[englishguy84]

I'm in the midst of deciding between a 230i and a 330i for my next car. Until recently, I was set on a 330i with leather, H/K, Driver Assistance, Moonroof (44,100 MSRP). Adding M Sport was out of budget (45k) unless I delete one of the other options, which are must-haves for me.

However, I realized that I don't really need such a big car, since it's pretty much just me or me plus one other person driving. I also feel a little hesitant about spending so much on a BMW that, without the 704 suspension, isn't even equipped for optimal handling/fun. I figure that this is my best chance for a while to have a fun car that doesn't need to be especially practical. I'm not interested in the Adaptive because I'm planning to keep the car for a while and don't want to worry about repairing the more complex components in the Adaptive.

I'm in Washington, D.C., so it is extremely hard to find RWD M Sport 230i/228i cars to drive—there's one that will hopefully still be around in two weeks when I have time to test drive.

In the meantime, I have a couple questions for those who have driven the 228i/230i with both the base and the passive M Sport suspension: how is the ride quality? I don't need something that feels like a 5 series, but I don't want to get beat up every time I'm driving the car. How is the base suspension, just for comparison purposes?

Also, what's the interior like to live with? I'm mainly going from pictures, and it looks a little cheaper than the 3/4. With leather and M-Sport, does it feel like a reasonably nice, if spartan, place?

[Sportstick]

I moved from a W204 generation C Class to the 2 Series as well. The interior is straightforward, but of high quality. Nothing garish, as I regard the W205 C Class. The seats are far more comfortable.

When I decided to buy a new car, I drove the 2, 3, and 4. The 3 and 4 felt too large and "boaty" for me. I only wanted to drive the 2 again. I did not want the MSport, as the way I ordered my car, it would turn out to be only cosmetic. I wanted the Track Handling Package, for the MSport brakes, Variable Sport Steering, but also for the MAdaptive suspension. (You also get Michelin PSS tires, which will work better in your climate than mine where it gets/stays too cold for too long. When it's just me, I am in Sport; when the mood strikes or especially when my wife is aboard, I select Comfort, and it's like two cars in one. The difference is notable and very pleasing....not a 5 Series as you said, but as one journalist noted, among the widest range of differences in a car with such a suspension choice feature, and Comfort is quite composed. I am a strong advocate for the Track Handling Package for daily usage, mis-named as it is. I realize you said you weren't interested, but humbly suggest you reconsider. The quality and reliability on the car has been quite high for the first few years. I am aiming for 5+ years of ownership.

The next generation G30 3 Series might do better at dialing up the fun factor, but if that is important to you, the 2 is the far superior choice. Read some Car and Driver 10 Best reviews to see how the 2 is regarded vis-a-vis the 3.

Good luck!

[simsimma777]

Originally Posted by englishguy84

I'm in the midst of deciding between a 230i and a 330i for my next car. Until recently, I was set on a 330i with leather, H/K, Driver Assistance, Moonroof (44,100 MSRP). Adding M Sport was out of budget (45k) unless I delete one of the other options, which are must-haves for me.

However, I realized that I don't really need such a big car, since it's pretty much just me or me plus one other person driving. I also feel a little hesitant about spending so much on a BMW that, without the 704 suspension, isn't even equipped for optimal handling/fun. I figure that this is my best chance for a while to have a fun car that doesn't need to be especially practical. I'm not interested in the Adaptive because I'm planning to keep the car for a while and don't want to worry about repairing the more complex components in the Adaptive.

I'm in Washington, D.C., so it is extremely hard to find RWD M Sport 230i/228i cars to drive—there's one that will hopefully still be around in two weeks when I have time to test drive.

In the meantime, I have a couple questions for those who have driven the 228i/230i with both the base and the passive M Sport suspension: how is the ride quality? I don't need something that feels like a 5 series, but I don't want to get beat up every time I'm driving the car. How is the base suspension, just for comparison purposes?

Also, what's the interior like to live with? I'm mainly going from pictures, and it looks a little cheaper than the 3/4. With leather and M-Sport, does it feel like a reasonably nice, if spartan, place?

I have a RWD M-Sport 228i in the DC area, and the ride quality is pretty comfortable as a daily driver even with the stiffer suspension.

It does get a bit uncomfortable when driving on the beat up roads in the city itself, but I think that is more a product of the low profile run-flats and how bad the roads are in DC. Unless you do almost all your driving in the city rather than the surrounding areas, it's a non-issue.

I drove a 320i loaner recently (non-M sport, non-low profile tires), and the ride was much smoother than my car, but it felt like driving a boat (both because the size of the car, and how 'numb' the tires/suspension felt). Definitely did not enjoy driving that car comparatively speaking.

Overall love the size and handling of the 2er. The backseats are more spacious than they seem, and can drop down so you can fit a good amount of cargo through the trunk (fit 3 large suitcases and a carry-on with room to spare).

[BEM-S4]

I'm on my second 235 and have a 2016 328 Sport Wagon and 2014 328d xDrive in the family as well.

I think the sweet spot from a performance / handling / livability as a daily driver, assuming you don't need the extra room, is the 2-series on 17" rims with higher profile tires. Roads near me are absolute garbage and that one change made it much more livable with minimal, hardly noticeable handling compromises.

[overcoil]

17 inch wheels are probably my ideal choice for daily drives inside the Washington beltway. Base 228/230 on 17 wheels with automatic is a very nice car.

But 2-series, 328 and Mercedes C -class w204 - w205 are all very nice cars.

Backup camera and parking sensors are a must !

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

17 inch wheels are probably my ideal choice for daily drives inside the Washington beltway. Base 228/230 on 17 wheels with automatic is a very nice car.

But 2-series, 328 and Mercedes C -class w204 - w205 are all very nice cars.

Backup camera and parking sensors are a must !

But MB and BMW increasingly and appropriately separating again and being positioned for different folks. The W204 I had was an attempt to emulate sportier sedans for younger buyers and gain some more volume to moderate their older owner base. It was criticized by many existing MB owners as being too "harsh". Meanwhile, we MB C Class owners were inundated with MB market research about whether the brand was perceived as "young". So desperate!

The current 3 Series got too soft, attempting to scoop up some volume from MB buyers. Both brands have realized they went off course for their brand positions. The W205 is highly "decorated" (to me, garish) inside, and more plush (read: "old") to be a pint-sized version of the S Class. Line them both up from a distance and tell them apart....stick the new E in the middle to make this even more fun.

The same guy who did the 2 series program is now in charge of the new 3 Series. We can hope that the real BMW spirit of a driving machine which made the 2 the momentarily most genuine BMW made, will find its way into the next 3 and also bring it back in the fold (along with the 4)

The brand positions are:

You drive a BMW
You ride behind the wheel of a MB (not counting AMG, a distinct sub-brand). This is ironically emphasized by their proud push into autonomous, so you don't have to drive....one can literally ride behind the wheel!

So if OP wants fun-to-drive and not worried about being plush or chrome-y....BMW

Or, if you want relaxed comfort and rich looking design elements....MB

[BEM-S4]

I recently test drove 2 series (well I owned one) the C43 and the 340 sport track. I've got access to many other cars to drive so my criteria might be a little skewed, but if I were just doing long highway commutes for work most of the time the Benz is very compelling. Need room but want more of a drivers car, the 340 is no slouch and I'd take that over the Benz no question. Don't need the space and want the most "drivers car" of the bunch I'd do the 2.

[SteveInfante]

I have the base suspension 228 with a manual and commute an hour one way for work on crap SC roads. The ride is very comfortable without feeling floaty. It holds the curves with confidence and predictability while making the drive way more fun than the W204 C class 6MT I had. Yes, I had a manual trans C Class Merc.

Just to give you an idea of how much I drive. I brought it back from Germany last August with just over 6k miles. I just past 40k last week. I will tell you that I did ditch the RF tires fro some BFG Sport Comp 2 A/S in 215/50 17 instead of the stock sizes. That includes one SCCA Track Night America event. I'm also running 1.6 degrees negative camber in the rear with toe within stock specs. Very fun car for a commuter.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by SteveInfante

Yes, I had a manual trans C Class Merc.

Now we can account for two of them, or as MBNA called it....50% of sales!

[SteveInfante]

Same interior.

[englishguy84]

Thanks for the replies, all. Looks like I have some more test driving to do. My commute is over some pretty bad roads, but any of the places I'd go/drive on the weekends are not nearly as punishing. I test drove a pre-LCI base 3 that was pretty awful, with disconnected steering and a suspension that wasn't sporty but also not smooth. The LCI base suspension feels better, but I still have this nagging feeling that it could be more fun.

[caycep]

I have one w/ the THP and the Michelin PSS. It really is not bad, and I am coming from a cushy Toyota Highlander.

[raleedy]

4 doors vs. 2 doors. In case that matters.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by englishguy84

Thanks for the replies, all. Looks like I have some more test driving to do. My commute is over some pretty bad roads, but any of the places I'd go/drive on the weekends are not nearly as punishing. I test drove a pre-LCI base 3 that was pretty awful, with disconnected steering and a suspension that wasn't sporty but also not smooth. The LCI base suspension feels better, but I still have this nagging feeling that it could be more fun.

Yeah just get yourself some drive time on various types of roads and it will be pretty clear which you prefer. Research is always good as is getting input from others, but at a certain point it's just masturbation. Driving is really the only way to make a final call.

[Rayscott]

228ix vert auto with Msport, no THP. Perfect ride for me in sport and wife in comfort.

[englishguy84]

I test drove a 2. A ton of fun and really tossable, but a little too small for what I need. Plus, I noticed more road imperfections in the 2 than in the 3 or 4 series, going over the same route. My commute has some pretty awful roads on it, or else I wouldn't be too concerned about this. I like being in a coupe, though.

That brought me back to the 430i. An M Sport 428i was my favorite car that I've driven during the test driving process. It is heavier than I would want, but the heaviness combined with M Sport helps it soak up bumps while still cornering well. I had a lot of fun driving this car. To stay relatively in budget, I'm going with:

430i
Alpine white
M sport
Sensatec
H/K

Ideally, my build would have leather, driver assistance, and mineral gray paint. But yesterday, I realized that I had been fooled by the sensatec in the 2 I drove, so I figured leather isn't a must have for me, after all. I'm sorry to lose the backup camera, but I've never owned a car with one before, so I'm sure I'll be able to manage just fine now. Total cost is something like $46,500.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by englishguy84

I test drove a 2. A ton of fun and really tossable, but a little too small for what I need. Plus, I noticed more road imperfections in the 2 than in the 3 or 4 series, going over the same route. My commute has some pretty awful roads on it, or else I wouldn't be too concerned about this. I like being in a coupe, though.

That brought me back to the 430i. An M Sport 428i was my favorite car that I've driven during the test driving process. It is heavier than I would want, but the heaviness combined with M Sport helps it soak up bumps while still cornering well. I had a lot of fun driving this car. To stay relatively in budget, I'm going with:

430i
Alpine white
M sport
Sensatec
H/K

Ideally, my build would have leather, driver assistance, and mineral gray paint. But yesterday, I realized that I had been fooled by the sensatec in the 2 I drove, so I figured leather isn't a must have for me, after all. I'm sorry to lose the backup camera, but I've never owned a car with one before, so I'm sure I'll be able to manage just fine now. Total cost is something like $46,500.

428/430 is great looking, that little extra length on wheelbase is probably what smooths the ride over the 2-series. 4 like 2-series looks great in any color.

[englishguy84]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

428/430 is great looking, that little extra length on wheelbase is probably what smooths the ride over the 2-series. 4 like 2-series looks great in any color.

Yeah, the extra length really helps. Still feels pretty darn agile with the M Sport suspension. I wasn't expecting to care about it, but I also like that the 4 feels a little more luxurious than the 3 or the 2…even with SensaTec.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by englishguy84

Yeah, the extra length really helps. Still feels pretty darn agile with the M Sport suspension. I wasn't expecting to care about it, but I also like that the 4 feels a little more luxurious than the 3 or the 2…even with SensaTec.

Yeah I really like the cabin width of the 4-series,

[msej449]

We traded-in a 330d xDrive (17" wheels) Touring for an M235i Convertible (18" summers, 17" winters just fitted). Like you, there's just my wife and I sharing two cars. It fact it was she who said it was a final opportunity to get something fun to drive while we could still enjoy it (I'm 63). We ran it in on a summer trip around the Alps and France, so a mix of city, freeways, mountain roads and short day trips.

With the thru-load we were able to carry three large cases; electric cooler; two boxes of stuff and two overnight bags plus bag of shoes and walking boots. So no problem with capacity. And we had the roof down much of the time. You might, however, find that you get some new luggage to fit optimally.

Back home, we've carried 2 passengers with no complaints about space. It's been great as a work commute and cross-country on some fairly poor roads, I've been fine with the ride. Only downside compared to the F31 is the fabric rear pillar which restricts the view a bit on reversing (although the camera compensates). You just need to be a bit old-fashioned about using the wing mirrors when reversing and check them more, but that's no bad thing.

So I'd endorse the 2 series as a great car for 2 people, whether commute or fun but admit it doesn't have the carrying-capacity of the Touring. I'm especially glad we went for the convertible: this transforms the driving experience in good weather. I once had a convertible with a manual fabric top, so 19 secs to fold/raise it is a luxury for me.

As for the interior compared to the 3 ... yes, the 2 (in the UK anyway) has much more limited colours and layout options. Basically just re seat colours and only black, red or beige. But the sport seats and electric seats are as good as the 3, I'd say.

Finally, the 3.0L 6-cyl engine and 8-speed auto is in another class, frankly. It's a 16% premium here to go to the 6-cyl engine so I can understand the problem if you're ona a budget, but if you can afford it, I'd recommend a test drive, at least.

[morphomeman]

The 428/30 has 1.1" more shoulder room than the 228/30.
The advantage in leg room is .7".
The big difference is in the trunk/boot, where the 4 has an advantage of almost 2 cubic feet.
All in all, as many have noted, the interior differences are much smaller than those on the exterior.
So, unless you really carry a lot of junk in your trunk, the size of the 4 over the 2 is minimal.
That leaves you with wheelbase.
In that category, size really matters: smaller is more agile, bigger is more comfortable. Take your pick, but whatever you do, size 'em up first.

[Maynard]

You certainly want to try out the one you are considering with the same handling package (especially if you are getting sport pckg). I drove several models back to back at their 'drive for a cause' promotion, and it was striking how different they felt in terms of steering feel, road feel, etc.