2Addicts | BMW 2-Series forum - View Single Post - M235i vs. 228i M-Sport vs. e36 M3

DarkstarZero · 04-08-2014, 02:47 AM

I went to the dealer to test drive the new 2 series today, the best drivers car BMW has made in a long time, or so all the reviews said - I read and watched all of them the night before because car fever keeps me up

. The problem was the reviews were all for the M235i and I wanted a comparison between that and the cheaper 228i. I also own an e36 '95 M3, the car that the M235i is said to be just as fun as, so I drove that to the dealer.

A bit about myself; I've owned many BMWs, mostly M cars, I'll list them at the bottom if you're interested. I drive at the track regularly. I am a BMW CCA track instructor, a role that takes many years of track time and training to achieve. And some of you may know me from leading the Skyline Run events.

Ok, so my thoughts on the M235 and 228. My sales guy knows me pretty well so he just threw me the keys to both of them so I could take my time. The first car was the M235, it was fully loaded and had a 6-speed manual transmission. That was good because all of the reviewers tested the car with the 8-speed auto. The manual was great, it had good feel, short throws, the clutch was light and easy to control - it's just a great transmission. The car drove as expected based on the reviews we've all watched. It was quick, nimble, fun, everything the reviewers said it was. But I was surprised to find that when I threw it into a corner, it had a tendency to understeer. Not a lot, but it was noticeable, like there was a little more weight in the front than in the back. Other than that, just like the reviews said, it was a great car.

Now to the M-Sport 228i. Walking to the less powerful, more ordinary 228 from the M235 I thought maybe I should have done this in reverse, but it was too late. Looking at the car with the $3,000 M-Sport package and M-Sport brakes, it looks exactly the same as the M235. From the front and the side, you can't tell them apart. It was the same on the inside, same seats, same steering wheel, same amount of M badges on everything. The only difference being this was the 8-speed auto. Pulling out of the lot and onto my makeshift track of local deserted roads I was extremely surprised by how similarly the 228 performed. Acceleration was really good, far better than I expected. Turbo lag was virtually non-existent. BMW says it does 0-60 in 5.4, I think it might be a bit faster. The huge surprise though was cornering, it was fantastic, better than the M235! The slight understeer I felt in the M235 wasn't there in the 228 and it just felt more nimble, more precise, more fun. I was chucking into corners and the balance was dead-on, confidence inspiring and made me want to go faster. The 8-speed auto with it's short gear ratios keeps it in the power-band though it can really feel like too many gears some times - I know it's faster but for a driver's car, I'd go with the manual.

I came back convinced the 228 was better and more fun than the M235, how was that possible!? I read the specs when I got back, it all comes down to weight. The M235 does not have a 50/50 weight distribution, it's 52/48 - a bit front heavy, and it was noticeable. The 228 does however have that perfect 50/50 distribution and the one I drove weighed 205lbs lighter than the M235. That's a lot and explains why it felt more alive and nimble. To put that into perspective, it's like filling the entire trunk with 20lb bowling balls, you're going to notice it. The only thing missing is the straight line acceleration but the BMS piggy-back tune for the N20 has been proven to give around 40-50whp for just $500. I'm convinced a M-Sport 228i would keep up a M235 on the track, and with a $500 piggy-back tune it would unquestionably pass it. I'm surprised to say it, the 228 is the better drivers car, and thousands of dollars cheaper. Even with money no object, it's the 228 for me.
228 specs: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...fications.aspx
M235 specs: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...fications.aspx

So what about the e36? Well, they're no match. As I said, my e36 has been converted to euro spec so it's producing around 300hp and has all the chassis reinforcements and suspension that are required to bring an old e36 back to feeling like new. While the 2ers may be as quick if not quicker with similar cornering abilities they just don't have the same sense of theater and connection to the road. Feeling the road through the seat, the feedback from the old rack and pinion steering, the sound of the syncros while changing gears, the roar of air rushing into the engine - it's an event. But I wouldn't call it comfortable. I could sit in the 2 series for hours in traffic, not the e36. It's a weekend car, a track car, a drivers car, and in that respect the 2 series is still missing that special something to give me the same massive grin. It's a little docile. A little too comfortable as if that's somehow a bad thing. Maybe we'll see Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the M2

BMWs I've owned, if you care to know:
95 M3 manual (died)
another 95 M3 manual (euro modded)
02 M3 SMG
02 530i auto
03 M5 manual
07 M Coupe manual

11 M3 Competition DCT
14 328xiT auto http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=954033

04-08-2014, 02:47 AM	#1
DarkstarZero Lieutenant Colonel 1014 Rep 1,721 Posts Drives: Daytona 95 M3, X7 M50, e92 M3, Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Washington DC iTrader: (6)	M235i vs. 228i M-Sport vs. e36 M3 I went to the dealer to test drive the new 2 series today, the best drivers car BMW has made in a long time, or so all the reviews said - I read and watched all of them the night before because car fever keeps me up . The problem was the reviews were all for the M235i and I wanted a comparison between that and the cheaper 228i. I also own an e36 '95 M3, the car that the M235i is said to be just as fun as, so I drove that to the dealer. A bit about myself; I've owned many BMWs, mostly M cars, I'll list them at the bottom if you're interested. I drive at the track regularly. I am a BMW CCA track instructor, a role that takes many years of track time and training to achieve. And some of you may know me from leading the Skyline Run events. Ok, so my thoughts on the M235 and 228. My sales guy knows me pretty well so he just threw me the keys to both of them so I could take my time. The first car was the M235, it was fully loaded and had a 6-speed manual transmission. That was good because all of the reviewers tested the car with the 8-speed auto. The manual was great, it had good feel, short throws, the clutch was light and easy to control - it's just a great transmission. The car drove as expected based on the reviews we've all watched. It was quick, nimble, fun, everything the reviewers said it was. But I was surprised to find that when I threw it into a corner, it had a tendency to understeer. Not a lot, but it was noticeable, like there was a little more weight in the front than in the back. Other than that, just like the reviews said, it was a great car. Now to the M-Sport 228i. Walking to the less powerful, more ordinary 228 from the M235 I thought maybe I should have done this in reverse, but it was too late. Looking at the car with the $3,000 M-Sport package and M-Sport brakes, it looks exactly the same as the M235. From the front and the side, you can't tell them apart. It was the same on the inside, same seats, same steering wheel, same amount of M badges on everything. The only difference being this was the 8-speed auto. Pulling out of the lot and onto my makeshift track of local deserted roads I was extremely surprised by how similarly the 228 performed. Acceleration was really good, far better than I expected. Turbo lag was virtually non-existent. BMW says it does 0-60 in 5.4, I think it might be a bit faster. The huge surprise though was cornering, it was fantastic, better than the M235! The slight understeer I felt in the M235 wasn't there in the 228 and it just felt more nimble, more precise, more fun. I was chucking into corners and the balance was dead-on, confidence inspiring and made me want to go faster. The 8-speed auto with it's short gear ratios keeps it in the power-band though it can really feel like too many gears some times - I know it's faster but for a driver's car, I'd go with the manual. I came back convinced the 228 was better and more fun than the M235, how was that possible!? I read the specs when I got back, it all comes down to weight. The M235 does not have a 50/50 weight distribution, it's 52/48 - a bit front heavy, and it was noticeable. The 228 does however have that perfect 50/50 distribution and the one I drove weighed 205lbs lighter than the M235. That's a lot and explains why it felt more alive and nimble. To put that into perspective, it's like filling the entire trunk with 20lb bowling balls, you're going to notice it. The only thing missing is the straight line acceleration but the BMS piggy-back tune for the N20 has been proven to give around 40-50whp for just $500. I'm convinced a M-Sport 228i would keep up a M235 on the track, and with a $500 piggy-back tune it would unquestionably pass it. I'm surprised to say it, the 228 is the better drivers car, and thousands of dollars cheaper. Even with money no object, it's the 228 for me. 228 specs: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...fications.aspx M235 specs: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...fications.aspx So what about the e36? Well, they're no match. As I said, my e36 has been converted to euro spec so it's producing around 300hp and has all the chassis reinforcements and suspension that are required to bring an old e36 back to feeling like new. While the 2ers may be as quick if not quicker with similar cornering abilities they just don't have the same sense of theater and connection to the road. Feeling the road through the seat, the feedback from the old rack and pinion steering, the sound of the syncros while changing gears, the roar of air rushing into the engine - it's an event. But I wouldn't call it comfortable. I could sit in the 2 series for hours in traffic, not the e36. It's a weekend car, a track car, a drivers car, and in that respect the 2 series is still missing that special something to give me the same massive grin. It's a little docile. A little too comfortable as if that's somehow a bad thing. Maybe we'll see Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the M2 BMWs I've owned, if you care to know: 95 M3 manual (died) another 95 M3 manual (euro modded) 02 M3 SMG 02 530i auto 03 M5 manual 07 M Coupe manual 11 M3 Competition DCT 14 328xiT auto http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=954033 Attached Images __________________ BMW CCA Track Instructor Join to win a M School Day at the Performance Center! Enter Referral ID: 420186 Last edited by DarkstarZero; 06-23-2015 at 06:24 PM..
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