How I Bought an Audi S3 and Ended Up With a BMW M235i

The last three weeks have been....interesting, to say the least. The Audi S3 I bought turned out to be a lemon. While waiting for another S3 to arrive, I fell in love with what I believe to be the best bang for the buck on the market.
/ chrisneuman
/ chrisneuman

[@TimTheBall]

Smile inducing.... You and I have a very similar way about us, and where this is most apparent- is in the way that when I stalked the M235i for 6 months, and went insane waiting the 2 weeks for my delivery- I immediately pulled it into my garage, and completely went through each and every menu option, and made sure I understood exactly what I was dealing with....customizing everything to my exact preference....I adjusted my seat to ensure I had absolute comfort....I am never one to use a “quick start” guide....I must know every aspect of my new gadgets before I turn them on.....in this case the other reason is to prevent myself from sabotaging my first impression....anything less than perfect in this investment, absolutely eliminates it from my consideration. What a shame it would have been to misunderstand her, and believe she is less than perfect. I smile all day every day....I can confirm sir, this car IS FUCKING PERFECT. 🔥 Cool sorry thanks for sharing. Enjoy! 👊🏼

[@derekfinnegan734]

Wasn’t expecting this! Enjoy the M235i, Chris, it is a gorgeous car. Actually looks a little bit stealth, with the silver paint. I like that.

[@peteburt2470]

Man, those seats are THE ones to get. I love that red and with the black it's just the best look.

[@Mazda6B6]

Love my M235i. Spec'd mine and ordered. Aftermarket exhaust incoming.

[@sirgalahad1470]

Love the color combo. You are right about the red. As long as it stays off the front dash and contains itself to the door panels and seats it's perfect. That interior would also look great with white exterior but silver is good too.

[@BrianJohnson-kh7mg]

I recently got the M240 and love it! Question...do you know what front end splitter you have? Looks great and gives the front an aggressive look.

[@scanspeak00]

I have a silver E92 with coral red interior. Great combination!

[@stever41g]

Great hearing from you again. Hope the beemer works out for you. Congrats

[@MrMichele1070]

I own a M235i 2016 xdrive convertible and love it , my everyday car is my 2011 BMW X3 , as you can tell , I enjoy Bmw very much

[@MrMichele1070]

Christian Alley , why would you say that ?

[@infinite.static]

I got rid of the comments.

[@georgeapplegate2091]

Audi handles and steers nothing like a bmw or a cayman. Always understeers dynamically inert. The 235i and cayman will always entertain more than a Haldex fitted car. You made the right choice

[@maciejkornatowski3026]

I genuinely hate the way VW "unification" hit Audi. They really 'flattened' the market - even 20 years ago VW and Audi were two distinct brands, but right now it's just slightly up-scale VW to the point where I genuinely don't see what money goes into... Especially since Audi actually quite often turns out the most expensive out of german "big 3" (Audi, Mercedes, BMW). As of now, with Merc upping their game, I'd say that for 'fun' cars BMW is way to go, for real luxury it's more of a Mercedes territory (of course YMMV from model to model). If you want overpay for VW, buy Audi - or just don't be an idiot and go to VW dealership and get same car with same tech, same quality sans some stitching, for half the price.

[@j.s.3414]

They all handle like junk no matter which German brand you go with. Too much electronic assistance and fake steering weight.

[@gutentag6574]

G A had a Cayman S 3.4L and now a M240i. The Handling from the Cayman S was a complete other world. But M240i feels stronger with its turbo engine.

[@pete3198]

@@maciejkornatowski3026 It's all down to personal preference I guess. I personally like the elegant yet conservative styling of Audi cars and I think their interiors are BY FAR the nicest of the three - really not even remotely close. They also have the most matured AWD system which is available across a large portion of the fleet, so that is a benefit for many. BMW's have tended to aesthetically come across a bit cheap looking to me inside and out given their price points. I see them and I feel they look nice enough, but there has been an almost Korean element to their styling in some degrees. I find them pleasing enough but I just dont find they stand out. The latest 3 series is quite nice though, as is the 4 series if not for that horrid grill. The interiors also come across the cheapest of the three, with a lot of matte silvers and hard matt plastics and weird shapes that dont seem to flow well. They aren't by any means BAD looking interiors, but they just have just tended to feel a good step or two below Audi. Againi they did improve on this a lot though with the latest 3 series shape. Modern Mercedes vehicles are just tacky as hell - externally it doesnt matter if you have an A, C, E or S class they all look like identical blobs that have just been stretched to various different dimentions. They really aren't good looking at all. The interiors are also way too "try hard". The lower A class interiors have far too much shiny hard plastic all over the place that attracts fingerprints like nothing else, flat dull doortrims that look like they hsould have come from a Yaris, odd bulbous air vents, etc. The C/E/S class just have far too many curves and shiny bits to the point where it doesnt look elegant, it just looks like something designed by a cheap pimp. IMHO Mercedes hit their peak in the early/mid 2010s and have gone down in a big way since. I'm in the market to buy something soon and I have both Audis and BMW's (M235, M435) on my shortlist. Even though I prefer the styling of the Audi inside and out, I am drawn to the more driver focussed driving experince of the BMWs. I really value a nice interior / exterior on a car, but I also reall value driving experience - so for me the Audi and BMW are similary appealing. The Merc's really aren't anywhere near my Radar, even though I drive one now (W204 C Class).

[@mhdz10]

Very very useful video Chris, thank you!

[@infinite.static]

Thanks for watching Memo!

[@GrimJaw]

Welcome to the club, enjoy!

[@KevinIsFamous]

Always wanted an m235i but they were pricey when I was looking for a car and got a great deal on an 17 A3. Just sold it last week and waiting on my m235i to come this weekend, super excited!

[@carl9184]

You made a good choice . I previously had the Audi 3 series . Audis are fine if you like the interior and space ship gauges 😀 If you enjoy driving then the Beamer is your car . 👍

[@NumNaughts]

I’m between an Audi A4 and bmw m235i. Ive driven an A3 Quattro and it feels very much like a vw jetta.

[@ZackTrunzo]

Great choice! Congrats

[@Flat6Motorsports]

Wow, lots of moving pieces. Seems like a great everyday coupe. I had an e46 M3 a while back.

[@maxfrederick7703]

Similar move to me. Went from a 981 CS to an M2..... havent looked back. The practicality gains coupled with mid range punch more than makes up for any downside in handling (which is actually more fun because lets face it to get a cayman moving about at the rear you have to be pushing so hard that you might not live very long!). Well done, nice car.

[@airs2k]

Thanks for this review

[@yashtripathi9464]

Dream car, hopefully one day🤞

[@DR-vl3ph]

I have the same leather color in my M235i. I found Chemical Guys brand leather cleaner, conditioner, and serum combo works great on the BMW leather. Lexol left a white sheen after a couple of days.

[@cristinad07]

That interior is sooo dope. Agree with you on Mercedes as well. They are more luxury and comfort than sport.

[@saqibzulfiqar8025]

Good choice and congrats !

[@saqibzulfiqar8025]

German Driver I drive a 230 x drive. Wish I had gotten the m2 or at least the 240i. I live in wboro too. We can exchange notes if I bump into you one of these days

[@RobBenjamin6374]

Have you sold your 981 winter wheel/tires?

[@TP-hv9vc]

I thought you used your GTI as your daily driver, not the Cayman?

[@rambow70]

How's your carmax experience? I'm looking at an M235 RWD coupe auto they're about $22-25K for 30-40k miles where as carmax has them for $27k for 40k miles. I also have a 2017 mk7 GTI with 25k miles that I want to trade in. I'm wondering what's the best way to trade.

[@rickle4438]

I love my M235i. Absolutely a monster for the price. I was searching for a Porsche and then I got into this. I’m local to you. Happy to meet up.

[@saphire700]

Rick McCleary same!

[@MrCarFanatic]

how can you compare the m235i to a cayman ? both on my radar

[@danI43541]

The color combination is great! Not a huge fan of BMW interiors, i prefer the facelift S3 one but the BMWs are way more driver focused and probably fun to drive and generally a better Cayman „replacement“.. since you still have your GTI, the S3 is still quite similar. I’d personally go for a M140i because it’s the hatch but I don’t think you guys get it in the US.

[@danI43541]

German Driver well Europe has the same sports seats :D but of course, seats are a very important part and if you don’t like them.. well it’ll affect the driving experience! BMWs always have great seat adjustments but I thought that the S3 Sport seats do have all kinds of adjustments.. maybe just not for North America! Are you going to mod the M235i?

[@mexicodjipuebla3124]

you think the 240 steering (handling) is better than S3 or evan GTI ?

[@georgeapplegate2091]

steering and handling are quite different, no?

[@KAREKINFPV]

My s3 is SICK! I’d rather have it all day than a BMW.

[@maxnix346]

You must never take a corner at speed.

[@KAREKINFPV]

Max Nix yep, in an M3, 330 and 650i all of which where nothing like the AWD of audi!

[@j.s.3414]

@@maxnix346 S3 does fairly well on the track.

[@colinsmith3291]

You're front wheel bias awd Audi S3 is "sick"? Lol. Son, you need to experience a rear wheel drive car before you can talk about sick.

[@ShowMeWhatINeedToKnow]

Good choice!

[@ChipZilla69]

I owned am m235i and now have the the m240i and love it.

[@ratedm90]

Which one is better in your opinion?

[@xkrnxboix]

Wow... didn’t expect you to get rid of cayman so soon. What was wrong with dailying it?

[@adamleininger1387]

Isn't that what the GTI is for?

[@Billbothebear14]

Nice film, well made and displayed. Here in the UK the airwaves seem to be flooded with "Boy Racers " who masquerade as wannabe "testers".? However, you have shown me more about my preferred car than all the rest put together. Well done and thank you. WF

[@Jefferson-kd6it]

Hello I just bought a 2015 Cayman Base for 41k with 38k miles History in carfax is great. Do you have any recommendations or tips . I come from having All Japanese cars infiniti 's and nissans so this is new territory for me . THANK YOU !

[@NMEofdaST8]

How are you liking it?

[@jimohara654]

is your channel still up and running

[@xxdizannyxx]

I have a Estoril Blue M235i with 25k miles on it so far :) Love it. Putting the proven MHD tune in it in 2 weeks to bring it up to 360hp and 390tq.

[@ziyanzhang1735]

Had mine for 2 years. Still brings smiles when I drive it.:)

[@PYROMANIAN777]

Ziyan Zhang have you had any issues with it? I’ve never owned a bimmer before and have heard mixed stories as far as reliability goes....

[@ziyanzhang1735]

Matthew H Never had any issues. Runs like a charm. Consider the fact that I drives a lot. I think this is pretty reliable. From what I heard the N55 engine is pretty solid.

[@PYROMANIAN777]

Ziyan Zhang awesome. How many miles do you have on it?

[@ziyanzhang1735]

Matthew H 20k

[@PYROMANIAN777]

Ziyan Zhang right on. I hope it continues to run well and put a smile on your face (:

[@netcrashYT]

Heh, my daily! Car is amazing. And I'm in New England too... W a boxster. Here's my reasoning - you will learn that the m235 is pretty much too good - tune it and it's ridiculously fast. Then, warm weather car a Cayman will overlap too much with it - the m235 will be faster than the cayman! But a boxster... Forget the stats, the roof down experience can't be met by the m235 (in coupe form) so... There you go. Boxster and m235. I believe that so much its what I have 😁

[@netcrashYT]

Oh I should add... My boxster has 18s on it. No 20s. No 19s. What's the point of an awesome looking car you hate to drive on the roads it lives on? Edit: ah, and you can code some European features in... Self lock, self unlock, full led brightness and more.

[@johnnyparker2128]

I assume the S3’s maintenance cost is less.

[@BlacqueJacqueShellacque_]

Did this one come with the optional turn signals? :P

[@blueberrycobbler]

🙄

[@peteburt2470]

Turn what??

[@leebailes7713]

It’s interesting watching this because the same thing happened to me. I bought an S4 that turned out to be a lemon. Overheating due to warped heads in the engine and more issues. Did an outright swap for the M235i and have not regretted it one bit. Even had it in 6-speed manual. 🤘

[@netcrashYT]

Isn't that the dream (realistic, not exotic) garage for new england? An m235 and a boxster/cayman? :)

[@awesomegamingcom]

Since when did yall have s3s?

[@ZEWCHOOB]

Only the saloon version in the US, no hatch

[@Gr8mate13]

I sold my Golf R and bought a 235i comparing the 2 there is no comparison , the DSG box sucks and furthermore id never buy another car with DSG I hate them. The ZF box is so much nicer the live with sure it not as quick in the shifts but in traffic DSG sucks badly Secondly i had 19 inch wheels the ride was horrendous it was great handling but seriously uncomfortable The 235 is a great package and fuel economy is sensational versus even the Golf with 2 less cylinders. The other great thing it not 4x4 Haltec it real wheel drive thank god for that it just became boring i like the fact the rear steps out feels like you driving a real car again Quality overall is also a setup in my opinion, fit and finish way nicer

[@JacK-yr8ri]

I collect my new m240 next wednesday, cant wait!

[@maxnix346]

Great car, enjoy!

[@germanengineering204]

Just bought a 2021 M240i and already have 8500 miles! I hope it stays reliable so far it's been good. How's yours been treating you really curious?

[@evanwilliams2602]

Welcome to the bmw family. Should of got f30 335i m sport

[@Somchai007]

I'm looking at these cars. Why do you prefer the 335i M sport over the 235i?

[@evanwilliams2602]

@@Somchai007 x drive. And the aggressive sedan look. The m sport looks so agressive

[@knightmarel]

Is it a xdrive or rwd?

[@iscoots]

10:27

[@Avdo_B]

Will you tune this 235i ?

[@infinite.static]

Maybe. Haven't really thought about it. 320 HP/330 torque is plenty for me as a daily right now

[@YasumotoUS]

Surprised at the move to get rid of the Cayman, but totally understand the reason, living in the mid-atlantic (PA) where many secondary roads are essentially falling apart. The 2-series is a compelling line if a coupe fits your automotive needs! I really like the silver exterior and those wheels. Enjoy the new ride! Separately, I've been eyeballing up the Mk 7.5 GTI as a daily driver. Yes, I've seen your videos on your acquisition, etc. One additional item I've been considering are separate wheels and snow tires for the winter season. For the wheels, I'm spec'ing out 17 inch examples to open up the option for cheaper and taller side-walled snows (to eat up the inevitable crumbling asphalt roads). Have you looked into winter options for your mk7 GTI?

[@madwolfa]

@@infinite.static BBS SR look great on M235i. They're not exactly cheap, but seem to be universally praised everywhere...

[@davidv6408]

Damn got me thinking

[@utubejoe11]

You found the right car. It's kind of sporty but more of a small comfy sedan. Perfect for what you are looking for. Forget Porsche. It's an idea in your head but not for you. You need reliable transportation with a flair. If you go sports car again go Japanese.

[@deflep007]

congrats..good luck ,,do you still have th e GTI ?

[@deflep007]

Awesome ,,and that red interior is the best .Looks tremendous.I have had my GTI for about 8 months now , so far so good

[@joshuavincent7884]

How do you "tell the car sales person to stay inside" lol

[@net_news]

I'm sure this car rocks but I like the S3 better, hope you can get a good one sometime.

[@ZenGamer97]

An S3 is not a drivers car.

[@AngelValdovinos]

@@ZenGamer97 the legendary quattro pal, learn the history

[@ZenGamer97]

Angel Valdovinos it’s not a quattro system. It’s haldex. Learn the difference

[@AngelValdovinos]

@@ZenGamer97 still a form of quattro mate dipshit were in 2019 i know

[@ZenGamer97]

Angel Valdovinos no, not at all a ‘form’ of quattro. This is front-biased. It’s not even a sports car.

[@Anslemisrael]

Hey need some advice. I’m looking to trade in my 230i for a m235i but the m235i I want has a lemon history. It was a drivetrain problem. Now the dealership says that BMW fixed the problem now there’s no issues with the car what so ever. Should I take a chance of buying it??

[@lewiscole1572]

No its not worth it wait for the right one

[@Carol39810]

Good choise, beautiful car!

[@georgeapplegate2091]

and once youre bored of the 240i get a c63 like i did :).

[@FutureGameLight]

you should have looked for an m2 so this would be on par with the porsche

[@infinite.static]

Lol an M2 would have easily been $18-$20K more than what I paid for the M235i and about $12K more than what I paid for the Cayman. My M235i has 45 more HP than my Cayman and a huge 120 more lb/ft of torque. And whether it’s an M235i or an M2, neither will handle as well as the mid-engined Cayman

[@FutureGameLight]

@@infinite.static i saw a minute later that you had just the base model and think awd is a big plus so never mind^^

[@infinite.static]

Lol you should have paid more attention. Yes of course I think AWD is a big deal because, and again this is mentioned in the video, that this car is my daily and I live in New England lol

[@wcdunn]

Nice pickup. I'd love to have an M235i in my garage.

[@rabobravo]

To me the big mistake of this m235 or 240 is that looks almost exactly the same as a 218. No wider body, no lips, spoiler... I mean, it's fine if you're +40... The specs are not reflected in the look

[@germanengineering204]

It's all just a matter of opinion because I think the M240i blacked out looks mean as hell!

[@blankblank8468]

👍🏽

[@j.s.3414]

I can't believe the cayman has such a neutered engine...

[@infinite.static]

Base Cayman yes. Cayman S is much better. But of course neither one can be as powerful as a 911 so it won’t steal sales

[@XMG3]

Same thing happen to me, I had a 350Z back in 2005, Audi A3 S-line quattro in 2008, tuned it to stage 2 turbo which can almost keep up to a M3 at the time. Then I bought a blue BMW E92 335i manual. Since then I've only owned BMWs, currently own a 4 series and will probably get a M2 as next car in a few years. But that E92 335i, unforgettably good.

[@kevin-sv6uu]

What's the point of Carfax when they fail so miserably like this?

[@mattviking8533]

lol Carfax is a joke...

[@flatlandAutoSales]

Carfax is terrible. I replaced my front bumper center bar on my Jaguar F type because they added a front tag bracket. Carfax reported it as Damage reported. Lady bumped me at the light and left a 3mm scratch. "Rear end collision".... such a joke. It was a minor fix that killed my ressle value

[@FalconXE302]

So, you found an S3 that had a price that was "too good to be true"... and it ended being the price was... "too good to be true"...! When the price is... "too good to be true"... you dig, you dig deep until you find out the reason why. Prices are NEVER cheap because someone wants to be nice to you...!

[@infinite.static]

Umm. When did I say the price was too good to be true? lol CarMax had many other S3's in the $30K-$35K price range

[@FalconXE302]

@@infinite.static ... at 1:45 ... " you said, "The price was right"... which means you think it is nice and cheap...? You should have fun with your 235i... but remember, German cars are no more reliable than Japanese or good American cars in general... they are however better put together and have better material on the inside. I'm looking at a M240i in the next 6 months. Cheers

[@BalkanBoyBiH]

@@FalconXE302 keep dreaming buddy keep driving that ford

[@kennyagne2922]

weird lol i test drove a audi s3 and a m235i and i picked the s3 lol

[@kennyagne2922]

shoildve tried the 2017+ version since they have the improved haldex system

[@infinite.static]

At the time, the facelift 2017+ was over $5K more than the S3 I briefly had. Plus I much prefer the pull and sound of an in-line 6 than a 4 cylinder.

[@kennyagne2922]

i agree the 2.0tfsi sounds like crap😂 but the pull on the new haldex definitely better than the older model ones

[@germanengineering204]

I test drove a 2021 M240i and also a 21 S3, and honestly the BMW was in another league except for the interior! The handling along with the engine sound, and especially performance was way better! No turbo lag at all just instant torque everywhere the car is a rocket ship!

[@paulpak1]

I drive my 981 daily, rain or shine / snow. Like yours, it's a non-S but with a 6spd manual and sport chrono. I wish you kept it. Handling-wise, I'm afraid you've downgraded, but I can understand your reason for it. BTW, it's perfectly acceptable in the winter as long as you have dedicated snows. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGqqlqlufJ6ia7s

[@nathanwabre]

« How I bought an understeery shit car and finished up With a proper rear wheel drive tail happy machine »

[@dieselrules4843]

Nathan Weber S3? A shitty car. You have never driven one.

[@sl33pers39]

Diesel Rules , I agree he apparently never driven Rs3 too.

[@MYLIFEISBOW]

look at these 4x4 lovers

[@shilezi]

@@dieselrules4843 yep, 2018 s3 blew my mind on the test drive

[@DramA525]

Sounds like you drive a mustang

[@cammgt3rs370]

I'll be honest. The S3 is a furiously overrated car. I was very disappointed with 2 that I test drove. M235 however is very well balanced and damn near track ready.

[@wwesuperstar1100]

Wait you said a Mercedes doesn’t do you good with their interior?! That’s a bummer , they make the best interiors on the market ! Waaaayyy better than this m240

[@infinite.static]

Junior here just figured out what opinions are. Congrats! Lol

[@TheJosephayal]

i will never ever buy another european car, not even Free!

[@SuperCR45]

You never drove a BMW than

[@TheJosephayal]

@@SuperCR45 No thank you!

[@SteveMiguel]

You must be a mustang driver

[@andrewbrown5636]

The BMW is ok if you want to ‘blend in’ with the crowd. The Porsche had class. Shame.

[@mattviking8533]

Sorry a Cayman is a poor mans Porsche.. just sayin.

[@Bestwick1983]

@@mattviking8533 Agreed. Unless you can afford at least a base 911 there's no point in owning one.

[@infinite.static]

Lol clueless

[@MavenProductions247]

Dont even know why people try and compare audis to bmws, audis make great cars, designs are too dull and same (i own an a4) bmws are leagues above like for like. Audis are good for motorway drivingm theyre just leagues behind bmw around a track due to their horrendous understeer BMW are more of a drivers car, feel more premium in build quality and have much better looks. The 5 series audis as an example has been the same for 14 years, minus the ne wheadlight and it wasnt an amazing looking car then. Audi need to sack their designe, fix their understeer issues and start driving bmws around tracks and maybe true petrolheads will be buying audis over bmws !

[@awesomegamingcom]

Liam Beale BMW interior is shit

[@MavenProductions247]

@@awesomegamingcom much better than audis. Much more premium

[@awesomegamingcom]

Liam Beale I disagree it's very plain and quite repetitive.

[@tonunknown1]

Audi’s interior is on par with 2010 Lexus, is boring and dull. It’s a vw with lipstick on it.

[@MavenProductions247]

@@tonunknown1 couldn't agree more. Audis are nothing more than vws trying so hard to be a bmw and failing miserably. Bmws are much more of a drivers car, audis are ideal for people who want a nice little motorway runner and don't care about looks.for build quality, and looks, drivabity, and fun and performance bmws win hands down.

[@ogray5]

Stop Cursing I have kids watching your video

[@carl9184]

You made a good choice . I previously had the Audi 3 series . Audis are fine if you like the interior and space ship gauges 😀 If you enjoy driving then the Beamer is your car . 👍