Dream vs. (mostly disappointing) reality: 1>2 series. Review.

[vinylengraver]

A neighborhood Acura dealer (literally 2 blocks away from my place) listed a 2016 M235i 6MT in Astoril Blue and Oyster Dakota leather today.
This (or an M240i) was always in the back of my mind as a potential successor to my current car. Until today. But I digress.
I cut my workday short and went to see it.

At 35,000 kms (22k miles) and just off the 2-year lease the car looked handsome, yet it wasn't even close to perfect.
Bunch of stone chips on the font bumper, couple of parking dings on each door, faded black vinyl wrap on the roof, missing trunk badge and an Ebay special "carbon fibre" rear spoiler that was just barely attached to the rear lid...
I give it 8out of 10 at best. More like 7.

Stock wheels were meh and the rubber was almost new Michelin Pilot Alpins. Hmm, looks like someone traded the car in with winter wheels on. The proper shoes were no longer with the car. Okay, that was kind of disappointing.

The interior on the other hand was pretty much spotless. I have pretty high standards and I admit, it was like new. I liked it very much. That was nice.

Notable equipment included adaptive suspension, adaptive steering, pretty snazzy I-drive setup with 4 driving modes and cool gauges etc.
Nothing super fancy, but you could definitely tell some time has passed since my car has rolled off the assembly line.

Now to the point.
The suspension was great. I wish my car was like that. I really do.
The comfort mode had really terrible throttle response. Felt like someone jammed a big wet sponge under the gas pedal. Sport was much better, Sport+ was great, but the salesman in passenger's seat was pale and hyperventilating, so I only used it briefly.
And yet, despite similar numbers (my car has PPK) the acceleration was a mild disappointment.
My 1er feels quicker. The shove in the seat upon pre-loading boost followed by stabbing the throttle in 2nd and 3rd was just not there. The 235i was definitely moving but the sense of urgency and "raw turbo power", so to speak, was absent. So power delivery was different and I did not love it. On paper this car should be faster, but it sure did not feel like it. Weird.
The exhaust was just okay... I have the PE and it sings... oh does it ever... the 2-series sounded nice, but just. The tips were engraved with M-Performance logo, but no carbon sleeves were there... possibly a PE? If so, it's nothing like mine.

Brakes were fine. The feel is different but the effectiveness is definitely there.
They look smaller but bite with conviction. Good job.
The stick was fine, I guess. I don't really remember it much, so it likely was. Clutch felt the same.
The seat felt stiffer, which I liked and was all power, except no lumbar - which I did not. And the side bolsters felt anemic, like they were broken, but I guess they were just not as eager to crush your sides at a touch of the button. Kinda weak, actually.

What I could not stand though, was the limp, flaccid and pathetically over-assisted steering. I mean, WTF?
Like, honestly, W T F ???

So here is the thing - after I drove that car I realized that I kept comparing it to mine, and for a good reason. I believe in today's reality of lowered expectations it is a very good replacement of the 135i and I hear the M240i kicks it up yet another notch.
But, and it's a pretty big but - the car lacks personality, it's to polite and all the edges have been smoothed out. Inside and out. And all these M-badges make absolutely no difference.
While my 135i feels a bit like some engineering/marketing mistake - too small of a car with too big of an engine, wonderfully flawed and a little crazy, what I drove this afternoon felt nothing like it. Precise and controlled, proper and very German - as in, no sense of humor whatsoever.

So in the end, even though the sales manager loved my car and was virtually salivating at a thought of getting it on trade, he graciously offered $2K over book value and knocked off $1.5K off the already reasonable asking price for the M235i...after tax I was still facing over $20,000 (canadian) dollars difference.
And yes, the car has 2 years of warranty remaining.
But did it feel like it was worth it?
No way, no how.
Not today or tomorrow.

The whole experience was disappointing but at the same time it provided relief. M235i is a fine car, but my heartbeat did not skip once and my blood pressure remained low. At no time did I feel amazed, surprised or scared.
And where is the fun in that?
Sport mode? My car is in sport mode all the time.
Sport+? Sure, press DTC button once, or hold. Would that be Sport ++? I guess so.
If my car drove like the 2er did in Comfort, I would honestly think it was broken and scan for codes immediately.

I will now stop looking until I can afford something that will trump my car on every level and leave me with no doubts. Or perhaps until I give up and admit it's time to get an SUV with AT... (Volvo XC40, eh?).
In the meantime I will spend 10% of the money I just saved and get me some decent suspension. It won't be fancy and adaptive but it will make the car dance and I shall dance with it.
1er For The Win.

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by vinylengraver

A neighborhood Acura dealer (literally 2 blocks away from my place) listed a 2016 M235i 6MT in Astoril Blue and Oyster Dakota leather today.
This (or an M240i) was always in the back of my mind as a potential successor to my current car. Until today. But I digress.
I cut my workday short and went to see it.

At 35,000 kms (22k miles) and just off the 2-year lease the car looked handsome, yet it wasn't even close to perfect.
Bunch of stone chips on the font bumper, couple of parking dings on each door, faded black vinyl wrap on the roof, missing trunk badge and an Ebay special "carbon fibre" rear spoiler that was just barely attached to the rear lid...
I give it 8out of 10 at best. More like 7.

Stock wheels were meh and the rubber was almost new Michelin Pilot Alpins. Hmm, looks like someone traded the car in with winter wheels on. The proper shoes were no longer with the car. Okay, that was kind of disappointing.

The interior on the other hand was pretty much spotless. I have pretty high standards and I admit, it was like new. I liked it very much. That was nice.

Notable equipment included adaptive suspension, adaptive steering, pretty snazzy I-drive setup with 4 driving modes and cool gauges etc.
Nothing super fancy, but you could definitely tell some time has passed since my car has rolled off the assembly line.

Now to the point.
The suspension was great. I wish my car was like that. I really do.
The comfort mode had really terrible throttle response. Felt like someone jammed a big wet sponge under the gas pedal. Sport was much better, Sport+ was great, but the salesman in passenger's seat was pale and hyperventilating, so I only used it briefly.
And yet, despite similar numbers (my car has PPK) the acceleration was a mild disappointment.
My 1er feels quicker. The shove in the seat upon pre-loading boost followed by stabbing the throttle in 2nd and 3rd was just not there. The 235i was definitely moving but the sense of urgency and "raw turbo power", so to speak, was absent. So power delivery was different and I did not love it. On paper this car should be faster, but it sure did not feel like it. Weird.
The exhaust was just okay... I have the PE and it sings... oh does it ever... the 2-series sounded nice, but just. The tips were engraved with M-Performance logo, but no carbon sleeves were there... possibly a PE? If so, it's nothing like mine.

Brakes were fine. The feel is different but the effectiveness is definitely there.
They look smaller but bite with conviction. Good job.
The stick was fine, I guess. I don't really remember it much, so it likely was. Clutch felt the same.
The seat felt stiffer, which I liked and was all power, except no lumbar - which I did not. And the side bolsters felt anemic, like they were broken, but I guess they were just not as eager to crush your sides at a touch of the button. Kinda weak, actually.

What I could not stand though, was the limp, flaccid and pathetically over-assisted steering. I mean, WTF?
Like, honestly, W T F ???

So here is the thing - after I drove that car I realized that I kept comparing it to mine, and for a good reason. I believe in today's reality of lowered expectations it is a very good replacement of the 135i and I hear the M240i kicks it up yet another notch.
But, and it's a pretty big but - the car lacks personality, it's to polite and all the edges have been smoothed out. Inside and out. And all these M-badges make absolutely no difference.
While my 135i feels a bit like some engineering/marketing mistake - too small of a car with too big of an engine, wonderfully flawed and a little crazy, what I drove this afternoon felt nothing like it. Precise and controlled, proper and very German - as in, no sense of humor whatsoever.

So in the end, even though the sales manager loved my car and was virtually salivating at a thought of getting it on trade, he graciously offered $2K over book value and knocked off $1.5K off the already reasonable asking price for the M235i...after tax I was still facing over $20,000 (canadian) dollars difference.
And yes, the car has 2 years of warranty remaining.
But did it feel like it was worth it?
No way, no how.
Not today or tomorrow.

The whole experience was disappointing but at the same time it provided relief. M235i is a fine car, but my heartbeat did not skip once and my blood pressure remained low. At no time did I feel amazed, surprised or scared.
And where is the fun in that?
Sport mode? My car is in sport mode all the time.
Sport+? Sure, press DTC button once, or hold. Would that be Sport ++? I guess so.
If my car drove like the 2er did in Comfort, I would honestly think it was broken and scan for codes immediately.

I will now stop looking until I can afford something that will trump my car on every level and leave me with no doubts. Or perhaps until I give up and admit it's time to get an SUV with AT... (Volvo XC40, eh?).
In the meantime I will spend 10% of the money I just saved and get me some decent suspension. It won't be fancy and adaptive but it will make the car dance and I shall dance with it.
1er For The Win.

I wouldn't trade a 135i for an M235i because performance wise, they are just too close. Both make 300 HP. Unless your looking for an interior upgrade (and even then) I wouldn't even think about it. Your essentially paying for a slightly upgraded version of what you have.

I'd like to know your opinion driving the M2 or M3 vs your 135i because I think those are appropriate (albeit way more expensive) upgrading options.

The 135i is a darn fine car. I'm not surprised that you weren't wowed.

[HyeWarrior]

My older brother has a M235i. I’d take mine every single time.

The ONLY thing I’m jealous of is the iDrive.

[Havocsteve]

Originally Posted by vinylengraver

A neighborhood Acura dealer (literally 2 blocks away from my place) listed a 2016 M235i 6MT in Astoril Blue and Oyster Dakota leather today.
This (or an M240i) was always in the back of my mind as a potential successor to my current car. Until today. But I digress.
I cut my workday short and went to see it.

At 35,000 kms (22k miles) and just off the 2-year lease the car looked handsome, yet it wasn't even close to perfect.
Bunch of stone chips on the font bumper, couple of parking dings on each door, faded black vinyl wrap on the roof, missing trunk badge and an Ebay special "carbon fibre" rear spoiler that was just barely attached to the rear lid...
I give it 8out of 10 at best. More like 7.

Stock wheels were meh and the rubber was almost new Michelin Pilot Alpins. Hmm, looks like someone traded the car in with winter wheels on. The proper shoes were no longer with the car. Okay, that was kind of disappointing.

The interior on the other hand was pretty much spotless. I have pretty high standards and I admit, it was like new. I liked it very much. That was nice.

Notable equipment included adaptive suspension, adaptive steering, pretty snazzy I-drive setup with 4 driving modes and cool gauges etc.
Nothing super fancy, but you could definitely tell some time has passed since my car has rolled off the assembly line.

Now to the point.
The suspension was great. I wish my car was like that. I really do.
The comfort mode had really terrible throttle response. Felt like someone jammed a big wet sponge under the gas pedal. Sport was much better, Sport+ was great, but the salesman in passenger's seat was pale and hyperventilating, so I only used it briefly.
And yet, despite similar numbers (my car has PPK) the acceleration was a mild disappointment.
My 1er feels quicker. The shove in the seat upon pre-loading boost followed by stabbing the throttle in 2nd and 3rd was just not there. The 235i was definitely moving but the sense of urgency and "raw turbo power", so to speak, was absent. So power delivery was different and I did not love it. On paper this car should be faster, but it sure did not feel like it. Weird.
The exhaust was just okay... I have the PE and it sings... oh does it ever... the 2-series sounded nice, but just. The tips were engraved with M-Performance logo, but no carbon sleeves were there... possibly a PE? If so, it's nothing like mine.

Brakes were fine. The feel is different but the effectiveness is definitely there.
They look smaller but bite with conviction. Good job.
The stick was fine, I guess. I don't really remember it much, so it likely was. Clutch felt the same.
The seat felt stiffer, which I liked and was all power, except no lumbar - which I did not. And the side bolsters felt anemic, like they were broken, but I guess they were just not as eager to crush your sides at a touch of the button. Kinda weak, actually.

What I could not stand though, was the limp, flaccid and pathetically over-assisted steering. I mean, WTF?
Like, honestly, W T F ???

So here is the thing - after I drove that car I realized that I kept comparing it to mine, and for a good reason. I believe in today's reality of lowered expectations it is a very good replacement of the 135i and I hear the M240i kicks it up yet another notch.
But, and it's a pretty big but - the car lacks personality, it's to polite and all the edges have been smoothed out. Inside and out. And all these M-badges make absolutely no difference.
While my 135i feels a bit like some engineering/marketing mistake - too small of a car with too big of an engine, wonderfully flawed and a little crazy, what I drove this afternoon felt nothing like it. Precise and controlled, proper and very German - as in, no sense of humor whatsoever.

So in the end, even though the sales manager loved my car and was virtually salivating at a thought of getting it on trade, he graciously offered $2K over book value and knocked off $1.5K off the already reasonable asking price for the M235i...after tax I was still facing over $20,000 (canadian) dollars difference.
And yes, the car has 2 years of warranty remaining.
But did it feel like it was worth it?
No way, no how.
Not today or tomorrow.

The whole experience was disappointing but at the same time it provided relief. M235i is a fine car, but my heartbeat did not skip once and my blood pressure remained low. At no time did I feel amazed, surprised or scared.
And where is the fun in that?
Sport mode? My car is in sport mode all the time.
Sport+? Sure, press DTC button once, or hold. Would that be Sport ++? I guess so.
If my car drove like the 2er did in Comfort, I would honestly think it was broken and scan for codes immediately.

I will now stop looking until I can afford something that will trump my car on every level and leave me with no doubts. Or perhaps until I give up and admit it's time to get an SUV with AT... (Volvo XC40, eh?).
In the meantime I will spend 10% of the money I just saved and get me some decent suspension. It won't be fancy and adaptive but it will make the car dance and I shall dance with it.
1er For The Win.

I had the same feelings. You should test that XC40 though and report back. I'm severely considering it since it's somewhat affordable now.

On another note: Hellcats scare me. Test drove one here since near me there was a sinkhole, so I was stuck in traffic trying alternate routes. It sold I think, but that car being a boat was actually pretty fun.

[c1pher]

I wouldn’t consider switching to a 2 series unless it was the M2. You’re right in that the M235/240 isn’t really an upgrade over the 135i/135is. The 1 is more engaging and fun.

I have been considering sedans just because I need the rear doors, but it’s difficult t find anything that would be just as fast and be an upgrade in materials.i really don’t want a truck or SUV. As much as I even like the S3 and Golf R, unless they have a tune, they just don’t drive like my car does.

[MightyMouseTech]

Every time I see a 2er on the road, I count myself lucky for getting a 1er new when I still had the chance.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

I wouldn't trade a 135i for an M235i because performance wise, they are just too close. Both make 300 HP. Unless your looking for an interior upgrade (and even then) I wouldn't even think about it. Your essentially paying for a slightly upgraded version of what you have.

I'd like to know your opinion driving the M2 or M3 vs your 135i because I think those are appropriate (albeit way more expensive) upgrading options.

The 135i is a darn fine car. I'm not surprised that you weren't wowed.

From what I recall, the M235i had 320 HP and was viewed as having the N55 with PPK installed from the factory.

On your question about the M3, I can tell you first hand what it's like compared to a 135i. While my driving wasn't at stupid speeds in the M3, it was pretty quick. I did the M Car Control Clinic last week. Got to push a M3 and M4 in a track setting at FedEx field in one of the parking lot areas. Have to tell you, I was very impressed with both the M3 and M4. Both had the competition package. Both had the DCT as well as my 135i. Throttle response was very good. For the size of the cars, they were surprisingly very nimble. That day it rained on and off so the parking lot was wet for a lot of the sessions. Extremely surprised how much grip the cars had in the wet. And when things got lively, the cars were very predictable. Got the cars into a decent slide on a number of sessions. The ceramic brakes were surprisingly good in terms of the braking performance in the cold temperatures that day. The DCT in the Ms were also very good. Left in auto, the trans was always in the appropriate gear. No throttle lag at all.

The only gripe is the M3/4 are BIG cars. Even one of the driving coaches said the same thing. He said he actually prefers the M235i/M240i over the M3/M4. He had the same feelings for the 135i. I asked him about the M2, but he couldn't give an opinion on it since he hadn't driven one personally yet.

[anglocanadian]

Just to confuse matters :
https://www.motor1.com/news/236511/b...tion-april-25/

If only i had enough money for it to be a choice for me

[vinylengraver]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Every time I see a 2er on the road, I count myself lucky for getting a 1er new when I still had the chance.

As the time goes by, the chances of finding a used mint unmolested example with low miles and a stick get slimmer every year.
So for anyone who's thinking of getting one but is still on the fence:
If you do find one and you love it, don't think twice.
After driving that M235i I am in total agreement with all those reviewers who believe a well-sorted 135i to be a performance bargain of the decade.

BTW, does anyone know if F22 seats fit the E82? That would be awesome.

[asiflicious]

Wow that is disappointing. I had the exact same thoughts about the 230i xdrive I had as a loaner, I guess I assumed the M235i would be better. Apparently it's not. Is your 1er an N54 or N55? If it's an N54 that would explain why you didn't get the raw turbo feel from the M235i. I prefer the 1er over the 2 series in every aspect aside from the tech and maybe the exterior. I just don't understand why car manufacturers are going into electronic steering. I just don't get it.

[asiflicious]

Originally Posted by vinylengraver

As the time goes by, the chances of finding a used mint unmolested example with low miles and a stick get slimmer every year.
So for anyone who's thinking of getting one but is still on the fence:
If you do find one and you love it, don't think twice.
After driving that M235i I am in total agreement with all those reviewers who believe a well-sorted 135i to be a performance bargain of the decade.

BTW, does anyone know if F22 seats fit the E82? That would be awesome.

I actually preferred the seats in my 135i over the sport seats in the 230i. Idk if the M235i has different sport seats than the 230i but I'm assuming they're the same. If I were to do a seat swap, I'd opt for E9x m3 seats over F22 seats

[HyeWarrior]

Originally Posted by vinylengraver

As the time goes by, the chances of finding a used mint unmolested example with low miles and a stick get slimmer every year.
So for anyone who's thinking of getting one but is still on the fence:
If you do find one and you love it, don't think twice.
After driving that M235i I am in total agreement with all those reviewers who believe a well-sorted 135i to be a performance bargain of the decade.

BTW, does anyone know if F22 seats fit the E82? That would be awesome.

I’m pretty sure they do fit. I wish I could find the thread, but I think someone has done the swap

[vinylengraver]

The only thing that prevents me from loving my car fully and unconditionally is the driver's seat. I am willing to invest further money and effort to make this work.
I love firm supportive seats. For some reason mine feels too soft.
I wrote about it before, so I will spare the the details... but if anyone has any ideas to share, please do.
I think if I buy a seat from an older car, M3 or else, it would be still an old seat, already deformed, misshaped and sagging.
A brand new seat for the 1er costs thousands of dollars (!) so I was looking at replacing the foam cushions... but think they will only last so long and the issue will recur.
I think that either I am too sensitive about this, since no one else seems to have this problem... or perhaps there's something actually wrong with my seat. (BTW, I am 6'3", 190lbs, 34' inseam and have a pretty boney ass, so no, it is not my weight or size... )

Anyway, the seat in the M235i felt much, much better than mine (minus the wimpy bolsters which are obviously meant to accommodate a "broader" audience, lol).
The seat was really the only thing I would want from that car, other than suspension, hence my question about compatibility.

[rowsdower]

Originally Posted by asiflicious

I just don't understand why car manufacturers are going into electronic steering. I just don't get it.

There are a lot of benefits to electric power steering vs hydraulic. I think the 2 main drivers, though, are that does not have a parasitic draw on the engine like a hydraulic setup does, and EPS can more easily be used for automation.

Pretty much the only downside to EPS is steering feel, and let's be honest, most people don't give a shit about that. They would rather have 0.2 more MPG and a car that steers itself while they're texting.

[asiflicious]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

There are a lot of benefits to electric power steering vs hydraulic. I think the 2 main drivers, though, are that does not have a parasitic draw on the engine like a hydraulic setup does, and EPS can more easily be used for automation.

Pretty much the only downside to EPS is steering feel, and let's be honest, most people don't give a shit about that. They would rather have 0.2 more MPG and a car that steers itself while they're texting.

But does it really make that much a difference on mpg? I can't imagine that it does

[rowsdower]

Originally Posted by asiflicious

But does it really make that much a difference on mpg? I can't imagine that it does

It's probably negligible, but under the Obama era EPA guidance, automakers had astronomical standards they would need to meet in the next decade so every little bit counts.

There is also the fact that EPS is easier to package, there are no hoses, no fluids to change, etc. There are a lot of reasons to go electric, they just don't have the feel worked out yet.

Remember that no power steering at all provides tons more feel than hydraulic steering, it's just very difficult to drive all but the smallest cars without power steering. Feedback from electric racks will get there, it will just take time.

[zx10guy]

Porsche seems to have gotten the feel correct with their EPS systems. And to be transparent, the all day seat time I had with the M3/M4s at the MCCC, I didn't have any gripes with how the EPS was implemented in those cars. And I was able to get very good feel through the steering wheel. Can tell when the front end was understeering and washing out from lack of traction due to wet patches on the track. It seems you have to step up to an M car to get decent feedback from a BMW EPS.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

Porsche seems to have gotten the feel correct with their EPS systems. And to be transparent, the all day seat time I had with the M3/M4s at the MCCC, I didn't have any gripes with how the EPS was implemented in those cars. And I was able to get very good feel through the steering wheel. Can tell when the front end was understeering and washing out from lack of traction due to wet patches on the track. It seems you have to step up to an M car to get decent feedback from a BMW EPS.

Why the hell don't they put that same system in all the cars then.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Why the hell don't they put that same system in all the cars then.

I don't know. Just like the DCT. In the M3/M4, you can adjust how aggressive the gear shifts are. Can't do that with the DCT in my car.

To also let you all know how good the M EPS is, I never once said yuck....EPS. In fact, I had totally forgotten the M3/M4s were EPS and I drove my 135i to and from the event. Now I do get what everyone is complaining about with the lack of feel from the other models as I've had various loaners and have the same harsh criticisms.

[Esteban]

I've looked at the M235i. Test drove it a few times. Last time I test drove it I was able to take it out by myself. Put it through its paces and it didn't thrill me. Honestly, it felt less than my car. Could not see parting with my 1er for it. The EPS vs my hydraulic steering was the biggest con, there were others. I love my 1er, as is. Not looking for a new car.

Haven't driven the M2 yet. I hear its EPS is pretty good. Now that the M2 Competition is coming with the S55, I would probably pass on the current M2 for the newer model. If I was going to get a 2 series, that would be what I'd get. As I've said before tho, don't want or need the latest hotness, or even the old hotness. Happy with my current hotness. lol

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by asiflicious

But does it really make that much a difference on mpg? I can't imagine that it does

My 135is window sticker said 26mpg. I believe the m235i window sticker says 32mpg. But I also think the start stop impacts mpg as well. I read somewhere EPS can improve fuel economy up to 10%.

[Cavpilot2k]

So my last 2012 135 (N55) was a lease, and when the lease was ending, I drove an M235 as an option for my next car.
I too was left unimpressed.
Yes, the suspension felt pretty good, and the interior was ever so slightly updated, but that was about it. Coming from any car other than a 135, I might have been impressed, but I walked away feeling it would be a lateral transfer rather than an upgrade. This was 2015.
So I found a low mileage 135 with all the options I wanted and bought it (I had to get it from Florida, and I am in MA, but I was doing a nationwide search).

Fast forward to 2018. I got the itch, so I finally went and test drove the M2. I drove my friend's new M240 to the test drive, so I could really test drive both.
My impressions:

M240: Damn that thing was fast (auto, not a 6MT like my 1er)! Really damned fast in sport or sport+. Sure it has adaptive suspension, but I'm one of the rare drivers who doesn't want it these days. I just want a car to have one well sorted suspension setup for all purposes and leave it at that. Same with driving modes. I really only want one, which in the newer cars would be sport mode, but BMW forces us to start in comfort every time...it's one of those things that makes me want to switch brands (along with not being able to turn off ASD and auto rev matching). Grrrrrr! Anyway, the M240 is very fast, but it's like sex with a condom - it gets the job done but just feels numb and sterile.

M2: damn fine automobile! Felt great, sounded great! The suspension was surprisingly well-mannered on crappy post-winter New England roads. I'm looking for a daily driver if I replace my 135, and the M2 was comfy enough to be a DD. It was fast too. I only got to drive the DCT where I'd be shopping for a 6MT, but it was a blast to drive. My dealer let me take it out with my M240 friend and no salesman on board, so I pushed it a little and got some nice tail wiggle coming out of a tight roundabout.
I almost bit, but I am short on cash at the moment and would have had to finance the whole thing, and even after the discounts my dealer was offering, I would have still had to finance 50k and that didn't make sense for me.
Maybe in 15-24 months after pooling some money I might consider one again, slightly used or even a new M2 Comp.
We'll see...

Also I drove an M4 on an Autocross a while back. Nice car but coming from the 1er, the M4 felt like a barge.

Bottom line: if you love the 135, the only car BMW offers right now that is an actual upgrade in real driving (not just on paper) is the M2.