05-02-2018, 10:16 AM | #1 |
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Questions about the reliability of 228i/328i w/ xDrive.
So for my first post I hope I'm not asking too much that has already been answered. I have spent a few hours browsing the forums, and haven't found much in the way of answers for my questions.
I have been looking into upgrading from a 2012 Subaru Outback, and have been looking at a 228i xDrive. My car has every option equipped, including the H6(and just a few very minor handling mods). I put a good 25k on my car a year, and will be keeping this pace with my next car. I was curious about how well the n20 and the driveline holds up, and if there are any specific things to watch out for. I know older BMWs need a new water pump around the 100k mark, is this still true for modern ones? Are there any issues that are persistent with these cars that I should be concerned about? I am looking at ones with under 50k on the clock, and plan on selling it before the used BMW warranty is up, but I still cannot afford the downtime that comes along with major issues. Also, if anyone has any experience going from Subaru to BMW, I would appreciate your input on the difference in the AWD. I know the ins and outs of the system I have now, and it performs incredibly well in snow, mud, dirt, and gravel. It's also particularly good in low speed corners, since it's a proper AWD system and not part time. I am not sure how I feel about sacrificing the capability for the comfort, and would definitely look elsewhere if the AWD isn't capable enough. I'm mostly concerned how the AWD transitions and if it changes the bias mid-corner or anything like that. Thank you! |
05-02-2018, 10:51 AM | #2 | |
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05-02-2018, 12:27 PM | #3 |
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I wouldn't be going out through mud deliberately in it, I have a long driveway that occasionally gets a small amount of washout. I guess my main concern is that it won't kick around on me if the roads are a bit wet and I'm driving enthusiastically. I have a fun car that keeps me on edge, and I like my dailies to be a bit calmer and more linear in power delivery with a fixed torque distribution. I'd like to be able to let loose a bit every now and again, and hit the autocross every few weeks, so if the oversteer is manageable, it's not a huge dealbreaker for me.
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05-02-2018, 01:29 PM | #4 | |
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Personally, the biggest thing is that you said you drive 25K a year, the will blow away a warranty really fast. I would think twice about a BMW with that kind of mileage a year. My wife drives 10 miles round trip to work. We occasionally drive the BMW on nice weekend days. But we probably won't ever put more than maybe 7.5k miles on the car a year. I'm OK with buying a BMW due to the fact that she will barely put miles on it and she wanted something sporty, it was a good deal. If she drive more I would highly reconsider a BMW.
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05-02-2018, 05:16 PM | #5 |
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I wouldn't shy away from the mileage requirement. I drive my car pretty hard as my daily and mountain road fun car. I bought my car with 2700 miles on it June 2015 and have 72k miles on it now. Do the math. I don't have the Xi but I do have the N20 and 6MT/Premium Package/Cold weather package/Adaptive Xenons. I have had more than 25 cars and this is the best daily I have ever had. Take care of it and it will last a very long time. I do my own maintenance so I save tons of money versus having a shop do it.
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05-03-2018, 03:53 PM | #6 |
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I DK what KB34 is on about, but I'd have to totally disagree - my 228 is a fantastic 4-seasons sports car.
I have a 228iX that I DD all year long, in Upstate NY winters (winter/summer tire sets - all seasons will not do as well). This car is fantastic in the snow, just phenomenal. My first AWD, so can't directly compare to others, but I've never been stuck, rarely even worried about it. I don't go off-road to know about mud, but assume it would rock there as well (but not enough ground clearance to really go off-road). In the dry, it also rocks hard, and has an AWD dynamic, does not feel RWD to me (pulls itself around the turns somewhat, and easier to get into that 4wheel drift mode). Just back from my first track day, and it did quite well there - certainly more car than I have skills for at this point. As far as reliability, I've not had any serious issues but I'm only at about 20k, and all minor stuff was under warranty (bulb, rear pads). I would certainly keep it warrantied with extended coverage, since everything is wicked expensive. You'll want to trial it yourself, but overall what I've heard from the few Subie fans I know who have been in a 2 series is that the 2 pulls much harder, less peaky power, and much less 'boy-racer' feeling - if you want that rough and jumpy feeling, you might want to stick with an STI, but the 228 is much more solid and refined (and it pulls like a train from about 2k up). Also probably easier to find a variety of traditional aftermarket stuff for the Subie if you like modding extensively, especially for the x-drives (BMW suspension parts are more available for RWD models). |
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05-03-2018, 04:19 PM | #7 | |
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First he asked how it would compare to the Subaru in handling snow, mud, dirt, and gravel. I gave my opinion, I think the Subaru is much better as it's AWD system was developed for Rally, and then transferred to the street cars. The 228xi, was not developed for rally, has hardly any ground clearance, and when I have driven it, I have seen it is more RWD biased, which is completely understandable considering the car is standard as RWD. The power on the 228xi is not perfectly distributed to all the wheels like a Subaru. It is probably more like 70% Rear and 30% Front. I also gave my opinion that driving enthusiastically on wet roads is stupid. It is dangerous for you and other drivers. And on wet roads, AWD is not as important as good tires to maintain traction and the balance and stability of the car. Also, he asked about repairs and issues with these cars, such as the old BMW electric water pump issues. I gave my honest opinion, based on the mileage he said he will be driving. Repairs on these cars are not cheap, and BMW has a history of not having the greatest quality control. Based on the mileage the OP said he would drive 25K a year, and he is looking for something under 50K miles, I said I think he would be better off thinking twice about a BMW. If he is concerned about reliability, he shouldn't buy a BMW. He should stick with a Subaru. Also, if he is considering cost, which anyone buying a car should. A brand new WRX can be had for the price of a used 228xi. Not to mention better interest rates and resale value because it is a new car and not pre-owned. And he will have much more time in his factory warranty. And on a side note, a well tuned Subie, will pull so much better than the 228. Not to mention it has the lovely boxer rumble.
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05-04-2018, 08:25 AM | #8 |
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My thinking is if there's enough people that chime in with their experiences, and they're mostly good ones, then I may just have to look more seriously into it. On the weekends I may be looking at 3 hour road trips, otherwise I would skip over the BMW and go straight to another Subaru. But having been in a WRX, I'm not a huge fan of the interior comfort it offers vs my current ride. My mother has an F30 335i and I love that car, but with my daily commute, I almost never need more than 300 hp. Irrelevant story, I've taken a low 300whp range car on my daily trip, and the only time I ever needed to go past 3/4 throttle was when I had an angry brodozer trying to block me on a straightaway.
I just am thinking an n20 would suffice, especially in a (relatively) low weight car such as that. Before I jump into one, I just want to be sure it'll hold up. |
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05-04-2018, 09:05 AM | #9 | |||
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And sadly, no more boxer rumble on these new cars, the twin scroll takes care of that. Just sounds like any other high performance 4cyl now. Thank you for your input, I think I'm actually gonna stray away from a Bimmer for the time being. With the kind of duty cycle I put my cars through, I have a feeling a 228(or maybe even a 235) would make a great third car down the road. |
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05-04-2018, 09:06 AM | #10 | |
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Again, not trying to steer you away from a BMW, just stating my opinion that there may be better choices for you.
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05-04-2018, 09:18 AM | #11 | |
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05-28-2018, 07:21 PM | #12 |
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According to Comsumer Reports the 2 series rates about 92% while the 3 series is in the mid 70s. The 7 series rates about 5% which is 10% too high but Consumer Reports can’t assign negative numbers.
So BMW’s lowest cost offering is its most reliable car and its most expensive line has 1970s British reliability. It’s freaking mind blowing that a car costing close to a buck 50 even in US bucks might blow its first engine in less than 30,000 KM, which when translated into miles sounds like a lemon law lawsuit. |
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