How or Whether to Replace an M135i - Page 1 - Car Buying

Latters

Original Poster

82 posts

143 months

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Saturday 16th September 2017

Hello all. I could do with a bit of help in making up my mind and you lot on here are much more helpful than the wife ("do what you want as long as it doesn't bankrupt us")!

I currently drive a 14 plate M135i, which I do love. I'll have had it a year in November, which is the joint longest I'll have had a car! It is on PCP and I have a little equity in it due to putting down a decent deposit and only doing about half of the 9k p/a mileage per the agreement.

I would really like an M4 but, unfortunately, this is out of reach at the moment. I do like the 440i coupe which goes under the radar a little. More so than the M4 at least. I also love the E92 M3.

Basically, I can't decide whether to stick with the 135 for a while longer, or chop it in in November when tax, test and insurance are all due as this seems a sensible point at which to change. Then, if I do decide to swap, I can't make my mind up what I would rather do. Go for a 440i coupe, go for a faster hatch (previous shape RS3, A45 AMG), or go a bit older and go for the E92 M3. I have no children and Mrs Latters has a 4x4 for lugging dogs and stuff about, so practicality isn't a huge concern, though I do occasionally have need for back seats.

The first port of call would be to try and get test drives in the cars mentioned, but I just wondered if anybody had any experience of any of them, either in isolation, or compared to the M135i.

I want something that feels like a step up in some way, be that pace, quality or something intangible like enjoyment and feel, and I wasn't sure if any of the alternatives mentioned would tick one or all of the boxes.

My concerns with each are as follows:
440i - similar engine and power output - not an M4 - would it feel special enough and is it a step up over my current car?
M3 - an older car - would the interior and kit feel dated compared to the M135i? Would this even matter with a V8 howling away?!
RS3 - a lot of money for an older hatchback - would this feel like a step back? I know Chris Harris preferred the M135i to the RS3, but this was mainly a track biased test.
A45 - budget only allows for the first iteration with 360ish bhp. Would this be noticeably quicker than the M135i and would I miss the engine note with the Merc only being a four cylinder?

So; recommendations please. I am open to other suggestions but I don't like Renaults. tongue out

ZX10R NIN

29,507 posts

143 months

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Saturday 16th September 2017

Get the M3 (try to find a saloon) it's a great drivers car & that V8 is special prices are firming up so you could also benefit from slower depreciation especially if you get the rarer saloon.

The RS3 are very competent & that engine is a peach.

The two above are the cars I'd go for as both are special & well worth chopping the 135i in for.

Latters

Original Poster

82 posts

143 months

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Saturday 16th September 2017

ZX10R NIN said:

Get the M3 (try to find a saloon) it's a great drivers car & that V8 is special prices are firming up so you could also benefit from slower depreciation especially if you get the rarer saloon.

The RS3 are very competent & that engine is a peach.

The two above are the cars I'd go for as both are special & well worth chopping the 135i in for.

Thanks for that. I have always had a thing for M3s so that is probably the way to go. I've come close on many occasions previously but either not quite had enough to afford a decent one, or gone for the more sensible option. The very M135i I drive now being just one such compromise!

I forgot to mention, my budget will probably be somewhere in the £20-25k region. I've seen plenty of M3s in this region, both two and four door; not so many RS3s though. Particularly not ones that don't have massive black wheels, floor scraping suspension and questionable tints!

ZX10R NIN

29,507 posts

143 months

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Saturday 16th September 2017

cerb4.5lee

38,719 posts

198 months

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Saturday 16th September 2017

Coming from a M135i I think you could be disappointed with the E92 M3, because it only really comes on song at 6k revs and it's torque to weight ratio is also pretty poor.

I found it's power delivery massively frustrating when I used mine as a daily, but if it's used as a second/occasional car then I think it can work so you can seek out open roads to really enjoy it's top end.

It's the most disappointing N/A V8 engine I've had, the chassis/induction noise will have you hooked though.

Latters

Original Poster

82 posts

143 months

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Saturday 16th September 2017

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks. I do like a C63 but it is quite hard to find one that hasn't been tampered with, mostly pretty tastelessly as well. I don't mind the RS4 but it doesn't pull on my heart strings like some other cars, plus the ones I'd be looking at would be quite old. I do like the fact that my BM is quite modern inside. The dash in the RS4 looks like it's out of the ark! This is my fear with getting an older car, but from the perceived next class up. I may not be able to afford one that's new enough to really feel like I'm making a step up.

Like I say, I've got until November time until I make my decision.

cerb4.5lee said:

Coming from a M135i I think you could be disappointed with the E92 M3, because it only really comes on song at 6k revs and it's torque to weight ratio is also pretty poor.

I found it's power delivery massively frustrating when I used mine as a daily, but if it's used as a second/occasional car then I think it can work so you can seek out open roads to really enjoy it's top end.

It's the most disappointing N/A V8 engine I've had, the chassis/induction noise will have you hooked though.

Thanks for this. I did have an FN2 Civic Type R before the M135i and really liked it, so I can get on with the lack of low down torque, as long as you are rewarded at the top end. As much as I do enjoy the effortless power of the BMW, made even more effortless by the auto gearbox, there are occasions where I long for the interaction of the Civic's manual and the feeling that I'm having to work it to get the best from it.

Edited by Latters on Saturday 16th September 19:46

ZX10R NIN

29,507 posts

143 months

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Saturday 16th September 2017

The older interior isn't a problem when you're enjoying the car, it's not hard to upgrade the incar entertainment so you have DAB android/Apple play.

If for example you were in the RS4 with it's wing back Recaros even if you were stuck in traffic they're still a nice place to be also the RS4 would be a better long term keeper than the RS3 with it's sometimes chocolate driveshaft.

Latters

Original Poster

82 posts

143 months

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Sunday 17th September 2017

ZX10R NIN said:

The older interior isn't a problem when you're enjoying the car, it's not hard to upgrade the incar entertainment so you have DAB android/Apple play.

If for example you were in the RS4 with it's wing back Recaros even if you were stuck in traffic they're still a nice place to be also the RS4 would be a better long term keeper than the RS3 with it's sometimes chocolate driveshaft.

This is true. I suppose I could forgive an aged interior for the right car, but a lovely, shiny new interior wouldn't necessarily make up for a dull engine and a crap chassis!

As I said, a year is about the maximum I've kept a car for so it would be nice finding something that can hold my interest for a little longer! With an older car I would have to move away from PCP which can only be a good thing, as well.

Hopefully come November time I will be able to update this thread with something a little more exciting than my inane questions!

Although it's my favourite, I've ruled out a C63 just because it's so difficult to find one that hasn't got rubbish mods and / or mega mileage for anything approaching a reasonable price. It's looking like a toss up between an M3 or an RS4. Would these two feel much bigger and more unwieldy than the M135i, or do their chassis make up for the extra weight and size?

cerb4.5lee

38,719 posts

198 months

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Sunday 17th September 2017

Latters said:

It's looking like a toss up between an M3 or an RS4. Would these two feel much bigger and more unwieldy than the M135i, or do their chassis make up for the extra weight and size?

I found the M3 to feel quite heavy and numb at slow speeds, yet on a back road pushing on it did a great job of hiding it's weight and it really felt alive, the LSD/Chassis is excellent.