135 is is worth the extra money

[Mr Rooty Von Tooty]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

The N55's in both those cars are a lot more reliable (so far) than the N54's. Single turbo vs double, different style of injectors, no need for intake valve cleaning, hopefully the latest and longest lasting HPFP.

This is why I try to always buy the last year of a model run of car. Hopefully they have all the bugs worked out.

That's actually a very good rule. I always buy the newest version usually the last of a model's production run. It is surprising at the number of changes and improvements made over the life of a model.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by Mr Rooty Von Tooty

That's actually a very good rule. I always buy the newest version usually the last of a model's production run. It is surprising at the number of changes and improvements made over the life of a model.

It is hard to even compare the 2008 to the 2013 1ers. They are pretty much completely different cars. There is very little that was not changed.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by MaicoJr

Thanks everyone for chiming in. My wife hates you guys for pushing me closer to getting the 135is(she is not a fan of red interior or the monthly payment). The 135is does have a great set up and it was fun to drive. We will see which route i go. Thanks for all your inputs.

Personally, I love Coral Red interior. Had it in my first 1er. My neighbor saw it and called it "whore red," which I thought was hilarious. It did look exaggerated and loud at first, but then it calmed down quite a bit and really grew on me. In comparison, other colors seemed dull after I got used to it. I have black interior now. Yawn.

Edit: I will say, in defense of all black interior, it is quite striking, especially with the anthracite headliner. Just not bright and colorful, like Coral Red.

[PopsnBurbles]

I personally think the 'is' is worth it. The wheels, PE, and PPK2 alone make it all worth it. However, it is the (optional) blue stitching that made the 'is' mark up completely worth it. Just like with many things out there, I with they went and applied more of the contrast stitch on other pieces of the interior.

The other little things are the gloss black mirror caps, not all chrome kidneys, and the 135is badge (inside) and the obvious addition of 's' on the '135i' mark in the rear.

[DuckCoverRoll]

For $34k, the 135is is a steal (I paid about $35.5k for it)! I'm biased, but I'd definitely get the IS :-)...

Originally Posted by MaicoJr

I can get a 2012 135i msport, 6 spd, premium, navi, leather, heated seats for about $29k but 4 months of waranty left or 2013 135is for maybe $34k, 15k miles w/navi, DCT, red Boston leather, heated seats.

[tock172]

My favorite aspect of the 135is is the wheels. The Style 313 BMW Performance wheels look excellent. I would highly consider putting a set on my 135i someday.

[Chunner]

Originally Posted by Mr Rooty Von Tooty

The question should be how much more is an extra 20HP, wheels with a slightly different look, and a different sounding exhaust worth?

Having driven both cars when nearly new, I'd say not much.

I disagree. I have owned both cars. A 2013 135i and a 2013 135is. The PE exhaust alone on the 135is makes every snap, crackle, burble, and pop worth it.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by tock172

My favorite aspect of the 135is is the wheels. The Style 313 BMW Performance wheels look excellent. I would highly consider putting a set on my 135i someday.

You should get them. A little pricey, but well worth it IMO. A touch of class in a clean OEM look. One of my favorite things about my car and would definitely do it again.

[tock172]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

You should get them. A little pricey, but well worth it IMO. A touch of class in a clean OEM look. One of my favorite things about my car and would definitely do it again.

I'm definitely considering it, as it is a nice upgrade that satisfies my urge to keep it OEM as possible. I am extremely conservative when it comes to modifications. The only things I can honestly see myself doing with this car are a ZHP weighted shift knob, and potentially the wheels. Maybe the PPK and the exhaust down the road. Oh and Michelin PSS as soon as the awful runflats wear out.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by tock172

I'm definitely considering it, as it is a nice upgrade that satisfies my urge to keep it OEM as possible. I am extremely conservative when it comes to modifications.

I agree, as you can tell by my sig.

[dh58]

Get the 135is. It's rare and you'll be starting off on a good car.

I have the 135i and am buying the parts that are on the 135is. If the 135is was available, I wouldve just got it and be done with it

[MaicoJr]

Unfortunately the sales boy at the dealer sucks and does not know how to do his job. Yesterday drove a 2012 manual 135i and it shifts so smoothly. It makes want to get a 6 spd even though DCT did wowed me and is more practical in Chicagoland area. If the dealer with then is keeps failing at it's job, looking else where for i and possibly manual.

[ejm3]

If the IS were available when I bought my 135i in 2012, I would have paid the extra money and gotten it.

[Mr Rooty Von Tooty]

Originally Posted by Chunner

I disagree. I have owned both cars. A 2013 135i and a 2013 135is. The PE exhaust alone on the 135is makes every snap, crackle, burble, and pop worth it.

Snap, crackle, and pop sounds like a breakfast cereal. I like a smooth running engine and a quiet exhaust.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by Mr Rooty Von Tooty

Snap, crackle, and pop sounds like a breakfast cereal. I like a smooth running engine and a quiet exhaust.

I see a Tesla in your future.

I LOVE the noises it makes!

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Chunner

I disagree. I have owned both cars. A 2013 135i and a 2013 135is. The PE exhaust alone on the 135is makes every snap, crackle, burble, and pop worth it.

Originally Posted by Mr Rooty Von Tooty

Snap, crackle, and pop sounds like a breakfast cereal. I like a smooth running engine and a quiet exhaust.

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

I see a Tesla in your future.

I LOVE the noises it makes!

Or a Prius.

Actually, the pops and crackles come from PPK, with the PE increasing the volume and enhancing the sound. The software tune of PPK1 and PPK2 is the same, so the sound that comes from them is the same. PPK2 ads some cooling hardware, which helps keep the car cool during extreme driving, such as tracking, etc. but is not really necessary for normal, everyday driving, or some spirited driving on the street.

BMW calls the sound from PPK "a very sporty exhaust burbling noise during engine overrun conditions."

http://www.shopbmwusa.com/PRODUCT/33...-WITH-M-BUMPER)

[champignon]

I have a 1M and a 2013 135i now. I like both cars very much but they are very different.

The 135i is a more comfortable car except for the sports seat which up until now I have not been able to make as comfortable for my body as the one in the 1M. It has more than enough power and it handles really well. The 1M is of course more of an animal and it is my all-time favorite car, ever. I just drove it 165 miles today, back home from a business trip. I passed everything I needed to on the winding twisted 2 lane roads, for brief periods getting up to even 90 mph, but felt confident enough to let the jeeps and vans and whatever else pass me at 15 mph over the speed limit on the flat straight sections, glad to have people in front of me going way over the limit, as state-trooper-bait on the boring sections, just in case they were needed :-)

Back to these cars; I've never driven a 135is, but from everything I know and have heard, it is not a 1M, it is not an M3, it is simply not an M car. It is a gussied up 135i with slightly more power, makes more noise, and has better looking wheels. At the right price it is something that I would advise considering buying, but its advantages over the 135i tend to get way overstated.

Get the basic car you want, the transmission you want, color you want, upholstery you want, etc. at a good price. If you can find one like that in an "is," then go for it, but don't overpay and don't over-expect, because you will likely be disappointed. And be advised that Carfax and BMW of NA use 135i/135is interchangeably, so if you think you have stumbled onto a 135is that is being sold as a 135i, you probably have not been lucky rather this is because few regard the 135is as a distinct model from the much more common 135i.

[MaicoJr]

I have driven both, 135is and 135i. 135is definitely sounds good and wheels make the car look better. Handling is about the same. The trans is the problem. i have been wanting Manual trans again but the DCT is definitely way better than boring tronic trans and more practical living in Chicago but the manaul trans was so smooth and easy to use that it has left me conflicted. I am definitely not going to over pay, i still have my yaris(alright stop laughing everyone) and EX35 to hold me over until i find the right deal.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by MaicoJr

I have driven both, 135is and 135i. 135is definitely sounds good and wheels make the car look better. Handling is about the same. The trans is the problem. i have been wanting Manual trans again but the DCT is definitely way better than boring tronic trans and more practical living in Chicago but the manaul trans was so smooth and easy to use that it has left me conflicted. I am definitely not going to over pay, i still have my yaris(alright stop laughing everyone) and EX35 to hold me over until i find the right deal.

If you want a manual, by all means get a manual. If you do not get it, you will regret it. You can always add the 135is Performance parts to a manual 135i if you can't find a 135is with a manual transmission.

[CAVU]

For those of us who ticked the boxes on the order form and had our 1ers built, the 135i vs 135is question was really a question of bundled options. I wanted the 313s, PE, and PPK, and the "is" option was a relatively cost-effective way to get those options. I've since installed the PS, MPSSs, and a few other things and am very happy with the car. I don't look at other 135i cars and think my car is better than those cars in any way... I do however tend to look at 128i with the 6MT and suspension upgrades as a more of a pure driver's car.

Gap between the 135is and the 1M: significant

Gap between the 135i and 135is: insignificant

[Ed P]

I agree with champignon and CAVU. Last year when shopping, I looked at both, and drove both almost back-to-back. Could not tell any difference performance- or feel-wise. I let other factors help me choose (miles, condition, trans, options) more so than the added "s".

That said, if my car was an "is" I would not have minded paying a bit more for it, but you need to decide how much you're willing to pay for the extras.

For a $5K difference, it better have less miles and other things going for it than just the "is" options, but that's me...

[MaicoJr]

Well, it looks like they want $7500 more for the 135is and in some cases 10k more. One year difference and 10k extra miles should not make the difference. It is definitely not worth paying that much extra when i have been told i can get more horsepower, same sound by adding the new muffler and same wheels for less.