RE: BMW M135i: PH Fleet
Discussion
Will be following this project throughout, I'll be interested in seeing how it develops.
I have owned a 2013 M135i for the last 18 months and have rather enjoyed it (auto box with adaptive suspension), having test drove cars with the manual box and passive suspension, it was an easy decision for me but can appreciate why other people opt for the manual.
Driving it like you stole it does highlight some of the obvious limiations of the car but I do not believe power is one of them. Sure, get the suspension sorted but a remap seems like overkill. Similarly I'd not be wanting to foot the bill if an engine or gearbox went bang because of it.
Only thing that annoys me with the F20 ownership is the road noise, when you're sat on the motorway - obviously keeping to the legal limit - I sometimes struggle to hear what my passenger is saying without asking them to raise their voice.
I have owned a 2013 M135i for the last 18 months and have rather enjoyed it (auto box with adaptive suspension), having test drove cars with the manual box and passive suspension, it was an easy decision for me but can appreciate why other people opt for the manual.
Driving it like you stole it does highlight some of the obvious limiations of the car but I do not believe power is one of them. Sure, get the suspension sorted but a remap seems like overkill. Similarly I'd not be wanting to foot the bill if an engine or gearbox went bang because of it.
Only thing that annoys me with the F20 ownership is the road noise, when you're sat on the motorway - obviously keeping to the legal limit - I sometimes struggle to hear what my passenger is saying without asking them to raise their voice.
wingman0401 said:
Only thing that annoys me with the F20 ownership is the road noise, when you're sat on the motorway - obviously keeping to the legal limit - I sometimes struggle to hear what my passenger is saying without asking them to raise their voice.
What tyres/pressures are you running?I don't have this issue at all, it's pretty quiet cruising on the motorway.
Hi,
I have a manual 5 door with 30k, and on the whole it's a great small family car. However I agree with the limitations mentioned, particularly the dampers and lack of diff.
One more limitation I would add which is probably less easy to fix is the steering feel, which is dreadful. I know electric steering is generally poor but my mk3 Focus RS shows up the steering so badly (side note RS is a miles better car in almost every way but comfort).
Cheers
I have a manual 5 door with 30k, and on the whole it's a great small family car. However I agree with the limitations mentioned, particularly the dampers and lack of diff.
One more limitation I would add which is probably less easy to fix is the steering feel, which is dreadful. I know electric steering is generally poor but my mk3 Focus RS shows up the steering so badly (side note RS is a miles better car in almost every way but comfort).
Cheers
I've just sold mine. 2013 plate, 39k miles, manual, service pack balance, BMW AUC warranty. Sold it for £15.3k. Superb condition, too.
Performance bargain, yes, but a flawed car where the engine is pretty much the only decent part. Damping was shocking; I can drive my hire car Astra with more confidence through the bends. It never settles and, to say it is supposed to be a family hatchback, the ride is crap, theres chuff all room in the rear for an isofix and you can just about fit a bag of crisps in the boot once you've loaded the pushchair in there.
Its saving grace is the engine but generally it isn't a very good car and I'm glad to have sold mine.
You can make any car great if you chuck a load of money at it and I've no doubt the PH M135i will be a super car once finished.
Performance bargain, yes, but a flawed car where the engine is pretty much the only decent part. Damping was shocking; I can drive my hire car Astra with more confidence through the bends. It never settles and, to say it is supposed to be a family hatchback, the ride is crap, theres chuff all room in the rear for an isofix and you can just about fit a bag of crisps in the boot once you've loaded the pushchair in there.
Its saving grace is the engine but generally it isn't a very good car and I'm glad to have sold mine.
You can make any car great if you chuck a load of money at it and I've no doubt the PH M135i will be a super car once finished.
Pratty10 said:
Hi,
One more limitation I would add which is probably less easy to fix is the steering fee
Fitting the M4's LCA does help steering feel (amongst other benefits). Very cheap too, probably £400 inc labour and alignment. This would actually be my first mod on the car.One more limitation I would add which is probably less easy to fix is the steering fee
I don't agree with the damping being that bad. I think it's well calibrated for the use of the car and doesn't prevent a 3.00 lap at Spa out of the box, even before the LCA's were fitted.
Wolands Advocate said:
The ZF auto is a good match for the engine, but it's just that an auto 'box in a pugnacious hot hatch doesn't quite seem right.
I now have an automatic 440i after 4.5 yrs in a manual M135i and they are far more different than I expected (in a good way). The 440i is an absolutely peachy Jekyll & Hyde sort of car, but I am not sure the same feel would sit as well on a hot hatch as it does on a mid-range fastback.
Hot-hatches are getting so big now that i think the automatics are suiting them much more. The 1 Series, in particular, is quite a big car for a hatch. The bonnet on it is as long as a saloon's! I now have an automatic 440i after 4.5 yrs in a manual M135i and they are far more different than I expected (in a good way). The 440i is an absolutely peachy Jekyll & Hyde sort of car, but I am not sure the same feel would sit as well on a hot hatch as it does on a mid-range fastback.
The segment below i.e. The Clio's, Polo's, i can understand. Although, i'd still go for a decent auto/DCT if i can, regardless. It's great to have the option but i'm, not sure how much longer it will last.
Max_Torque said:
Value before tuning £17.5k
Tuning cost £7k
Value after tuning ~£12k
Yup, good value for money...... ;-)
It's still better than the values of EV's Tuning cost £7k
Value after tuning ~£12k
Yup, good value for money...... ;-)
Anyway, you don't need to worry about us "Dinosaurs", as you so eloquently wrote it, with our fossil fuel-powered cars. You just concentrate on getting us into those electric cars that were all destined to be in.
Mike Roberts said:
SturdyHSV said:
Mike Roberts said:
I'm very interested in hearing what you're going to do with the shift...??
In my completely biased opinion, I believe the source of the patented 'BMW rubbery manual' is related to how the stick you wobble about in yours hands is connected to the actual gearbox itself.In less refined stuff, (talking longitudinal engines here) the stick in your hand is attached to a piece of metal that goes into the gearbox and operates the shift forks and so on. This means you get the vibrations from the gearbox through the stick, and if the shifter has a metal shaft (snigger) that can get warm and such. All terribly uncouth you understand, putting you in contact with those ghastly mechanical components, perish the thought.
To ensure golf / business enthusiasts don't get uncomfortable, BMW fit a damper instead of just a piece of metal between the stick and the box, to absorb this uncouth vibration.
I would imagine you can improve the shift action no end by replacing this piece of engineered slack with something a little less sophisticated.
Someone probably does a short shift kit for it as well as a follow on tweak
It'd be nice if someone could connect the steering to the wheels again too.
nickfrog said:
Fitting the M4's LCA does help steering feel (amongst other benefits). Very cheap too, probably £400 inc labour and alignment. This would actually be my first mod on the car.
I don't agree with the damping being that bad. I think it's well calibrated for the use of the car and doesn't prevent a 3.00 lap at Spa out of the box, even before the LCA's were fitted.
Good tip, cheers. I agree this is the first mod!I don't agree with the damping being that bad. I think it's well calibrated for the use of the car and doesn't prevent a 3.00 lap at Spa out of the box, even before the LCA's were fitted.
culpz said:
Wolands Advocate said:
The ZF auto is a good match for the engine, but it's just that an auto 'box in a pugnacious hot hatch doesn't quite seem right.
I now have an automatic 440i after 4.5 yrs in a manual M135i and they are far more different than I expected (in a good way). The 440i is an absolutely peachy Jekyll & Hyde sort of car, but I am not sure the same feel would sit as well on a hot hatch as it does on a mid-range fastback.
Hot-hatches are getting so big now that i think the automatics are suiting them much more. The 1 Series, in particular, is quite a big car for a hatch. The bonnet on it is as long as a saloon's! I now have an automatic 440i after 4.5 yrs in a manual M135i and they are far more different than I expected (in a good way). The 440i is an absolutely peachy Jekyll & Hyde sort of car, but I am not sure the same feel would sit as well on a hot hatch as it does on a mid-range fastback.
The segment below i.e. The Clio's, Polo's, i can understand. Although, i'd still go for a decent auto/DCT if i can, regardless. It's great to have the option but i'm, not sure how much longer it will last.
Mike Roberts said:
SturdyHSV said:
Mike Roberts said:
I'm very interested in hearing what you're going to do with the shift...??
In my completely biased opinion, I believe the source of the patented 'BMW rubbery manual' is related to how the stick you wobble about in yours hands is connected to the actual gearbox itself.In less refined stuff, (talking longitudinal engines here) the stick in your hand is attached to a piece of metal that goes into the gearbox and operates the shift forks and so on. This means you get the vibrations from the gearbox through the stick, and if the shifter has a metal shaft (snigger) that can get warm and such. All terribly uncouth you understand, putting you in contact with those ghastly mechanical components, perish the thought.
To ensure golf / business enthusiasts don't get uncomfortable, BMW fit a damper instead of just a piece of metal between the stick and the box, to absorb this uncouth vibration.
I would imagine you can improve the shift action no end by replacing this piece of engineered slack with something a little less sophisticated.
Someone probably does a short shift kit for it as well as a follow on tweak
It'd be nice if someone could connect the steering to the wheels again too.
I've got the same 'box in 2 cars - in the other it suits it brilliantly, so much so it made me change from the manual to the auto when swapping the old M135i..... I then found in the replacement it simply sucks the joy out of it.
It's no Porsche riflebolt of a manual, it may well be slower and harder to drive, but it sure makes the car better.
Monkey (when at PHs) ran an M235i with a diff and preferred the manual 'box, Autocar's long termer came to the same conclusion too, I seem to remember.
https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-chrisharri...
It's no Porsche riflebolt of a manual, it may well be slower and harder to drive, but it sure makes the car better.
Monkey (when at PHs) ran an M235i with a diff and preferred the manual 'box, Autocar's long termer came to the same conclusion too, I seem to remember.
https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-chrisharri...
Edited by Mike Roberts on Thursday 24th August 16:25
Edited by Mike Roberts on Thursday 24th August 16:26
Edited by Mike Roberts on Thursday 24th August 16:27
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff