[willz004]

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First time on this forum and I just wanted to get some insight from real 2 series owners.

It's 2023 and I'm looking at an 8-9 year old car, a 2015 m235i. I understand that this is a reliable engine, but I also understand that BMW cars as a whole get a pretty bad reputation for reliability as a whole.

The car seems to been have babied for most of its life, at least to my knowledge. Here's the carfax:

https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistor...e6ypb1gv5DiNSy

It's high mileage at 80k miles, and it's right at my budget at $27000 OTD. I'm thinking about either buying this car or a Mazda 6, as they're still snappy but much more reliable.

Talk me out of this. I want to hear every little thing that there is against buying this car, if any. Thanks.

[bcwalks2]

Seems a little steep on price for that, I think you can find a better deal. The classifieds on this forum often has nice vehicles for sale.

While BMW historically doesn’t have the greatest reputation, that has changed a lot in recent years and is really model dependent. The M235i is extremely reliable and a great vehicle overall. I have a 2016 with 55k miles on it, it is a 3rd vehicle fun car for me, so I don’t put on a ton of miles over the course of the year. 0 issues with it, although I maintain my stuff pretty well and do preventative maintenance. I do all my own maintenance myself and it is a very easy car to work on.

There are a few known issues with the platform, generally small issues that you can read about:

-Chargepipe
-Coolant overflow hose
-Valve cover gasket

Wife used to have a Mazda 6, these cars from a power perspective can’t even be compared. The 235i is small, light and rips! I wanted a certain color combo and had to be a manual. Flew halfway across the US with a backpack of cash and drove back home in 2020. Wouldn’t change anything and will never sell this car unless it is replaced with another toy. Go for it!

[willz004]

Originally Posted by bcwalks2

Seems a little steep on price for that, I think you can find a better deal. The classifieds on this forum often has nice vehicles for sale.

While BMW historically doesn’t have the greatest reputation, that has changed a lot in recent years and is really model dependent. The M235i is extremely reliable and a great vehicle overall. I have a 2016 with 55k miles on it, it is a 3rd vehicle fun car for me, so I don’t put on a ton of miles over the course of the year. 0 issues with it, although I maintain my stuff pretty well and do preventative maintenance. I do all my own maintenance myself and it is a very easy car to work on.

There are a few known issues with the platform, generally small issues that you can read about:

-Chargepipe
-Coolant overflow hose
-Valve cover gasket

Wife used to have a Mazda 6, these cars from a power perspective can’t even be compared. The 235i is small, light and rips! I wanted a certain color combo and had to be a manual. Flew halfway across the US with a backpack of cash and drove back home in 2020. Wouldn’t change anything and will never sell this car unless it is replaced with another toy. Go for it!

To sorta justify the price, it has been modified- There's dinan springs, spacers, and a stage 1 tune on it, as well as an aftermarket exhaust. Again, I'm new to the BMW scene, and even with the aforementioned upgrades, is it still worth it?

[zoro2001]

To me the mods don't add $, if anything they can lower the price.
I agree the price is high. I picked up my 2014 in 2021 with only 32,000 miles for less than they're asking. No mods, 3 rock chips. Other than that mint.

So far all I've done is oil changes and replaced the charge pipe with a metal one.

If you're willing to look and travel(I only had to drive 8hrs to get my car) there's deals out there.

Edit- Mine did come with an AWE axel back exhaust.

[bcwalks2]

Originally Posted by willz004

To sorta justify the price, it has been modified- There's dinan springs, spacers, and a stage 1 tune on it, as well as an aftermarket exhaust. Again, I'm new to the BMW scene, and even with the aforementioned upgrades, is it still worth it?

I think that comes down to personal preference. If you wanted to do those mods and it is done for you, then that is money and time that you would save with it being done already. If you would strictly be buying it for the perceived increase in price based off the mods, the guy above me hit the nail on the head. Many people don’t want a modded car, many people do. So for some it would be a plus on resale, some would be a negative. Take a look at this page where users here buy and sell vehicles, can often find a very well maintained car from an enthusiast https://www.2addicts.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=555

It’s not that it is a bad deal at all, but I think you should be able to get one for 25k or a bit less. But all depends what you are comfortable with and the spec you want! I would definitely recommend the car though. Can’t beat the reliability, cost of ownership, practicality, power, etc. in my opinion.

[morphomeman]

That price is crazy high for a car of that age, no matter what the condition.
I have no idea what the price range is on these cars, but it is easy enough to find out on Kelley Blue Book or other sites. Regardless, if you do buy the car, put aside $5K in a savings account as self-insurance. So, if you can afford $27K, offer $20K and put aside the rest.
BTW, BMWs, like all cars, have become progressively more reliable. The problem is that, when something does happen, the repairs are more costly.

[marksandygill]

I can't speak regards the price as I'm in the UK, my 2017 M240i with 16,000 miles cost $29,000 as an example.

Regards modifications, I've always been told they'll very rarely add any value to the car, and if they do it's always to a niche market!

As for the car itself, I wouldn't try and talk you out of it, I love mine, so much so that my wife has one as well!!😄

[freakystyly]

Agreed with above posts, mileage is too high to warrant that price. I'd keep looking for better examples.

[mecheng77]

M235i are great cars, you can’t compare it to a Mazda. It’s a rocket that handles well and is reliable. Buying modded car hurts the value

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by willz004

It's high mileage at 80k miles

I'm thinking about either buying this car or a Mazda 6

I want to hear every little thing that there is against buying this car

[Dom147]

I recently purchased a 2017 BMW M240i for that same price that was completely unmodified and in great condition besides a chip in the windshield and it had 69,000 miles at purchase. The car was also equipped with just about everything, Navigation, dakota leather, PDC front and rear, harman kardon, wireless charging, comfort access, LED door projectors, and what I'm assuming might have been a modifcation by the previous owner but it also came with the m performance trim for the interior and the m performance mirror caps. All for 27k.

[Hapbob]

I have owned (4) m240s/M235 including a 2015.
Fun car but will keep you interested in this forum for advice of this and that.
These cars are hard to find in the condition you desire.
I just bought a 2018 with 19K miles two weeks ago and paid more than I wanted.
I wouldn't rush into this car. If your willing to travel to get a car there are better options out there.
If this car was 2-3K cheaper then OK.
Hap

[bcwalks2]

Also, if you do your own maintenance your cost drops to that of a Honda Civic, or less. I do all my own stuff on my 235i and X3 M40i. Brakes, spark plugs, oil changes, trans fluid, diff fluid, chargepipe, downpipe, you name it… I avoid the stealership like a plague and have a good independent guy out here for anything major that is beyond my expertise.

I have kept my maintenance costs very low doing my own work.

[ZHP to B58]

-There's a component of the A/C system that's very susceptible to freezing. It happened on the M235i that I had for all of 2 months before I sold it. Once it freezes, the A/C output will not be cold. Hasn't been an issue on my M240i; different configuration.

-Oil starvation. Have read how several M235i owners experienced it since there is no baffle; engines needed replacing. Potentially not an issue if you don't push the car.

-Less bang for the buck when tuning the N55 in the M235i vs. the B58 in the M240i or any other B58-engined BMW.

-The iDrive system in the first model year M240i (2017 in the U.S. at least) is newer than the last model year M235i.

[Ajowhan]

5 years back when I get the options to purchase a car. I went with a lexus is 250 f sport.

Looks great, very reliable, low maintenance cost. Never could I shake the feeling that I wanted something more. I love that car but I couldnt shake this slight feeling of regret at the back of my mind especially when Im flooring that gas pedal..

3 years back, I finally had enough, trade it in for a 2018 m240i vert. Any 2 fluid change cost as much as changing out every fluid on the lexus. Transmission costing way more. But guess what, the satisfaction I get from driving this is 10x more than the lexus.

Sure this is not a full blown m car, but it is still 1 hell of a machine when compared to a full size family sedan. If you are enthusiast enough to come on forum to ask the questions, My money is on you wanted the m235 rather than mazda 6 deep down inside

[XutvJet]

Mods don't add value plus modded cars tend to be beat on harder.

$27K is too much for this car.

I've owned my 2016 M235 6MT with 70K miles since new. It has been Stage 2 for 5 years. The car has been exceptional and the most reliable car I've ever owned. I do all the maintenance and repairs. The only repairs I've had to do in 7.5 years of ownership is a new washer pump ($40) at 65K miles and a new battery a few weeks ago. Yes, the OEM battery lasted 7.5 years.

[cletustboone]

Got my 2016 M235i with 28k miles, certified, in 2018 for $27k, which was and is just a screaming deal for that car. It has the 6MT and the dealer couldn't sell it b/c not enough enthusiasts in the area or whatever. Got it for just above wholesale. Of course, the car market has changed dramatically since 2018.

The car has 54k miles now and here are the things that have gone wrong:

19k

• Clutch replaced! (before I owned the car)

32k

• Coolant hose broke, stranding the car. Replaced under warranty.
• Headlight malfunction. Replaced under warranty.

35k

• Headliner control module (sunroof stuff) malfunction. Replaced under warranty.

38k

• Charge pipe failed. Replaced out of warranty.

46k

• Clutch slip again! New aftermarket clutch and single-mass flywheel. Out of warranty.
• Oil filter leak.
• Oil pressure switch leak.
• Valve cover gasket leak.

49k

• AC blower fan relay replaced.

54k

• Valve cover itself (not gasket) warped, resulting in yay another oil leak!

This doesn't include regular maintenance items like oil changes and brakes. BRAKES ON THIS CAR COST A FORTUNE.

So yeah, don't buy it. $27k is too much for that mileage. Why do I still have mine and continue to spend money on it? I love the way it drives and I'm a sucker, I guess. But isn't that why a lot of us are here?

[B58togo]

How exactly is 80K miles "high" for a car that's more or less 9 years old?

https://www.caranddriver.com/auto-lo...eage-per-year/

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by B58togo

How exactly is 80K miles "high" for a car that's more or less 9 years old?

As cars have more miles and time on them, they cost more to maintain. BMWs have for a long time been a prime example of this.

I wouldn't buy an 80K BMW example without knowing exactly what I was getting in to.

[bcwalks2]

80k is getting to the point where it is the roll of the dice if some larger items start to go and need replacing. I do all my own work, so for me it isn’t a big deal. This is also a 3rd car for me I only drive in summer so, if it is out of commission for a bit it’s no problem.

My best advice is to have someone who knows BMWs take a look at it and learn to do your own maintenance. I have owned my 235i for 3 years now and have replaced brakes, chargepipe, yearly oil changes, spark plugs, coolant expansion hose (all done as PM before they went out). I have maybe spent $700 for all that over 3 years. My costs are probably less than someone driving a Honda Civic and taking it in for service work.

[hoostw]

After over 7 years, I sold my M235i. I thought i would share my experience as it may help. A little background on bmw ownership, I have previously owned a e46 M3, e90 335, e60 M5. All were manual transmission. As for the m235i, i put around 50k miles on the car as a daily driver. Mostly city driving, to and from public transportation in the bay area. I mainly got it in hopes it would replace my e46 in terms of “fun”. The main thing i really cared about was the manual, but found out quickly that steering was also equally important … It was an amazing daily driver. I did 0 mods. The only complaint I really had was the steering. There was just no real “feel” for the road. It was still fun, just not a car that begged me to push it to the limits. I took one last spirited drive in it before I sold it and I will say it was a solid car (7/10). I never had any issues with it, it was always reliable. I still prefer the e90 335i to it only bc of the steering. I would give that car a 8.5/10.

Keep in mind, I also had a second kid while owning this car and admittedly didn’t really have time to think about driving a fun car…was a zombie probably half of the ownership years… My kids hated it, they prefer mom’s tesla model 3 and now y. They just didnt like climbing in the back. They also hate sushi, so take that for what its worth…The e46 m was probably the best feel and most “fun”…but it often felt too sporty when i was picking up family and doing normal things. The e60 M5 was a dream to own, but it was just too much car…it was big, heavy and fast as a lambo…loved it, but wasnt nimble enough.

The m235 was great though, if ur looking for a daily driver that’s fast and fun…this is a solid choice. If I never drove any other bmw and just this one…i would probably give this a 9/10. Hope this helps…

[msej449]

I'd say to also think about a convertible. It tends to transform a lot of otherwise mundane journeys, including daily drives. I'm biased, obviously, but now I'm doing less mileage in it (~4K miles/year as it stands) it's that it's a 'vert that persuades me to keep it. If it was a coupé, I think I'd probably sell it and put the money towards the next iteration of our main vehicle.