New 135i Owner

[thezone135i]

Hi guys,

I am about to pick up a gorgeous 2008 135i steptronic in Sedona Red with 70,000km. Car is immaculate 1 owner. I have no plans to mod as this car in stock form out performs and out handles any car I have previously owned including two heavily modified VW's, R32 and GTI and a mildly modified A4 quattro (current ride).

Looks like this forum has lots of good info and tips. Looking forward to spending endless hours trolling through it all!

Cheers fellas!

[Jeef Beef]

Awesome colour, the Sedona red they used on all the promotional brochures of the car was what made me fall in love.

[thezone135i]

Originally Posted by Jeef Beef

Awesome colour, the Sedona red they used on all the promotional brochures of the car was what made me fall in love.

Cheers Jeef, I actually wasn't that keen on the colour from the add photos but in the flesh its outstanding!

[bsm135]

Congrats!
You'll have a tune on it in no time, I'm sure.

Sedona red doesn't do anything for me in pictures, but in the flesh it looks way better. It's just a hard colour to get right in pics.

With a good camera and lighting, you can really get some good shots of it if it's nice and clean.

[TS135i]

Congrats & welcome,
You'll be reading up on the suspension section before to long.

[thezone135i]

I spent many$$ on mods with all my last 5 cars. My mrs will divorce me if i throw any cash at this one. It was sole reason for getting this car " but honey I wont need to mod this one as its just perfect".

[thezone135i]

So out of interest, what sort of $$ am I going to be up for for servicing/maintenance etc? Is there a timing belt or chain that needs doing at a certain km? Are there any cam or cam follower type issues like with the vag tfsi?

[thezone135i]

Washed my new baby today. This thing is sex on wheels. Then I took it on some serious Adelaide Hills driving, sheet this thing is so well balanced, its all in the chassis.

I also tried the mod of clamping the bi-modal exhaust tube to get more grunt down low (golf tee mod) but I think it ruins the nature of the car which is quiet down low and then "nice n growly" through the mid range. So I undid it.

Man I'm lovin' this car!

Rant over.

[OzJustin]

Love the colour in your last shot. I'm not a big fan of the orange tinge in Sedona Red but when the camera picks up the cherry red side of it (usually in more overcast settings) I think it looks fantastic.

[7smurfs]

Very nice looking car... Love the colour!

[135i2]

Originally Posted by thezone135i

I spent many$$ on mods with all my last 5 cars. My mrs will divorce me if i throw any cash at this one. It was sole reason for getting this car " but honey I wont need to mod this one as its just perfect".

Congratulations on the car and welcome. Its a pretty good piece of kit.

And one of the 3 nicest colours, that like others, made me sit up and take notice.

I came from a modded VW Golf R32 and the performance of the 135 didn't impress me at all. The 135 represented and good platform to start with and I bought the car because of the standard goodies and that under tuned 3.0 twin turbo.


Stage 1 -

The run craps had to go ...fork lift ride terrible.
Tune
Full exhaust


Stage 2 -

Better Tune
Meth Injection
BOVs
Dual Cones

Stage 3 -

Quaife LSD
Oiler Cooler
FMIC

= 300rwkw

The mods for our cars ar now relatively cheap as so many people are selling at end of lease and ditching their parts...some quality and some OK performance stuff. Pretty cheap to get to or close to 300rwkw.

Stage 4 -

In progress.

Turbos
Coolers
Quad Exhaust
M3V8 rear end
Coilovers
BBK
M3 front suspension bits
Other Stuff

Now that I have gone down the full mods path this is a well sorted and quick package that is hard to beat without a mega budget. What would you replace a 350rwkw 135i with? Unlike all my other modified cars this one will now be a keeper as it will do everything I need it to do.

[thezone135i]

Sorry I have to disagree. In know way does a modified Golf R32 come even close to this car in stock form unless yours was supercharged! The r32 did not have anywhere near the low down torque that this one does. 400nm at 1300 rpm? And adding an exhaust to an na only reduces torque anyway.

My tuned gti (sold) and my tuned A4 Quattro (still in my garage) could both blow the doors of a stock R32 and a stock golf R. But all of these cars are toys compared to the 135i even in stock form. Its just all class.

While I appreciate your mods and I can imagine the brutal power and handling it would have, if there's one thing I learned from modding cars, once you start there never seems to be enough power/noise/grip. Its like the never ending quest, there's always something bigger better faster. I've decided im going to just enjoy and appreciate it for what it is and hopefully get some longevity out of it.

PS: Have you tried racing engine and trans mounts? Huge handling improvement.

[135i2]

Originally Posted by thezone135i

Sorry I have to disagree. In know way does a modified Golf R32 come even close to this car in stock form unless yours was supercharged! The r32 did not have anywhere near the low down torque that this one does. 400nm at 1300 rpm? And adding an exhaust to an na only reduces torque anyway.

My tuned gti (sold) and my tuned A4 Quattro (still in my garage) could both blow the doors of a stock R32 and a stock golf R. But all of these cars are toys compared to the 135i even in stock form. Its just all class.

While I appreciate your mods and I can imagine the brutal power and handling it would have, if there's one thing I learned from modding cars, once you start there never seems to be enough power/noise/grip. Its like the never ending quest, there's always something bigger better faster. I've decided im going to just enjoy and appreciate it for what it is and hopefully get some longevity out of it.

PS: Have you tried racing engine and trans mounts? Huge handling improvement.

I applaud your enthusiasm for a new purchase.

Having owned both cars for a significant period of time there are things I loved about my modified and tuned R32 (not charged). A stock 135 which I have also owned and driven didnt blow the doors off it. Not even close. Par for the course actually. I did like the immediacy of a NA engine. Anyhoo gotta love cars and the individual preferences we have for them. Enjoy the 135 in any guise but there is potential abound for the taking so long as the wife doesnt find out

[thezone135i]

I found the r32 nose heavy and mine was tuned, ecu and dsg, coils, sways. Not until I put vwr engine and trans mounts on it did it feel precise in the nose and then it sounded rough due to the extra nvh. I'm enjoying the oem feel of the 135i.

On another issue does anyone have squealing brakes on their 135i? This is the first euro car ive ever owned with squealing brakes.

[Knightelf]

Originally Posted by thezone135i

On another issue does anyone have squealing brakes on their 135i? This is the first euro car ive ever owned with squealing brakes.

Pretty common problem on the 1er, I had squealing brakes on E87 and also E82. The sound went away after new brake rotors & pads.

[thezone135i]

New rotors, yikes!

[Liub]

Originally Posted by Knightelf

Pretty common problem on the 1er, I had squealing brakes on E87 and also E82. The sound went away after new brake rotors & pads.

Ditto. Cleaning won't help for more than a day.