View Single Post
      06-05-2014, 11:19 PM   #17
jeremicium
Major
jeremicium's Avatar
United_States
170
Rep
1,178
Posts

Drives: 2011 E92 328i
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Tacoma, Wa. USA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Didn't want to start a new thread for my driving impression, so i'll add on to this one. My current daily driver is an 09 E92, 6 spd manual, premium, Nav, sports package and running COBB stage 1 for the last 15k miles. Tires are Pilot Super Sports, car has 67k miles, has been almost entirely trouble free with the exception of the ubiquitous HPFP failure at 4,800 miles during a BMWCCA mountain twists drive...limped to dealership and had it back same day.

Anyways, I've been very interested in the M235 since we all first heard about it a year or two ago. Was out of country with the military until a few weeks ago so finally just got a chance to drive an estoril blue, coral red, 8spd, with no NAV.

As has become the custom in way too many military documents i'll start with the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): Not sure its good enough to spend another $50k when mine is still beautiful, reliable, and very fun.

The M235 is clearly a more competent track car than the E92 335, much more nimble and sure footed than mine. I was able to power through corners and maintain traction in the M235 where mine began to lose traction. It felt much lighter than the 3,500 pounds it carries. But as a daily driver, you would not notice the difference in driving dynamics in a significant way. The steering was just fine. I think I prefer the hydraulic, but I could easily live with the EPS. It was nicely weighted, conveniently light in the parking lot, decent weight driving aggressively through corners.

M235 felt faster than mine stock, definitely not as fast as mine tuned.

The 8 spd ZF transmission is very good. My wife has an X1 with the N20 and ZF. For an auto it is very good...but I still feel like i'm missing something anytime i'm driving an auto.

The engine sound was nice, I couldn't really tell it was being fed in through the speakers. Exhaust was nice. Overall it seemed slightly higher pitch than mine.

The interior is nice, I like the direction BMW is going with their interiors, but the non NAV i-drive screen is just a joke. It would be better to have no screen at all than the tiny, useless one protruding from the center of the dash. Seats were very comfortable and supportive.

I may still wind up in an M235. It was a very fun ride, better looking in person than in pictures, and it would be fun and easy to live with for a few years.

My 335 will be paid off next month, so I have some time to decide what I want to do, and no car payment...Yay! Next September(2015) i'm going to Munich for Octoberfest...and very possibly a Eurodelivery on either an M3 or an M235. If I can get a good deal on an ED M3, then that'll be the next ride, if not i'll probably be in an M235.
Appreciate 0