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      05-31-2014, 06:13 PM   #1
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2011 BMW 1M  [8.40]
test drove a 1M today...

moderators: please do NOT move this to the 1M section. This is more a comparison to the 135i/is and is meant to be reading for 135/128 owners.

So as some of you know, I was originally in the market for a 1M last fall----but couldn't find one that fit the bill so i leased a 135is. I LOVE the 135is as i think it is really a fantastic package. I was a big fan of the E82 in general for several years before i couldn't take the pressure anymore and had to have one!

I originally had an allocation offered to me for a 1M in 2011, which i turned down back then (for several reasons which are insignificant now). Needless to say, i've been trying to 'right that wrong' for a while now. haha. I am not the type who regrets much...but i have to say i regret that choice a bit.

I leased my 135is for 2 years and have 15 months left on the lease. You can probably imagine then that getting out of a lease is HARD without losing plenty of money.....and that's the only thing currently preventing me from getting a 1M. I have a 22k mile a year lease as i commute 120 miles a day by freeway to my job.....so my lease payments are fairly high ($700++ a month) but i don't mind----at least i have a great car to commute with!

So anyway i drove out of state today to go check out a 1M. I did not buy it. Primarily because i can't come to grips with losing several thousands of dollars to make it happen in regards to my 135is lease.

So what did i think of the 1M?

Well i love the E82 in every form (128, 135, and 1M) and even love the E88 for a Cabriolet (even though i hate sunlight too much to actually ever drive a convertible). The 1M is really aggressive. Sits taut, squat, and fat. The PSS tires are wiiiiiide and the whole thing looks like it was literally injected with silicone on each fender and bumper. Really great.

To drive.....i'm going to be honest and say that 90% of the 1M is in the realm of the 135 The BIGGEST difference for me was the steering rack and the precision of the steering in the 1M. It feels even tighter (i think the 135 has great steering, btw) and even more aggressive in its response. There was significantly less body roll than my 135is (completely stock) and for me the combination of tighter steering and less body roll really made the car feel very planted and aggressive. The brakes felt very similar, but stronger too.

So the 1Ms 335hp isn't really a massive amount more than the 135is 320hp out of the box....and driving it was no different. It felt a bit faster and a bit more 'open' with the overboost function increasing torque, however all-in-all not a massive difference. Clearly the 1M is a faster car, however i have no doubts that people running more aggressive tunings on the 135 can easily surpass what is going on here in terms of power.

Gearbox? IDENTICAL. The LCI 135 has the same 6 speed manual gearbox as the 1M. The clutch on the 1M, however, felt a bit stiffer....not too much more though.

I was urged to take some exit ramps pretty rapidly and i will say the 1M had NONE of the 'squirrel-y' stuff that the 135 seems to do. It was planted like a magnet through out the exit ramps no matter what speed i took it at. After my test drive when i drove the 135is through the same exit ramps at the same speed (60mph through a long, heavily turning ramp) it felt squirrel-y....so there is definitely a proper difference in terms of suspension and steering setup that is readily sensible in daily driving.

As someone who has wanted a 1M for what feels like at least 3 years now, I will say that i still want one. I did, however, realise that the 1M is NOT light-years ahead of the 135 in terms of driving feel. It does not feel like a 'totally different car' as some people have stated. If anything i think the 1M feels very much like a 135 that has been modified---and essentially that is exactly what the 1M is. Do i still want a 1M? YES. Am i willing to 'overspend' to get one? I'm not so sure anymore.....i think there's an element of 'hype' which has sort of pumped the prices up maybe beyond what they should be. As a record collector, i've noticed that anything labeled 'limited edition' tends to get that treatment.....doesn't mean it's always worth that extra premium.

So after my test drive (which lasted about 15-20 mins) i drove 1.5 hours back home. The 135is feels softer only in sweeping turns and the steering is NOT as sharp. BUT i have to say i still really enjoyed the drive back......so my 135is is still loved in my books!

I'm curious how many other 135 or 128 owners have driven the 1M. What were your thoughts?

OH and if anyone IS interested in taking over my 135is lease for 15 months, then get in touch with me! :P
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Last edited by IEDEI; 05-31-2014 at 06:39 PM..
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      05-31-2014, 06:30 PM   #2
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Nice review. I tend to agree that replacing RFT and a front sway bar upgrade has made my 128 a joy joy to drive. Do I wish it was tighter, maybe, faster? no.
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      05-31-2014, 06:33 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by bozola View Post
No 128 love.
nah not like that, man. i love the 128.....just power wise i think the comparison to the 135 is a better one, and also considering that i don't own a 128!
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      05-31-2014, 06:33 PM   #4
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I can't seem to justify $60k for a 1M despite how perfect it is.

Thanks for sharing! The result was as I imagined!
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      05-31-2014, 06:35 PM   #5
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Thanks for posting your review. I was also on the fence about a 1M but I opted to also buy a new 135i with M Sport. The deals that were going on the 2013 models made it hard to pass up.

I figured I can have a brand new car for 20k less which gives me more room to square the front end, improve the suspension, exhaust, wheels and tires, etc and still come out cheaper and have a new car.

It also allows you to customize exactly what you want. I have my SA pulling all the parts that I need to widen the front and it's actually not that expensive. The labor is more expensive than the actual parts.

Anyways, just my .02
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      05-31-2014, 06:35 PM   #6
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nice day off you had today
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      05-31-2014, 06:54 PM   #7
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I reacted too quickly to your initial sentence. I saw the love later in your review.....


Quote:
Originally Posted by IEDEI View Post
nah not like that, man. i love the 128.....just power wise i think the comparison to the 135 is a better one, and also considering that i don't own a 128!
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      05-31-2014, 07:30 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DurimOne54 View Post
I can't seem to justify $60k for a 1M despite how perfect it is.

Thanks for sharing! The result was as I imagined!
i really think the prices will come down soon....i've been looking at these for a long time, and most of them sit around unsold for a while. I think you'll see $40-$50k as the M2 details really start to pour out.....and i, for one, am also interested in the M2 as the details come out and may time well for my 15 month end-of-ease period.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 16hourdrive View Post
Thanks for posting your review. I was also on the fence about a 1M but I opted to also buy a new 135i with M Sport. The deals that were going on the 2013 models made it hard to pass up.

I figured I can have a brand new car for 20k less which gives me more room to square the front end, improve the suspension, exhaust, wheels and tires, etc and still come out cheaper and have a new car.

It also allows you to customize exactly what you want. I have my SA pulling all the parts that I need to widen the front and it's actually not that expensive. The labor is more expensive than the actual parts.

Anyways, just my .02
Overall i'd agree with you. I think the 1M is a very nice 'package' that doesn't really require any modificiation, but overall getting a NEW 135 was a great option for those of us who didn't buy a 1M at MSRP as used prices have just been nonsensical for the most part.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lazyd0c View Post
nice day off you had today
Indeed, man!

Quote:
Originally Posted by bozola View Post
I reacted too quickly to your initial sentence. I saw the love later in your review.....
haha no worries.
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      05-31-2014, 08:32 PM   #9
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I equate the 1M with the E30 M3. Yes some prices may dip to $40K but the car will hold its value forever. Keep it as a fair weather car, an investment you can enjoy.
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      05-31-2014, 10:47 PM   #10
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2011 BMW 1M  [8.40]
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthernDancer
I equate the 1M with the E30 M3. Yes some prices may dip to $40K but the car will hold its value forever. Keep it as a fair weather car, an investment you can enjoy.
it's not as significant as the E30 M3 by any means. that was a 'homologation' street car. Far more special in terms of story....

I think the 1M has stayed expensive only due to it being 'Limited Edition'. If it weren't for that, the story would be different IMO.
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      05-31-2014, 11:25 PM   #11
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I have to say stock for stock the 1m feels significantly better than the 135i. The 135i (s) suspension and run flats feel extremely sloppy in comparison in my opinion. Most of my gripes in the stock 135i can be fixed with mods and the car can be made to drive and perform very similar to the 1m.
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      05-31-2014, 11:28 PM   #12
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I for one love the fenders, wheels and the interior, but I'm not sure its worth the cost everyone wants for them, lease or no lease.
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      05-31-2014, 11:51 PM   #13
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IEDEI, nice review and sounds like a fun day! I'm with you...for some reason, to this day, every time I see a 1M my heart stops just a bit. The car looks and sits so nice and mean. But the $$$ differential is a tough pill (bill?) to swallow, as much as I'd seriously considered one also. Maybe the M2 will make us all forget about the 1M.....or maybe not! Time will tell. I imagine there will be plenty of fairly low mile examples around for a while.

As for my day, I put the top down, soaked up the beautiful 77 degree weather and the sunlight that you hate so much, and ran my car through the gears this afternoon while the PE sang in my ear.

Questions for you:
1) How does the 1M exhaust note compare to the 135is from the driver's seat?

2) Though HP ratings between 1M/135is are not far apart, could you tell a noticeable difference between the N54 and N55? How would you describe it?

Thanks
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      06-01-2014, 12:07 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes View Post
I have to say stock for stock the 1m feels significantly better than the 135i. The 135i (s) suspension and run flats feel extremely sloppy in comparison in my opinion. Most of my gripes in the stock 135i can be fixed with mods and the car can be made to drive and perform very similar to the 1m.
ha yes you would know as your car is one very 1M-ish innit? Do you have the M3 steering rack as well? Doesn't the 1M have the M3 steering, if i'm not mistaken?

Quote:
Originally Posted by brocklanders View Post
I for one love the fenders, wheels and the interior, but I'm not sure its worth the cost everyone wants for them, lease or no lease.
My residual lease is definitely my biggest issue, however i do agree with you that the pricing seems to have been artificially inflated by an outside force....either that or the original cars were sold at such high mark-up that people started trying to recover that...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kouper View Post
IEDEI, nice review and sounds like a fun day! I'm with you...for some reason, to this day, every time I see a 1M my heart stops just a bit. The car looks and sits so nice and mean. But the $$$ differential is a tough pill (bill?) to swallow, as much as I'd seriously considered one also. Maybe the M2 will make us all forget about the 1M.....or maybe not! Time will tell. I imagine there will be plenty of fairly low mile examples around for a while.

As for my day, I put the top down, soaked up the beautiful 77 degree weather and the sunlight that you hate so much, and ran my car through the gears this afternoon while the PE sang in my ear.

Questions for you:
1) How does the 1M exhaust note compare to the 135is from the driver's seat?

2) Though HP ratings between 1M/135is are not far apart, could you tell a noticeable difference between the N54 and N55? How would you describe it?

Thanks
Yeah it was good fun. I'm glad my 135is didn't get angry at me and pop a hose or something...lol. I really wish i could love sunlight like you do....haha

answer your questions:

1) Exhaust-wise---the 135is with the PPK2 and the PE definitely more aggressive than the 1M, imo.....My feeling is that the insulation in the 1M is a bit different than the standard cars though----i'm not sure how true this is, however i noticed that the door felt slightly different when shutting and the exhaust had more 'drone' but not more sound. From the outside, no comparison the 135is sounds meaner and angrier than the 1M.

2) There was more noticeable turbo lag in the 1M than i was expecting. It didn't really bother me, per se...but i felt it. the 1M, however, has a beautiful surge of power that happens in the mid-range that happens like a thrust. This may be attributed to that 'overboost' function. I feel like the N55 feels more alive off the line and building revs, but then backs off at a point whereas the 1M feels more broad with a bigger range. I'm not sure if that makes any sense as it is wholly unscientific, however that's how it felt.
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      06-01-2014, 12:28 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kouper View Post
1) How does the 1M exhaust note compare to the 135is from the driver's seat?

2) Though HP ratings between 1M/135is are not far apart, could you tell a noticeable difference between the N54 and N55? How would you describe it?

Thanks
1. The N55 w/ PE + PPK2 sounds AMAZING. Just like what IEDEI said, it's aggressive compared to the 1M. 1M sounds very nice too.

2. My car (N55 + PPK2 + PE if it matters) compared to my brother's Z4 35i (N54, stock). Both cars are DCT and both cars are stripper (except for sunroof). From regular driving alone, the N54 feels faster a bit faster. The lag is definitely what holds the N54 back. When those twins start spooling, the pull is just ridiculous. The N55 on the other hand is the better daily driver. I honestly do not believe the 317lb. ft. @ 1500rpm...It's more like 2000rpm. Even so, it's convenient and feels great. On uphills, I felt my N55 doesn't have to put as much effort as the N54.
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      06-01-2014, 08:35 AM   #16
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So if the handling is not that far from the 1M, what are the part that we need to change to give the 128/135 about the same handling as the 1M.
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      06-01-2014, 11:13 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kafou
So if the handling is not that far from the 1M, what are the part that we need to change to give the 128/135 about the same handling as the 1M.
Take an hour or so and cruise over to the photo section of the board. Then read ilikebmx's build thread. 😉
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      06-01-2014, 06:35 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by kafou View Post
So if the handling is not that far from the 1M, what are the part that we need to change to give the 128/135 about the same handling as the 1M.
1M/M3 control arms, sway bars, bushings, wider wheels that will allow more rubber (this will be the most limiting factor since the offsets on the 128/135i is so tough to work with) and sporty dampers & spring rates similar to the 1M (maybe BMW Performance struts & springs)
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      06-01-2014, 08:36 PM   #19
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Nice write up. I considered a 1m when shopping for my 135i but there were hardly any around so I never got to drive one. I'm still happy with my 135 and will be for a few years. Maybe next time...

Unrelated OP, but I used to have an 01 TT 225qc 6MT too-- it was silver over denim blue leather and was my favorite car I ever owned before I got my 135. I still think about getting one again just for fun on the side.
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      06-01-2014, 08:48 PM   #20
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If only the 1M had an S65 or other special M engine . . .
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      06-02-2014, 11:04 AM   #21
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Good Read
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      06-02-2014, 03:58 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3002 tii View Post
1M/M3 control arms, sway bars, bushings, wider wheels that will allow more rubber (this will be the most limiting factor since the offsets on the 128/135i is so tough to work with) and sporty dampers & spring rates similar to the 1M (maybe BMW Performance struts & springs)
Ok, so it's not as easy as it seem...
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