135i N55 non-m sport top speed tune

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Citizen M

Whatever I do, short of removing the top speed limiter (if it's 135 on the base) or MAYBE adding an LSD (and, of course, tires), it'll stay stock with me.

You say that now. I said that when my car was new too.

[Citizen M]

Lol I'm pretty good about resisting mods. My WRX, which I bought new in '03, is still bone stock, as is my G8, which I bought new in '08. The stock 135i is really, really fast anyway, faster than like an 80s Ferrari. It's almost as fast as a Mustang or Camaro. I definitely don't need any more performance than it's offering stock in this city--maybe if I still lived way out in the country where I could actually open it up, but here you'll be in jail in like 45 seconds.

I just wish the 135i and m235i were a bit livelier, more raw. People told me about how back to basics these cars were, like they reminded them of the E46 M3 (and maybe it does, I haven't ever driven one), but it's no where near as raw as I'd like. That's not a criticism--for 99.9% of buyers, this is the way the car should be. But for me, it's just not quite as responsive in terms of engine and steering as I'm used to. But these are the best small RWD cars I've ever driven so I think that's where I need to go. I'll bet the performance exhaust makes it a little more fun too...sound goes a long way in the perception of speed.

Maybe Monday I'll get out to check the 135is. Having rediscovered that it's an N55, I'm really interested.

[Esteban]

My little 1er feels plenty raw to me. Lots of low down torque. I test drove an M235i twice and I think my car feels quite different. The engines are similar, but it just feels like I could get into more trouble in my car, and I like it!

[Citizen M]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

My little 1er feels plenty raw to me. Lots of low down torque. I test drove an M235i twice and I think my car feels quite different. The engines are similar, but it just feels like I could get into more trouble in my car, and I like it!

Yeah I think they probably nailed it for the vast majority of drivers, which is a good thing. I may just be too old fashioned.

I do remember back in 2008 I test drove the 135i and I felt it was TOO hardcore. It road too hard, the back end was too loose and so on. I'm not sure if I changed or the car did. I almost bought a 2012 135i a month or so ago (decided against it for various reasons of options and colors) and the car felt soft and gentle as can be. Not sure if it was the big 2011 update or what.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Citizen M

Yeah I think they probably nailed it for the vast majority of drivers, which is a good thing. I may just be too old fashioned.

I do remember back in 2008 I test drove the 135i and I felt it was TOO hardcore. It road too hard, the back end was too loose and so on. I'm not sure if I changed or the car did. I almost bought a 2012 135i a month or so ago (decided against it for various reasons of options and colors) and the car felt soft and gentle as can be. Not sure if it was the big 2011 update or what.

I owned a 2008 135i and now a 2011, and they both feel pretty similar, except now I have the DCT which I think is quite a bit faster shifting than my first 1er with the steptronic transmission. I drove them both 100% of the time in manual mode. Neither one felt soft or gentle IMO. Yes, I think hardcore is an appropriate word for them.

[Citizen M]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

I owned a 2008 135i and now a 2011, and they both feel pretty similar, except now I have the DCT which I think is quite a bit faster shifting than my first 1er with the steptronic transmission. I drove them both 100% of the time in manual mode. Neither one felt soft or gentle IMO. Yes, I think hardcore is an appropriate word for them.

Maybe the years with the WRX and G8 have just recalibrated my standards. The last "hard core" cars I've driven were, oddly enough, the Lexus ISF, which is the hardest riding stock car I've actually ever been in and liked to get the rear out, and the Porsche 911 991 C2, which was fairly sublime...it wasn't difficult to drive or tolerate at all, it didn't ride that hard, but the directness in the steering, the engine, the body control, it was all fantastic. A shame that they were asking $115,000.

I recall thinking that most of the 135i's "problems" back in '08 were probably due to the run flat tires. I hypothesized that they made the car ride unnecessarily hard and may have compromised the traction (I turned stability control off and took it out to windy back roads). I believe the 135i kept the run flats until the end, but maybe the tires were improved in that time?

The M235i was a bit different. It has a much, much nicer interior than the E82 and the ride is even more compliant, but what was really surprising was the 8 speed. I couldn't believe how much harder and faster it shifted than the DCT. The DCT (that 135i was the first BMW DCT I'd ever driven) was really impressive, combining automatic like smoothness with really fast and immediate shifts.

If anything, the 8 speed, in ultrafast mode, is wayyyy too hard. I only spent an hour with the car and I was too busy with other stuff to figure out, but I wasn't sure I could drive it every day in manual mode--maybe there were softer settings I didn't figure out, but low RPM shifts were absolutely violent in manual mode.

Alas, short of the 911, none of these cars have really grabbed my heart where I just can't wait to drive them again. They all just felt like...cars. Nothing recent feels special to me anymore. I'd like to give the new Mustang GT and '16 Camaro SS a try, but they're just way too big for me.

[Esteban]

I think the interior of the M235i is of a higher quality, but love the simplicity of the 1er's. I disagree with you on the transmissions. I think the DCT is the faster of the two. Plus, I think it looks better.

You've driven some very nice cars, bro. Much nicer than the best cars I've driven. Good luck and have fun in your new 1er.

[swagon]

In 2011 they changed the springs from progressive to linear (or vice versa, I don't remember). BMW updates cars regularly, "secretly."

I agree with you it's plenty fast. For me, I couldn't use more power where I live without losing my driving license... PPK would be nice, tho. Burbles, crackles and shit.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by swagon

In 2011 they changed the springs from progressive to linear (or vice versa, I don't remember). BMW updates cars regularly, "secretly."

I agree with you it's plenty fast. For me, I couldn't use more power where I live without losing my driving license... PPK would be nice, tho. Burbles, crackles and shit.

Yeah, I Remember reading here about the change in the springs, I think it was just the rear ones. Don't think I ever really felt any difference between my 2008 and my current 2011.

PPK is nice. I appreciate the sound more than I do the extra horsepower. I do remember in 2011 when I got it though, that it felt more like an additional 50 hp than the 20 BMW says. It would be typical of them to underrate their hp.

[Citizen M]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

Yeah, I Remember reading here about the change in the springs, I think it was just the rear ones. Don't think I ever really felt any difference between my 2008 and my current 2011.

PPK is nice. I appreciate the sound more than I do the extra horsepower. I do remember in 2011 when I got it though, that it felt more like an additional 50 hp than the 20 BMW says. It would be typical of them to underrate their hp.

I think that's the key...the sensation of speed is a lot of factors and the sensation of Gs is just one of them. Giving you a sound that you associate with going fast is another major one, so it's entirely possibly that the 135is, for instance, is just slightly faster, but feels much faster.

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

I think the interior of the M235i is of a higher quality, but love the simplicity of the 1er's. I disagree with you on the transmissions. I think the DCT is the faster of the two. Plus, I think it looks better.

You've driven some very nice cars, bro. Much nicer than the best cars I've driven. Good luck and have fun in your new 1er.

Yeah I've had a lucky last few years with having cars thrown at me to test drive (and often test drive hard). I didn't even ask to test drive the 911, in fact, I explicitly said I wasn't going to buy one, I was just at the Porsche dealer with a friend. They practically threw the keys at me, told me to take it out for an hour and checked and double checked that I would drive it hard. No one came with us (my friend and I) for the drive. It was a brand new car lol.

Still, very impressive car. I'd probably pick one up as a daily driver (C2S) if it weren't for the real-world price of like $130k, way, way out of my budget.

[Esteban]

You must look just right for a dealer to treat you like that.

You and me both about the price. Maybe the $30k part I'd be okay with lol.

[swagon]

Manual 991 GTS is my dream car. Well, to be precise, one of many.

[Citizen M]

Originally Posted by swagon

Manual 991 GTS is my dream car. Well, to be precise, one of many.

It's certainly up there for me, but I rather doubt I'll ever be able to afford one unfortunately. I considered getting a used 997 but spending 60k on a 5 year old car just doesn't seem sensible to me at this point in my life.

[Solo_M_Tech]

Honestly you live in the U.S. Having the 155MPH top speed is much much less of an issue, since anything around 130MPH is jail time in most states.

If you are serious about buying a 135i, don't get caught up on the performance exhaust, and PPK tunes. They are minimal gains. though the exhaust does sound sweet, I think it's overraited.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by ApexResistance

If you are serious about buying a 135i, don't get caught up on the performance exhaust, and PPK tunes. They are minimal gains. though the exhaust does sound sweet, I think it's overraited.

So, do you think you can only be serious about buying a 135i if you're planning on strapping a JB4 to it? Not everybody wants to deal with all of that, or the bolt-ons, etc. that are necessary to get the best out of it. PPK is all the extra power that many people want, and it's a simple software flash. Plus, the awesome sound that comes with it. Hell, a lot of people are happy with their 135i as it comes, straight out of the box stock.

The Performance exhaust does sound sweet, as you said. It doesn't blow you out of your seat, but not everybody wants that. To me, it's got a nice European exotic tone, without sounding obnoxious.

Both of these items are popular and people like them. Not saying that JB4 isn't popular, because I know it is, it's just not for everybody -- nothing is. There are other tunes and exhausts available as well, but for a die-hard BMW owner like me and a lot of others, OEM means something and is important.

Not trying to start an argument. Just my two cents, friend-o.

[Solo_M_Tech]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

So, do you think you can only be serious about buying a 135i if you're planning on strapping a JB4 to it? Not everybody wants to deal with all of that, or the bolt-ons, etc. that are necessary to get the best out of it. PPK is all the extra power that many people want, and it's a simple software flash. Plus, the awesome sound that comes with it. Hell, a lot of people are happy with their 135i as it comes, straight out of the box stock.

The Performance exhaust does sound sweet, as you said. It doesn't blow you out of your seat, but not everybody wants that. To me, it's got a nice European exotic tone, without sounding obnoxious.

Both of these items are popular and people like them. Not saying that JB4 isn't popular, because I know it is, it's just not for everybody -- nothing is. There are other tunes and exhausts available as well, but for a die-hard BMW owner like me and a lot of others, OEM means something and is important.

Not trying to start an argument. Just my two cents, friend-o.

No argument here. Everyone has their specific needs. If the135is was available and I had no intentions of modding, it would be my first choice.

[davis449]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

So, do you think you can only be serious about buying a 135i if you're planning on strapping a JB4 to it? Not everybody wants to deal with all of that, or the bolt-ons, etc. that are necessary to get the best out of it. PPK is all the extra power that many people want, and it's a simple software flash. Plus, the awesome sound that comes with it. Hell, a lot of people are happy with their 135i as it comes, straight out of the box stock.

The Performance exhaust does sound sweet, as you said. It doesn't blow you out of your seat, but not everybody wants that. To me, it's got a nice European exotic tone, without sounding obnoxious.

Both of these items are popular and people like them. Not saying that JB4 isn't popular, because I know it is, it's just not for everybody -- nothing is. There are other tunes and exhausts available as well, but for a die-hard BMW owner like me and a lot of others, OEM means something and is important.

Not trying to start an argument. Just my two cents, friend-o.

This is me. I still may do Cobb if my VIN says they can do it, but it's been a year now and I have yet to call.

I am happy with this car a year later bone stock (save for Eibachs). I even find the stock exhaust enough for me.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by davis449

This is me. I still may do Cobb if my VIN says they can do it, but it's been a year now and I have yet to call.

I am happy with this car a year later bone stock (save for Eibachs). I even find the stock exhaust enough for me.

I left my 2008 1er stock and was perfectly happy with it and probably would have kept it that way if I wouldn't have traded it in on my 2011. I think my stock N54 sounded a little louder than my stock N55 did, but the stock N55 was louder on cold startup. Of course, now I have PPK and PE on my N55 and think it sounds G-R-E-A-T! Love the sporty pops and crackles in engine overrun.

[Newguy123]

DCT shifts much harder and faster than the 8 speed auto in my opinion. I've driven both a few times .

I said mine would stay stock when I bought it too and look where it's at 500+ WHP hahaha.

155limiter comes in handy at the 1/2 mile race events (even though I'm still hitting it before the cones.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Newguy123

DCT shifts much harder and faster than the 8 speed auto in my opinion. I've driven both a few times .

I said mine would stay stock when I bought it too and look where it's at 500+ WHP hahaha.

155limiter comes in handy at the 1/2 mile race events (even though I'm still hitting it before the cones.

I agree about the DCT... your car sounds awesome... and I wouldn't know anything about 500+ whp in a 135i. WHAAAT?!!

[pdubs]

Just want to go on record and say that my 135i doesn't have the m-sport package and I still love it! The regular seats fit my needs well (they're probably much better for highway use), I do wish I had the m-sport steering wheel though...

I would have definitely checked the box on the m-sport package if I bought the car new. Since I bought my car used, I was much more concerned about the overall condition of the car rather than the exact options it had.

Good luck!

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by swagon

Got pics?

Basically all 135's were M Sport (aero, suspension), but without the M Sport interior treatments AND they had lower top speed in the US.

What seats does it have?

And no oil cooler.