Anything You Don't Like About 1 Coupe?

[imported_tdc]

I am going to leave all opinions open until I get to DRIVE the 135i.

As much as I love the idea of the 135i, I've been able to drive my M3 much more these days (longer commute to work - went from 6 miles roundtrip to 60 miles!).

And have to say that the E46 M3 is a sheer pleasure to drive and now I'm contemplating whether or not I'm going to give her up when the time comes. The 135i better be one stellar driver's car if I'm going to give up the M3.

[energie]

I'd like to see a smaller steering wheel. It's one feature of my current car (Civic) that gives you a better driving feel. It just "does." The 135i marketing website lists the sports steering wheel to be 14.5" in diameter - not really that small.

The Mini Cooper's steering wheel also gets good reviews with regard to size and feel.

[blackjoker]

1. Lack of LSD (what a surprise, haha)
2. The car looks too tall in pictures
3. The shifter travel looks long and soft (nothing a good short shifter
couldn't fix, and I just noticed how dirty that sounds)

I'll test drive it with an open mind, and if it doesn't wow me, I'll get an '04-'06 M3:thumbup:

[byshb9]

hmmmm

[byshb9]

Originally Posted by 1ster

Dude, that Corvette will waste any BMW this side of the new M3, and even then I would still probably bet on the Vette. The Corvette remains the performance bargain of the decade. I respect the engineering, even though I have zero deisre to drive one. And American quality and crash worthiness has increased a lot over the past five years.

BMWs are well-engineered cars, but don't always count on them to be tops in a crash test.

show them a 90 degree turn and they will end up in the junkyard. the only thing american car is good for is going fast in the straights. kinda like a 10 second pinto. lacks everything in every aspect. quality, style, aerodynamics, handling, reliability, and just really unsophisticated.

[kurichan]

Can only judge by photos, but the "swoop" on the side looks corny and ugly from certain angles, and the car looks a little too tall in some photos...

Can only hope on driving dynamics and judge after several test drives.

[ichiban]

i agree with most of the above, but the most disturbing fears i have are the fuel pump and cooling issues the 335i's are having. I hope the 135i will be less "limpy" .

[MikeT]

The thing that probably worries me most is the electric power steering. Admittedly, I haven't tried the EPS yet, but I loved BMW's good ol' hydraulic power steering.

[atr_hugo]

Originally Posted by byshb9

show them a 90 degree turn and they will end up in the junkyard. the only thing american car is good for is going fast in the straights. kinda like a 10 second pinto. lacks everything in every aspect. quality, style, aerodynamics, handling, reliability, and just really unsophisticated.

Hmmmm - ran a Z51 C6 at the Milford proving grounds. They have a nice little heads-up display in the Corvettes which can show cornering forces. GM has duplicated the Rings Carussel at Milford. Serious lateral G's through the Carussel and close to .98 G in some slow speed corners. The cornering capabilities of the Corvette are better than mine.

If you haven't driven a new generation Corvette recently, it's worth a drive.

[hector]

+1 on the 128 not being a 130 and not having direct injection to improve fuel efficiency, +1 on no 123d.

[BMWeber]

Originally Posted by atr_hugo

Hmmmm - ran a Z51 C6 at the Milford proving grounds. They have a nice little heads-up display in the Corvettes which can show cornering forces. GM has duplicated the Rings Carussel at Milford. Serious lateral G's through the Carussel and close to .98 G in some slow speed corners. The cornering capabilities of the Corvette are better than mine.

If you haven't driven a new generation Corvette recently, it's worth a drive.

totally agree my 2002 z06 was a great handling car even on tighter tracks and it was incredible on higher speed tracks. Now the basic corvette with the Z51 package is even better than my old Z06. you really need to drive a new Corvette before you can bash it. The interior fit and finish has come along way to especially the C6

[danp]

Originally Posted by BimmerBoi2100

Why are you even on this board?:iono:

Because I have been looking forward to the 1er for a long time, then the 1er coupé, and have had a deposit on the ///M1 for a while!

It was a bit of an impulse buy, but I recently went for a 2nd hand CSL for a chunk less than a base 135ti would have cost me, and IMHO it's far better looking, circa 100kg less, snarls to 8k rpm and will hopefully hold onto it's money reasonably well. [ok yes the running costs might bite a bit]

Maybe BMW can redeem themselves to me with an ///M variant (and maybe even a CSL), but we'll have to wait and see! (2010 at this rate...?).

Oh yes - another thing to add to the list - NO SMG! (or M-DCT).

Also - why no 130i coupé? [only the 135ti petrol in Europe]

[palou]

Things that bug me about 1-series in US, especially 135i:

• No hatchback!
• (Probably) no cloth/alcantara seating option.
• LSD
• Weight.
• Possibly too many packaged stuff: sunroof, run-flats, etc

[1ster]

Originally Posted by danp

Because I ... have had a deposit on the ///M1 for a while!

Um, dude, your dealer has totally screwed you. They sold the last M1 in 1986.

[1ster]

Originally Posted by byshb9

show them a 90 degree turn and they will end up in the junkyard. the only thing american car is good for is going fast in the straights.

Please tell me you're only pretending to be this ignorant.

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by 1ster

Please tell me you're only pretending to be this ignorant.

Unfortunately, he is mostly correct with the exception of the Corvette, Viper, and Ford GT. But that's besides the point.

My concern with the 135i is mostly centered around price and interior. While the interior looks very BMW, I dont know if it is going to be a very exciting place to be. It just doesnt look unique enough. Also, I will be interested to see how the car looks in person. There are many photographs that make it look amazing, and others will it looks a bit funky. We'll just have to wait and see.

[adc]

Originally Posted by MPower

Unfortunately, he is mostly correct with the exception of the Corvette, Viper, and Ford GT.

Well, the Mustang and Solstice/Sky twins too, if I may add.

I was shocked how much I liked driving a Mustang GT 6sp, live axle and all. It's not like my 335i with the impossible RFT tires can truly handle bumpy curves either... :iono:

[1ster]

Originally Posted by MPower

Unfortunately, he is mostly correct with the exception of the Corvette, Viper, and Ford GT. But that's besides the point.

I believe the Pontiac Solstice has been dominating its SCCA class. Saturn's new Astra is nothing to sneeze at, chassis wise, in the compact segment. The new Pontiac G8 should be a bit of a goer. And Cadillac's new CTS is certainly class-competitive, even if it's not dominant. The new Camaro and Challenger are still in the pipeline too.

Tell me: what incredible performance car is Toyota currently offering? What about Hyundai, Volvo, or Saab? Evo excepted, which Mitsubishi do you want to take to the 'Ring? The GTI is swell, but VW's Rabbit and Passat are duller than dirt. Etc, etc.

Please, can we stop acting like American car companies aren't producing competitive cars these days? I'm not saying there isn't work to do, but America has made huge strides over the past decade.

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by 1ster

I believe the Pontiac Solstice has been dominating its SCCA class. Saturn's new Astra is nothing to sneeze at, chassis wise, in the compact segment. The new Pontiac G8 should be a bit of a goer. And Cadillac's new CTS is certainly class-competitive, even if it's not dominant. The new Camaro and Challenger are still in the pipeline too.

Tell me: what incredible performance car is Toyota currently offering? What about Hyundai, Volvo, or Saab? Evo excepted, which Mitsubishi do you want to take to the 'Ring? The GTI is swell, but VW's Rabbit and Passat are duller than dirt. Etc, etc.

Please, can we stop acting like American car companies aren't producing competitive cars these days? I'm not saying there isn't work to do, but America has made huge strides over the past decade.

We could analyze every car America has ever made to really get to the nitty-gritty but that would just be a waste of time. You're right. I forgot the Solstice. The Aura is NOT a good handling car no matter what you're being told and we will have to wait to hear about future models (note: my comment was regarding current models, not future models which we have no evidence to base anything on). Additionally, Im not arguing for Toyota who makes one of the worst model lineups in the business. If anything, you could make a compelling argument that any American company, bar Hummer and Jeep, produces a more exciting lineup than Toyota.

Finally, I never stated or insinuated that American car companies arent making competitive cars. To make the connection that handling = class competitiveness is a far exaggeration.

But like I said, it's besides the point and purpose of this thread.

[1ster]

Originally Posted by MPower

The Aura is NOT a good handling car no matter what you're being told

I agree we should stop arguing about this, but for the record I said Astra, not Aura. :tongue:

[Steve325xi]

Too tall, too heavy, crappy run-flats, bug-eye headlights, that drooping door line, no twin tail pipes like on the 335i, high price.

BMW supposedly is going to introduce an all-new 1 series coupe in 2011 that will conform more closely to the original 2002, possibly to include round tail lights.

I'm conflicted about what to do for a new car. I'm keeping my e46 for another three years, and maybe longer. I may just skip the e90/92 and wait for the next generation 3 series. I really want an all-wheel-drive 3 sedan, but the e90 is gawd awful looking, IMO.

Not sold on the 1 though.

[aksilverwolf]

I'm sorry but as a owner of 3 e21 320i's I have to disagree that the new 1 series is a "new" 2002 model.
I liken the body style as to taking a 70s 320i and putting it on a protien diet with a toning workout:w00t:.
I don't like the silver but the other colors work on the photo shop photos I've seen:thumbup:.