[RagingKileak]

Hello,

Yeah its another 'what car is Matt going to get' thread.

I am pretty close to 'thinking' a 135i coupe is the best next car for me.... 400+ bhp potential, nice and revvy with good noise and nice manual gearbox.

Decent enough spec, proper setup in a nice, lightish (chassis) with decent handling on the kinds of roads I like.

Plus keeps me in the family as to be honest, the 1 series boards look a bit spartan (babybmw excepted)

Main problem is not many about - nearest one to test drive is bloody miles away, cars on the BMW website are all selling quickly as soon as they come on, cant even get a chance to test drive one!!!

Anyone either with the coupe/cab to comment?

Cheers
Matt

[RockIt]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

Hello,

Yeah its another 'what car is Matt going to get' thread.

I am pretty close to 'thinking' a 135i coupe is the best next car for me.... 400+ bhp potential, nice and revvy with good noise and nice manual gearbox.

Decent enough spec, proper setup in a nice, lightish (chassis) with decent handling on the kinds of roads I like.

Plus keeps me in the family as to be honest, the 1 series boards look a bit spartan (babybmw excepted)

Main problem is not many about - nearest one to test drive is bloody miles away, cars on the BMW website are all selling quickly as soon as they come on, cant even get a chance to test drive one!!!

Anyone either with the coupe/cab to comment?

Cheers
Matt

Hi Matt

Mate of mine bought a coupe a few months ago and loves it. The looks are not entirely doing it for me, but it's a potent little beast and handles extremely well.

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by RockIt

Hi Matt

Mate of mine bought a coupe a few months ago and loves it. The looks are not entirely doing it for me, but it's a potent little beast and handles extremely well.

Does it do it for him? If not, I have cash monies for the right car lol!!!

Yeah the looks are one thing, in some colour combos I just really dont like it - The only car which is consistently not selling is a Silver/Red Leather car at Dick Lovett which has been reduced and still wont shift.

Every other car I have seen that was a decent spec/colour was sold before it hit the BMW site.

Matt

[SiKkBaSs]

Don't get a 1 series mate...even though it may be a beast. The front end is just

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by SiKkBaSs

Don't get a 1 series mate...even though it may be a beast. The front end is just

Don't worry, mine will look just fine

Matt

[creepy coupe]

I had a 135i coupe before my 335i and have to say bang for buck they're fantastic, I would have another again at the drop of a hat.

They go round corners better than a 3 series,
They're quicker
They turn in better
Sound better
Brakes are better, 6 pot calliper up front, 4 to the rear
Cheaper by a about £6k like for like

Downsides

Choppier ride
Less space in the back seat area
Not quite as refined
Not as pretty as a 3 series coupe

They really are great cars, I’d urge you to take one for a test drive

[dxb335d]

Dont think there light mate, 40kg lighter than a 335i coupe.

They look great from side, and rear.. Front looks gash!

[PhilL]

Just had a 118d while mine was in for warranty work and although only a 'cooking' 1 series I quite enjoyed throwing it down a few twisty roads.

It got me thinking about how much fun a 135i would be, and the bang/buck it represents.

Got my car back and thought the steering ratio had been re-coded differently! (was in for a new steering column and fully re-coded so not entirely illogical)

Alpine White, Red Leather, Performance Goodies would be my choice

[chrisbin]

I went through the "what about a 1'er" thought process, and tried one for a day - admittedly it was a 120d vert....but it gave a good impression of what it would be like to live with.

Positives are that they are very chuckable, and go very well. Ride was fine. Negatives are the interior feels more downmarket and is smaller (but maybe big enough).

Overall it just felt a less "grown up" car...emphasised when I got back in the E92.

So I'd recommend an extended test drive it all possible rather than just a quick blast around the block when the performance will certainly impress.

[creepy coupe]

The 1 series will always be looked upon as the poor relation, it's a car for some who enjoys the drive, rather than what they look like in it. my 135i had less rattles than my present 3 series, it had no warranty work, unlike my 320d coupe and my 335i coupe.

[trixman]

I had a 120 for a while as a company car and thought it was a a fantastic little drive. Much quicker turning and generally balanced than the 3er. If I could live with the fact it's as pretty as syphilis I would have bought one.

The bastard is that you know BM will 'fix' the design soon in the next incarnation, rendering all the originals the 'early ugly ducklings'.

What exactly are your requirements Matt?

[RagingKileak]

I require about 27mpg (some argument as to whether its 25 or 30) and 4 seats!!

Thats it really....

Matt

[dxb335d]

Can you not scrap the company car thing and do your own thing.

[trixman]

I get upto 29mpg on motorway journeys in my 4 seater CSL

[SiKkBaSs]

Originally Posted by trixman

I get upto 29mpg on motorway journeys in my 4 seater CSL

That's facking good!! I get that most of the time in a 325i!!! Very surprising...

[trixman]

Originally Posted by SiKkBaSs

That's facking good!! I get that most of the time in a 325i!!! Very surprising...

Me too actually, was very surprised by the mpg... as from all the M3's I've heard about they get terrible amounts, just seems to be fine if you feather the throttle. Must be the weight or something.

[dxb335d]

You drive like Miss Daisy Paul?

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by trixman

Me too actually, was very surprised by the mpg... as from all the M3's I've heard about they get terrible amounts, just seems to be fine if you feather the throttle. Must be the weight or something.

To be honest my (regular) E46 M3 used to average about 27 all in - typical combined usage really.

The problem with them is that the book figure is too low for the HR people to believe me lol....

It was on my initial list of cars as the Cab is a nice looking thing, and I had planned to supercharge one

The CSL, for all its awesomeness is just a bit too pricey for what you get vs a normal Coupe. I do 'get' the appeal 100% and I think they are amazing, but for the same price I can buy and supercharge an equivalent standard E46 and thats probably more my cup of tea....

Unleashing a CSL on someone like me would leave us with another bastardised car that really needed to be left alone lol

Matt

[trixman]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

You drive like Miss Daisy Paul?

Absolutely. You'll see how slow I am when we go karting.

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

Unleashing a CSL on someone like me would leave us with another bastardised car that really needed to be left alone lol

Matt

I hear ya Was my first thought too (M3 and supercharge) but wanted to experience something that felt special everytime I climbed in. The normal M3, albeit a fast version, just didn't do that for me.

Saying that I'm already looking for my next car and only had it a month!

[Hotcoupe]

Matt, the 1er would be a company car?

If so your company would not mind cosmetic additions/changes?

Obviously engine mods namely MPG enhancing ones would not be noticable, however how would that work with insurance etc?

You could always let HR know that you can modify the engine to benefit the company in running costs, they might be interested in spreading the word to other employees thus creating a huge group buy.

I can see a money making opportunity developing here!

[creepy coupe]

You can still have fun and get 29 MPG in a 135i, the engine has soo much low down grunt, you don't need to rag it.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

You can still have fun and get 29 MPG in a 135i, the engine has soo much low down grunt, you don't need to rag it.

Got any pics of the 1er Del? For Matt's benefit of course.