135i is what the M3 should have been!

[vivid]

As many of you know I was on the waitlist for the E92 but after driving it quickly pulled my name off the list...

After a family loss I finally got to test drive the 135i... I'm not going to go into a big long review cause so many have... What I can say is the 135i drive and feels like the M3 should have... Where the M3 disappointed the 135i thrilled... It felt small, light, nimble and fast... It does need some minor mods but its one hell of a car...

I am working out a deal to get my new 135i and I am truly excited....

[Jockey]

I'll agree. The E92 M3 feels like the M5 of yester-years.

[hellrotm]

I can say with 100% confidence the new M3 doesn't drive like a M5.

The new M3 is much more composed than a M5. The M3 is a very nimble car.

[bimmernet]

Originally Posted by Vivid

As many of you know I was on the waitlist for the E92 but after driving it quickly pulled my name off the list...

After a family loss I finally got to test drive the 135i... I'm not going to go into a big long review cause so many have... What I can say is the 135i drive and feels like the M3 should have... Where the M3 disappointed the 135i thrilled... It felt small, light, nimble and fast... It does need some minor mods but its one hell of a car...

I am working out a deal to get my new 135i and I am truly excited....

I had '97 and '98 M3's (as well as '01 and '05 M3's) and I've said many times in the last couple years if I could find a new '97 or '98 M3 I'd buy it in a heartbeat and well, the 135i isn't an E36 M3; it's better; quicker, has a better ride/handling balance and sounds better. If you take into account the currency changes it's also cheaper. I liked my '05 and knew the E92 M3 would go too far for my daily ride and also it would be expensive to buy and tune so the 135i answers my requirements and exceeds my expectations so much so that I'm really excited about it's arrival. Now if the ship would just leave port...

Bimmernet

[sadu77]

Originally Posted by slickone

I can say with 100% confidence the new M3 doesn't drive like a M5.

The new M3 is much more composed than a M5. The M3 is a very nimble car.

yeah i find it hard to believe that the M3 does'nt perform well enough. 414hp V8? may not be what these guys say it "should be" but im betting its exactly what BMW wanted it to be.

[vivid]

Originally Posted by sadu77

yeah i find it hard to believe that the M3 does'nt perform well enough. 414hp V8? may not be what these guys say it "should be" but im betting its exactly what BMW wanted it to be.

And you've hit the nail on the head... The M3 should never perform "well enough"... it should be class crushing and rivaling the higher end P-cars... The New M3 is a good car but its too refined, too civilized... The M3 was initially a street version of a race car from BMW Motorsports... Now the M3 has morphed into a damn good car but a GT car and not a sports car... The E9x M3 is a good car but its not raw enough nor follow its heritage to wear the M badge with pride, but I think now BMW wants the M badge to be as common as the AMG badge and in doing so they are making it not for the enthusiasts any more but for the mass market...

[0002s]

From my 1.5 hr test drive the new M3 is definitely super car fast. The only issues I have with it are:

1. Not a daily driver for my commute and weather

2. Feels heavy at slow speeds (think daily driver)

3. WTF with the clutch and shift throw. It's just as bad as the last gen M3. You would think they could get this right???

4. Come on BMW, Get a Double DIN head unit and lose the Lock Ness Monster double hump. iDrive is bad enough without this camel look.

5. You have to really get the rpms up to get the max out of the engine / fun factor. Nothing wrong with this, but it's not great for grocery store runs.


This car would be more fun on a track rather than 0-55-30-75-45 mph daily driving grind. It would be a 3rd "fun" car for me. For 3rd "fun" cars I would choose something else a little more unique. (this is my opinion though).

[energie]

Vivid, I seem to remember you from M3post.com - right?

BTW sorry to hear about your loss.

[vivid]

thanks mate... Yea I was over at M3Post...

[Jockey]

Originally Posted by slickone

I can say with 100% confidence the new M3 doesn't drive like a M5.

The new M3 is much more composed than a M5. The M3 is a very nimble car.

Let me correct myself, by "feel" I didn't mean drive. What I meant is more by niche (ie, 8-cylinders, 4-door, around the same size as older M5s)

[vivid]

Originally Posted by Jockey

Let me correct myself, by "feel" I didn't mean drive. What I meant is more by niche (ie, 8-cylinders, 4-door, around the same size as older M5s)

thanks

[thesmokingone]

not to mention the m3 has out priced its younger audience

[1ToBeOn2Wheels]

I'm not in a financial position to buy a new M3, but I think if money was no object, I too would choose the 135i over the new M3 for the same reasons as you.

[M3_Dust]

Originally Posted by Vivid

As many of you know I was on the waitlist for the E92 but after driving it quickly pulled my name off the list...

After a family loss I finally got to test drive the 135i... I'm not going to go into a big long review cause so many have... What I can say is the 135i drive and feels like the M3 should have... Where the M3 disappointed the 135i thrilled... It felt small, light, nimble and fast... It does need some minor mods but its one hell of a car...

I am working out a deal to get my new 135i and I am truly excited....

just quote my post from m3f

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by Vivid

And you've hit the nail on the head... The M3 should never perform "well enough"... it should be class crushing and rivaling the higher end P-cars... The New M3 is a good car but its too refined, too civilized... The M3 was initially a street version of a race car from BMW Motorsports... Now the M3 has morphed into a damn good car but a GT car and not a sports car... The E9x M3 is a good car but its not raw enough nor follow its heritage to wear the M badge with pride, but I think now BMW wants the M badge to be as common as the AMG badge and in doing so they are making it not for the enthusiasts any more but for the mass market...

It is class crushing.

It beat the C63 and IS-F in lap time by a HUGE amount.

Motor Trend lap times:

M3 sedan - 154.2

C63 - 158.0 3.8 sec back

IS-F - 158.6 4.4 sec back

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/.../photo_16.html

[SCA1]

The e92 M3 is a spectacular car. I did a couple test drives of them. There was just something that didn't hit my sweet spot the way the 135 did. It almost seems like the 135 just WANTS to rip while your driving it. The M3 can seriously rip too. But it is much bigger, heavier, just feels different. Seems like it is leaning more towards the luxury car camp now. I just like the 135 feeling better. I had actually originally considered an M3 but, right or wrong, in the end I liked the 135 better. Go figure.

[gizmo]

Originally Posted by Vivid

... but I think now BMW wants the M badge to be as common as the AMG badge and in doing so they are making it not for the enthusiasts any more but for the mass market...

Exactly, why wouldn't they? Selling expensive cars with high margins makes the bottom line look good.

The masses love hp numbers... 414hp, 4sec 0-60, ect... only true enthusiasts look at the weight of a car.

If BMW made an E36 equivalent with 414hp people would get hurt.

[Robert]

135i is 63% of m3's cost yet provides close to 80% of m3s performance. Easier to live with everyday with its low end grunt, and has enough power to get you into trouble.

[vivid]

Originally Posted by slickone

It is class crushing.

It beat the C63 and IS-F in lap time by a HUGE amount.

Motor Trend lap times:

M3 sedan - 154.2

C63 - 158.0 3.8 sec back

IS-F - 158.6 4.4 sec back

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/.../photo_16.html

Please quote the figures for the E46, E36, E30 and 2002tii to see what class crushing really is.

[vivid]

Originally Posted by SCA1

The e92 M3 is a spectacular car. I did a couple test drives of them. There was just something that didn't hit my sweet spot the way the 135 did. It almost seems like the 135 just WANTS to rip while your driving it. The M3 can seriously rip too. But it is much bigger, heavier, just feels different. Seems like it is leaning more towards the luxury car camp now. I just like the 135 feeling better. I had actually originally considered an M3 but, right or wrong, in the end I liked the 135 better. Go figure.

totally agree... The M3 is still a great car but its too refined, too luxurious, too big lazy and comfortable... As I have said before if I were driving from london to St Tropez on interstate road I would take a M3 in a heart beat but if I were driving the back roads I would take the 135i no questions...

Originally Posted by gizmo

Exactly, why wouldn't they? Selling expensive cars with high margins makes the bottom line look good.

The masses love hp numbers... 414hp, 4sec 0-60, ect... only true enthusiasts look at the weight of a car.

If BMW made an E36 equivalent with 414hp people would get hurt.

thats fine to make margins... but take the damn M badge off it... M is Motorsports, the racing devision of BMW and this car was not designed from a race car but as a street car and it show in how it drives. The last true M car was the E36, even the E46 showed the departure from it M heritage.

Originally Posted by robert

135i is 63% of m3's cost yet provides close to 80% of m3s performance. Easier to live with everyday with its low end grunt, and has enough power to get you into trouble.

and its more fun to drive, engaging, with more feedback, feels small, light and nimble...



And for those thinking I am hating on the M, I'm not.... I was on the waitlist for it since 2005 so it was a HUGE disappointment when I drove it...

[sadu77]

Originally Posted by Vivid

And you've hit the nail on the head... The M3 should never perform "well enough"... it should be class crushing and rivaling the higher end P-cars... The New M3 is a good car but its too refined, too civilized... The M3 was initially a street version of a race car from BMW Motorsports... Now the M3 has morphed into a damn good car but a GT car and not a sports car... The E9x M3 is a good car but its not raw enough nor follow its heritage to wear the M badge with pride, but I think now BMW wants the M badge to be as common as the AMG badge and in doing so they are making it not for the enthusiasts any more but for the mass market...

I hear ya. I feel that cars and car companies evolve and change with the times, and unfortunately their evolution made the car bigger and not as as sport.

[vivid]

Originally Posted by sadu77

I hear ya. I feel that cars and car companies evolve and change with the times, and unfortunately their evolution made the car bigger and not as as sport.

:agree: but that then leaves a gaping hole, a hole just big enough for the 135i :biggrin: which is why I think the 135i is the car the M3 should have been.