[Chack]

Originally Posted by Researcher

What a ridiculous post.

Been there playing with a 135is. NOT better, faster, or anything more than the 235. Technically a ridiculous post.

Irony - perfected.

[Chack]

Originally Posted by Guynamedsean

The biggest problem, for me, with the 235 is that I want the LSD. I want performance suspension or KW. Instead of doing that, I would rather put my deposit down on an m2.

Don't the m235 and the 135i have e-diffs? You know.. inside wheel braking. I think LSD will only matter if you are having track days.

[Chack]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

No one said anything about "core" - it's just a comparison. In my opinion, if the 135 does nothing for you (you said it above), then you must prefer certain areas being more squishy. No worries my man - everyone likes different stuff.

Interestingly it beggs the question, does this forum believe the M235i is the "purest" non-M BMW currently offers?

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by Chack

Interestingly it beggs the question, does this forum believe the M235i is the "purest" non-M BMW currently offers?

I'd be surprised if you can find a dozen people actively engaged in this discussion that could answer that truthfully. I think for anyone to answer that question, they would have to have experience driving a wealth of late model BMWs, which I can almost guarantee few here have.

[SmallTownBoy]

Originally Posted by Chack

Interestingly it beggs the question, does this forum believe the M235i is the "purest" non-M BMW currently offers?

I shopped two cars last December: my M235i and the "Jalopnik edition" 320i. You could make a case for either, or even the Z4. Didn't want the 2-seater.

[Guynamedsean]

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

I'd be surprised if you can find a dozen people actively engaged in this discussion that could answer that truthfully. I think for anyone to answer that question, they would have to have experience driving a wealth of late model BMWs, which I can almost guarantee few here have.

I do! 9 Bmw's in 7 years!!!

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by Chack

Don't the m235 and the 135i have e-diffs? You know.. inside wheel braking. I think LSD will only matter if you are having track days.

Or perhaps on snow?

I haven't ever had a mechanical-LSD equipped car, so I am not sure how that applies to daily driving.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by Guynamedsean

I do! 9 Bmw's in 7 years!!!

And I have had 5 in 7.

We are similar in that regard for sure.

My guess is that the type of observations I have been making would not likely occur to someone who is new to BMW or who is used to the higher level of refinement/comfort.

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

And I have had 5 in 7.

We are similar in that regard for sure.

My guess is that the type of observations I have been making would not likely occur to someone who is new to BMW or who is used to the higher level of refinement/comfort.

I guess cheap Texas living leaves a lot of money left over for buying cars.

[jeremicium]

With regard to the e-diff. It does the job if you are driving responsibly, the way we "should" all be driving on public roads. There are times when i'm pushing hard enough on back roads and empty twisty freeway onramps where I can feel the car needs an LSD. It has a small negative effect on fun factor, but not enough to really matter. On the track the difference is huge. How many people purchase the M235 with the intent of serious track use? I'd bet well less than 1%. So for all intents and purposes the e-diff is perfectly adequate.

This thread does a good job of highlighting how impossible it is to make a car that is all things to all people. It's been said on here a few times, different strokes for different folks. The M235i does almost everything better (in the vast majority of driving situations) than the 135, but there are a few trade-offs. As far as the N54 vs. N55 discussion, both engines are so good that I don't see a difference worth fretting about. Granted I have 70k miles in an N54 and maybe 500 miles in N55s.

To quote the sage Researcher, this is "technically a ridiculous post."

[Guynamedsean]

The e diff works well until you tune the car

[missxmelon]

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

I guess cheap Texas living leaves a lot of money left over for buying cars.

Hell yeah!

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

I guess cheap Texas living leaves a lot of money left over for buying cars.

I haven't been down here long, but it's definitely pretty cheap, even compared to Indianapolis, which is where I came from.

Originally Posted by missxmelon

Hell yeah!

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by Chack

Interestingly it beggs the question, does this forum believe the M235i is the "purest" non-M BMW currently offers?

One could argue that such a title truly belongs to the 228 with an LSD and the adaptive suspension option.

Think about it - lighter, similar power, cheaper, and potentially better handling.

In full disclosure, I have never driven the 228, but I do remember some convincing arguments on the 128 vs. 135 early in the E82's lifecycle. That too would be an interesting comparison.

[Chack]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

One could argue that such a title truly belongs to the 228 with an LSD and the adaptive suspension option.

Think about it - lighter, similar power, cheaper, and potentially better handling.

In full disclosure, I have never driven the 228, but I do remember some convincing arguments on the 128 vs. 135 early in the E82's lifecycle. That too would be an interesting comparison.

Ok, fair point - question why does the 235i have an M badge

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by Chack

Ok, fair point - question why does the 235i have an M badge

The M stands for Money or Marketing... take your pick. Probably true of most M cars nowadays. X6M?? Come on.... why? When you need to pull a 6 man bank robbery?

[BLK235iNJ]

I love the x6m.

I'd get one just to race other suvs.

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

The M stands for Money or Marketing... take your pick. Probably true of most M cars nowadays. X6M?? Come on.... why? When you need to pull a 6 man bank robbery?

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by BLK235iNJ

I love the x6m.

I'd get one just to race other suvs.

You could smoke quite a few passenger vehicles in one. And in a SRT-8 Jeep. Just saying... the M isn't about racing heritage. It's a marketing tool.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

One could argue that such a title truly belongs to the 228 with an LSD and the adaptive suspension option.

Think about it - lighter, similar power, cheaper, and potentially better handling.

In full disclosure, I have never driven the 228, but I do remember some convincing arguments on the 128 vs. 135 early in the E82's lifecycle. That too would be an interesting comparison.

similar power ??? i guess a miata has also similar power than a 228

[jeremicium]

Originally Posted by pikcachu

similar power ??? i guess a miata has also similar power than a 228

Poor comparison. Miata is much more pure, and much better track car than a 2 series. 228 or M235

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by jeremicium

Poor comparison. Miata is much more pure, and much better track car than a 2 series. 228 or M235

maybe if the track has a speed limit of 80mph

[jeremicium]

Originally Posted by pikcachu

maybe if the track has a speed limit of 80mph

Read up on the Miata. More horsepower doesn't mean better track car. Anyone can mash the pedal on the straights and be fast. It's the corners that matter. And a soft suspensioned 3500 pound M235 will get schooled by a 2400 pound Miata.

That said, i'd still take the M235 as a DD any day.