[Yo@BarAndTrack]

Hi guys! First time posting in the 2Addicts section

Just picked up this M235i in mineral white pearl this past weekend. I am using it as my daily driver and am really enjoying it so far. Such a playful car compared to my E90 M3.

Some photos I wanted to share after a quick detail Let me know what you guys think.


m235_flickr-7 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



m235_flickr-8 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



m235_flickr-4 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr


m235_flickr-3 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



m235_flickr-2 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



m235_flickr-1 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



m235_flickr-5 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



The big brother stable mate...


ZCP_Wheels-1 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr

[W///]

Very nice combo you got there. I love both cars.

I don't think I'd be able to get rid of the E9x M3 though. I just adore the engine too much. But you are absolutely correct, the 2er is a much more compact and playful car.

[alexc93]

Very nice! I love how Mineral White looks different in every lighting

[VMRWheels]

Great shots!

[SteveInfante]

Great cars you have there and welcome to the 2 Nation.

[BLK235iNJ]

Owning the M3 and the M235i whats your comparison on the two?

[Db750]

Welcome to this side of the forum! I have the same two cars right now, although my M3 is the coupe version! My M235i is Alpine White, but I have to say Mineral was my first choice, but much harder to find. Your's looks amazing!

[Phiberoptik]

Give us a comparison!

[dt20011]

Great pickup and awesome shots!

[Yo@BarAndTrack]

Thanks for the compliments and welcomes everyone!

As for the comparison, I actually drove the M3 into work yesterday and when I got home hopped in the 2 for a quick joy ride to get back to back impressions. Such a tough decision on which one to drive!! First world problems....

First off, I'd like to let you know my driving history. I've been participating in grassroots motorsports for 10 years now. SCCA, LeMons, Chumpcar, and NASA are organizations I have run with. Mostly concentrating on NASA TT currently. The video below is of my shop at VIR for the Grassroots Motorsports magazine Ultimate Track Car Challenge. I am the guy talking to you in the beginning and driving the WRX on track.

With that out of the way, we can talk about the cars, which is why you all are here! Let's start with the similarities. Typical with BMW, quality of the build and refinement are all familiar in both cars. Everything feels good to the touch, ergonomics are similar(albeit in a smaller package in the 2), and the interiors are simple and not busy. Seating position is fantastic in both cars. You feel like you sit low in the cockpit with a good view out over the hood.

Ride quality in comfort settings for both car are very nice for your daily drive. Not harsh and very compliant over our less than ideal roads in Iowa. With the short wheelbase of the 2, it does give you some bouncy feedback over continuous bumps on the highway even in comfort mode.

Once we start getting to the limits of this car, do we start to see some big differences. The M3's limits are much higher than the 2 and when you are at those limits, you better be on your A-game! The car is planted in the corner, with a touch of understeer that is corrected with some throttle input. It's fun way to drive the car, but it isn't the easiest task. The chassis in the 2 is so much more forgiving and well balanced. Turn-in is instant and rotation can happen with a slight lift of the throttle mid-corner. Get out of shape and correction is so easy with the slightest bit of counter steer and throttle. IT IS SUCH A FUN AND PLAYFUL CAR!! It reminds me of how our track FRS/BRZ cars are, except for grown up in refinement and with the power that they should have had from the factory...

Now the engines...The N55 is an excellent powertrain. Responsive, great linear feel, fantastic torque in the mid-range, and a good top-end. What more can you ask for? Well, an S65 is a good start! The S65 is just marvelous. The way it revs, the induction sound, and the speeds it's capable of are just intoxicating. Obviously, these engines couldn't be more different and so are their purposes. The N55 is such a do-it-all motor and the S65 just begs to be wrung out. Pick your poison, you won't be disappointed either way.

All in all, I am extremely happy with my purchase and feel like I accomplished what I set out to do. Have a beast in the garage for those times when I want to attempt to tame something while taking the everyday car out with a smile for my commute.

[PARTS@STBMW]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your fantastic photos!

[swagon]

Great photos and Bimmers. Congrats.

[W///]

How do you like the M235i seats vs the E9x M3's? I've driven both and I think they are pretty comparable aka damn near perfect.

[alexc93]

Originally Posted by W///

How do you like the M235i seats vs the E9x M3's? I've driven both and I think they are pretty comparable aka damn near perfect.

I have also driven both and agree, the M235i seats are very comfortable, much more so than my 135i were.

Anyone getting an M2 who's disappointed about not getting F80 seats should not be concerned in the slightest! The blue stitching is also going to look very smart

[mike@x-ph.com]

Beautiful !!

[Alpine F31]

Awesome pair, but I thought I was going to see a mineral white interior.

I took the title too literally.

[Iceman51sn]

Originally Posted by Alpine F31

Awesome pair, but I thought I was going to see a mineral white interior.

I took the title too literally.

Me too!!!

Looking good OP!!

[1ChrisRuck]

Originally Posted by Alpine F31

Awesome pair, but I thought I was going to see a mineral white interior.

I took the title too literally.

Originally Posted by Iceman51sn

Me too!!!

Looking good OP!!

Same here

Looks awesome

[DZSlasher]

Do they makes those M3 Rims for the M235i?

[raysspl]

That's an awesome daily driver!

[Yo@BarAndTrack]

Little update as I did end up selling the E90 as I am looking to purchase a house in the near future

Pretty much replicated what I had on the M3 with the M235i, not pretty much, but literally....

Went with H&R springs and Avant Garde M359 wheels which are replicas of the OEM GTS wheels I had on the M3. These are smaller though at 18x8.5+35 and are wrapped in the OEM Michelin PSS tires. 225/40/18 front with 245/35/18 rear.

Yes, I know they are replicas. Say what you want about that, but I just couldn't justify OEM wheel prices and fitments on the 2 series kind of sucks. I wanted an classic OEM BMW Motorsports look and I think these pull it off very well.

Let me know what you guys think!


agM359-8 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr


agM359-7 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr


agM359-4 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr


agM359-6 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr


agM359-5 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr


agM359-3 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



agM359-2 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr



agM359-1 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr





And the last photo I took of the M3 before sale for nostalgia sake! I miss it


M3_Sale-17 by Yo_Keutla, on Flickr

[XutvJet]

Very nice. Those wheels really make me consider going with Enkei Rajjins (ones I had my on 2012 WRX, look very similar to your wheels). We have twin cars, BTW and I see you're in IA. I'm in the Kansas City area. These are very rare cars for the Midwest.