[CT7]

Hey Everyone,

I've owned an F30 335i x drive for just over 2 years now an i love it. I'm stage 2+ (mhd) and FBO. I love the n55.

I've been researching M235i's (x drive)lately and been thinking of trading in my 335i for one.

Anyone here already do this and can expand on how much different (better/worst) it's been?

With the M235i i see a lighter, perfectly sized car with better steering in comparison to mine.

Thanks!

[AmuroRay]

It’s a smaller car, so be prepared for that. Also, wheel offsets suck, and it feels a tad cheap.

Otherwise, I love mine.

[The_otherM235i]

My good buddy has a 13 335i x drive that's also FBO with a custom tune,

The M235i is also an N55 but more closely linked to the M2 engine. The M235i has a EWG turbo set up witch is also slightly larger than the PWG Turbo on your 335i.

You'd notice a world of difference with the 2 cars if you drove them back to back, m235i is more of a hands on throwable drivers car where as the 335i is more of a straight shooter that's very comfortable. Both are great cars and the M235i is very modable. Depending on how far you wanna go with it, I can't say you'll be disappointed with a FBO M235i but for some it leaves a lot on the table with people wanting more witch would require a turbo upgrade.


All in all I'll let others dive into why the 2 series is such a fantastic platform. I've owned my FBO stage 2+ M235i for less then a year and I'm in love with it

[BEM-S4]

I have a number of F3x cars and am on my second F2x as well. Totally depends on your driving needs - highways your 335 would be my choice, more back roads the 2 is a lot more fun.

Assuming both will serve your logistic needs, e.g. if you're carrying kids every day with their crap you wouldn't be considering this.

[CT7]

Originally Posted by The_otherM235i

My good buddy has a 13 335i x drive that's also FBO with a custom tune,

The M235i is also an N55 but more closely linked to the M2 engine. The M235i has a EWG turbo set up witch is also slightly larger than the PWG Turbo on your 335i.

You'd notice a world of difference with the 2 cars if you drove them back to back, m235i is more of a hands on throwable drivers car where as the 335i is more of a straight shooter that's very comfortable. Both are great cars and the M235i is very modable. Depending on how far you wanna go with it, I can't say you'll be disappointed with a FBO M235i but for some it leaves a lot on the table with people wanting more witch would require a turbo upgrade.


All in all I'll let others dive into why the 2 series is such a fantastic platform. I've owned my FBO stage 2+ M235i for less then a year and I'm in love with it

gotcha. how is the 235 in a straight line? shouldn't it be faster vs my car due to a little extra hp and weight reduction?

[msej449]

I swapped my F31 (330d xDrive Touring) for an F23 (M235i Convertible) when the car lease end coincided with a change of job.

Obviously, the F31 was great as a people/load-carrier (much better than an SUV IMHO) and the diesel 3.0L was a great long-distance cruiser. xDrive was nice to have when we took it to the Alps for skiing. But it was somewhat 'floaty' on its 17" wheels, and fairly heavy in comparison.

I was worried about the switch from xDrive to RWD (we don't get the 2 Series in X form here in the UK) but I've not had any issues, even in the snow (albeit with proper winter tyres and square 17x7.0J winter setup).

The smaller dimensions of the 2 are great (back to the size of my 1st BMW 3 Touring in the avatar), and an improvement in terms of power/weight ratio, handling and particularly parking. Now I'm used to it, I'd not want anything bigger here in the suburban area where I live.

The convertible was a good choice (my wife's suggestion). It really makes a lot of otherwise mundane spring/autumn journeys much more fun. And obviously great in the summer. It's also worked out fine even with the storage space you lose to the ragtop in the trunk (with the thru-load you can handle most stuff). And the rear seats are fine for passengers over shorter distances.

The only thing I miss is that in the UK the M-Lite isn't certified to carry a towbar, so no bikes on the back. In the 3 Touring we could actually fit two bikes inside, although on the towbar was preferable.

Engine-wise, I sometimes miss the tremendous torque of the 6-cyl turbodiesel - basically, once I got moving, it would stay in 8th most of the time. So the N55 although turbo'd still doesn't match that torque-wise. But comparing petrol 3 to petrol 2 I'm fairly sure you'll be very happy with the benefits of the same engine in a lighter chassis.

I did retro-fit the BMW M Performance LSD after a couple of years: my experience is that it was worth the cost, given the improvement to traction and handling. But I have bought the M235i outright with cash, as I intended to keep it indefinitely, so my' ownership horizon' is longer. Still, after 4 years I really can't see what I'd change it for that would be better. Other than perhaps a Rolls-Royce Dawn (I live not far from the RR factry and we see quite a few out on test runs around here), so only another $400K to find before I can get one of those ...

Hope this helps.

[OldCrow7xx]

Originally Posted by CT7

Hey Everyone,

I've owned an F30 335i x drive for just over 2 years now an i love it. I'm stage 2+ (mhd) and FBO. I love the n55.

I've been researching M235i's (x drive)lately and been thinking of trading in my 335i for one.

Anyone here already do this and can expand on how much different (better/worst) it's been?

With the M235i i see a lighter, perfectly sized car with better steering in comparison to mine.

Thanks!

Hey Man,

So I went through the exact same thing last fall and have made a couple posts on here about it. I sincerely liked my F30 335xi more than my current F22 235xi.

I was also expecting the m235 to be substantially faster or more exciting, with the 250lbs weight reduction, larger/better turbo, better internals and this time I added the cat-less down pipe and stage 2 software.

Take it for what its worth, but the 335 was faster and more exciting. When you even touched the throttle it was like a bat out of hell ready to scream and pull until you let out of it.

I don't know if there is something wrong with my off the shelf BM3 tune or my tranny and shift points, but the stage 2 m235 just doesn't hit like the stage 1 m335 did. Its very disappointing and I plan to sell the car after quarantine and buy an S3 Audi instead. Ive concluded ~350awhp is more than plenty for me and why not get it from a smaller lighter more efficient 4 cylinder...with a DCT tranny too.

The only good thing about the m235 is its easier to park but way harder to get in and out of with the massive front doors.

Cheers

[CT7]

Originally Posted by OldCrow7xx

Hey Man,

So I went through the exact same thing last fall and have made a couple posts on here about it. I sincerely liked my F30 335xi more than my current F22 235xi.

I was also expecting the m235 to be substantially faster or more exciting, with the 250lbs weight reduction, larger/better turbo, better internals and this time I added the cat-less down pipe and stage 2 software.

Take it for what its worth, but the 335 was faster and more exciting. When you even touched the throttle it was like a bat out of hell ready to scream and pull until you let out of it.

I don't know if there is something wrong with my off the shelf BM3 tune or my tranny and shift points, but the stage 2 m235 just doesn't hit like the stage 1 m335 did. Its very disappointing and I plan to sell the car after quarantine and buy an S3 Audi instead. Ive concluded ~350awhp is more than plenty for me and why not get it from a smaller lighter more efficient 4 cylinder...with a DCT tranny too.

The only good thing about the m235 is its easier to park but way harder to get in and out of with the massive front doors.

Cheers

This is extremely helpful man.

Thank You!!!

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by OldCrow7xx

Hey Man,

So I went through the exact same thing last fall and have made a couple posts on here about it. I sincerely liked my F30 335xi more than my current F22 235xi.

I was also expecting the m235 to be substantially faster or more exciting, with the 250lbs weight reduction, larger/better turbo, better internals and this time I added the cat-less down pipe and stage 2 software.

Take it for what its worth, but the 335 was faster and more exciting. When you even touched the throttle it was like a bat out of hell ready to scream and pull until you let out of it.

I don't know if there is something wrong with my off the shelf BM3 tune or my tranny and shift points, but the stage 2 m235 just doesn't hit like the stage 1 m335 did. Its very disappointing and I plan to sell the car after quarantine and buy an S3 Audi instead. Ive concluded ~350awhp is more than plenty for me and why not get it from a smaller lighter more efficient 4 cylinder...with a DCT tranny too.

The only good thing about the m235 is its easier to park but way harder to get in and out of with the massive front doors.

Cheers

"Feel" and the real numbers are likely at odds here. Assuming the same mods and that your 335 was EWG, there's absolutely no reason why your 335 would be quicker, faster, more responsive, etc. unless your 335 was PWG. In that case, it may feel snappier when tuned and may feel faster but it would get walked in the top end because of the lack of power above 5500rpms compared to the EWG which makes more power and over a much wider range. The EWG powerband is wider and more linear and may not feel as strong. But it certainly is and is misleading to the old butt dyno.

That Audi will make great power, but turbo lag will be a big issue. Small engine and big turbo equals lots of lag. No way around it and is a big complaint in those cars.