135i Review; Unimpressed.

///MPhatic · 01-09-2011, 08:49 AM

Alright, some of you aren't going to like this review, or probably me after I've written it, so if you're that type, hit the back button now, as I'm not here to make enemies, only give my honest opinion to those looking to buy one of these cars.

First things first, I'm 5'6", athletic build, and have always owned Sports Cars, from an RX-7, to an MR-2, MX-5, S2000, etc. The one car I always wanted as an exception to my Sports-Car rule, was an E46 M3, which is more of a GT-Car than a true Sports-Car.

I've been dreaming of a 1-series for a while, as you can probably see by my join date. However, the kid in me still needed time to play, so I had an '05 STi for a couple of years. Hard car to beat, that one, it does everything so well, but still felt heavy to me, and too bent on power, so I sold it in favor of my current Lotus Exige. The Lotus has been great, ingress and egress aside, but at the ripe old age of 40, I'm getting close to wanting something easier to live with (the Exige is my daily driver), and the 1 seemed to fit the bill (E46 power, E36 size).

Anyway, yesterday I drove a 2011 135i, and honestly, was unimpressed from the start. The car is a looker, no doubt (other than the huge sag in the door), but several things about it just didn't sit well with me. First, the engine has a loud ticking sound (with the hood up), which struck me as very odd. Not sure if this is a BMW thing, or an N55 thing or what, but both cars I drove had it.

Secondly, the car is easily wide enough in the seat area, but the a-pillars seem so scrunched together, it reminded me of my old Miata, like I could reach over and touch the passenger a-pillar base...and I'm not a big guy. And nevermind the back seats, they're about as big as this sentence.

The leather (not leatherette) seemed rough, and cheap, and nearly matched the other interior parts in feel, and they weren't leather. The M-Sport steering wheel felt huge in my hands, as if they had taken the standard wheel and just given it another coating of thick leather. The seat felt cramped, and tight, and the adjustments completely weird, and beyond that, it isn't at a right-angle to the car, meaning I was pointed not squarely at the front, but a little to the left. The steering wheel gave me this impression as well, though not as pronounded. Viper anyone? And I'm sure it becomes second nature to start the car after thousands of times doing it, but what the hell? Stupid, really.

Onto the drive. For such low-profile crappy RF tires, the car drove excellent, and felt as if it were chiseled from a solid piece of stone. Very nice indeed. However, switching the DTC off and giving her some stick resulted in the car getting very much out of line, even on dry pavement. I can't imagine the car in rain with no DTC, you'd be the slowest one around. The worst part? With the DTC on, the car still didn't feel confident in a straight line at full tilt. I guess BMW missed the day of class that covered "power is nothing without control". No LSD in this car is the biggest mistake BMW has made in years, stupid, just stupid. Who is going to leave the car at 300/300? Few. What will it do with 375/425? Be worse. Really, just sad.

Other than that, the engine was very willing to rev under 5K, and sounded pretty good as well (couldn't hear the exhaust inside the car). Oh yes, the exhaust, curious sound really, outside the car is has a throb to it that actually reminded me of my old STi. Interesting.

When all is said and done, you just don't get much BMW these days for $39K, especially with such an awesome engine and suspension, I mean, they simply had to leave everything else out. I guess I wanted the car to feel lighter because of how small it is, but it didn't, it felt like our '07 TL with more juice. And honestly, it just didn't feel that comfortable either. I truly expected to be blown away by the car, and maybe that's the problem; my expectations were just too high.

I think I'll wait a few weeks and drive the car again, but in the background, I'll be searching for a '05 Imola ZCP M3.

Thanks for listening.

collegemt · 01-09-2011, 09:49 AM

The No LSD is a big mistake I agree. With RFT's you can't got WOT in first gear without breaking loose.

1SerieStud · 01-09-2011, 09:50 AM

Thanks for sharing your opinion. I, like you, come from an extensive background of sports cars, including 2 S2000's, a g37s coupe, g35 coupe, and a few others. Also, I had considered an Elise (you current car's brother) at one point, but due to its raw nature, I opted out since I require at least a few "amenities" on a daily driver such as floor carpeting, let aside the lack of space - and I'm not a huge guy; 5'10'', athletic build, and still felt like I was a sardine in a can.

There is one single complaint that entirely agree with, and that is the lack of an LSD on the 135i. As you mentioned, a car with so much power (and capable of easily producing more) should have been equipped with an LSD from the start.

Regarding the interior positioning, I do not get the impression that you describe regarding the way you are positioned when sitting on the driver seat. I believe that alignment of the seat and the steering wheel are fine.

Stability-wise, many say that the achilles heel of this car is the suspension, and that's easy to notice. This is why many of us, including myself, opt for BMW's Performance Suspension, which apparently is leaps beyond what the stock sport suspension has to offer. Granted, an LSD will always be required to complete the package, but for those who have installed this suspension that BMW has to offer as an option, it transforms the car. Body roll is almost entirely eliminated, which in turn helps balance out much of the understeer that this car offers. Squatting and nose-diving are virtually gone as well. I have my performance suspension sitting in my garage, and will be going on the car some time this week. I can't wait to experience it first hand.

I believe your disappointment comes from a having a track-ready daily driver. Though the S2000 is not as raw as an Exige, I too was disappointed when I moved from my first S2000 (AP1) to my g35 coupe a few years back. The disappointment was so much, that a few cars later I ended up having a second S2000 in order to quench the thirst.

Today, I can say that I am completely happy and pleased with what my 135i has to offer on a daily basis - plenty of power in any gear, great gas mileage for a car with this kind of power, amazing looks, and outstanding sound (BMW Performance Exhaust); heck, even in stock configuration the exhaust note can't be beat with this new N55 power plant. As for future plans, once the suspension goes on, I do intend to have an LSD on this car some time down the road.

I hope your second drive allows you to see what this car truly has to offer.

ErvGotti · 01-09-2011, 10:08 AM

First off the loud ticking noise you hear is the injectors. They are inherntly louder because they spray fuel at I believe 200psi compared to around 50psi for port injection vehicles.

I do agree that not having an LSD even as an option on this car is stupid, but that's BMW's thing. You have to get an M car to have that. That being said if your willing to shell out $39k for a new 135i why not spend the extra $5-7k and get the 1M. It has a wider track to eliminate the high speed unstability, an LSD to put the power to the ground, and ran the ring faster than the E46 M3.

Me I've just been slowly modding my car to make up for these deficiencies. Coilovers, tires, and soon an aftermarket LSD.

j1gzca · 01-09-2011, 11:41 AM

I agree with the points you made. I moved from a 330i ZHP to the 135i, with a 3 year gap in between where I drove an X3, and I still maintain that the ZHP was a lot better overall despite the power deficit it had against the 135i. I think the older BMWs were simply better built. In all fairness to the 135i, it is a very fun car to drive as long as you don't take it to the absolute limit.

And let me just say, that is one good looking Exige you got there. I would keep it for as long as I could if I were you.

BMW86 · 01-09-2011, 05:56 PM

VisualEchos - You need to understand the 135i isn't meant to be an all out sports car like your Lotus Exige, it's standard model BMW in M Sport with a killer engine and it does that just fine. The 1M would be more likely to meet your expectations, it does away with all of the 135i's weakness - adding an LSD, wider/better tyres etc. The 1M is the perfect balance for track and street driving whereas the 135i is built for the masses. You have pointed out a few of the flaws already but most of us enthusiasts on the forum have modded our cars to address them. Everything comes at a cost but a 135i with a $500 chip and $1000 tyres is day and night over the stock setup but a good base to start with. If you look at the 135i for what it's purpose is, you really can't go past it and that's why it wins so many reviews.

Impervious · 01-09-2011, 07:37 PM

Sounds like apples to oranges compared to the car/cars you are used to driving. I think we will all agree with you regarding the lack of LSD, which is a major disappointment.

It's pretty hard core that you drive an Exige daily. People say it can't be done but I bet I could do it as well.

///MPhatic · 01-09-2011, 09:09 PM

Thanks for the great responses guys, I might just wait for a 1M before I make up my mind on anything, as that really seems to be the car I need. If not, I'm sure an E46 M will do just fine.

MikeinAlexandria · 01-09-2011, 09:40 PM

When I saw the Lotus logo, I figured this must be a Lotus person. It is a tough sell to give up any Lotus for a BMW, the philosophies are so different. If you are really looking at a 135i as a replacement for the Exige, it is possible, but certainly not with a stock 135. BMW is hard at work making their cars a comprimise to appeal to a larger market. The Lotus Elise and Exige are uncomprimizing, no frills sport cars that do one thing well, handle... Better than any other car IMHO. That said, BMWs can be encouraged to handle much more like a Lotus with a little work. If you decide you want a 135, here is what I would do...

- tires. Yokohama makes the AD08 in sizes that fit the 135. It is the successor tire to the AD07 used on the Elise. There are other choices too, but I tHink the Yokohama will probably wring the most out of the car
- suspension. Nothing beats coil overs with adjustable ride height and dampening. (even my own BMW with non-adjustable coil overs is a compromise, but my other car is an Elise, so...).
- suspension part deux... Swaybars. I had some Racing Dynamics ones on my old Z3 roadster and it improved the handling considerably. Felt like you were on rails
- ECU tuning. Take your choice, there are a few folks here on the forums that have what appear to be great products. The main thing is to improve throttle response
- engine/exhaust note. Well, nothing is going to make the cR sound like your Exige. But the BMW Performance exhaust is pretty neat. I have the version for the 128, and honestly, in a tunnel, it sounds better than the stock Elise exhaust, without being harsh or droney.
- brakes... Go with BMW Performance, easy upgrade, they look great and are an excellent improvement
- seats. Well, nothing us like a Lotus seat. But I have seen the BMW performance seats, they are fantastic. Supposedly not available in the US, but where there is a will, there is a way.

All this adds up, but you'd have a car that is a worthy successor to the Exige, that works all seasons, can park, gets decent fuel economy, and is only a half second or so slower to 60, but still very, very fast.

Good luck with whatever you decide. One option would be to keep the Lotus and get an older M3 for the daily drive. Not a bad option if you can swing it. If you do decide to sell the Exige, www.lotustalk.com is a great place to find a buyer.

///MPhatic · 01-10-2011, 05:35 PM

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