M140i Best bang for buck?

[Glenn63]

Il be looking for a new daily this summer requirements being I want something with a decent amount of power, fun to drive, space to stick two small dogs so either hatch/estate or at least back seats, good for a few evening track sessions, road trips to Scotland and hopefully a Nürburgring trip. Only have the space/money for one car really at the moment up to £20k (£25k absolute max) and the m140i keeps cropping up and I can’t really think of much else better for the money?
Il be keeping it a few years so want as new/low mileage as possible say under 6 years old or so. I can’t help but always have a fiddle with my cars and seems these also take well to modifying?
Anything Iv over looked? Also fancy the fk8 type r but still seem strong money.
Any other suggestions?
Cheers

[w00tman]

i30N potentially for a different kind of fun - clearly not RWD but manual vs auto, for instance? get the benefit of the bulk of a long warranty as well as being covered for track days, too.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you don't mind FWD then the these are where I'd be looking, these are a sharper steer than the M140 but they don't have that sweet 6pot.


308 GTI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102259...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102189...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103310...

ST Estate

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102048...

Hatchback

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101188...

i30N Fastback

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103310...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104081...

[CJ1]

Can’t go wrong with the M140. That’s coming from a previous Golf R owner and current S3 Owner!

20k will get you in a 2018/19 approved used low mileage M140. Whereas 20k on a Golf R/S3 will get you about 2 years older than an equivalent M140. Even though the M140i was a £37k car on paper at the end of production BMW were doing factory orders/ PCP deals discounts and new cars were £27k. Hence they’re now a lot cheaper.

[K20r]

Go fk8.

I have a fk2 now and the fk8 is a improvement in ride quality so it would be the perfect daily. There’s not many cars that are more fun and they handle unbelievable well. Excellent on fuel too, I can return 45mph on a decent run

[320d is all you need]

My friend has a M140i. Wonderful car, with a few suspension tweaks (not costly) it really drives a lot better than the nay-sayers would have you believe.

It's a bit cramped in the back but other than that, great car. You will never get a small pokey hot hatch back RWD again

[nikaiyo2]

It depends what you want from it.

The M140 is great at doing the normal car thing that can play hooligan when you want it to. The handling is not great, but it will go sideways with very little provocation .

The FK8 is the opposite. Even after a short test drive it was obvious that it was not a car to sit in (admittedly pre COVID) M3 traffic. The interior is light years behind the M140 in terms of quality and ease of use, it feels Uber low rent inside. It’s also quite loud inside the engine noise is fatiguing and not pleasant.

The Honda has a fabulous manual box the BMW manual is horrible, hence why most seem to be autos.

If I wanted a focused super handling focused car the Honda would beat the BMW hands down, as a car to drive to work in 5 days a week the BMW wipes the floor with the Honda.

£20k will get you a higher mileage early M140, it won’t get a 18-19 low miler AUC, might be worth looking at a slightly older M135?

[Hippea]

I was looking at one of these just before Covid last year. I'm amazed how prices have gone up on these in the past year. If I had bought one Jan/Feb last year I would have probably made a few grand if I decided to sell it now.

[covmutley]

I was going to get an m135i but ended up going for an XE S. I preferred the steering, more space inside (although not hatch) and much more equipment on them. Things like adaptive dampers all standard.

[320d is all you need]

covmutley said:

I was going to get an m135i but ended up going for an XE S. I preferred the steering, more space inside (although not hatch) and much more equipment on them. Things like adaptive dampers all standard.

Very different cars though. The XE S would never be as raw or "Fiesty" as the 140i and if modifications are your thing again substantially less options.

[covmutley]

320d is all you need said:

Very different cars though. The XE S would never be as raw or "Fiesty" as the 140i and if modifications are your thing again substantially less options.

True, just depends on priorities I guess

[Glenn63]

Tbh the only one out of those lot that I’m tempted by is the fk8 but your looking at £23k minimum. Although I do find myself pulled by the i30 as I like sort of ‘underdog’ cars.
All of which are 2ltr (or less) 4 bangers which seems to make the m140 a good buy with a large(ish) 6 pot and rear drive. For the price of the civic I’m thinking m140 and a couple grand at birds for lsd, suspension, and remap will make it 400bhp+ that would make a pretty handy hot hatch!

[ZX10R NIN]

Glenn63 said:

Tbh the only one out of those lot that I’m tempted by is the fk8 but your looking at £23k minimum. Although I do find myself pulled by the i30 as I like sort of ‘underdog’ cars.
All of which are 2ltr (or less) 4 bangers which seems to make the m140 a good buy with a large(ish) 6 pot and rear drive. For the price of the civic I’m thinking m140 and a couple grand at birds for lsd, suspension, and remap will make it 400bhp+ that would make a pretty handy hot hatch!

Now you're talking

[320d is all you need]

covmutley said:

320d is all you need said:

Very different cars though. The XE S would never be as raw or "Fiesty" as the 140i and if modifications are your thing again substantially less options.

True, just depends on priorities I guess

I've driven both, they are very different cars, to be honest I don't think anyone in the market for a M140 would want an XE-S or vice versa.

1 series v 3/5 series , Hot hatchback v semi-sporty luxury saloon

Both are really nice.

[Belle427]

I’ve been thinking about them recently, with a few suspension tweaks and maybe the lsd they would make a fantastic daily driver.
The engine note is wonderful, bags of character.
Have a look what TR Hamza is doing to his on you tube.

[mikewilliams79]

Belle427 said:

I’ve been thinking about them recently, with a few suspension tweaks and maybe the lsd they would make a fantastic daily driver.
The engine note is wonderful, bags of character.
Have a look what TR Hamza is doing to his on you tube.

You are fortunate to have roads where you get noticeable benefits of an LSD daily!

[Jamescrs]

nikaiyo2 said:

It depends what you want from it.

The M140 is great at doing the normal car thing that can play hooligan when you want it to. The handling is not great, but it will go sideways with very little provocation .

The FK8 is the opposite. Even after a short test drive it was obvious that it was not a car to sit in (admittedly pre COVID) M3 traffic. The interior is light years behind the M140 in terms of quality and ease of use, it feels Uber low rent inside. It’s also quite loud inside the engine noise is fatiguing and not pleasant.

The Honda has a fabulous manual box the BMW manual is horrible, hence why most seem to be autos.

If I wanted a focused super handling focused car the Honda would beat the BMW hands down, as a car to drive to work in 5 days a week the BMW wipes the floor with the Honda.

£20k will get you a higher mileage early M140, it won’t get a 18-19 low miler AUC, might be worth looking at a slightly older M135?

I completely disagree with the BMW Manual being horrible, I find it a very good gearbox, I chose it over the auto in my 240, no regrets at all, if I was to go back i'd still buy a manual gearbox.

[Moog52]

I’ve got a 2017 140i so can give some advice here.

I’d prefer to look at ones with the adaptive suspension and LSD (might be out of budget to get both)
I’ve put aftermarket Eibach springs on which make the world of difference and friends have put in tougher bushes which reduces the travel of the car when you boot it which stops it sliding around in a straight line.

With just a remap it will go to 420hp and with a down pipe you’re looking at around 470hp.

It’s my daily and its very comfortable and plenty of power for a RWD hatchback, you said you like to modify your cars and there are plenty of options available for all tastes.

[joropug]

I am looking at all cars with the B58 '40i' engine at the moment too, the M140i seems the best bang for buck.

Looking at slightly older/higher mileage 340i or 440i GCs for the same money and there are very few of them (I want 4 doors).

Been watching a load of videos, seems that the first things i'll be doing is buying a cobra exhaust pipe to delete the resonator and GPF if it has one (think only the newer ones do). That'll be followed by a remap and some tweaks alongside it.

From what i understand beyond a simple remap you can now remap the drive modes too for different powers and they can also control the exhaust valves. You can also "delete" the cold start routine which i will 100% do if i get one - they sound stupidly loud and it'll ps off the neighbours.

But with all of the above, in sport mode it'll be 420bhp with valves open, loud, lairy, hilarious.
In comfort mode it will be 420bhp with valves controlled by the car, so quieter around town.
In Eco Pro it will be 320bhp, better on fuel and quieter for when the wife is with me.

Stage 1 will be more than enough for me, I cant wait but I do feel prices are quite high at the moment, that said my Mercedes is worth more now than it was 18 months ago so it is what it is.

Cold start delete (on an m3, but the difference is insane):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H4NcO-Dz8A

Resonator delete:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGkhdE9Ht3M

[nickfrog]

nikaiyo2 said:

The Honda has a fabulous manual box the BMW manual is horrible, hence why most seem to be autos.

While I agree not many cars can match a Tyoe R manual shift, I think calling the BMW manual horrible is a little exaggerated.

If I give the Honda 10/10, the BMW is still 7/10 for me. Horrible would be 2/10.