135i comfortable driver at low speeds?

[Lucky1]

Hi guys, I've been lurking for over a year. Just want to know what your impressions are of the 135i in the city, particularly in light traffic. I've heard some say it is more than livable, others have subtly mentioned that you have to feather the throttle very gently to keep the car tracking a straight line.

Given the fact that

1) I don't want to get a speeding ticket because its impossible to drive slow
2) I don't want to constantly have to be fighting my right foot and babying the gas

Is the 135i still a great car? I want it for highway performance but I don't need the juice in the city. Just want to know if it can also be a relaxing, comfortable city car and how you all feel about your car in traffic.

[HachiNi]

it can be. but its like crack... addicting and impossible to drive slow >__<

[jeremyc74]

The car drives fine in the city, especially with the stock tune. Some of the piggybacks and tune make it a little more aggressive at low speeds, but the way it comes off the lot it's completely docile when you want it to be. City driving manners shouldn't even be a remote concern when buying an 135i.

[Maine1]

That's part of the beauty of this car. If you keep the RPM's down, the constantly available torque makes it easy to trudge along quietly in traffic. The stock throttle response is pretty linear, if you want to take the performance to another level you just have to press a little deeper to let the beast out.

[Justin]

No major complaints here regarding city driving and rush hour traffic. Although the smallest pothole or crack in the road makes me cringe a little.

[timhatimay]

For me: the car is a perfect mix of available power/speed and control without excess...I find that the pedal gives very reasonable acceleration for traffic and city driving when pressed normally, and then when pressed harder gives a nice rush, but once you are used to it I don't find it difficult to keep it completely under control.

I think the car is very civilized in the city given its capabilities when not in the city. I agree with the other comments here about throttle and especially potholes. I find myself swerving to miss potholes, but I think that may be because the RFTs bang so hard on any bump.

[NFexec]

Originally Posted by Maine1

That's part of the beauty of this car. If you keep the RPM's down, the constantly available torque makes it easy to trudge along quietly in traffic. The stock throttle response is pretty linear, if you want to take the performance to another level you just have to press a little deeper to let the beast out.

I have a 335i, but the above comments are spot on. And it is intoxicating, too!

Doug

[KeithLM]

It's easy to accelerate well into the 40mph to 50mph range without thinking about it, however if you pay attention you can get by without much trouble. You can drive around just fine under 4000rpm all day long. You don't have to ride the brake or anything like that to keep the speeds down.

[singular]

I've been commuting with mine for the last month and a half. Definitely comfortable, even at slow speeds. It does feel the bumps some, but IMO it's not as rough as a Z4.

You do have to keep mellow - it's easy and very tempting to 'let the beast out' as others have pointed out. I set the speed limiter to the maximum speed I'm willing to risk and find myself bumping on it a couple of times on every commute. Depending on your driving style and route, you might want a radar detector.

[drivendriver]

If you're used to cars with small, high-revving engines, at first the 135i's bottom-end acceleration may be a bit surprising. But you will get used to it pretty fast, and the brakes are very good After a couple of weeks, I still have the occasional "Oh s**t, I need to slow down" moment, but nothing dramatic. And the exceptional smoothness of the 135's engine makes driving in traffic much more comfortable than with other manuals.

[BMW86]

No complaints here it is easy to drive it sensibly but you won't want to. As others have pointed out, the power is addictive and you'll be tempted to go well above the speed limit. Very smooth and linear power though. I have a steptronic and if you drive it in regular D mode it feels very slow and sluggish compared to SD. I always drive in Sport mode even in heavy traffic because it feels so much more responsive.

[gtaday51]

My cars been in midtown Manhattan a number of times to meet up with my sis. Its fine in the city, although I have sitched my runcraps.

[1013mm]

city driving is ok, but its really tempting to speed in the 135....

[MerlinMc]

Originally Posted by Justin

No major complaints here regarding city driving and rush hour traffic. Although the smallest pothole or crack in the road makes me cringe a little.

I agree though mines more pleasant since I switched to non-RFT tires.

[MOCKBA]

135 is for aggressive driving, suspension is too harsh for slow relaxed driving. Take C300 luxury.

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by singular

I've been commuting with mine for the last month and a half. Definitely comfortable, even at slow speeds. It does feel the bumps some, but IMO it's not as rough as a Z4.

You do have to keep mellow - it's easy and very tempting to 'let the beast out' as others have pointed out. I set the speed limiter to the maximum speed I'm willing to risk and find myself bumping on it a couple of times on every commute. Depending on your driving style and route, you might want a radar detector.

What is the speed limiter and what happens when you hit it?
It isn't the same as the cruise control is it?

[Thud]

Originally Posted by Lucky1

Hi guys, I've been lurking for over a year. Just want to know what your impressions are of the 135i in the city, particularly in light traffic. I've heard some say it is more than livable, others have subtly mentioned that you have to feather the throttle very gently to keep the car tracking a straight line.

Given the fact that

1) I don't want to get a speeding ticket because its impossible to drive slow
2) I don't want to constantly have to be fighting my right foot and babying the gas

Is the 135i still a great car? I want it for highway performance but I don't need the juice in the city. Just want to know if it can also be a relaxing, comfortable city car and how you all feel about your car in traffic.

OK, let's be real. It's not like you're driving a cammed big block chevy that makes 800hp and idles at 1200rpm.

I drive my 1-er in the city all the time and it's great. The manual transmission is less than ideal in traffic, but that would be true no matter what the car. The hill-start assist makes it slightly less of a pain though.

The low-end torque of this motor makes the car very easy to drive around town.

[TP 135i]

Originally Posted by Lucky1

What is the speed limiter and what happens when you hit it?
It isn't the same as the cruise control is it?

The speed limiter it just a setting that gives you a "BONG" sound and a lit symbol on the dash when you hit the set speed. It does nothing other than remind you that you have reached your speed.......I have mine set at 88 mph which is when my optional flux capacitor energizes.

That being said, I have manual trans and stock runflat tires and love the way the car drives in traffic. Nice and smooth. Easy. No problems. Anything over 40-45 mph is a smooth cruise in 6th gear. Creeping in stop/go traffic in 1st or 2nd is no problem as well.......have no fear, this car is fantastic.

[ptack]

Sounds like you're arguing with yourself. Why even comsidor a 300hp car if you don't want to drive fast? Yes, the unique wonder of the 135i is it's great balance of comfort, sportyness and power, but if you don't want the power, save your money and get a 128i.

[bmwzone]

Shoot this car is fabulous as a daily drive performance car. That's the idea.

[mattYKZ]

I commute in to Toronto and the car handles it great, the worst part for me is keeping an eye out for any big potholes and of course traffic getting in my way

I have found driving the 135i gently to be fine it has no issues handling slow cruising or stop\go but it has the added benefit of good throttle response when you need it too.

m

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by KeithLM

It's easy to accelerate well into the 40mph to 50mph range without thinking about it, however if you pay attention you can get by without much trouble.

I think that is the deal with most any recent European car. My saab 9-3, while lighter, is also much lower-powered at 175 hp and a flat 195lb-ft of torque. It is quiet ane smooth enough that especially when accelerating in the 30-60 range, you can definitely fly up to 75-80 mph without knowing it. But it is still a function of the foot.

With an MT you have somewhat more control, especially in the lower gears, just because of what cannot happen mechanically.

When I test drove the 135i, I specifically analyzed its ability to be a low-speed daily driver. I obviously know what it will do when pressed, and I found that over the 128i, the 135i was more pleasant to drive with an extremely light foot around town, because of the torque offered. As I mentioned in my test drive thread, I felt that my E30 318i was more responsive as an around town driver than the 128i was, and the 135i gave the right feel of willingness without having to be driven hard around town.

My brother drives a 3000GT VR-4, which is roughly the same as a 135 in terms of weight and acceleration. While at school, my father drives it as a DD about once a week, and gets 28-30 MPG in mixed driving and a gentle foot. The drivetrain on the 135i is, IMO, easier to drive light around town than the 3000GT VR4, but they both have a similar feel and getup and go, when pressed... Its definitely doable.

My bigger concern is the very heavy steering of the 135i compared to, say, a light, narrow-tire car like my E30 318i, which will turn on a dime, is very nimble, and can be easily steered in and out of tight places, with one hand and no thought of any heft to the steering. While the feel of the 135i steering is nicer because of the weight, it is a convenience thing...