my alpine white 135i arrived! (pics + review)

[One&Only]

You and I are on the same page with the xterior & nterior.
Great Choice!!!

1st thing I'll do, when I get it back to the states after ED, is tint the windows as dark as is legal and throw some dark wheels on it...

Enjoy the 1st few days in your awesome ride...breath it in & never never forget it!

[vinazzurro]

I'm curious to hear one of these beasts.


How's it sound vs. the 335?

[Genericuser1]

Looks great. Loving the AW.

[john970]

Originally Posted by Jack Regan

3. As you know you get the rear PDC free anyway. I optioned the front PDC because parking spaces are a nightmare in London and I've always ended up cuffing my front bumpers on previous cars. Maybe I should learn to park better, but I thought this might help!

Is there any display for the PDC? As in little lights or a virtual display on the Nav screen?

[TunedM2C]

/\ Think it's just an audible.

[DaSlowMoseS]

No Model Inscription... Hmm..

Thats the most insanely stupid trend going right now.

Your either insanely stupid or just good friends w/ Marky Mark.

j/k, I don't want any badges either. Lets see some shots of that rearend & see how good it looks

[ChrisK]

Yes, it's only audible. I had PDC on my 330ci and I never used it. I will pass on the option this time.

[ChrisK]

Jack!!

I almost forgot to ask....does you 1er have the inscription around the start button?

[ChrisK]

Originally Posted by blitzed310

Awesome Jack!

Cant wait to test drive one. I have always been an Alpine fan since they started making the color. Just hope I dont see too many AW rolling around Cali.

With the allocations numbers this low, you might not see many 1ers period. :thumbup:

[Galligan]

Originally Posted by chriskurn

Yes, it's only audible. I had PDC on my 330ci and I never used it. I will pass on the option this time.

Even if you have I-DRIVE?? This is the I-drive PDC screen from an E90's i-drive screen.

[john970]

Originally Posted by Galligan

Even if you have I-DRIVE?? This is the I-drive PDC screen from an E90's i-drive screen.

Yeah that's why I was asking. Dealer told me it would have it on the screen and showed me a new 5 series with a similar screen to that one (nice pic). But he also didn't sound like he knew what he was talking about.

A friend's 2004ish X5 has the little visible dots near the reading lights on the headliner, no navigation screen.

[spudw]

Originally Posted by Jack Regan

Sure thing Spud. I promise I will post a load more on Saturday. No chance to take pics in the daylight til then I'm afraid. Sorry to all. Thanks for your patience...

Pin it on hopethess enthusiasm, Jack. We should all thank you for being so accessible... instead of being out driving

YOUR 135i!!!!!!

[ChrisK]

Nice!

Maybe it will be the same on 135i then. I'll still pass. I have a rule not to parallel park my cars.

[spudw]

Originally Posted by DaSlowMoseS

No Model Inscription... Hmm..

Thats the most insanely stupid trend going right now.

Your either insanely stupid or just good friends w/ Marky Mark.

j/k, I don't want any badges either. Lets see some shots of that rearend & see how good it looks

I was about to flame your ass until I saw the last line.

Jack is the man of the hour... Jack can do no wrong... Until of course someone else picks up a 135i... :smile:

[TunedM2C]

Originally Posted by chriskurn

Jack!!

I almost forgot to ask....does you 1er have the inscription around the start button?

That's only for us in the States.

[groovyjay]

Thanks for the review and the pics. Gonna have to wait 'til April to get mine

Now we need to see more pics of your car, inside & out! :thumbup:

[TunedM2C]

/\ You need to blow up that avatar pic. Looks good.

[groovyjay]

Originally Posted by Tuned1

/\ You need to blow up that avatar pic. Looks good.

You mean this? :biggrin:

[imported_Ken]

.....

Originally Posted by Jack Regan

it arrived today...thought i'd share it with you all.

Update with review:

my first impressions are that the 135 feels like a very hot hot hatch, not a coupe. the reason i dumped my 335i was because it felt so big on the road and you never really wanted to throw it around through the corners. it was a high speed cruiser and massively uninvolving and apart from the engine I wouldn't recommend one. before that i had an R32 Golf which I loved to bits and this is much closer to the R32 than it is to a 3. you just want to abuse it to be honest and i think a lot of people will lose their licenses in it!!!

it is tight inside too, but i'm pretty big, and it's not uncomfortable; it just feels small and compact - the way a sports car should. can't get the seat adjusted for height very well though yet. it'll come though.

quality inside is usual BMW, although the Pro Sat Nav that pops up isn't as nice as the 3's in-dash version. seats are better, stubby M Sport gear shift is too, although obviously it's pretty stuff at the moment. the upgraded speaker system sounds ok but not great. not really worth the money if i am being honest.

footwell is tight compared to the 3. going to take some getting used to as the space between the pedals is proper sports car, not executive car.

seats in the back are great but your passengers will have to leave their legs at home. no room at all behind my seat and i'm 6 foot. but i didn't buy it for my friends!!

too early to tell on the road really. again the engine is so new it's not fair to boot it yet, but like the 335 it is very very rapid in any gear and in any rev range. the suspension is definitely more sorted than the 335 and inspires so much more confidence. the wheelbase seems so much shorter and the whole car feels so much more planted and grippier.

brakes are amazing, but harsh. again I guess that's because it's new.

sorry this isn't very technical, but i'm not. i'll try and give you more opinions as i drive it over christmas and new year and i'll post some more pics in the next day or so.

[imported_Ken]

Hi Jack , congraatulations , reading your article excites me about the 123D I ordered yesterday, delivery due April 08, I also went for the sat nav as I currently have it in my Laguna Initiale, thought it expensive though at £2000.
Wont be quite as fast as yours but cant wait for that 204 BHP

Ken , Leeds England

PS I have ordered Black with black leather.

[Rephlex]

Originally Posted by Galligan

Even if you have I-DRIVE?? This is the I-drive PDC screen from an E90's i-drive screen.

I have this on my 130i (front and rear: iDrive) so imagine this is what you will get on a coupe as well. works well IMO.

[roadburn]

Great car, Jack.

But reading about it is like listening to an account of someone else's hot date. I want my own cheerleader!