[gallenwolf]

Hi there!
I'm looking to get a 2016 228i as my next car. I have never owned a turbo vehicle before and I'm wondering if it's suitable for the kind of driving I do?

I only drive on weekends, and will usually take a highly circular route inside my province to explore towns and parks I've never visited. I will usually cover about 700-800kms a day (4-500miles), sometimes more if I head further up north.

I'm usually at highway speeds for 10+hrs on cruise control and I have concerns that the turbos might run really hot for extended times and might not be good for them or the engine?

Perhaps looking for a car with a na engine might be better? I'm not very educated on engines and turbos, so apologies if this is a dumb question.

Thank you!

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by gallenwolf

Hi there!
I'm looking to get a 2016 228i as my next car. I have never owned a turbo vehicle before and I'm wondering if it's suitable for the kind of driving I do?

I only drive on weekends, and will usually take a highly circular route inside my province to explore towns and parks I've never visited. I will usually cover about 700-800kms a day (4-500miles), sometimes more if I head further up north.

I'm usually at highway speeds for 10+hrs on cruise control and I have concerns that the turbos might run really hot for extended times and might not be good for them or the engine?

Perhaps looking for a car with a na engine might be better? I'm not very educated on engines and turbos, so apologies if this is a dumb question.

Thank you!

"The only dumb question is the one not asked."

There is no problem with what you are planning to do with this car. The overheating thing is non-existent. There is a turbo intercooler near the radiator that will get plenty of air, especially at highway speeds. I have had no issues in mine. The turbo will give you more power and that 4 banger will feel like a 6 when you hit the gas. Enjoy.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by TAZ007

"The only dumb question is the one not asked."

There is no problem with what you are planning to do with this car. The overheating thing is non-existent. There is a turbo intercooler near the radiator that will get plenty of air, especially at highway speeds. I have had no issues in mine. The turbo will give you more power and that 4 banger will feel like a 6 when you hit the gas. Enjoy.

Agree with this advice. The concern may be dismissed as a non-issue.

[Sail Boat]

Agreed... I have taken my M235i, which is considered to be a "hot" engine, up and down the east coast numerous times (1,000+ miles) without any issues. In fact, most of my issues, albeit small, occurred on <5mi commutes out of Washington DC.

[mb67]

Originally Posted by gallenwolf

Hi there!
I'm looking to get a 2016 228i as my next car. I have never owned a turbo vehicle before and I'm wondering if it's suitable for the kind of driving I do?

I only drive on weekends, and will usually take a highly circular route inside my province to explore towns and parks I've never visited. I will usually cover about 700-800kms a day (4-500miles), sometimes more if I head further up north.

I'm usually at highway speeds for 10+hrs on cruise control and I have concerns that the turbos might run really hot for extended times and might not be good for them or the engine?

Perhaps looking for a car with a na engine might be better? I'm not very educated on engines and turbos, so apologies if this is a dumb question.

Thank you!

I have a 2015 228i Convertible and back in June of 2019 I drove from here in San Diego out to my parents place in Ohio and back. Total trip was 5,500 miles (8,851km) over 10 days time, and I had no problems and was very comfortable.

[aerobod]

Had our N54 engined 135i flat out in Nevada a number of years ago for many miles in 45C ambient temperatures, no issues with engine or turbo overheating.

Plenty of people also track their 2-series cars with no turbo issues, the engine is more likely to go into limp mode if things get too hot.

[leftoverture]

The car itself will have no problems for any kind of driving you might do, and will do very well on long trips, as others have said. I differ from mb67 in that I find the seats to be rather uncomfortable for long drives. But that it always a personal thing and everyone is different.

[aerobod]

I think the BMW sports seats are definitely designed for slimmer people. On a 500km trip I often do without any stops, the M240i 10-way adjustable sports seats without lumbar adjustment are more comfortable for me than the 14-way sports seats with lumbar adjustment we have in the Macan.

[Unicorn123]

Originally Posted by TAZ007 View Post
"The only dumb question is the one not asked."

There is no problem with what you are planning to do with this car. The overheating thing is non-existent. There is a turbo intercooler near the radiator that will get plenty of air, especially at highway speeds. I have had no issues in mine. The turbo will give you more power and that 4 banger will feel like a 6 when you hit the gas. Enjoy.

OP,

This is very sound advice; TAZ is spot on. Your car will perform well. I recently drove mine from Connecticut, to Greenville SC to Salem, VA an back to Connecticut. Since I do not use run-flats, I carried a spare tire, jack and wrench for the wheel removal and ~300# of tools; this was not a pleasure trip. Other than having to stop for fuel more frequently than I would wish, I got ~30 MPG and as aerobod points out, the seats are very comfortable. I went several hours at a stretch with no issues and the car performed flawlessly.

Remember, BMW's are not just meant to be driven on twisty roads...as I have been passed by many and driven a few in Germany on the Autobahn, they are also quite capable highway mile (or kilometer) consumers...!

Good luck with your travels.

[gallenwolf]

Hi everyone!
Thanks for the info, that's really good to know! I have been trying out a few 228is in my area and I am absolutely in love with the car, the steering feel is great, lots of power, small and easy to park, yet perfectly sized for me. I do have some questions about the various options available and hopefully I can find the answers in a search, else I'll drop another post.

Cheers, can't wait to get on the road again

[flybywire]

I love my 2 series on long highway trips. It's fast, efficient and handles well without being tiring to drive.

One thing that helped for me: I turned off the 'active sound design' engine noise using BimmerCode. The cabin is quieter, especially in Sport mode.

[Resoelg]

Originally Posted by gallenwolf

Hi everyone!
Thanks for the info, that's really good to know! I have been trying out a few 228is in my area and I am absolutely in love with the car, the steering feel is great, lots of power, small and easy to park, yet perfectly sized for me. I do have some questions about the various options available and hopefully I can find the answers in a search, else I'll drop another post.

Cheers, can't wait to get on the road again

Previous owner of '15 228. Go for it. You will enjoy the ride. Only reason I sold was to move up to the b58 engine. Got the power bug...it's a sickness! Good luck and enjoy.

[Joakim_79]

I live in sweden and have been roadtripping through germany down to the french riviera with several different cars and my bmw 230 is the ultimate roadtrip car for me. Drivning for hours on autobahn for hours without any issues. fueleconomy is excellent and it can take loads of luggage. Not to mention how comfortable it is and how well the GPS works. I love my car. Going on the next grand tour down to Monaco on saturday.