Oops......went to a BMW dealership.........

Holliday · 01-24-2011, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shamu

Why not a 370z? I test drove a 135i with sport package and wasn't overly impressed with sedan like handling of the BMW. German cars are truly overrated. I also hated the vague shifter and overly heavy steering feel. rear suspension in the 1 series is weak too.

My wife felt the same way. She liked the BMW but didn't like boring handling of the car. Give me a Porsche or Z car any day.

I did have a Z.........................

You must not have gotten on that 135i if you say you didn't like it. Me and a friend (350Z owner) test drive one and were grinning from ear to ear as the exhaust screamed and the turbo spooled all the way up to 140mph on the autobahn

That was enough to push him over the edge and sell his 350Z for one

Shamu · 01-24-2011, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holliday

I did have a Z.........................

You must not have gotten on that 135i if you say you didn't like it. Me and a friend (350Z owner) test drive one and were grinning from ear to ear as the exhaust screamed and the turbo spooled all the way up to 140mph on the autobahn

That was enough to push him over the edge and sell his 350Z for one

350z is a truck compared to the new 370 Nismo. I know as I have a 350z too. I picked up a new 370 Nismo for $36k. It's far more fun and lots more car for the $ than the Baby Bimmer. I got the BMW up to around 100 mph and took some very fast turns during my 20 minute test drive, Full on acceleration was OK but the car comes up short on handling side, it's a nice girls car - cute and sassy, but comes up short on true performance. It just didn't handle as well as the 370z nismo. I'd take a 135i I over 350z but not a 370z Nismo. I drove 2007 Cayman S as well but the new Nismo impressed me the most as a well focused sports car. BMW would have been second choice.

Holliday · 01-25-2011, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shamu

350z is a truck compared to the new 370 Nismo. I know as I have a 350z too. I picked up a new 370 Nismo for $36k. It's far more fun and lots more car for the $ than the Baby Bimmer. I got the BMW up to around 100 mph and took some very fast turns during my 20 minute test drive, Full on acceleration was OK but the car comes up short on handling side, it's a nice girls car - cute and sassy, but comes up short on true performance. It just didn't handle as well as the 370z nismo. I'd take a 135i I over 350z but not a 370z Nismo. I drove 2007 Cayman S as well but the new Nismo impressed me the most as a well focused sports car. BMW would have been second choice.

That's why I got the wife a 1 series and picked me up a 3 series

Holliday · 02-08-2011, 12:39 PM

Car is at the local German BMW dealership. Just got to finish up some paperwork

Endgame · 02-08-2011, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holliday

I did have a Z.........................

You must not have gotten on that 135i if you say you didn't like it. Me and a friend (350Z owner) test drive one and were grinning from ear to ear as the exhaust screamed and the turbo spooled all the way up to 140mph on the autobahn

That was enough to push him over the edge and sell his 350Z for one

Sorry but the 135i FAILS big time. The 1M would be a better no doubt; I will keep my Z though. I am glad I picked it up over waiting for the 1M. I used to be fascinated with BMW. No longer....

chuckd05 · 02-09-2011, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endgame

Sorry but the 135i FAILS big time. The 1M would be a better no doubt; I will keep my Z though. I am glad I picked it up over waiting for the 1M. I used to be fascinated with BMW. No longer....

why do you say it fails big time? A buddy has one with a plethora of mods along with coil overs and a diff and its one hell of a machine... yes, it took some mods to get it to the level where it can be considered a true sport coupe, but its certainly one hell of a car now... he has about 450whp a true LSD and kw3's I believe...

I dont know if I would say its the prettiest car but it certainly will suprise a ton of people on the track and street. Pretty sure he has downpipe, exhaust, filter, intercooler, fuel pump, alcohol injection, and one of the more aggressive tunes and he has over 400whp... to go along with the coils and diff making it awesome.. granted his warranty is thrown out of the window but for him, its not an issue...

If I were to get a BMW l would get a 535 with the M sport kit and throw a JB or Vischnu sp? chip on it and call it a day.

Endgame · 02-09-2011, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckd05

why do you say it fails big time? A buddy has one with a plethora of mods along with coil overs and a diff and its one hell of a machine... yes, it took some mods to get it to the level where it can be considered a true sport coupe, but its certainly one hell of a car now... he has about 450whp a true LSD and kw3's I believe...

I dont know if I would say its the prettiest car but it certainly will suprise a ton of people on the track and street. Pretty sure he has downpipe, exhaust, filter, intercooler, fuel pump, alcohol injection, and one of the more aggressive tunes and he has over 400whp... to go along with the coils and diff making it awesome.. granted his warranty is thrown out of the window but for him, its not an issue...

If I were to get a BMW l would get a 535 with the M sport kit and throw a JB or Vischnu sp? chip on it and call it a day.

I looked into similar such mods when I was considering the 135i. Even with such mods, I am glad I went the Z path. HP is not everything, but balance is huge with sports cars. That said, the 135i just feels off one you toss it into a corner. Granted, I have not driven a 1m coupe, I would be more apt to say I would prefer it over your friend's modded 135i.

Your friend should watch that Hitler 1M coupe vid. IT IS HILARIOUS and all true!! LOL!

If I were going European, I would get a TTRS over even a 1M coupe....

Shamu · 02-09-2011, 11:39 AM

As a nice safe small family sedan these cars are great but they are a bit pricey. If your intent is to drive them on the street 100% they are perfect compromise car for people with small children.

Get them on the track and their sedan foundations start showing very quickly. Overly soft suspension tuning, weak suspension mounting points etc. Ask anyone who has taken a BMW 1 series from street car to a serious track car. Its a very very expensive journey.

I live in the mountains and I drove a 135i and didnt like the overly soft suspension tuning. First offramp I took the car pitched and leaned. And I really didnt like the overly heavy steering feel of the 1 series. They just dont have happy lightweight feeling of a typical sports car. I would have had to go route of complete suspension rebuild to meet my tastes. But as a Autobahn cruiser its perfect. Nice interior, great linear power, soft ride. Just sort of a boring car to me.

I know a few race car development guys and they hated the weak suspension mounting points in the 1 series. BMW seems to have a hard time with making rear suspension strong in entry level cars. Seems strange since the rest of their cars are fairly robust. Many of their cars end up cracking in the rear when people put stiff suspensions and race tires on without reinforcing rear suspension pickup points.

If I was in the market for a Sedan the 135i would probably be high on my list but it falls off with competitors like Cayman and 370Z when I'm looking at a sports car.

Red__Zed · 02-09-2011, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shamu

If I was in the market for a Sedan the 135i would probably be high on my list but it falls off with competitors like Cayman and 370Z when I'm looking at a sports car.

It would be low on my list of sedans...

Red__Zed · 02-09-2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endgame

Sorry but the 135i FAILS big time. The 1M would be a better no doubt; I will keep my Z though. I am glad I picked it up over waiting for the 1M. I used to be fascinated with BMW. No longer....

02-08-2011, 12:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
Holliday Track Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cache, OK Age: 40 Posts: 916 Drives: in the fast lane.... Rep Power: 18	Car is at the local German BMW dealership. Just got to finish up some paperwork __________________

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02-09-2011, 11:39 AM	#8 (permalink)
Shamu A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Nor Cal Posts: 1,059 Drives: 370Z Racecar Rep Power: 21	As a nice safe small family sedan these cars are great but they are a bit pricey. If your intent is to drive them on the street 100% they are perfect compromise car for people with small children. Get them on the track and their sedan foundations start showing very quickly. Overly soft suspension tuning, weak suspension mounting points etc. Ask anyone who has taken a BMW 1 series from street car to a serious track car. Its a very very expensive journey. I live in the mountains and I drove a 135i and didnt like the overly soft suspension tuning. First offramp I took the car pitched and leaned. And I really didnt like the overly heavy steering feel of the 1 series. They just dont have happy lightweight feeling of a typical sports car. I would have had to go route of complete suspension rebuild to meet my tastes. But as a Autobahn cruiser its perfect. Nice interior, great linear power, soft ride. Just sort of a boring car to me. I know a few race car development guys and they hated the weak suspension mounting points in the 1 series. BMW seems to have a hard time with making rear suspension strong in entry level cars. Seems strange since the rest of their cars are fairly robust. Many of their cars end up cracking in the rear when people put stiff suspensions and race tires on without reinforcing rear suspension pickup points. If I was in the market for a Sedan the 135i would probably be high on my list but it falls off with competitors like Cayman and 370Z when I'm looking at a sports car.