Purchasing a 135

[upgrader]

Hi there
discovered this forum recently whilst researching the 135 and I had a few questions about the car.I test drove it briefly recently and was wiped out by the drive and engine note-initially I was considering waiting for the new Golf R next year but after the test drive am wiling to make the financial jump to the 135.
It will be my everyday car and 95% of the time I will be alone but being 6ft 2 wondered what the backseat room was like-mainly to carry kids.I compared it to a 325-didnt seem to be much different in space with the driver seat back-just wondered about the practicality of the car in daily use-also the ride seemed smooth-on bumpy roads-I was expecting the suspension to be harder and the tyres to pick up all the bumps-any comments?
I have never purchased a BMW previously and was wondering about a recommendation re which Melbourne dealer offers the best service and price.
The only options I considered were sunroof,auto and metallic paint as the Sat Nav I would hardly use-but was wondering about comfort access benefits and if that was worth the cost?
I would appreciate any comments
Thanks in advance

[Gumball]

Def get comfort access - I could not live without it and IMHO it really should have been standard.

[amk2912]

Originally Posted by upgrader

Hi there
discovered this forum recently whilst researching the 135 and I had a few questions about the car.I test drove it briefly recently and was wiped out by the drive and engine note-initially I was considering waiting for the new Golf R next year but after the test drive am wiling to make the financial jump to the 135.
It will be my everyday car and 95% of the time I will be alone but being 6ft 2 wondered what the backseat room was like-mainly to carry kids.I compared it to a 325-didnt seem to be much different in space with the driver seat back-just wondered about the practicality of the car in daily use-also the ride seemed smooth-on bumpy roads-I was expecting the suspension to be harder and the tyres to pick up all the bumps-any comments?
I have never purchased a BMW previously and was wondering about a recommendation re which Melbourne dealer offers the best service and price.
The only options I considered were sunroof,auto and metallic paint as the Sat Nav I would hardly use-but was wondering about comfort access benefits and if that was worth the cost?
I would appreciate any comments
Thanks in advance

Welcome to the Forum! There is no question as to the thrill and joy of driving a 135i. It is in a class of it's own.

As a kiddy-carrier it is a different story. You didn't say how old your kids are but I have three primary-age kids who made life difficult at school pick-up and drop-off time. Being a coupe, the doors are long and access is a bit of a chore as you literally have to climb into the rear to strap the kids in. Being 6'2" I can only imagine what a pain that would be! Of course the task is made even harder when it is raining.

My car was my daily car and it brought big grins every time I booted it - the torque comes in quickly and when you add a chip, it's a no-brainer.

Good luck!

[takahashi]

Originally Posted by upgrader

Hi there
discovered this forum recently

Firstly Welcome. I will try to answer your question in my best ability so you would consider buying a 135i.

Originally Posted by upgrader

It will be my everyday car and 95% of the time I will be alone but being 6ft 2 wondered what the backseat room was like-mainly to carry kids.I compared it to a 325-didnt seem to be much different in space with the driver seat back-just wondered about the practicality of the car in daily use-also the ride seemed smooth-on bumpy roads-I was expecting the suspension to be harder and the tyres to pick up all the bumps-any comments?

I have owned the 135i for a little while and it is fantastic. In regarding to your question, the comfort is slightly comprimised in the 135i because of the run flat tyre and the M suspension. I have a go for the 325i for 2 weeks (after the highlight incident i had to leave 1er in BMW Melbourne for 2 weeks). The 325i has more room at the rear. I have a daughter who sits behind me at the back. She just turn 3 and sit on a booster (until Nov when the law changes). In the 135, she can kick my seat to get my attention. But she will not be able to reach in the 325. I am 6 ft 1.

Originally Posted by upgrader

I have never purchased a BMW previously and was wondering about a recommendation re which Melbourne dealer offers the best service and price.

Always go to BMW Southbank. They are all good people there.

Originally Posted by upgrader

The only options I considered were sunroof,auto and metallic paint as the Sat Nav I would hardly use-but was wondering about comfort access benefits and if that was worth the cost?
I would appreciate any comments
Thanks in advance

Sunroof is fantastic and it is very wide for a small car. It feels like a convertible and it is great.

Sat Nav integrates all the phones, air con, and audio in the system and it is fanastic. The iDrive is good, but I have to say the user manual is not user friendly and it takes time to learn how to use all the functions (without reading the manual). If you are not techno freak like me you may not like it.

Comfort entry is a must. It is like xenon that once you have one you will never turn back.

Think that you have a brief case one hand and lunch in the other. All thing in one hand you have just reach the door and it unlocks. Press on the brake and push the button to start the car. Secure wise it is there. I still can't lock the car when the keys are inside, nor you can unlock the car when you are miles away.

The best is when you have kids and you rather hold their hands and make sure they get into the car, rather than reaching into your pocket or handbag to get the key. It is safety benefits as well as luxury.

Good luck with the talk down in price. There are threads here indicating the price ranges.

PS: It is a 4 seater as there is no middle seatbelt. If you are a family of 2+3 like amk2912. Then you have to buy an M3

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by upgrader

Hi there
discovered this forum recently whilst researching the 135 and I had a few questions about the car.I test drove it briefly recently and was wiped out by the drive and engine note-initially I was considering waiting for the new Golf R next year but after the test drive am wiling to make the financial jump to the 135.
It will be my everyday car and 95% of the time I will be alone but being 6ft 2 wondered what the backseat room was like-mainly to carry kids.I compared it to a 325-didnt seem to be much different in space with the driver seat back-just wondered about the practicality of the car in daily use-also the ride seemed smooth-on bumpy roads-I was expecting the suspension to be harder and the tyres to pick up all the bumps-any comments?
I have never purchased a BMW previously and was wondering about a recommendation re which Melbourne dealer offers the best service and price.
The only options I considered were sunroof,auto and metallic paint as the Sat Nav I would hardly use-but was wondering about comfort access benefits and if that was worth the cost?
I would appreciate any comments
Thanks in advance

Hey mate, welcome! I joined when i was looking at the 125 and found there is a wealth of information here!

In terms of comfort, i find the 125i perfect for me. I have extremely long legs compared to my torso (and mammothly long arms), and with the manual controls for the seats i found a perfect position very easily. I often have mates in the back and they find it very roomy compared to what they expect.

I love seeing people who comment on the engine sound after their first drive - it really is something else!

I can assure you that you won't be disappointed buying a 135. Hell, i was ecstatic with the 125 (the only reason stopping me from the 135 was insurance costs as i'm only 23).

Best of luck and remember to choose the car that suits you best and that you're happy with!!!

[amk2912]

Originally Posted by takahashi

PS: It is a 4 seater as there is no middle seatbelt. If you are a family of 2+3 like amk2912. Then you have to buy an M3

You can always leave the wife at home!

If you like a bit of off-the-line squirt at the traffic lights or putting bogan-dunnydores in their place - a chipped 135i is the way to go IMHO.

[Zuzu]

Welcome to the forum mate..

I came from a 06/330Ci and was concerned with the rear leg room aswel at first. The vert has less leg room than the coupe and it still isnt that BAD.. Then again I am only 5ft 8in so that leaves plenty of room in the rear. Although I have had my 6ft 2in son in the back many a time.

Comfort Access is a must...once you have it, you wont go back..

[Totti]

And as Taka said, BMW Melbourne definitely the dealers to go with, especially over others such as Bib.

[BBK]

As far as Comfort Access goes, I would have liked to have it as it's handy, but not supernecessary. For those that have it, they can't live without it... But for those that don't have it like me, I don't think really care. Afterall, you can't really miss what you never had.

If you have a spare couple thousand then go for it!

[d3syd]

Welcome to the forum from me too.

Agree with the comments about comfort access (although I don't have it). I have already managed to lock my keys in the boot and I was 140kms from my spare key. The only way to get into the car is to break the windows, so I got a hire car (paid for by BMW assist ) and drove home to get the spare. How I wished I has CA that day!

Concur with amk2912's comments about the hassle of a coupe. That's why I don't tend to bring the family along very often when I drive my 135i. Plus they will inevitably start complaining about feeling car sick (nothing wrong with the car in this regard - it's just that you can't help fanging it, resulting in the said complaints). Or the speed I am going, or the bumpiness of the ride.

Other than that, the car is absolutely bloody fantastic!!!

[d3syd]

OT, hey Brigadier General, sir. When do I get promoted? I seem to be stuck on a lowly Major for eternity....

[BMW86]

I agree with everyones comments above. In my opinion Pro Nav is a must, it has been upgraded across all BMW models last year and it integrates every aspect of the car. The actual NAV system itself is very accurate too. Try and find one to test out, its very simple to use. Also, comfort access is a must once you've had it. I've been using it for 7 months and I can't go back to using a key, as absurd as that sounds. If you've never had it you can live without it. I find the 135i the perfect compromise between a daily driver and a hard out sports car like an Evo or Sti. My only suggestion is replacing your run-flat tyres with standard conventional tyres when they wear out and you are good to go because run-flats cost roughly $700 a piece and they are pure shite, something your BMW salesman probably neglected to inform you.

The 325i is definitely more practical with 4 doors but that is where it stops and trust me, if you go down that route, you will have buyers remorse forever. People have a hard time choosing between the 135i vs 335i vs M3 in this forum and it's always been a tough call, they are all great cars. If you take the 135i, I can assure you that you will adjust to any minor inconveniences that you may encounter, and trust me there aren't that many. It's a little beast with 1 hell of an engine. The 135i is just on another level than the 325i.

The only negative thing about getting a 135i as your first BMW is that you probably won't take anything less than a BMW M3 as your next car!!

[malvern135i]

where does one get their 135i chipped in Melbourne? what sort of costs?
What performance difference is there? Any insurance issues with BMW or car insurance?

I am hoping to collect my vert off the ship (landed over 8 days ago in Melbourne) end of week....touch wood!

cheers
oscar

[d3syd]

Originally Posted by BMW86

The only negative thing about getting a 135i as your first BMW is that you probably won't take anything less than a BMW M3 as your next car!!

So true. So true...

I like the idea of the 4 door M3. Performance AND convenience.... perfection. Oh and I think it is slightly cheaper than a M3 Coupe too

Of course it still doesn't solve the family's due to . Hee hee.

[amk2912]

Originally Posted by d3syd

So true. So true...

I like the idea of the 4 door M3. Performance AND convenience.... perfection. Oh and I think it is slightly cheaper than a M3 Coupe too

Of course it still doesn't solve the family's due to . Hee hee.

I have less now in the M3 as the kids can see out of the side windows. In the 135i the sides were so high they couldn't see out of the car!

My ONLY regret with the M3 is the wet noodle torque before 5500 rpm. The BEST feature is the M button.

[d3syd]

Originally Posted by amk2912

I have less now in the M3 as the kids can see out of the side windows. In the 135i the sides were so high they couldn't see out of the car!

My ONLY regret with the M3 is the wet noodle torque before 5500 rpm. The BEST feature is the M button.

Yes my 3 year old on a booster seat still can't see out of the windows. Then again my wife can though, and she still gets

[Zuzu]

Originally Posted by d3syd

OT, hey Brigadier General, sir. When do I get promoted? I seem to be stuck on a lowly Major for eternity....

..By the looks of things just another 1,744 posts of totally useful/useless info..Just like this reply..

[d3syd]

Originally Posted by Zuzu

..By the looks of things just another 1,744 posts of totally useful/useless info..Just like this reply..

ya di ya di yahh, blah blah blah......

There, only 1,743 to go !

[sparoz]

The rank actually mean something?

You might not use it but you should get the sunroof. Nav professional is a gem - if you know how to use an iPod you can use the new Nav. It is expensive though.

Comfort access is great but it doesn't work 100%. I am not sure if it's because I carry two keys, so I hang it around my neck and it all works good. My wife have hers in her handbag and never have any problems. Adaptive headlights I like and I'll be ordering all my future cars with it. If you park your car outside consider the external light package if it include heated mirrors.

Basically all the options except active steering is nice to have. It will be about balancing against your budget.

If it's the first time you own a BMW, be told that it is not perfect as it has more gadgets and it potentially have more things go wrong and expensive when outside warranty period. Servicing however is very cheap considering you only have one done every 15000 km.

Welcome to the forum.

[amk2912]

Originally Posted by sparoz

so I hang it around my neck

Now why the heck didn't I think of that!!!! Hmm...now if I could only get Comfort Access on my home and work...........

[BMW86]

Originally Posted by amk2912

Now why the heck didn't I think of that!!!! Hmm...now if I could only get Comfort Access on my home and work...........

I was thinking about getting it surgically implanted into my leg.

[d3syd]

A question just came to mind for you guys with CA. How do you charge your key if it is never stuck into the slot?