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05-21-2008, 12:37 AM | #1 |
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Ok so I drove one too...
I wasn't going to drive one till my car comes, but the dealer had one so it was too hard to resist when the key is being dangled in front of you.
I had the car by myself for an hour, and took it to some curvy roads I am familiar with (Yarra Blvd). I drove it (ahem) rather hard. What can I say...I am impressed!!! The gearing is a bit odd for first gear, too long. Because of that it never felt that quick in first gear. But get it to second third or forth, and the car pulls harder than (insert your own dirty cliche). I just love it! Can't wait to have some active autowerks tuning on it (Andrew@SouthernBM - you ready to wave some magic?). The gear shift itself can be shorter, but this is a slick gear box. It will be very entertaining to row the gear box. Now for the handling, the car is very well balanced. It never felt heavy and response like a much lighter car. On change of direction, you would never guess that this is a 1500+kg car. On fast sweepers, the car is quick, but I didn't like it leaning so much. Which brings me to the suspension. Whilst I like the comfort, I think it could do with a bit of stiffenning in the suspension. I can see why magazines who compare this against the E46 M3 say this is soft. With some new springs or better still full coilovers, this thing will be even faster. It has a lot of machanical grip and you can overcome the understeer by wider front tyres. The tyres simply run out of grip in this case. I am not sure if a rear sway bar will be better than just simply upping the size of the fronts. All in all, 5 star from me. Great little car - especially for the money. I can't wait to get mine! |
05-21-2008, 12:41 AM | #2 |
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Good review Way, and I reckon if you change the wheels, performance air intake, suspension, brakes, put the strut bar, and the performace brakes, that could get much closer to the M3 and be a much better car, I am still going for my test drive on Sat, hope the delaer gives me the car to myself.:thumbup: that would be nice
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05-21-2008, 12:57 AM | #3 |
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nice one wayne! a few quick questions. did you try switching off the dtc? could you feel the e-diff? did you try hard starts? i agree that the width differential is partly where the understeer is coming from.
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05-21-2008, 01:37 AM | #5 |
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Great quick review Wayne! Making me really envious of you guys (and gals) who have them or will be getting them soon.
Some thicker sways would probably help with the body roll. I think it would help more than upping the tyres. Last time I looked the rear sway on the 135 is really tiny! Light clutch? |
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05-21-2008, 03:06 AM | #8 | |
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Thanks wayne
Making me hang out for my saturday test drive even more now. Will be taking down Yarra Boulevard as well.
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05-21-2008, 06:48 AM | #9 | |
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Hey Way,
Thanks for the review, i cannot wait to have some time in these cars. Yes i am ready, i have 5 kits in stock ready to go. Talk soon Andrew Quote:
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06-04-2008, 11:18 PM | #10 |
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On Sunday a mate of mine and I drove up to the Central Coast to Test drove a 135i with 6spd Man & 18" 269s and I hate to say this but I was actually bored! After a 20 minute test drive where I gave it everything I had (with consideration to wet whether and the fact it isn't actually mine) I handed back the key, thanked the dealer and kinda just walked away - no feeling of crazy exhilaration, no remnants of adrenaline pumping through my veins, no massive smile! I sat back in my own car and tried to work out what just had happened, where were the awesome twin turbos everyone had raved about? Where was the edge of the seat experience? The kick-in guts acceleration?
And then I realised that is was those exact same questions that made the car so freaking amazing. The twin turbos are effortless, the edge of the seat driving experience is leagues away from my driving ability - even while the roads were wet and cold - and the kick-in the guts acceleration is non-existent thanks to smooth delivery and near zero lag. The car is very well balanced and dominates the road where the M Roadster I drove up in would have been kicking and screaming for every square inch of grip across the rear tyres. It's ridiculously smooth and refined - the run flats have come a long way since the hatchback's release and the ride could put babies to sleep when compared against the ridiculously rough and raw experience of the M Roadster. I realised that I was so used to imperfection in our current garage's line up that when I finally sat behind the wheel of a machine that did everything it was supposed to I thought I was being jipped! Random review, but that was my experience! |
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06-06-2008, 02:42 AM | #11 |
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That was a different angle, but nice review still, different people will have a different perception of what for them is a marvelous experience, in the end is the joy of driving and the thrill what we are seeking for, as well as a nice car for those daily diriving days. Anyway, good review, I enjoyed it.
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06-07-2008, 12:04 AM | #12 |
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Well, I've just come back from my first drive of the 135i demo car. I'm going to please my dealer here and start with the brakes. My god. While everyone raves about how linear, flexible and tracile the engine is, most gloss over the fact that it takes some serious retardation to reign that engine in. The brakes on the 135i are glorious. Whilst you can't test their limits on public roads, the first thing I felt when i put my foot on the middle pedal was safe. Those massive brembo's (albiet badged BMW) at the front are awesome. Between the dealer and myself, we gave them a fairly decent bullocking during some braking tests and each time were met with confident (and massive!) stopping power.
Dynamically, the car feels very balanced. It's as happy to cruise around suburbia as it is goings balls out on freeways as it is getting thrown around dynamically challenging corners. It takes a fair bit to upset the rear end, which I attribute to the e-diff doing its thing and working with the cars' suspension systems. Front to rear balance also feels neutral when shifting from hard accelerating to hard braking. Ok, the engine. I can't really add to anything that hasn't already been said. It's amazing. Anything over about 1800rpm and the car just builds speed in any gear with an unnatrual velocity. Particularly impressive in 5th at highway speeds. The diff gearing is suprisingly high and it does take a few more revs than expected to move it off the line. I bogged it down once during a spirirted start as a result. The gearbox is slick, precise and sharp. The cabin is comfortable and the seats supportive. I'm 6 foot and was sitting in the back behind my 5"9' father and both of us had comfortable legroom. Headroom in the back is good, but my fringe, which i wear up and messy via product was touching the roof. Am I glad that I went and test drove one before I took delivery of mine? Yes. Knowing what I know now first hand about the way it stops, handles and goes, all I have to say is that I'm imensely pleased, and am going to have real trouble waiting the month or so til I get mine. Bring it on It's like having your cake and eating it too. Pure gold. 5 stars.
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06-07-2008, 12:27 AM | #13 |
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Haha, good one BMWDave - nice to see someone else enjoyed themselves in the ORANGE machine! I noticed the brakes too and just loved the manual gearbox too, reinforced my decision to go that route.
Sounds like you gave it a bit more 'stick' than I was game to, well done. I wasn't quite that brave. Would love to have been able to take it out for an hour or so by myself, but they don't know me from Adam, so...
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06-07-2008, 12:35 AM | #14 |
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Thanks for the great review Dave. I won't be getting to drive one, let alone see one in the metal till I pick mine up in a week or so. All I can say is I AM EXCITED!!!!
LOL, don't worry about changing your hair style, you won't be spending much time in the back seat anyway.
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06-07-2008, 02:19 AM | #15 |
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Finally a decent drive in mine also! I love the gearbox, blipping the throttle gives a nice tone and the engine is gorgeous - gears just slide into place and the brakes have incredible feel. My girlfriend had smiles all round driving today out on the open road!
I had a bit of a traffic light grandprix and this thing is a MONSTER - I think I can really feel the engine is still tight, it wants to go faster, rev harder but it's not quite there yet! My girlfriend had a bit of fun, I said you're in 4th gear which will provide plenty of power... she replies 'oh, it doesnt feel powerful' I told her to tap just a tad harder (she's SO gentle on the car its funny) her reply 'oh holy shit' DTC/DSC on makes no real difference off the line with a few revs, it will still light up the rear without much drama catapulting you to 100km/hr VERY quickly... I am in love with this car, it's truely a gem. |
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06-07-2008, 04:51 AM | #16 |
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I drove one too today, and i must say i was very impressed. I drove a 335i yesterday that i fitted an Active Autowerke Processor to it and so the 135i was always going to be against the animal that the tuned 335i is, however i was pleasantly surprised that the car feels like it does, i didn't rev it or play around, but i fitted a bit of kit to it that the owner is really happy with, i'm sure you all will here about it soon.:biggrin:
Ha Ha actually the owners face has this :biggrin: imprinted on my memory..... I had a great time meeting you, we had sooooo much to talk about, i don't think we stopped talking for a minute.... |
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06-07-2008, 06:45 AM | #17 |
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Haha glad you enjoyed that short drive! We had lots to talk about because we are both BMW enthusiast and 1 addcts!!! You HAVE TO go get yours asap!!!
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