So...coming from an STi...

[damian]

Originally Posted by stelthy

I guess this is as good a place as any to say HI. I will also be coming from a Suby, an 2005 Legacy GT Limited 5MT to be exact.

Love the car, but with 37500 miles on it, it feels like 80,000, rattles and creaks. the AWD is fun, no getting around it, and I am sure I will miss it during those winter months, and rainy days.

To keep on topic, I really wanted the 335 when it first came out, but frankly I can't afford it, not equipped the way I would want it anyway. I figure worst case scenario I can afford a fully loaded 135i. I guess I will just have to get used to having only 2 doors.

Hey, do you go to Yark Auto in Toledo? That's where I've gotten my last 3 Subies. They also deal with BMW. I can hook you up with a good guy there if you're interested.

[vinazzurro]

Originally Posted by kurichan

That's exactly what I did when I went from my modded WRX (what a hoot!) to my ZHP. I missed the raw edge and the AWD for a while, but I didn't miss the crappy brakes and light steering at all. Excuse me for waxing existential, but you can really get used to ANYTHING. The ZHP was a great ride for me - fast, sharp, refined, and the brakes were 1000% better than Scooby's.

I suspect (hope) the 135 will be very similar to the ZHP- certainly closer to the STi than the Lexuslike nature of the 335, or the 135 is going to be a total bust for BMW.

I think (lots of assumptions about the 135) you'll find the 135 very spirited and sporting, but in a more refined way than the Scoobies - raw won't be part of the equation!

Hmmm... not to stray too far off topic here, but the two shortcomings mentioned above could've been fixed with about $400 of parts and an hour of labor (SS brake lines, Hawk HPS pads, Steering rack bushings), and I am speaking from ownership experience here.
:redface:

I miss my damn WRX every day, and while the RSX-S is more refined and smoother on the highway, I'd trade some of the smoothness back for some boost or AWD.

I now own a beater in addition to my *good* car (the RSX-S), and if I get a 135i to replace the RSX, my next "beater" will be a used, turbocharged Subaru for damn sure. I miss it that much... but I do acknowledge the fact that I'm getting a little older and don't want to drive a hoodscooped beast 24/7.

[Propagator]

Oh man this is way more Subaru love than I expected in a Bimmer forum!

As ugly and quirky as they are, it's difficult to find cars in that price range that have as much character as Subarus. And there simply arent' that many Japanese cars that have more road presence than a world rally blue STI.

On the one hand, you hear that GM set out to design their cars to be appealing in the first 15 mintues of a test drive. On the other hand, you have this quirky engineer driven company that uses high quality plastic (believe me, it is) to cover what looks like a 15 year old dash design, and make the crappiest sounding doors that offer top notch side impact protection.

Or maybe it will be a thing of the past. The new Impraza seems to signal a new era for Subaru, one in which it tries to be mainstream and fails miserably.

[kurichan]

Originally Posted by vinazzurro

Hmmm... not to stray too far off topic here, but the two shortcomings mentioned above could've been fixed with about $400 of parts and an hour of labor (SS brake lines, Hawk HPS pads, Steering rack bushings), and I am speaking from ownership experience here.

Problem was, Subaru was on a militant campaign to void warranties on modified cars, and my car was leased...

[aesthetect]

Originally Posted by spinzero

Oh man this is way more Subaru love than I expected in a Bimmer forum!

i think its cause a turbo subaru is probably the cheapest, most practical driver's car (right kurichan?? :wink you can get. and the 1 represents that same bang-for-the-buck factor appealing to real driving enthusiasts. if you havent noticed the people on this forum drive some real shit, and know their shit. i love it. the one series is bringing together everyone from subarus, bmw, infiniti, mazda, porsche, lotus, vw.. shit, there even seem to be some muscle car heads around. because we all believe this is going to be a fucking great car for driving enthusiasts. and it looks sexy.

On the one hand, you hear that GM set out to design their cars to be appealing in the first 15 mintues of a test drive. On the other hand, you have this quirky engineer driven company that uses high quality plastic (believe me, it is) to cover what looks like a 15 year old dash design, and make the crappiest sounding doors that offer top notch side impact protection.

Or maybe it will be a thing of the past. The new Impraza seems to signal a new era for Subaru, one in which it tries to be mainstream and fails miserably.

haha very well said

Originally Posted by S2K

Just my opinion but the S2000 gave me that RAW feeling, not as raw as running with sand in your shorts though.

and that is fucking hilarious

[stelthy]

Originally Posted by damian

Hey, do you go to Yark Auto in Toledo? That's where I've gotten my last 3 Subies. They also deal with BMW. I can hook you up with a good guy there if you're interested.

I do, they have been pretty good to me. I actually have a contact at the BMW dealer there that sits pretty high, friend of a friend type of thing. So I hope to get a good deal, even if they charge the average joe MSRP.

Originally Posted by kurichan

Problem was, Subaru was on a militant campaign to void warranties on modified cars, and my car was leased...

This is true, they will track you down on the Internet, they have a whole team devoted to tracking forums like this. They will also look for proof of racing (drag, street, and autocross, even Subaru sponsored events...) and use that to not process a warranty claim. Be careful what you post in a forum.

[vinazzurro]

Originally Posted by spinzero

Oh man this is way more Subaru love than I expected in a Bimmer forum!

Half of NASIOC is here!

The 1er even has its own thread in t3h OT!

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1318561

[Propagator]

Originally Posted by vinazzurro

Half of NASIOC is here!

The 1er even has its own thread in t3h OT!

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1318561

I shudder at the inevitability of a retarded street racing thread, and the subsequent teh OT invasion.

[vinazzurro]

Originally Posted by spinzero

I shudder at the inevitability of a retarded street racing thread, and the subsequent teh OT invasion.

Yeah, it'll happen, almost definitely. We've already had a couple "Is a 135i a good 17th birthday gift / is a 135i a good graduation gift" threads... the likes of which would be ripped to pieces by OT... or even the General forum.

[ducati]

Originally Posted by kurichan

I've actually driven it quite a bit. I can't believe I'm saying this, but here goes: I hope they make it a bit more RAW in the 135i. The 335i is sooooo smooth in terms of power delivery and sound that I felt like I was gliding... (probably exactly what BMW was shooting for and what the market wants, just not my preference...). I want a bit more grit!

I have said it before: I found the 335i a little boring. Chasing the redline in the 328i was more interesting than surfing the (prodigious) torque in the 335.

Part of this does have to do with the sound and feel--simply put BMW wanted the 335's TT 6 to feel like a NA motor, and a quiet, smooth one at that. The car isolated you from much of what makes driving a car interesting. I can't blame BMW for this--the target buyer for a non-M car doesn't really want a raw DD.

I'm away on a trip now, and a friend of mine always house-sits when I'm gone. He's a BMW fan, has driven quite a few, and he said the STI is "too much. Too hard, too loud." That's OK, that's not what BMW was going for.

I really don't think the 135 will be raw and elemental--it isn't an ///M. Of course, you could toss some sand in your shorts :thumbup:

And having a S2000 AND 135 is a great solution for many. Always fun to have a "toy car" that tickles the fun buttons. The problem, for me, is I NEVER pick up the keys to the "practical one."

On the 1er's side, I still like RWD the best. We'll see if the STI changes my mind. I forsee myself respecting AWD, but still loving RWD for "the dance." Come on, give us the ///M...

[imported_merlot]

Another WRX owner here who is afraid to get rid of his bug-eyed '03. The new STI and the 135i are the top two on my list. It will be a difficult decision to make; awd high performance practicality of the STI, or refined driver's machine from BMW.

Of course I may keep the WRX and add a Miata to the stable, so who knows. :iono: :biggrin:

[redwood]

I'm not sure about these horror stories you've been hearing. I have an '99 (E46) 328 with 138K miles. I love it and it's on the original clutch even. Beyond the warranty, any maintenance you do will definitely cost more than your typical car though. JD Power's Dependability Study ranks BMW at (Honda #5, Toyota #6). I have a friend with an '05 STI that has been great, except for some body hardware problems. Then I have another friend that has had all kinds of engine problems and now transmission problems with his '05. You talk to one person with all kind of problems with their BMW and then you can talk to another with very few. Of course you're going to hear about all the negatives on internet forums. Many people that are happy aren't going to bother posting about it.

[Propagator]

Originally Posted by Redwood

You talk to one person with all kind of problems with their BMW and then you can talk to another with very few. Of course you're going to hear about all the negatives on internet forums. Many people that are happy aren't going to bother posting about it.

Which is why you rely on quality surveys with big sample sizes like Consumer Reports reliability survey. :wink:

[redwood]

Unfortunately we don't have any Consumer Reports info on the 1-er. The closest we have is the 3 and it's a recommended buy with "Good" reliability.

[NY SLC 93]

It's gonna be hard to let the .:R go

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by Redwood

Unfortunately we don't have any Consumer Reports info on the 1-er.

Yes, and Consumer Reports are the end-all be-all.

[atr_hugo]

I'm still waiting for Consumer Reports to do rollover testing on adult undergarments.