JamJay's BMW 135i (That no-one cares about because it's not VAG)

[JamJay]

Hi Mark .

Yes still going, can you really ever stop?! I'm not sure .

The 135i is by far one of the best 'drivers' cars I've had the pleasure of being in. It does exactly what you want and when you want it and every time you drive it, you remember why you love it. The 335i cabrio was definitely more of a car to be seen in, very elegant but it wasn't a drivers car, more a comfortable long range cruiser (as it definitely wasn't an eco town car ). Think of the 135i or 1M even as the TTRS & RS3 are to Audi, if you know what you're looking for in terms of enjoyment, pace and all the performance bits then it's a dream but to everyone else who's not geared that way they are 'just' another 1-series, A3 or TT. Like the BMW 3-series convertible, the A5 will always get the looks from all walks. I guess the ultimate thing really would be an M3 or RS5 (do they do one?) convertible, best compromise of both worlds.

To put it one way, both cars have a place with me but owning £40-£50k's worth of metal is not really where I am at right now so the one will have to do. I will have another BMW cabrio though but I'm hanging on until 2014/15 to see what the 435i M-Sport turns out like.

 

[fuzzy232]

Bet the motor shocks alot of people as I doubt anyone would expect the performance from them.

 

[BigWill]

gorgeous motor matey, bet the thing is rapid as feck.
I found it hard myself changing to RWD but I don't think I can go back now, especially with DSC off

 

[Mark300zx]

Glad to hear you are enjoying it , when you say the 335 wasn't an eco car, what sort of mpg did you get out of it?

I know what you mean about rwd vs fwd, I like the security of the fwd and I like the acceleration of the rwd !!!!!

 

[JamJay]

Hi Will, thanks for the comment . Loving your E46, BBS LM are a great choice for the body shape.

I don't think I could ever go back to a FWD honestly, it all just feels wrong when I get into one now in terms of balance. FWD definitely feels safer though, more predicatable I'd say, RWD requires more skill to drive fast in corners and sometimes in a straight line if you break traction. The scariest part (especially with remap) is when you are mid-corner and start feeding the power back in to pull out of it, this wave of torque comes surging behind you and you just know if you tap it any harder it's going to try and kick out behind you. Not a confident feeling especially in the wet but it makes you feel alive I guess . FWD doesn't have that problem, the LCR probably was less composed on corner entry but better on corner exit.

Mark, I think I was getting around 19mpg around town..average MPG that is which is quite horrific. I put this down to a near 1800kg weight honestly as the 135i in the same conditions and towns is around 24mpg average but then it's around 300kg lighter.

 

[BigWill]

Yeah you've probably got to be a bit more gentle with the throttle around corners than me as mines not as powerful, does kick out though if you want it to.

 

[rf860]

I haven't matey, it's just the pics. In real life they look too red, I'm ordering some BMW dark lines for it soon. Do you have a 135i also?

Yeah i think they let down the look of my car too - darklines will be getting ordering hopefully before the end of the year!

And, i've got the 120d. I couldn't even contemplate a 135i with my mileage and insurance costs

 

[JamJay]

Couple of new updates for the car

First up, 1M rear lights. I've only had them on a few days and comments are rolling in from strangers, they love them so well done BMW.

From the above pics you may have noticed different tail pipes, this is the BMW Performance Exhaust and it sounds lovely. Installation was a doddle although I didn't fit the y-pipe (which cuts out middle silencer) as I plan on custom mid-pipes. The sound is much deeper and a fair bit louder but still refined. If anyone knows what I'm on about when I say that the 350Z sould have had the Nismo exhaust on from the get go, then they'll understand the difference the PE makes to the 135i. Again, well done BMW.

Now it's time to forget praise and slag the German manufacturer off for its over sensitive nanny electronics. One of my brake pad warning sensors had crapped it and was telling me my car needs urgent brake pad replacement. This is utter tosh as they have lots of meat left so next job was wheels off and to replace the offender. To be fair the pads were warm more than I thought but still with good life however, me being me I swapped them for new ones anyway so I have fresh brakes, no discs needed. I tell you waht though, these 6-Piston Brembo's on the car are not as easy to do pads on as the LCR brakes, you have to split the caliper open essentially as they pads are held in by four torx bolts...mad but they stop damn well .

Next up I need to fit my spacers and then it's quiet time until insurance is paid in Feb.

 

[Bignod00]

Subscribed, think one of these is my next purchase!

 

[JamJay]

You won't regret it. It's the next level up from Stage 2+ 2.0TFSI's I'd say but being RWD it's much more fun (dangerous ). Stage 1 remap puts it past Stage2+ K1's etc at around 380bhp, Stage 2+ is around 440bhp.

I guess the next level up from this, if you want to buy off the shelf cars would be Porsche 911 Turbo or GTR I guess...where do you really go after that?

 

[Bignod00]

You won't regret it. It's the next level up from Stage 2+ 2.0TFSI's I'd say but being RWD it's much more fun (dangerous ). Stage 1 remap puts it past Stage2+ K1's etc at around 380bhp, Stage 2+ is around 440bhp.

I guess the next level up from this, if you want to buy off the shelf cars would be Porsche 911 Turbo or GTR I guess...where do you really go after that?

That my friend is exactly why I'm interested on one!

My mate has one that's running 400bhp+ and he let me have a play in it the other week, totally mental car it's pretty much totally won me over!

 

[JamJay]

Totally underated car IMO and with 400bhp I hope he has wider tyres . Mine's not too far off that and I can't put the power down properly with the runflat tyres so in january it's in for some 255/265's non-run flats on the back, I hear this calms things down a bit.

 

[Bignod00]

Totally underated car IMO and with 400bhp I hope he has wider tyres . Mine's not too far off that and I can't put the power down properly with the runflat tyres so in january it's in for some 255/265's non-run flats on the back, I hear this calms things down a bit.

Ha yeah, it did make me pucker up a few times when I dabbled with the loud pedal. Was a little damp so tried to be as restrained as I could be!

 

[JayFR150]

Your car is so nice mate, loving the new lights!

 

[JamJay]

Ha yeah, it did make me pucker up a few times when I dabbled with the loud pedal. Was a little damp so tried to be as restrained as I could be!

Spinning a wheel in the wet with FWD is easy to correct.
Spinning a wheel in the wet with RWD could be the end of the car.

People never seem to get the respect RWD needs, it's takes owning one to understand it.

Your car is so nice mate, loving the new lights!

Cheers Jay, I knew you'd be happier with this choice. What the deal with your Ibiza? I see pics of it in parts...?

 

[betty_swollox]

Very nice mate

 

[dannychapman10]

She's looking good matey
The newer style LED rears are much better then the old 3 strip version. You should get a clip up of the PE, there's a vide of a blue 135i in the US with the PE on, I keep listening to it over and over

Once my travelling has stopped with work, it'll be one of these or an E92 335i for me I think

 

[JayFR150]

Spinning a wheel in the wet with FWD is easy to correct.
Spinning a wheel in the wet with RWD could be the end of the car.

People never seem to get the respect RWD needs, it's takes owning one to understand it.




Cheers Jay, I knew you'd be happier with this choice. What the deal with your Ibiza? I see pics of it in parts...?

Yea the release bearing failed would love to buy something like yours !

 

[Bignod00]

Spinning a wheel in the wet with FWD is easy to correct.
Spinning a wheel in the wet with RWD could be the end of the car.

People never seem to get the respect RWD needs, it's takes owning one to understand it.

Big time mate! Owned a few RWD motors in the past and the first was a learning experience!

 

[M20FES]

This time SEATless and now a member of the no indicator/no idea what speed limits are/no idea what a safe gap between traffic is club..yes, its a BMW .

loving the car as much as the paragraph above . Have you been trained at the school of BMW driving yet ?