Ownership Verified: BMW M235i - A BRZ/GT86 for fat/old people.

JimCorrigan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
4,115
Location
Pacific Rim
Car(s)
HMCS Velvet Glove; The Last Samurai
aka Proof BMW can still make a damn fine car
aka Cock car no.2

Ordered on Aug 2, 2014.

Got it on Dec 19, 2014.

Gurning like a complete idiot ever since.

I LOVE this car. Quick refresher... I never intended to get one. I was just having fun last summer test driving various vehicles, and if there was any BMW I had my eye on, it was the 435i. Turns out that car is a dud as far as driving dynamics go, and this one is the complete and utter winner. It's by far the best car I have driven since... possibly since ever. It's a lease, but if I feel about this car in 3 years time anywhere close to where I do now, I cannot see how I won't buy it out/purchase a new one. It *is* that good.

Pros.

- Fantastic engine. Turbo charged 3-litre straight six. Worth every penny of the premium over the cheaper turbo four. Possibly the best engine in the world? A bit too quiet, for what you *do* hear, it sounds glorious, and the "synthetic sound" from the speakers is so damn subtle you swear it's coming from the exhaust outside. If you open the windows, it is. :) The power is stupid. Turning off all the e-nannies and putting foot to firewall will result in an uncomfortable crab walk as the back end desperately seeks (and fails to get) traction. Doing the same thing in a turn will either cause you to look live a driving god or poo will come out. From a roll, the power is glorious and addicting. Passing multiple cars on a tight two-lane backroad will repeatedly induce cackles and laughter. The torque plateau is ungodly, and it convinces you this car has two more cylinders under the hood. Lag is (microscopically) perceptible.

- Transmission. This is the ZF 8-speed auto. It is *not* a dual clutch, but that distinction is nearly academic as far as performance goes. It's certainly more responsive than the dual clutches in VAG cars, and even Porsche's vaunted PDK left me unimpressed after sampling the 8AT in this car. Leaving it in auto is great for those early mornings when I'm cold an barely awake and just want to get to my destination in comfort. Putting it in manual mode gets you the full paddle-shift jollies, and the car will let you bang it off redline repeatedly if you let it. I do like how it automatically will still downshift for you if you let revs dip below 1000 (like when coming to a stop). You can also downshift multiple gears at once by just holding the paddle for longer than normal. It is with this transmission that I will happily stop driving three pedal cars. You might not like it (Priz), but I love it.

- Steering and handling. Laser precision. Weighted quite nicely. I'm convinced I could pull off Stig's trick of hitting an apple with a precise wheel. Nothing more needs to be said (but there is a con, see below). Suspension is also generally very, very smooth.

- Interior. It's not a lux car, but it's the nicest interior I've ever had in my own car. I optioned the brown leather seats and the wood grain inserts, and I love it. The plastics are low sheen, and soft in texture. Rick would love it. More importantly though, are the actual contour of the seats (perfect) and your relationship with all of the available controls. The current version of iDrive is quite easy to work (though I still dislike this sort of thing in principal). The M steering wheel feels perfect in your hands. And for a small(ish) coupe, there is decent rear seat room. I'm 5'11, 220lbs, and I *can* get back there, but I wouldn't personally want anyone that size there for long. Good for younger kids or for spouses,, but even then not for long trips. The sunroof is quite large, too.

- Toys. Bluetooth, USB, Harmon Kardon stereo upgrade, and honestly a fantastic "wide screen", high-def Nav screen. I think I may never get another car without memory seats again if I know my wife has even the slightest chance of driving it. The heated seats are wonderful, and the heated steering wheel is now, too, a must in any car. Necessary from November to March on chilly mornings.

- Exterior. Classic BMW proportions, especially from the side. I love the headlight treatment. I got Mineral White metallic, so it shimmers in low-light. My wife adores that paint.

Cons.

The suspension's one weakness is secondary rebound. If you're on a road with a lot of undulations and oscillations (not pavement breaks) your head will bop up and down quite a bit. It's a frustrating thing but it only rears itself in very specific situations.

The gas tank is quite small.

The steering has zero feel.

I still don't like the principal of having exhaust sounds piped through the speakers, but dammit if it doesn't do an incredible job of fooling you into thinking it's coming from outside.

The brakes work fantastic, but the pedal feel is lacking, so that you might not get the impression that the car will come a stop when you're slowing from 150 kph, but they do not fail.

It is stupid, stupid easy to knock the open trunk button with your foot when climbing into the car. I must have done this half a dozen times already, not knowing until I pull away and the chime goes off to tell you the trunk is open.


Pics?

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And of course, the ever important proof...

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Yes, a nice car as everyone all ready agreed.
I do agree on pretty much everything you said about this thing based on the test drive I had in a M135i. Though I?ve understood that the 235i would be even a bit better than the M135i.
 
Wait you got an auto? That's it we are not friends anymore!!! :p
You might not like it (Priz), but I love it.
Must spread more torque converters before giving one to you.
the heated steering wheel is now, too, a must in any car.
I wish all cars had that, Z is not too bad but Subaru with it's plastic wheel SUX in the winter.

Didn't know you don't need a front plate in BC, love the interior (minus the screen placement) and the seats.

For your front plate ;) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-Bumpe...racket-Holder-For-BMW-1-3-X5-X6-/381014395150
 
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Damn, SWEET. I drove the Jalopnik Special 228i with a stick and no options and fell in love with it. I can see how great the M235i would be on top of that.

Surprised that you found the steering feel to be nonexistent; do you have variable steering? The 228i I drove had pretty fantastic steering.
 
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Nice car. Beautiful neighborhood. :p
Thank you. And thank you, yes.. I agree.... it's a pretty awesome location to live in.

That this is an awesome car is a known fact, I very much approve of it :D
Merci!

Thank you, good sir!

Yes, a nice car as everyone all ready agreed.
I do agree on pretty much everything you said about this thing based on the test drive I had in a M135i. Though I?ve understood that the 235i would be even a bit better than the M135i.
I'm led to believe that the two cars are mechanically identical, so the only way in which the 2 might be better is in terms of aesthetics? I don't know, as we do not get the 1 series hatches over here.

Wait you got an auto? That's it we are not friends anymore!!! :p

Must spread more torque converters before giving one to you.

I wish all cars had that, Z is not too bad but Subaru with it's plastic wheel SUX in the winter.

Didn't know you don't need a front plate in BC, love the interior (minus the screen placement) and the seats.

For your front plate ;) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-Bumpe...racket-Holder-For-BMW-1-3-X5-X6-/381014395150
:whistle:
and thank you!

Damn, SWEET. I drove the Jalopnik Special 228i with a stick and no options and fell in love with it. I can see how great the M235i would be on top of that.

Surprised that you found the steering feel to be nonexistent; do you have variable steering? The 228i I drove had pretty fantastic steering.

The M235i should have the variable steering as a standard option. At least in .de it does.
So to clarify, thomas is correct. My car does have variable steering, and it's great. And by this, I am referring to the weightiness of the steering. The "feel" is another matter altogether, as you get very little information through the steering wheel about the surface you're on, or the available grip. This is a common issue with most electronically assisted steering racks, though some people do it better than others.

BMW has now gone on record as saying they can tune their racks for better feedback, but don't because of negative reviews from customers. Sounds like GM focus group thinking it me...
 
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BMW has now gone on record as saying they can tune their racks for better feedback, but don't because of negative reviews from customers. Sounds like GM focus group thinking it me...

Sounds like that'll be some very involving aftermarket thing, then.

Seeing as the greatest BMW I've ever driven is "out of production," I figure a 228i would be a more sedate version of that.

By the way, great color combination!
 
Mmm, I got to drive M235 with BMW Performance suspension, exhaust and LSD on the other day. Extremely lovely car, the best modern BMW I've driven (M3, M4, M6 included). If I had the money, I'd run to the shop and get one immediately (with those mods). It has just the right size and right amount of power. Enough oomph to enjoy acceleration, but it's still useable. Unlike M4 and others, which are ridiculously fast by every imaginable definition. You just don't have enough time to enjoy the performance, unlike in the M235i.

So, enjoy! :)
 
Well, I obviously approve.
I would recommend the performance exhaust. Maybe also bigger wheels, lower it and throw spacers on it ;-) guess I should update my thread with the little things I changed...
 
Are you going to change up the stock suspension?
 
Today was a great day. It's the first time I've really been able to drive my own vehicle since all the latest hoopla in my life, and it was for a trip to a nice waterfront hotel and spa. For this destination, on the same island, it would typically be a 40 min drive to a ferry in Mill Bay, before a 20 min crossing to our destination. Turns out that ferry is out for 2 months for updating, so we had to do the full 2 hour drive around some of the ocean inlets. The first half of the trip was Hwy-1, so the car was in normal and auto, and my, the F22 is a lovely place to conduct that business of commuter type driving. Then, as we passed through Goldstream Provincial Park, I noticed on my sat nav that instead of continuing south, then east to skirt Victoria before heading north to our destination, there were, shall we say, some roads less travelled? More direct, but ultimately much slower given their propensity for directional change and poor sight lines.

It was the smartest decision I made all day. Diving into these tight Euro like roads nestled in a narrow valley, I put the suspension in Sport and slid the gear selector over to manual. For the next 30-40 min my wife marvelled as I continued to grin like an idiot while hammering on the car.:burnrubber:

This car provides a wonderful first world problem: I have a strong desire for a naturally aspirated V8 powered muscly car, and I'm leery to keep a turbocharged BMW for the long term, especially given its less than stellar reputation, and my short daily commute (9km). But every single time I get into this car, even if it's just to pop down to the local store for some groceries, it whispers in my ear, while rummaging down the front of my pants, that it loves me and I will never want to part with it. Yes, this car really is that good.

Well, I obviously approve.
I would recommend the performance exhaust. Maybe also bigger wheels, lower it and throw spacers on it ;-) guess I should update my thread with the little things I changed...

Are you going to change up the stock suspension?
Sorry, lads. She stays stock, for she is a 3 year lease, and I really have little desire to mod after the last three cars I've molested (Civic SiR, 350Z, WRX). If I were to mod, however, it would be for the sports exhaust, and also the Euro style side marker deletes.
 
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Really glad to hear you're enjoying the car and yourself, specially after what happened.
 
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