Test-Drove the M3 and 135i

[thesmokingone]

Great review. ^^ I agree that moding your 135 to be at the level of the m3 would be a little much but there is something to be said for the fun in that. I love to mod and could see how easy it would be to get out of hand.

[vivid]

Originally Posted by ScullyD

I'm willing to wager, the M3 is a superior car in almost every way despite some of these comments, and I'll probably trade in for one at some point in time. Simply put, if you need your car every single day, get a 135i, if you need it once in a while and can afford it, get the m3. But, if you're going to mod out your 135i so that it would equal the price of an m3 in total, i think you've likely wasted your money. Buy the M3.

just wondering but have you driven it (e9x M3)?

[lacrosse]

I had a similar experience. I drove a 135i with a Sports Package and, two weeks later, a M3.

The 135i was a fun car to drive. Very tossable, high revving torquey engine, great sounds.

The M3, well it is a race car with a license plate and a back seat.

After driving both the dealer asked my impression. I told him that I really enjoyed the M3 but I felt almost guilty as I could not really utilize the car to its full potential here in suburban Huntington, LI.

Over the same course I hit 95 mph in the 135i and 110 mph in the M3.

After careful consideration I went with the 135i (with the Dinan upgrade) as I felt, given where I live, I would get more enjoyment out of the 135i.

Bottom line, if you live where you can utilize the assets of the M3 and have the wherewithall, do it. If not, go with the 135i at 9/10ths the performance and 5/7ths the price.

By the way mine is a Sparkling Graphite Metalic 135i with the Boston Coral Red leather interior and Gray Poplar trim. Premium Package, Sports Package, Cold Weather package, Steptronic (with paddle shifters and the all important oil cooler), Nav, USB/iPod, HD radio and Premium Sound. It is built now all I am waiting for is a damned ship!

[Swift135]

Originally Posted by lacrosse

Bottom line, if you live where you can utilize the assets of the M3 and have the wherewithall, do it. If not, go with the 135i at 9/10ths the performance and 5/7ths the price.

In Australia for the price of a new M3 you can buy 2 135i's and get change back in your pocket as well.

[Alext]

The M3 just is not worth it...only if you value the M badge so much you have to have it.

[Alext]

And in Australia they rip you off for cars in the luxury segment. Combined with some of the world's highest income taxes it is a joke.

[vivid]

you guys do get the taxed heavily over there.

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by AW135i

I disagree, M3 is a fun car to drive on track or on street. Point of high revving engine is to reward you when you drive hard. M3 is 10x more rewarding to drive then 135i. If your looking for "Super Fun" then buy a M3 and if you looking for "Fun" then a 135i.

I'm getting fun now and super fun in late October. Of course my bike makes them both seem as fast as turtles...

[08AWM3]

Originally Posted by Balls

I'm getting fun now and super fun in late October. Of course my bike makes them both seem as fast as turtles...

Good for you. Have super fun

[clived]

Originally Posted by adc

Don't forget the gearing, much shorter in the M3. Torque to the wheels is probably significantly higher in the first 2-3 gears, because of this. That's why it accelerates harder...

Does no-one think that the fact that the OP seemed to be driving an auto 135i (and obviously a manual M3) might have had an effect on the experience?

How different is the gearing on a manual 135i to an M3?

[adc]

Originally Posted by clived

Does no-one think that the fact that the OP seemed to be driving an auto 135i (and obviously a manual M3) might have had an effect on the experience?

How different is the gearing on a manual 135i to an M3?

If I'm not mistaken, the auto tranny has shorter gearing than the manual one on the 135. Meaning an auto tranny might accelerate a tad faster than a manual. :wink:

M3 gearing is much shorter by comparison. Check the specs of each tranny at www.bmwusa.com .

[WhiteOne]

I will have trouble holding back on the 135i. Having an 8400rpm redline would get me in serious trouble if you know what I mean.

[clived]

Originally Posted by adc

If I'm not mistaken, the auto tranny has shorter gearing than the manual one on the 135. Meaning an auto tranny might accelerate a tad faster than a manual. :wink:

M3 gearing is much shorter by comparison. Check the specs of each tranny at www.bmwusa.com .

Given the auto isn't faster than he manual, I don't see your point....

[BMW Dreamer]

Originally Posted by AW135i

I used to drive a Fiji Blue FG2 and replace with my 07 MCS. I love high revving engine and Si's iVtec I4 was a great engine.

YES I agree. MANY people need to drive the new Civic Si. Then they would realize its not a shitbox. I love blinking the little red light. I enjoy beating the crap out of it and downshifting around corners at high speeds bringing the rear out. It feels like a rwd car when you push it hard. I don't do holeshots, I just rev the crap out of it often.

I am concerned about the 135i with this type of driving. Will I really ever be able to enjoy revving the engine? Without getting a speeding ticket on every corner? Should I just get the 128i sport manual for my type of driving? I love hearing engine rev and taking corners using the gearbox. I really want a fast car, but am concerned about not being able to really DRIVE the 135i. :iono::iono::iono:

[BMW Dreamer]

Originally Posted by WhiteOne

I will have trouble holding back on the 135i. Having an 8400rpm redline would get me in serious trouble if you know what I mean.

The 135i has a 7,000 redline. The M3 has the 8,400.

I don't think the M3 could ever be really driven on the road. Its only home is a track IMO. I am also concerned even with the 135i with really driving the car at high rev's and having fun, enjoying downshifting around corners sliding the rear out. Maybe the 128i manual sport is more realistic for roads. :iono:

[adc]

Originally Posted by clived

Given the auto isn't faster than he manual, I don't see your point....

The auto tranny has higher drivetrain losses - so it uses slightly shorter gearing to compensate. The official posted time for the auto tranny is 0.1sec slower than for the manual. This is as close to irrelevant on paper as possible. But in the real world, many magazines have gotten the same times - or faster - with the auto tranny. :iono:


So my point was that the fact that the poster drove an auto tranny-equipped 135i is basically irrelevant as far as acceleration. The auto tranny might feel faster because there is no interruption in power on gear changes.

Other than my comment being tongue-in-the-cheek (as expressed by a smilie) and that I don't really care which one is faster, if you think the comment was completely unjustified or offensive to your manual gearbox 135i, I'll withdraw it right away. :wink:

[Spook]

Enjoyable read.. thanks badun.

[clived]

Hi adc - not offended at all

Which magazines have tested an auto 135i alongside a manual 135i for these faster times? Be interesting reading....

[adc]

Originally Posted by clived

Hi adc - not offended at all

Which magazines have tested an auto 135i alongside a manual 135i for these faster times? Be interesting reading....

I know MotorTrend had an Evo X vs. 135i comparison and they used an auto 135i. Did the 0-60 in either 4.7 or 4.8 - and as far as I recall, nobody got any better than 4.7 no matter what transmission. This is a very similar situation to the 335 world, where there are numerous track times (1/4 mile) all but identical between manual and auto trannies.

Basically for acceleration purposes I think we can consider them interchangeable. And in street "contests" where you find yourself trundling along is whatever gear, an auto tranny will downshift faster than the typical driver can - giving it a slight advantage IMO.

Another factor to consider is that an auto tranny will not go off-boost during shifting. You can do this in the manual one too by power-shifting (holding the gas to the floor during upshifts) but this is not good at all for the drivetrain.

Of course, that's not the whole story - which is why I'd never get an auto tranny, SMG tranny, or even a dual clutch one, no matter how fast. :iono: