Bmw 230i(G42) vs BRZ/GR86
 

Hi everyone,

I am in a different situation here and i need some help because i cant decide, In my country (Turkey) tax depends on engine size so when Brz/gr86 come with bigger engine it pushed its price really high. If a car has less engine size than 2.0l you pay little bit less tax. So Bmw 230i (g42) with m sport comes the same price as the Brz/Gr86

First of all base price for the Bmw 230i is 36k $ when we add M sport+ M Handling packages it comes to 41k $ and Gr86 is 30k $ but i will pay the same price for both cars. I owned a 2014 Brz and i love the car so much but i never had a bmw and i never drove a new one. Bmw specs are looking pretty good i will drop some information and pics and if anyone knows the engine of the 230i or ever driven cars close to that like 430i or previous gen 2 series please help me thanks a lot. Some people will say test drive it and decide yourself but problem is we dont have a chance to test drive those cars we order and wait we only have options like 218i with 1.6l engine and no m handling packages to test drive. Same for the twins i cant test drive it. I wonder your opinions about it, which one you prefer ?


Bmw g42 230i specs

2.0-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 4-cylinder
255 hp
295 ft-lbs
8 speed automatic
0-60 5.5 seconds
Curb weight 3519 lbs
Rwd with M Sport Differential (optional but i added it to price)
Weight distribution %51.6 front %48.4 rear

Attachment 207182
Attachment 207183
Attachment 207184

Get the twin if you want a manual or a more sporty leaning car. Get the BMW if you want more of a GT car.

Personally i'd go with the GR86 6MT .You can't beat that manual feeling.After that my major factor would be weight ,BMW is almost 300kg heavier if not more.BMW Service and OEM parts are too expensive even for small things and it doesn't matter if it is a new car or a 10years old.I had a BMW K75 motorcycle two years ago and genuine parts were too expensive for no reason.And i have a lot of friends with BMWs or MINIs and i know.So i believe after 5years of ownership you may end up pay far more for the BMW than the GR86.Otherwise 2series coupe are fun to drive cars but more on the GT side.With the new GR86 interior being much improved i wouldn't think of the bmw.BMWs are too common in this part of the world where you live so GR86 will be more unique and it will not lose value.

I don't think you will enjoy the 2series as much as the GR86.

That's a tidy looking BMW. Didn't know that they still make front grills a reasonable size.
May want to get in on that action before the car becomes 1 giant grill.

I've severely disliked both of the modern BMWs I've owned including a manual F80 M3 and a manual M2 Competition. Both felt like they had about 300 layers between each input and the car. I had an M235i manual prior and that was even worse. The last BMW I had that I liked was an E90 M3.

I’ll echo those thoughts as a long time BMW driver. The BMW won’t be nearly as much fun. You may get close with an older car, like an E36 M3, but the newer cars aren’t meant to be as driver focused anymore.

If you want a sports car, get the Toyobaru,

If you want a luxury coupe that is a perfectly capable performer, but you’re not that interested in driving, get the BMW.

I’ve got a G20 M340i, and used to extensively drive a friends F22 M240i. Also have my A90 Supra.

They’re going to be entirely different cars, I can tell you that. The new 2er from most reviews seems to be luxury first and sporty second. It’s also auto only obviously. If you are serious about driving involvement and don’t care about more frivolous things, the clear choice is the 86. The BMW is much better though as a daily and is going to be a much more premium car no doubt.

I will echo other people’s sentiment as I’ve also had an E36, E92, and F80 M3s as well, and it’s interesting to see how the new BMWs have become increasingly luxury focused without any real emphasis on feel. They somehow feel very artificial to me while also not transmitting much useful feedback to the driver. I really don’t find the G20 fun to hustle on canyon roads because of this.

BMW's taillight game has been pretty bad lately too. 2 series gran coupe looks bad (since it looks like SUV taillights stretched to fit the sedan butt) and this 2 series 2 door coupe pretty bad as well. I think the updated X3 looks like this 2 series tails...horribad.

I kinda got used to the 4 series nostril grilles...but every time i look at them on the new M3 and M4....its just horrible.
The 7 series grille is just wierdly oversized for the car....

My choice for twins will be MT if i had one it is bad that i cant test drive bmw. I had brz and that car is amazing to drive. Thanks for all the answers for now it looks like i should choose twins if i want fun car but in the other hand bmw looks like it will be better choice for daily driver car but my concern is like you guys said it is an expensive brand in every way. It is a hard choice if you think that both cars are gonna cost me around 100k$ �� so that is why i need every opinion i can get.

You misspelled disappointing

Well, can’t say I disagree lol. Look at what car I’m buying.

700 lbs is a big weight difference. The 86 will be more responsive to driving inputs and be a better drivers car if that's what you're after

This is a tough one. The BMW normally cost quite a bit more than the twins. And you get quite a bit more luxury for it. The infotainment is the best in the business, the G generation interiors are also pretty spot on. It's also a real 4 seater with decent luggage space. But. It will not drive anywhere near as good as the 86. BMW does not make sports cars, they do make sporty luxury cars. The steering is numb, the chassis is usually good but the weight is always noticeable. It will cost a lot more to run. And this one really is ugly like all the new ones. I now drive a 435d, and the thing is a rocket on wheels. It is loaded with tech. But it is missing a lot of the involvement and precision. For that I will probably get the 86 as soon as they are available here. But if I had choose only one car, I am not sure which one I would take.

Obviously this forum will have bias favouring GR86 and BRZ. That said I'll echo what most have said, BMW today isn't quite like how it used to be. I had a big post ready but I think I rambled too much and deleted it.

I'll also echo in favour of the E90, the oldest BMW I've driven and easily the best of the BMWs I've driven. Alas I've heard from many others that this is not even BMW at their best. Leaving me to wonder how much I would've enjoyed the E46, E36 or the E30.

For me I think my issue with modern BMW is they chose specs and refinement especially them chasing for as many crossover buyers. I miss the old more stubborn BMW insistent on RWD, NA I6s and excellent driving dynamics.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Is finding a lightly used 2020 86 an option? You could stay within the 2 litre tax frame and the difference in cost could pay for a pile of upgraded mods.

Haha, I test-drove a 128i M-Sport over the weekend, and the salesman at the BMW dealer (car guy - had a Z4M, 987 Cayman, and currently a M240i) was lamenting with me about move to big, turbo and disconnected.

@Hiroba Games: I think the engine tax notwithstanding, your cost of ownership will be lower with the GR86, and it'll also be easier to mod it to your taste (for a reasonable budget).

There is total of 5 used cars can be found in entire country. All of them AT expect one and that one is 2jz swapped. @Tcoat

@daiheadjai I was wondering how the car felt like. I liked the feeling of brz it felt like a feather it moves like a part of your body direct feeling of brz was awesome. I was not expecting the bmw the feel same with that weight but if its even close, that is fine for me. Also last bmw i used was 2013 x1 and that steering wheel feeling is worst i ever used it felt so heavy without any connection to wheels. I cant compare those cars i know that is why i am asking you guys. Also i wont be able to test twins too, i will export it myself, man you guys living the car guys dream there :drool:

Well that rules that out.

Hard choice. I'm not a fan of how the new 2-series looks, but it is no doubt a much more premium vehicle to drive.

Thinking more long term, which one depreciates more? Sure, the tax on the GR86 is a lot, but will it retain its value better over its life verses the BMW. The GR86 should also be bulletproof at this point.

BMW will retain its value better there is no doubt.

No it won’t.

Not sure about Turkey, but in the US BMW cars don't hold value until they become collector cars. Only ones I know of that have gone up in price after bottoming out are the e30s and e36. If you were truly concerned about that you'd just try to get your hands in an e46 m3 and sit on it. At least thats my normally incorrect opinion.

Seeing as you've said you'll more or less pay the same price for it up front, the 86 will arguably be easier and cheaper on maintenance in the long run. The BMW might be a bit more practical but if things go wrong it's more likely to be costly.

The best bit to me is the new M240i xDrive (only way it comes) is 3871 lbs which is more than:

A 6th gen Camaro SS
A S550 Mustang GT

AND, is very similar to the best one, a f*cking Dodge Challenger lol.

I can’t believe that BMW’s smallest sports car in the US can weigh about the same as a Challenger…

BMWs value drops like a rock in the first years. I bought mine 2 years old for less than half the sticker price. Same with the last one ten years ago - 3 years, low mileage - half price. GT86/BRZ on the other hand hold their value exceptionally well. Even before the craze started you could hardly find one of the first years (so cca 6 years old) below half the price.

I was a die hard BMW fan until lately - had a E91, and now have a E60 and F36, but the stuff they produce lately is just not interesting anymore. Part of it is the 435d showed me that I don't really want or need a fast car, but I want a good proper sports car. But they also kind of lost their way with all the SUVs and the ugly heavyweights they churn out lately. They are still lovely cars to drive long distance or commute. They have a lot of small details eg. you can set the temperature of the middle vents so you don't get ice cold air blasted in your face in the summer or hot dry air in the winter. But they just shifted their focus away from sporty and from driving pleasure.

GR86 is a future collectors car.It may be cheap now or will be cheap over this decade but after 2030-2035 it will rise its value especially the 6MT with electrification and autos.Plus less volume on a good car makes the price go higher.It just takes time until the rise begin.There is no back after that.In Balcans or i must say Europe BMWs are the cheapiest rwd coupes you can find.I mean there are everywhere:search:

I don't really know about Turkey but i don't believe is far from that situation!

These cars are very rare in Turkey and Greece. In my country there is a BRZ which is the show car of Subaru Greece and the other is mines which I brought it from Germany. Toyota was able to sell a few more, but I would say not more than 20 cars in total.

I mean for my country it will retain its value, Turkish people love German cars there are 15k used bmws available for sale right now but only 193 subarus on sale.

Yes we can find bmw easily as you are, i actually think like you bmw is gonna another normal sporty car but in the other hand if i can keep my twin it will be a amazing car in 10 year once it sales are over. But i should not sell it before production is over. Also it will be cheaper to maintain.

Same here man like i said there is only 5 cars on sale right now and subaru sold it here itself. If i bougt GR86 from europe like you did it will probably an only car in Turkey for a while:thumbup:

Official Greek sales are :
GT86 18
BRZ 5

There was some months ago a red import brz on an island for sale ,and i've seen around 6 imported GT86s ,so total number must be around 30 for both!

No 2020 model until now but there are 7 facelift cars (4 GT86 and 3 BRZ).

Are all these with Greek license plates? The information of about 2-3 BRZ's in total was from Subaru Greece. They told me this a year ago.

There have been 5 or 6 guys from Turkey on this form over the years. They all sort of disappeared a couple of years ago though.

Yes Greek license plates,i don't know about the red brz though.

Used brz cost around 80k $ people cant buy those type of cars anymore. We have bmw 520i or mercedes e180 which has 1.6l turbo charged engine and it cost around 50k$ slightly used ones so people choose premium cars and kept the money for themself. I cant blame them if you are not looking for a performance it is a better choice. I now have one of those cars it is slow but man it is luxurious. It is gonna be hard choice but thanks to everyone i got opinion on bmws, this forum is very helpfull.

You can certainly feel it's a heavier car - taller too. Pretty good sightlines/visibility though (lots of glass)
The straight six is lovely to wind out, and is very smooth.
The shifter and clutch were OK - clutch is probably as vague as the BRZ clutch was, but the shifter is definitely better in the 86/BRZ in terms of feel (I don't think BMW is known for shifter feel anyways).

Steering felt tremendously-heavy at low speeds (almost excessively), but felt much better once at speed (though it could be because of the aftermarket wheels on the car I tested).

I think of it like a nicer, grown-up and softer BRZ.

Wait 128i with a 6 cyl? So you’re talking about a E82 with a N52? Those were from the last good years of BMW and drive absolutely nothing like the new ones.

I've just looked at curb weight of G42 and G20. How come a smaller coupe 220i is heavier than a bigger sedan 330i? This is ridiculous.
BTW, 1445 kg/3186 lbs is quite reasonable for 330i though, I thought they are heavier.

Bmw 230i(G42) vs BRZ/GR86
 

The G20 330i weighs 3580lbs, which is more than what the 335i weighed 10 years ago. The 328i (330i’s equivalent) weighed just 3350lbs back then. The new cars are pigs.