Considering buying a used 135i, need advice.

Qualin · 01-10-2010, 02:43 AM

I've been lurking in these forums for a while so I've been getting the general gist of what's been going on with these cars. The reason why I'm posting is because I need some advice on what to expect when I buy one of these. I already know about the HPFP issues and the cracking 3rd brake light. I can live with both of those issues for now.

Before I go any further, I should just mention that my previous car was a 1991 Toyota Supra and I absolutely loved it, but I had to get rid of it due to the fact that it was literally falling apart and wasn't worth the effort to get it restored or fixed up.

I most likely won't be ready to buy until April or May when the weather gets a lot nicer and winter finally starts going away.

Basically, I've been saving up for the last year and have decided that I want a second car that isn't an econobox that can replace my old Supra. Basically, I've been considering buying a 2-door RWD coupe that has some power and has a back seat so that someone can fit in the back. (Comfortably is another matter.) Ideally, a replacement to my Supra.

So, all of you are wondering why I'm considering buying a 135i. Here's what I found:

1. I don't fit in a Ford Mustang. It's not comfortable for me. I'm 5' 11" and with the drivers seat all the way back, I still don't feel like I have enough room. Even if I could ignore the fact that it has a solid rear axle.

2. The styling on the Chevy Camaro is UGLY. They still command a massive price premium. CMP Chevy had a US Camaro in the used cars section and they wanted $48k for it. That wouldn't have been so bad except that my Hyundai has a better interior than it had. Someone was on crack when they designed the look of that car.

3. I love the styling on the Dodge Challenger, but it's overpriced. ($51k for the SRT8?!) Not to mention that the Dodge forums have a few people complaining about all kinds of mysterious electrical gremlins with these cars. The interior was comfortable but wasn't anything special. The R/T version was much more reasonably priced, but the performance isn't there. I've also heard these cars handle like a Dodge RAM truck and ride like one.

4. Hyundai Genesis Coupe. This was a contender, until I sat in the back seat. Fastback styling isn't that bad, but it's impractical and poorly implemented. I don't like the idea of anyone sitting at a 60 degree angle in the rear seat because they are over 5 feet tall. Everything else was OK though.

5. Nissan 370Z. No back seat. If it was a 2+2 like the 300ZX was, I might have considered one of those instead. Everything else was OK though.

6. Mazda RX-8. Ugh. Please.. The Mazdaspeed3 is faster. All kinds of reliability issues with the rotary and they burn oil. Not to mention the specs make it out to have econobox torque, which defeats the purpose of why I'm looking at a second car to begin with.

7. Toyota. If they still made the Supra today and sold it at a price which didn't compete with the Corvette, I'd consider one. They were the only hatchback 2+2 RWD car on the market. Shame they stopped making them.

8. Audi. Sorry, I'm not buying an overpriced Volkswagen. Lexus and Infiniti are not in the cards either because I'm not buying an overpriced Toyota or Nissan. I'm not really in the market for a "Luxury Coupe". I want performance!

9. Subaru WRX STI. It's not a coupe but I considered it anyway, until I read on the Subaru forums that the boxer engine has problems with ring landings breaking off because the pistons are cast, not forged. You'd think on a car which was selling for $41k, they would have forged them. The interior is cheap as well and it shifts like a Honda Civic.

10. Mitsubishi Lancer EVO. OK, I'm not paying for an overpriced Mitsubishi Lancer sedan. I know it's got an awesome engine, suspension, yadda yadda yadda, but 300 HP out of a 2.0 Litre I4? The Mitsubishi EVO forums mention that these cars are laggy and don't have much of a bottom end due to the small engine. I'd also be worried about how long that little engine would last. Mitsubishi parts are expensive as well.

11. Honda. HAH! They produce cars as bland and as boring as Toyota does. I realize they made the NSX at one point in time, but they don't anymore and even if they did, I wouldn't buy one.

So, all that was left on the market was the BMW 128i/135i. Having owned a Supra before, I was in love with that straight turbo 6 and everyone seems to mention that this car is like a modern new Supra, engine wise.

I went to the Calgary BMW and we worked out some numbers. (The salesguy was VERY patient with me and spent more time with me than any other rep from any other dealer I went to. I was just stunned at the level of sales customer service I receieved, even though I wasn't serious at the time.) For the model that I wanted, which was a BMW 135i with the M package and the Premium Audio package (Since I love Sirius) it worked out to an MSRP of $46k. After factoring in taxes, freight, delivery, yadda yadda yadda, we were up to $52k, which in all honesty was about $12k over my budget.

So, as you all know, my absolute maximum budget is $40k, which means that my only option at this point in time is to consider purchasing a used 135i, since buying a new one really doesn't seem to be an option at this point, unfortunately.

I've also been considering the differences between the 2008-2009 MY and the 2010 MY and I certainly could go for either a 2008 or a 2009 because they have the REST feature, whereas the 2010's don't. Not to mention they have the cooler side mirrors.

(Any reason why I wouldn't want REST?)

Considering this is a performance vehicle, I'd only consider getting a 6 speed. I've heard of a lot of positive things about the 6 speed on these forums and if they are true, they'd make my old Supra's 5 speed seem horrendous in comparison.

So, a few questions to all of you..

Considering what I want, what is the range I should expect to pay? (ie. Stripped down high mileage 2008 135i vs loaded low mileage 2009?)

Have you found that the level of service at BMW dealers sucked because you didn't buy the car from them? Did you find that other customers who had bought vehicles from them were given preferential treatment?

Do you find that buying used could actually cost more than buying new, when you factor in the service plans and stuff that BMW gives you? With the 0.9 percent financing on the 2009's, is it worth it at all to buy used?

Some friends of mine said to me, "BMW is a car you lease, not finance." due the fact that they tend to get very expensive after a few years. Is this true? What about service and parts?

How much more expensive did you find parts for other wear and tear things in comparison to other cars? I realize this is an imported high quality german made car, so things will be more expensive than say, a Dodge.. but the big question is, how much MORE expensive?

As well, outside of HPFP failures and cracking 3rd brake lights (These issues seem minor in comparison to what other owners of different brands are experiencing.) are there any other caveats I should know about?

When buying used, what things should I look for other than long cranking and rough idling?

I'm glad to see there are forums here, which means that there's support if I need it, but in all honesty, if you had the chance to buy your 135i over again, would you do it? If not, why?

Calgary only has two BMW dealers that I'm aware of, Calgary BMW and Crowfoot BMW Mini. What have been your experiences with them? Is there service department just as good as my experience with their salespeople?

I realize this is a long post, but this will be a very expensive decision for me and I want to make sure that before I commit to something like this, I have as many opinions as possible.

Yes, I know the 128/135 is considered to be a "Luxury Coupe", but there isn't that much else out there! As well, I realize that to some of you, my requirement for a functional back seat seems idiotic if I'm considering a performance coupe, but I do find myself carrying around my friends on occasion and would actually like a car I can carry stuff in, so there has to be some level of practicality there, otherwise I would have bought a 370Z.

I also realize that perhaps some of my questions might have been in other posts, but it's been a long time since the 2008/2009 models came out and a lot has changed, so I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

I'm also posting this on the Canadian forums because Americans get these cars for considerably cheaper. I'm not interested in importing an American car. The hassles with Customs just simply aren't worth it.

Thanks everyone.

Bahuba · 01-10-2010, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

So, a few questions to all of you..

Considering what I want, what is the range I should expect to pay? (ie. Stripped down high mileage 2008 135i vs loaded low mileage 2009?)

I'm leasing a 08 and my residual is 25K (0 down) on a 39 mo term. So you do the math. The car is a 135 with M-sport, premium, USB ipod, bluetooth, ski-pass thru.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

Have you found that the level of service at BMW dealers sucked because you didn't buy the car from them? Did you find that other customers who had bought vehicles from them were given preferential treatment?

I did that with a 540 in the past and the service was mediocre. However, I know for a fact that this has little bearing since a friend bought a 540 from the same dealer and had equally mediocre service. It really comes down to the service dept. of the dealer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

Do you find that buying used could actually cost more than buying new, when you factor in the service plans and stuff that BMW gives you? With the 0.9 percent financing on the 2009's, is it worth it at all to buy used?

No. The savings buying used easily offset the additional cost of the service plan. The biggest cost will be any out of warranty work. BMWs are costly to fix.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

Some friends of mine said to me, "BMW is a car you lease, not finance." due the fact that they tend to get very expensive after a few years. Is this true? What about service and parts?

They are expensive to fix once out of warranty. My 540 was averaging 1-2k per year above and beyond the regular wear and tear items like tires, & brakes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

How much more expensive did you find parts for other wear and tear things in comparison to other cars? I realize this is an imported high quality german made car, so things will be more expensive than say, a Dodge.. but the big question is, how much MORE expensive?

Don't know but here are some numbers I recall from my '99 540. Cracked radiator ~$1000, radiator thermostat ~$250, instrument cluster ~$1000, rear diff $1900.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

As well, outside of HPFP failures and cracking 3rd brake lights (These issues seem minor in comparison to what other owners of different brands are experiencing.) are there any other caveats I should know about?

I've had mine for over a year now and the only issue was a problem with the trunk release cable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

When buying used, what things should I look for other than long cranking and rough idling?

I'm glad to see there are forums here, which means that there's support if I need it, but in all honesty, if you had the chance to buy your 135i over again, would you do it? If not, why?

I'd buy again. This is by far the most fun car I've owned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

Calgary only has two BMW dealers that I'm aware of, Calgary BMW and Crowfoot BMW Mini. What have been your experiences with them? Is there service department just as good as my experience with their salespeople?

I realize this is a long post, but this will be a very expensive decision for me and I want to make sure that before I commit to something like this, I have as many opinions as possible.

Yes, I know the 128/135 is considered to be a "Luxury Coupe", but there isn't that much else out there! As well, I realize that to some of you, my requirement for a functional back seat seems idiotic if I'm considering a performance coupe, but I do find myself carrying around my friends on occasion and would actually like a car I can carry stuff in, so there has to be some level of practicality there, otherwise I would have bought a 370Z.

did you consider a G35/G37 coupe?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

I also realize that perhaps some of my questions might have been in other posts, but it's been a long time since the 2008/2009 models came out and a lot has changed, so I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

I'm also posting this on the Canadian forums because Americans get these cars for considerably cheaper. I'm not interested in importing an American car. The hassles with Customs just simply aren't worth it.

Thanks everyone.

Re: snappier mirrors on the 08 & 09s they also have a better stock sound system.

Irishace · 01-10-2010, 08:44 AM

You should be able to pick up an 09 from the dealer for $40k, there has got to be still some on the lots. I got mine fully loaded minus nav for $43k before the 2010's were coming out.

I would call a few dealers, including the one in Edmonton, and see what they can do for you. BMW sales were down significantly in 2009 and as such the dealers are motivated to sell. Do not settle, it is still a car buyers market, go and negotiate hard. What is the worst that can happen?

I too was looking at a number of cars before I landed on the 135i, i drove the:

1. Cayman (no back seat, damn fun car)
2. IS 350 (too many on the road, performance was not mind blowing)
3. G37 (really disappointing)
4. 335i (loved it but again too many on the road)
5. M3 (worship this car, was just too far out of my budget plan)

The 135i is in a class by itself, you will not regret getting one of these. I actually go to the grocery store for my wife and run errands for her just to get into this car. The car actually makes me a better husband (BMW should use this as marketing material).

The other thing you could look at is an 07 or an early 08 335i coming off lease, talk to a lease broker, awesome deals are out there. The car is awesome and satisfies all of the criteria you are looking for. I liked the 135 better primarily because it was more unique but the 335 is an absolute gem.

Hope this helps.

BSM 335I · 01-10-2010, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

Considering this is a performance vehicle, I'd only consider getting a 6 speed. I've heard of a lot of positive things about the 6 speed on these forums and if they are true, they'd make my old Supra's 5 speed seem horrendous in comparison.

Nice review and write-up. Although it seems you may have not researched the 135i thoroughly. Cause if you did you would probably retract your previous statement. Having owned both a 6sp manual in my 335i and now a 6sp steptronic in my 135i I will tell you that you can choose either one and this car will still be considered a TRUE sports car. The only pleasure you get in driving a manual is working out your right arm and left leg. Your probably thinking " um... You feel more in control with a manual" lol. Well hate to pop your bubble but these new ZF trannies they put in these cars give you more then enough control and I mean true control of gear selection. BMW put the steptronic in these cars to perform as well as or even outperform the Manual. It's just hard for the true hardcore manual guys including myself to get this into their heads. Believe it or not I was even worst and hated anything without a 3rd pedal until they finally put an auto worth test driving and boy did it change my impression. Although I was worried about missing my 6sp manual being that I owned 6 cars prior to this one that were all manuals. That only lasted the amount of time it took me to sign the papers.

So please do yourself a favor and find a cool salesman that you can test dive a steptronic equiped 135i with sports or m package. Take it out for at least 15-20min and although you may still want a manual, but at least you will see the cars true potential in power with it's aggressive .3 second shifts that would take a heck of a good manual driver to mock every time. Even though I did manage to shift just as fast as the steptronic but only a few times honestly and I can slap the heck out of these gears lol.

Good luck on your purchase. Either one you choose is bound to make you smile.

vanbmw · 01-10-2010, 11:40 AM

Here's my input! I have owned several cars inthe last 15 years (Porsche, VW, Infiniti, Acura to name a few) and I have found my BMW experience very good. The dealer I have dealt with has been excellent from purschase to service and I am happy with my car. For you living in Calagary, the 135 is good in the snow with snow tires. I drive mine to Whistler regularly with no problems. I have never seen the figures on the HPFP failures but I think it is overblown on this site. The motor in the 135/335 still gets rated as one of the best motors by ceveral car magazines and concumer reports doesn't flag the motor as problematic. I had a 1.8T VW jetta and had 3 coil pack failures...that was a major issue. The percentage of failures was VERY high...I don't think the HPFP failure rate is anywhere close.
The other car I would recommend would be a Infiniti G37 coupe. My wife had a G35 M6 sedan (6 speed stick) and it was a great car. We drove that for 3 years and 90,000kms with no problems and it was fun to drive. The Infiniti dealer was great to deal with and it was a good experience. Now with 2 teenagers playing hockey and owning a place at Whistler it was time to get a SUV with more room (Acura MDX)
Good luck!

Qualin · 01-11-2010, 12:21 AM

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I never really considered a G37 because they are overpriced and out of my price range. As well, it's considered to be luxury coupe, not quite what I'm looking for really.

In all honesty, the BMW seems like a much better bargain in comparison to the G37 when you consider you're not getting a LSD, but I can live with that.

When I went to Calgary BMW, all they had in stock were automatics, which is understandable considering they sell faster. Perhaps I can twist some arms and when the weather gets nicer I'll consider a test drive with a steptronic first and then with a manual later.

Thanks for all your input.

BSM 335I · 01-11-2010, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qualin

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I never really considered a G37 because they are overpriced and out of my price range. As well, it's considered to be luxury coupe, not quite what I'm looking for really.

In all honesty, the BMW seems like a much better bargain in comparison to the G37 when you consider you're not getting a LSD, but I can live with that.

When I went to Calgary BMW, all they had in stock were automatics, which is understandable considering they sell faster. Perhaps I can twist some arms and when the weather gets nicer I'll consider a test drive with a steptronic first and then with a manual later.

Thanks for all your input.

Now that's thinking with your head. Good decision!

1HungryMan · 01-11-2010, 08:45 AM

It's funny: I read your list of other "contenders" and not a single car on that list drives like the 135. It's still blows my mind that the Genesis made by a company that kicks out ashtrays on wheels is in the same price range as an "ultimate driving machine" (a moniker that seemed horribly pretentious ad speak until I actually owned one).

The insurance on the WRX will kill you, and so too the number of times cops will pull you over, which is a normal complaint of anyone who owns this car.

Personally I think the answer is for you to buy the 128i. Cheaper but no slouch and about fifty times better to own that almost every car on your challenger list.

(I agree that the Infiniti might be the only real option. Still, BMW's brakes and handling smoke the Infiniti).

BSM 335I · 01-11-2010, 09:15 AM

He's coming from a supra and you expect him to get into a 128i? lol Maybe to save money but nowhere near the 135i's performance.

Phased · 01-11-2010, 10:47 AM

I've had good experiances at Calgary BMW and bad ones at Crowfoot and someone I know has had the opposite. They have the same owners anyway I hear. Service is pretty good - I had a couple things serviced at Calgary BMW but I wouldn't if it's off warranty, I'd go to Two Square instead.

DubSport · 01-11-2010, 02:54 PM

I went through the exact same struggle as you last year at this time. I ended up with a 135i. I even bought it used, saved tons of money. Can't comment on financing/leasing as I just paid cash. Though in hindsight if I instead leased, and used that cash to invest I could have been further ahead today. Or I could have lost it all in the stock market.

I was scared about taking it to Calgary BMW for its first experience there, as I had heard stories in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised. They changed my oil way before it needed to be changed, and treated me like royalty (even though I have yet to give them any money).

You have made a good choice by considering the 135i, as it is great fun for the dollar, and practical compared to anything else that is this quick for this price. It's also very cheap to tap extra power out of this engine, compared to other German cars.

Reading your post I thought - hey a guy in Calgary wants a 135i, should I offer to sell him mine? For the first time in my life I am happy with a car (and I have had many good cars), and I can proudly say "no way" could I sell my 135i.

Qualin · 01-12-2010, 02:33 AM

Well, it's something when the salesguy says to you, "Have you ever driven a BMW?" when we got talking about how good the brakes are. Not very often when a salesguy just wants the car to do the talking for him. :-)

Yeah, the 128i was something that I did consider briefly, but you know how it goes, everyone will ask, "Why didn't you get the 135i?" .. I figure if I'm in for a penny, I might as well be in for a pound.

It's just like the Challenger. You just know that every since R/T on the road just says, "I compromised."..

In all honesty, I'd rather buy a used 135i than a new 128i.

aragorn764 · 01-19-2010, 11:58 AM

Thank you for your post, i am in the exact same boat as you are! Except that i have a leased Mazdaspeed 3 in my hands and the lease is only over in August! I swore i would never lease again...but it is kinda hard to ignore the great lease takeover deals out there...
good luck!

Qualin · 01-19-2010, 11:39 PM

Well, I nearly leased a 135i from the Dealer because the payments looked good. But then I realized that leasing is only good if I don't plan on keeping a car more than a few years.

A lot of the lease takeovers out there really don't make any sense.

I mean, The MRSP on a brand spanking new 135i with all the options I want comes to $46k CDN. (That's with Premium Audio and the M Package with a 6-speed.) When the dealership finishes adding taxes, fees, etc you are up to $52k. (Ouch!)

One lease takeover I was looking at on Leasebusters was a 2008 135i with about 30k-something kilometers on the clock. After making all the remaining lease payments and then taking the buyout, I would have only come out ahead around $2k cheaper than MSRP on a new one! (Minus taxes, fees, etc, etc.)

Even when I looked at leasing straight from the dealer, I figured that I would be paying nearly $10k more for the same car if I bought it out. In all honesty, I'd rather finance. The payment is more, but it's cheaper in the end.

These cars hold their value, so the residuals are always way too high to make taking over a lease worth it. At least, that's from what I've found.

BlackFlash · 01-20-2010, 08:59 AM

This is what I've found as well, except where people are offloading a lease and saying goodbye to a large down payment.

dread1 · 01-20-2010, 06:25 PM

^^threadjack
blackflash are you on gtasentra? Do you go by other usernames? are you even from Toronto? haha

I go by dread1 on those boards too guy with the ex s/c spec

BlackFlash · 01-20-2010, 10:46 PM

haha, no, I don't recall posting on gtasentra. I used to post to b15sentra, but I can't even remember my handle there. I usually use BlackFlash if it isn't taken. I'm a little over an hour out of toronto.

A supercharged spec?? If I ever end up getting a 135, I am seriously considering trying to find a turbo or super kit for the spec because the trade in is worth next to nothing. The car must be hilarious with some 300hp to the front wheels

Qualin · 01-21-2010, 02:09 AM

The 135i (And the 128i) is Rear Wheel Drive.

I've come from the land of Supras and if Toyota sold a replacement, I'd buy it. Unfortunately, they don't.

A lot of people have been saying that the 135i is a "Spiritual Successor" to the Supra. It seems like they are putting the N54 in everything these days.

I have to admit that it is tempting to wait until March when the new 2011's come out and they'll be introducing them with DSG, but in all honesty, buying one new is going to be $12k over my maximum budget anyway.

BlackFlash · 01-21-2010, 10:58 AM

If you can find a 2009 on a lot that fits the bill, you can get great deals on them now. I actually would prefer wait for the 2011 on the gamble that they've cleared up any HPFP bs, but I am really tempted by big discounts on the now two model year old 2009s if I can find one to my liking.

dread1 · 01-21-2010, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackFlash

If you can find a 2009 on a lot that fits the bill, you can get great deals on them now. I actually would prefer wait for the 2011 on the gamble that they've cleared up any HPFP bs, but I am really tempted by big discounts on the now two model year old 2009s if I can find one to my liking.

I gave up looking for 135is in Canada, gone searching in the states. once the current car is sold its purchase time I already bought my US so its just sitting there waiting for me to sell. 08 135i for roughly 25k, they have both the kmh and mph on the speedo unlike Canadian version and the odo has miles and kmh which is albe to be reprogramed by dealer. only thing now is daytime running lights I just have to see which kind of drl the us-spec has because there are two versions. When this transation starts I'll keep the board updated.

to blackfalsh. ya the s/c was fun but i want quite power the thing sounded like a low flying jet which was awesome but it was time for me to grow up haha. I only managed a 13.6 with pretty much 30% general uph(horrible tire). I literaly just sold my s/c and my 4 pot brakes. needed to move to somethign fatser then the spec 135i sealed the deal. The HPFP is literaly the least of my worries about a car if you ever owned a spec-v lol

aragorn764 · 01-21-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dread1

I gave up looking for 135is in Canada, gone searching in the states. once the current car is sold its purchase time I already bought my US so its just sitting there waiting for me to sell. 08 135i for roughly 25k, they have both the kmh and mph on the speedo unlike Canadian version and the odo has miles and kmh which is albe to be reprogramed by dealer. only thing now is daytime running lights I just have to see which kind of drl the us-spec has because there are two versions. When this transation starts I'll keep the board updated.

to blackfalsh. ya the s/c was fun but i want quite power the thing sounded like a low flying jet which was awesome but it was time for me to grow up haha. I only managed a 13.6 with pretty much 30% general uph(horrible tire). I literaly just sold my s/c and my 4 pot brakes. needed to move to somethign fatser then the spec 135i sealed the deal. The HPFP is literaly the least of my worries about a car if you ever owned a spec-v lol

Please let us know how your US deal worked out, i thought it was to much of a PITA but frankly I never really looked into that option in depth.

dread1 · 01-21-2010, 09:42 PM

I will def try my best to document it. If it is succesful I'll post all details etc.

01-10-2010, 02:43 AM	#1
Qualin New Member 8 Rep 27 Posts Drives: BMW 135i - Completely Stock Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (0)	Considering buying a used 135i, need advice. I've been lurking in these forums for a while so I've been getting the general gist of what's been going on with these cars. The reason why I'm posting is because I need some advice on what to expect when I buy one of these. I already know about the HPFP issues and the cracking 3rd brake light. I can live with both of those issues for now. Before I go any further, I should just mention that my previous car was a 1991 Toyota Supra and I absolutely loved it, but I had to get rid of it due to the fact that it was literally falling apart and wasn't worth the effort to get it restored or fixed up. I most likely won't be ready to buy until April or May when the weather gets a lot nicer and winter finally starts going away. Basically, I've been saving up for the last year and have decided that I want a second car that isn't an econobox that can replace my old Supra. Basically, I've been considering buying a 2-door RWD coupe that has some power and has a back seat so that someone can fit in the back. (Comfortably is another matter.) Ideally, a replacement to my Supra. So, all of you are wondering why I'm considering buying a 135i. Here's what I found: 1. I don't fit in a Ford Mustang. It's not comfortable for me. I'm 5' 11" and with the drivers seat all the way back, I still don't feel like I have enough room. Even if I could ignore the fact that it has a solid rear axle. 2. The styling on the Chevy Camaro is UGLY. They still command a massive price premium. CMP Chevy had a US Camaro in the used cars section and they wanted $48k for it. That wouldn't have been so bad except that my Hyundai has a better interior than it had. Someone was on crack when they designed the look of that car. 3. I love the styling on the Dodge Challenger, but it's overpriced. ($51k for the SRT8?!) Not to mention that the Dodge forums have a few people complaining about all kinds of mysterious electrical gremlins with these cars. The interior was comfortable but wasn't anything special. The R/T version was much more reasonably priced, but the performance isn't there. I've also heard these cars handle like a Dodge RAM truck and ride like one. 4. Hyundai Genesis Coupe. This was a contender, until I sat in the back seat. Fastback styling isn't that bad, but it's impractical and poorly implemented. I don't like the idea of anyone sitting at a 60 degree angle in the rear seat because they are over 5 feet tall. Everything else was OK though. 5. Nissan 370Z. No back seat. If it was a 2+2 like the 300ZX was, I might have considered one of those instead. Everything else was OK though. 6. Mazda RX-8. Ugh. Please.. The Mazdaspeed3 is faster. All kinds of reliability issues with the rotary and they burn oil. Not to mention the specs make it out to have econobox torque, which defeats the purpose of why I'm looking at a second car to begin with. 7. Toyota. If they still made the Supra today and sold it at a price which didn't compete with the Corvette, I'd consider one. They were the only hatchback 2+2 RWD car on the market. Shame they stopped making them. 8. Audi. Sorry, I'm not buying an overpriced Volkswagen. Lexus and Infiniti are not in the cards either because I'm not buying an overpriced Toyota or Nissan. I'm not really in the market for a "Luxury Coupe". I want performance! 9. Subaru WRX STI. It's not a coupe but I considered it anyway, until I read on the Subaru forums that the boxer engine has problems with ring landings breaking off because the pistons are cast, not forged. You'd think on a car which was selling for $41k, they would have forged them. The interior is cheap as well and it shifts like a Honda Civic. 10. Mitsubishi Lancer EVO. OK, I'm not paying for an overpriced Mitsubishi Lancer sedan. I know it's got an awesome engine, suspension, yadda yadda yadda, but 300 HP out of a 2.0 Litre I4? The Mitsubishi EVO forums mention that these cars are laggy and don't have much of a bottom end due to the small engine. I'd also be worried about how long that little engine would last. Mitsubishi parts are expensive as well. 11. Honda. HAH! They produce cars as bland and as boring as Toyota does. I realize they made the NSX at one point in time, but they don't anymore and even if they did, I wouldn't buy one. So, all that was left on the market was the BMW 128i/135i. Having owned a Supra before, I was in love with that straight turbo 6 and everyone seems to mention that this car is like a modern new Supra, engine wise. I went to the Calgary BMW and we worked out some numbers. (The salesguy was VERY patient with me and spent more time with me than any other rep from any other dealer I went to. I was just stunned at the level of sales customer service I receieved, even though I wasn't serious at the time.) For the model that I wanted, which was a BMW 135i with the M package and the Premium Audio package (Since I love Sirius) it worked out to an MSRP of $46k. After factoring in taxes, freight, delivery, yadda yadda yadda, we were up to $52k, which in all honesty was about $12k over my budget. So, as you all know, my absolute maximum budget is $40k, which means that my only option at this point in time is to consider purchasing a used 135i, since buying a new one really doesn't seem to be an option at this point, unfortunately. I've also been considering the differences between the 2008-2009 MY and the 2010 MY and I certainly could go for either a 2008 or a 2009 because they have the REST feature, whereas the 2010's don't. Not to mention they have the cooler side mirrors. (Any reason why I wouldn't want REST?) Considering this is a performance vehicle, I'd only consider getting a 6 speed. I've heard of a lot of positive things about the 6 speed on these forums and if they are true, they'd make my old Supra's 5 speed seem horrendous in comparison. So, a few questions to all of you.. Considering what I want, what is the range I should expect to pay? (ie. Stripped down high mileage 2008 135i vs loaded low mileage 2009?) Have you found that the level of service at BMW dealers sucked because you didn't buy the car from them? Did you find that other customers who had bought vehicles from them were given preferential treatment? Do you find that buying used could actually cost more than buying new, when you factor in the service plans and stuff that BMW gives you? With the 0.9 percent financing on the 2009's, is it worth it at all to buy used? Some friends of mine said to me, "BMW is a car you lease, not finance." due the fact that they tend to get very expensive after a few years. Is this true? What about service and parts? How much more expensive did you find parts for other wear and tear things in comparison to other cars? I realize this is an imported high quality german made car, so things will be more expensive than say, a Dodge.. but the big question is, how much MORE expensive? As well, outside of HPFP failures and cracking 3rd brake lights (These issues seem minor in comparison to what other owners of different brands are experiencing.) are there any other caveats I should know about? When buying used, what things should I look for other than long cranking and rough idling? I'm glad to see there are forums here, which means that there's support if I need it, but in all honesty, if you had the chance to buy your 135i over again, would you do it? If not, why? Calgary only has two BMW dealers that I'm aware of, Calgary BMW and Crowfoot BMW Mini. What have been your experiences with them? Is there service department just as good as my experience with their salespeople? I realize this is a long post, but this will be a very expensive decision for me and I want to make sure that before I commit to something like this, I have as many opinions as possible. Yes, I know the 128/135 is considered to be a "Luxury Coupe", but there isn't that much else out there! As well, I realize that to some of you, my requirement for a functional back seat seems idiotic if I'm considering a performance coupe, but I do find myself carrying around my friends on occasion and would actually like a car I can carry stuff in, so there has to be some level of practicality there, otherwise I would have bought a 370Z. I also realize that perhaps some of my questions might have been in other posts, but it's been a long time since the 2008/2009 models came out and a lot has changed, so I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. I'm also posting this on the Canadian forums because Americans get these cars for considerably cheaper. I'm not interested in importing an American car. The hassles with Customs just simply aren't worth it. Thanks everyone.
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01-10-2010, 08:44 AM	#3
Irishace ElevenPointFive 326 Rep 2,450 Posts Drives: E90 335 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Toronto iTrader: (1)	You should be able to pick up an 09 from the dealer for $40k, there has got to be still some on the lots. I got mine fully loaded minus nav for $43k before the 2010's were coming out. I would call a few dealers, including the one in Edmonton, and see what they can do for you. BMW sales were down significantly in 2009 and as such the dealers are motivated to sell. Do not settle, it is still a car buyers market, go and negotiate hard. What is the worst that can happen? I too was looking at a number of cars before I landed on the 135i, i drove the: 1. Cayman (no back seat, damn fun car) 2. IS 350 (too many on the road, performance was not mind blowing) 3. G37 (really disappointing) 4. 335i (loved it but again too many on the road) 5. M3 (worship this car, was just too far out of my budget plan) The 135i is in a class by itself, you will not regret getting one of these. I actually go to the grocery store for my wife and run errands for her just to get into this car. The car actually makes me a better husband (BMW should use this as marketing material). The other thing you could look at is an 07 or an early 08 335i coming off lease, talk to a lease broker, awesome deals are out there. The car is awesome and satisfies all of the criteria you are looking for. I liked the 135 better primarily because it was more unique but the 335 is an absolute gem. Hope this helps. __________________ 2008 E90 335xi - N54 Daily Driver MHD Stage 2+ ~ CPE DPs ~ BMS Intake ~ AMS FMIC
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01-10-2010, 11:40 AM	#5
vanbmw Major 130 Rep 1,101 Posts Drives: 2015 Black 335i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	Here's my input! I have owned several cars inthe last 15 years (Porsche, VW, Infiniti, Acura to name a few) and I have found my BMW experience very good. The dealer I have dealt with has been excellent from purschase to service and I am happy with my car. For you living in Calagary, the 135 is good in the snow with snow tires. I drive mine to Whistler regularly with no problems. I have never seen the figures on the HPFP failures but I think it is overblown on this site. The motor in the 135/335 still gets rated as one of the best motors by ceveral car magazines and concumer reports doesn't flag the motor as problematic. I had a 1.8T VW jetta and had 3 coil pack failures...that was a major issue. The percentage of failures was VERY high...I don't think the HPFP failure rate is anywhere close. The other car I would recommend would be a Infiniti G37 coupe. My wife had a G35 M6 sedan (6 speed stick) and it was a great car. We drove that for 3 years and 90,000kms with no problems and it was fun to drive. The Infiniti dealer was great to deal with and it was a good experience. Now with 2 teenagers playing hockey and owning a place at Whistler it was time to get a SUV with more room (Acura MDX) Good luck!
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01-11-2010, 12:21 AM	#6
Qualin New Member 8 Rep 27 Posts Drives: BMW 135i - Completely Stock Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (0)	Thanks for all the replies everyone. I never really considered a G37 because they are overpriced and out of my price range. As well, it's considered to be luxury coupe, not quite what I'm looking for really. In all honesty, the BMW seems like a much better bargain in comparison to the G37 when you consider you're not getting a LSD, but I can live with that. When I went to Calgary BMW, all they had in stock were automatics, which is understandable considering they sell faster. Perhaps I can twist some arms and when the weather gets nicer I'll consider a test drive with a steptronic first and then with a manual later. Thanks for all your input.
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01-11-2010, 08:45 AM	#8
1HungryMan Lieutenant 24 Rep 536 Posts Drives: 2008 128i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	It's funny: I read your list of other "contenders" and not a single car on that list drives like the 135. It's still blows my mind that the Genesis made by a company that kicks out ashtrays on wheels is in the same price range as an "ultimate driving machine" (a moniker that seemed horribly pretentious ad speak until I actually owned one). The insurance on the WRX will kill you, and so too the number of times cops will pull you over, which is a normal complaint of anyone who owns this car. Personally I think the answer is for you to buy the 128i. Cheaper but no slouch and about fifty times better to own that almost every car on your challenger list. (I agree that the Infiniti might be the only real option. Still, BMW's brakes and handling smoke the Infiniti).
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01-11-2010, 09:15 AM	#9
BSM 335I Sir Boost-a-Lot 18 Rep 519 Posts Drives: E82 135i Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: So FLA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 135i [0.00] 2007 335i [0.00]	He's coming from a supra and you expect him to get into a 128i? lol Maybe to save money but nowhere near the 135i's performance. __________________ Click here to compare stock vs tuned cars
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01-11-2010, 10:47 AM	#10
Phased Private 0 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: May 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	I've had good experiances at Calgary BMW and bad ones at Crowfoot and someone I know has had the opposite. They have the same owners anyway I hear. Service is pretty good - I had a couple things serviced at Calgary BMW but I wouldn't if it's off warranty, I'd go to Two Square instead.
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01-11-2010, 02:54 PM	#11
DubSport Private First Class 19 Rep 190 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Calgary iTrader: (1)	I went through the exact same struggle as you last year at this time. I ended up with a 135i. I even bought it used, saved tons of money. Can't comment on financing/leasing as I just paid cash. Though in hindsight if I instead leased, and used that cash to invest I could have been further ahead today. Or I could have lost it all in the stock market. I was scared about taking it to Calgary BMW for its first experience there, as I had heard stories in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised. They changed my oil way before it needed to be changed, and treated me like royalty (even though I have yet to give them any money). You have made a good choice by considering the 135i, as it is great fun for the dollar, and practical compared to anything else that is this quick for this price. It's also very cheap to tap extra power out of this engine, compared to other German cars. Reading your post I thought - hey a guy in Calgary wants a 135i, should I offer to sell him mine? For the first time in my life I am happy with a car (and I have had many good cars), and I can proudly say "no way" could I sell my 135i.
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01-12-2010, 02:33 AM	#12
Qualin New Member 8 Rep 27 Posts Drives: BMW 135i - Completely Stock Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (0)	Well, it's something when the salesguy says to you, "Have you ever driven a BMW?" when we got talking about how good the brakes are. Not very often when a salesguy just wants the car to do the talking for him. :-) Yeah, the 128i was something that I did consider briefly, but you know how it goes, everyone will ask, "Why didn't you get the 135i?" .. I figure if I'm in for a penny, I might as well be in for a pound. It's just like the Challenger. You just know that every since R/T on the road just says, "I compromised.".. In all honesty, I'd rather buy a used 135i than a new 128i.
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01-19-2010, 11:58 AM	#13
aragorn764 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 49 Posts Drives: Mazdaspeed 3 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Brunswick, Canada iTrader: (0)	Thank you for your post, i am in the exact same boat as you are! Except that i have a leased Mazdaspeed 3 in my hands and the lease is only over in August! I swore i would never lease again...but it is kinda hard to ignore the great lease takeover deals out there... good luck!
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01-19-2010, 11:39 PM	#14
Qualin New Member 8 Rep 27 Posts Drives: BMW 135i - Completely Stock Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (0)	Well, I nearly leased a 135i from the Dealer because the payments looked good. But then I realized that leasing is only good if I don't plan on keeping a car more than a few years. A lot of the lease takeovers out there really don't make any sense. I mean, The MRSP on a brand spanking new 135i with all the options I want comes to $46k CDN. (That's with Premium Audio and the M Package with a 6-speed.) When the dealership finishes adding taxes, fees, etc you are up to $52k. (Ouch!) One lease takeover I was looking at on Leasebusters was a 2008 135i with about 30k-something kilometers on the clock. After making all the remaining lease payments and then taking the buyout, I would have only come out ahead around $2k cheaper than MSRP on a new one! (Minus taxes, fees, etc, etc.) Even when I looked at leasing straight from the dealer, I figured that I would be paying nearly $10k more for the same car if I bought it out. In all honesty, I'd rather finance. The payment is more, but it's cheaper in the end. These cars hold their value, so the residuals are always way too high to make taking over a lease worth it. At least, that's from what I've found.
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01-20-2010, 08:59 AM	#15
BlackFlash poseur (for now) 2 Rep 210 Posts Drives: a piece-o-crap Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	This is what I've found as well, except where people are offloading a lease and saying goodbye to a large down payment.
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01-20-2010, 06:25 PM	#16
dread1 typos 9 Rep 219 Posts Drives: US spec 135i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: oakville/toronto/whistler iTrader: (0)	^^threadjack blackflash are you on gtasentra? Do you go by other usernames? are you even from Toronto? haha I go by dread1 on those boards too guy with the ex s/c spec
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01-20-2010, 10:46 PM	#17
BlackFlash poseur (for now) 2 Rep 210 Posts Drives: a piece-o-crap Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	haha, no, I don't recall posting on gtasentra. I used to post to b15sentra, but I can't even remember my handle there. I usually use BlackFlash if it isn't taken. I'm a little over an hour out of toronto. A supercharged spec?? If I ever end up getting a 135, I am seriously considering trying to find a turbo or super kit for the spec because the trade in is worth next to nothing. The car must be hilarious with some 300hp to the front wheels
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01-21-2010, 02:09 AM	#18
Qualin New Member 8 Rep 27 Posts Drives: BMW 135i - Completely Stock Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (0)	The 135i (And the 128i) is Rear Wheel Drive. I've come from the land of Supras and if Toyota sold a replacement, I'd buy it. Unfortunately, they don't. A lot of people have been saying that the 135i is a "Spiritual Successor" to the Supra. It seems like they are putting the N54 in everything these days. I have to admit that it is tempting to wait until March when the new 2011's come out and they'll be introducing them with DSG, but in all honesty, buying one new is going to be $12k over my maximum budget anyway.
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01-21-2010, 10:58 AM	#19
BlackFlash poseur (for now) 2 Rep 210 Posts Drives: a piece-o-crap Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	If you can find a 2009 on a lot that fits the bill, you can get great deals on them now. I actually would prefer wait for the 2011 on the gamble that they've cleared up any HPFP bs, but I am really tempted by big discounts on the now two model year old 2009s if I can find one to my liking.
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01-21-2010, 09:42 PM	#22
dread1 typos 9 Rep 219 Posts Drives: US spec 135i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: oakville/toronto/whistler iTrader: (0)	I will def try my best to document it. If it is succesful I'll post all details etc.
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