Anyone moved from a 5 series to M135i/M140i?

[ritch]

Has anyone any experience of moving from a 5 series to either a M135i or M140i?

I'm in discussions with dealer about a new M140i, need to get the numbers down a bit first though.... Currently have a 520d SE F10.

Has anyone done this that can share their experience, Pros / cons etc?
Size & spec are my main procrastinations at the moment, with 2 teenage kids in the back (one big one small), and my impression the base spec is less than my current 520d SE.

Performance and running costs I'm fine with

thanks

[ritch]

thanks CSK423, the spec difference is quite different, most I can live without, but not PDC, it would need to be added from the options list.

my 5 doesn't get used that much at the moment, as I work from home quite a bit, so typically spends at least a couple of days on the driveway doing nothing, then trips to the shops / taxi driving the kids / usual weekend stuff maybe 100 or so miles.
On a busy work week it will go to the airport, customer sites and maybe do 200 to 350 miles.
Occasional big trips down south or up north with the family are where the 5 excels for comfort and space, I'm pretty sure the M140i would be fine for this but maybe not in the same comfort and space of the 5.

The practicality of the hatch and fold down seats of the M140 is a bonus over the 5

[ritch]

apologies for not replying sooner - thanks everyone for the replies and your insights

I guess for 95% of my driving the 1 series will be more than adequate. And for the other 5% that will be fully loaded with missus, kids, dog and baggage it might not be as wafty or as plush as the 5, but shouldnt be a hardship. Our other car is a suzuki swift - so no big car backup, my only worry is size does become an issue (ooer missus), and needing to change to something bigger whilst being locked in for the PCP term but not being able to change if in negative equity.

Then there is that engine, the sound and speed.....

first world problems!

[ritch]

Flat6 said:

I'm going through very similar thought process at the moment.. Can't decide between a used 330d M Sport Touring or a new M140i. The deals on the M140 are excellent at the moment (not to mention the engine/performance) but I've also got 2 kids (plus one at uni) so although I'm in the car 95% of the time on my own I'm wondering if the 330d will make the better long term option. My wife has a Qashqai so we don't have another particularly large car in the household..

I've had a M135i before on a 2 year lease and was sad to see it go but it was a 3 door manual and specced for price rather than a keeper. Although I've never driven a M140 (believe there have been some minor suspension revisions) or any 1 series on adaptive dampers I've decided these are the number one option for me. I found the M135 very fidgety on B roads and on the firm side of comfortable on the motorway so if I go for a M140 I want the ride to be as comfortable as possible for long journeys.

From the M135 I went to a 2.0 TDI A4 Avant S line, mainly due to a change of job location and the move to long motorway commutes. Within weeks I knew it was the wrong car for me, not so much because of the lack of power just the general way it drove (unresponsive laggy 170 engine, poor ride for the class of car, tramlining and only 10mpg better on a run than the M135). 6 months on and the Audi has gone and I don't want to make the same mistake again. I was very impressed with the 330d though when I tested it last week, chalk and cheese with the Audi but then it's still a big car with a diesel engine vs pocket rocket with a great sounding petrol engine!

As soon as I make my mind up on the one I'm going to go for I talk myself out of it the following day for the other! It's hard having petrol in your veins..

Thanks for your thoughts! It’s the petrol engine and performance of the M140 and the stonking deals that are hard to ignore, plus the deals for diesel 3’s and 5’s whilst OK aren’t game changers.

335d said:

I'm surprised you get a wife, 2 teenagers, luggage, plus a dog into the F10. Where does the dog sit?

I looked at an M135i when I sold my F10 a couple of years ago, with one less kid, and no dog. Even though I liked the idea of an M135i, it just seemed too small as a family car. Hence the 335d. Perhaps you should consider a 340i if you are after a slightly more practical alternative. The legroom in the back is very similar to the F10.

Dog isnt too big so he goes in the back with kids (middle seat) - no space or comfort issues

Like the idea of the 3 touring in 340i guise, but cant find any deals that make financial sense for me.

FYI - the salesman I was speaking to at the weekend mentioned the F10 production stops 1st Nov, ahead of the new 5 series model - so there will be some good deals on current 5s toward the end of the year. I suspect these will mostly be 520d based, and will take quite a hit on depreciation over the term of the deal / PCP etc once the new model is available, offsetting the “discounts” when sold .

[ritch]

XMT said:

3 things

1) Space reduced
2) standard equipment reduced
3) Ride comfort will be reduced

2 and 3 can be optentially worked on with options added on however 1) you cannot change at all. F10 5 series has a TON of space compared to a 3 or a 1

I have access to a new 3 and taking two kids out with the Mrs is a pain in the ass compared to the 5 or S class I have. When thinking about the 3 its manageable but my BIL has a 1 series and even with 1 kid its a bloody total nightmare

Edited by XMT on Thursday 1st September 11:40

GTEYE said:

If you're looking to carry 2 teenage kids around and a dog, a 1 Series is really the wrong car for you, or you'll have some rather miserable kids. A 3 Series really is your minimum requirement from a space perspective, and then only just.

will you 2 please stop talking sense! seriously though this is whats holding me back for 5% of my use where I'll be fully loaded. hmmmm.....

[ritch]

Just to bring this thread to a conclusion - I won't go for the M140i, sensible head says its size will become an issue over time when family duties are required. perfect example at the weekend picking up the in-laws, pure comedy moment, made getting in the back of a 5 such a hullabaloo, never mind a 1 - Peter Kay could have done an entire show on it.....
Anyway, sticking with the 5 for now, will consider any 3 series touring deals on petrols, or get another 5 next year.

[ritch]

or rather than hand back after 48 months, dont worry about a few extra miles - sell to WBAC or similar, clear the final payment and hopefully have your bus fare home or a few hundred quid in your backpocket if the numbers are kind to you