[pazzo]

There's a in stock 2015 228i w/track package in stock. Pretty stripped with track pkg. lighting package and driver assist. Been watching it and it' been in stock for a while.

43k list.

Like to hear from some of you with a like car, what's kinda deal ya'll think I can swing on a buy??

Thanks

[Ramsen]

You could get a new base m235i for that price assuming you can get 500 over invoice or close. Also I just ordered a 228i with manual, estoril, msport, track package, and xenons for 37k. Not sure why that one is so expensive.

[pazzo]

Thanks Ramsen, that's very helpful.

[nike001]

Seems like they built it as the enthusiast car. Shame it's baking on a lot..

[pazzo]

Originally Posted by nike001

Seems like they built it as the enthusiast car. Shame it's baking on a lot..

I know..right? Shame

[Sportstick]

I loaded up a 228i Sportline with Track Package, etc. (see sig) and MSRP was $46k...paid $43k a year ago. You should at least get that below $40k, perhaps comfortably so.

And, no, to the anticipated following post, I did not want a six cylinder engine!

[caycep]

make sure it has one of the packages w/ the good seats, then negotiate around the Edmunds price

[scottyn]

Originally Posted by pazzo

There's a in stock 2015 228i w/track package in stock. Pretty stripped with track pkg. lighting package and driver assist. Been watching it and it' been in stock for a while.

43k list.

Like to hear from some of you with a like car, what's kinda deal ya'll think I can swing on a buy??

Thanks

So there must be some other things on that car to get the MSRP up to 43k. But as sportstick said, you should be able to get $3-4k off that. I would push for a selling price close to $39k since it's been sitting around on the lot and they're probably starting to get 2016's in now.

But the real question, I believe, is this...how much are you willing to pay for this one as opposed to ordering a car, paying a little closer to MSRP, and waiting a couple months to get exactly what you want?

[BarryJI]

Well, Devil's advocate here, THP, lighting package and driver assist is hardly stripped. I found a fully-loaded 2015 228i M Sport (see sig for exact specs) that had been on a dealer lot for less than 24 hours and managed to get them to knock about $2k off the MSRP of $47,000. I think dealer pricing is probably very aggressive here in Los Angeles but I still felt I had got a reasonable deal. I would have paid 10k more for an M235i and couldn't justify that to my sensible wife. As I said, I think the economics of car buying here are a little different and I fully realise that I might have saved some significant money if I had custom-ordered that car with only the options I wanted (all performance-oriented).

It's a lot of car for between $43k and $47k, IMO. Having said that, I envy Ramsen, as I could never have found a 228i with his specs here for $37k. I think that configuration would have cost me about $43k.

[Hemisedan]

Barry, can you give me an update, or your impression on the DINAN tune as well as the DINAN Shockware options that you added. I know that DINAN is expensive, but they are also recommended by BMW and hold the Warrantee. That's why I ask.

[pazzo]

Feel free to post the Dinan feedback here. I'd like to hear it too.

You're right it's hardly stripped, but those are the only packages it has. No premium, no tech. Park assist is just a rear view camera with a beeper.
I have premium and tech on my 328 and I don't consider them must haves and the more sportier handling of the 228i with track pkg is really my top priority. No sunroof is a bonus for me also.

I guess I really can't think of additional factory options I'd like added, except maybe the Msport exhaust. That can be done later too, or bargain for it at a minimum.

I'm gonna go below 40 on the offer. I'm a repeat customer, and the worse they could say is no. I've been watching it on their site for some time and it is updated regularly. I called my CA to see if it was there and he confirmed. When I get back to town, I'll go look at it.

Thanks for all the feedback so far, keep the ideas coming.

[BarryJI]

I am very happy with both Dinan upgrades although I realise that they do not go far enough in wringing the last drop of performance output from this engine to please everyone, especially those who want track performance. I will never track the car; it's my DD and fully loaded. However, I wanted to optimise the street driving characteristics of the 228i with THP (i.e. adaptive suspension) because both the engine and the suspension are capable of much higher performance values than what you get as stock.

I didn't really like the stock suspension; there was too much body roll and I didn't feel connected to the road in the way I've experienced in other small performance cars. Even nowhere near the edge, I strongly suspected that the car would understeer. Dinan does not yet make a performance spring set for the 228i but the Shockware re-programs shock absorber settings, making Comfort mode more like Sport and Sport/Sport + much more responsive than in stock form; the car feels more planted, more eager to adapt to lateral and centrifugal load and even though it will never be a tail-happy car, it feels a little looser in corners now and I feel less of a need to lift because my butt tells me it's going to understeer.

The engine tune, for me, emphasised the car's great "Jeckyll and Hyde" nature. It's as docile and refined in sedate city traffic as you'd expect a BMW to be but the additional HP and torque, combined with enhanced boost performance make an already revvy car very fierce indeed when the throttle is opened up. Obviously, this is all relative because there are more aggressive tunes out there (see below) but the Dinan Stage 1 makes the car pull really hard and surge effortlessly past almost anything on the freeway, at almost any speed. I suspect it does 0-60 mph in 4.6 sec vs 5.1 sec stock.

Now, there will always be skepticism towards Dinan tunes from performance purists, and I get this; why stop short of the very last drop of performance output that can be squeezed from the engine? Why compromise? What's more, it's a piggyback tune, not as direct or extreme as a full ECU flash. The fact is, Dinan realizes that a lot of us want to optimise BMW performance without jeopardizing our factory warranties and offers its own warranty that will kick in if a warranty claim is turned down by BMW on account of the non-factory tune. If your tune cracks the BMW ECU and the car misbehaves, you're on your own. Finally, not all consumers of high-performance cars, even experienced ones like me, can turn a wrench well enough, or have a close enough relationship with someone who can, to make extensive, speculative engine tuning anything but a risky proposition.

One thing worth noting is that some 228is have the N20 engine, others the N26, which, due to certain emission constraints, puts out a little less HP/torque at peak RPM, at least according to Dinan's specs here. But that's why I respect Dinan; they tell you upfront that there are certain sensible limitations that they wish to acknowledge and work within. They want to stay on the right side of BMW as well as please their customers, and, for me, this tune represents the best version of that compromise. The car is quicker and much more aggressive than stock (probably equivalent to the M235, at least to 60 mph) but the power output is also very smooth and refined.

The Shockware mod is currently only available on the 228i (i.e. not the M235) and you must have the adaptive suspension, which I think is an absolute necessity for anyone who is interested in the car's performance capabilities whether he wishes to tune/mod it or not. As long as it does not throw my dealership into fits, I will probably go for the Dinan performance springs set to be released for the 228i in a couple of months, and the performance exhaust, which will add maybe 10 HP and address the car's less than sexy exhaust note. I found a great independent BMW performance shop/Dinan licensee on my side of Los Angeles; these guys have a really strong reputation. I highly recommend you go to an indie performance specialist like this for Dinan upgrades and not the BMW dealerships that offer them. It's nice that BMW has such confidence in these products that their dealership service departments are allowed to install them but the indie guys are the ones with the real passion for the work.

I hope this helps.

[adema24]

I had a similar build to yours, OP. http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1155836

[ralawren]

I just picked up a 2015 228i M Sport with EB, THP, Prem, Tech, Driver Assist, Heated Seats
Sticker was $47,450, I paid $44,950 and received an additional $500+$1000+$500 from BMW. (Build Out, Team USA Drive, BMW Club Rebate)

So I am very pleased. The discount included the local dealer trading for the car and having it shipped 225 miles!

[SteveInfante]

Found my 2014 228 with 2700 miles on it with Premium, Cold weather and lighting package for 34K with the manual. Keep looking. I could've ordered the THP which I really wanted but after investigating I opted for this instead as adding suspension and brake upgrades that I want that are superior to the stock units is more cost effective.

[Brookside]

I'd write out a "Top 5" list of what's important to you in a car...exterior paint- engine- financial, etc. And if the one on the lot hits most of the items from your list- get it.

If not- living with a car that's only kinda-sorta the one you want - that would get under my skin after awhile and ruin the whole new car experience.

I've taken a pass on a few 2-Series on dealer's lots to get exactly the car I want.

I got an ok deal - 6% off msrp of a mid-42k 2016 228i M-Sport w. THP, manual, xenons, leather, moonroof and Winter Pkg., and applied 1k credit from the Team USA driving event.
Right now the car is on the Wallenius Oberon 1/2 way across the Atlantic.

I should have it in 2-3 weeks if the delivery process goes smoothly. Can't wait.

[pazzo]

After getting back to town, I saw the car yesterday. As scottyn guessed, there were additional options on the car that were not listed on the web.

Leather and HK sound was added, but it doesn't have the Premium Package.
Apparently is was an order, because this dealer doesn't order cars for inventory with leather stand-alone. Not sure of the details but the person who ordered it, walked away.

Will be discussing #'s tomorrow.

[SteveInfante]

Let us know how it goes.