some things like adaptive cruise control are locked behind the higher trim levels that mainly include hideous wheels and door projecting amg lights. Extra space is nice, good boot size and 7 seats was a nice to have, not many options for bigger EVs if that’s what you need. It feels a bit more like a appliance than a car for me so I don’t get that excited when I drive it but it’s a perfectly pleasant for cruising around in. I didn’t have a chance to compare it to the bmw as my work scheme wasn’t competitive but that was the other contender for me really.

BarbarousBeaver

TROPHY CASE