135i review
03-07-2011, 04:22 PM
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135i review
2 weeks ago I picked up a 2011 BMW 135i. I was going to order one, but I managed to find one on the lot that had 95% of what I would order. Premium package, space gray metallic, 7-speed DCT transmission, paddle shifters, and sport 18" wheels.
Overall
This car is awesome. It is very fast, sounds awesome, the 7 speed transmission is amazingly quick, and the interior fit and finish is very nice. It's loud and throaty at WOT, but quiet and refined while cruising on the highway. A perfect mix if you ask me.
Interior
This being my first BMW, the interior has really blown me away. I'm not used to certain things, like the tactile and heavy feel of every guage, knob, and dial. The temperature controls have a certain nice clicky feel that makes it seem like the engineers at BMW really paid attention to that type of thing. Overall the interior has a solid feel. My particular car did not come with the "sport" seats, but I think the non-sport seats are very comfortable and afford the perfect driving position. I also love the thick, heavy, leather-wrapped steering wheel. The doors and trunk just feel strong and slam shut in a very satisfying way. I can't really explain it exactly, they just have a "heavy" and solid feel.
Exterior
On the outside, the 135i is, well, a 135i. The looks are polarizing. Personally I have found the car to look MUCH nicer in person than in pics. I love the sport wheels, the large brakes, and the large black exhaust in the back. The trunk tapers up at the end with a small lip for added downforce. There are other interesting and neat performance cues, such as the battery being in the back under the trunk.
Performance
This is the part that is the most fun to write about, and it has a lot to do with the awesome 7 speed DCT transmission. Yeah, the engine is very nice. It sounds great, the 6-cylinder I6 with a single twin-scroll turbo sounds deep and loud at near-WOT. The exhaust has an internal baffle that toggles at 3k RPM that really opens up the sound.
The acceleration is just ferocious, and there is absolutely no delay between gear shifts, so the power is delivered in one continuous force. I haven't really pushed this car hard yet, since I'm still in the break-in period, but I have snuck in a few blasts to 5k rpm or so, and this car is just plain FAST. There is loads of torque, all available right from the start at 1500rpm. People have complained that there is a delay between hitting the pedal and actually taking off. I've found that to be true, but then again, this car basically has a computer-controlled manual transmission, so it does the same thing you would do with a manual car, e.g. give gas, feather the clutch, and roll off. It still does it very quick!
Transmission-wise, I drove my friend's previous-gen M3 that had an SMG transmission. Although that was cool, the car would stop power between gear shifts and the whole car would jerk backwards then forwards. There is none of that with the DCT. It is quick and very smooth, like a ferrari! Downshifting is also super fast, and you can feel the car do the downshift, rev match, and release the clutch, all in under a quarter second. It's very fun to downshift into a turn, then blast out of it while instantly snapping off to the next gear. Very addicting!
Cruising on the highway, the 135i is quiet and pleasant. There is so much torque that you can easily pass other cars while still in 7th gear.
As far as suspension and braking, I've found that the car has more than a bit of body roll around corners, probably making it less suitable for track use out of the gate. There are many other vehicles that have a more hardcore suspension out of the factory, including the S2000 and STi. However the car does feel solid and planted during cornering. Braking-wise, I don't have a full opinion yet, as I'm not out of the break-in period for the brakes. The pedal feel is very firm.
When searching for a new car, I drove a bunch of others, including an STi and 370z, and neither came close to the fit and finish of the 135i or the performance, especially with the DCT transmission with flappy paddles. I especially disliked the 370z, but I can't really put my finger on why. I just didn't like the engine that much. The STi felt a little too boy-racer and unrefrined to me. At this point in my life I was looking for performance but also a nice, livable car at the same time. I also test drove a manual transmission 135i, but the throw felt like a garbage truck and was nowhere near the snicky short-shifting quality of the S2000 that I was used to. After test driving both the manual and DCT versions of the 135i, it was clear that the DCT was faster, smoother, and generally more awesome.
And one other thing that I just find neat, this car has launch control! It's not available until after the break-in period, and I'll probably use it maybe once a year, but I just find it generally NEAT that it's even offered!
The pics I took with my phone, just a few 'happy snappys' moments after driving off the dealership lot.
Overall
This car is awesome. It is very fast, sounds awesome, the 7 speed transmission is amazingly quick, and the interior fit and finish is very nice. It's loud and throaty at WOT, but quiet and refined while cruising on the highway. A perfect mix if you ask me.
Interior
This being my first BMW, the interior has really blown me away. I'm not used to certain things, like the tactile and heavy feel of every guage, knob, and dial. The temperature controls have a certain nice clicky feel that makes it seem like the engineers at BMW really paid attention to that type of thing. Overall the interior has a solid feel. My particular car did not come with the "sport" seats, but I think the non-sport seats are very comfortable and afford the perfect driving position. I also love the thick, heavy, leather-wrapped steering wheel. The doors and trunk just feel strong and slam shut in a very satisfying way. I can't really explain it exactly, they just have a "heavy" and solid feel.
Exterior
On the outside, the 135i is, well, a 135i. The looks are polarizing. Personally I have found the car to look MUCH nicer in person than in pics. I love the sport wheels, the large brakes, and the large black exhaust in the back. The trunk tapers up at the end with a small lip for added downforce. There are other interesting and neat performance cues, such as the battery being in the back under the trunk.
Performance
This is the part that is the most fun to write about, and it has a lot to do with the awesome 7 speed DCT transmission. Yeah, the engine is very nice. It sounds great, the 6-cylinder I6 with a single twin-scroll turbo sounds deep and loud at near-WOT. The exhaust has an internal baffle that toggles at 3k RPM that really opens up the sound.
The acceleration is just ferocious, and there is absolutely no delay between gear shifts, so the power is delivered in one continuous force. I haven't really pushed this car hard yet, since I'm still in the break-in period, but I have snuck in a few blasts to 5k rpm or so, and this car is just plain FAST. There is loads of torque, all available right from the start at 1500rpm. People have complained that there is a delay between hitting the pedal and actually taking off. I've found that to be true, but then again, this car basically has a computer-controlled manual transmission, so it does the same thing you would do with a manual car, e.g. give gas, feather the clutch, and roll off. It still does it very quick!
Transmission-wise, I drove my friend's previous-gen M3 that had an SMG transmission. Although that was cool, the car would stop power between gear shifts and the whole car would jerk backwards then forwards. There is none of that with the DCT. It is quick and very smooth, like a ferrari! Downshifting is also super fast, and you can feel the car do the downshift, rev match, and release the clutch, all in under a quarter second. It's very fun to downshift into a turn, then blast out of it while instantly snapping off to the next gear. Very addicting!
Cruising on the highway, the 135i is quiet and pleasant. There is so much torque that you can easily pass other cars while still in 7th gear.
As far as suspension and braking, I've found that the car has more than a bit of body roll around corners, probably making it less suitable for track use out of the gate. There are many other vehicles that have a more hardcore suspension out of the factory, including the S2000 and STi. However the car does feel solid and planted during cornering. Braking-wise, I don't have a full opinion yet, as I'm not out of the break-in period for the brakes. The pedal feel is very firm.
When searching for a new car, I drove a bunch of others, including an STi and 370z, and neither came close to the fit and finish of the 135i or the performance, especially with the DCT transmission with flappy paddles. I especially disliked the 370z, but I can't really put my finger on why. I just didn't like the engine that much. The STi felt a little too boy-racer and unrefrined to me. At this point in my life I was looking for performance but also a nice, livable car at the same time. I also test drove a manual transmission 135i, but the throw felt like a garbage truck and was nowhere near the snicky short-shifting quality of the S2000 that I was used to. After test driving both the manual and DCT versions of the 135i, it was clear that the DCT was faster, smoother, and generally more awesome.
And one other thing that I just find neat, this car has launch control! It's not available until after the break-in period, and I'll probably use it maybe once a year, but I just find it generally NEAT that it's even offered!
The pics I took with my phone, just a few 'happy snappys' moments after driving off the dealership lot.
03-07-2011, 04:43 PM
#2
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congrads on the new bimmer, and nice write up. the 135i is indeed an awsome car although i have yet to drive the DCT version. i was a bit disappointed that you didn't get the sports seats. there is a night and day difference in bmw sports seats vs. non sports seats. also, i don't know if you have leather or leatherette seats in your car, but there is also a night and day difference between those 2 with the leather being vastly superior in feel, of course. i've owned several bmws, and i've come to the conclusion that i would never buy another bmw without leather sports seats. they really are worth the extra money. also, if i'm not mistaken, the sports package comes with not only the sports seats, but also a sportier steering wheel, which is a must have in the 135i. that sports steering wheel is beyond awesome.
03-07-2011, 05:40 PM
#3
So is the HPFP issues only on some bimmers post MY08+ or do almost all bimmers have this issue? And after the recall, are they fixed for good? Really considering this as my next car since they're in the mid 20's now.
03-08-2011, 05:20 AM
#4
Pretty sure there are still some HPFP issues on the turbo-six cars, but they have warrantied the part for 100k miles at least. I also feel the M sport package is kind of a must, but either way the 1-series is a great car. I still miss having that torque, which is probably why I'm considering boosting the S...
03-08-2011, 05:41 AM
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My car is optioned a little oddly. It has the M sport steering wheel and the sports wheels, but does *not* have the sports package, which would basically only add sport seats. I was willing to live with that because I got an excellent deal on the car and a good number for my trade-in.
03-08-2011, 05:46 AM
#6
Congrats, Dogas! I bet it's a blast to drive.
03-08-2011, 06:14 AM
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Nice car. I'm sure you're going to enjoy it... the only problem: once you're used to the wonderful feel of the interior, you're going to find it very difficult to leave.
In relation to the seats: I wouldn't worry about it, the regular seats are still great.
I used to have a 325xi DD with the standard seats, and I still loved it. Didn't really know any better, they were great. Then I bought my 650i with the sports seats, and I realized I wouldn't get a BMW any other way... but I have back problems, so I really need the upgraded seats.
Taking 95% of what you wanted as to avoid ordering is usually a good plan. I've done the same thing with my new Z4. I priced one out online, went into the showroom, and they had literally the exact same car on the floor--only it had paddle shifters. I was very skeptical, but ended up loving the car regardless of the transmission (which is remarkably fast OR remarkably smooth, whichever happens to suit the moment).
Enjoy the 135i, I'm sure it's a blast.
In relation to the seats: I wouldn't worry about it, the regular seats are still great.
I used to have a 325xi DD with the standard seats, and I still loved it. Didn't really know any better, they were great. Then I bought my 650i with the sports seats, and I realized I wouldn't get a BMW any other way... but I have back problems, so I really need the upgraded seats.
Taking 95% of what you wanted as to avoid ordering is usually a good plan. I've done the same thing with my new Z4. I priced one out online, went into the showroom, and they had literally the exact same car on the floor--only it had paddle shifters. I was very skeptical, but ended up loving the car regardless of the transmission (which is remarkably fast OR remarkably smooth, whichever happens to suit the moment).
Enjoy the 135i, I'm sure it's a blast.
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03-08-2011, 09:38 AM
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congrads on the new bimmer, and nice write up. the 135i is indeed an awsome car although i have yet to drive the DCT version. i was a bit disappointed that you didn't get the sports seats. there is a night and day difference in bmw sports seats vs. non sports seats. also, i don't know if you have leather or leatherette seats in your car, but there is also a night and day difference between those 2 with the leather being vastly superior in feel, of course. i've owned several bmws, and i've come to the conclusion that i would never buy another bmw without leather sports seats. they really are worth the extra money. also, if i'm not mistaken, the sports package comes with not only the sports seats, but also a sportier steering wheel, which is a must have in the 135i. that sports steering wheel is beyond awesome.
Jeez, way to piss in the OP's Cheerios.
03-09-2011, 03:23 AM
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Your opinions basically mirrored mine from my test drive last year, loved the 135i. Was going to get the same setup but with the full M package and the Le Mans Blue (one of my favorite production colors available). In the end I just didn't want to give up having a 4 door, otherwise I would probably have one sitting in my garage right now.
The most surprising thing for me was how there is really NO turbo lag that you can feel at all, it just goes like stink. I believe just getting the ECU tuned will net insane gains as well. Just be patient during the break in period, as it is so vital for turbo cars especially. After that though, enjoy the car, its a blast to drive.
The most surprising thing for me was how there is really NO turbo lag that you can feel at all, it just goes like stink. I believe just getting the ECU tuned will net insane gains as well. Just be patient during the break in period, as it is so vital for turbo cars especially. After that though, enjoy the car, its a blast to drive.