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      07-25-2019, 06:40 AM   #1
Shovelman
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230 or 240

The tradeoff is basically more power at a higher cost.
The 230 has a lot of turbo lag but it goes over 500 hi way miles on a tank of gas.
The 240 has bragging rights and delivers more power to the road.

It certainly depends on your history. For me the 230 is the fastest car I've ever driven so it meets any needs there. Coming from a faster car would be a letdown.

And it depends on what you can afford. Must dig quite a bit deeper for the 240.

If it's not in the garage when I look, will I replace it with a 240? Good question.
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      07-25-2019, 07:00 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shovelman View Post
The tradeoff is basically more power at a higher cost.
The 230 has a lot of turbo lag but it goes over 500 hi way miles on a tank of gas. .................................................. .................................................. .........................
.
I had a 228 (2.0 L N20 turbo I4) several years ago and did not notice any turbo lag.
Where did you get the impression that the 230 (2.0 L B48 turbo I4) has a "lot of turbo lag"?
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      07-25-2019, 07:10 AM   #3
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Buy the 240 and never look back. I’ve gotten ~36mpg in the Eco Pro mode on the highway, so range isn’t a big deal.
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      07-25-2019, 07:15 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini View Post
Buy the 240 and never look back.
...unless you enjoy/are sensitive to the more nimble feeling of less weight over the front wheels. I prefer that to two more cylinders.
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      07-25-2019, 07:18 AM   #5
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That pretty much sums it up.

The 230i is a very peppy car. 0-60 in 5.5 is pretty quick. Comparing that to the mid range muscle cars of the 60's GTO's 442's and the like, it would easily compare in the street performance.

My 1985 Corvette spec's at 0-60 in 5.7 and 14.1 in the 1/4 mile. That car was fast for the day and was way quicker than the cars sold from 1974 to the early 80's.

Many of today's cars are amazing (in comparison) w/ times easily dipping to the low 4 second range and 1/4 mile time into the 12 second range.

I came of of a 2015 C7 and wanted a car with a bit more "oomph", so I chose the M240i (and added a Dinan stage 1). In retrospect, for the way I drive, I could have bought the 230i and been just as happy.

I just bought a 2019 Mini Cooper S (replacing our 2015 Mini Cooper S), and I find that car (with the JCW tuning kit installed on both) to be plenty fast for around town driving. I'd estimate I'm around 0-60 in 5.9 -6.0 range) and that is plenty.

On the other hand, the M240i is a beast and can get away from you (just like my 2015 C7) if you are not careful when driving. Plenty of video out the with guys in overpowered cars putting the car into ditches and trees.

I'd wager a 230i with a Dinan tune would probably be somewhere close to 5.0 or even 4.9 for a 0-60 time. That is quick when I consider my 1967 650CC Triumph Bonneville did 0-60 in 5 flat back in my mis-spent youth.
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      07-25-2019, 07:28 AM   #6
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I daily drive a 230. In the right mode for the traffic I don't experience turbo lag. With a 13.7 gallon tank even with 36 mpg you can't run it dry and reach 500 miles.

Love my 230, but my next one will be a 6 cylinder.
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      07-25-2019, 08:47 AM   #7
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My next car will be the 230

I've driven the 230 and 240 back to back over the same route that includes expressway and poor city roads. The 240 is a thrilling ride and worth the extra money from the power perspective. However, even in the comfort mode, the 240 is a much stiffer ride than the 230, too stiff for me to enjoy except on the better roads.

Last edited by NVHoo; 07-27-2019 at 08:07 AM..
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      07-25-2019, 09:57 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NVHoo View Post
I've drive the 230 and 240 back to back over the same route that includes expressway and poor city roads. The 240 is a thrilling ride and worth the extra money from the power perspective. However, even in the comfort mode, the 240 is a much stiffer ride than the 230, to stiff for me to enjoy except on the better roads.
Same here, I came from a 2015 335xi and I tested a 230xi vs a M240xi and I preferred the ride of the 230 for the roads and highways of Wisconsin (this year I think we're competing with Michigan for the worst roads, its never been this bad before). Now most people suggest the track package which would then give you a stiffer ride, that's up to you.

If you've never had as powerful of a car, I think you'll love the 230. I didn't drive the RWD cars as they aren't really in my area. But when it comes to the x-drive versions I will say the one place the 230 lacked was passing power on the highway, otherwise it is great around town. I do indeed feel a little turbo lag but most people probably wouldn't notice it. I recently added a Dinan Stage 1 V2 tune and it has fixed my passing concerns. I had a JB+ before and the car did not feel any better at the top end, just the low end of the RPM range.

Depending on driving style both cars will probably get similar MPG, if you're always flooring it the M240 would get lower MPG but you'd always be excessively speeding if you were doing that.
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      07-26-2019, 09:23 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyresian View Post
... Now most people suggest the track package which would then give you a stiffer ride, that's up to you.
I have not compared to the base steel suspension, but when the MAdaptive suspension in the Track Handling Package is set to the Comfort setting, I believe it is not stiffer and may be even more comfortable. It turns the 2 from my preferred Sport experience to the setting my wife finds acceptable.
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      07-27-2019, 02:31 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shovelman View Post
The tradeoff is basically more power at a higher cost.
The 230 has a lot of turbo lag but it goes over 500 hi way miles on a tank of gas.

...

It certainly depends on your history. For me the 230 is the fastest car I've ever driven so it meets any needs there. Coming from a faster car would be a letdown.
Just curious, were any of those other slower cars you've driven, turbo? I have a hard time thinking of a lot of slower-than-230i turbo cars with less turbo lag, especially older ones. From my experience with other recent turbo 4 BMWs (not the 230 itself) and reviews, there is a pretty big gap with turbo lag.
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      07-27-2019, 06:33 AM   #11
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+1 on the 235/40 suspension. Mine is way more comfortable than a previous 328 coupe with non-adaptive sports suspension, which was like a rock. I find the suspension to be a great compromise.
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      07-27-2019, 09:15 AM   #12
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One thing to note on the topic of gas mileage is that the 6-speed M240i will not get 30+ mpg like the automatic will due to the short 6th gear. I'm not sure why BMW did this as I can't see 6th gear being used on any tracks and it only sacrifices good gas mileage on the highway. I'm having trouble remembering what cruising rpms were before my LSD upgrade, but I'm almost certain the LSD made things worse as I'm seeing 2500rpms or higher when cruising at 70mph. Luckily, I don't commute with this car and don't take it on the highways much, so not a huge deal for me, but it is still worth mentioning.
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      07-27-2019, 12:09 PM   #13
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I don't find turbo lag in N20 or N55 except shift car to 1000 rpm and floor it. In the city the 4 cylinder would be more than enough, but if you autocross or track the car, always go for the bigger engine
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      07-27-2019, 01:43 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MetalMK View Post
I don't find turbo lag in N20 or N55 except shift car to 1000 rpm and floor it. In the city the 4 cylinder would be more than enough, but if you autocross or track the car, always go for the bigger engine
For autocross, the 230 is just as competitive as the M240i due to the PAX differences. If you are after the fastest raw time, both are not that fast compared with many other cars you are likely to see at autocross.
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      07-27-2019, 05:18 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CP911 View Post
One thing to note on the topic of gas mileage is that the 6-speed M240i will not get 30+ mpg like the automatic will due to the short 6th gear. I'm not sure why BMW did this as I can't see 6th gear being used on any tracks and it only sacrifices good gas mileage on the highway. I'm having trouble remembering what cruising rpms were before my LSD upgrade, but I'm almost certain the LSD made things worse as I'm seeing 2500rpms or higher when cruising at 70mph. Luckily, I don't commute with this car and don't take it on the highways much, so not a huge deal for me, but it is still worth mentioning.
My 6-speed gets 30+ on the highway.

70 MPH @ 2500 RPM is stock for the 6-speed. That's with a 3.08 diff; if you change the diff ratio, then you'll affect the RPMs at a given speed in any gear.

Below are links to a couple of gearing calculators that can be downloaded.

DiffsOnline's calculator allows for six speeds, but has limited editing. Bob Tunnell's sheet allows editing. It's set up for five speeds, and when I use it I start with 2nd gear. Tunnell's sheet also allows you to enter your tire diameter (instead of having it calculated as the DiffsOnline calculator does).

DiffsOnline Gearing Calculator http://diffsonline.com/images/GearingCalculator.xls

Tunnell Racing Gearing Calculator http://www.tunnellracing.com/gearcalc.xls

This is Tunnell's sheet with my data in it. Note that the stock rear tire diameter on a staggered MPSS setup is 24.8". That makes a slight difference. The tire size (255/35-18 in this example) is not used in any calculations - it's just in the sheet for reference.



This is the same data graphed:
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      07-28-2019, 05:49 AM   #16
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Turbo lag

This is my first turbocharged car so the lag is really noticeable.

Example: In comfort mode (usual for a DD) in 6th gear at 2000 rpm (watch the torque dial on the sport display) pedal to the metal, 2 to 3 seconds for torque to rise and stabilize. With a normally aspirated engine this takes about .1 second.

Of course with an automatic tranny this lag is masked by the furious downshifting that will happen. And with a little upgrade in driving skill this lag can be accommodated with a stick shift. And with a little experience you don't notice it so much.
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      07-28-2019, 07:10 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini View Post
Buy the 240 and never look back. I’ve gotten ~36mpg in the Eco Pro mode on the highway, so range isn’t a big deal.
In fact I get 42mpg in m240i in EcoPro mode when driving long distances on motorways.
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      07-28-2019, 07:29 AM   #18
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Another reason is more of emotional rather than financial. I might a bit paranoid, I think this is the time to grab a small car with a 6 cylinder engine like m235/m240i, because they are less likely to be produced in the near future. The direction of travel in the automotive world suggests this
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      07-28-2019, 09:24 AM   #19
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230 vs 240

Get the 230 with the tack package and take it to the track. SO MUCH FUN. once you feel comfortable turn off traction control and let it drift. even better.
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      07-28-2019, 10:37 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shovelman View Post
Turbo lag

This is my first turbocharged car so the lag is really noticeable.

Example: In comfort mode (usual for a DD) in 6th gear at 2000 rpm (watch the torque dial on the sport display) pedal to the metal, 2 to 3 seconds for torque to rise and stabilize. With a normally aspirated engine this takes about .1 second.

Of course with an automatic tranny this lag is masked by the furious downshifting that will happen. And with a little upgrade in driving skill this lag can be accommodated with a stick shift. And with a little experience you don't notice it so much.
That is silly. 2000 RPM in 6th gear isn't going to yield acceleration regardless of whether turbo or NA. Torque may stabilize quickly with a NA car in that scenario, but we're still talking hardly any torque at all and certainly less than what the turbocharged car is putting out in equivalent RPMs. You're still going to net better acceleration in the turbocharged car until you get to ~5k RPM when the NA car sees its power and torque come to life. But of course, if it's your first turbocharged car, it's definitely a different feeling that what you've been used to.
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      07-28-2019, 10:58 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shovelman View Post
Turbo lag

This is my first turbocharged car so the lag is really noticeable.

Example: In comfort mode (usual for a DD) in 6th gear at 2000 rpm (watch the torque dial on the sport display) pedal to the metal, 2 to 3 seconds for torque to rise and stabilize. With a normally aspirated engine this takes about .1 second.

Of course with an automatic tranny this lag is masked by the furious downshifting that will happen. And with a little upgrade in driving skill this lag can be accommodated with a stick shift. And with a little experience you don't notice it so much.
This is nonsense. Even in an NA car you dont get max torque instantly at 2000rpm, it comes around 6000rpm. You are just making yourself feel turbo lag.
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      07-28-2019, 03:55 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CP911 View Post
One thing to note on the topic of gas mileage is that the 6-speed M240i will not get 30+ mpg like the automatic will due to the short 6th gear. I'm not sure why BMW did this as I can't see 6th gear being used on any tracks and it only sacrifices good gas mileage on the highway. I'm having trouble remembering what cruising rpms were before my LSD upgrade, but I'm almost certain the LSD made things worse as I'm seeing 2500rpms or higher when cruising at 70mph. Luckily, I don't commute with this car and don't take it on the highways much, so not a huge deal for me, but it is still worth mentioning.
Actually, in Eco Pro you can see 35-36mpg. I used Eco Pro on my last trip from Arlington, Virginia, to Virginia International Raceway (VIR). On state route 58 (the main part of the trip from Richmond to Danville, I averaged about 35.5mpg. Yeah, the car drove like a '72 beetle with a bad spark plug but it's easy to switch to "comfort" or "sport" modes if you look ahead.
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