[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by babaikram

You would surely enjoy the m235i MORE than 228i. i have both 2 litre diesel and 3 litre BMW cars and the difference in fun factor is so wide. I just came back from doing 10 random miles on my m240i on A1(M) motorways which I did enjoy. Eco Pro with performance exhaust still has the bass tone that is good and economical (30-4-mpg) whilst the pops and crackles in Sport mode would put smile on your face even at speed of 20 mph.

1) Exhaust sound may be irrelevant to the OP, as he noted he prefers to hear the music.(I happen to agree with this.)
2) Are you seriously suggesting a diesel is a surrogate for the gasoline powered 228i in the 4 vs 6 cylinder comparison?
3) The nose-heaviness of the 240 is least apparent cruising on a highway such as A1 versus the day-to-day driving in a variety of turns and corners where a lighter front end shows its benefits.
4) None of us can know what the OP would "surely" enjoy more. We can only share our experiences for him to assess in light of his own preferences.

[babaikram]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

1) Exhaust sound may be irrelevant to the OP, as he noted he prefers to hear the music.(I happen to agree with this.)
2) Are you seriously suggesting a diesel is a surrogate for the gasoline powered 228i in the 4 vs 6 cylinder comparison?
3) The nose-heaviness of the 240 is least apparent cruising on a highway such as A1 versus the day-to-day driving in a variety of turns and corners where a lighter front end shows its benefits.
3) None of us can "surely" know what the OP would enjoy more. We can only share our experiences for him to assess in light of his own preferences.

1. It is of no use buying an expensive car like BMW to drive only 2000 miles/year without maximising the enjoyment. He should try one with the MPE and see whether he still prefers listening to music or not.

2. Of course a petrol 4 cylinder would have a better sound than than 4 cylinder diesel but not the torque of the diesel. I believe the most rounded BMW engines is the 6 cylinder gasoline. These are the engines that separate BMWs form other cars. Since the OP is going to spending so much money for such a low mileage it is better he gets the best overall package for 2-3000 pounds extra

3. You are probably right that m240i is more nose heavy than 228 ( I have never test driven one) but the overall package of the m-performance engine and suspension etc still makes it much better. We are talking of cars that are almost as fast as M2. In accordance to my point 1, the OP is buying BMW for experience rather than general motoring.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by babaikram

1. It is of no use buying an expensive car like BMW to drive only 2000 miles/year without maximising the enjoyment. He should try one with the MPE and see whether he still prefers listening to music or not.

2. Of course a petrol 4 cylinder would have a better sound than than 4 cylinder diesel but not the torque of the diesel. I believe the most rounded BMW engines is the 6 cylinder gasoline. These are the engines that separate BMWs form other cars. Since the OP is going to spending so much money for such a low mileage it is better he gets the best overall package for 2-3000 pounds extra

3. You are probably right that m240i is more nose heavy than 228 ( I have never test driven one) but the overall package of the m-performance engine and suspension etc still makes it much better. We are talking of cars that are almost as fast as M2. In accordance to my point 1, the OP is buying BMW for experience rather than general motoring.

1) That could happen, but we should respect his predisposition that the sound of music is preferred and not superimpose our own.
2) The entire characteristic of the 4 cylinder gasoline engine differs from a diesel. The experience of one is not predictive of the other. BMW has historically established itself as a 4 cylinder company. Take a look at the architecture of the HQ building. They designed their very own HQ to represent the 4 cylinders of their superior heritage. The 6 cylinder engine penetration has been of more recent times. Neither is "better" nor "best" but provide different overall experiences when packaged in a vehicle, from which OP needs to choose.
3) All of the other chassis components, such as MSport brakes, Variable Sport Steering, MAdaptive suspension, which I believe enhance the driving experience, are available on the 228i, as with the one I and many others have ordered. In the U.S. price guide, it's called (misleadingly), the "Track Handling Package" and it effectively creates a "M228i"....the same overall car, minus 2 cylinders.

[kivyee]

Originally Posted by SammT

lPointless to have such a fast car if I never really get to enjoy the speed and just have wasted.

By this line of reasoning no one would buy Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches etc. Personally I find more occasions to squirt up to 60 at a stop light or higher on a highway on-ramp and enjoy the power vs going around 30kmh curves at 60kmh to exploit a finely balanced chassis. But that's me.

The one thing I would say is you need to do a few hard accelerations even on the test drive. The test drive is for seeing how the car fits you. If you don't drive like normal, how would you know how it fits? Ask the sales guy where closest highway/freeway/expressway on ramp is and go for it!

[MetalMK]

Originally Posted by babaikram

1. It is of no use buying an expensive car like BMW to drive only 2000 miles/year without maximising the enjoyment. He should try one with the MPE and see whether he still prefers listening to music or not.

2. Of course a petrol 4 cylinder would have a better sound than than 4 cylinder diesel but not the torque of the diesel. I believe the most rounded BMW engines is the 6 cylinder gasoline. These are the engines that separate BMWs form other cars. Since the OP is going to spending so much money for such a low mileage it is better he gets the best overall package for 2-3000 pounds extra

3. You are probably right that m240i is more nose heavy than 228 ( I have never test driven one) but the overall package of the m-performance engine and suspension etc still makes it much better. We are talking of cars that are almost as fast as M2. In accordance to my point 1, the OP is buying BMW for experience rather than general motoring.

Of course a 240 is better than a 230, but in London the roads are extremely narrow with cars parked on both sides, and lots of really tight turns. And the speed limit is either 20mph or 30mph. I just don't think he needs that much power. The 235 is better, but if he uses it as a 228, why not just buy a 228?

[albertw]

Originally Posted by MetalMK

The 235 is better, but if he uses it as a 228, why not just buy a 228?

Logical extension: If he uses the 228 like a Honda Civic, why not buy the Civic?

(Actually, that is what I would do if I were at his stage in life and had his limited interest in performance driving. Then I would spend the money I saved on a hobby that really interests me. Having a BMW just to have a BMW would get old for me pretty fast.)

[SammT]

Originally Posted by kivyee

By this line of reasoning no one would buy Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches etc. Personally I find more occasions to squirt up to 60 at a stop light or higher on a highway on-ramp and enjoy the power vs going around 30kmh curves at 60kmh to exploit a finely balanced chassis. But that's me.

The one thing I would say is you need to do a few hard accelerations even on the test drive. The test drive is for seeing how the car fits you. If you don't drive like normal, how would you know how it fits? Ask the sales guy where closest highway/freeway/expressway on ramp is and go for it!

True but to me they're more a show of wealth than anything else and the thing is unlike America there aren't a lot of long straight roads or anywhere near that I can really open the car up. I live in a rural area in England where it's predominately country roads and windy areas so I wouldn't get a chance to open it up until after I purchase it and take it elsewhere.

Originally Posted by MetalMK

Of course a 240 is better than a 230, but in London the roads are extremely narrow with cars parked on both sides, and lots of really tight turns. And the speed limit is either 20mph or 30mph. I just don't think he needs that much power. The 235 is better, but if he uses it as a 228, why not just buy a 228?

Yeah I live in Kent and it's a lot of windy country roads where although they're the national speed limit you'd be crazy to do it down a lot of the stretches.

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

I use my car for normal road use I even have car seat installed. I wouldnt even consider 228/230. I am looking for my next car now and wouldn't mind some AMG model or Porsche Turbo. Buddy of mine drives his kids in X5M and loves the power !

Do you never feel annoyed or anything though that you can't use it to it's fullest?

Originally Posted by albertw

Logical extension: If he uses the 228 like a Honda Civic, why not buy the Civic?

(Actually, that is what I would do if I were at his stage in life and had his limited interest in performance driving. Then I would spend the money I saved on a hobby that really interests me. Having a BMW just to have a BMW would get old for me pretty fast.)

Absolutely hate the look of the Civic, I just want a nice car that performs well and this is what I've chosen to go with, maybe this will be my gateway into loving cars, who knows.

Originally Posted by babaikram

I would differ with others.

The general advice is that if you are doing such a low mileage you should buy the car of your dream that is older than 3 years or 4 years that is has been well taken care of irrespective of the mileage (the higher the mileage the cheaper) otherwise you would be paying for depreciation based on age not based on mileage. Almost all depreciation in the first 3 years are based on the age of the car not on mileage.

After 5 years you would have only added 10,000 miles to the car (you are unlikely to need to change the tyres or need much maintenance at your mileage per year and the BMW comprehensive insured warranty that covers wear and tear is quite cheap for 2 series ) or after 3 years you would have only added 6000 miles to the car and you might end up selling the car for almost the same price you bought it. Most brits change their cars at year 4 according to surveys and being a BMW guy you are likely to change earlier

You could check AA website on advice on buy used cars based on your yearly mileage

So my advice look for the cheapest m235i that is about 3-5 year old that has been well taken care of irrespective of mileage, that have all the options you want (a lot of of used m235i cars have been fitted with LSD and performance exhausts) and enjoy it. You would be surprised how close in price 228 and m235i cars would be around the age of 4 and 5 years.

You would surely enjoy the m235i MORE than 228i. i have both 2 litre diesel and 3 litre BMW cars and the difference in fun factor is so wide. I just came back from doing 10 random miles on my m240i on A1(M) motorways which I did enjoy. Eco Pro with performance exhaust still has the bass tone that is good and economical (30-4-mpg) whilst the pops and crackles in Sport mode would put smile on your face even at speed of 20 mph.

I understand what you're getting at but my thoughts are that would I not feel that the extra power the 235i has is just wasted. I'd do motorway journeys once in a blue moon and living where I live it's majority country roads. The sound of the car is very appealing after watching many videos on it but with my budget (~£18,000) the only 235is I can afford are 2014 models.

[babaikram]

With your mileage, you should not buy a relatively new car whether you settle for 228i or 235i you would be paying for depreciation in value on account of steep fall in value in the first 3 years for a car you are not using much.

Even if you are settling for 228i, a 2014 or even older is perfectly good for you regardless of the mileage (as far as it is not above 100,000 miles, this is the mileage BMW does not give a comprehensive insured warranty).

[rainfall]

I think he needs to drive both cars back to back to see if he is missing out on something. I was in a similar situation between the Golf GTI and the R. While the R definitely had more power, I didn't feel the GTI was that far behind, especially because they have similar torque figures. I did feel the difference when I was accelerating on a wet ramp, where the GTI slipped a bit whereas the R didn't. I eventually was talked through the BMW in the Ultimate Driving Experience in Seattle, where I completely changed my mind about getting a GTI.

I did choose the 235i over the 228i. The sound is so much better and I definitely feel more power and torque in the 235i. I couldn't be happier with the car.

[MuskieFan]

Also agree that OP needs to drive them both. I haven’t been in a situation yet where I have felt that I needed more power. With that said, I’ll probably get the v6 next time around. Goodluck on your search OP!

[aerobod]

The most significant difference between the M235i and 228i (assuming M-Sport brakes and suspension in both cases) is the acceleration capability from 80 to 130 km/h (50 to 80 mph) when executing a rapid overtaking maneuver on single carriageway roads with limited passing spots. Depending on the test, the M235i will perform that acceleration in about 4 seconds, whereas the 228i takes about 6 seconds, this means the M235i needs about 120m to accelerate 80-130km/h, whereas the 228i needs 180m, so the passing manoever is possible in a significantly shorter space with the M235i.

If you have lots of country roads with limited overtaking spots, as we do in Western Canada and non motorway or dual carriageways in the UK, then the M235i has a significant advantage.

[Luftwaffe1O1]

For your use a 235 seems overkill, so i would say a 228 definitely would be a better overall car for your needs. But even still, if you arent concerned about performance, why not something even cheaper? Golf regular or gti, civic, focus etc.

I despise the noise of the bmw 4 cylinder in these cars, and while the difference in acceleration isn't really that huge between the 235i and 228i, the torque and overall feel is different. And while on the surface the 228 with the track handling package is close to sn m235i, the shocks are different enough and overall feel of the car is better for me, albeit a bit heavier feeling.

[SammT]

Originally Posted by MuskieFan

Also agree that OP needs to drive them both. I haven’t been in a situation yet where I have felt that I needed more power. With that said, I’ll probably get the v6 next time around. Goodluck on your search OP!

Originally Posted by rainfall

I think he needs to drive both cars back to back to see if he is missing out on something. I was in a similar situation between the Golf GTI and the R. While the R definitely had more power, I didn't feel the GTI was that far behind, especially because they have similar torque figures. I did feel the difference when I was accelerating on a wet ramp, where the GTI slipped a bit whereas the R didn't. I eventually was talked through the BMW in the Ultimate Driving Experience in Seattle, where I completely changed my mind about getting a GTI.

I did choose the 235i over the 228i. The sound is so much better and I definitely feel more power and torque in the 235i. I couldn't be happier with the car.

Yeah I'm going to try and test drive both soon, not the easiest though as there aren't many that are near me. Yeah but I could always buy the 435i exhaust and make it sound a bit better, just realised that the tax is £100 more for the 435i so it's looking like it could be quite expensive after insurance extras etc.

Originally Posted by babaikram

With your mileage, you should not buy a relatively new car whether you settle for 228i or 235i you would be paying for depreciation in value on account of steep fall in value in the first 3 years for a car you are not using much.

Even if you are settling for 228i, a 2014 or even older is perfectly good for you regardless of the mileage (as far as it is not above 100,000 miles, this is the mileage BMW does not give a comprehensive insured warranty).

Oh really? Figured it would be better getting a slightly newer model if I can afford it. Yeah most the mileage figures for the car that are for sale are around 30,000 or lower which is nice.

Originally Posted by aerobod

The most significant difference between the M235i and 228i (assuming M-Sport brakes and suspension in both cases) is the acceleration capability from 80 to 130 km/h (50 to 80 mph) when executing a rapid overtaking maneuver on single carriageway roads with limited passing spots. Depending on the test, the M235i will perform that acceleration in about 4 seconds, whereas the 228i takes about 6 seconds, this means the M235i needs about 120m to accelerate 80-130km/h, whereas the 228i needs 180m, so the passing manoever is possible in a significantly shorter space with the M235i.

If you have lots of country roads with limited overtaking spots, as we do in Western Canada and non motorway or dual carriageways in the UK, then the M235i has a significant advantage.

That's a good point you make! Not sure how often I'd do that though, most the time all there is to overtake is a tractor which travel around 30-40mph anyways. Definitely would be nice not worrying so much about the capability of the car when it comes to overtaking though.

Originally Posted by Luftwaffe1O1

For your use a 235 seems overkill, so i would say a 228 definitely would be a better overall car for your needs. But even still, if you arent concerned about performance, why not something even cheaper? Golf regular or gti, civic, focus etc.

I despise the noise of the bmw 4 cylinder in these cars, and while the difference in acceleration isn't really that huge between the 235i and 228i, the torque and overall feel is different. And while on the surface the 228 with the track handling package is close to sn m235i, the shocks are different enough and overall feel of the car is better for me, albeit a bit heavier feeling.

I like the look of the 2 series a lot and there's a lot more Golf's/Focus' where I live so it would be nice to have something a bit different. Do you not think changing the exhaust would make the car sound more like the 235i?

[emtrey]

Do you really think changing the exhaust would make the car sound more like the 235i?

NO--it may be louder but you will never hear the smoothness of the 6 cyl and disguise the wheaziness/diesel like rattle of any 4 cylinder.

The 6 cylinder may be overkill for the street but its an amazing drivetrain package that is worth the difference IMHO.

ps. The punishing ride comments are over the top. The 235 only rides slightly firmer than our 335 sedan.

[Kingpin4]

[msej449]

I wouldn't be looking at a 230i vs an M235i for two ends of the spectrum. Personally (and these are always subjective discussions) I'd be looking at something completely different as the 'sensible' end, possibly diesel. If you're going to get a 230i then for me, the premium to move up to the M235i is relatively small - whether I end up using all its capabilities is secondary. Which is what I did, as you'd expect from my post.

[Rayscott]

228ix Msport vert here. More than enough power for me and it handles great. 10K after 2 years as I just drive it locally. Plan to keep it a long time. I have a mechanic friend who will take good care of it after warranty expires. I am constantly getting compliments on the Estoril/oyster. My best vehicle ever.

[Sportstick]

It's worth a few minutes to read this, including the data tables at the end.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...mparison-test/

[Kolyan2k]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

It's worth a few minutes to read this, including the data tables at the end.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...mparison-test/

Yeah I would take that article with a grain of salt. Same magazine released an article saying 228i was like the worst BMW they drove and both Mustang and Subaru BRZ are much better drivers cars

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

Yeah I would take that article with a grain of salt. Same magazine released an article saying 228i was like the worst BMW they drove and both Mustang and Subaru BRZ are much better

Anything anyone writes has that caveat. The difference here is a group of writers working together versus one known outlier. Even looking past the subjective evaluation (echoing the very same sentiment Jalopnik reported), the data tables reveal the minor real-world engine performance differences one experiences for the benefit of the nimbler dynamics.

[kivyee]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

Yeah I would take that article with a grain of salt. Same magazine released an article saying 228i was like the worst BMW they drove and both Mustang and Subaru BRZ are much better drivers cars

If you extend the rationale in the article beyond BMW brands, if I'm looking for a "slow car to drive fast", I don't think the 228i is as much a driver's car as a brz/86.

[albertw]

Originally Posted by aerobod

The most significant difference between the M235i and 228i (assuming M-Sport brakes and suspension in both cases) is the acceleration capability from 80 to 130 km/h (50 to 80 mph) when executing a rapid overtaking maneuver on single carriageway roads with limited passing spots. Depending on the test, the M235i will perform that acceleration in about 4 seconds, whereas the 228i takes about 6 seconds, this means the M235i needs about 120m to accelerate 80-130km/h, whereas the 228i needs 180m, so the passing manoever is possible in a significantly shorter space with the M235i.

If you have lots of country roads with limited overtaking spots, as we do in Western Canada and non motorway or dual carriageways in the UK, then the M235i has a significant advantage.

Exactly! This is the only reason I bought a 240 instead of a 230.

My first sports sedan was a '90's 3-series with 185 hp. That thing could never pass a slower car on a twisty road. The only option was to pull over, wait, then drive again. That's not so bad on my favorite nearby twisty road, but it got really aggravating when on a multi-day twisty road excursion with a destination planned for the night.

In my '01 Z06 I had to wait on average twice as many corners as on my bikes before passing, and that was acceptable. (One reason I kept it 16 years.) The M240i is only slightly slower. The 230i would have been intermediate in passing power, and I'm sure it wouldn't be enough. The better steering was a powerful positive, and if I seldom needed to get somewhere while enjoying a twisty road that's what I would have bought.