Golf R to M140i
Discussion
So I've recently taken delivery of a new BMW M140i and I thought I'd share my initial thoughts and opinions and try to provide a comparison between the Golf R and the M140i. I leased the R for 2yrs and loved it. It was a great car. Very comfy on standard springs and the seats were lovely and supportive. Manual box was a treat! A lot of kit as standard comes with the R. But, the noise it made was pretty terrible! None of that mattered really when you took it for a quick B road blast though. It leaves you gob smacked at just how playful and grippy the car is. Cost of ownership is relatively cheap to. Especially given the performance on offer.
On to the M140i. We haven't had the best of starts! Firstly BMW dicked me about over the delivery and whether or not I could have the car! Then after 2 months of arguing with them they finally agreed to allow the deal. Very cheap! Too cheap!!
But, on the day of delivery they delivered it to the wrong house! Then when they finally got it to me I realised they've fitted the wrong interior! And it was filthy inside with Mud and leaves.
But BMW have agreed to have the interior panels replaced at there cost.
The good bits are good though. The engine is a peach. So smooth and powerful. The sound is good to. The torque on offer is immense. You can be driving on an A road in 6th and out your toe down and it just pulls like your in 3rd. Interior quality is good. Marginally better than the golf but not worlds apart. The beemers seats aren't great I'd opt for the lumbar support. I've literally gone for a base car. 5dr manual in white with black leather. If your looking at getting one I'd recommend the adjustable dampers and the auto box. The ride is beyond firm. The damping is not well judged! The manual box is ok but Christ it's notchy!! Just getting it into reverse is a task on its own. But all issues aside, it's pretty good. A lot of car for the money.
On to the M140i. We haven't had the best of starts! Firstly BMW dicked me about over the delivery and whether or not I could have the car! Then after 2 months of arguing with them they finally agreed to allow the deal. Very cheap! Too cheap!!
But, on the day of delivery they delivered it to the wrong house! Then when they finally got it to me I realised they've fitted the wrong interior! And it was filthy inside with Mud and leaves.
But BMW have agreed to have the interior panels replaced at there cost.
The good bits are good though. The engine is a peach. So smooth and powerful. The sound is good to. The torque on offer is immense. You can be driving on an A road in 6th and out your toe down and it just pulls like your in 3rd. Interior quality is good. Marginally better than the golf but not worlds apart. The beemers seats aren't great I'd opt for the lumbar support. I've literally gone for a base car. 5dr manual in white with black leather. If your looking at getting one I'd recommend the adjustable dampers and the auto box. The ride is beyond firm. The damping is not well judged! The manual box is ok but Christ it's notchy!! Just getting it into reverse is a task on its own. But all issues aside, it's pretty good. A lot of car for the money.
SidewaysSi said:
What is the steering like? That would be my biggest concern TBH.
I have no complaints about it, when in comfort or eco it's very light and not great feedback, but in sport there's a lot of weight added to it and I personally get feedback from it. Not a scratch compared to the likes of an exige but for what it is I'm happy with the feel.If I'm to be completely honest I should've held out for the latest golf r. You just get so much for you money in comparison. Everything is an extra with BMW. If you can test both cars on the same day you'll be able to see the difference. The golf is a better all rounder for real world driving I think. But it's all relative to what you want. The golf is cheap to service and for tyres. The BMW is on run flats which is expensive
I fancy a move onto something else after being with BMW for a while now and as you say,the golf comes with a lot of kit as standard.
Looking at the size of the 1series,I'm leaning towards another estate and whilst not a looker in everyone's eyes,I'm liking the R,even with the 340 available.
I do really like that B58 engine though...!
Looking at the size of the 1series,I'm leaning towards another estate and whilst not a looker in everyone's eyes,I'm liking the R,even with the 340 available.
I do really like that B58 engine though...!
Krisj88 said:
The BMW is on run flats which is expensive
Why did you get the runcraps? Standard fitment on the M140i are Michelin PSS, runcraps are a no cost option (and a bad idea, even worse if you don't have the adaptive damping).And the 340i touring is a cracker, but not as much fun as the 1er (I have both, and an M235i for work!)
I have an M140i as well and I've now done close to 14000 miles in it. I also have a Z4M with similar BHP but less torque. The 140 (manual) is slightly short geared and given the torque, I'm thinking of changing the final drive if I get an LSD which is quite like to as I think it would benefit from one - certainly I'm used to the one in the Z. The adaptive dampers are great and make it better and more compliant than an BM I've had for 10 years or more. I'd never get one without. When I get back in the Z I realise that the 140 isn't that sharp and lacks the immediacy of the turn in of the Z but as a day to day hack it's great. I would like x drive but that's not available in manual or in the U.K. Was wondering if I'd miss the torque and the 6 cyl if I went to a Golf R next... probably!
That's why I chose the BMW. Purely for the engine. It's the last of a dying breed I think. Downsizing is the way now and I'm sure BMW will soon be joining the rest of the manufacturers out there which have chosen to use the turbo charged 4 cylinder. Even though they don't really offer any better economy. I found that the golf averaged around 18-20mpg in real world driving. I never use eco modes because I don't see the point unless your doing long distance stuff
Krisj88 said:
That's why I chose the BMW. Purely for the engine. It's the last of a dying breed I think. Downsizing is the way now and I'm sure BMW will soon be joining the rest of the manufacturers out there which have chosen to use the turbo charged 4 cylinder. Even though they don't really offer any better economy. I found that the golf averaged around 18-20mpg in real world driving. I never use eco modes because I don't see the point unless your doing long distance stuff
Same here - currently have a 335d but next week I'm moving to a 340i :-)Krisj88 said:
It's a lease vehicle so it's the standard spec from them. I've never had run flats before and I wouldn't have them by choice. You live and learn! I got over excited by the fact it's a hot hatch with a 3 litre inline 6. It was the whole big engine small car thing that won me over.
Ditch the runflats ASAP, the MPSS transform the driving experience on our crappy potholed roads 
Krisj88 said:
That's why I chose the BMW. Purely for the engine. It's the last of a dying breed I think. Downsizing is the way now and I'm sure BMW will soon be joining the rest of the manufacturers out there which have chosen to use the turbo charged 4 cylinder. Even though they don't really offer any better economy. I found that the golf averaged around 18-20mpg in real world driving. I never use eco modes because I don't see the point unless your doing long distance stuff
Appreciate it's early days with the M140i but I'm getting the impression the engine is perhaps the only area where it has the better of the the Golf R? I appreciate the engine's the heart of any car but for all-round ability as a daily driver I do get the feeling the Golf's a tough package to beat.... JNW1 said:
Appreciate it's early days with the M140i but I'm getting the impression the engine is perhaps the only area where it has the better of the the Golf R? I appreciate the engine's the heart of any car but for all-round ability as a daily driver I do get the feeling the Golf's a tough package to beat....
imho:Seating position is better in the 1, ergonomics too. Golf seats look cheap to me.
idrive better than the stupid touchscreen.
auto gearbox better than dsg.
Visually its a much more interesting shape than the golf
I thought the golf was dull to be honest, not at any time does it feel like 280lb/ft, not even close. Its very able but doesn't engage the driver.
The whole car just doesn't make you want to drive it, to me the 1 series tempts you to go find 20 miles of b road somewhere.
I went the other way, from a 135 to the R.
The golf is very planted and difficult to unsettle on a B road but it's almost too good, it's very easy to drive fast. On the other hand the 135 moved around with the back end squirming which was a lot of fun and gave a better reading of the road and I miss that.
The turbo lag on the Golf is annoying compared to the BMW and so is the engine sound.
Both of mine are/were manuals and both are good but I find the Golf runs out of revs much too early.
The sport setting on the 135 upped the throttle response but on the Golf it only increases the noise, which is a shame.
The Golf has adaptive cruise and something else which applies the brakes if it thinks i'm not slowing down enough and seems to apply them at full power if someone it turning left in front of me as I approach them and each time I think I've turned it off it surprises me and locks the wheels
I leased and specced the basic models with no options so the seats and trim were better in the 135 but the stereo in the Golf is way better.
Again both good drives but I will be going for a 140 next time
The golf is very planted and difficult to unsettle on a B road but it's almost too good, it's very easy to drive fast. On the other hand the 135 moved around with the back end squirming which was a lot of fun and gave a better reading of the road and I miss that.
The turbo lag on the Golf is annoying compared to the BMW and so is the engine sound.
Both of mine are/were manuals and both are good but I find the Golf runs out of revs much too early.
The sport setting on the 135 upped the throttle response but on the Golf it only increases the noise, which is a shame.
The Golf has adaptive cruise and something else which applies the brakes if it thinks i'm not slowing down enough and seems to apply them at full power if someone it turning left in front of me as I approach them and each time I think I've turned it off it surprises me and locks the wheels
I leased and specced the basic models with no options so the seats and trim were better in the 135 but the stereo in the Golf is way better.
Again both good drives but I will be going for a 140 next time
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