Buying a car for my kids - 228 or M235?

[540iguyy]

As the title says. It's been a long-term goal of mine to turn my E36 into a project car with my son. He's young but getting old enough and the e36 is starting to really need a lot.

I'm thinking about picking up a 2-series as a replacement for the e36 and then handing it over to the kids in 5 years when they are old enough to drive. I don't know anything about the M235 vs. the 228 but the general question is would I be dumb/foolish to turn over a 5-year old M235 to a 16-yo kid vs. a stock 228? Either car will have a manual transmission.

Trade off would be safety to them in the future vs. fun for me over the next few years - is it really a trade off or is the M235 not really a "stupid fast BMW M car"?

Thank you for your thoughts and opinions.

[stephenkirsch]

If you got the cash to fix things when they break/crash/insurance, why not?

I wouldn't give my son either of those cars, though.

[pizzaman09]

That car has over 300 hp, it will be pretty stupid fast for any new driver, heck even a 228 will be quick enough to get any new driver into lots of trouble.

I would suggest you only live once, if you have the means to buy the M235, do it, otherwise you will regret not doing it later.

[sometrumpetguy]

At 17-18 I used to borrow my dad E36 325i and that thing got me into trouble with a lot less horsepower (120mph down I30 outside Dallas). Most young drivers do irresponsible things with their first cars, if you trust your kids to be responsible then I would go all out and get the M235 since you will have more fun with it until they start driving.

[ross1]

Handing over ANY car to a new teenage driver is a fools errand. If it is fast, or even perceived to be, all the more foolish.
Give 'em a year in a sturdy beater first. An M20 powered E34 525 comes to mind.
Don't give him a manual first time out, THAT is a race car in a sixteen year old's mind.
My $.02

[nike001]

Keep the e36. Get him working on it and he'll learn to respect the car that he helped build and keep up. Then he'll know he doesn't want to crash his work.. and moreso piss you off because it's your work (and money) too.

If I had a 28i or a 35i on any chassis when I was 16, it surely would've ended in disaster.

I had a huge boat e39 528i that I've coaxed to 120+ on more than a few occasions. And I was a calm 16 year old

[stephenkirsch]

. I had a huge boat e39 528i that I've coaxed to 120+ on more than a few occasions. And I was a calm 16 year old

+1. Only I had a Volvo with 168hp lol

[Rudolph320i]

+1. Only I had a Volvo with 168hp lol

MY 87 325E reached an indicated 122 back when I was young(er) and dumb(er).

[540iguyy]

OK, to be clear, my kids are 10 & 11yo at the moment, daughter is 11 and son is 10 so the plan would be for me to drive the thing for the next 5-6-7 years and then hand it over to them in 2020 as a used 5-6-7 year old car for them to eventually share.

The e36 will be a project that my son and I will start (now or one of these months/years) to track, etc. as a team. So for now it's a question of what the M235 will be like in a few years vs. what the 228 will be like.

EDIT: They can both drive ATVs out in the fields and will both learn how to drive on a manual transmission car. Having to shift means you can't text and drive and it's a great idea for them to learn on a RWD manual car just to learn about handling and general driving skills. Both will participate in BMW's street smarts for kids as well as hopefully learn to Auto-x by then.

[prash]

+1 on Volvo or Mercedes.

[Rudolph320i]

OK, to be clear, my kids are 10 & 11yo at the moment, daughter is 11 and son is 10 so the plan would be for me to drive the thing for the next 5-6-7 years and then hand it over to them in 2020 as a used 5-6-7 year old car for them to eventually share.

The e36 will be a project that my son and I will start (now or one of these months/years) to track, etc. as a team. So for now it's a question of what the M235 will be like in a few years vs. what the 228 will be like.

EDIT: They can both drive ATVs out in the fields and will both learn how to drive on a manual transmission car. Having to shift means you can't text and drive and it's a great idea for them to learn on a RWD manual car just to learn about handling and general driving skills. Both will participate in BMW's street smarts for kids as well as hopefully learn to Auto-x by then.

cant text and drive with a stick eh? i very shamefully beg to differ, sir.

[pizzaman09]

My parents handing me the keys to to a V8 740iL back when I was in high school wasn't always a good idea. I can remember 130mph once racing a 350Z.

Then again I drove my Oldsmobile land yacht like I stole it every day, actually I still do. Luckily 205hp in a 16.5 ft long car is controllable no matter the throttle input.

[540iguyy]

I suppose I need to hope the BMW is safe enough. They will either crash the thing in a few months or they will be mature and responsible and it'll be fine.

I think I may get the 235 and see what happens in a few years. I can always trade in the 235 in good condition for two crappy e46's or 228's.

[MaddmattH]

Don't give him a manual first time out, THAT is a race car in a sixteen year old's mind.
My $.02

I disagree with that bit. Best to get started in a manual, teaches you better car control and you learn first hand the relationship between gears/revs/power.
I started learning with a manual and damn glad I did. So many people can't drive anything but an auto...

But yea, a fast car as a first car is not good. Especially RWD. Need to start off in something easy/safe and move on from there.

[cfmistry]

I think his behavior will be a function of how he is raised. I had responsible friends who had M3s in high school and got in much less trouble with their cars than others with modified Camrys. I think an M235i will be fine if you teach him not to abuse that power on the street. Hell it's much better than "fine".

[slocar]

I'd say I was a very responsible 16 year old ... still didn't stop me from managing to hurtle down the road at 130mph in a 165hp m20 powered, 2 ton e34 525ia, numerous times. If I had twice that power in a lighter car ... yeah, pretty sure I would have killed myself long time ago.

[BenFenner]

They can both drive ATVs out in the fields and will both learn how to drive on a manual transmission car. Having to shift means you can't text and drive and it's a great idea for them to learn on a RWD manual car just to learn about handling and general driving skills. Both will participate in BMW's street smarts for kids as well as hopefully learn to Auto-x by then.

I was a very responsible child, and operated serious go-karts and mini bikes and other motorized vehicles from a young age. I was also taught to drive a car with a manual transmission, which was RWD, by a father who is also a serious car enthusiast.

That being said, I did all sorts of insane shit in my first car. I was so lucky it was a Volvo 240 with no power. I never actually got into any real trouble with it nor did I ever crash it, but I can tell you if I'd even had an E30 325is worth of power I'd have been in even more trouble. After a year in a Volvo 240 sedan, and then another year in a 240 wagon I was itching for, and mature enough for a real performance car. I got most of the stupid urges out of my system by then and can say I never got into any serious trouble with that car either.

Long story short, I think you're foolish to consider giving either of those options to your boy. Maybe the girl would be okay with either, but I bet the boy would be much better off in the 2020 version of a Volvo 240. I have no idea what that would be though? Even the "slow" 4 cylinder cars at the turn of the century are too powerful IMO. Maybe do the M235 and remove 3 of the coils and unplug 3 of the injectors when you hand it over?

cant text and drive with a stick eh? i very shamefully beg to differ, sir.

Oh yes, so much this. I've driven manuals all my life. I don't text (I have them disabled on my phone) but I sure can take a call while eating a burrito while navigating any type of traffic. I like to think I'm still one of the better drivers out there even while doing so, operating the indicator stalk and canceling it myself with burrito in hand like a pro is the most fun part, but maybe that's another thread. Point is, having to shift will do nothing to prevent them from doing "crazy" shit.

[mrcheezle19]

I actually think you're just fine giving either of your kids the car. Like you said they will be a product of how they were raised. If you are into cars and teach them from a young age about car control and what is safe for streets and what is not I believe you will be fine. No one knows your kids better than you and you will be able to tell pretty quickly how they will be behind the wheel. My buddy had a highly modified 330ci in high school and never screwed around on the streets with it. Maybe a quick blast up an onramp but everything else was saved for auto-x. While most of my other buddies drove beater Honda's and got in all sorts of trouble. Yes the potential is there for them to screw around with more power, but teach them well and I think they'll respect it. Especially when they receive a nice car, they won't want to destroy it, at least I wouldn't at 16.

[wanganstyle]

Either car will have modern 2014 safety standards.

It's quite possible that a modern day minivan would smoke many bmw's at a stoplight drag

Any 2014 Honda/Nissan/toyota minivan and nissan minivan has about 300hp. A V6 camary is 268hp a v6 accord is 280hp.

The Nissan quest minivan has 3500cc and a better response higher output NA engine than bmw now produces.

Buy the one that amuses you more. My 1988 camary automatic did over 120mph many times when I was 16; never crashed it just hustled to mountain bike races.

[pimpstaty5y]

buying a M235i for an inexperienced driver is asking for trouble. As many have stated we managed to do stupid shit in our less than 200hp first cars..Now giving 300hp to someone who's never driven before is flirting with danger.

[SpeedsterBek]

I would say buy the car for yourself to have fun with. You never know what's going to happen in 4-5 years. Maybe new trend would be to drive plug-in hybrids in 2020, and gas gazzling petrol sports cars would be frowned upon in HS

[540iguyy]

I would say buy the car for yourself to have fun with. You never know what's going to happen in 4-5 years. Maybe new trend would be to drive plug-in hybrids in 2020, and gas gazzling petrol sports cars would be frowned upon in HS

Too true, LOL.

I'm leaning towards a 228i over the M235i. Hopefully it's not a mistake. I'd like to put in my deposit tomorrow.

EDIT: Alpine white with black interior and whatever options required to get a LSD.

[ross1]

I disagree with that bit. Best to get started in a manual, teaches you better car control and you learn first hand the relationship between gears/revs/power.
I started learning with a manual and damn glad I did. So many people can't drive anything but an auto...

But yea, a fast car as a first car is not good. Especially RWD. Need to start off in something easy/safe and move on from there.

My first was manual too, the reason I'm confident in my statement.
Basic maneuvers are a challenge for new drivers even though they usually think not, car control(which sadly is seldom taught) can be learned in any car and shifting which complicates the process can come a bit later.
I'm lucky to have survived those lessons in car control.

[catalyst.]

my old 93 325i did 130 before the limiter kicked in when i was 16

depends on the kid

[Peteyesco]

Can you adopt my wife and I??