Looking to buy a used 228i

JaZoN_XD · 07-07-2019, 08:40 PM

Hello everyone,

New on the forums here, I'm looking into getting a 2 series, 228i 6MT in particular.

From what I've gathered, it seems that the N20 pre-2015 may have timing chain issue, but how widespread is it? What other things should I also look for when checking out the car?

Thank you guys! Please be nice to the bimmer noobie!

Jason

sethwas · 07-09-2019, 12:38 PM

more of an annoyance than anything serious - check for the cold start exhaust noise. There's a small flap that's supposed to stay closed until the engine heats up and in some models the flap rattles. There's a recall for it.

Seth

mmullane · 07-09-2019, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethwas

more of an annoyance than anything serious - check for the cold start exhaust noise. There's a small flap that's supposed to stay closed until the engine heats up and in some models the flap rattles. There's a recall for it.

Seth

Does the recall apply to the M235i as well? I just took mine to the dealer because it does the annoying rattle upon cold starting. I showed them a video with the sound because I knew they couldn't replicate it at the dealer after I drove it there. They shrugged me off and said "everything's fine." Very frustrating.

morphomeman · 07-09-2019, 02:44 PM

With any used car, the sweet spot is at 3-4 years old, which makes the model year you are looking for 2016 or 2017. There are very few 6 mt vehicles out there for any year, so you may have to cast your net widely geographically and you won't be able to be picky about options and exterior/interior colors.
That said, the good thing about the 2'er is that it continues to be the most reliable BMW in all model years. The down side (for a buyer) is that it has the lowest depreciation rate.

JaZoN_XD · 07-11-2019, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphomeman

With any used car, the sweet spot is at 3-4 years old, which makes the model year you are looking for 2016 or 2017. There are very few 6 mt vehicles out there for any year, so you may have to cast your net widely geographically and you won't be able to be picky about options and exterior/interior colors.
That said, the good thing about the 2'er is that it continues to be the most reliable BMW in all model years. The down side (for a buyer) is that it has the lowest depreciation rate.

Haha, that's pretty true, but I've found a few that appear to be decently priced (2014 models though), I will go check them out

happyjack · 07-11-2019, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethwas

more of an annoyance than anything serious - check for the cold start exhaust noise. There's a small flap that's supposed to stay closed until the engine heats up and in some models the flap rattles. There's a recall for it.

Seth

looking for a link to that recall. local dealership wanted $300+ to fix that actuator flap...and I'm on extended CPO warranty and maintenance plan.

my 2015 228i xdrive 8AT has been flawless, and i'm about to turn 70K miles. i solved the rattle-trap exhaust problem with an active autowerk axle-back exhaust.

my only other compliant is the 18" run-flat tires are highly prone to blow-outs, so either look for 17" wheel/tire combo, or be prepared to swap out the run-flats if you have crappy road conditions in your area. in my case, i'm not giving up the run-flats because there's no way i'm getting out of the car to change a flat on any portion of my DC-area commute which is 90% of my driving.

all-in-all, after owning 9 BMWs since 1990, this is far and away my favorite!

Maynard · 07-11-2019, 12:34 PM

Speeding tickets will be the main thing to watch out for

But for mechanicals, I've not seen much on a/t too serious. The wiring harness to rear lights before c.10/16 will burn out (inadequate ground wire, simple fix and may be extended-warrantied). With an MT you really should get a PPI for the clutch/tranny - dual-mass clutch gets some bad press. The waste-gate is integral with the whole turbo housing, and if they go bad you replace all the expensive stuff - more incentive for a real PPI. Batteries may be getting to the end of lifespan, but there were many 'lemons' that went early and got replaced already. Some c/o charge-pipe failures, idler-pulley fails, and gunk on the intake valves. Also pays to check carefully for collision damage, since this can be hidden from carfax. The only issues mine has had are the rear taillights (and some extremely rapid brake wear, but I have some 'suspicions' that driving style had a lot to do w/ that). Make sure to check the BMW CCA classifieds, as they often have MT versions, and I assume the sellers are more likely to have taken good care of them.

dradernh · 07-11-2019, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maynard

Make sure to check the BMW CCA classifieds, as they often have MT versions, and I assume the sellers are more likely to have taken good care of them.

Good advice - they can be viewed here: https://www.bmwcca.org/classifieds.

JaZoN_XD · 07-11-2019, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maynard

Speeding tickets will be the main thing to watch out for

But for mechanicals, I've not seen much on a/t too serious. The wiring harness to rear lights before c.10/16 will burn out (inadequate ground wire, simple fix and may be extended-warrantied). With an MT you really should get a PPI for the clutch/tranny - dual-mass clutch gets some bad press. The waste-gate is integral with the whole turbo housing, and if they go bad you replace all the expensive stuff - more incentive for a real PPI. Batteries may be getting to the end of lifespan, but there were many 'lemons' that went early and got replaced already. Some c/o charge-pipe failures, idler-pulley fails, and gunk on the intake valves. Also pays to check carefully for collision damage, since this can be hidden from carfax. The only issues mine has had are the rear taillights (and some extremely rapid brake wear, but I have some 'suspicions' that driving style had a lot to do w/ that). Make sure to check the BMW CCA classifieds, as they often have MT versions, and I assume the sellers are more likely to have taken good care of them.

Thank you very much! I'm not super familiar with some of these terms yet, would you mind enlightening me on what PPI is? As well as the c/o you refer to for charge pipes.

Also, I'm in Canada, looks like I won't be able to take advantage of BMWCCA, but thanks for the advice anyways!

Maynard · 07-11-2019, 05:58 PM

PPI is a pre-purchase inspection, usually by a good indie repair shop, or a friend if they really know what's up (with a 228, I'd think you'd need scan tools that aren't often found in a home garage). I've not used one myself, but I think you can get one for a few hundred, perhaps less if you will be a future customer for them.

c/o is 'complain of' (Some complain of charge-pipe failures...).

Good luck on the search, I've loved my 228, sure you will too once you find it.

JaZoN_XD · 07-11-2019, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maynard

PPI is a pre-purchase inspection, usually by a good indie repair shop, or a friend if they really know what's up (with a 228, I'd think you'd need scan tools that aren't often found in a home garage). I've not used one myself, but I think you can get one for a few hundred, perhaps less if you will be a future customer for them.

c/o is 'complain of' (Some complain of charge-pipe failures...).

Good luck on the search, I've loved my 228, sure you will too once you find it.

Ah okay I see, thanks.

Would a good shop be one that specializes in BMWs or Euro cars?

In any case, I went to take a look at a 228 today, poked around with all the accessories and features and stuff too. I started the car and recorded a clip of it idling. Does anyone know if this sounds about normal?

Thanks!

dradernh · 07-11-2019, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZoN_XD

Would a good shop be one that specializes in BMWs or Euro cars?

Ideally, BMWs, and modern, recent-vintage BMWs at that.

Are you in the Toronto area? If so, there's one shop on this page that may be of interest: https://www.bimrs.org/Regions-outside-US.html. You can look around the site to see what the members are about - mostly it explains why they're legitimate alternatives to the BMW dealers.

Rolf14 · 07-12-2019, 08:16 AM

JaZoN_XD, I bought a 2014 CPO (A/T) with 30K miles 2 years ago. I now have over 60K miles. No issues or problems to report. It continues putting a smile on my face, and you should feel it at the Tail of the Dragon! Great car, great balance, good gas mileage on the highway if you control your right foot. And fast if you do not control your right foot! Highly suggest a radar detector.

lateapex'er · 07-12-2019, 09:49 AM

OP, I purchased my CPO 2014 228 M/T, M-Sport with 9k miles 2 and a half years ago. Currently sitting at 45k miles, only issue was the thermostat went bad. Replaced under warranty.

From what I know the three weak points are

In tank fuel pump
timing chain
thermostat

All three parts have an extended factory warranty on them by BMW and will be replaced if failed. I have three separate letters from BMW stating so.

That aside, it's a wonderful car and great daily driver.

JaZoN_XD · 07-12-2019, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rolf14

JaZoN_XD, I bought a 2014 CPO (A/T) with 30K miles 2 years ago. I now have over 60K miles. No issues or problems to report. It continues putting a smile on my face, and you should feel it at the Tail of the Dragon! Great car, great balance, good gas mileage on the highway if you control your right foot. And fast if you do not control your right foot! Highly suggest a radar detector.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lateapex'er

OP, I purchased my CPO 2014 228 M/T, M-Sport with 9k miles 2 and a half years ago. Currently sitting at 45k miles, only issue was the thermostat went bad. Replaced under warranty.

From what I know the three weak points are

In tank fuel pump
timing chain
thermostat

All three parts have an extended factory warranty on them by BMW and will be replaced if failed. I have three separate letters from BMW stating so.

That aside, it's a wonderful car and great daily driver.

Haha, thank you guys for the insight! By the way, what kind of gas mileage are you guys getting? I'm a little bit of a hyper miler when i'm just on my daily drive lol

mb67 · 07-12-2019, 07:19 PM

I bought my '15 228i Conv CPO last year with 17,600 miles on it. It's now got 26,200 miles on it, including a recent 5,300 mile round trip across country and I've not had one problem with it.

EDIT:

On the 5,300 mile round trip, I averaged 30.5 mpg.

happyjack · 07-13-2019, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZoN_XD

Haha, thank you guys for the insight! By the way, what kind of gas mileage are you guys getting? I'm a little bit of a hyper miler when i'm just on my daily drive lol

in some weeklong trial runs using eco pro i was able to get 34-35 pretty consistently...but i rarely use it. i'm probably 50-50 comfort and sport mode.

i still average around 28 mpg.

JaZoN_XD · 07-15-2019, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyjack

in some weeklong trial runs using eco pro i was able to get 34-35 pretty consistently...but i rarely use it. i'm probably 50-50 comfort and sport mode.

i still average around 28 mpg.

Haha, that's great! Is that mostly city or highway?

sethwas · 07-17-2019, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmullane

Does the recall apply to the M235i as well? I just took mine to the dealer because it does the annoying rattle upon cold starting. I showed them a video with the sound because I knew they couldn't replicate it at the dealer after I drove it there. They shrugged me off and said "everything's fine." Very frustrating.

It's on many BMW's. It only applies to cold starts because the valve that is supposed to be closed opens once the engine heats up and there won't be a rattle. Only when the valve is 'closed' that it shakes around.
There is no recall per se, it's just a TSB. I would get the number but I don't have access to the BMW service system.
I assume most people just take the car in for service and it takes only 15 min for a replacement and a prayer it doesn't come back. The rest either cut out the valve altogether at a muffler shop or replace the exhaust to eliminate it.

Seth

happyjack · 07-17-2019, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZoN_XD

Haha, that's great! Is that mostly city or highway?

i'd estimate my commute, generally, as 60% free-flowing highway miles, 20% rolling highway traffic below 30 mph / stop-and go, and 20% in-town.

today was a fairly $h!tty commute...both going in and coming home. i reset my MPG calculator and rolled eco-pro round trip...and could only manage 28.8 MPG today. DC beltway can suck it.

arhoads335i · 07-17-2019, 09:35 PM

Buy low mileage and immediately disable start stop. That kills these engines. Other than that should be a good car.

morphomeman · 07-18-2019, 05:13 AM

What evidence is there that start/stop harms engines?
You would need to do a controlled study of a large number of otherwise identical vehicles except for start/stop being disabled or not.
The feature is common across many manufacturers these days.
Yes, intuitively it would seem that this function would put strain on the engine, but without actual data . . .

07-07-2019, 08:40 PM	#1
JaZoN_XD Enlisted Member 13 Rep 34 Posts Drives: 2008 Honda Accord Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: ON iTrader: (0)	Looking to buy a used 228i - What should I watch out for? Hello everyone, New on the forums here, I'm looking into getting a 2 series, 228i 6MT in particular. From what I've gathered, it seems that the N20 pre-2015 may have timing chain issue, but how widespread is it? What other things should I also look for when checking out the car? Thank you guys! Please be nice to the bimmer noobie! Jason
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07-09-2019, 12:38 PM	#2
sethwas Second Lieutenant 135 Rep 242 Posts Drives: 228i Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: South Florida iTrader: (0)	more of an annoyance than anything serious - check for the cold start exhaust noise. There's a small flap that's supposed to stay closed until the engine heats up and in some models the flap rattles. There's a recall for it. Seth
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07-09-2019, 02:44 PM	#4
morphomeman Major 593 Rep 1,219 Posts Drives: 2015 M235ix Join Date: May 2015 Location: United States iTrader: (1) Garage List 2016 BMW X3 [0.00] 2015 BMW M235ix [0.00]	With any used car, the sweet spot is at 3-4 years old, which makes the model year you are looking for 2016 or 2017. There are very few 6 mt vehicles out there for any year, so you may have to cast your net widely geographically and you won't be able to be picky about options and exterior/interior colors. That said, the good thing about the 2'er is that it continues to be the most reliable BMW in all model years. The down side (for a buyer) is that it has the lowest depreciation rate.
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07-11-2019, 12:34 PM	#7
Maynard Colonel 3848 Rep 2,873 Posts Drives: 228iX & M2C Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Upstate NY iTrader: (1)	Speeding tickets will be the main thing to watch out for But for mechanicals, I've not seen much on a/t too serious. The wiring harness to rear lights before c.10/16 will burn out (inadequate ground wire, simple fix and may be extended-warrantied). With an MT you really should get a PPI for the clutch/tranny - dual-mass clutch gets some bad press. The waste-gate is integral with the whole turbo housing, and if they go bad you replace all the expensive stuff - more incentive for a real PPI. Batteries may be getting to the end of lifespan, but there were many 'lemons' that went early and got replaced already. Some c/o charge-pipe failures, idler-pulley fails, and gunk on the intake valves. Also pays to check carefully for collision damage, since this can be hidden from carfax. The only issues mine has had are the rear taillights (and some extremely rapid brake wear, but I have some 'suspicions' that driving style had a lot to do w/ that). Make sure to check the BMW CCA classifieds, as they often have MT versions, and I assume the sellers are more likely to have taken good care of them.
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07-11-2019, 05:58 PM	#10
Maynard Colonel 3848 Rep 2,873 Posts Drives: 228iX & M2C Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Upstate NY iTrader: (1)	PPI is a pre-purchase inspection, usually by a good indie repair shop, or a friend if they really know what's up (with a 228, I'd think you'd need scan tools that aren't often found in a home garage). I've not used one myself, but I think you can get one for a few hundred, perhaps less if you will be a future customer for them. c/o is 'complain of' (Some complain of charge-pipe failures...). Good luck on the search, I've loved my 228, sure you will too once you find it.
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07-12-2019, 08:16 AM	#13
Rolf14 New Member 12 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 14' 228i MSport Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Huntsville AL iTrader: (0)	JaZoN_XD, I bought a 2014 CPO (A/T) with 30K miles 2 years ago. I now have over 60K miles. No issues or problems to report. It continues putting a smile on my face, and you should feel it at the Tail of the Dragon! Great car, great balance, good gas mileage on the highway if you control your right foot. And fast if you do not control your right foot! Highly suggest a radar detector.
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07-12-2019, 09:49 AM	#14
lateapex'er Second Lieutenant 123 Rep 286 Posts Drives: 2014 228i M-Sport Join Date: May 2017 Location: NJ/MD iTrader: (4)	OP, I purchased my CPO 2014 228 M/T, M-Sport with 9k miles 2 and a half years ago. Currently sitting at 45k miles, only issue was the thermostat went bad. Replaced under warranty. From what I know the three weak points are In tank fuel pump timing chain thermostat All three parts have an extended factory warranty on them by BMW and will be replaced if failed. I have three separate letters from BMW stating so. That aside, it's a wonderful car and great daily driver.
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07-12-2019, 07:19 PM	#16
mb67 In search of the perfect cup of coffee 152 Rep 213 Posts Drives: 2015 228i Conv Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	I bought my '15 228i Conv CPO last year with 17,600 miles on it. It's now got 26,200 miles on it, including a recent 5,300 mile round trip across country and I've not had one problem with it. EDIT: On the 5,300 mile round trip, I averaged 30.5 mpg.
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07-17-2019, 09:35 PM	#21
arhoads335i Captain 180 Rep 772 Posts Drives: 2015 435i grand coupe xdrive Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Philadelphia, PA iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 BMW 128I [0.00]	Buy low mileage and immediately disable start stop. That kills these engines. Other than that should be a good car. __________________ 2015 435i grand coupe xdrvie (current) 2006 F250 powerstoke CCSB (current) 2014 M235i Black on Red (SOLD) / 08 e90 335i MT Pure Stage 2 High flow (SOLD) 08 128i 6MT (SOLD) / 08 335i 6MT Pure stage 1 (SOLD)
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07-18-2019, 05:13 AM	#22
morphomeman Major 593 Rep 1,219 Posts Drives: 2015 M235ix Join Date: May 2015 Location: United States iTrader: (1) Garage List 2016 BMW X3 [0.00] 2015 BMW M235ix [0.00]	What evidence is there that start/stop harms engines? You would need to do a controlled study of a large number of otherwise identical vehicles except for start/stop being disabled or not. The feature is common across many manufacturers these days. Yes, intuitively it would seem that this function would put strain on the engine, but without actual data . . .
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