I was thinking the same exact thing...I was leaning toward a m240i/235i or dream m2 as a first dedicated ring tool...great video misha :) showing us all how we can drive and still have fun without going fast!
Drove this in 2018, came from England with a friend. Misha you instructed us both. Car was great, handled well and provided enough excitement for my first time at the Ring
Came from Canada in 2019 to drive this beast on a trackday. What a great car to learn the track in, easy to drive and easy to push a bit even for a beginner. The only thing I think it's missing is an aftermarket exhaust other than that it's absolutely perfect! Thank you Misha and everyone at apex you guys are top notch!
I had driven this in 2019 for my first time ever being at the ring, it was an awesome car! I had Louise as my instructor and he showed me just how good the brakes are on this car. It gripped up very well around every corner and felt very comforting for a first timer. I was supposed to drive the Up! but came to find it was sold shortly before my arrival, and was put in the 218i and I am glad they did. Such a well sorted machine, just needed a bit more noise from the exhaust.
The front suspension on the car looks fantastic. As a 997.gt3.mk1 owner, who has heavily tracked it, when covid ends, and I hopefully visit, this is the type of car that I would rent from you guys - good brakes, good suspension - perfect car to learn the track with.
I just made my request for 218i from Apex and hope to drive it on April 18th. Big hello from Canada and thank you for this video. I'm going to watch it 100+ times for sure now!
I drove it with you a few weeks ago (I was the one who didn't find the 2nd gear), and it aspired confidence in the car immediately; it is like it doesn't even heard of oversteer. Definitely a good pick up if you just want to have a good time without being the fastest on track.
It is , i had 2 laps in it last year, absolutely amazing experience first time on the nurburgring , suspension brakes and tires like a track car , engine is nothing special but the fun is in the corners
Robert gives similar vibes when lapping the GT86; when the gearbox is replaced perhaps you two could head out together for a few laps and showcase the differences between the two? (notwithstanding another 'Mitchell-shift') 😜
If I was going to rent a car, it would either be this one or the Polo. After seeing the "cruising" laps with Robert and Tristan, I'd be doing the exact same thing. :-)
I took this car out in 2019 for a track day and had an amazing time! It was my first time driving Nordschleife, and I knew I wanted to just take it easy for a few hours so I asked if I could switch out for a faster car halfway through the day. I think I talked with Tom and he said "no problem!" But actually I just stayed out with the 218i all day. It was incredibly easy to drive and allowed me to take in the experience of driving the Nordschleife, rather than trying to push limits. I am pretty sure I only overtook twice, and a few instances where a driver in front indicated that I could pass, but I didn't have the power lol It is very well set up and I would recommend it for people, like me, who are new to Nurburgring, or like a "momentum" style of driving like Misha mentions. It is not setting lap records, but it is very satisfying to hit an ideal line
Well, I've only driven two cars on the Nordschleife, my 75hp Peugeot 208 with terrible chassis not made for track use at all, bad suspension, bad brakes and regular tires and your 218 so I felt a HUGE difference. As you said the car felt safe to drive with the handling of the semi slicks and the chassis/suspension work even though I had never driven a 200hp RWD before so I didnt know what to expect. I loved it so much that I came back two weeks later to rent it again :) I will definitely consider a 228 or 230 with nice mods as my first track focused car next year ! I've seen you many times Misha but I've always been too shy to come talk to you. I'm that akward kid with his big purple jacket (not sure If you can remember me ahah). Loved the content as always ! Keep up the good work
I drove Apex 218i 2019 and it was just amazing! The grip this thing has is superb with suspension and tyres, i could go almost flat out anywhere and never had even tiny amount of slip. The brakes were better than any car i have ever driven at track... There is just three things that i didn't like about it. 1st - The exhaust, its so quiet that you don't know what revs engine is at, i would try stare revcounter at straight for perfect shift point, it would be nice to hear 3 banger roaring. :D 2nd - The gear change "autolift", i don't really remeber how this worked but i remember that gear changes we're jerky when i would change gear quickly, lift clutch and apply throttle, there would be small delay for throttle to respond. It's like BMW is trying to stop you from fast shifting. 3rd - The power feels so little when it has so much grip and brakes are so phenomenal, maybe like 250-270hp would be great for this. ID for video of my lap at YT is cfXlGXgpjb0
What’s the 218i pushing rn? I love this build you guy’s have done, im on stage2+ rn pushing 207bhp and 314nm (manual), just need to work on suspension now haha, got the bog standard msport suspension
I had my CZcams debut in one of your videos in the 218. Amazing car. A lot more fun than the numbers would suggest. Only thing I found a bit curious was that the drivetrain drowns the engine sound, so it's a bit hard to hear when to change gears. But WHAT an experience! 10/10 would lap again! Well. The excellent instruction was half the experience. ;)
Hi Misha, I own a M240i which also is running JRZ RS ONE suspensions. Could you please tell me your suspension settings in this 218i? It might help the performance of my car in local tracks. Thanks!
Excellent cars with a few mods. All the traditional BMW strengths and more time on track to enjoy them! Go slower and the tracks seem less busy too! I would run tyres with a little less grip to make it a bit more adjustable, but I guess not as safe / hire proof! Enjoyed the vid as always!
If I would go for my first lap Misha, I would pick a Boxster GTS 4.0 MT/PDK as it’s not crazy fast like M5 but very fast yet fun to drive & looks amazing too.
I'm surprised Misha even used the brakes on the 218i. That was seriously funny, "You can brake tomorrow and it will stop you yesterday!" I enjoyed the vlog and if they allow me to go to Germany without a vaccine passport, it'll be a car we try.
You can do some corners very fast, because its a smooth car to drive. Its not a hectic car. So you get more feeling about the car and not the speedometre.
I own a 218i !!! Quality car I love it, had loads of memories for now 2 years. Learnt to drive a BMW properly and drift looking to get an upgrade now. What can you suggest? M240i . Keep up the work anywyay !
I simply love this car. Pretty different from my 335 but I rented it last year in september cause the 335 couldn't be driven and had a lot of fun😊 It was also the first car I drove on the . I will surely rent it again.
My first ever Lap needs to be with my car because it will be more special. But to learn the 218 would be a great beginners car. Sadly theres no more sub7up.
Anyone knows how the 218i is performing still? I heard the complaints about the lack of exhaust noise. A simple m240i muffler retrofit would do the trick, like a I did with mine.
My and my friends rented it already twice. Two of us have older E90 325i, so this car is as close as it can get. We loved it! Started with instruction laps, then went for laps alone, and afterwards jumped in our cars and just repeated what we learned before. Perfect! Once we are allowed again, we will be back ! :)
We don't get the 218 out here, but that thing would be a hoot to drive with the mods you guys have done, enough power to have some fun & learn, not enough to get into trouble, thanks Misha, Rj in Oz
I drove this car 20/4/19, I was meant to be in the UP! but someone had smacked it over a kerb and destroyed the suspension. The car has doubtless moved on a bit since then, but I thought it was very capable for what it is and perfect for a first timer on the ring like myself. I managed to get it around in (just) under 10 minutes. To be honest the thing I noticed about it most was the tyre noise, I suppose because the engine is so quiet the only thing you can really hear is the tyres. Also Misha, you probably already are, but make sure you are using class 10 SD cards in your gorpro. I had the same problem with mine with it recording for 30-60s before switching off before I switched to a class 10.
I'd love to have the option to buy one of these. In Brazil we only have the minivan or the very expensive options from BMW 2 series. I love small relatively simple cars with rear wheel drive and manual transmission like this one and the GT86.
I have driven the 218i- It was extremely well balanced, great grip but not too fast so if you make a mistake it shouldn't be catastrophic - I would not rent it again, but I have and will recommend that to everyone who wants to do their first laps. The one issue is when you have a helmet on, you can't hear the engine which makes shifting a bit frustrating as you can't do it by ear.
So I’ve been driving E36 M cars at my local circuit for ~4 years. This year I got a new car for endurance racing, a 325is. Same philosophy you speak of here, but it’s my favorite BMW I’ve had. Pretty much a German Miata, but I enjoy a more fair fight with those guys ;)
i drove the 218 in 2017 with Tim as an instrutor and i have to say is the best car in the apex fleet, since i haven't driven other cars XD, and yes the only video in my channel is from my third lap ever and was recorded with Misha's GoPro that he kindly let me :) Can't wait to visit apex again in the summer after 4 years if the europe restrictions allow
I've always driven the 218 when going to the ring since getting my company car why, I just can't convince myself to rent anything else for this reason: more laps > faster car... It might not be the fastest accelerating car, but in the corners this thing is faster than almost anything out there... grip and brakes are just insane and "not having to worry to smash the accelerator" is a benefit for you own "safety feel" as well to be honest
i am looking for a fun car but not sure what to take: TTS 8j or something like 220i? is the driving experience close or miles far apart? would be very thankful for help.. btw. comparing the cost of mods to the price of the car.. i would find it limiting buying a 3 cyl. which pretty much is maxed out..
Sorry for the late comment, but I drove the 218 back ik 2018. It could be one of, or maybe even “the”, best rental cars IF it made some engine noise. The upside is: it’s safe and easy to drive. I did the whole nordschleife only using 3th & 4th gear. But you need to wacht the rev counter constantly because you don’t hear the engine asking for the next gear...even in the red zone. Because of that, I never rented the car again. I did dream about drilling some holes into the rear silencer though😉 Two words apex: call miltec!
I rented this 218i then the Cayman GTS in May 2019, the 218i was a good starting car but a bit boring- mostly because of the lackluster engine and dead steering. Didn't help I arrived to Apex in a M2C from Sixt :)
Drove your 218i today, it was my first time on the ring. Brakes, grip, handling were great! Engine and transmission are somewhat disappointing. Only gears 3,4 and parts of 2 are useful, and it's not easy to keep it in the right rev range. Some other "ring tutorials" I watched here on youtube mentioned that you don't need 2nd gear on the ring - you definitely do with the 218i. I have a 420d with the 8 speed automatic as a daily driver, and although that on paper has slightly worse power/weight, it feels like it accelerates better over a wide range of situations. I found myself wishing I would have my known engine + transmission with the suspension, brakes and tyres of your 218i ;-)
The problem these cameras usually have with the SD cards are usually caused by the SD card not being able to keep up with the amount of data the gopro wants to push through, so the gopro just stops the recording. The SD cards are placed into classes 2,4,6 and 10, based on speed. In class 10, there are separate classes called UHS (Ultra High Speed) 1 and 3. For 4K recording, especially if it's 4K 60fps, you should use a UHS 1 card at least, but an USH 3 is probably the best choice. The higher the minimum write speed, the less chance you will run into problems.
For me I would start with the Polo and when I get comfortable, I would switch to this next. This is such a good package for someone new to the 'ring. Only reason for choosing the Polo first is bc it's auto. I would want to get comfortable first without worrying about shifting. Then naturally jump to the 218 and onwards.
I think maybe the Polo is the quicker car of these 2... it's more automatic (DSG), sure, but if you're used to manual & want to stay that way, the 218i is a good way to start out.
Anyone else miss boosted boris? No disrespect to misha, i just feel that boris is trapped inside misha and dying to come out. Especially when the GoPro messes up. lol
Lots of reasons this was the perfect car for me. I own and drive a F series BMW so for my first time on the Ring it was nice to jump into something that was immediately comfortable and the seats and driving position were familiar. Manual transmission was also something I really wanted. Both cost per lap and "what is it going to cost me if I have a bad day" were big factors. For my first time on a long complex track I really needed something with grip and predictable handling more than power. I did get passed a lot - and the ONLY beginner issue I had was feeling the need to watch for traffic coming up behind me and get out of their way - but that was as much my driving/experience as it was the lack of power that the car had. I thought the car pulled great - but longer uphill sections made me wish I had chose the M2. The car has very high grip, is easy to control and breaks away gently. I made plenty of mistakes and it was extremely forgiving. I'd love to try the M2 or a faster car someday - but at twice the lap cost for the M2 and given my level of experience I'll choose the 218i again next time I'm there.
I also should add that I had Mike Ruggenberg with me on the first few laps which was incredibly valuable and helpful. I'm pretty sure I'm not the worst driver he's ridden with but he's still got nerves of steel!
Hey Misha! First of all love your videos and im almost 2 years subbed now! I had a question and thats if 180 hp would be enough on nordschleife, because i want to buy a bmw 116i 3 cilinder but i think 180 is maybe a little slow... the previous gen had the n13 engine which could produce 240hp on a stage 2. Would like your opinion! Love from Belgium❤️
I think he and/or Robert suggested around 200hp as a good starting point for the Nordschleife. I think I would agree.... Not sure about reliability after the tune though....
@@mgcharoudin because of the numbersplate are you all here from ktown? Area or why all of those cars have kl on de plate Because i also came from that area
Hello Misha, I have a question about b38 engines. My family want to buy a BMW x1 f48 18i sdrive(b38 engined). There are some rumors at forums about b38 engines have several issues. Have you ever had a problem with 218i and if you had what were this issues? Greetings from Turkey, I'm really entertaining while watching your videos. Hope your channel gets the value it deserves, I think your channel is one of the best vlog channels for car and Nürburgring enthusiasts.
Personally, I have a fascination for inline-3s, ever since a straight-piped GR Yaris came screaming past me one day. This car specifically has the B38, almost quite literally half a B58. And I’ve see these engines push well over 130kw modified. So if I were looking to get a more modern small BMW (which I am), The 218i or the 118i F20 would be my first choices.
This car needs an exhaust so badly! No a noisy stupid one, but something that at least allows you to hear when do you need to shift without looking at the RPM meter :P It was the first car I drove in the Nürburgring, and it was fantastic. I'm coming back in august to rent it again, this time with another friends. This car is the perfect example that investing in handling is much, much more driver rewarding than investing in power. You just need half a lap to realize how much lateral grip this thing can handle, which felt like a shitload when I drove it!
Mee eens, de APEX BMW 218i is een fijne auto om de Nordschleife mee te leren doorgronden, ik heb er 7 rondes mee gedaan en dat heeft een goede basis gelegd om met mijn eigen auto's veilige rondes op de Nordschleife te rijden.
Inderdaad beter altijd eerst ff te huren. Coach erbij, tranquilo rondjes. En daarna pas zelf te rijden. Ik had zelfs na 30 ronden ofzo in de polo pas de ‘nerves’ om m’n eigen auto te pakken. Moet je nagaan.
Hey Misha! Why not feature something like this for example BMW 320D/330D , this is much more relatable content for the majority of us ( i think).. We could see what to expect from a car when visiting Nurgurgring so we don't get in the way of faster cars and ruin our fun there and also that we can anticipate how to drive without going overboard and maybe cause some damage. Much love from Croatia!
Imagine if that car consumes so much fuel per lap (look at the gauge) what the other 200hp+ cars from the fleet are doing :O This car is the perfect car for the first timers on the track. It has suspension/brakes/tires that are one of the best for it. You don't need 400+hp for the fun!
@@mgcharoudin thank you for showing respect for your fellow drivers. There are many youtubers who would slowed down to video more and make some asinine comment about the driver. I believe showing respect is proof of a good upbringing.
If you go to a good tuner and always warm the engine up the right way etc.. its pretty reliable i have the same engine with stage 1 remap no problems after 3 months yet
What a great little car! You need skills to know how to carry your speed and not over brake or over steer the course. Nice ride. Sorry about the GoPro. :-(
63.000KM! Are all of those on the Nord? Wonder what reliability has been like with a smaller, tuned, engine (edit) you mentioned the nord laps at the end lol, typical
In 15 years time these will be THE drift beater.
Hahah I own one now I can relate😂
With a swapped b58 or tuned 4 pot
@@Jake-xh6cg same😂😂😂😂
As someone who has not done a single lap of the nordschleife yet, the 218i would probably my pick for a first ever lap.
She’ll do you right.
What happened to u r profile pic??
I was thinking the same exact thing...I was leaning toward a m240i/235i or dream m2 as a first dedicated ring tool...great video misha :) showing us all how we can drive and still have fun without going fast!
Good choice.
Drove this in 2018, came from England with a friend. Misha you instructed us both. Car was great, handled well and provided enough excitement for my first time at the Ring
Well you know what they say, it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow 😁👌🏻
Came from Canada in 2019 to drive this beast on a trackday. What a great car to learn the track in, easy to drive and easy to push a bit even for a beginner. The only thing I think it's missing is an aftermarket exhaust other than that it's absolutely perfect! Thank you Misha and everyone at apex you guys are top notch!
I had driven this in 2019 for my first time ever being at the ring, it was an awesome car! I had Louise as my instructor and he showed me just how good the brakes are on this car. It gripped up very well around every corner and felt very comforting for a first timer. I was supposed to drive the Up! but came to find it was sold shortly before my arrival, and was put in the 218i and I am glad they did. Such a well sorted machine, just needed a bit more noise from the exhaust.
The front suspension on the car looks fantastic. As a 997.gt3.mk1 owner, who has heavily tracked it, when covid ends, and I hopefully visit, this is the type of car that I would rent from you guys - good brakes, good suspension - perfect car to learn the track with.
Least exciting 2 series? that'd be the FWD minivan version you can get.
Oof
FWD minivan???? Eh BMW MINIVAN? You what
It’s actually pretty exciting to drive tbh
It’s actually pretty exciting to drive tbh
This 218i seems a fine choice of vehicle with nice enhancements. Thank you.
Drove it yesterday! What a fun and amazing car! So confidence inspiring! Take care of the clutch peeps!
I just made my request for 218i from Apex and hope to drive it on April 18th. Big hello from Canada and thank you for this video. I'm going to watch it 100+ times for sure now!
I drove it with you a few weeks ago (I was the one who didn't find the 2nd gear), and it aspired confidence in the car immediately; it is like it doesn't even heard of oversteer.
Definitely a good pick up if you just want to have a good time without being the fastest on track.
Awesome lap, 218 seems like such a easy car to drive!
It is , i had 2 laps in it last year, absolutely amazing experience first time on the nurburgring , suspension brakes and tires like a track car , engine is nothing special but the fun is in the corners
Robert gives similar vibes when lapping the GT86; when the gearbox is replaced perhaps you two could head out together for a few laps and showcase the differences between the two? (notwithstanding another 'Mitchell-shift') 😜
Cannot wait to lap the GT-86 again!!!
If I was going to rent a car, it would either be this one or the Polo. After seeing the "cruising" laps with Robert and Tristan, I'd be doing the exact same thing. :-)
I took this car out in 2019 for a track day and had an amazing time! It was my first time driving Nordschleife, and I knew I wanted to just take it easy for a few hours so I asked if I could switch out for a faster car halfway through the day. I think I talked with Tom and he said "no problem!"
But actually I just stayed out with the 218i all day. It was incredibly easy to drive and allowed me to take in the experience of driving the Nordschleife, rather than trying to push limits. I am pretty sure I only overtook twice, and a few instances where a driver in front indicated that I could pass, but I didn't have the power lol
It is very well set up and I would recommend it for people, like me, who are new to Nurburgring, or like a "momentum" style of driving like Misha mentions. It is not setting lap records, but it is very satisfying to hit an ideal line
Great vid as always Misha.
Well, I've only driven two cars on the Nordschleife, my 75hp Peugeot 208 with terrible chassis not made for track use at all, bad suspension, bad brakes and regular tires and your 218 so I felt a HUGE difference.
As you said the car felt safe to drive with the handling of the semi slicks and the chassis/suspension work even though I had never driven a 200hp RWD before so I didnt know what to expect.
I loved it so much that I came back two weeks later to rent it again :)
I will definitely consider a 228 or 230 with nice mods as my first track focused car next year !
I've seen you many times Misha but I've always been too shy to come talk to you. I'm that akward kid with his big purple jacket (not sure If you can remember me ahah).
Loved the content as always ! Keep up the good work
Come say hi next time!
I drove Apex 218i 2019 and it was just amazing! The grip this thing has is superb with suspension and tyres, i could go almost flat out anywhere and never had even tiny amount of slip. The brakes were better than any car i have ever driven at track... There is just three things that i didn't like about it.
1st - The exhaust, its so quiet that you don't know what revs engine is at, i would try stare revcounter at straight for perfect shift point, it would be nice to hear 3 banger roaring. :D
2nd - The gear change "autolift", i don't really remeber how this worked but i remember that gear changes we're jerky when i would change gear quickly, lift clutch and apply throttle, there would be small delay for throttle to respond. It's like BMW is trying to stop you from fast shifting.
3rd - The power feels so little when it has so much grip and brakes are so phenomenal, maybe like 250-270hp would be great for this.
ID for video of my lap at YT is cfXlGXgpjb0
What’s the 218i pushing rn? I love this build you guy’s have done, im on stage2+ rn pushing 207bhp and 314nm (manual), just need to work on suspension now haha, got the bog standard msport suspension
Drove it in heavy rain, even with the Nankang‘s very safe and fun✌🏻
Great video. I have a question. What is the gauge blow the Rev counter?. I’m not familiar with BMW.
I had my CZcams debut in one of your videos in the 218. Amazing car. A lot more fun than the numbers would suggest. Only thing I found a bit curious was that the drivetrain drowns the engine sound, so it's a bit hard to hear when to change gears.
But WHAT an experience! 10/10 would lap again!
Well. The excellent instruction was half the experience. ;)
Although it wouldn't be my first choice, I think the 218 has proven itself like a good and fun car to do a lap in around the Ring
Hi Misha, I own a M240i which also is running JRZ RS ONE suspensions. Could you please tell me your suspension settings in this 218i? It might help the performance of my car in local tracks. Thanks!
Excellent cars with a few mods. All the traditional BMW strengths and more time on track to enjoy them! Go slower and the tracks seem less busy too! I would run tyres with a little less grip to make it a bit more adjustable, but I guess not as safe / hire proof! Enjoyed the vid as always!
If I would go for my first lap Misha, I would pick a Boxster GTS 4.0 MT/PDK as it’s not crazy fast like M5 but very fast yet fun to drive & looks amazing too.
Did my first lap with the 218i I really enjoyed it 😎
I'm surprised Misha even used the brakes on the 218i. That was seriously funny, "You can brake tomorrow and it will stop you yesterday!" I enjoyed the vlog and if they allow me to go to Germany without a vaccine passport, it'll be a car we try.
What spoiler are you using on this car? looking to get a matching one for my 230i m-sport.
You can do some corners very fast, because its a smooth car to drive. Its not a hectic car. So you get more feeling about the car and not the speedometre.
Nice lap Misha. I just kept my eye on the economy gauge to know when your foot was mashed to the floor. Like all the time!
lovely lap
I own a 218i !!! Quality car I love it, had loads of memories for now 2 years. Learnt to drive a BMW properly and drift looking to get an upgrade now. What can you suggest? M240i . Keep up the work anywyay !
Yeah I liked that. What a good interesting little car. Just right to learn the ring with.
I simply love this car. Pretty different from my 335 but I rented it last year in september cause the 335 couldn't be driven and had a lot of fun😊 It was also the first car I drove on the . I will surely rent it again.
My first ever Lap needs to be with my car because it will be more special. But to learn the 218 would be a great beginners car. Sadly theres no more sub7up.
Anyone knows how the 218i is performing still? I heard the complaints about the lack of exhaust noise. A simple m240i muffler retrofit would do the trick, like a I did with mine.
My and my friends rented it already twice. Two of us have older E90 325i, so this car is as close as it can get.
We loved it! Started with instruction laps, then went for laps alone, and afterwards jumped in our cars and just repeated what we learned before. Perfect!
Once we are allowed again, we will be back ! :)
When u rent one of their cars, do they sit next to you?
@@MileRunningCrocodile Depends on the car. Some are mandatory, some are optional
@@mgcharoudin oohmy!
Didn't expect a reply from the GOAT (or alpaca?) himself. :o
Danku voor de informatie misha ;)
We don't get the 218 out here, but that thing would be a hoot to drive with the mods you guys have done, enough power to have some fun & learn, not enough to get into trouble, thanks Misha, Rj in Oz
228iX owner here. f22 chassis is a handling monster, technically the smaller engine cars have less weight upfront...better turn in? maybe?
I drove this car 20/4/19, I was meant to be in the UP! but someone had smacked it over a kerb and destroyed the suspension. The car has doubtless moved on a bit since then, but I thought it was very capable for what it is and perfect for a first timer on the ring like myself. I managed to get it around in (just) under 10 minutes. To be honest the thing I noticed about it most was the tyre noise, I suppose because the engine is so quiet the only thing you can really hear is the tyres.
Also Misha, you probably already are, but make sure you are using class 10 SD cards in your gorpro. I had the same problem with mine with it recording for 30-60s before switching off before I switched to a class 10.
Reminds me of the E21 320 that was my first BMW. Underpowered but sure-footed.
where did you get the car tuned good sir?
I'd love to have the option to buy one of these. In Brazil we only have the minivan or the very expensive options from BMW 2 series. I love small relatively simple cars with rear wheel drive and manual transmission like this one and the GT86.
drove my first laps back in 2017, with only ECU remap.
it was slow and safe , perfect for first laps on Nordschlife.
I have driven the 218i- It was extremely well balanced, great grip but not too fast so if you make a mistake it shouldn't be catastrophic - I would not rent it again, but I have and will recommend that to everyone who wants to do their first laps. The one issue is when you have a helmet on, you can't hear the engine which makes shifting a bit frustrating as you can't do it by ear.
So I’ve been driving E36 M cars at my local circuit for ~4 years. This year I got a new car for endurance racing, a 325is. Same philosophy you speak of here, but it’s my favorite BMW I’ve had. Pretty much a German Miata, but I enjoy a more fair fight with those guys ;)
great video. Buy SONY cameras?
do people who have this car find it underpowered? looking at getting one but obvs only has the 1.5l
i drove the 218 in 2017 with Tim as an instrutor and i have to say is the best car in the apex fleet, since i haven't driven other cars XD, and yes the only video in my channel is from my third lap ever and was recorded with Misha's GoPro that he kindly let me :) Can't wait to visit apex again in the summer after 4 years if the europe restrictions allow
I've always driven the 218 when going to the ring since getting my company car
why, I just can't convince myself to rent anything else for this reason: more laps > faster car...
It might not be the fastest accelerating car, but in the corners this thing is faster than almost anything out there... grip and brakes are just insane
and "not having to worry to smash the accelerator" is a benefit for you own "safety feel" as well to be honest
I drove the 218 last year... for my opinion it could have more power but handling was really good
I'd love to do a few laps in the 218i. As memorable as any I'm sure.
Looking forward to the BMW iM2?
i am looking for a fun car but not sure what to take: TTS 8j or something like 220i? is the driving experience close or miles far apart? would be very thankful for help.. btw. comparing the cost of mods to the price of the car.. i would find it limiting buying a 3 cyl. which pretty much is maxed out..
There is quite a difference. TTS is a better base
does the car have a turbo or supercharger?
Sorry for the late comment, but I drove the 218 back ik 2018. It could be one of,
or maybe even “the”, best rental cars IF it made some engine noise. The upside is: it’s safe and easy to drive. I did the whole nordschleife only using 3th & 4th gear. But you need to wacht the rev counter constantly because you don’t hear the engine asking for the next gear...even in the red zone. Because of that, I never rented the car again. I did dream about drilling some holes into the rear silencer though😉 Two words apex: call miltec!
So did George fix the suspension? It had a pretty bad case of arc bind when i drove it...
I had great fun with it no matter, first time on the ring with my 7yo son
I rented this 218i then the Cayman GTS in May 2019, the 218i was a good starting car but a bit boring- mostly because of the lackluster engine and dead steering. Didn't help I arrived to Apex in a M2C from Sixt :)
Nice video! But why did you blur that tow-truck?
Because crashed car
I think this engine maybe suits the F56 Mini chassis more, it pulls a lot harder because of the less weight!
Thanks for the video Misha.
Superbock e36 😅
Why was the vehicle on back of the (orange) tow vehicle blurred out??
Out of respect
Drove your 218i today, it was my first time on the ring.
Brakes, grip, handling were great!
Engine and transmission are somewhat disappointing. Only gears 3,4 and parts of 2 are useful, and it's not easy to keep it in the right rev range. Some other "ring tutorials" I watched here on youtube mentioned that you don't need 2nd gear on the ring - you definitely do with the 218i.
I have a 420d with the 8 speed automatic as a daily driver, and although that on paper has slightly worse power/weight, it feels like it accelerates better over a wide range of situations. I found myself wishing I would have my known engine + transmission with the suspension, brakes and tyres of your 218i ;-)
The problem these cameras usually have with the SD cards are usually caused by the SD card not being able to keep up with the amount of data the gopro wants to push through, so the gopro just stops the recording. The SD cards are placed into classes 2,4,6 and 10, based on speed. In class 10, there are separate classes called UHS (Ultra High Speed) 1 and 3. For 4K recording, especially if it's 4K 60fps, you should use a UHS 1 card at least, but an USH 3 is probably the best choice. The higher the minimum write speed, the less chance you will run into problems.
I always use premium cards :)
@@mgcharoudin What kind of gopro are you using exactly?
Good morning Carmrades. What is the little dial under the rev counter that moves sideways when you lift off the gas Misha?
It shows live fuel consumption in Liters per 100km.
It says l/100km, meaning the liters of fuel it's slurping every 100 km. at that speed. So when you lift, you use less, obviously. :-)
Oh okay thank you Carmrades I wasn't able to see what it was marked as since I was watching the video at a low quality due to my bad wifi.
For me I would start with the Polo and when I get comfortable, I would switch to this next. This is such a good package for someone new to the 'ring. Only reason for choosing the Polo first is bc it's auto. I would want to get comfortable first without worrying about shifting. Then naturally jump to the 218 and onwards.
I think maybe the Polo is the quicker car of these 2... it's more automatic (DSG), sure, but if you're used to manual & want to stay that way, the 218i is a good way to start out.
@@brendanfleming6584 i hardly get to drive manual cars let alone on track so that's why I think I might struggle at first on track with a manual.
@@hamzasherazi9334 Polo away then!
@@brendanfleming6584 👊
Misha at his best.....great vid apart from the go pro
I have driven 118i with 3 cylinders, and I did not like how the engine produced the power.
GoPro problems: are you formatting the SD card after downloading your media?
Yep
Anyone else miss boosted boris? No disrespect to misha, i just feel that boris is trapped inside misha and dying to come out. Especially when the GoPro messes up. lol
I’d go for the Polo for my first lap of NS
The Sub7Up! would be my choice
Lots of reasons this was the perfect car for me. I own and drive a F series BMW so for my first time on the Ring it was nice to jump into something that was immediately comfortable and the seats and driving position were familiar. Manual transmission was also something I really wanted. Both cost per lap and "what is it going to cost me if I have a bad day" were big factors. For my first time on a long complex track I really needed something with grip and predictable handling more than power. I did get passed a lot - and the ONLY beginner issue I had was feeling the need to watch for traffic coming up behind me and get out of their way - but that was as much my driving/experience as it was the lack of power that the car had. I thought the car pulled great - but longer uphill sections made me wish I had chose the M2. The car has very high grip, is easy to control and breaks away gently. I made plenty of mistakes and it was extremely forgiving. I'd love to try the M2 or a faster car someday - but at twice the lap cost for the M2 and given my level of experience I'll choose the 218i again next time I'm there.
Thank you for such a thorough feedback!
I also should add that I had Mike Ruggenberg with me on the first few laps which was incredibly valuable and helpful. I'm pretty sure I'm not the worst driver he's ridden with but he's still got nerves of steel!
Hey Misha! First of all love your videos and im almost 2 years subbed now! I had a question and thats if 180 hp would be enough on nordschleife, because i want to buy a bmw 116i 3 cilinder but i think 180 is maybe a little slow... the previous gen had the n13 engine which could produce 240hp on a stage 2. Would like your opinion!
Love from Belgium❤️
I think he and/or Robert suggested around 200hp as a good starting point for the Nordschleife. I think I would agree.... Not sure about reliability after the tune though....
200 hp is enough for starters!
Does GoPro have a recommended or partner SD Card ?
Nope
Is it faster than a MX5? Probably.
How heavy is your 218? Love the concept of momentum cars! Only problem is most modern cars are to heavy for my taste (:
Stock weight whatever it is
@@mgcharoudin because of the numbersplate are you all here from ktown? Area or why all of those cars have kl on de plate
Because i also came from that area
Hello Misha, I have a question about b38 engines. My family want to buy a BMW x1 f48 18i sdrive(b38 engined). There are some rumors at forums about b38 engines have several issues. Have you ever had a problem with 218i and if you had what were this issues? Greetings from Turkey, I'm really entertaining while watching your videos. Hope your channel gets the value it deserves, I think your channel is one of the best vlog channels for car and Nürburgring enthusiasts.
218 is on its first engine.
Personally, I have a fascination for inline-3s, ever since a straight-piped GR Yaris came screaming past me one day. This car specifically has the B38, almost quite literally half a B58. And I’ve see these engines push well over 130kw modified. So if I were looking to get a more modern small BMW (which I am), The 218i or the 118i F20 would be my first choices.
11:15 Out of curiosity, why blur that vehicle? Because brands/logos on it?
Crashed car i guess.
Because respect
This car needs an exhaust so badly! No a noisy stupid one, but something that at least allows you to hear when do you need to shift without looking at the RPM meter :P
It was the first car I drove in the Nürburgring, and it was fantastic. I'm coming back in august to rent it again, this time with another friends.
This car is the perfect example that investing in handling is much, much more driver rewarding than investing in power. You just need half a lap to realize how much lateral grip this thing can handle, which felt like a shitload when I drove it!
Well-driven
For eifel beginners just rent this car & learn the Track - just perfect 👌🏻😁 just out of curiosity - how much is it per lap?
From 100€/lap all inc
I still heard some music. It's good.
Weird coincidence, just got a ride in my friend's 218i
Power is not everything.balance and driver involvement chassis adjustability is what makes me smile
They are nice cars
Mee eens, de APEX BMW 218i is een fijne auto om de Nordschleife mee te leren doorgronden, ik heb er 7 rondes mee gedaan en dat heeft een goede basis gelegd om met mijn eigen auto's veilige rondes op de Nordschleife te rijden.
Inderdaad beter altijd eerst ff te huren. Coach erbij, tranquilo rondjes. En daarna pas zelf te rijden. Ik had zelfs na 30 ronden ofzo in de polo pas de ‘nerves’ om m’n eigen auto te pakken. Moet je nagaan.
Hallo Misha nice lap
It's more fun to drive a slow car fast. Most people can never take an M4 or a 911 to 9/10ths, but could take this to 8/10ths.
Hey Misha! Why not feature something like this for example BMW 320D/330D , this is much more relatable content for the majority of us ( i think)..
We could see what to expect from a car when visiting Nurgurgring so we don't get in the way of faster cars and ruin our fun there and also that we can anticipate how to drive without going overboard and maybe cause some damage.
Much love from Croatia!
I feature everything I get my hands on :)
Thats the concept i like, drive a slow car fast 😁
Seeing your fuel gauge makes me wonder.. How many litres of fuel do you consume per day?
Depends on the car :)
@@mgcharoudin Apex in general... I feel that you guys can consume a petrol tank (the big ones) in a month! Hehe
@@beardevil5969 pre-Covid 1000 liters on a weekend day was not uncommon
Imagine if that car consumes so much fuel per lap (look at the gauge) what the other 200hp+ cars from the fleet are doing :O
This car is the perfect car for the first timers on the track. It has suspension/brakes/tires that are one of the best for it. You don't need 400+hp for the fun!
Why did you have to block out the car on the tow truck? Was it legal reasons or just out of respect?
Por que no los dos?
@@Tristan.R.J.M huh?
Respect
@@mgcharoudin thank you for showing respect for your fellow drivers. There are many youtubers who would slowed down to video more and make some asinine comment about the driver. I believe showing respect is proof of a good upbringing.
Good video
Good comment
@@MacheteK Good reply
how was the reliability after remap?
If you go to a good tuner and always warm the engine up the right way etc.. its pretty reliable i have the same engine with stage 1 remap no problems after 3 months yet
Same engine, I guess that's the answer
What a great little car! You need skills to know how to carry your speed and not over brake or over steer the course. Nice ride. Sorry about the GoPro. :-(
63.000KM! Are all of those on the Nord? Wonder what reliability has been like with a smaller, tuned, engine (edit) you mentioned the nord laps at the end lol, typical
Yeah, that little engine will be run in by now!