For those who came in late, one year ago I bought a CPO 2014 M235i with 15,300 miles on the clock. So; how do I like after the new has worn off?
Short answer: A LOT.
It's proven to be the perfect car for me. I've even grown to like the voice activation and navigation- features I wouldn't have bought if I had ordered it. I've since driven an M2 and an M3 with the dual clutch 7 speed gearbox and-heresy alert-I prefer my car's 8 speed ZF automatic; it's about just perfect. What I like most about the car is its ability to be driven sedately in traffic or on long internet slogs- yet still be relatively track capable by just switching it into "Sport+" mode.
As far as reliability goes, the only black mark has been a dead auxiliary cooling fan at 21,000 miles. The brakes and tires look to have at least another 3,000-4,000 miles of life left. Apart from that the car still looks new inside and out. The only money I've spent on service has been for a coolant flush and a brake fluid change prior to its first weekend on the track. It has used no oil. Fuel economy is decent- 25-27 mpg in suburban driving, 30-32 mpg on the interstate.
Dislikes?
Lack of a limited slip. At about half throttle or more traction is an issue through the first three gears. I'll probably bite the bullet and get the M Performance unit installed this year. Instrumentation is also minimal. I may add an oil temperature gauge or at the minimum a Bluetooth OBD2 dongle and a supporting iOS app. Aside from that I have no complaints.
To sum up, I expect that this car will remain in my garage for many years to come.
Short answer: A LOT.
It's proven to be the perfect car for me. I've even grown to like the voice activation and navigation- features I wouldn't have bought if I had ordered it. I've since driven an M2 and an M3 with the dual clutch 7 speed gearbox and-heresy alert-I prefer my car's 8 speed ZF automatic; it's about just perfect. What I like most about the car is its ability to be driven sedately in traffic or on long internet slogs- yet still be relatively track capable by just switching it into "Sport+" mode.
As far as reliability goes, the only black mark has been a dead auxiliary cooling fan at 21,000 miles. The brakes and tires look to have at least another 3,000-4,000 miles of life left. Apart from that the car still looks new inside and out. The only money I've spent on service has been for a coolant flush and a brake fluid change prior to its first weekend on the track. It has used no oil. Fuel economy is decent- 25-27 mpg in suburban driving, 30-32 mpg on the interstate.
Dislikes?
Lack of a limited slip. At about half throttle or more traction is an issue through the first three gears. I'll probably bite the bullet and get the M Performance unit installed this year. Instrumentation is also minimal. I may add an oil temperature gauge or at the minimum a Bluetooth OBD2 dongle and a supporting iOS app. Aside from that I have no complaints.
To sum up, I expect that this car will remain in my garage for many years to come.
