Yes, it's a little too expensive. Yes, it's a lot too heavy. Yes, some people are put-off by the styling.

I love it, though (although I'll admit that I'm partial to BMWs to begin with).


What I want to know is this:

Lots of magazines have put the 135i up against more proper and/or focused sports cars, for lack of anything else to test it against. Against the Evo X, or the 370z, or the Cayman, or whatever, the verdict is always the same...superior at everything except racetrack-pace, balls-out driving, at which point it's a little outclassed by the more dedicated machinery.

Well, no shit. Who needed to read the article to know that?

However, I wonder how much of that gap would be closed, and how little it would be compromised as a daily driver, if you just added a set of real performance tires (like the more focused rivals have as OE) and a stiffer, possibly adjustable sway bar (to alleviate the significant understeer that seems to be the universal complaint)?

I saw one test where the Evo X put a couple seconds on the 135i around a road course, despite the 135i having a thrust advantage. I have to think that doing nothing but mounting a set of Advans on the BMW instead of the less aggressive run-flats, making it a little more apples-to-apples, would've cut a considerable number of ticks off the BMW's lap time. I wonder if it could've even paced or outpaced the Evo with good tires and a stiffer sway bar? I mean, now we're talking stock vs modified, but (a) the tires are just making it a fair fight, and the sway bar is a pretty minor thing...we're not talking about a set of coilovers. Oh, and (c) how many people do suspension work to Evos, at least those who are interested in making it handle and not just look nice?

12/27/2009 11:03:22 PM

the real problem of 135i (and 335i for that matter) is lack of limited slip differential. that car makes too much torque in stock form, let alone with software to be ONE REAR WHEEL DRIVEN. in time when shit boxes like neon srt-4 and sentra se-r come with LSD, BMW really dropped a ball on this one.

i have driven both and in first two gears lack of traction is annoying. you can't get 135xi and even if you could it would weigh just short of 4000lb just like 335xi does. at least M3 makes a good winter car with LSD. this car would be useless as daily driver in winter if you happen to move up north.

getting rid of understeer is relatively easy on any stock bmw, since most of them come is consumer-safe staggered configuration. forget suspension mods. just slap some wider tires up front or even better go for square setup and you are good to go.

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 1:37 AM. Reason : f]

12/28/2009 1:35:48 AM

yeah, the lack of LSD sucks, too, and the traction control's intervention annoyed the shit out of me on my 330ci. I pretty regularly turned it off even for normal driving.

I wish they made the traction control have a significantly higher threshold...I don't mind having it, but when it chops for a second your throttle every time it catches the tiniest bit of slip, it'll drive you nuts.

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 1:53 AM. Reason : ]

12/28/2009 1:52:59 AM

I personally loved the 135i. The wife disliked it, which I won't get into other than it was more personal taste rather than any fault of the car itself. I think the 135i could hold it's own rather well, and still be very functional.

I'm sorry I'm not really contributing towards the comparison of other vehicles as I have no experience outside of test driving a Cayman.

But:

(a) Tires- Huge factor. If traction is an issue, I'm sure wider rims and stiffer sidewalls are cost effective options that would most definitely help the vehicle.

(b) Sway bar is a pretty minor thing... Agreed. Changing spring rates may also help as well, and springs aren't that expensive imo.

(c) how many people do suspension work to Evos- unknown.

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 2:13 AM. Reason : .]

12/28/2009 2:10:16 AM

Duke, I think it's an ugly stubby overweight little car. There are better options for you out there. Why not get an Evo again? Are you trying to just branch out and own other cars? I feel like if you need a backseat for Hannah you have better choices available to you.

12/28/2009 8:35:56 AM

I think the 135's look better than the 128's

12/28/2009 9:04:43 AM

I think they're gorgeous, but I think it'd take a lot more than just tires and an LSD to make them perform as they should.



I mean, consider the target demographic for the car :/

12/28/2009 10:39:26 AM

I really dig it. If this car gets to the ~$20k range in the next few years I'd consider selling the Civic and getting one.

12/28/2009 11:34:59 AM

^ used ones will, no problem

12/28/2009 11:59:56 AM

^^ yeah, you can already get one in the mid-20s. I figure that in another year when I'm looking to buy something, low 20s will be doable.


It would be a fantastic DD, but still with great performance...and part of me says that for mid-$20k range, I have a lot of other cool options (either w/ backseat, or just have a hardcore sports car for $20k, then a $5k vehicle for long trips and carrying my little girl or cargo). I mean, I could get a really nice 911 (996) for that price...but the thing about the 135i is that it would have a warranty and a maintenance plan! I could drive the shit out of it, and it would never cost me anything but tires, gas, and insurance. That would be kind of liberating--and be a force multiplier in terms of how fun the car would be.

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 12:19 PM. Reason : not to mention effectively lowering the price]


It all depends on where it appears that I'll be stationed next. If there is a road course 30 minutes away, then yeah, I'll probably get something really track-focused. If it looks like I'll get to do a track day once every 2-3 months (a more likely scenario), and half of those will be on a motorcycle, then the 135i starts to make a lot of sense.

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 12:24 PM. Reason : ]

12/28/2009 12:16:25 PM

I mean, I would buy one for the warranty alone


but then I have this really bad habit of buying cars based solely on looks

12/28/2009 12:17:44 PM

yeah i think theyre good looking cars personally. don't know much about them though..

12/28/2009 12:28:59 PM

I've seen a couple of these flat MOVE down the back straight at VIR.

12/28/2009 12:40:03 PM

Holy cow...I had no idea this thing was close to 3400 lbs (3373 for the coupe according to a quick Google search). I thought it would be like a luxurious e30 with much better power. I knew it would be way heavier than the e30, but I still thought it would be in the 3,000 lb range.

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 12:42 PM. Reason : l]

12/28/2009 12:41:32 PM

it's like a 3000lb car with a fatass driver

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 1:09 PM. Reason : r]

12/28/2009 1:09:37 PM

lol, or a three thousand pound car when you're carrying a couple of your friends.

12/28/2009 1:12:35 PM

^FYI the coupe is the only body style sold here.

For the price there's a lot of other used sporty (or sports) cars that I'd rather have.

Sex Pencil, are you aware that kiljadn was bashing the styling? Or did that one just fly over your head

12/28/2009 5:11:53 PM

my comment had nothing to do with his

12/28/2009 6:52:22 PM

Quote :

"knew it would be way heavier than the e30, but I still thought it would be in the 3,000 lb range. "

e30's are at 3k lbs or just under

12/28/2009 6:55:18 PM

Quote :

"here's what my '89 Owner's Manual says: ... "Unloaded Weight, ready for road, tank full" 325i = 2811 325ic= 2987 325is= 2844 325ix= 2954 I don't have the specs on a 318."

Quote :

"here's what i have for the 318 Curb weight: 2657 lbs (318i) 2602 lbs (318is) 2867 (318iC)"

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-188490.html

2602-2844 for the non-vert models isn't bad at all. Not to mention there are a ton of ways to cut weight on those cars.

[Edited on December 28, 2009 at 7:07 PM. Reason : l]

12/28/2009 7:07:20 PM

i like

12/28/2009 8:35:30 PM

Quote :

"Sex Pencil, are you aware that kiljadn was bashing the styling? Or did that one just fly over your head "

actually I wasn't, I guess I just didnt phrase what I was trying to say properly

12/28/2009 9:04:32 PM

lol..TKE loses again.

12/28/2009 9:25:51 PM

get the 335 its prettier and you can move your legs some.
135 was and awesome idea with poor execution.
if you want a fun car save your money and make a 332is turbo on the e30 chassis with an m motor swapped in and the e46 m3 transmission and rear end... bullet proof drivetrain way more fun and ohh shit... its even a prettier car...

12/28/2009 11:21:12 PM

lol, I'm "oh" for

^^OIC, he phrased it wrong, but I'm also wrong. FU

[Edited on December 29, 2009 at 12:13 AM. Reason : k]

12/29/2009 12:13:12 AM

i kid i kid

12/29/2009 11:25:10 AM

I would have considered a 1-series when i was looking for my A4 but the price was to high for new and there was not much used inventory. BMW really needs to discount the 1-series to make it more of a rational option versus the 3-series.

12/29/2009 11:38:32 AM

12/29/2009 12:01:05 PM

i like this car, but i've got enough coupes

12/29/2009 7:00:47 PM

http://www.worldcarfans.com/109121023473/rumored-2012-bmw-135-supersport-further-details-surface

Quote :

"It is expected to get a six-cylinder, twin-turbo engine generating about 400 horsepower and up to 370 ft-lb of torque."

Quote :

"Weight should be in the 1400kg range."

[Edited on December 29, 2009 at 8:25 PM. Reason : ]

12/29/2009 8:23:22 PM

Quote :

" This engine, a modified version of the unit found in the 135i, will be controlled by the driver through a dual-clutch seven-speed transmission."

gay



1400kg = roughly 3,086 lbs. I'm curious what they did to bring the weight down.

12/30/2009 9:23:25 AM

Quote :

" e30 chassis with an m motor swapped "

12/30/2009 12:49:03 PM

In that vein I think Mercedes should start selling their old early 90s 190E with the AMG 6.2 in it. That car is about 1,000lbs lighter than the C63 (currently the lightest car available with that engine). One can only imagine

12/30/2009 1:09:39 PM

yeah. You can polish a turd all you want. It'll still smell like shit.

12/30/2009 2:10:31 PM

Quote :

" with an m motor swapped "

12/30/2009 5:01:38 PM

Quote :

"yeah. You can polish a turd all you want. It'll still smell like shit."

PORSCHEVE
TO BE
BORN?

(sorry...that was mean, but I had to. )

12/30/2009 5:19:22 PM

No it's okay. The Porscheve stinks with that exhaust leak, but at least it's a fast turd

12/30/2009 5:32:05 PM

Quote :

"The Porscheve stinks with that exhaust leak, but at least it's a fast turd* "

*in a straight line

12/31/2009 9:04:45 AM

Hey, I'm working on the brakes for those things you guys call turns

12/31/2009 4:26:41 PM

I turn about as sharp as a train.

12/31/2009 4:36:49 PM

Blame it on the ah-ah-ah-alcohol ta-ta-ta-tires, blame it on the ah-ah ah-ah ah-al-co-hol ta-ta ta-ta ta-ta-eye-yours

12/31/2009 5:23:13 PM

im a 335 advocate. i thought about getting the 135, but it just looks so stubby. the 335 gives me a bit of wood everytime i get in it

12/31/2009 5:55:51 PM

i don't know what it is, but i've never really liked 1 series.

1/3/2010 12:21:29 PM

They look fat, like they have a belly. It's not a greatly appealing car to me personally.

1/3/2010 9:05:32 PM

^ but so do you

1/7/2010 9:16:53 AM

^^i'm with kurtis on this one. They look like a half way crunched 3 series. To me, the E90/E92 is infinately more appealing.

1/7/2010 11:52:45 AM

People buy these to say they have a BMW.




(though I realize the driving dynamics are great....I guess some people don't care what the car looks like as long as it performs)

1/7/2010 11:56:29 AM

Quote :

"I guess some people don't care what the car dude looks like as long as it he performs."

I hear this all the time about porn stars... Just sayin.

1/7/2010 12:54:31 PM

Say no to 2 doors.

1/7/2010 1:16:54 PM

If I were to get one, it would have to just get a 3 series.

1/7/2010 1:44:04 PM