Used BMW 2 Series cars for sale

Used BMW 2 Series pros and cons

Is a used BMW 2 Series a good car?

The BMW 2 Series is a very rare thing — a compact, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupe that has the kind of classic BMW steering and handling balance to appeal to hard-core motoring enthusiasts, but which is also practical enough to be a daily driver. Its biggest rivals — the Audi A3 Saloon and Mercedes CLA — are both front-drive four-doors which, while impressive in their own ways, can’t compete with the BMW 2 Series on driver appeal.

That fun factor does come at a cost, though. The BMW 2 Series’ rear seats are very small and short on legroom, and they’re difficult to get in and out of as the folding mechanism for the front seats is fiddly and difficult to use. The boot — at 390 litres — is also quite small and shallow compared to those of its four-door opposition. 

There’s a broad choice of engines, from a frugal little 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo lifted from the MINI Cooper, to more traditional four-cylinder 2.0-litre versions, all the way up to a turbocharged straight-six 3.0-litre which has range-topping M235i and M240i versions which could make you doubt the value of spending extra on a BMW M2. For the more frugally minded, there’s also a hugely popular 220d diesel version, using the 190hp 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine from the 3 Series. 

There are some downsides to 2 Series ownership — it doesn’t get some of the high-tech safety systems that rivals came with, while the ride is very firm – almost too hard – unless you get one with the smallest alloy wheels possible. 

The upside is that it’s a stylish coupe that can drive rings around most others, while still being sensible enough for it to be your only car.

What to look for when buying a second hand BMW 2 Series

The 2 Series uses the same engines, chassis, and electronics as the 1 Series hatchback so its mechanical package is well proven. 

There is one major issue to watch for, though — the timing chain on the four-cylinder diesel engine in the 218d and 220d models. That infamously suffered a series of expensive and catastrophic failures, in spite of BMW having designed it as a ‘no-maintenance’ part, leading to many years of owners complaining and even taking BMW to court. All of the issues should be sorted by now, but if the diesel 2 Series you’re looking at has a rattling engine, walk away quickly. 

Six-cylinder petrol versions can also suffer timing chain issues, but they’re not as prevalent as the diesel ones. The 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine seems to be robust and reliable, as long as it’s kept properly serviced. Some models suffered faulty exhaust gas recirculation devices, while the seat folding and tipping mechanism can break. 

BMW 2 Series FAQs

Used car buying guides