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DjSki

Original Poster

1,326 posts

215 months

[report] [news]Friday 9th September 2011 Gents,Can anyone enlighten me on how different these feel?I am interested in a 135i and wonder how similar it is to the 1M.Cheers

M5Dave

829 posts

229 months

[report] [news]Friday 9th September 2011 The October issue of BMW Car magazine is out on 15th September and has a comparison test between the two of them.I'll be really interested to read it, as I've been toying with the idea of replacing my E39 M5 with a 135i M Sport coupe.I think the 135i is one of the real performance bargains at the moment, I doubt it will be in the same league performance wise as a 1M, but then they can be had for a lot less money, and will have far more reasonable running costs.I think it will be every bit as quick as the M5, maybe just not quite as special.Sorry for going slightly off topic, but never driven either so can't really answer the original question.

DjSki

Original Poster

1,326 posts

215 months

[report] [news]Friday 9th September 2011 Cheers, I'll check the magazine out.

wizz72

575 posts

248 months

[report] [news]Friday 9th September 2011 I havent driven a 1M but i have ordered one,i also currently own a 135i which i have to say is one of the best all round cars i have ever owned. Much as i like it i have always thought that if it had a bit more poke and a bit better handling it would be just about everything i currently want in a car,hence my move to a 1M.That being said i dont think you would be dissapointed with 135i ownership..low running costs( for a twin turbo 3 litre) and a good performance/economy ratio. On long runs i get just over 30 mpg which i think is acceptable for a 300 bhp motor and i love the large boot on such a relatively small car. Its quite an understated vehicle in many ways which is a good thing.It doesnt have the ultimate finesse of a full on M machine but its not a million miles behind tbh,i used to own a CSL and a GT3 and i can honestly say that like them i will miss my 135i when it goes.2nd hand they are a terrific bargain going for as little as 15 to 17k for decently specced ones,fast and classy with German reliability

JNW1

9,044 posts

214 months

[report] [news]Saturday 10th September 2011 wizz72 said: I havent driven a 1M but i have ordered one,i also currently own a 135i which i have to say is one of the best all round cars i have ever owned. Much as i like it i have always thought that if it had a bit more poke and a bit better handling it would be just about everything i currently want in a car,hence my move to a 1M.That being said i dont think you would be dissapointed with 135i ownership..low running costs( for a twin turbo 3 litre) and a good performance/economy ratio. On long runs i get just over 30 mpg which i think is acceptable for a 300 bhp motor and i love the large boot on such a relatively small car. Its quite an understated vehicle in many ways which is a good thing.It doesnt have the ultimate finesse of a full on M machine but its not a million miles behind tbh,i used to own a CSL and a GT3 and i can honestly say that like them i will miss my 135i when it goes.2nd hand they are a terrific bargain going for as little as 15 to 17k for decently specced ones,fast and classy with German reliability Interesting stuff Wizz! I suspect you could have a remap and suspension upgrade (including LSD) all done for less than £5k by someone reputable like Birds so if you can find a decent "donor" car for £20k you have yourself something pretty tasty for well under £25k. Still wouldn't be a 1M but then you wouldn't have paid 1M money for it; obviously you wouldn't get 1M money for it come resale time either but it could be a way of getting a similar(ish) driving experience if you can't afford the initial outlay for the M-car!

wizz72

575 posts

248 months

[report] [news]Saturday 10th September 2011 Thats very true,a simple remap and a few suspension mods and you would have a pretty discreet and capable machine.Personally im not really into modding too much anymore,i have come to value factory warranties on my cars and wouldnt want to invalidate them in anyway,i also find that modded machines whilst great never quite feel as finished or sturdy as something that came out of the factory just so.Of course thats just my personal opinion.Also being a bit straight up i have found that Insurance companies either increase their premium massively on modded machinery (even if its relatively mild)or simply wont cover you at all.If however you were a bit of a tweaker and didnt worry about insurance/warranties then a 135i could provide some really interesting results im sure Im very excited by a 1M in a way that i dont feel i could be about a self modded 135i even if it were faster in some ways, (ofc some would say thats exactly what a 1M is to which i would say true but BMW's M division did that,not me ).And for me its also time for a new toy Edited by wizz72 on Saturday 10th September 14:31

JNW1

9,044 posts

214 months

[report] [news]Saturday 10th September 2011 wizz72 said: Thats very true,a simple remap and a few suspension mods and you would have a pretty discreet and capable machine.Personally im not really into modding too much anymore,i have come to value factory warranties on my cars and wouldnt want to invalidate them in anyway,i also find that modded machines whilst great never quite feel as finished or sturdy as something that came out of the factory just so.Of course thats just my personal opinion.Also being a bit straight up i have found that Insurance companies either increase their premium massively on modded machinery (even if its relatively mild)or simply wont cover you at all.If however you were a bit of a tweaker and didnt worry about insurance/warranties then a 135i could provide some really interesting results im sure Im very excited by a 1M in a way that i dont feel i could be about a self modded 135i even if it were faster in some ways, (ofc some would say thats exactly what a 1M is to which i would say true but BMW's M division did that,not me ).And for me its also time for a new toy Edited by wizz72 on Saturday 10th September 14:31 I totally understand and agree with your sentiments about modified cars and that's why I think a tweaked 135i would still fall short of a 1M. However, even if you can find one not everybody can afford the £40k plus required for a 1M so for those people a modded 135i may not be a bad alternative providing you choose people with a good track record in doing upgrades; Birds are one example but I'm sure there are others as well.If you can afford it, though, I don't doubt the 1M is the nicer car and I also understand the desire for a new toy; enjoy it when it arrives!

rufus135

1 posts

188 months

[report] [news]Saturday 10th September 2011 I owned a 135i Msport conv auto for a year. Test drove a 135i coupe DCT. Now have owned a 1M Valencia Orange with all the options for around 3 months. The difference is significant on a number of points. 1- it looks a world away from the standard car. 2- It sounds significantly better in standard trim (I hope to get the Akropovic exhaust, sounds amazing). 3- drives very differently. It has a better ride than the 135 and the handling is far more "sports car" orientated. If you like to drift occasionally then the 1M is the easiest car to get sideways that I've ever driven. With the LSD and the different stability control settings, it transforms the way the car drives. It will hopefully hold its value far better than the 135 and will put a bigger smile on your face. If, however, you want to see how good a 135i can be, you need to have a look at the one that Cotswold BMW still have (I think(. It has around £10k of BMW Performance bits on it and is quite something and very unique. The Performance seats are superb, as are the brakes. The only things that its missing is the Performance Power Upgrade. Hope that helps. If you've got the money, buy the 1M!

wizz72

575 posts

248 months

[report] [news]Saturday 10th September 2011 P.s. I put some non-run flats on my 135i and it transformed the ride for the better

Kananga

1,146 posts

176 months

[report] [news]Sunday 11th September 2011 Hi all,I had a 135i (N55 DCT) which is an absolutely cracking car. Admittedly, it cost mid-late 20s when I bought it as it had a lot of BMW-Performance bits on it. At that price, it's easily pushing into (older) 335i coupe territory so could be compared to the bigger brother too.Anyway, one of the London dealers offered me a 1M for an extended four day test drive when the cars were first released. The car had already had it's run-in service and had about 1.2k mls on the clock so I didn't need to be too precious with it and was able to use it properly. For me, the 1M was in a different league to the 135. Few observations below:Driving feel: the car feels more solid and composed in normal driving. At the same time, the turn-in and steering feel is more direct/accurate than it's non-M sibling. not sure the 135 could be modified to match. Handling is a few notches up on the 135, presumably due to the application of the e92 sub-frame/suspension/wider track. Over the four days I had the 1M, I found myself laughing out loud a few times due to the cars great combination of performance and handling. Exhaust note: totally different to the 135. Much more bassy at idle, and sounds mre rorty throughout the rev range. I know a few people have considered after-market back-boxes/systems but I think BMW-M got it right first time. Am sure this is something you can modify on the 135. Not sure the BW Performance Exhaust is enough though, having had one before on my 130i. Performance: I think the difference in hp/torue on paper is +30hp / +50Nm, but having driven both cars back-to-back, the differential feels larger. I think the the published power figures for the 1M have understated it's power output by around 15-25hp, as discovered by a few people who have their cars on the dyno. The 1M feels more powerful on the roadLooks: the 1M for me is incredible - thie flared arches, aggressive front bumper, quad exhausts, etc are BMW M at it's finest. At the same time, it doesn't attract attention in the same way as more showy performance models (eg. Merc C63). Very much a q-car which is recognised by those in-the-know. Phenomenal road presence in a way that the 135 just can't match. In the end, I totally fell for the 1M and bought one. Interestingly, my natural comparison was vs my e46 CSL rather than the 135 which was a tough call as the CSL is legendary and it isnt necessarily a fair comparison (for choice I would have kept both!). That said, the 1M is a decent premium to 135i's, and I agree with the comment above about the value for money presented by the 135i.My advice would be to consider a 335i against a 135i (not much if any weight differential between the two cars) and try to buy a DCT in either. If you're happy with a manual, I think the 1M is a very special car but clearly comes at a very 'special' price tag too! I don't regret my decision and am reminded why every time I get into the 1M!

JNW1

9,044 posts

214 months

[report] [news]Sunday 11th September 2011 Kananga said: My advice would be to consider a 335i against a 135i (not much if any weight differential between the two cars) and try to buy a DCT in either. Yes, I see your logic there. Given it's a fair bit smaller the 135i is surprisingly close to the weight of the 335i and I suspect the longer wheelbase of the 3-series would make for a more composed ride over the rough stuff. Think the 135i would have the edge in the braking department though (don't they have Brembos as standard?).

Kananga

1,146 posts

176 months

[report] [news]Monday 12th September 2011 Yes. i think the 135i actually wears the BMW-Performance brakes but just doesn't have the fancy yellow coloured calipers...

ChrisBuer

628 posts

245 months

[report] [news]Monday 12th September 2011 I’ve driven both, but only briefly.The 135i belongs to a good friend of mine and the 1M was a BMW press / fleet car. Both drives were for only about 30 minutes each and a few weeks apart of each other. Therefore my recollection may not be that accurate, however I do remember one very clear difference and that was the handling. The 1M puts it power down much more effectively than the 135i. Powering out of corners or turning in hard, the 1M just hunkers down, squats at the back and fires you out whereas the 135i scrabbles a bit more. Also, it felt that there was less body roll with the 1M through the twisty stuff. All in all it felt more taut and firm. That’s not to say that 135i feels floppy, it just doesn’t feel as focussed as the 1M.Power wise? Hard to tell if I’m absolutely honest. In the 135i there was only two of us (both quite slender). In the 1M there were three of us and the two passengers weren’t light, so this would have had an impact on the performance. However the 1M still felt effortless and responded very well in all gears. I did actually find it a little lethargic in non-M mode if I’m honest, but once the M button was pressed, the throttle response felt really sharp. Again, it felt more focussed and urgent than the 135i in M mode, but in non-M mode, I can’t remember thinking there was much difference. I could be completely wrong though and like I say, the 1M was carrying a lot more weight in passengers.Sound – The 1M has a much louder growl to it. The 135i does sound very nice, but the 1M has a much lower rumble and bark to it. Conclusion – In my limited time driving both, the 1M does feel more focussed, more urgent and more taut than the 135i. I suppose it’s a bit like the difference between a Porsche Carrera S and a Porsche GT3. Both are quick, but one is more focussed for performance.If I couldn’t get the 1M, I would enjoy driving a 135i. However given the choice and considering the limited run on the 1M, it’s the car I’d choose.

greygoose

9,254 posts

215 months

[report] [news]Monday 12th September 2011 I had a 135i for 18 months and got my 1M at the start of the month, it is just coming up to its service now so almost run in.The 1M has much more direct steering than the 135 and it steers very well. It sounds more aggressive due to the different exhaust and there is more of a snarl to it. The ride is slightly better due to the lack of runflats (even though the wheels are bigger)and it feels like the damping is better, there is a big bump across the road on my drive to work and the 135 would get quite bouncy at the back if you attempted any speed over it but the 1M is more composed.The 1M feels faster, it's like a bigger brother to the 135 and I think you would have to throw a lot of money at a 135 to match it.

Darlo74

315 posts

229 months

[report] [news]Monday 12th September 2011 rufus135 said: I owned a 135i Msport conv auto for a year. Test drove a 135i coupe DCT. Now have owned a 1M Valencia Orange with all the options for around 3 months. The difference is significant on a number of points. 1- it looks a world away from the standard car. 2- It sounds significantly better in standard trim (I hope to get the Akropovic exhaust, sounds amazing). 3- drives very differently. It has a better ride than the 135 and the handling is far more "sports car" orientated. If you like to drift occasionally then the 1M is the easiest car to get sideways that I've ever driven. With the LSD and the different stability control settings, it transforms the way the car drives. It will hopefully hold its value far better than the 135 and will put a bigger smile on your face. If, however, you want to see how good a 135i can be, you need to have a look at the one that Cotswold BMW still have (I think(. It has around £10k of BMW Performance bits on it and is quite something and very unique. The Performance seats are superb, as are the brakes. The only things that its missing is the Performance Power Upgrade. Hope that helps. If you've got the money, buy the 1M!A-ha... so yours is the Valencia Orange 1M I've seen around Cheltenham a few times, plus at Cotswold. Very nice if I may say so...

3ftandclean

357 posts

200 months

[report] [news]Thursday 15th September 2011 I had a 135i manual a few years ago and have just taken delivery of 1M.I really enjoyed the 135i ( changed to non run flats for a much better ride ) and I remember thinking an M version of this would be perfect. Well, it pretty much is. The cornering is vastly improved and the whole ride and general demeanour feels a lot more focused.Once driven I realised that it wasn't 'just a 135i with some M3 bits stuck on'.It feels more agile, compact, chuckable and usable compared to an M3, for example.Downsides,Engine note is still a bit 'farty'.There's definitely a step up when the turbo cuts in.Engine response not as sharp as a NA engine ( eg M3 )

p1tse

1,396 posts

212 months

[report] [news]Saturday 17th September 2011 Interesting readHowever with the increase in car crime for hot cars the 1m would worry me where I park it, at home etc.The 1m you can just look at it each time and gaze on the awesome lines, brutal

kmpowell

3,398 posts

248 months

[report] [news]Sunday 18th September 2011 p1tse said: However with the increase in car crime for hot cars the 1m would worry me where I park it, at home etc.Gotta admit - when I went on Holiday a few weeks ago I was paranoid about leaving it, even though it's garaged etc. The thought of it being stolen makes my stomach turn, but if I didn't buy due to that reason, then the scum win.As for the 135i v 1M question, haven driven both they really are chalk and cheese, the 1M (especially in M mode) is pure aggression and want. Surefooted power doesn't even come close to describing the 1M's ability, with the Powerband having usable torque across the whole band.clived is prob best to comment as he owned a 135i (albeit severally modded) for a significant while and now owns a 1M.

clived

577 posts

260 months

[report] [news]Monday 19th September 2011 Not sure a remap counts as "serverally modded" Kev :-) Reply OP Posts Only OP Posts Only Reply OP Posts Only

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