BMW M140 (at last!)
Discussion
Firstly, sorry for what will be a long post.
I’ve been driving company cars for the last eight years, the current one being a diesel vRS. Not massively interesting or exciting, but it’s been a fantastic car for the last 80k, that I’ve grown to really like and appreciate. It became affectionately known as ‘the Taxi’.
Whilst being a bit dull it’s been super easy to live with; the infotainment is intuitive and easy to use, it’s brisk, economical when you want it to be and had ferried the three of us, our dog and my mountain bikes all over the place. Dump runs were a piss of cake. Collecting timber for decking projects? No problem. Shifting loads of our belongings to a storage unit when we moved last year? Tick.
The biggest downside to the vRS is how much it costs me each month. Since I first ordered it I e been promoted, received pay rise etc that changed my tax banding. Added to the BIK hikes in the last two years, it’s now bloody expensive fir what it is. This lead me to think about opting out and I’ve been keeping an eye on M140 deals since last summer. Finally the right deal popped up via TRL and I was able to factory order a car that would arrive a little while before the vRS was due back. In the short term my other half's MINI was sacrificed, so she’ll use the vRS until September and then we’ll buy a cheapy second car.
I had an extended test drive in a 140 last summer whilst there was a 0% offer on and fell in love with it mainly due to the B58 engine and ZF8. It’s a flawed car for sure; too small inside, ride can be a bit bouncy on poor roads and the rear wheels are easily overwhelmed but I figured it was my last chance to buy a small RWD car with a stonking great engine.
Others cars on my ‘list’ were the Golf R (too boring), S3 (impossible to get hold of due to WLTP issues) and the Golf GTi TCR. The latter looked promising; bigger inside than the 1 series, digital dash is lovely, good spec and good discounts were available. However upon looking at a GTi (TCR’s weren’t due fir a few weeks) and it did nothing for me despite these pros. P,us my other half thought it looked a bit naff.
I preferred the 140 engine (obviously) plus the seating position was better and I actually preferred the interior. It was just then a case of waiting for the right deal which eventually came about. Due to trying to stick to a monthly budget, I didn’t add too much spec wise. The shadow edition is pretty good coming with the HK stereo, cruise and privacy glass. I added pro nav and heated seats. I stuck to white to keep to my budget despite desperately wanting Sunset Orange. The insurance was surprisingly cheap, the service pack is good value (I’ll just sneak second service) and even putting sone cash away for tyres etc, it’ll cost me less than my vRS does and about the same as my new lacklustre company car options (A180 AMG Line auto).
If you’ve made it this far, collection day finally arrived today and I was buzzing. I woke up at 3:50am! I caught trains down to Berry this morning.
I’m only 100 miles in (the rest of the running in period is going to go very very slowly) and I’m happy. The spec is fine for me and I think it looks great in white. Economy on the way hone was pretty good although it was a massive exercise in restraint not to use my right foot much! The brakes seem good; nice feel and good power. They’re much less wooden than so e of the other BMW’s I’ve driven.
The only real downside is that the Super Sport tyres seem to make a lot of noise.
Once home
I’m not a fan of the silver mirrors and canards on a white car, so these were swapped for black ones pretty much the minute I git home! I’d already ordered a spare pair of canards and painted them over the last few weeks. I bought M2 style mirror caps. I think they improve it a lot and tie in with the rest of the gloss black trim.
I have a few more bits to sort over the next few weeks; steering wheel retrim next week (alcantara like the M Performance steering wheel but with blue stitching to match the stitching on the seats), M style paddles and my M Performance spoiler is getting painted and fitted in July. Other than that, the plans are to get it run in and start enjoying it.
I’ve been driving company cars for the last eight years, the current one being a diesel vRS. Not massively interesting or exciting, but it’s been a fantastic car for the last 80k, that I’ve grown to really like and appreciate. It became affectionately known as ‘the Taxi’.
Whilst being a bit dull it’s been super easy to live with; the infotainment is intuitive and easy to use, it’s brisk, economical when you want it to be and had ferried the three of us, our dog and my mountain bikes all over the place. Dump runs were a piss of cake. Collecting timber for decking projects? No problem. Shifting loads of our belongings to a storage unit when we moved last year? Tick.
The biggest downside to the vRS is how much it costs me each month. Since I first ordered it I e been promoted, received pay rise etc that changed my tax banding. Added to the BIK hikes in the last two years, it’s now bloody expensive fir what it is. This lead me to think about opting out and I’ve been keeping an eye on M140 deals since last summer. Finally the right deal popped up via TRL and I was able to factory order a car that would arrive a little while before the vRS was due back. In the short term my other half's MINI was sacrificed, so she’ll use the vRS until September and then we’ll buy a cheapy second car.
I had an extended test drive in a 140 last summer whilst there was a 0% offer on and fell in love with it mainly due to the B58 engine and ZF8. It’s a flawed car for sure; too small inside, ride can be a bit bouncy on poor roads and the rear wheels are easily overwhelmed but I figured it was my last chance to buy a small RWD car with a stonking great engine.
Others cars on my ‘list’ were the Golf R (too boring), S3 (impossible to get hold of due to WLTP issues) and the Golf GTi TCR. The latter looked promising; bigger inside than the 1 series, digital dash is lovely, good spec and good discounts were available. However upon looking at a GTi (TCR’s weren’t due fir a few weeks) and it did nothing for me despite these pros. P,us my other half thought it looked a bit naff.
I preferred the 140 engine (obviously) plus the seating position was better and I actually preferred the interior. It was just then a case of waiting for the right deal which eventually came about. Due to trying to stick to a monthly budget, I didn’t add too much spec wise. The shadow edition is pretty good coming with the HK stereo, cruise and privacy glass. I added pro nav and heated seats. I stuck to white to keep to my budget despite desperately wanting Sunset Orange. The insurance was surprisingly cheap, the service pack is good value (I’ll just sneak second service) and even putting sone cash away for tyres etc, it’ll cost me less than my vRS does and about the same as my new lacklustre company car options (A180 AMG Line auto).
If you’ve made it this far, collection day finally arrived today and I was buzzing. I woke up at 3:50am! I caught trains down to Berry this morning.
I’m only 100 miles in (the rest of the running in period is going to go very very slowly) and I’m happy. The spec is fine for me and I think it looks great in white. Economy on the way hone was pretty good although it was a massive exercise in restraint not to use my right foot much! The brakes seem good; nice feel and good power. They’re much less wooden than so e of the other BMW’s I’ve driven.
The only real downside is that the Super Sport tyres seem to make a lot of noise.
Once home
I’m not a fan of the silver mirrors and canards on a white car, so these were swapped for black ones pretty much the minute I git home! I’d already ordered a spare pair of canards and painted them over the last few weeks. I bought M2 style mirror caps. I think they improve it a lot and tie in with the rest of the gloss black trim.
I have a few more bits to sort over the next few weeks; steering wheel retrim next week (alcantara like the M Performance steering wheel but with blue stitching to match the stitching on the seats), M style paddles and my M Performance spoiler is getting painted and fitted in July. Other than that, the plans are to get it run in and start enjoying it.
Edited by Court_S on Thursday 20th June 22:34
BMW do seem to have lost their way a little on some of the new models- they have grotesque front ends, the 1 series is ruined as is the x3, to me they look like Chinese copies of a BMW.
Then there’s the way they drive; my wife’s got a new 5series touring - it’s about our 15Th BMW and whilst it’s lovely to look at at drives horribly, and the interior is cramped for such a large car.
Not sure we’ll ever have another one to be honest, the magic appears to have gone.....
Glad you’re pleased with your new one - looks very tidy!
Then there’s the way they drive; my wife’s got a new 5series touring - it’s about our 15Th BMW and whilst it’s lovely to look at at drives horribly, and the interior is cramped for such a large car.
Not sure we’ll ever have another one to be honest, the magic appears to have gone.....
Glad you’re pleased with your new one - looks very tidy!
W12GT said:
BMW do seem to have lost their way a little on some of the new models- they have grotesque front ends, the 1 series is ruined as is the x3, to me they look like Chinese copies of a BMW.
Then there’s the way they drive; my wife’s got a new 5series touring - it’s about our 15Th BMW and whilst it’s lovely to look at at drives horribly, and the interior is cramped for such a large car.
Not sure we’ll ever have another one to be honest, the magic appears to have gone.....
Glad you’re pleased with your new one - looks very tidy!
They do indeed appear to be in a bit of a funk styling wise. My car isn’t exactly pretty, but it’s a damn site better looking than it’s replacement. Then there’s the way they drive; my wife’s got a new 5series touring - it’s about our 15Th BMW and whilst it’s lovely to look at at drives horribly, and the interior is cramped for such a large car.
Not sure we’ll ever have another one to be honest, the magic appears to have gone.....
Glad you’re pleased with your new one - looks very tidy!
I saw an new X5 today and no matter how many I see, I can’t get passed the comical grille. It’s ridiculous.
amc_adam said:
Oooooo that's nice, these certainly make the previous models look a bit dated. The interior looks a nice place to be, I likes it 
Cheers, thanks you. The interior feels like a nice place to be; it was comfy and relaxing on the motorway drag back yesterday which bodes well. sgtbash said:
Very nice!
Exact same as mine, apart from I have the other wheels you can get.
How are you finding the sound of the car?
I have watched a video of mine going past at full chat its its much louder than what is heard on the inside of the car!
I was worried given the whining about PPF cars but I think it sounds good. Obviously the exhaust isn’t broken in yet but it sounds chunky yet subtle. There’s a nice burble and the pops are good according to my other half, they’re there but in a subtle way. She approved. Exact same as mine, apart from I have the other wheels you can get.
How are you finding the sound of the car?
I have watched a video of mine going past at full chat its its much louder than what is heard on the inside of the car!
It’s not as loud as say the old N55 M135 but it sounds better than the four bangers in other cars I was looking at.
Hammy98 said:
Lovely looking car.
Do you find the wind noise quite bad with the M2 style mirror caps? I've noticed a few people on the facebook groups saying they whistle at speed - put me off picking some up thus far.
Not that I’ve noticed. To be honest the noise from the Super Sports is the most noticeable thing. Do you find the wind noise quite bad with the M2 style mirror caps? I've noticed a few people on the facebook groups saying they whistle at speed - put me off picking some up thus far.
Enjoy! I’m two and a bit years into mine and can’t see me replacing it any time soon. Fastest colour too ... FACT 
Interesting you mention the MPSS. For me these are the weakest link on the car - great on that warm dry day where the grip is staggering, but for the remaining 75% of the time sub-optimal for this country’s weather. Sounds like the PS4 may address that but I still have 5/6mm of tread left
Chris
Interesting you mention the MPSS. For me these are the weakest link on the car - great on that warm dry day where the grip is staggering, but for the remaining 75% of the time sub-optimal for this country’s weather. Sounds like the PS4 may address that but I still have 5/6mm of tread left
Chris
ScoobyChris said:
Enjoy! I’m two and a bit years into mine and can’t see me replacing it any time soon. Fastest colour too ... FACT
Interesting you mention the MPSS. For me these are the weakest link on the car - great on that warm dry day where the grip is staggering, but for the remaining 75% of the time sub-optimal for this country’s weather. Sounds like the PS4 may address that but I still have 5/6mm of tread left
Chris
Cheers. I think I’ll struggle to replace it too when you balance the performance vs. running costs, I’m not sure what else compares. The M2 is the obvious step but I imagine that the running costs will be a fair bit higher. Interesting you mention the MPSS. For me these are the weakest link on the car - great on that warm dry day where the grip is staggering, but for the remaining 75% of the time sub-optimal for this country’s weather. Sounds like the PS4 may address that but I still have 5/6mm of tread left
Chris
I’m planning on switching to PS4’s once these die.
Liggle said:
Looking at very similar options to replace my vRS TDI, will keep watching this one! I too have loved my vRS as its performance, economy, space etc. is pretty unbeatable as a daily but its just a little dull after 2.5 years.
They’re so hard to fault as a tool that’s for sure. Everyone took the piss out of me for ordering a Skoda but it really has been a good car. Even after four years it doesn’t annoy me. It doesn’t excite me but it just keeps on doing what it does without fuss and I’ve really grown to like that. cerb4.5lee said:
Congratulations and I know that you've been really looking forward to getting it.
These are really the last of the line and I bet it is nice to get one while you still can. These sound awesome on the cold start and the engine is a belter.
Enjoy it!
Cheers Lee. Yes, I’ve have been a little bit excited about getting it!These are really the last of the line and I bet it is nice to get one while you still can. These sound awesome on the cold start and the engine is a belter.
Enjoy it!
I did think about your favourite at ever, the E90 M3 but I decided that the running costs would get boring quickly. This has most of the performance for less money day to day.
It does sound pretty good. Many whinge about the PPF but I still think it sounds good. Just a bit more subtle.
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