[Balm1]

I currently own a Subaru BRZ and I'm considering purchasing a BMW 228i RWD. Coming from the BRZ, I want to retain all the sporty driving characteristics and nimbleness of the car, but add some refinement for everyday driving comfort. My BRZ has minor suspension mods, lowering springs and cambered set to -2 all around. RPF1s in 17x9 with RE71R tires for the flush with the fender look and grip for track days. I also have a tune and exhaust for smoother power delivery and added noise.

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I understand that the 228i is around 500lb heavier than the BRZ, which is expected with being a car with more sound deadening and being a slightly larger car. Does the 228i still feel relatively nimble and provide a solid driving feel? How is this car on consumables when driven hard? Mainly on brakes and tires.

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What are some popular autox/track setups for the 228i? How much camber adjustability is there with the stock suspension? Will I need camber bolts or adjustable rear lower control arms?

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What are some popular suspension setups to really dial in the car? Do coil overs or a set of quality dampers such as Koni and Bilstein with a set of lowering springs able to turn this car into a great handling car?

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Can I run a square setup with an aggressive offset and wider wheels without having to roll any fenders?

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What are some popular power mods on the 228i? In the BRZ majority of owners install a header to smooth out the torque band. I've seen some videos on YouTube of owners installing an aftermarket down pipe with a JB4 tune and it gives them some noticeable power. What are the off the shelf tuning options here?

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Any complaints with the car from owners? I see poor steering feel brought up quite often. Anything else from owners? I've yet to drive the 228i, I want to do some research before I bug the dealers to try the car.

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Which package to buy? The M package is a must for me as it looks much more aggressive than the base model. Do owners recommend the track package? Do the bigger brakes limit the options of aftermarket wheels? What is the active suspension and does it limit my options for aftermarket suspension mods? Such as a coil over kit or dampers/springs?

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Lastly, reliability. Are there any common issues with any of the models years? I'm mainly interested in purchasing a 2014 CPO. The earlier BRZs had a number of faults with the engine before being ironed out in later production models. Are there any carbon build up issues with the N20 engine?

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[ArcticFormula]

Sounds like you know what you want, and are just trying to narrow down the options. That's cool. I might drive the car first in stock form, and then think about if it's still in the running. Seems like you have very specific ideas for what you want, so drive that car and see if it's something you could work with. I just got a 2019 240ix, my first BMW, so I'm just poking around to learn.
Cheers

[Clear_Blue22]

That's a lot of questions... BUT, I test drove a BRZ and then the 230 and a 240. The extra 10k wasn't worth it for a slightly faster car when it was going to be my daily driver, and most opinions online leaned toward the 230 being more nimble and fun in corners on a public roads.

I purchased a 2018 230i 6spd with the Msport package, sunroof delete, and led lights package. After market I have a Dinan stage 1 V2 tune, Dinan 240 exhaust with a 240 rear m performance diffuser, a cold air intake, and Dinan lowering springs and bump stops.

The tune with the exhaust and intake is amazing and adds all the power I feel I could want out of the car. It's extremely well balanced and fun to drive. Smooth enough as a daily driver, and still handle amazing on the twisty back roads. I definitely recommend the suspension from Dinan. It cleans up the look a bit and provides more feedback and less body roll when cornering without sacrificing ride quality.

One benefit to buying the track package is the adaptive suspension which allows you to upgrade with the Dinan suspension tune chip. From what I have read it makes the springs upgrade even better. The brakes stock feel fine to me to me and wasn't worth the extra $.

The exhaust for a 240 is a direct bolt on with the LCI cars. I prefer the symmetry of the look, so when I spent the money for exhaust anyway I bought a diffuser along with it to match the cutouts. With a pre LCI this is still possible but you need an adapter. A thread covers the mod.

I've seen people posts a variety of various wheel set ups with offsets and no one seems to have issues. I'm still running stock wheels and tires.

15000 miles in, still on the same tires and brakes, getting 28mpg driving in sport+ pretty much everywhere in town. I get about 36mpg in Eco mode on the highway.

Also a side note, if you care about audio quality a lot you may want to look into aftermarket upgrades through Bavsound and bimmertech vs the HK Hifi system. It's not really the greatest, but there are still benefits to starting with it for the wiring.

Overall you should definitely pick up a 2er. I love mine and I'm really glad I considered it over the BRZ because I never looked back after testing one. Of course opinions may vary but I have zero regrets with my decision.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Balm1

I currently own a Subaru BRZ and I'm considering purchasing a BMW 228i RWD. Coming from the BRZ, I want to retain all the sporty driving characteristics and nimbleness of the car, but add some refinement for everyday driving comfort. My BRZ has minor suspension mods, lowering springs and cambered set to -2 all around. RPF1s in 17x9 with RE71R tires for the flush with the fender look and grip for track days. I also have a tune and exhaust for smoother power delivery and added noise.

The BMW will not allow you to retain all the sporty driving characteristics and nimbleness of the BRZ. Your car is, and was designed to be, a sports car; with 500 more pounds and its higher COG, the BMW offers a much different driving experience. What it does offer in return is more refinement and comfort on the street, and more room in the cabin. I've driven twins both stock and modified like yours on the track, and they were very different from my BMW (which weighs 3433#). I cross-shopped the twins, the 230, and the 240 before choosing the more street-oriented 240. Soon after I bought mine, I gave it a basic track setup similar to yours - for details on my build, including a complete pricing breakdown, see here: https://www.2addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1532418

​I understand that the 228i is around 500lb heavier than the BRZ, which is expected with being a car with more sound deadening and being a slightly larger car. Does the 228i still feel relatively nimble and provide a solid driving feel? How is this car on consumables when driven hard? Mainly on brakes and tires.

Re: nimble, see previous note. Solid driving feel is subjective - I can't answer that, but I can tell you that the BMW won't be nearly as responsive to steering input as your BRZ is. Re: consumables, the 228 will have ~15% more RWHP than your tuned BRZ (assuming you've got 200 RWHP), and it will have ~60% more torque. The combined weight and power increases will create a noticeable increase in the rate of consumption of pads and tires.

What are some popular autox/track setups for the 228i? How much camber adjustability is there with the stock suspension? Will I need camber bolts or adjustable rear lower control arms?

Relatively speaking, this car doesn't see much autocross or track use​. Owners don't buy them for that. Also, it's expensive to set the car up for those activities, just as the car itself is in a different price range than the twins. Re: camber adjustability - camber plates up front, and I believe the rear is sufficiently adjustable with the stock components.

What are some popular suspension setups to really dial in the car? Do coil overs or a set of quality dampers such as Koni and Bilstein with a set of lowering springs able to turn this car into a great handling car?

​Re: really dialing-in the car, the aftermarket doesn't provide the range of products that is offered for the twins; it's my impression that there aren't popular suspension setups the way there are for the twins. I say that because most drivers don't mod their cars for the specific purpose of improving the handling. Read through this forum and the track/autocross forum to see what owners here are and aren't doing with their cars. Re: great handling - again, I'd caution you against thinking this is going to be a great-handling car, at least compared to your BRZ. However, just like any other car, it can be made to be quite a bit better than it comes from the factory if you add negative camber, wider and stickier rubber, and track pads.

Can I run a square setup with an aggressive offset and wider wheels without having to roll any fenders?

A 228 should be fine on 245s, and I think you may be able to run 17X9 ET42 or ET45 square. Hopefully, someone with more experience in this area with the 228/230 will weigh-in. My fenders are rolled, but it's not noticeable.

What are some popular power mods on the 228i? In the BRZ majority of owners install a header to smooth out the torque band. I've seen some videos on YouTube of owners installing an aftermarket down pipe with a JB4 tune and it gives them some noticeable power. What are the off the shelf tuning options here?

​Can't comment on this. I've held off on a power upgrade since mine already has more than enough in that department.

Any complaints with the car from owners? I see poor steering feel brought up quite often. Anything else from owners? I've yet to drive the 228i, I want to do some research before I bug the dealers to try the car.

​You bet - see here for more than 1,000 posts on the subject: https://www.2addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1238815. In my opinion, the steering feel thing is way overblown. If the issue is hustling the car around a track, you drive around it (if you even notice it after a handful of laps). My advice is to spend a few hours reading everything you can in this forum and in the track/autocross forum.

Which package to buy? The M package is a must for me as it looks much more aggressive than the base model. Do owners recommend the track package? Do the bigger brakes limit the options of aftermarket wheels? What is the active suspension and does it limit my options for aftermarket suspension mods? Such as a coil over kit or dampers/springs?

No comment on aesthetic packages. If you intend to track the car with any regularity, I recommend you install coilovers and camber plates. If your car comes with EDC (adaptive dampers), you'll need to code it out if you go with coilovers. ​IIRC, that needs to be done so the car will still work, not just to get rid of the light on your dash. Re: bigger brakes - if you track the car, you'll find them useful. BTW, AFAIK there are no brake duct kits for these cars.

Lastly, reliability. Are there any common issues with any of the models years? I'm mainly interested in purchasing a 2014 CPO. The earlier BRZs had a number of faults with the engine before being ironed out in later production models. Are there any carbon build up issues with the N20 engine?

Can't comment on this.
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Additionally...

If you're not already aware, these cars don't have LSDs.

It sounds like you'll be tracking the BMW. Because it's so different from your BRZ, I suggest that before deciding you arrange a test drive where you can really lean on the car; ideally, you'd take the car for a couple of hours without a salesman in the passenger chair. If you do get some quality test time with one, don't forget to check the tire pressures!

Good luck with it. If you're ready to move from real sports car to a "sports coupe", you'll certainly find the 2 Series to be worthy of your consideration.

[Samson427]

The 2 does feel a bit larger and less nimble than the BRZ in my experience but is notably more comfortable. I have a 228i with JB+ tune and Dinan springs and bump stops and these two fairly cheap and easy things absolutely transform the car. Very fun on back roads and can be a really solid road trip cruiser. Back seats are also notably more roomy than in the BRZ.

Given you want to track it I think you might want to go the Clear Blue route above me and check out the JB4 along with an intake. You can do an LSD aftermarket but it is fairly expensive from what I have heard. Someone correct me if I am wrong on that one.

Finally, I think Dradenh said it best, it's a sport coupe not a pure sports car. You can make it your own but it is a different driving experience.

[Balm1]

I appreciate the valuable input given me so far. Clear_Blue22 the modifications you've done to the car are exactly that I would do as well. The adaptive suspension seems to stiffen up the dampers. I think I would forgo the track package if I'm not able to find a used example. This would be because I would want to go for aftermarket dampers and brake pads should suffice. The M callipers do look awesome though.

I believe all the 2's, aside from 228i have an LSD. That alone with the added power might be a reason for me to look for a 235i / 240i.

I've also read that the 228i has timing chain issues, which is worrisome. Do the other 2's have this issue?

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Balm1

I believe all the 2's, aside from 228i have an LSD.

That is incorrect. In fact, it's probably the principal complaint among owners and potential buyers who are serious about non-straight line performance.

[bryan_G01]

30 series are great cars... If i cant fix my turbo issue, im trading the 235 in for a 330 loaner lease.

The power seemed to always be available... no lag, and at times, felt faster than my 235 since no lag.

Now for most ppl it will be fine and fast enough, but if your the guy whos going to buy ps2, add meth, and tune, dont get it. your limiting your options. If you want to tune, buy a pre owned 235 and spend the 5k to have a 400 wheel car.

[Clear_Blue22]

Originally Posted by Balm1

I appreciate the valuable input given me so far. Clear_Blue22 the modifications you've done to the car are exactly that I would do as well. The adaptive suspension seems to stiffen up the dampers. I think I would forgo the track package if I'm not able to find a used example. This would be because I would want to go for aftermarket dampers and brake pads should suffice. The M callipers do look awesome though.

I believe all the 2's, aside from 228i have an LSD. That alone with the added power might be a reason for me to look for a 235i / 240i.

I've also read that the 228i has timing chain issues, which is worrisome. Do the other 2's have this issue?

Mine definitely does not have an LSD. The 240 comes with an addition al a cart option to add it. I believe you can direct bolt one on a 230 as well but I'm not sure. The timing issue is fixed with the new motor on the LCI. If you want fast times on the track and additional power to mess with then go 240 or M2. If you're trying to keep the price down and want something that feels light and nimble and "fast enough" get a 230. My 230i is pushing just over 300 at the wheel on shell 93 octane. I'm expecting to get a little more out of it with the flash tune later this year potentially from Dinan. Some lighter wheels and tires could push that a little higher as well I'm sure. My set up is perfect for what I want...Daily driving and road trips for disc gold competitions are smooth and I get great gas mileage. On the back roads it's fast through the corners with just enough power to feel fast but not enough to really get the wheels to break loose. The power of a 240 would be great from time to time, but for what I do it just wasn't worth the 10k higher price tag to me.

[M235ForNow]

dradernh nails it. BTZ feels completely different. Drove it extensively when deciding whether to keep my M235 at lease end. You have to drive it to assess. The BMW is absolutely NOT going to be as nimble.