Discussion
Not universally liked, style-wise, not universally liked, in general from what i am hearing.
BUT. Can this car become the top value, high-quality, hot hatch to rule all hot hatches and give many sports cars a hard time, too?
After all, the engine quickly and easily goes to 375 bhp/350 lbs-ft and the car could well be cheap used in the near future.
Great bangs per buck or what!
£30K for a new Audi S3?
Never, not when these may be low-20s very soon!
BUT. Can this car become the top value, high-quality, hot hatch to rule all hot hatches and give many sports cars a hard time, too?
After all, the engine quickly and easily goes to 375 bhp/350 lbs-ft and the car could well be cheap used in the near future.
Great bangs per buck or what!
£30K for a new Audi S3?
Never, not when these may be low-20s very soon!
I managed to get our demo for the night just before christmas.....
It blows the S3 into obilvion, it is abso-bloody-lutly brilliant.
The way the DSC works with the power in the rear makes numpty drivers like me, feel like the late Colin Burns with the rear out on most islands when required
A future BMW classic I feel.
It blows the S3 into obilvion, it is abso-bloody-lutly brilliant.
The way the DSC works with the power in the rear makes numpty drivers like me, feel like the late Colin Burns with the rear out on most islands when required

A future BMW classic I feel.
Beemer-5 said:
After all, the engine quickly and easily goes to 375 bhp/350 lbs-ft and the car could well be cheap used in the near future.
Great bangs per buck or what!
Indeed. Great bangs per buck or what!
However EVO just had a turbo failure on the standard 335i touring. Turbo replaced in a week under warranty. Garage said it was due to a prematurely worn wastegate that remained open. Probably a one-off thing and would not be affected by a remap??
And yes I think it will be the hot hatch of hot hatches. Even though it is heavy and ugly it is still a RWD with a cracking engine-can't go wrong with that recipe, especially in a world of FWD and 4WD cars.
Clarkson gave it 5/5 in the Sunday Time last week. Loved the fecking thing.
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_styl...
And I quote "The fact of the matter is this. The 135 coupé is the best car BMW makes. I have no hesitation at all, then, in giving this long-awaited return to form the rare accolade of five stars."
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_styl...
And I quote "The fact of the matter is this. The 135 coupé is the best car BMW makes. I have no hesitation at all, then, in giving this long-awaited return to form the rare accolade of five stars."
Edited by Luca1973 on Friday 4th January 17:19
135i v s3
True 135i better car, but with the spec you'd want on a 135i M Sport, you'll be pushing £35K. Even a bit of spec on a s3 will make it < £30K. Plus i'd have a R32 all day long over a 2.0 audi s3.
Thats a lot of money for a car that people will think you are driving because you cant afford a three series.
Oh, and it will be 2-3 years easily before they're down to early twenties...
True 135i better car, but with the spec you'd want on a 135i M Sport, you'll be pushing £35K. Even a bit of spec on a s3 will make it < £30K. Plus i'd have a R32 all day long over a 2.0 audi s3.
Thats a lot of money for a car that people will think you are driving because you cant afford a three series.
Oh, and it will be 2-3 years easily before they're down to early twenties...
pgilc1 said:
Thats a lot of money for a car that people will think you are driving because you cant afford a three series.
With a 135i's budget, you could always buy a new 5er or a used 7er if you think your car is an indicator on what you want to be seen as. Other people's criteria is more weighted on what their car drives like.
Dino D said:
Beemer-5 said:
After all, the engine quickly and easily goes to 375 bhp/350 lbs-ft and the car could well be cheap used in the near future.
Great bangs per buck or what!
Indeed. Great bangs per buck or what!
However EVO just had a turbo failure on the standard 335i touring. Turbo replaced in a week under warranty. Garage said it was due to a prematurely worn wastegate that remained open. Probably a one-off thing and would not be affected by a remap??
highway said:
Im told that BMW dealers are very much willing to discount non M cars these days. Ive heard 15%-17% is possible.
I would be stunned if BMW were offering 15%-17% off a 1 series coupe. Broadspeed, who represent the Inchcape group of BMW dealers are only offering 10% tops. And there is no 135i SE anyway.Bodo said:
pgilc1 said:
Thats a lot of money for a car that people will think you are driving because you cant afford a three series.
With a 135i's budget, you could always buy a new 5er or a used 7er if you think your car is an indicator on what you want to be seen as. Other people's criteria is more weighted on what their car drives like.
I've seen a 135i in the flesh, it is very small compared to a 3 series coupe.
Also, heres a dilemma. Most BMWs in this bracket are sold on a PCP deal, ie, deposit, monthly payments, residual value. Granted, these cars need some options added, but you'd probably spend as much on each as options, so it should all be relative. According to www.broadspeed.com, heres the monthly payments for the 135i V 335i
135i M Sport £427
335i SE £453
335i M Sport £478
Would you really walk past a 335i to buy a 135i for as little as £26 a month less?
pgilc1 said:
highway said:
Im told that BMW dealers are very much willing to discount non M cars these days. Ive heard 15%-17% is possible.
I would be stunned if BMW were offering 15%-17% off a 1 series coupe. Broadspeed, who represent the Inchcape group of BMW dealers are only offering 10% tops. And there is no 135i SE anyway.Donut said:
pgilc1 said:
highway said:
Im told that BMW dealers are very much willing to discount non M cars these days. Ive heard 15%-17% is possible.
I would be stunned if BMW were offering 15%-17% off a 1 series coupe. Broadspeed, who represent the Inchcape group of BMW dealers are only offering 10% tops. And there is no 135i SE anyway.I'm not seeing it on any of the online brokers i've looked at? You should readily be able to get up to 10% off from a dealer, 12-14% from a broker possibly, on some cars, but i've seen no evidence of heavier discounting that that of SEs? Particularly not the 1 series coupe - the car in question here.
Dont get me wrong, i'm not saying the 135i is a bad car, i know its a very good car. Its definitely not a good looking car though.
I had a 535d up until november, and now have a new X5, and my o/h has a z4 3.0Si Sport Coupe. I'd say we're pretty much prime candidates for buying a 135i, particularly given my o/h had a 3 series coupe before that, but didnt like the size of it.
We're just struggling to reconcile the looks of the car and the price with options thats being asked for it.
The z4 has an incredible wow factor and drives fantastically. The new 3 series coupe is even bigger than the old one. But when we've looked at a 135i its like 'oh'.
Relative to what the o/p question about it being a performance bargain down the line, yes if it drops to well below £20K at three years old, then yes, but i fear it wont as it will always be sought after - the cheapest year old one on autotrader is £30,850 - not a good start relative to being a good used purchase
I had a 535d up until november, and now have a new X5, and my o/h has a z4 3.0Si Sport Coupe. I'd say we're pretty much prime candidates for buying a 135i, particularly given my o/h had a 3 series coupe before that, but didnt like the size of it.
We're just struggling to reconcile the looks of the car and the price with options thats being asked for it.
The z4 has an incredible wow factor and drives fantastically. The new 3 series coupe is even bigger than the old one. But when we've looked at a 135i its like 'oh'.
Relative to what the o/p question about it being a performance bargain down the line, yes if it drops to well below £20K at three years old, then yes, but i fear it wont as it will always be sought after - the cheapest year old one on autotrader is £30,850 - not a good start relative to being a good used purchase
Edited by pgilc1 on Saturday 5th January 12:20
pgilc1 said:
Donut said:
pgilc1 said:
highway said:
Im told that BMW dealers are very much willing to discount non M cars these days. Ive heard 15%-17% is possible.
I would be stunned if BMW were offering 15%-17% off a 1 series coupe. Broadspeed, who represent the Inchcape group of BMW dealers are only offering 10% tops. And there is no 135i SE anyway.I'm not seeing it on any of the online brokers i've looked at? You should readily be able to get up to 10% off from a dealer, 12-14% from a broker possibly, on some cars, but i've seen no evidence of heavier discounting that that of SEs? Particularly not the 1 series coupe - the car in question here.

I meant you won't get 10% off anymore.
Donut said:
pgilc1 said:
Donut said:
pgilc1 said:
highway said:
Im told that BMW dealers are very much willing to discount non M cars these days. Ive heard 15%-17% is possible.
I would be stunned if BMW were offering 15%-17% off a 1 series coupe. Broadspeed, who represent the Inchcape group of BMW dealers are only offering 10% tops. And there is no 135i SE anyway.I'm not seeing it on any of the online brokers i've looked at? You should readily be able to get up to 10% off from a dealer, 12-14% from a broker possibly, on some cars, but i've seen no evidence of heavier discounting that that of SEs? Particularly not the 1 series coupe - the car in question here.

I meant you won't get 10% off anymore.
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