6000 miles and counting (135i)

pumaknight · 08-26-2008, 04:13 PM

Hi all,

It has been a awful long time since I have posted here….it is down to a stupidly busy work life and not a lot of time to spend waxing lyrical about my (and other) super 1ers. But time has gifted me with a window of opportunity to post a quick report on how my 1er is going.

Let’s get the important stuff out of the way – FACTS:

One visit to the workshop for a puncture repair – yep the audible alarm and run flats do work quite well and I am delighted I took out the optional tyre insurance…one errant nail left by a local builder might have cost me# £300 otherwise!!<
One embarrassing visit to get the stereo repaired, only to find out that it was my total incompetence that has caused it to fail….cue the red face and stumbling story about my wife…..yeah I know, I am a bad man!!
Bad “morning rush hour traffic as far as the eye ca”n see fuel economy: 24mpg (UK) bad figures but to be expected.
Normal “some traffic, some rural some motorway cruis”e fuel economy: 34mpg (UK)….much better and very pleasing.
Zero speeding tickets – one close call in France, but more on that later.
Zero mods other than a pile of CDs and a map book (yep, no sat nav).
One tiny scratch courtesy of an over eager fan at Le Mans – more on that later as well.
Cleaned once a week – yep I am one of those Sunday morning blokes who polishes the car like it is a loved one…..I admit it!!

The facts are astounding, the car is astounding, but facts, figures and a general well being don’t tell my story of this car. To be honest, a bit of new car glee could fulfil all of the above, no matter what the make of car, be it a BMW, Audi, Seat or Kia. What facts don’t do is tell you what it is like to own a car with a 3ltr straight six and twin turbos……so to tell that story I am going to bring you on my recent road trip down to Le Mans this year.

It has been a bad year for my friends and the normal pilgrimage to a big motor sporting event. One of my friends has spent all his holiday money on a snow boarding trip France so can’t go. Another has been cursed with jury duty so can’t make it. So our numbers drop to me and one more. Not a problem as it now means that I can bring my 1er, rather than my wife’s 3er.

My mate is suitably impressed with the comfort of his passenger seat, especially as he can now push it back without fear of screaming from the back seat. The boot is fully laden with food, clothes and the necessary camera gear, but the ride height has not changed a jot – stiff suspension me thinks.

So off we tot, over 1000 miles of pure driving pleasure ahead. I set myself a target of 30mpg (UK) for the whole trip - a simple measure both to reduce fuel costs (a gallon costs a bit now) and to kerb my right foot. The drive out of London blows that target to pieces (24mpg). This engine may be divine, but it hates urban. That being said, it does purr nicely, and the clutch doesn’t feel too heavy, no matter how hot she becomes.

The traffic filled road soon gives way to open 3 lane motorway all the way to Folkstone where we intend to catch the Euro Tunnel to France. You would think that 3 hours of driving on motorway early in the morning would bore most…but not if you are driving a 1er…..the pleasure you get even cruising at 2500rpm and 70mph is awesome. She burbles along, assertively sticking to the lane, no matter what the side wind ard the pot holes. The lane changes are smooth and progressive thanks to the mighty toque on tap. I find it astonishing that I stay in 6th gear for the whole motorway section. NO matter what the hill, the need to pull into the fast lane, the power is there and I only have to squeeze the throttle…not one downshift required.

Cue the first “cool” moment: This black 135i is still very rare and draws a lot of admiring glances and comments from the car park crowds at the Euro Tunnel terminal. Bear in mind that I am parked next to a Aston Martin, a Lambo, and an R8.

Cue the second “cool” moment – we drive into our carriage. We are suppose to idle in first all the way up the train, but how can anyone resist blipping the throttle to hear that meaty growl echo off the steel walls? The Aston can’t, the Lambo certainly can’t, a Ford Focus should have, and neither could I. The owner of the Lambo comes up and asks what engine I have in that!!! A LAMBO OWNER!!!! I gush with pride and excitement whilst admiring his car…..sighs!

The long winding French motorway system beckons. Now in convoy with said super cars, we make our way down to Le Mans. It is about 350 miles or toll booth interrupted motorway…nice roads for the most part, except where you go through a town (name escapes me); tunnels, bridges and large holes all over the road. The tunnels are a great excuse for all of us to hammer the throttle and speed past each other, the bridges a great way to admire scenery at speed and the pot holes….suffice to say the grimace of pain and fear were a high light – who said the suspension was hard????

Cue the third “cool” moment. These bridges are for the most part an integral part of the road…but for one, the lip onto the bridge deck was less than integral – it was a big step and on a bend.. At 30mph, not a problem. At 80mph, cue the big sideways slide….the Aston caught it, I caught it, and the Lambo managed to brake before he died!! To say that the responsiveness of the steering on the 1er is precise is an understatement – I have never driven a car that inspires such confidence in control as this car. My passenger looked at me with a wide eyed smile, saying “Jesus Christ, was that a slide??!” The traction control, although intrusive at some junctures, normally when you bounce across a drain cover on the straight, was perfectly weighted at 80mph. It assisted in keeping the car controllable rather than feeling like it was driving the car for me. I was able to steer into the skid and modulate the throttle without the fear of the TC exaggerating the control inputs as happens in other cars. This car is soooo cool!!

The rest of the drive was uneventful...as uneventful as you can get running and keeping up with supercars!!

Every toll booth turned into drag race and photo opportunity for police, locals and tourist alike. All legal but fun nevertheless. I am not trying to say the 1er is quicker than a Lambo or an Aston, but you would be surprised how close the race was. The gasps and comments I got proved that this car is a sleeper….a real wolf in sheep’s clothing. All I had to do was let the soulful growl of the engine build up to 2500rpm, ease the clutch, steer into the subtle acceleration over steer (TC not cutting in, but the rears still spinning slightly), snatch a smooth change to 2nd and then ease off as you top 80mph before you can say, wow, quick, isn’t it???? – perfect.

Ah, the joy, the fun, the unadulterated pleasure this car gives. After 500 miles, I jump out of the car, no worse for wear….I have never been in a car that allows me to do that, especially one with such savage acceleration and harsh suspension.

For those worried about its looks, fear not – it attracts the right type of comments and stares. The admiring glances, the cooing comments, and the outright, “Cool car dude” you get, even sitting in amongst real super cars pays testament to how hot this car is to the general public. One fan got too close and his rucksack swung off his shoulder and bounced off the rear wing…..the gasps, apologies and terror were palpable. I got out expecting a huge dent, but nope, just a tiny 1cm scratch that will easily t-cut out. Nice paintwork on these 1ers!!

6000 miles and my car is exceeding my expectations – I look forward to driving her, even if the journey is the traffic bound nightmare that you usually experience in the UK roads….
Oh but I forgot two things – the mileage after 1000 miles and as you have heard, some savage driving…want to guess????? 30.3mpg…..that is unreal!!!
Oh and the near speeding ticket??? 85mph on the motorway and through a speed trap…..thought I was a goner, but the gendarme was hunting for those doing much more, not a piddly 5mph above the speed limit….phew!!!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed – have a look at my website to see photos of the Le Mans race, yep I did attend, I didn’t just burn around in my ”super” car…..:-)

gio · 08-26-2008, 04:20 PM

How long is a UK mile? How big is a UK gallon??

imported_mac · 08-26-2008, 04:26 PM

Really nice write up, thanks. You also take a mean photo, the number 8 car with the glowing brakes is a fabulous picture.

Can't wait to get mine now, it's so close!

pumaknight · 08-26-2008, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gio

How long is a UK mile? How big is a UK gallon??

1 us gallon is equal to 3.8 ltrs.
1 uk gallon is equal to 4.5 ltrs.
So 34 mpg (UK) would be equivient to 29 mpg (US)...much better than published rates of 30mpg(UK) for combined and 25mpg (US) for highway.

isitspringyet · 08-26-2008, 05:55 PM

The pictures of LeMans that you took are incredible! I half expected to see you and your driving companions in one of them! Great write up, I'm over 9,000 miles and understand completely how enjoyable this car is to drive on long trips.

amdmaxx · 08-26-2008, 06:19 PM

nice write up.

wnta135 · 08-26-2008, 06:28 PM

Wonderful writeup and great pictures.
I'm at 3200 miles but will get a chance to check the ride on the way to Watkins Glen next month.

F0Bman · 08-26-2008, 11:34 PM

Wonderful write up and hopefully you enjoy that car for a long time.

MikeVictor · 08-26-2008, 11:51 PM

Stirling write up old chap

TP 135i · 08-27-2008, 07:51 AM

Lovely story...........and I am totally blown away by you photographic skills that I experienced on your web site...

pit1 · 08-27-2008, 08:07 AM

Terrific write-up!!! Thank you. Moving from an E46, when I first got the car I thought it's touring ability was sub-par...but now after 7000+ miles in 3 months I couldn't ask for a better balance of performance and touring.

Agreed, impressed by the stock exhaust note through tunnels. I roll down the windows every morning as I enter my office garage.:thumbup:

pit1 · 08-27-2008, 08:09 AM

OH...and the PHOTOS!!!

08-26-2008, 04:13 PM	#1
pumaknight Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 280 Posts Drives: Currently Seat Leon Cupra FR Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	6000 miles and counting (135i) Hi all, It has been a awful long time since I have posted here….it is down to a stupidly busy work life and not a lot of time to spend waxing lyrical about my (and other) super 1ers. But time has gifted me with a window of opportunity to post a quick report on how my 1er is going. Let’s get the important stuff out of the way – FACTS: One visit to the workshop for a puncture repair – yep the audible alarm and run flats do work quite well and I am delighted I took out the optional tyre insurance…one errant nail left by a local builder might have cost me# £300 otherwise!!< One embarrassing visit to get the stereo repaired, only to find out that it was my total incompetence that has caused it to fail….cue the red face and stumbling story about my wife…..yeah I know, I am a bad man!! Bad “morning rush hour traffic as far as the eye ca”n see fuel economy: 24mpg (UK) bad figures but to be expected. Normal “some traffic, some rural some motorway cruis”e fuel economy: 34mpg (UK)….much better and very pleasing. Zero speeding tickets – one close call in France, but more on that later. Zero mods other than a pile of CDs and a map book (yep, no sat nav). One tiny scratch courtesy of an over eager fan at Le Mans – more on that later as well. Cleaned once a week – yep I am one of those Sunday morning blokes who polishes the car like it is a loved one…..I admit it!! The facts are astounding, the car is astounding, but facts, figures and a general well being don’t tell my story of this car. To be honest, a bit of new car glee could fulfil all of the above, no matter what the make of car, be it a BMW, Audi, Seat or Kia. What facts don’t do is tell you what it is like to own a car with a 3ltr straight six and twin turbos……so to tell that story I am going to bring you on my recent road trip down to Le Mans this year. It has been a bad year for my friends and the normal pilgrimage to a big motor sporting event. One of my friends has spent all his holiday money on a snow boarding trip France so can’t go. Another has been cursed with jury duty so can’t make it. So our numbers drop to me and one more. Not a problem as it now means that I can bring my 1er, rather than my wife’s 3er. My mate is suitably impressed with the comfort of his passenger seat, especially as he can now push it back without fear of screaming from the back seat. The boot is fully laden with food, clothes and the necessary camera gear, but the ride height has not changed a jot – stiff suspension me thinks. So off we tot, over 1000 miles of pure driving pleasure ahead. I set myself a target of 30mpg (UK) for the whole trip - a simple measure both to reduce fuel costs (a gallon costs a bit now) and to kerb my right foot. The drive out of London blows that target to pieces (24mpg). This engine may be divine, but it hates urban. That being said, it does purr nicely, and the clutch doesn’t feel too heavy, no matter how hot she becomes. The traffic filled road soon gives way to open 3 lane motorway all the way to Folkstone where we intend to catch the Euro Tunnel to France. You would think that 3 hours of driving on motorway early in the morning would bore most…but not if you are driving a 1er…..the pleasure you get even cruising at 2500rpm and 70mph is awesome. She burbles along, assertively sticking to the lane, no matter what the side wind ard the pot holes. The lane changes are smooth and progressive thanks to the mighty toque on tap. I find it astonishing that I stay in 6th gear for the whole motorway section. NO matter what the hill, the need to pull into the fast lane, the power is there and I only have to squeeze the throttle…not one downshift required. Cue the first “cool” moment: This black 135i is still very rare and draws a lot of admiring glances and comments from the car park crowds at the Euro Tunnel terminal. Bear in mind that I am parked next to a Aston Martin, a Lambo, and an R8. Cue the second “cool” moment – we drive into our carriage. We are suppose to idle in first all the way up the train, but how can anyone resist blipping the throttle to hear that meaty growl echo off the steel walls? The Aston can’t, the Lambo certainly can’t, a Ford Focus should have, and neither could I. The owner of the Lambo comes up and asks what engine I have in that!!! A LAMBO OWNER!!!! I gush with pride and excitement whilst admiring his car…..sighs! The long winding French motorway system beckons. Now in convoy with said super cars, we make our way down to Le Mans. It is about 350 miles or toll booth interrupted motorway…nice roads for the most part, except where you go through a town (name escapes me); tunnels, bridges and large holes all over the road. The tunnels are a great excuse for all of us to hammer the throttle and speed past each other, the bridges a great way to admire scenery at speed and the pot holes….suffice to say the grimace of pain and fear were a high light – who said the suspension was hard???? Cue the third “cool” moment. These bridges are for the most part an integral part of the road…but for one, the lip onto the bridge deck was less than integral – it was a big step and on a bend.. At 30mph, not a problem. At 80mph, cue the big sideways slide….the Aston caught it, I caught it, and the Lambo managed to brake before he died!! To say that the responsiveness of the steering on the 1er is precise is an understatement – I have never driven a car that inspires such confidence in control as this car. My passenger looked at me with a wide eyed smile, saying “Jesus Christ, was that a slide??!” The traction control, although intrusive at some junctures, normally when you bounce across a drain cover on the straight, was perfectly weighted at 80mph. It assisted in keeping the car controllable rather than feeling like it was driving the car for me. I was able to steer into the skid and modulate the throttle without the fear of the TC exaggerating the control inputs as happens in other cars. This car is soooo cool!! The rest of the drive was uneventful...as uneventful as you can get running and keeping up with supercars!! Every toll booth turned into drag race and photo opportunity for police, locals and tourist alike. All legal but fun nevertheless. I am not trying to say the 1er is quicker than a Lambo or an Aston, but you would be surprised how close the race was. The gasps and comments I got proved that this car is a sleeper….a real wolf in sheep’s clothing. All I had to do was let the soulful growl of the engine build up to 2500rpm, ease the clutch, steer into the subtle acceleration over steer (TC not cutting in, but the rears still spinning slightly), snatch a smooth change to 2nd and then ease off as you top 80mph before you can say, wow, quick, isn’t it???? – perfect. Ah, the joy, the fun, the unadulterated pleasure this car gives. After 500 miles, I jump out of the car, no worse for wear….I have never been in a car that allows me to do that, especially one with such savage acceleration and harsh suspension. For those worried about its looks, fear not – it attracts the right type of comments and stares. The admiring glances, the cooing comments, and the outright, “Cool car dude” you get, even sitting in amongst real super cars pays testament to how hot this car is to the general public. One fan got too close and his rucksack swung off his shoulder and bounced off the rear wing…..the gasps, apologies and terror were palpable. I got out expecting a huge dent, but nope, just a tiny 1cm scratch that will easily t-cut out. Nice paintwork on these 1ers!! 6000 miles and my car is exceeding my expectations – I look forward to driving her, even if the journey is the traffic bound nightmare that you usually experience in the UK roads…. Oh but I forgot two things – the mileage after 1000 miles and as you have heard, some savage driving…want to guess????? 30.3mpg…..that is unreal!!! Oh and the near speeding ticket??? 85mph on the motorway and through a speed trap…..thought I was a goner, but the gendarme was hunting for those doing much more, not a piddly 5mph above the speed limit….phew!!! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed – have a look at my website to see photos of the Le Mans race, yep I did attend, I didn’t just burn around in my ”super” car…..:-)
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08-26-2008, 04:20 PM	#2
gio Captain 50 Rep 628 Posts Drives: Join Date: Apr 2008 iTrader: (0)	How long is a UK mile? How big is a UK gallon?? __________________ Waiting on a 2015 M235
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08-26-2008, 04:26 PM	#3
imported_mac Enlisted Member 2 Rep 32 Posts Drives: Join Date: Jun 2008 iTrader: (0)	Really nice write up, thanks. You also take a mean photo, the number 8 car with the glowing brakes is a fabulous picture. Can't wait to get mine now, it's so close!
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08-26-2008, 05:55 PM	#5
isitspringyet Member 2 Rep 110 Posts Drives: '08 135i, '98 SLK, '03 TL/S Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Alabama iTrader: (0)	The pictures of LeMans that you took are incredible! I half expected to see you and your driving companions in one of them! Great write up, I'm over 9,000 miles and understand completely how enjoyable this car is to drive on long trips. __________________ AW 135i, MT, Black/Walnut, Sport, Premium
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08-26-2008, 06:19 PM	#6
amdmaxx My gift Registry: M2 119 Rep 1,432 Posts Drives: Future Mowner of Monster Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	nice write up.
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08-26-2008, 06:28 PM	#7
wnta135 Private First Class 2 Rep 194 Posts Drives: 2008 Sedona Red 135i Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: South Carolina iTrader: (0)	Wonderful writeup and great pictures. I'm at 3200 miles but will get a chance to check the ride on the way to Watkins Glen next month.
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08-26-2008, 11:34 PM	#8
F0Bman First Lieutenant 3 Rep 309 Posts Drives: Join Date: Apr 2008 iTrader: (0)	Wonderful write up and hopefully you enjoy that car for a long time. __________________ Fully Restored 1985 Corolla GT-S 1987 328ci SR20DET Drift Car 1989 Honda Civic Si-R Current Project 2002 Corolla CE Daily Driver www.TheTunerSource.com
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08-26-2008, 11:51 PM	#9
MikeVictor Brigadier General 210 Rep 3,288 Posts Drives: anything given a chance Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: .au iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 Mazda ND MX-5 [10.00]	Stirling write up old chap
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08-27-2008, 07:51 AM	#10
TP 135i Major 29 Rep 1,340 Posts Drives: 2008 135i SGM MT Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Finksburg, Maryland iTrader: (0) Garage List 1995 Acura Integra SE [0.00] 2008 BMW 135i [0.00] 2006 Porsche Cayman S [0.00] 1999 Toyota 4-Runner [0.00]	Lovely story...........and I am totally blown away by you photographic skills that I experienced on your web site... __________________ 2008 135i SGM
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08-27-2008, 08:07 AM	#11
pit1 Captain 239 Rep 790 Posts Drives: F87 M2 Join Date: May 2008 Location: It's always Sunny... iTrader: (1)	Terrific write-up!!! Thank you. Moving from an E46, when I first got the car I thought it's touring ability was sub-par...but now after 7000+ miles in 3 months I couldn't ask for a better balance of performance and touring. Agreed, impressed by the stock exhaust note through tunnels. I roll down the windows every morning as I enter my office garage.:thumbup:
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08-27-2008, 08:09 AM	#12
pit1 Captain 239 Rep 790 Posts Drives: F87 M2 Join Date: May 2008 Location: It's always Sunny... iTrader: (1)	OH...and the PHOTOS!!!
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