2017 BMW 230i Manual 4 Month Owner Review 

James, glad this video was helpful! I very nearly went with a black sensatec interior. The modern faux leathers from both BMW and Mercedes are getting to be so good that the only way I can tell the real leather from the faux is to jump from one car to the other. The main reason I went with real leather was because the sensatec did not come in the terra brown color, which I am very glad I went with, as it is a very warm and earthy tone. If you are only going to do either the M-Sport or the Track-Handling Package, I cannot advise enough that you go Track-Handling. Even if you don't care about the Track-Handling Package's adjustable suspension, the M-Sport gives you smaller brake rotors with *floating* calipers vs the Track-Handling Package which gives you larger brake rotors and *fixed* calipers, which is both a performance and a safety upgrade. Finally, regarding the M240i, it's the only engine of the 3 that I would not get. As I spec'ed them out, a 230i stickered for ~$44,000, an M240i for $49,000, and an M2 for $52,000. There was less of a difference between the M2 and M240i than the M240i and the 230i, so I say either go for the all-out power of the M2 *or* go for the best-balanced chassis in the 230i.

I wouldn't buy this car without the M sport package. Even if it is mostly cosmetic, I want the steering wheel, wheels, and suspension. The track and handling package would be an additional 1700, so it would mostly even out with sensatec instead of leather. Trying to keep it as close to $40K as possible with the 230i. Going over that, I figure I might as well get the 240i.. and from there, it's not much more to an M2. But then there's the better gas mileage of the 4 cylinder and I feel it would require less maintenance over the long run. Now I'm just rambling, but that's my thought process. Thanks for the response and I look forward to more reviews about your ownership experience.

An additional consideration will be the difference to insure each of those three options...230i will be significantly less than either the M240 or certainly the M2 (at lease when I got comparative quotes).

Happy to help! I'll be putting out a new video if I ever manage to get the car onto a dyno. I've added one go-fast part to it (Dinan Stage 1 Tune) and had one breakdown, all of which I plan to discuss in the next video

Henry...congrats! We did ED for our former 2014 F31 M-Sport SportWagon. I'd highly recommend European Delivery...and also..combine it with Spartanburg re-delivery if your schedule permits. Question for you: How do you find the Sensatec in extreme weather conditions...heat of summer and frigid winters? That alone makes me wish BMW would offer cloth seating as is the case in Europe.

Miata13 the sensatec is fine in both the cold and heat, nothing that the climate control system can't handle.

Thanks Henry..great 230i review. I'm certainly considering that vehicle with the track package...

Hey Dan! I sure do! 46,000 miles down, 154,000 to go! Since I purchased this car, my wife and I have had our first child, and the rear-facing baby seat fits comfortably behind my wife, who is also able to ride comfortably. AND, the trunk is large enough to fit the stroller along with other baby accessories. My lifetime average fuel economy as of today (20191009) is 29.1 mpg, and I hoon about quite a bit. Driven conservatively, I routinely get 35 mpg on the highway.

Congrats on the new addition to the family! Our daughter is 15, but she's only 5'1" so I figure she'll fit back there okay. Her 6' tall Amazon friends are another story... (We, as a family, don't exactly need to duck when walking throw low doorways.) Glad to hear it's still treating you right. I love the mileage figure, especially considering your admitted hooning activities. Mileage matters a lot to me too. Is it still stock? I know the urge to mod can be hard to resist sometimes, although having a kid in your life can certainly refocus things.

@@danunger7243 100% stock, and will likely remain that way for as long as I own the vehicle. I have replaced the original set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S's, as summer tires rarely last me more than 2 calendar years. I've done 3 winters so far on the Michelin Pilot X-Ices and am debating if they have enough tread left for a 4th winter or if I should replace them now. I am still on my original brake pads and rotors. I recently had the brake lines flushes, but I engine brake everywhere I go (the car auto-blips the throttle on down shifts, which makes this especially easy), and so I likely have another year before I need to replace the pads and another 2 before I replace the rotors.

Gary Peters thanks, and great to hear! Hope you enjoy your new car!

Ryan Strauss that's great to hear! I originally was going to get a 228i, but I got in too late to order one, hence the 2017 230i.

lucky you, i think 230i has the better engine

potentially, i got mine used so it all is worth it in the end.

Glad I could help! I periodically think about trading it in for something else, but there's no other car on the market that balances my wants and my needs the way that this car does!

Niko Yochum - How was the maintenance on that? Did you pour a lot of money into it?

My pleasure! The next video will be after I'm able to put the summer wheels back on and have some proper fun with the car.

That’s exactly the same spec I’m getting 230i in! 👌🏻👌🏻

Correct. The default wheels and tires are 225 / 45 / 17s with run-flat tires at all 4 corners. When you upgrade to either the Track-Handling or M-Sport packages, you get 225 / 40 / 18 front and 245 / 35 / 18 rears on Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires. The Track-Handling and M-Sport packages offer different styles of wheels, so when you get both packages (as I did), you get to choose which ones you want.

Thanks again! My wife wants to lease the convertible and all your valuable info really helped. Enjoy your new wheels :-)

Hey Mark, glad you liked it! The A3 is a fine car, and I test drove one at the same dealership that I test drove the S3 and 2-series. The A3 is an accomplished cruiser like the 230i, but the 2-series packs quite a bit more power, and more importantly, the BMW *handles* so much better, because of its rear-wheel drive and 50/50 weight distribution (whereas the Audi is nose heavy with a ~61/39 weight distribution and consequently tends to understeer). Both cars have available all-wheel drive, but the Audi uses the Volkswagen Group's Haldex all-wheel drive system, which is a very front-biased system (not good for handling), whereas BMW's all-wheel drive system is very *rear* biased, which is significantly better for handling. Hope that helps, and let me know what you end up getting!

Almost 5 years in, and I still freaking love this car

I am also considering making the purchase on a 230i. Can you give me an updated opinion and any suggestions on ordering one? thanks....

@@t.k.morris He has a newer video (12 month owner review) that you should check out

That's great to hear! Both cars are excellent choices and you can't go wrong with either one--but I found the 2 series better suited what I was looking for. And, while I like the total sleeper looks of the Golf R, I love the way my car looks

My pleasure! I've always enjoyed wagons and hot hatches myself. In fact, were the current 1-series available in the States, I would strongly have considered that one as well.

@@honeybadger006 Update....as of late August, we now own a new '19 230i xDrive, Premium, Convenience and Track packages along with H/K sound...last of the Mediterranean Blue Metallic over Black leather/red stitched interior. Lovin it!

@Robert Essex, congratulations! I've had mine for nearly 4 years now and just recently hit 50,000 miles. Best car I've ever owned, and I plan to keep it for quite a while longer. And don't worry about the headlights. Worst-case scenario is that you swap them out!

Perhaps I will have to take another look at Dinan. The chassis certainly could handle the extra power. On a side note, would you by any chance happen to own an Evo?

HoneyBadger00 no lol, you are well read! I've owned 2 DSMs (eclipse talon laser) the 4g63 started there, and finished in the Evo 9.

Kahn, thanks for reaching out, and that's a great question regarding the Limited Slip Differential. Having put nearly 10,000 miles on the car now, I would say that it does not need a mechanical, Limited Slip Differential. I spoke with several BMW mechanics at different dealerships prior to purchasing the 230i, and they all said the same thing: Despite the fact that BMW does not openly advertise it as such, all current models (including the 230i) feature an E-diff (Electronic Limited Slip Differential), whereby the Limited-Slip effect is initiated by locking the brake of the wheel that doesn't have as much traction, thereby creating the Limited-Slip effect as it forces the power to go to the wheel that *does*. While E-diffs will never be as good as having a true, mechanical LSD, I have never found myself lacking for the ability to put the power down to the wheel that needed it, even in the worst of winter driving; therefore, while I might consider purchasing an aftermarket, mechanical LSD, I would say that the car does not need it.

Regarding the lack of an LSD, to paraphrase Muddy Waters. ..You can't use what you ain't got. ..you can't miss what you ain't never had.

How’s the acceleration of the 228i compare to the e36 m3?

I still notice the rev hang, even with the Dinan Stage 1 tune. That said, I've only found it annoying on occasion

@@honeybadger006 Thanks for the reply. I also find it annoying occasionally, but I've learned to live with it.

The other factor to perhaps consider with the 230i vs M240 is cost of auto insurance..when I compared the two, the M240 had significantly higher premiums...and you pay that spread throughout your ownership.

I’ve got a 230i it’s a beautiful car but it ain’t no 240i which I test drove. Different class pal

@@megadave1197 since I've posted this comment 3 years ago, my attitude towards BMW has worsened. Come on! The idiots removed the oil dip stick. That was enough for me. When my e46 coupe is done, that's it. I sold my e90 for a 2004 e46 coupe because the electronic oil reading was all over the place.

@@waltheisenberg5620 Lol go and buy a Ford Walt.

@@megadave1197 don't have to. Unlike most posh BMW owners, i do all my own work and can keep the old e46 on the road for many years. These are the same weak people that are killing the manual. The coolest BMW's were the 60's-90's with manuals.

That sounds like an excellent choice! And glad to see a fellow Mazda 3 driver on here as well.

wait i have a 2017 mazda 3 as well... maybe ill have to follow... i feel like the mazdas interior is trying to match bmw.

Alex Pascutiu, thanks for asking! The steering is the one "uh oh" in the car. While the *off* center steering has good feel and feedback, the *on* center steering is numb, which takes some getting used to the first few times you drive it on the highway. My last car, a 2012 MazdaSpeed3, had excellent steering feel. (Mazda's in general do.) In fact, my 2015 Mazda CX-5 also has better steering feel. Was it a deal breaker for me? Nope. Just a nitpick, and it's one of the only nitpicks I even have about the car.

@Scott, glad it was helpful! The sunroof was a standalone, separate option for 2017, which I did not select. I *did* end up custom ordering the car, because they didn't have any manuals on the lot. As for the garage door opener, that opener was...from the 1980s(?) and wouldn't play nice with any modern opener 😆. I have since replaced it 😆 Hope that helps!

I don't really heal-and-toe, as I'm on public roads and keep the stability on, so I just use the auto-blip on the downshifts

Steven XCEL, I don't even notice it most of the time, and I drive quite hard most of the time. If you look for it, it *is* there, but I hardly ever see it

Hey Martin! Yes! I still love the car. I still look back at it when I park and think "Dang, that's a good-looking car!" I've had it for 5 years / 72,000 miles, and I plan to keep driving it for the next several years. I love it. I've added a Dinan Stage 1 tune, which really woke up the car, and it fits 2 baby seats in the back, along with a stroller in the trunk! And I still have room for groceries.

It *does* feel lighter, which is especially noticeable during initial turn in, during quick left-right transitions (such as when going through a roundabout), or when maintaining a steady drift.

"Does it feel any lighter compared to the M240?" In my back to back test drives, while the M240 felt more "solid" it also did feel heavier to me. The 230i felt more nimble and responsive. It had plenty of power. Like HoneyBadger stated in his excellent video, I value the responsiveness (and lower price to purchase and insure) of the 230i over the M240's faster acceleration and velvety smooth I-6. The 230i had plenty of performance for me. Am currently "wearing out" BMW's online configurator before I place an order. I understand RWD versions of the 2 series will end with the refresh in 2020.....

That's a great point that I'm glad you mentioned. My 6' 3" friends have really enjoyed the driving position and visibility of the car

@Maclen51 B, hmm, that's odd. I just looked on BMW USA's site and did not see it either. (Doesn't mean it's not there, just that I did not happen to see it in my 30-second glance)

HoneyBadger00 Thanks for looking. I reached the same conclusion. When I go to the dealer, I’ll ask a guy who is a walking encyclopedia of BMW knowledge.

Wilson, that's great to hear! After just over a year of ownership, I can tell you that it's my favorite car I've ever owned.

John, glad you liked the video. I just put my summer wheels back on, and I plan to do another video in the next few weeks covering the new driving experience, as well as discussing more about some of the other cars I considered before going with the 2 series.

Looking forward to it. I decided to go with a 2013 BMW 135is actually just because it gives me the N55 straight 6 and its a little cheaper than going brand new. Probably going to get a 230i when i trade this in 3 or 4 years. Keep up the good work

Updated opinion: Favorite car I've ever owned. Yes, I would absolutely recommend this generation of car, although I don't know that I would recommend the "new" 2-series generation that is launching now. I've recently added a Dinan Stage 1 tune to the car, and if I ever manage to get into a dyno, I'll be posting a "Part 3" video. I can fit a front-facing baby seat behind me, a rear-facing baby seat behind the passenger, and a stroller along with accoutrements in the trunk. The car gets me 35 mpg on the highway when I don't drive like a jack ass 🤣 I plan to drive this car for another 5 years. I love, the Mrs. loves it, and it still gets compliments by people all the time. Best-handling, most fun car I've ever had in my garage, and I'll mourn the day when I have to part with it.

@@honeybadger006 Thanks for the quick reply. I am still driving my originally purchased 2006 Mazda3 5 speed sedan. I still enjoy driving it, but looking for a new replacement that will be as enjoyable to drive! I have just been afraid to buy a BMW due to the horror stories I've heard over the years. Thank you again for your help and review and opinions.

@@t.k.morris sure thing! My last car was a 2012 MazdaSpeed 3, and I would own a Mazda again. I've had one maintenance issue that left me stranded. Around 55,000 miles (outside of the 50,000-mile warranty), the elbow joint coming off the bottom of the coolant reservoir burst. Fortunately, I was 2 miles from home and limped it back to the house. No damage to the engine, because I dealt with it quickly. This was caused by a part failure, as for all new BMWs, what had historicaly been a metal part is now made out of plastic. The mechanic said it could happen again in 50,000 miles. It was a ~$600 job, $550 of which was labor to get to the part, as it is buried deep within the engine bay. I may seek out a custom fab shop to make a metal one for me, for the peace of mind. That said, I had reliability issues with my Mazda--but in neither car were these user error, but rather mechanical weak points from the factory. Hope that helps!

I'm at 74,000 miles now. I had one catastrophic failure around the 60,000-mile mark, where the plastic elbow coming off the bottom of the coolant reservoir burst on me. Fortunately, I was close to home and was able to limp back to the house. Due to how buried inside the engine bay it was, the cost to replace that $50 part was $600 in total, which was virtually all labor. It was back on the road in about a day. THAT said, it's been great otherwise! I installed a Dinan Stage 1 tune around the same time (unrelated), and I've been enjoying the extra power and torque!

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

@Addy Kumar, my lifetime average is right around 28 mpg, in a mix of city and highway driving, where I typically redline the engine at least a couple of runs each tank. On the highway, driving +/- 70 mph, I average about 35 mpg. Hope that helps!

@@honeybadger006 thanks a lot. It’s insanely hard to find one in exactly your spec in the used car market. Lots of M235/M240 but hardly few 230s with the 6 speed and THP.

@@addykumar672 I also have a Dinan Stage 1 tune on the car 👍

@@honeybadger006 hey there. I’m watching your video again. Have my eyes on a dealer CPO 2020 230i in black and black with 8k miles for $36k. It has the m sports package with the m sports suspension (S704). Which I believe your car has too ? If so, can you comment on the ride quality over really horrible roads (I’m in Michigan, yayyy 😄). The reason I ask is because the one I’m looking at doesn’t have the adaptive chassis so can’t adjust anything. Thanks !

Evan Gelder great question! We got about 6 inches of snow this winter, and the car handled wonderfully. I find that I can confidently go 5 - 10 mph faster than the 4WD Jeeps on the highway. We had a particularly bad snowstorm in February, and a friend of mine took his AWD Honda CR-V on the same roads I did. I did 65 in the highway and felt planted; he did 35 and was slipping and sliding all over the place. So, in short, snow tires are better than all wheel drive.

They're great. I have the "angel eyes," and they turn with the steering wheel, which is great around bends in the road. Great brightness without blinding other drivers. And when I'm out in the country, the high beams illuminate everything

Hello Priest_metal, I did look at the Focus ST (as well as the Fiesta ST, both of which I drove on the same day). My last car was a 2012 MazdaSpeed 3, so I'm quite a fan of Hot Hatches. I enjoyed both cars, and if you're looking for the most fun you can have for the dollar spent, it's hard to beat those two; however, while the Focus's interior wasn't...*bad*, per say, there were a lot of cheap, hard plastics, and those kinds of materials tend to squeak and rattle when the car gets old, and that's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Also, while I like my sports seats to be bolstered, the Recarros in the Focus ST are just waaaaay too tight. I'm not a big guy, and yet I can never get comfortable in them. And I'm glad you asked about the S3. My MazdaSpeed 3 had quite a bit of turbo lag, so much so that it almost got me killed more than a couple of times when I would try to make a quick maneuver, but then it would fall flat on its face for a heartbeat or two while I waited for the turbo to spool. The Audi S3 (and Volkswagen Golf R) have the exact same issue, and I was specifically looking for a car that had significantly less turbo lag than my old one, which led me to the BMW. BMW's turbos have the least amount of lag--and most immediate throttle response--of any turbos I've driven. That, and the fact that the Haldex all-wheel-drive system in the Audi / VW is a very front-biased all-wheel-drive system, means that you are already understeering by the time the CPU decides to send power to the rear wheels, and that unwillingness to rotate is to me very unsatisfying.

Thank you for the prompt and detailed response! Good to know about the ST- I enjoyed driving it, but yes, I agree about the seats. It's unfortunate about the plastics though. The turbo lag was very noticeable in the A3, but I didn't realise that the S3 had significant amounts of it too. In any case, thank you for your comments. As things stand, I will most probably get the 230i, and I don't think I'd regret it. The M240i does seem a tad outside my budget, and I'm not sure I need the extra 80-90 HP.

My lifetime average, with just over 13,000 miles now, is 30.3 mpg. I recently took an 8-hr road trip with 3 people in the car, and we averaged 34.75 mpg at 75 mph

Impressive figures! Thanks for the quick response, and good luck with the channel

I traded my 1 series for a 230i this weekend, in part because of your video. I'm so happy - this is such a hidden gem! The handling, the acceleration.. Amazing vehicle!

Did you get it, and how well do you like it?

Hey Michael, Thanks! I briefly considered a JCW Mini myself, but I *greatly* preferred the 230i. Both use the B48 2.0 L turbo-4 cylinder motor, but in BMW trim, it makes significantly more power, and the car is quite a bit quicker than the Mini--plus, I greatly prefer the rear-wheel drive handling of this car. That said, I also love hot hatches, and I don't think you'd be disappointed by the Mini, especially in JCW trim.

HoneyBadger00 hey hey. Thanks. Yeah that’s my confusion too. I also like the 2 series. It’s a bit more elegant and stylish. Most people that know me said the 2 series is “more me”. And I think the 230 is sufficient enough engine wise. In Australia we also have a 220 230 240. Is he looking for the convertible I think instead of the coupe. But I love either. The long door is also preferable for entry and egress.

Hi HB. Ok went and looked again. Decided on 230 M Sport Cab in estoril blue with blue and black seats :-).

Hey Mike, thaat's great to hear! You're gonna love this car

btw HB, i ended up getting it. Now a few weeks of ownership, 230 cab 👍🏼

Hey 5 Percent, Glad you liked it! Yes, I love my manual. The automatic is fine, but for me, a car like this is about the experience, and an automatic kind of dulls the involvement. I love my manual, and it is a riot to drive.

HoneyBadger00 I got my new m240i with MTtoday! really happy now :)

I do, but most of the time I don't even notice it.

Great question! I did in fact mis-speak at that one point. I have a 230i, which is the turbo 4-cylinder starting in the 2017 model year. (The M235i was the turbo 6-cylinder of the prior model year, which was replaced by the updated M240i in 2017.)

@@honeybadger006 thanks man

@@honeybadger006 btw great review

I can confirm that the 230i has auto-rev matching on down shifts. *Every* trim level of the 2-series has it, from the 230i to the M2. You *can* turn it off, but to do so, you also have to completely disengage all stability / traction control, which I am not willing to do on public roads outside of a track. That being said, while a very skilled human is still faster than the computer, the auto-rev matching is quite good.

Actually, it might be an m-sport thing or a feature of modern BMW manuals, as my little 3 cylinder 118i (with M-sport) also has it.

Thanks, and I sure do! If I can ever get into a dyno, I plan to make a follow-on video now that I'm well past 50,000 miles. I've added a Dinan Stage 1 tune, and I'm happy to report that I can comfortably fit not one, but TWO baby seats in the back!

@@honeybadger006 That's awesome, how do you feel about the tune, do you have dyno results? Also how is the fuel consumption?

@@avalanx like the tune, definitely worth the money. My butt dyno tells me it's not quite as powerful as Dinan claims, but then again, that was also my experience when I had my MazdaSpeed 3 with a Cobb Access Port Stage 1 on it, too. I plan to get the car onto a real dyno once I can get it scheduled. (All of the dynos in my area have been booked up for literally months.) I intend to make a follow-up video for that. When you drive normally, the tune seems to have no impact either way on fuel efficiency. When you give it the beans, though, more power = more fuel consumption 🤣 I've tracked every tank of gas I've ever put through the car on the fuelly app, along with notes to describe what I did on that tank. Link below: www.fuelly.com/car/bmw/230i/2017/jokerspeed3/534166

In the trunk itself? Sure. In the under-board section where a car that has a dedicated spare would go? No.

No way on run flats. They hurt your performance (handling, braking, etc.), are noisier, and more expensive. I did hit a pot hole a few years ago that blew out a tire (and bent the rim!), but I was able to limp home. In this particular instance, a run flat wouldn't have done anything for me anyway, because of the bent rim.

That's a great question, and I'm glad you asked. Adaptive suspension 8 days a week, and here are the reasons why: 1) While subtle, you can (and your passengers will) feel a difference in ride quality going from comfort to sport. 2) The Adaptive Suspension comes as part of the Track Handling Package, which includes larger brake rotors, larger FIXED brake calipers (as opposed to the smaller floating calipers by default) and larger wheels with performance rubber. 3) On my 2017 car, the Track Handling Package cost ~2 grand, which was roughly equal to a high-end aftermarket suspension, which would itself not come with the aforementioned goodies. Hope that helps!

@@honeybadger006 it does, thank you. I'm generally the type to buy used to try to save some $$$... So hard to find folks who spec'd these with the M-sport and track package. Good review. I too had a MS3 although mine was a 1st gen, 2008 if I remember. Such a great car!

Sure thing! Be advised, though: If you are getting the M-Sport Package, it does NOT come with the larger brakes; *only* the Track Handling Package does, and I've been in enough panic-stop scenarios that I could not in good conscience go without recommending the larger brakes

Glad you liked it! I recently uploaded my 12-month owner review, skipping over the 8.

Peter, I often have wondered about the presence of the 228i / 230i in the UK; thanks for sharing! And that's interesting to hear regarding the pedal placement. I'm not certain why, but it seems to be a common complaint for owners of right-hand-drive 2-series. I've had no such issues with my left-hand-drive vehicle, which makes me wonder just how differently BMW spaced the pedals on your car. Thanks again for sharing!

@Moresco24, they are NOT trash for reliability. In 5 years and 72,000 miles, I've had one repair bill for $600 that required me to take it to the shop. With proper maintenance, I have every intention of being able to hit 10 years / 200,000 miles. But I do most of my own work. If you're even a little bit handy, I'd say no on the extended warranty.

@@honeybadger006 thanks for the reply looking to get a relatively reliable model in the 230i or 330i. Easier to work on than Mercedes? I know Mercedes’ you need an expensive computer to reset anything you work on

@@Moresco24 I've never needed any sort of computer for any of my work. Just a good old fashioned socket wrench set. That said, I DID go out and buy a specialized spark plug socket, but that was maybe $20. I also haven't had the opportunity to work on a Mercedes at any point for comparison. I'd say the BMW is the most difficult car to work on that I've owned, but I'm coming off a Mazdaspeed 3. And at least with the BMW, I don't have to remove the intercooler to get to the spark plugs like I did on the Mazda 😝

@@honeybadger006 thanks for the info 💯appreciate it

😂 Honey badger don't give a SHIT

@@honeybadger006 oh oh ok. All the best Shaun

Hey Stephen, yes, I use the adjustable suspension every time I drive. I have a million roundabouts where I live, so I always set it to the stiffest setting (which is still more compliant than my the non-adjustable suspension was on my old MazdaSpeed3), and that makes it stay noticeably flatter through the turns. When I leave the suspension in comfort mode, I get quite a bit of body roll through said turns. Driving down the highway, I find that comfort mode doesn't so much HIDE the bumps as it SMOOTHES them out, and sport mode makes the ride a bit more choppy. The adjustable suspension comes with the Track-Handling Package. If you ONLY get the M-Sport suspension, it is non-adjustable and ALWAYS set to the stiffer setting. So yes, I would recommend the adjustable suspension. I would purchase it again

@@honeybadger006 Thank you so much. They discontinued orders for THP with the 230i in October 2019 and I'm trying to decide whether to scoop up one of the few remaining models, or buy a gently used one. I find the stock 2017 230i suspension (Not MSport package) a little soft and indirect.

@@stephencurry34 happy to help! And I would generally agree with your assessment regarding the suspension.

Hey Bill, yes I do! I'm at ~59,000 miles as of writing this (28 Dec 2020), and I have thus far had ONE issue which left me stranded. I'll have to go back and check my notes, but around ~55,000 miles, the elbow joint at the bottom of my coolant reservoir suffered a catastrophic leak. Limped it 2 miles back to the house and then had it towed to a mechanic. Long story short, for this generation of BMWs, they've switched from a metal elbow to a plastic one, so the mechanic said that it COULD happen again, although I'm the only one he's seen it happen to. According to the mechanic, it was NOT user error. Nothing I did caused it, nor was there anything I could have done to prevent it. Freak accident, as it were. Suffice it to say, there was no long-term damage done. They replaced the elbow, and it runs great. Beyond that one not-insignificant event, the car has been trouble free. Hope that helps!

@@honeybadger006 I am considering a 2 series rear wheel drive with a manual transmission, and 4 cylinder. What are the odds of finding this configuration in a convertible? From what I have seen, it appears the convertible is typically ordered with the top of the line trim and automatic transmission.

@@billzziv6859 I don't know. Have you win the lottery recently? Your odds might be better than finding a manual 4-cylinder convertible 😅

@@billzziv6859 I don't see any 4-cylinder manual convertibles, but I DO see some used 6-cylinder cars

The 230i and the M240i visually are identical, save for 2 differences: 1) The M240i has silver-colored side-rear-view mirrors (vs. the body-colored ones on the 230i and M2). 2) The M240i has exhaust pipes on the left and right sides of the car (vs. the 230i, which has both exhaust pipes on the left side). Otherwise, they look exactly the same.

One more difference I believe...the M240 has a black rear bumper valence....230i's is body colored. No biggy but I were to get the m240 (wouldn't as I prefer the 230i) I'd have to get those silver side mirrors painted body colored or opt for the carbon fiber covers...

tood nguyen that's a great question. No, it does not, but between the backup camera (with lines that turn to indicate where you are going), radar, and its small size, it is very easy to parallel park.

My winter wheels are Anzio Turns in black, which I ordered off TireRack.com. I'm not certain if they still carry that particular wheel anymore. My summers are the M-Sport wheels for the 2017 model year. Hope that helps!

Yeah, there were quite a few problems with the Mazda unfortunately

@@honeybadger006 anyway cograts on the 230i i know that was 5 years ago. I also like 4cyl bmws, same reason as you do.

Yup! I put a Dinan Stage 1 tune on it, right around the 50,000 mile mark. I just turned the car over to 95,000 miles this week, and it's been running great!

Dave, I completely agree. That said, on neutral colors (i.e., black, white, or grey), I think the chrome looks just fine--but as soon as you go for something like Estoril Blue, yeah, it needs to be blacked out. I did not choose to black out the trim around the kidney grills, which at first I thought I might regret, but that particular one is such a minor piece that it's hardly noticeable and still looks tasteful.

Walt, that sounds like a good set of options. The Track-Handling Package has an adjustable suspension that can switch between the comfort settings of the default suspension and the M-Sport setting of the Sport+ setting. It also provides you with larger, stronger brakes, and I highly advise for them, as they are both a safety and a performance feature.

I'll defiantly keep your recommendation (Track-Handling Package) in mind when I order my 230i. I’m in Illinois and there are no manual 230i’s currently in dealer inventory anywhere so ordering is your only option if you want a manual. I forgot to mention I currently have the run flats on my e90 and I know that aggravates the sports suspension. Many recommended replacing them with non run flats as it really helps with the ride. Good choice on the manual seats. I suscribe to less is more. You did a good thorough review on the 230i here and it's really helpful for future buyers. Cheers.

@drewmorg I would describe the HK Audio as good, not great, but leaps about over the base audio. Would not purchase the car without the upgraded system

@@honeybadger006 Roger that thanks!

Um, no?

Hey @Evan, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm glad you're enjoying your car. I'm not certain you actually watched my video, because I address your point considering the 235i in it.

Just addressing your comment that it’s “Just a little faster” It’s much faster, torque on 230i is not in the same league as M235i. Also, a slightly used M235i (Less than 20K miles) is an incredible value, if not the best value available anywhere.

@@22RTLE Ok, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Glad you're enjoying your car.

^This guy gets it!