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2Addicts | BMW 2-Series forum BMW 2 Series (F22) Forum BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet (F22/F23) General Forum What did you cross-shop?

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      05-07-2020, 10:39 PM   #23
damianbmw12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Throttlesteer14 View Post
Before deciding on your 2-series, what other brands/models did you consider?
I thought about Lexus RC to get Japanese quality. Then I thought about a Supra to get Japanese quality until I realized it's pretty much a BMW. To have my BMW serviced at Toyota didn't compute for me. Love(d) my E46's so the M240xi won hands down.
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      05-08-2020, 01:42 AM   #24
Middy2000
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Ask not what else I considered before my 2 series but more what I came from to get here......Nissan Juke
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      05-08-2020, 01:51 AM   #25
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I'm a convertible kind of person, and I went from an '07 Z4 to my current '15 228i Convertible back in 2018.

I wasn't really cross-shopping, although I was eyeing a '15 435i Convertible at the same time.
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      05-08-2020, 02:11 AM   #26
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86 Twins (slow for the $$$)
Camaro 1LE V6 (wouldn't guarantee sticker)
Mustang Ecoboost Perf Pack (fine car but tacky interior)
Golf GTI Sport DSG (fine car but FWD)
WRX (walked out, treated as a hoodlum joyrider)
Used 135i (hard pass, beat to shit)
Used 986 Cayman (hard pass, too small)
230i attempt 1 (walked out on my local dealer after absurd negotiation)
230i attempt 2 (read this forum and Steve Thomas BMW hooked me up)
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      05-08-2020, 07:26 AM   #27
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As I have written many times on this forum, my 235 replaced a dozen-year-old E46 325. The F22 has about the same dimensions as the E46, which was truly on its last legs.
The only choice was between the two levels. I ordered a fairly stripped down 235 (no nav!), because the total package seemed to provide the most value, or at least I was able to convince myself of that.
I signed the order a couple of days before Christmas 2014. It was the last day before retirement of the sales guy that we had dealt with for many years, kind of a going-away Christmas gift to him.
With luck, I will own this car at least as long as I owned the 325.
No regrets, except that BMW no longer makes a decent red, nothing close to the Japan Red of the 325. So I settled for Estoril Blue.
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      05-08-2020, 08:07 AM   #28
Mason Hatcher
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I looked at Mustang GT and Ecoboost, the 370Z (were the interior better...) Audi A5, Mercedez C300 2 door, Infinity Q60.

There were specific options I wanted, such as a sunroof, memory seats, tan leather, close to 5.5 sec zero to 60. No sunroof in Z or mustang so those were out. Infinity infotainment seemed non intuitive to me. That left the Germans. The BMW just fit better.
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      05-08-2020, 08:26 AM   #29
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Looking for manual sports car, and was looking at Mustang, Vettes, 370z and couple others. Found a 01 330 vert for a steal, and after buying last spring, turned to BMW..haven't looked back.
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      05-08-2020, 09:18 AM   #30
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They are no comparisons to our beautiful F22 & F23 family.
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      05-08-2020, 09:36 AM   #31
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I wanted a supra for like a decade. When it finally came out it had no manual, so it was instantly off the list unfortunately. Kinda considered a base cayman, but that was way slower. I also thought about saving a bunch of money and getting something less interesting like a genesis g70 with a 4-banger turbo and a stick, or just buying a Miata.
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      05-08-2020, 10:02 AM   #32
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European M135i 2016 version - with the same 6-cyl engine - You didn't get this model in the US, I think? Think same engine and dynamics but with 4 doors and a useful hatch - the natural competitor to the Audi A3/S3. Probably to US eyes it looks odd, but it's one of those models that probably works better in its 'natural' environment of narrow, cross-country Euro roads and tiny parking spaces.

The successor is the Euro M140i - RWD with the B58. Here's me in one, on wet weather driver training at Goodwood Race Circuit in the UK: Full Sport+ mode. As you can see, we're both pretty useless! But by the end we were doing reverse J-turns, which I didn't think was even possible in an auto. BTW, this isn't any special material on the tarmac - just water.



But, my wife suggested a convertible and so that clinched it: fun won over practicality. Glad we went for it, as it's proved much more practical and even more enjoyable than expected.
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      05-08-2020, 10:09 AM   #33
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Porsche Cayman, Audi TTS. Performance and bang for the buck, BMW hands-down winner for me.
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      05-08-2020, 11:55 AM   #34
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Considered the following:

GTI/Golf R
S3
Used Cayman

Chose a 228i MSport 6SPD. Have had it now just over 5 years.
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      05-08-2020, 12:41 PM   #35
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Wife and I have an M2C, but we cross-shopped a lot of cars I imagine that many 230i or M240i buyers did as well, mostly that of other luxury brands. Came from a batch of older 3-series and had a 718 Boxster for a year so wanted something fun. We were really looking for four-doors but ended up saying f*** it, and went M2.

BMW M340i
+ Good improvement over F30, cool new tech, comfortable, great powertrain
- Bigger and heavier than F30, new gauges suck, numb steering and not very engaging, no manual transmission
= A good car, but only an ok BMW

Mercedes C43 AMG
+ Gorgeous inside and out, sounds awesome, better steering/handling and more engaging than the M340i
- Stiffer ride, auto-only
= Despite the fake badging and non hand-built engine, feels like an AMG-lite

Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport
+ Amazing chassis, fantastic steering, gorgeous looks, drives better than the entire class of cars, feels like an updated E90
- Boring 4-cylinder and exhaust, brake-by-wire system, questionable reliability, okay interior and tech, lack of dealers.
= A decision between going with your head or your heart

Genesis G70 3.3TT
+ Great value and warranty, great steering and handling, good materials and interior, doesn't feel like a Hyundai, likely better long-term reliability
- Looks like a bunch of other cars, outdated tech, Hyundai dealers, no true manual mode.
= 95% of the 3-series for 75% of the price

We were mostly set on the C43 but in the end we chose the 2-series for a few reasons. Its a BMW hasn't gone off the deep-end in size or looks, we preferred iDrive 6.0 and older interior design + gauges, and most of all, the manual transmission. We would have been perfectly happy with an M240i, but we really enjoyed the higher-revving S55 engine and M-specific touches while still being cheaper than the 3-series or C-class. There are still some faults with the 2-series, such as numb steering and it could be lighter, but overall this feels more like the BMW's of my past than any new 3 or 5 series.
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      05-08-2020, 01:55 PM   #36
albertw
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A move required two daily drivers, and my beloved C5 Z06 didn't work. After trying a third car for a year I decided to contract to a compact sport sedan. I wanted MT and RWD, but the selection was meagre and test drives of MT were not available by anyone, so I reluctantly accepted that I would have to live with an AT.

The G70, Giulia, IS and XE were out because the nearest dealers were 3 hours away (and some are AWD only in Canada).

The ATS started at the top of my list because of the best driving dynamics in the class. Unfortunately the best seating position I could find wasn't good enough for all day drives. If it didn't have CUE and wasn't the worst of the list for reliability I probably would have bought one anyway, but there were too many negatives.

The C43AMG was a really nice car with negatives of a rather clueless transmission, AWD, car magazine reports of understeer and numb steering at the limit (despite good feedback in ordinary driving) and, of course, Mercedes reliability.

The RS3 moved to the top of the list when reports came out that the version with wider front tires liked to oversteer, but at that time the wait for delivery was at least six months and the dealer declined to give me a trade-in value for my year-old Accord. ("We'll work something out when the car arrives, and right now we need a $5000 deposit to order a car equipped the way you want it since we would never stock a car like that.")

The driving dynamics of the previous generation of the 3-Series was universally panned so it wasn't on my list, but with the lack of acceptable alternatives I went into a BMW dealership to look at one and noticed the 2-Series was not as tiny inside as I expected. After a test drive I decided I could live with the numb steering, which in normal driving wasn't any worse than the Z06, and gambled that the car magazines were right that feedback at the limit would be good enough. A big positive was the best AT of all the cars I tested. So, I wound up with the 240i by elimination of everything else, rather than because I wanted one from the start.
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Last edited by albertw; 05-08-2020 at 02:05 PM..
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      05-08-2020, 02:30 PM   #37
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S3
Infinity Red Sport
Genesis G70

Long shot
RS3

In the end nothing was as fast and handled as well as the M240 and got a lot of discounts when I was shopping which sealed the deal.
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      05-08-2020, 02:46 PM   #38
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I was only looking at the M240i, M2, and the 440i.
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      05-08-2020, 04:44 PM   #39
pmcmtnbkr
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I had always been a Honda civic Si person since the early 90s. I went and looked at the new civics and type R loved the look. Then had sticker shock and thought I can get a hell of a lot of car for what they are asking. Looked at Mercedes no manuals in their line up could pay me to take a mustang, I felt all the domestic cars looked to big and bulky coming from light nimble cars. Saw a m 235i in blue and fell in love.
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      05-17-2020, 11:51 PM   #40
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Just bought mine this week so i'm quite excited.

Was going to pull the trigger on a 2019 Mustang GT but since I live in Canada and the winters can be quite harsh at times I realized it probably isnt the best idea since i'd be jumping from a 10year old camry with 150hp to a RWD 470HP machine.

The M2 felt a bit too stiff for me as a daily and this 2016 M235i Coupe felt like a perfect middle-ground for performance and comfort, also helps that it has x-drive opposed to RWD to help in snow.
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      05-18-2020, 09:29 AM   #41
BrettKA7
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Well, I went into the F22 chassis with a 230i M Sport in mind after being unable to get the car off my mind for a month.

My prior car was a 2019 Lexus IS 300. It was a turbo 4 cyl. I was perfectly happy with everything but the power combined with the MPG. The turbo i4 is weak and makes about the same MPG as an M240i... in a 250ish hp engine for a 3,800 lb sport sedan.

I actually drove a local non-M Sport 230i first and was woefully unimpressed. Couldn't wait to get back into my Lexus. I didn't realize at first the base and M Sport have different suspensions. Coming from the F30 world, all LCI F30s had the same 704 suspension unless M Adaptive was selected.

Still, I felt like I was missing something big based off prior reviews. Decided to take a look at a previous demo 2020 230i M Sport. This car changed my mind about the chassis and got me excited, but it wasn't enough to switch from my Lexus and since I knew I wouldn't be sad to see this car sold to someone else, I let it go.

Then the BMW CPO site suddenly had an M240i pop up. It was a 2017 model year with 45,000 miles, which is about 1-2 years older and 15k miles more than what I was hoping for. For reference, the 230i I drove had 4K miles. However, the price was right and it had unlimited mileage warranty til June 2022.

I drove 50 miles to look at this car because not only was it the least expensive CPO M240i locally, but it was exactly as I'd build it at BMW USA. Alpine white, coral red interior, aluminum trim, navigation, heated seats, sunroof, CarPlay. Only missing a heated steering wheel which I've never owned so I'm not missing anything big. Also, the first owner installed carbon fiber mirror caps and the M Performance pedals.

I knew within 1/2 mile I was taking this car home. The first downshift in sport mode with the exhaust burbles is actually what sold me. The power is ridiculous for such an unassuming looking car. I've been driving it like a bat out of hell and still getting 20 MPG city somehow.

I don't miss the Lexus. BMW feels like home, whether I like it or not.
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      05-18-2020, 10:35 AM   #42
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Low milage E46 M3
BRZ
2016 M2

Until... I saw this at the dealership, mistaking it for an M235i at first. (Previous owner had debadged it)
A few days and a few surprising drives later, drove away with this CPO 228i with THP, 6 speed manual, M performance exhaust, limiter lifted, staggered 19” setup, color matched rear diffuser and reflectors with extended warranty.
Still not sure how they got away with that with all the modifications, including aftermarket intake and (HR springs, which I’ve since returned to stock.)

By far the best looking thing at the dealership and priced below what I was prepared to spend. happily surprised with how much fun this car is to this day.
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      05-18-2020, 11:44 AM   #43
Gilles79
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I wanted a convertible and was planning on looking at a 2 Series, Mustang, Audi TT, Nissan 370Z, Audi A3 and maybe even a Miata. The first car I looked at was a M240i and during the test drive I fell in love with it, couldn't get the smile off my face. I didn't even bother to look at anything else and put in my order the next day.
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      05-18-2020, 12:45 PM   #44
ImStrokerAce
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I was leaning towards a smaller, AWD car, but I had tried a few RWD, FWD picks.
Lexus is350- was nice... And boring
Camaro SS 1LE- love the motor, hate the lack of visability
Mustang Bullitt- fun, looks good, felt cheap to me.
Audi RS3- If this came in a hatch for us, I might be posting in another forum.
340 - If the dealer had moved more, I might have one, it did feel a bit softer than the 240 though.
VW Golf R - That front wheel bias was the deal breaker.
Honda Civic R - Im not 12, and thereby cant enjoy the styling. Seriously fun car though.
M2- amazing car, if I could've talked myself into another vehicle for our Cdn winters, Id have one.
Long story short: The 240ix checked the most boxes.
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