2007-2008 Z4M Coupe Vs. 135i

[mtla4]

I'm more of a high rev/track guy. So it's Z4M coupe over 135I. I would get a Z4M Coupe and a cheap beater/commuter 5K or less. The 135I is an excellent daily driver but since I can't afford to have both 135 and Z4M coupe at the same time for now I would have to slice the cake and drive the fun car on the week end as a reward and a beater for daily purpose(bumper to bumper traffic etc).

[imported_mega]

Originally Posted by mtla4

I'm more of a high rev/track guy. So it's Z4M coupe over 135I. I would get a Z4M Coupe and a cheap beater/commuter 5K or less.

is the 7000 vs 8000 rpm difference really all that?

I know which was more important to me, I picked the 135i because of it's power delivery, but It's always interesting to hear opposing opinions

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

is the 7000 vs 8000 rpm difference really all that?

I know which was more important to me, I picked the 135i because of it's power delivery, but It's always interesting to hear opposing opinions

I come from bikes and Honda(end of 90's beg of 2000's).I'm a bit nostalgic of my old B18 and RSX-S from the old days.
The Z4M has a higher redline (more fun to drive). Harder to drive and comes with an LSD. The 135I is too civil for me.
I drove my friend's E46 M3 and it was slower than my 135 at it's stock settings but I found it more fun to drive. That being said the 135 is the option for a daily driver I can't argue with that but cars are to me some kind of therapy. I need the kind of rush that the only cars such as Z4M,S2K,elise can give me when pushed to their limits.

[imported_mega]

Originally Posted by mtla4

I come from bikes and Honda(end of 90's beg of 2000's).I'm a bit nostalgic of my old B18 and RSX-S from the old days.
The Z4M has a higher redline (more fun to drive). Harder to drive and comes with an LSD. The 135I is too civil for me.
I drove my friend's E46 M3 and it was slower than my 135 at it's stock settings but I found it more fun to drive. That being said the 135 is the option for a daily driver I can't argue with that but cars are to me some kind of therapy so need that kind of rush that the Z4M,S2K,elise can give me when pushed to their limits.

I come from bikes too, I know what you mean about the high rpm feeling, but I prefer the torque the n54 delivers. The 135i is very deceiving how smooth it feels,I yell at my wife all the time, because she does not realize how fast she's going, the car accelerates sooo smooth

at first it did that to me, but after a couple weeks of driving I got used to it, and enjoy it more than pushing my old m3 or mcs, and that's saying quite a bit

There's only a couple things I would change on the 135i it's almost perfect for me. A piggyback because it's a no brainier, a louder exhaust because it's just too quiet and the sound is a big part of the thrill, and some better swaybars to control body roll, although it does not bother me anymore

[dmboone25]

Ahhh, a great question. I have a lot of experience with both.

My dad has an 07 M coupe, and I have an 08 135i.

He has had his ecu reprogrammed and has an aftermarket air scoop. I have the JB3, AFe dual cones, and RPI scoops.

Really depends on what you want....

The ///M is a superior car, feeling wise, in almost every way. You are low-slung and small--the car moves in and out of traffic or on the track/auto cross with ease. It sounds fantastic. It revs to the moon and back (8200 RPM). It is raw, and loud and just has a different purpose, even more so than other ///M cars. I love it.

My dad uses his as a daily driver, and we have taken some long trips in it. One word of advice--it is NOT the most comfortable car. The 135 feels like a Caddy in comparison. But I don't think it is really supposed to be--not really the idea. The seats are good, as they are for BMWs in general--but not for long journeys. You can hear a lot of things--sometimes the noise is a bit much, but again--this is part of the deal.

As for the 135--the difference, in every single way, is SOFTER....the suspension is softer, the ride is smoother, the steering is more numb--not to say that those things are bad--just different from the ///M.

That being said--my car is definitely faster in a straight line, and "feels" like it brakes about the same as the ///M, which is great on both. The JB3 took the straight line difference to another level...I can really pull away from my pops with the JB3...but we have never gotten really high in the MPH zone, so I am not sure if he could start reeling me in or not....

The 135 is also much more comfortable, and the seats are better IMO. For example, I can adjust the side bolsters in my car and really lock myself in--but this is missing on the ///M. You obviously have more space, both in the cabin and in the boot, with the 135. The cockpits are pretty close, size-wise.

So.....comes down to what you want--do you want something easily tune-able? Do you want something raw? Do you like straight-line speed or the ability to get round the track easier on stock platforms? If you can answer those, the choice will likely be pretty clear to you.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

is the 7000 vs 8000 rpm difference really all that?

I know which was more important to me, I picked the 135i because of it's power delivery, but It's always interesting to hear opposing opinions

I don't know that it is really that small a difference--the N54 starts falling off dramatically at around 6200 RPM or so, while the ///M is really pushing it to its limit as you hit the 8000-8200 range.

And yes, it "feels" a lot different. Regardless of which is actually faster--you feel like you are flying like a bat out of hell in the ///M.....

[cleverclive]

Thanks dmboone25 for the good explanation. My descision is getting harder and harder until I get a chance to drive both of these beasts. Then it might get even harder haha. Is there any way to make the 135i more raw feeling? Would a change of exhaust, downpipes and tune do this? Does the tune raise the rev limiter? How much are we looking at in suspension to give the feel of an ///M?

[imported_mega]

exaust makes them sound raw, the stock exaust is way too quiet

the tunes all seem to exaggerate the power drop from 6000 to 7000 rpm, I think this is to avoid the mod detection in the ecu but I'm not really sure, it may be the turbo's just cant flow enough up there

the 135i feels firm to me but the body roll is the main complaint, swaybars are cheap, mine feels like it handles as well as my m3 with blistien/hr

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by cleverclive

Thanks dmboone25 for the good explanation. My descision is getting harder and harder until I get a chance to drive both of these beasts. Then it might get even harder haha. Is there any way to make the 135i more raw feeling? Would a change of exhaust, downpipes and tune do this? Does the tune raise the rev limiter? How much are we looking at in suspension to give the feel of an ///M?

I think you can definitely mod the hell out of a 135, and get to that same level of raw feeling as you have with the ///M coupe....but that is the point of the ///M, right? It is that way right out of the box--no other stuff necessary.

Hell you can make a Honda civic fast and raw if you want--it just takes money and mods.

Honestly--I would put it like this. If you want a car that can double as a tuning haven AND a daily driver--get the 135. If you want a raw out of the box beast (that you can feel in your chest when you get on it) that you have to put up with less comforts--get the ///M.

Personnally, I couldn't drive the ///M everyday, or at least I don't think so--because I wish my 135 WAS a little more raw....choices my friend, choices.

This is the main reason why I am so looking forward to the 135 SS--I hope it is the perfect comboination of the two.....

Trust me though--both cars are great, and you really can't go wrong with either....

[imported_mega]

it does not take much with the 135i though, it's very very close stock, and the mods needed are very very cheap compared to other cars trying to do the same thing

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

exaust makes them sound raw, the stock exaust is way too quiet

the tunes all seem to exaggerate the power drop from 6000 to 7000 rpm, I think this is to avoid the mod detection in the ecu but I'm not really sure, it may be the turbo's just cant flow enough up there

the 135i feels firm to me but the body roll is the main complaint, swaybars are cheap, mine feels like it handles as well as my m3 with blistien/hr

I think you are right, to a point. I have heard N54's with the exhaust mods, and they DO sound better--but it is not quite the same as the exhaust note you get from a NA I6 or the V8 in the E90/E92 M3. There is just [I]something[I] about the way those cars sound--again, nothing against the 135/335/535--but they just don't sound as good. I don't think they can.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

it does not take much with the 135i though, it's very very close stock, and the mods needed are very very cheap compared to other cars trying to do the same thing

To match straight-line speed, and to a point, braking--Yes.

Turning around a corner--not so much. At least, in "feel". But that is a very subjective thing.....

[imported_mega]

I hate the s54 sound, but the s50/52 have a very nice rasp at high rpm

I have a thing for I6's, if I want v8 sound, I would jump ship and be driving a camaro or z06 right now

[imported_mega]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

To match straight-line speed, and to a point, braking--Yes.

Turning around a corner--not so much. At least, in "feel". But that is a very subjective thing.....

that is tires & sways, very cheap and most are going to do tires anyway

[Hans Delbruck]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

I hate the s54 sound,

+1 although that is usually blasphemy on a BMW board!

BTW, what kind of swaybars do you recommend?

[imported_mega]

dunno, I would ask the beck guys they have a track car

I got used to the body roll and it really does not bother me anymore

[jlee]

you just have to drive them, you can debate this all day long. when i sold my supercharged m3 I actually walked into the dealership ready to buy the new M3 sedan as a replacement. But my buddy who was with me told me to test drive the 135i and i told him it was a waste of time, I've had every M3 to date why buck the trend ?

I drove both and while the M3 was a monster, I drove the 135i and realized that for the 80% of city/non-highway I drive the 135i was a better fit. The M3 is a car that needed room to run and appreciate that $20K premium price tag. So I went home with $20K extra and my 135i...

So only a test drive will help you decide.