135i or 08 STi or EVO X??

[Robert]

This is a tough question I can't answer either. Both have its appeals, especially the dual clutch transmission and the variable power delivery on the EVO.

[spudw]

No offence to EVO and STi, but it's high-performance econo-box vs. high-performance entry-level premium... no contest for me.

[MrRoboto]

Jeremy on the STI. "I think therefore you may have to be a bit dim to buy one."

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol...cle3209571.ece

and the 135i. "The 135 coupé is the best car BMW makes. I have no hesitation at all, then, in giving this long-awaited return to form the rare accolade of five stars."

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol...cle3250763.ece

[damian]

It took me the better part of a year to decide between the STi and the 135i. In the end, I'm not even sure why I finally settled on the 135i. I think it's mostly because I already owned an STi (a 2004), and that one cost me 31K. I'm not that fond of the idea of paying 4K more for one that won't perform noticeably better for someone like me, where most of the improvements seem to have been made for comfort. If it were 4K more and had much more power, better seats, and was lighter, I think I'd have gone the other way.

[Sephiroth]

I think the 135 is a better attempt at a refined version of the Evo/STI than was the last R32.

I think the 135 brings to the table such positive elements as the coupe format, outstanding engine response, good gas mileage, excellent warranty, numerous standard features, and likely good build quality.

Thats enough to sway me.

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by excel

^^
The Evo always win comparos because it's a better handling car. I don't know if the car is too heavy for the Evo 4 banger, it's not a normal 4 banger.

"but in the end...you can either drive a BMW, or a Mitsi,or Subaru......" Name doesn't mean anything without being able to back-up their clams. All the name is, is a sales tool.

Hunh..?

A Mitsu or a Subbie arn't going to have the quality as a BMW, noticrbly things as the the intangables such as quality of ride, wind noise, dealership experience, etc. Then add in the fact that the BMW's fit & finish, Interior quality, Stereo, headlights, etc are superior to those brands.

BMW is just not a name... look around (closely) you will not find a better built car!

[damian]

Originally Posted by Garrett

BMW is just not a name... look around (closely) you will not find a better built car!

Depends on what criteria you use for "better built." Subaru engines last forever, and almost every car in the lineup is top safety pick every single year. I've never once had any of my Subarus in the shop for anything besides regular maintenance. Ever. Check out the consumer reports on Subaru sometime.

[darknightohio]

Subaru- great engine, great drivetrain, sub-par interior, thin sheet metal, and crappy Subaru paint. (even the 08s have crappy paint according to 08 owners)

BMW- great engine, I have heard good things about the drivetrain, amazing interior, a much more solid car than the Subaru.

My impressions after going to the Detroit autoshow and seeing both in person. The Evo was there, but the doors were locked...

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by damian

Depends on what criteria you use for "better built." Subaru engines last forever, and almost every car in the lineup is top safety pick every single year. I've never once had any of my Subarus in the shop for anything besides regular maintenance. Ever. Check out the consumer reports on Subaru sometime.

Take them out on the ROAD. There is a huge difference in quality. Meaning the components used to build the car...

Engine and safety are moot points, imo They booth have airbags and an engine...lol! Not sure how many airbags the Subbie has but the BMW are safe!

Shut the door on a Subbie, then a BMW... there is a noticeble difference. Your going to get a better build quality from BMW, peroid!

[juniormint]

Im am in this boat too. I may be moving to boston and this will be my only car so i need to think about how a car will be in the winter months. However the 135 and the sti are the same price but the 135 has two more cylinders and another turbo. So I am leaning towards the 1 but if I cant get around in the winter that might be a problem

[ARES45]

The Sti and evo had no chance in my mind, IMO those are way overpriced.

[MrRoboto]

You know the one thing that has always drove me crazy about Subaru. The steering column in crooked. The left side of the wheel is further away from the driver then the right. Its like it is pointed towards the center of the car. Everytime I have my Audi in for service I get a Subaru loaner. I am sure you would get used to it but damnit...50k for that.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by MrRoboto

Both the STI and the EVO are ridiculously overpriced for what you get IMO.

Agree, the EVO MR base price is $39,000. That is just crazy. A Mitsubishi now cost more than a BMW, weird.

[damian]

Originally Posted by Garrett

Take them out on the ROAD. There is a huge difference in quality. Meaning the components used to build the car...

Engine and safety are moot points, imo They booth have airbags and an engine...lol! Not sure how many airbags the Subbie has but the BMW are safe!

Shut the door on a Subbie, then a BMW... there is a noticeble difference. Your going to get a better build quality from BMW, peroid!

I'm pretty sure that consumer reports takes into consideration the fact that people actually drive the cars.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by damian

I'm pretty sure that consumer reports takes into consideration the fact that people actually drive the cars.

I think you are talking reliability and Garret is referring to fit and finish, interior quality, material quality.

The lastest Car & Driver comparo with the Evo in it, says the interior is no where near what it should be for the price they are charging.

[~AJ]

Ugly 4-door cars.

That should answer it for you.

Now, if the EVO or STi were available in 2-door configurations...

[Scuderia]

Sooner or later all three of these cars will put up lap times in Top Gear's test track. IMO, and unless it's raining, the 135i walks away from these two.

[BForbes]

Originally Posted by Scuderia

Sooner or later all three of these cars will put up lap times in Top Gear's test track. IMO, and unless it's raining, the 135i walks away from these two.

I agree. The world is in for a big shock. BMW's non-M models do just fine without LSD's and the like. The 135i should be no exception.

[looking]

Originally Posted by slickone

I think you are talking reliability and Garret is referring to fit and finish, interior quality, material quality.

The lastest Car & Driver comparo with the Evo in it, says the interior is no where near what it should be for the price they are charging.

If Garret is talking about fit and finish, which seems to be the case, then I don't really think I can argue. I think that's probably the main reason I'm looking at the 135 over the STi and Evo. In terms of reliability, I don't think you can base it on a badge or name plate, if I remember correctly the previous M3's had big problems with drive train issues and previous EVO had/have clutch problems, and STi had suspension problems. Even the all might Toyota is now suffering from reliability issues. I guess my point is, Name Brands are designed to be sales tools, so you can't look solely at the badge. What a name brand will tell you is, the likelihood of how a certain product will be, but it's not a guarantee.

I also have to agree that the STi and Evo's are getting to be over priced. When they first came out though, they were a steal. At that time (2004) no car manufacture in the North America market was offering anything close in terms of performance, especially at that price point. Now however it's a different story, it seems like all manufacturer are raising the level and all of them seem to have a well price performance car. With that said though, I think the 135 is still a bit pricey for what you get, in terms of size and technology. Although, I guess the point of the 135 is to get back to the roots of a car, just driver and machine.

[MastaMind]

Originally Posted by damian

It took me the better part of a year to decide between the STi and the 135i. In the end, I'm not even sure why I finally settled on the 135i. I think it's mostly because I already owned an STi (a 2004), and that one cost me 31K. I'm not that fond of the idea of paying 4K more for one that won't perform noticeably better for someone like me, where most of the improvements seem to have been made for comfort. If it were 4K more and had much more power, better seats, and was lighter, I think I'd have gone the other way.

Agree 100%

I just can't justify paying a price increase for improvements that aren't performance oriented.

Since I don't need a practical vehicle (hatch), I really don't know why I should go with the STI, and I'm not fond of the X's weight (even though it looks very fun on the track).

[Evolved]

It seems as though many of you don't understand the purpose or reason for the the STi/Evo being built. Performance is the one and only goal. If flat out performance isn't the only criteria you look for in a car than obviously you're not going to like these cars. I have a very short commute each day therefore I want a car that's a lot of fun to drive and is easily modded. If I had a longer commute I would definitely want something different but the primary use of a vehicle for me is fun/entertainment. Now with the introduction of the 135i there is another vehicle that can fit in this demographic for me but before that, if you wanted a car that offers the same level of performance as a STi/Evo you would have to get a vette, M3 or Porsche.


Long story short, the STi/Evo are a single purpose cars.

[Dave]

save your $ get the 135i

sti/evo is great if you realllly need the awd, like if you live in up state VT or canada or the boonies. Also they are good casrs to consider if you want to make them track machines. the mods will be cheaper and the auto x class will be more lieant to mods wherer as bmw cca is pretty strict from what i hear.... cant sneak a ecu mod in at all