M140i delivery third week of May - your input please
Discussion
Hi guys,
So the car is currently in build stage and it is being delivered as above soon.
I owned a very tidy E46 M3 for four years. Massive regret when I sold it but the offer was ridiculous and the costs were becoming ridiculous as a daily driver on a 2005 car. Best daily I owned? 100% always wanted an E46 M3. The springs had snapped and I changed them to Eibachs. Only Mod made.
Now I currently run a E82 125i tuned up to 300bhp and to be frank its handling is woeful. Yes easy fix, but it's soulless despite the inline 6.
It's become clear to me BMWs are all about the handling in terms of experience. For me, the handling is absolute key.
I heard on the M135i the handling/suspension needed fettling with. Does the M140i have same issues in that department when hard pressed?
Thanks
So the car is currently in build stage and it is being delivered as above soon.
I owned a very tidy E46 M3 for four years. Massive regret when I sold it but the offer was ridiculous and the costs were becoming ridiculous as a daily driver on a 2005 car. Best daily I owned? 100% always wanted an E46 M3. The springs had snapped and I changed them to Eibachs. Only Mod made.
Now I currently run a E82 125i tuned up to 300bhp and to be frank its handling is woeful. Yes easy fix, but it's soulless despite the inline 6.
It's become clear to me BMWs are all about the handling in terms of experience. For me, the handling is absolute key.
I heard on the M135i the handling/suspension needed fettling with. Does the M140i have same issues in that department when hard pressed?
Thanks
In a word, yes.
I believe Birds do a decent upgrade but is pricey. Personally I'd get an LSD too but for me, all this was a step too far so I ended up getting rid of mine. Shame as it's a good car otherwise with mostly the right ingredients. Lovely engine, lots of grip and rwd.
Stock, the damping is all over the place and fails to deal with anything less than tarmac smooth. Even with good tarmac, undulations lead to a floatiness that's hard to live with.
You should be fine with some upgrades though so hope you enjoy.
I believe Birds do a decent upgrade but is pricey. Personally I'd get an LSD too but for me, all this was a step too far so I ended up getting rid of mine. Shame as it's a good car otherwise with mostly the right ingredients. Lovely engine, lots of grip and rwd.
Stock, the damping is all over the place and fails to deal with anything less than tarmac smooth. Even with good tarmac, undulations lead to a floatiness that's hard to live with.
You should be fine with some upgrades though so hope you enjoy.
The ride and handling certainly lacks finesse, but I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as people like to make out.
You can't really grab the M140i by the scruff and wring its neck like you can the AWD hyper hatches, you've got to be a lot more progressive, smooth and neutral and give the car chance to settle- it doesn't suit sharp inputs or things like trail braking. To be honest, I quite like that about it, but I can see why someone might get out of a Golf R and think it had all gone to pot.
The ride isn't amazing, but no worse than most modern cars on our rubbish road surfaces.
IMO, adaptive suspension is worse than non-adaptive but I think I'm in a minority there.
You can't really grab the M140i by the scruff and wring its neck like you can the AWD hyper hatches, you've got to be a lot more progressive, smooth and neutral and give the car chance to settle- it doesn't suit sharp inputs or things like trail braking. To be honest, I quite like that about it, but I can see why someone might get out of a Golf R and think it had all gone to pot.
The ride isn't amazing, but no worse than most modern cars on our rubbish road surfaces.
IMO, adaptive suspension is worse than non-adaptive but I think I'm in a minority there.
HM-2 said:
The ride and handling certainly lacks finesse, but I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as people like to make out.
You can't really grab the M140i by the scruff and wring its neck like you can the AWD hyper hatches, you've got to be a lot more progressive, smooth and neutral and give the car chance to settle- it doesn't suit sharp inputs or things like trail braking. To be honest, I quite like that about it, but I can see why someone might get out of a Golf R and think it had all gone to pot.
The ride isn't amazing, but no worse than most modern cars on our rubbish road surfaces.
IMO, adaptive suspension is worse than non-adaptive but I think I'm in a minority there.
This - it can be a handful but when you get it right it feels alive and something that needs to be tamed - I went from a M135i (with non-adaptive suspension) to a Cupra 300 4Drive and whilst the Cupra is definitely more planted and quicker from A to B its so horribly dull - the M135i was sometimes frustrating, often rewarding and never once dull You can't really grab the M140i by the scruff and wring its neck like you can the AWD hyper hatches, you've got to be a lot more progressive, smooth and neutral and give the car chance to settle- it doesn't suit sharp inputs or things like trail braking. To be honest, I quite like that about it, but I can see why someone might get out of a Golf R and think it had all gone to pot.
The ride isn't amazing, but no worse than most modern cars on our rubbish road surfaces.
IMO, adaptive suspension is worse than non-adaptive but I think I'm in a minority there.
Mine has adaptive. 'Comfort' mode isn't quite the correct name, but does help a bit and I tend to use this for normal driving.
To be honest, a lot of the issues I see other people bringing up I've not yet really faced. Perhaps I'm just not driving it as hard as others, but I've only ever managed to get really out of shape when the tyres are cold.
The FAQ on BabyBMW is worth a look - https://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=8...
To be honest, a lot of the issues I see other people bringing up I've not yet really faced. Perhaps I'm just not driving it as hard as others, but I've only ever managed to get really out of shape when the tyres are cold.
The FAQ on BabyBMW is worth a look - https://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=8...
I have the M135i (2016) and handling finesse isn't it's forte. The E90 325i I had before it was more sure footed and a better handler. It's a car more about the engine than anything else. Fine for me as a straight line rocket with some amusing RWD handling traits but it's no sports car.
Monty Python said:
Haven't you test driven a M140i?
Hi, I did and found it to be great....However on a 30 minute test drive I personally find it difficult to see how it would fare as daily driver on roads which to be fair are in a very sorry state.
For example I found my E82 to be a great handling car when I test drove it. Its only when I had it for 3-6 month did I realise its flaws.
toon10 said:
I have the M135i (2016) and handling finesse isn't it's forte. The E90 325i I had before it was more sure footed and a better handler. It's a car more about the engine than anything else. Fine for me as a straight line rocket with some amusing RWD handling traits but it's no sports car.
Yup agreed. I am kind of hoping the M140i is a true 'Lite M'
Re: the M140i, my M135i definately needed a set of Bilsteins, plus an LSD to improve it. Id have another, but would fit these the day i bought it.
M140i is better apparently, but it still drives very much like a 120d with 350bhp, not like an ///M car.
M140i is better apparently, but it still drives very much like a 120d with 350bhp, not like an ///M car.
HannsG said:
Now I currently run a E82 125i tuned up to 300bhp and to be frank its handling is woeful.
More on this please? 300bhp seems rather high!
HannsG said:
Hi guys,
Now I currently run a E82 125i tuned up to 300bhp and to be frank its handling is woeful. Yes easy fix, but it's soulless despite the inline 6.
Where did you go to get that done? Now I currently run a E82 125i tuned up to 300bhp and to be frank its handling is woeful. Yes easy fix, but it's soulless despite the inline 6.
Very interested as I now have two 3 litre N52s!
But I really don't find them soulless, although my Z4 Coupe does have a custom cat-back exhaust which does add to the experience!
The 140i in reality is way better than an E46 M3 in most ways we think of when buying a car. I found the 2 i had, (1 was the CSL) to be rather over-rated. But then it should be better really as it's got 20 years of extra technology behind it. It'd show an E43 the way home every time and the gearbox is way way better, amongst other things. Doesn't sound as good but i had a 140i as a courtesy car in March for a week and it's a little pocket rocket.
Mr Tidy said:
Where did you go to get that done?
Very interested as I now have two 3 litre N52s!
But I really don't find them soulless, although my Z4 Coupe does have a custom cat-back exhaust which does add to the experience!
I had the remap done at Ptorque by Will. I think the output was actually 289bhp.Very interested as I now have two 3 litre N52s!
But I really don't find them soulless, although my Z4 Coupe does have a custom cat-back exhaust which does add to the experience!
I had the N52, in a 2003 3.0i Z4 and IMHO it felt more alive. Maybe the 125i chassis is what let's it down.
HannsG said:
I had the remap done at Ptorque by Will. I think the output was actually 289bhp.
From just a remap? Id imagine that to be more like a true 270bhp then ...Honestly, i think if you think the e82 is a poor handler, you wont be impressed with the F2* either. My e90 335i drives far nicer than the M135i did.
I have an M140 on order too.
Regards the handling, I don't think it's quite as bad as it's made out to be. Having had an extended test drive for 24hours in one I was happy with how it drove. It's no M car for sure but on the passive dampers it felt fine to me. As a result, I've not bothered with the adaptive dampers on mine. I did think that the car felt a bit soft given the performance available.
They're bloody quick little cars that really can't be exploited on the public roads without being a tool so I'm confident that I won't find too many shortcomings with the handling. I'm tempted to try the underbody brace from a three door which is £150 for the parts and easy enough to fit. Other than a few cosmetic things, I don't plan on changing it too much.
The ride was better than the 335d that I test drove, which really did wallow and bob about, especially on back roads.
The car is dominated by the engine and you do need to drive with some thought and it responds better to progressive pedal inputs. But I've always found this with BMW's versus say an RS car, the latter being very easy to hop in and drive bloody quickly.
Regards the handling, I don't think it's quite as bad as it's made out to be. Having had an extended test drive for 24hours in one I was happy with how it drove. It's no M car for sure but on the passive dampers it felt fine to me. As a result, I've not bothered with the adaptive dampers on mine. I did think that the car felt a bit soft given the performance available.
They're bloody quick little cars that really can't be exploited on the public roads without being a tool so I'm confident that I won't find too many shortcomings with the handling. I'm tempted to try the underbody brace from a three door which is £150 for the parts and easy enough to fit. Other than a few cosmetic things, I don't plan on changing it too much.
The ride was better than the 335d that I test drove, which really did wallow and bob about, especially on back roads.
The car is dominated by the engine and you do need to drive with some thought and it responds better to progressive pedal inputs. But I've always found this with BMW's versus say an RS car, the latter being very easy to hop in and drive bloody quickly.
my wife had a 123d for a while (is that the E82?) - ride on that with M-sport suspension, 18" on RFT was far worse than my M135i on both it's original 18" with MPSS and then on some BBS 19" with MPSS that I upgraded to.
It does get a bit unruly when pushing on as mentioned above and in numerous tests, but there are fixes you can find out there if you wish to do so - I had adaptive and it was fine for day to day, but I would probably have changed it had I kept the car longer.
It does get a bit unruly when pushing on as mentioned above and in numerous tests, but there are fixes you can find out there if you wish to do so - I had adaptive and it was fine for day to day, but I would probably have changed it had I kept the car longer.
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