28i or 35i?

Looking to go back to a Z4 and would like input from forum members concerning a 28i or 35i.
Drove a 28i this week and was surprised with the power the car has. Having had a 35i several years ago I'm wondering if there are any 28i owners who are dissapointed with their decision.
Car I am building will have M Sport pack, Cold Weather Pack. This will serve as a second car, generally for good weather driving only.
Thanks in advance.

Hill start assist is only on the 35i. Only an issue if you are getting a manual and have to do a lot of hill starts.


Our Z4 is an M-Sport. Worth getting the option pack.

I haven't driven anything with the new turbo 4, but I read several sentiments that it's so good that the marginal step-up to the 35i with its associated weight gain is almost not worth it. This is mostly concerning the new 328i vs the 335i, but I imagine it's probably the same for Z4 as well. I certainly wouldn't mind owning a 28i. But I do think that the dual exhaust on the 35i looks more aggressive than the single exhaust on the 28i

I've test driven the 4 turbo just to make a comparison to my 35i and the horsepower and torque advantage in the 35i is very noticeable. If you want the extra power that accompanies the 6 cylinder, the 35i is well worth the additional monies to have it.

The valuable opinions will come from those of us that already own either the 35i or the 28i

Having not driven either, I'd say go for the 28. In a car this light, it should be plenty. If you lived in Germany and regularly drove ~150 mph, the extra power would be worth it. But in the US, the 4 cylinder turbo should be plenty.
As for hill assist, it's not that big a deal. I live in San Francisco and drive a manual 2006 BMW X3 -- the year before they offered hill assist. You figure it out quickly. At the end of the day, you'll be happy with either. (I'm a little jealous, actually!)

-James
San Francisco, CA

We own a 2012 Z4 without hill start. We also owned an e83 X3 back in the US.

There is a difference and it is an important one. The new Z4 has an electric parking brake.

Hill starts are possible with the EPB, but there is a delay. Driving uphill in stop and go traffic is difficult. The EPB doesn't release fast enough to keep up. Pulling out into traffic requires an extra second.

The EPB doesn't have any feel to it. It is all on and then after a second releases just about instantly. Getting a smooth launch uphill is possible but there is a learning curve. Getting a smooth uphill start without the warning chime going off is not easy. Parallel parking on a steep hill is possible but annoying.

The driver sits higher up in an X3 than a Z4. Pulling out into traffic from an X3 is often easier because you can see farther. The Z4's long nose doesn't help. All of this wouldn't matter so much if the Z4 had hill start or a mechanical hand brake.


=====

We test drove a 2012 X3 last weekend. The 20d versions do not have hill start. They do have an electric parking brake. I have no idea why BMW has done this.

Hill start does not work if you don't have the clutch and brake depressed for several seconds. Try putting the clutch in earlier.

The sDrive20i and sDrive28i do not have hill start. Only the inline-six e89 Z4s have it.