[Revartr]

Hey all, this is my first post here, so allow me to give you a little background information.

My name is Trevor, I'm 22, and I recently graduated college. I currently hold a decent, entry-level marketing position with a local lending company. I currently own/drive a 2008 Nissan 350z Touring (my first car) and have been for over five years. While it's been a great car and one that's absolutely fun and invigorating in every way to drive, it's about time to move on to something much more grown-up. Now, just to let you all know what I'm coming from, out of the box the Z is a very performance-driven car, and I've dumped around $15k into it over the years, into body/aero, audio, wheels/tires, suspension, brakes, transmission, etc. So taking it for a drive up through the mountains is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever experienced. 0-60 times are still only around the 5 second mark, and 1/4 mile times around the low 13's and very high 12's. But around the corners, it's a beast. However, my Z definitely doesn't have many of the creature comforts newer vehicles have. The interior is fairly shoddy, the only "nice" things about it are the perforated leather and heated seats. And I should mention that I just don't have as much time to enjoy her or work on her as much anymore, coupled with the fact that I'd really like to get back into a brand new car. Clean slate, you know?

Now, my father has always owned BMWs, from the time when he could afford to buy them. He was one of the first people in the US to have an X5 on the road, and he just recently bought a loaded X3 for my mother. Our driveway has also seen a 5 series and two 3 series Bimmers, so I've seen my fair share of BMW goodness.

Right now, I'm looking at leasing a new BMW, not only as something I drive to work frequently, but also something that I can take out on the weekends and really enjoy driving. I'm leasing for my own personal reasons, and this is not a car I plan on modifying. I definitely want practicality (compared to my Z, that's not hard). Back seats, a decent-sized trunk, creature comforts, nice interior, smooth ride, etc. But I also want style, looks, prestige, and lastly: performance. I had driven a 2010 328i sedan that my father had as a courtesy car a few years back, and I really enjoyed how well it handled and drove. Much tighter than I expected, which is a plus in my book. At the moment, I'm looking at either a fully loaded M235i or a fully loaded 435i (little bit more to lease per month). I'm also trying to decide between the standard RWD or xDrive. I also have an appointment setup to test drive both vehicles on the 23rd (next Saturday). But in the meantime, I'd like to hear what you guys have to say about both.

Given, I'm not TOO concerned with back seat room or trunk space. Compared to my Z, just about anything is an improvement. However, I would like to occasionally be able to fit a friend or two in the back, if the need arises. So a decent amount of leg room would be nice, haha. And I've heard that the back seat area in the new 2 series is fairly minimal. I also don't really want a "big" car. Given, something larger than my Z is more than fine. Even something the size of the 2010 328i I mentioned earlier is okay. But I've heard that the new 4 series is sort of a "big" car. In regards to performance, even the 435i falls behind the M235i, it seems, which isn't too big of a deal. But remember that I also want a car that's fun and enjoyable to drive on weekends from time to time. Something that I can tear through the mountains in on occasion. As for interior quality, I've heard that the in the M235i there are certain small areas where BMW sort of cheaped out or didn't pay as much attention to quality, as compared to a 435i. I've also heard that the M235i doesn't look as nice or as prestigious as the 4 series. So I'd really like you guys' thoughts on all of this.

Also, I would like to know what you guys think about xDrive, versus the standard RWD setup. I'm going with the A/T either way, but coming from a strong RWD sports car setup, I'm wondering whether or not xDrive would be the best way to go. I like the idea of AWD for a year-round daily driver, but if it's going to hinder my enjoyment and pure driving feel, I'm not sure I'd be as happy about it. What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

[Killramos]

Originally Posted by Revartr

Hey all, this is my first post here, so allow me to give you a little background information.

My name is Trevor, I'm 22, and I recently graduated college. I currently hold a decent, entry-level marketing position with a local lending company. I currently own/drive a 2008 Nissan 350z Touring (my first car) and have been for over five years. While it's been a great car and one that's absolutely fun and invigorating in every way to drive, it's about time to move on to something much more grown-up. Now, just to let you all know what I'm coming from, out of the box the Z is a very performance-driven car, and I've dumped around $15k into it over the years, into body/aero, audio, wheels/tires, suspension, brakes, transmission, etc. So taking it for a drive up through the mountains is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever experienced. 0-60 times are still only around the 5 second mark, and 1/4 mile times around the low 13's and very high 12's. But around the corners, it's a beast. However, my Z definitely doesn't have many of the creature comforts newer vehicles have. The interior is fairly shoddy, the only "nice" things about it are the perforated leather and heated seats. And I should mention that I just don't have as much time to enjoy her or work on her as much anymore, coupled with the fact that I'd really like to get back into a brand new car. Clean slate, you know?

Now, my father has always owned BMWs, from the time when he could afford to buy them. He was one of the first people in the US to have an X5 on the road, and he just recently bought a loaded X3 for my mother. Our driveway has also seen a 5 series and two 3 series Bimmers, so I've seen my fair share of BMW goodness.

Right now, I'm looking at leasing a new BMW, not only as something I drive to work frequently, but also something that I can take out on the weekends and really enjoy driving. I'm leasing for my own personal reasons, and this is not a car I plan on modifying. I definitely want practicality (compared to my Z, that's not hard). Back seats, a decent-sized trunk, creature comforts, nice interior, smooth ride, etc. But I also want style, looks, prestige, and lastly: performance. I had driven a 2010 328i sedan that my father had as a courtesy car a few years back, and I really enjoyed how well it handled and drove. Much tighter than I expected, which is a plus in my book. At the moment, I'm looking at either a fully loaded M235i or a fully loaded 435i (little bit more to lease per month). I'm also trying to decide between the standard RWD or xDrive. I also have an appointment setup to test drive both vehicles on the 23rd (next Saturday). But in the meantime, I'd like to hear what you guys have to say about both.

Given, I'm not TOO concerned with back seat room or trunk space. Compared to my Z, just about anything is an improvement. However, I would like to occasionally be able to fit a friend or two in the back, if the need arises. So a decent amount of leg room would be nice, haha. And I've heard that the back seat area in the new 2 series is fairly minimal. I also don't really want a "big" car. Given, something larger than my Z is more than fine. Even something the size of the 2010 328i I mentioned earlier is okay. But I've heard that the new 4 series is sort of a "big" car. In regards to performance, even the 435i falls behind the M235i, it seems, which isn't too big of a deal. But remember that I also want a car that's fun and enjoyable to drive on weekends from time to time. Something that I can tear through the mountains in on occasion. As for interior quality, I've heard that the in the M235i there are certain small areas where BMW sort of cheaped out or didn't pay as much attention to quality, as compared to a 435i. I've also heard that the M235i doesn't look as nice or as prestigious as the 4 series. So I'd really like you guys' thoughts on all of this.

Also, I would like to know what you guys think about xDrive, versus the standard RWD setup. I'm going with the A/T either way, but coming from a strong RWD sports car setup, I'm wondering whether or not xDrive would be the best way to go. I like the idea of AWD for a year-round daily driver, but if it's going to hinder my enjoyment and pure driving feel, I'm not sure I'd be as happy about it. What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Coming from a z you will be very comfortable in the 2. Should be a nice performance bump and the 2 is everything the 4 is luxury wise. The rear seats aren't great but no one ever complains. Even for day trips with 4.

Unless you live in Canada, which you don't from what I see, you won't need drive for year round use. Spend the money on decent tires instead, you will thank me in the summer.

The 4 is a big car and what a lot of people don't realize is how wide it is. If you ever use a parkade this is irritating and one reason I love my 2.

The other this about the 2 is they are about 10 times rarer, everyone and their dog has a 3/4 in my city so it's refreshing to have something different.

I think you will enjoy the German experience coming from a Nissan, welcome to the dark side

[Revartr]

Originally Posted by Killramos

Coming from a z you will be very comfortable in the 2. Should be a nice performance bump and the 2 is everything the 4 is luxury wise. The rear seats aren't great but no one ever complains. Even for day trips with 4.

Unless you live in Canada, which you don't from what I see, you won't need drive for year round use. Spend the money on decent tires instead, you will thank me in the summer.

The 4 is a big car and what a lot of people don't realize is how wide it is. If you ever use a parkade this is irritating and one reason I love my 2.

The other this about the 2 is they are about 10 times rarer, everyone and their dog has a 3/4 in my city so it's refreshing to have something different.

I think you will enjoy the German experience coming from a Nissan, welcome to the dark side

Thanks for the welcome!

As for the 2 being everything the 4 is, luxury wise, that's a big relief. I've always loved the interiors on my parents' BMWs, so I'm glad the 2 series still lives up to that. And that sounds like the perfect amount of room to me.

And yeah, I'm not that far north, haha. My main concern is that it does get pretty dang cold here around winter time. This past winter, there was a few inches of snow and ice all over the roads, which is what concerns me considering this will be mostly a daily driver. I had planned on having a good set of winter tires for that time of year, though. And I've always made sure to have a good set of summer tires (spent ~$1,600 on a wide set of Pilot Sports for the Z recently), haha. But I've just always heard that AWD >>> RWD for weather and performance purposes. But if it will make that big of a difference in how well and natural the car feels and drives for me, I might not want to go for the xDrive. Because I simply love the way RWD feels. So is it really that much of a difference?

Regarding how big it is, the 4 definitel doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy driving. I do like width, though nothing too wide. My Z is currently running on 10" front and 11" rear wheels with beefy tires and low offsets, lol. But the wheelbase from the factory is only around 60.4", whereas it looks like the M235i wheelbase is around 69".

Uniqueness is definitely something I'm looking for, as well. Which is one of the reasons I'm going with BMW (along with several other reasons, obviously). Volkswagen has a big manufacturing facility in Chattanooga (~20 miles away), and offer all of their employees financing/purchasing/leasing options for Audis, Volkswagens, Porsches, etc. AT COST. So basically, it's very easy to see some kid right out of highschool driving around in an Audi. Their presence has definitely grown. However, seeing any sort of newer BMW is pretty rare. I've seen only one newer 3 series, lol.

And I sure do hope and think so, as well! Thanks for the info!

[overcoil]

I think you yourself need to decide in which car or configuration to get.
You seem knowledgable and the questions your asking are things every enthusiast ponders.
At this time I haven't read any xdrive reviews on the 2 - but you know if you need that extra propulsion for the weather.

After you test drive then come back and tell what you think.
I've only driven around 500miles on my 235 manual 2wd and all I think about is that this car is so good how impressive the M2 could be.

One last thing, my two series is tight, not a creak or rattle, as far as I can tell the build has been flawless.

[Killramos]

Originally Posted by Revartr

Thanks for the welcome!

As for the 2 being everything the 4 is, luxury wise, that's a big relief. I've always loved the interiors on my parents' BMWs, so I'm glad the 2 series still lives up to that. And that sounds like the perfect amount of room to me.

And yeah, I'm not that far north, haha. My main concern is that it does get pretty dang cold here around winter time. This past winter, there was a few inches of snow and ice all over the roads, which is what concerns me considering this will be mostly a daily driver. I had planned on having a good set of winter tires for that time of year, though. And I've always made sure to have a good set of summer tires (spent ~$1,600 on a wide set of Pilot Sports for the Z recently), haha. But I've just always heard that AWD >>> RWD for weather and performance purposes. But if it will make that big of a difference in how well and natural the car feels and drives for me, I might not want to go for the xDrive. Because I simply love the way RWD feels. So is it really that much of a difference?

Regarding how big it is, the 4 definitel doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy driving. I do like width, though nothing too wide. My Z is currently running on 10" front and 11" rear wheels with beefy tires and low offsets, lol. But the wheelbase from the factory is only around 60.4", whereas it looks like the M235i wheelbase is around 69".

Uniqueness is definitely something I'm looking for, as well. Which is one of the reasons I'm going with BMW (along with several other reasons, obviously). Volkswagen has a big manufacturing facility in Chattanooga (~20 miles away), and offer all of their employees financing/purchasing/leasing options for Audis, Volkswagens, Porsches, etc. AT COST. So basically, it's very easy to see some kid right out of highschool driving around in an Audi. Their presence has definitely grown. However, seeing any sort of newer BMW is pretty rare. I've seen only one newer 3 series, lol.

And I sure do hope and think so, as well! Thanks for the info!

Yes the 4 and 2 interior is 99% identical so you will like that.

I still recommend spending the money on winter tires instead awd for where you are. Winter tire compound sticks properly in temperatures be 7C whereas super sports shouldn't really be driven below 10C. You won't have any issues assuming you leave the nannies on in the winter. They work pretty damn well to keep you safe. Driving feel is different with awd and xdrive isn't exactly a sporty awd system. Though none has actually driven the m235i xdrive In a review. I have heard lots of people who drove the old 335's that though xdrive ruined the car. I can attest that the rwd is great on the 2.

My tires are currently stock but the staggered PSS's are a great setup for this car. Oodles of grip.

[Diver]

Gee, it must have been nice to get a new Z when you were only 17...

[Revartr]

@notime Thanks for the advice. I'm anxiously looking forward to test driving a the 235, 435, along with the RWD and xDrive variants. And that's very good to here, in regards to the overall tightness of the car.

@Killramos I'll definitely keep that in mind. And now I'm leaning more towards RWD instead of xDrive. But I'll still be sure to test both out to be sure. And yeah, I plan on getting a VERY good set of winter tires for December/January.

@Diver Yes, it most certainly was. And I was still 16 at the time. But I was working my butt off in school and making sure I was applying at every top-notch university and for every scholarship/grant I could, which eventually paid off with a scholarship that paid for roughly $40k of my $55k a year university tuition. So it was sort of an early gift for working as hard as I did. Regardless, I still paid for gas and insurance and all of the work done to it with money I earned working during the summers and winters in between semesters at high school and working part-time while I was at college.

[mmmmm235i]

I was in the same boat back in may trying to decide between 235 and 435. Obviously I went with the 2. The 2 was not offered with x-drive when I purchased so that decision was made easy for me. The only thing I will say about that is do your research. In the past the x-drive vehicles have not been as performance oriented as say audi or gtr. Additionally they were not offered with a sport suspension and if you are going with the 235i you will need that. Personally, I think the 4 just looks oddly long while the 2 is more comprable to the outgoing e92 3 series (perfect). The 4 at this point is like a 5-series coupe for me (boat). I'm a couple years older than you and wasn't sure if I could get away with such a small car the next time around so I went for it. Ultimately its up to you, and it seems like you have a good grasp on what you want. As someone else said, however, the rareness factor is nice. Since I got mine in May I have literally seen (2) 235s and (1) 228. Don't ask me why BMW has not pushed this car out like it does with other new platforms, but they havn't and allocations were fairly tough to come by. Good luck, you surely can't go wrong with the two cars.

[Killramos]

God I wish I could get away with using winter tires only only in December January lol.

Try September October November December January March April usually May.

I should move to Phoenix...

[williewonkerz]

I live in canada and went from a 335 XDrive with the performance kit to a m235. We have epic harsh winters and I'm willing to drive a RWD.

I cannot for the life of me understand why someone would ever purposefully drive and AWD over RWD unless you had to, and trust me, I live in what could be the worst place for winter, ice, cold and snowfall.

Don't get me wrong, my 335 XDrive was a great car, but once I drove the 235 I was sold. It's just a way better drivers car.

Brilliant in my opinion

[syenisch]

Why don't you go look at and test drive the cars instead of asking everyone here? It's your decision, man.

[MrBones93]

Sounds like you've decided M235i. As for xDrive vs RWD, xDrive will undoubtedly take away from the performance of the car. It may have a faster 0-60 but that is only because the power is being delivered to the pavement through 4 wheels rather than 2. The rumors are that the M235i xDrive will retain the sport suspension contrary to previous BMW xDrive models. But this is likely where the pro's end when comparing the xDrive to RWD. The RWD version is going to be much more spirited and more fun around a track (I know, not everyone tracks their cars, but its more the idea than anything else). So, IMO, the only reason to get the xDrive version is if you ABSOLUTELY need it and seeing as you're from TN, you need not. Get a set of blizzaks for Dec and Jan for peace of mind and enjoy the RWD all the other months.

[Revartr]

Thanks for all of the responses and opinions, guys! I really appreciate it!

Now, one thing that I've been seeing by reading a lot here on the forums is wait times for these cars. I was hoping to have this car by sometime in October. Is this something that's going to be possible? Again, I am leasing the car, if that makes any difference.

Thanks!

[Killramos]

Originally Posted by Revartr

Thanks for all of the responses and opinions, guys! I really appreciate it!

Now, one thing that I've been seeing by reading a lot here on the forums is wait times for these cars. I was hoping to have this car by sometime in October. Is this something that's going to be possible? Again, I am leasing the car, if that makes any difference.

Thanks!

If you are willing to work to get an allocation then you should be ok. It's amazing what dealers can pull off when you are ready to make a deal. Lease shouldn't be a big deal as that's through bmw FS and as far as he dealer is concerned it's a sale.

Just go in and talk to someone. You are likely one of the raiser clients since you know what you want. October doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Especially with the 2015's starting to come over

[Revartr]

Originally Posted by Killramos

If you are willing to work to get an allocation then you should be ok. It's amazing what dealers can pull off when you are ready to make a deal. Lease shouldn't be a big deal as that's through bmw FS and as far as he dealer is concerned it's a sale.

Just go in and talk to someone. You are likely one of the raiser clients since you know what you want. October doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Especially with the 2015's starting to come over

That's a BIG relief then, haha. I was really hoping to enjoy autumn/fall as much as possible (my favorite time of year around Tennessee) with a new car, as cheesy as that sounds. And I'm VERY willing to work and do everything possible to get this car as soon as I can. Not to mention I'll most likely be putting down a five-figure down payment for the lease. My father also knows the sales manager at our dealership in Knoxville fairly well and has paid for all of his past Bimmers in cash, so maybe that'll help too, lol.