F40 M135i

[MattHall91]

The result of an unexpected 4 month delay on my factory order M235i GC meant I binned it off and went for a stock 1 series instead.

Bog standard apart from the paint and privacy glass. Key was to keep under £40k to avoid the daylight robbery that is the VED surcharge.

Can’t think of much else to rival this at £31k after discount. I had an M140i a couple of years ago and this makes it seem like it was unfinished. Aside from the engine, new model is better in every way.

[RammyMP]

That’s a cracking deal! Enjoy!

[ChrisCh86]

That's a lot of car for the money!

[likesachange]

9k discount is pretty decent ! Like 22/3% off. Didn’t know the new ones were heavily discounted yet..

They look great tbf! Enjoy

[Over over under steer]

It always seems to me that people get incredible deals on new BMWs. Are their RRP prices just a joke?

[ITP]

Almost every RRP is nonsense these days, not just BMW. All part of finance smoke and mirrors plan. It’s pretty obvious a 1 series is not a 40k car in reality.

[MattHall91]

Discounts are definitely bigger on BMWs for comparable cars and price points.

The other factor at the moment is BMW offer 2.9% APR, whereas VAG is 6-7%, adding a chunk to the total amount payable for any finance deals.

[RammyMP]

I’m looking at at 330i, list is £40k+, I’ve seen new ones in dealers for less than £35k or used, 6 month old ones for less than £30k

[sgtbash]

M140i unfinished? How do you mean? (I'm not disagreeing - I had an M140)

[Pig benis]

What!! You've owned a 140i and you have now bought an F40 135i? You do realise you're going against everything everyone has said on BMW forums across the land.

I can't say I'm a fan of the shape of this car, it looks like a Golf and sounds like one too.

Each to their own though, hope you enjoy the car.

[airsafari87]

Interesting that you say that it makes the 140 / 135 unfinished.

I had, and got rid of my LCI M135 a few years ago as I had similar thoughts.

[Pig benis]

airsafari87 said:

Interesting that you say that it makes the 140 / 135 unfinished.

I had, and got rid of my LCI M135 a few years ago as I had similar thoughts.

Install a birds LSD and a 135/140i is a totally different beast

[Driver101]

The overinflated list prices are annoying. It becomes stupid when they push a car over the £40k threshold needlessly. It must cost sales.

[mholt1995]

MattHall91 said:

Aside from the engine, new model is better in every way.

The exact reason I love mine so much

[Gilhooligan]

Nice car OP. I’m slowly coming round to these new M135is. They look a lot better in the flesh. Best colour too.

[Ambleton]

It really is interesting. I do think that bmw are struggling to shift these cars simply on principle that folk don't want a fwd biased BMW. It was a pretty special USP of the previous models (and that i6), even if the new one is a better car 95% of the time.

People will argue that its that 5% where you want to be a complete loon that makes it a "proper" car.

I think the back end looks better than the older cars, although there's no hiding that transverse fwd taller front end unfortunately.


I wonder if LR are having the same issue with the new defender. A better car in almost every way for almost everyone, but the foibles of the old one were what made them popular.

[MattHall91]

Pig benis said:

airsafari87 said:

Interesting that you say that it makes the 140 / 135 unfinished.

I had, and got rid of my LCI M135 a few years ago as I had similar thoughts.

Install a birds LSD and a 135/140i is a totally different beast

This is it. There is a couple of mods that transform the M135/M140i, but without them it always struggled IMO. Maybe this was deliberate to put some daylight between them and the M2.

I had several rattles in the interior of my M140 and the ride was very crashy. Interestingly, I also drove one with adaptive dampers for over 1,000 miles and that was still less resolved than this new one IMO.