[Legion5]

Here's a funny situation, the local dealers in my area are offering amazing incentives on the IS350 sedan, and I wouldn't be surprised if they also were doing so in your area. For the base price they are offering IS350's with the Mark Levinson sound system which is what I was most into. I didn't even expect to get a good price, I was just looking to see the features I would miss on a 135i (I'm a sound recording technician so I like audio, and Japanese cars are known for their standard features which are a hidden cost of other manufacturers).

The IS350 though is a significantly overlooked car but the best part is in every conceivable dimension a 135i with some options makes no sense when compared to a good deal on a IS350, so saying that it would be silly not to have a 135i be a bargain for the enthusiasts. BMW's are one of the few track tunned cars around, and only a select few can really appreciate that over luxury. The IS350 is a great car and because of that I hope it will keep a nichy 135i in the lower 30's.

Let me first tell you, and this can be assumed as fact, the 135i's small size being a unique feature is going to be bullshit. I read the review on Top Gear which a lot of car people respect with an obsession, and even hardcore fans can see this for themselves. The 135i is NOT like a Miata, and not like a S2000. It's a Grand Tourer, just like every other upmarket car. At least according to Top Gear. That puts it in line to be competitive and therefore it must be competitive or joe shmoe will sink the series.

With that out of the way a 135i with the upgraded sound system and premium package makes no sense above 36k (Those are really the only options I want surprisingly..).

Let's compare, removing track use from the equation, because in normal driving track ability will not show up unless you are having way too much fun or doing something illegal. You can find everything with the setup I just mentioned on the IS350 done better than what we know the 135i to be now. I was shocked too.

Take real leather seating for example, Lexus actually has this standard, and not as a almost two thousand dollar option. That's value, and BMW has to match it.

Then take the BMW's free maintenance except for oil changes program, compare that with BMW's less than stunning reliability to the Lexus, which is very reliable, being a Japanese manufacturer after all. Would you rather be spending all your time driving a loaner and dropping off your 135i for free repairs and recalls, or having a car that has no aspect of it broken in the first place, and already has a track record built up to prove this, unlike Bimmer's business as usual lol.

On the Lexus you get FREE metallic paint, on the BMW you don't.

On the Lexus you get the equivalent of Idrive, a digital information center, Free.

On the Lexus you get a Free homelink system, on the BMW it's part of an option package.

On the Lexus you get a FREE automatic transmission (wait for me to finish), on the BMW you need to pay near two thousand dollar for this. However, the situation gets even weirder when we consider that the Lexus has a smart sequential-based transmission and BMW isn't even offering such an option like it's full SMG yet, and if it did, it would cost well over two grand. Lexus includes this amazing gem. (because the transmission really is smart)

Now that cost saving right there.

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On the Lexus you have four doors, which is much more convenient for a GT car.

On the Lexus you get wayy more interior room.

On the Lexus you get a Mark Levinson sound system. Mark Levinson IS the best non-one off amplifier manufacturer in the world and one of the top 3 audio system manufacturers today. BMW has it's own proprietary system, it does not sound that great because they do not source their speakers from industry leaders. Instead they source them from Harman Kardon which has merged with various lower and higher quality companies over the years, to have an overall low quality product line. To put things in perspective H&K is such a BAD company they actually pulled out of the aftermaket audio segment, a segment which Mark Levinson supersedes in every way. YES their home audio can be good, but we are talking car audio and if they can't even meet the tier below exotic audio systems, which is aftermarket audio, then what business does H&K have mixing their middle of the line products with BMW wizardry? No amount of BMWness will help here.

Furthermore BMW is KNOWN for their lower quality in their logic 7 system in smaller cars. BMW gets worse and worse as space decreases.

Free Sun Shade.

Free Climate Control (we've seen EU spec 1ers with only AC).

Free Paddle Shifters ($100 option)

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and with all of this it actually has a spare tire, holding it back, but making the tires not suck.

Like I said, bargaining chip. These are not small issues to take into account either. With a BMW like the majority people you WILL be spending $500 on the metallic paint for Monaco Blue or Sedona Red or SGM or Black Sapphire or whatever. I don't know about you, but $500 is a LOT of money to throw around.

To joe shmoe the 135i will see stiff competition, which will be uninterrupted after the M1 is released, so that's why I strongly feel a BMW 135i priced above it's high tier competitors makes no sense.