2013 135is owners discussion and photos thread!

[3002 tii]

The Car is DONE. No I really mean it this time. Last set of mods were suspension bits, tires and alignment. Alignment specs below.

I bought this car last fall knowing it was the last of a special breed. I told myself not to go down the aftermarket route because I wanted to keep the car close to factory as possible. The goal was to keep the mods subtle while still enhancing the aggressive lines of the 135i. I even went light on tints to detract any unwanted attention although they're still effective in keeping the heat out.

The car is a keeper (I log 20k/yr) and I've done oil changes with BMW Castrol 5w-30 every 5k. The only thing I'm holding out for is a Quaife DCT 2.56 but I don't see a used one coming around soon, and it's only more of a necessity if she sees track time. I may consider replacing the suspension with the BMW PS if/when the stock shocks are blown. But for now this is how she sits.

Will follow up with pictures once weather clears up and give her a nice detail.

Suspension

• E93 M3 front sway bar
• 1M front strut bar
• M3 front control arms
• Dinan camber plates

Exterior

• Opti Coat 2.0
• Suntek Paint Protection Film
• PIAA Plasma Ion Yellow bulb
• BMW Performance carbon fiber spoiler
• BMW Performance carbon fiber diffuser
• OEM LCI Blackline tail lights

Interior

• Valentine One hardwired
• ITB-100HD dashcam hardwired
• Winco IR tint (60F/45R)
• OEM Stainless Steel pedals
• OEM Warning Triangle
• OEM All-weather mats
• 24 LED trunk lamp

Other

• Michelin PSS 225/40 & 255/35-18
• Whiteline subframe inserts
• Bimmerworld magnetic oil drain plug
• 2014-2 CIC Nav update

[Worra]

Does anyone else hear the rattling noise at 0:39 and 0:43? I hear it all the time in my car and it drives me crazy.

[Worra]

You can also see proof that the PE doesn't have an exhaust flap here in this awful pic...sorry

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by Worra

Does anyone else hear the rattling noise at 0:39 and 0:43? I hear it all the time in my car and it drives me crazy.

i don't think i ever heard that snake-y rattle on my car....i heard other weird sounds but not that one! Then again i almost never listened to the exhaust from outside the car, always while driving or seated inside so i guess i probably missed some of the weird bits going on.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

The Car is DONE. No I really mean it this time. Last set of mods were suspension bits, tires and alignment. Alignment specs below.

I bought this car last fall knowing it was the last of a special breed. I told myself not to go down the aftermarket route because I wanted to keep the car close to factory as possible. The goal was to keep the mods subtle while still enhancing the aggressive lines of the 135i. I even went light on tints to detract any unwanted attention although they're still effective in keeping the heat out.

The car is a keeper (I log 20k/yr) and I've done oil changes with BMW Castrol 5w-30 every 5k. The only thing I'm holding out for is a Quaife DCT 2.56 but I don't see a used one coming around soon, and it's only more of a necessity if she sees track time. I may consider replacing the suspension with the BMW PS if/when the stock shocks are blown. But for now this is how she sits.

Will follow up with pictures once weather clears up and give her a nice detail.

Suspension

• E93 M3 front sway bar
• 1M front strut bar
• M3 front control arms
• Dinan camber plates

Exterior

• Opti Coat 2.0
• Suntek Paint Protection Film
• PIAA Plasma Ion Yellow bulb
• BMW Performance carbon fiber spoiler
• BMW Performance carbon fiber diffuser
• OEM LCI Blackline tail lights

Interior

• Valentine One hardwired
• ITB-100HD dashcam hardwired
• Winco IR tint (60F/45R)
• OEM Stainless Steel pedals
• OEM Warning Triangle
• OEM All-weather mats
• 24 LED trunk lamp

Other

• Michelin PSS 225/40 & 255/35-18
• Whiteline subframe inserts
• Bimmerworld magnetic oil drain plug
• 2014-2 CIC Nav update

wow that's a lot of stuff going on there!! sounds good!

[IEDEI]

BTW, check out what's for sale (ignore the silly white car photo).

That's my 135is for sale :/ Good deal with CPO warranty, IMO.

http://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/certi...ad130a2489.htm

[Kouper]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

BTW, check out what's for sale (ignore the silly white car photo).

That's my 135is for sale :/ Good deal with CPO warranty, IMO.

http://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/certi...ad130a2489.htm

Yeah, they just forgot to add "Never seen rain or snow...only driven on sunny days to church. All freeway miles."

(Side rant: I just love how so many people advertise "all freeway miles" or "90% highway miles." Seriously? Are people stupid enough to believe that? How many people do you know who live on a freeway onramp?)

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

BTW, check out what's for sale (ignore the silly white car photo).

That's my 135is for sale :/ Good deal with CPO warranty, IMO.

http://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/certi...ad130a2489.htm

Does it come with a baker's dozen donuts free?

[CAVU]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

The Car is DONE. No I really mean it this time. Last set of mods were suspension bits, tires and alignment. Alignment specs below.

You have done one hell of a job incorporating sensible and tasteful improvements to your car. I would be lying if I haven't been watching you for examples of possible upgrades for my car. Now who am I going to turn to?

Originally Posted by Worra

Does anyone else hear the rattling noise at 0:39 and 0:43? I hear it all the time in my car and it drives me crazy.

I hear the noise in the video, but have never heard it on my car. I admit that I don't think I've ever revved the car like that while in park. Could it be rattling of the waste gate valve?

Originally Posted by IEDEI

BTW, check out what's for sale (ignore the silly white car photo).

That's my 135is for sale :/ Good deal with CPO warranty, IMO.

... they also forgot to mention that the first owner was a little old lady from Pasadena who never stepped on it. And that you used a dog vomit potion to clean your interior...

I would be curious to see what the final selling price turns out to be.

[owen2001]

Originally Posted by RickMsport

I would be lying if I haven't been watching you for examples of possible upgrades for my car. Now who am I going to turn to?

I say we all turn to greg! He's contemplating a suspension upgrade, M3 bushings, the Dinan stage 2, and more. Maybe if we put enough pressure on him, then he'll do all the upgrades and then report back to us!



http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...postcount=3223

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by owen2001

I say we all turn to greg! He's contemplating a suspension upgrade, M3 bushings, the Dinan stage 2, and more. Maybe if we put enough pressure on him, then he'll do all the upgrades and then report back to us!



http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...postcount=3223

Sure, if everyone wants to pool their money and send it on over to me, I'll gladly put everything on there and let you know what I think. =) But, I've also been tracking 3002 tii's upgrades and using them as a bit of a guide, so will be looking forward to hearing his impressions and feedback, though I'm definitely getting the BMW Performance Suspension in the coming weeks. So, stay tuned for that.

Also, I was so inspired by IEDEI's upgrade that I went ahead and did the same. I definitely love me that Valencia Orange and finally found one at a dealer nearby that just had my name all over it. So I bought it yesterday. Paid in full. Keeping the 135is though.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by gregthegr8

Also, I was so inspired by IEDEI's upgrade that I went ahead and did the same. I definitely love me that Valencia Orange and finally found one at a dealer nearby that just had my name all over it. So I bought it yesterday. Paid in full. Keeping the 135is though.

my guess is that runs a bit cooler than my VO does. You need to find an Alcantara glass to drink it out of....oh wait, that would be disgusting.

[phatmanatee]

Hi All,

I finally got around to taking some pics of my semi-new ride. I got it at the end of last year and have logged about 7500 miles on it.

I came from driving an Infiniti EX which was a decent car but did not provide the engaging experience or the aesthetic appeal I really wanted.

My first 6 months with the IS have been pure enjoyment. I use the car as a DD and my commutes have never been so much fun.

Anyway, no mods as of yet. It seems like my options are now limited here in CA with increased restrictions on performance mods. I've been very satisfied with the stock performance anyway.

I did tint the windows up to 35% in rear and fade on sides. I bought the OEM roof rails and use them with my Yakima bike racks. I think the BMW roof rails are about the same price but less noisy than the Thule Aeroblades I had before. Also, I can put them on and take them off in less than 5 min.

Finally, I have 3 kids (3, 6, and 8). Fortunately we have a minivan to tote all 3 of them around. But I do have a big car seat for the 3yo and a booster seat for the older kids. They fit pretty well (see the photo 3yo taking a nap) and I don't anticipate any need to upsize the back seat for some time.

Cheers!

[CAVU]

Originally Posted by jrad533

Hi All,

I finally got around to taking some pics of my semi-new ride. I got it at the end of last year and have logged about 7500 miles on it.

I came from driving an Infiniti EX which was a decent car but did not provide the engaging experience or the aesthetic appeal I really wanted.

My first 6 months with the IS have been pure enjoyment. I use the car as a DD and my commutes have never been so much fun.

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on picking up a great daily driver! I just hit 8800 miles have never found myself missing my G37. I like the carbon black, and I see you have the black interior as well. Do you have the blue contrasting stitching as well? 6MT or DCT? What is your favorite thing about the car?

[phatmanatee]

Originally Posted by RickMsport

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on picking up a great daily driver! I just hit 8800 miles have never found myself missing my G37. I like the carbon black, and I see you have the black interior as well. Do you have the blue contrasting stitching as well? 6MT or DCT? What is your favorite thing about the car?

Thx! I have the 6MT. My last 3 cars were automatics and I missed the feel of the manual transmission I had with an Acura Integra I had 10 years ago. Funny thing is that when I was driving it home from the dealership, I was using only 5 speeds and forgot it was a 6-speed tranny!

I have black stitching. Wish I had a contrasting blue...

I think one of the things I love most about the car is the PE. Unfortunately, not my wife! If I anticipate leaving early for work in the AM, I park it outside - not just in the driveway - but on the street where it won't wake up the kids!

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by jrad533

Thx! I have the 6MT. My last 3 cars were automatics and I missed the feel of the manual transmission I had with an Acura Integra I had 10 years ago. Funny thing is that when I was driving it home from the dealership, I was using only 5 speeds and forgot it was a 6-speed tranny!

I have black stitching. Wish I had a contrasting blue...

I think one of the things I love most about the car is the PE. Unfortunately, not my wife! If I anticipate leaving early for work in the AM, I park it outside - not just in the driveway - but on the street where it won't wake up the kids!

It's funny that seemingly the only people who like the PE less than wives might be neighbors. Congrats. Car looks great and carbon black is such a beautiful and dynamic color. I also think you're the only 135is we've seen that put the roof racks on.

[gregthegr8]

Well, after test driving an M235 last week and getting re-acquainted with my car this weekend after being away from it for 11 days and driving a minivan and ford focus, I seem to be falling even more in love with it than ever.

So, I'm starting to lean this afternoon towards just going full bore and getting the BMW Performance suspension AND the M3 (1M) subframe bushings done at the same time, especially if there is some time/money savings by doing them simultaneously. Will probably place my order tonight or Monday morning and get things installed in the next 2 weeks once I figure out and solve my stripped wheel lock issue so I can get my beloved 313s off.

I'm also putting the dinan stage 2 on the back burner for a bit. The car is just so great, I don't care about the money anymore, just want to make her as good as possible and then hang onto it for a very long time. That m235 is a boring, soft turd.

[Kouper]

Originally Posted by gregthegr8

Well, after test driving an M235 last week and getting re-acquainted with my car this weekend after being away from it for 11 days and driving a minivan and ford focus, I seem to be falling even more in love with it than ever.

So, I'm starting to lean this afternoon towards just going full bore and getting the BMW Performance suspension AND the M3 (1M) subframe bushings done at the same time, especially if there is some time/money savings by doing them simultaneously. Will probably place my order tonight or Monday morning and get things installed in the next 2 weeks once I figure out and solve my stripped wheel lock issue so I can get my beloved 313s off.

I'm also putting the dinan stage 2 on the back burner for a bit. The car is just so great, I don't care about the money anymore, just want to make her as good as possible and then hang onto it for a very long time. That m235 is a boring, soft turd.

Sounds good!
But there's always the unknown of that M2 lurking.... I'm curious if they will really do it right or screw it up! Time will tell....

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by Kouper

Sounds good!
But there's always the unknown of that M2 lurking.... I'm curious if they will really do it right or screw it up! Time will tell....

After my drive in the M235i and what I believe the M2 will end up looking like (if they make it), I may not even like it, or more likely, won't be able to justify the $35k price difference between buying out my car that may have 15-18k miles on it and a new M2 at around $65k with options (including likely $3200 for DCT compared to $450 on ours). So, I might rather just get the Dinan stage 2 flash to close the power gap as a more efficient approach. But we'll see.

I also keep hearing they may not end up making it at all or that they may do it in low quantities again. I just don't like what BMW is doing and the direction they're heading, so think the M2 is off the board for me. Perhaps a TTS/TTRS might be the only other cars I'd consider as they appear to be better, or better suited for me than a comparable M235/M2.

[3002 tii]

Just came back from the track. Spent 4 days in the Z4, it you factor the 3 days at the track plus time spent driving up and down. Had a blast at Watkins Glen, the Z handled superbly and had no problem hanging with the higher hp cars. But man, after that long drive home, I got in the IS to grab dinner and realized sometimes I forget how great this car is. It's so comfortable yet sporty. Refined but aggressive lines.

Reeling in a Boss 302 (+190hp advantage) in the last lap

[phatmanatee]

Originally Posted by gregthegr8

Well, after test driving an M235 last week and getting re-acquainted with my car this weekend after being away from it for 11 days and driving a minivan and ford focus, I seem to be falling even more in love with it than ever.

So, I'm starting to lean this afternoon towards just going full bore and getting the BMW Performance suspension AND the M3 (1M) subframe bushings done at the same time, especially if there is some time/money savings by doing them simultaneously. Will probably place my order tonight or Monday morning and get things installed in the next 2 weeks once I figure out and solve my stripped wheel lock issue so I can get my beloved 313s off.

I'm also putting the dinan stage 2 on the back burner for a bit. The car is just so great, I don't care about the money anymore, just want to make her as good as possible and then hang onto it for a very long time. That m235 is a boring, soft turd.

Agree - taking time off from driving the car really allows you to appreciate it much, much more. Every time I take a trip with another car (especially our minivan) I get withdrawal symptoms! Maybe I can convince my wife to get a more exciting family car?

I realized back in December that the m235 was not for me. And I would have hated to miss an opportunity to own a new 135is so I took the plunge. I leased to keep my options open. As long as the car is running fine at the end of the lease I may just end up keeping her. It will take a lot to convince me otherwise. With that said I'm eagerly awaiting more details on the M2.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by RickMsport

You have done one hell of a job incorporating sensible and tasteful improvements to your car. I would be lying if I haven't been watching you for examples of possible upgrades for my car. Now who am I going to turn to?

Thanks for the kind words. I had a specific goal set in mind, don't touch the car. The 'is' goodies make it perfect but as I drove the car more there were some minor things I wanted to address and I think I've been able to accomplish that. I truly am happy with how the car sits now, both visually and performance wise.

The M-sport shocks are slightly underdampened in my opinion but I can see why the engineers did that (seeing how it was going to be paired with runflats). But now that I'm on PSS, I see more a reason to get the BMW PS down the road.

Dinan S2, Quaife and BMW PS would really put the car at the next level, almost in M performance (blaspehmy, I know).