M135i: One Month In #blogpost

One month ago, I finally took collection of my new baby. After nearly 2 years with the 335D it was time for something newer, faster and more fun! I’d spent time weighing up all different hot hatches in my budget, ranging from Leon Cupra’s to Golf R’s, and although they’re all excellent cars, it kept coming back round to BMW.

After 2 months of hunting for the ideal 1 or 2 Series, I finally stumbled on the car that’s now sitting on my drive. Low mileage - check. One owner - Check. Decent spec with a few extras. Check! The only thing putting me off was the colour; I’d been after something in black or the classic Estoril Blue, but the Valencia Orange was too interesting too ignore even though I wasn’t 100% on it. The second I pulled into BMW and saw it, I knew it was the right car for me. It had the right balance of lairy without going down the Civic Type-R route.

One month since taking delivery, and I don’t regret going slightly over budget for a second. The car has been better in pretty much every single way than I had expected, particularly in one area…

The Engine

What an unbelievable power plant they’ve managed to shoehorn into a fairly small car! 322bhp does mean it has marginally less than my previous car, but you wouldn’t know it from driving. The power delivery is instant, with no noticeable lag from the twin-scroll turbo holding it back. If it wasn’t for the sound of the turbo whistle in 1st and 2nd, and the slight hiss from the wastegate, you wouldn’t know there was forced induction magic going on. It genuinely feels like a NA straight six…and sounds like it too. Yes, I know there’s the usual BMW artificial sound trickery coming through the speakers, but there’s no denying the stock exhaust note is as smooth as they come.

While we’re on the subject of the drive train, it’s worth mentioning the 8 speed ZF box is an absolute gem.

Yes, you can have a manual. No, I didn’t get a manual. Yes I’m still a ‘true’ petrol head.

I’m using this car as a daily driver as well as a weekend cruiser, and my morning commute means queues, stop-start driving and being pretty bored. Having it in full auto for this is the perfect scenario, and when I want to have fun, punching it into Sport+ and Manual Shift makes it pretty unbeatable for pace. Besides, I have an MX5 if I want to be in full control of the gear I’m in, and that has one of the best gear boxes ever made.

Design

Styling-wise, I’m still a bit split on the looks. The front is, for me, spot on. The addition of the LED headlights and more aggressive bumper compared to a standard 1 Series gives it a pretty mean appearance. Where I’m not totally sold on is the rear; the lights just don’t quite work for me. I get that they’re designed to resemble the rest of the BMW range, but they seem a little out of proportion on a car of this size. It’s also worth noting that the placement of the reversing camera is a little daft, as it gets covered in dirt in a pretty short space of time. First world problem I know, but still.

The twin-pipes make up for all of the design elements I’m not so keen on though. The black-chrome tips really complete the look, and when matched with the blue ///M brake calipers you know this is a serious performance car.

Inside the car

The interior is typically BMW; well put together, comfortable, with all the creature comforts you could need, and possibly a little plain. For me this works perfectly, as I’m dailying this car and want it to be a nice place to be on a long drive. Having the upgraded ProNav system is definitely a plus point, and the touch controller for it is excellent too. One option I wish had been spec’d is the Harmon Kardon sound system. My friend has recently bought a brand new 4 Series with this option checked, and the difference is huge. The standard system isn’t bad at all, but the HK one is in a different league. I’ve had a few glitches with the Bluetooth dropping out on calls and causing the iDrive System to totally reset on a few occasions, but BMW are going to look into it so hopefully that’ll be nailed down soon enough.

Driving Experience

I’ve already said how good the engine is, but paired to this chassis, suspension setup and steering, and you’ve got a recipe for an incredible weekend blast.

The steering is incredibly direct, with a pretty fast rack for throwing it into turns. There’s not a huge amount of feel, which is strange given how accurately you can place the front end of the car. I guess that’s electric power steering for you.

I don’t have the adaptive M-Sport suspension, but the standard M-Sport suspension seems to do the job rather nicely. It’s a little bumpy on really rough roads, but 99% of the time it’s ideal for what I need, and is still miles better than that of my old car.

I’ve yet to take her on a proper hoon, but the little B-road blasts and high-speed runs I’ve done have shown me this is a very capable car that’s a joy to drive, and is going to give me years of fun and good times.

TL;DR Summary.

Good stuff:

Engine is amazing.
It sounds biblical.
Interior is well put together, comfortable and refined.
MPG is excellent for a 3 litre petrol!
Unbelievably direct, if a little numb in feeling, steering.

Things that make me many sads:

Paint is chipping horrendously for the mileage. Come on BMW, add another coat or two!
Bluetooth issue needs investigating.
Why are hell there no rear cup holders?!

Final Thoughts.

I said about my 335D a year into ownership “I’ve never owned a car that I like as much as this before. It does everything I want, and more. I think when it eventually comes to replace it, I’ll be hard-pressed to find a better, more capable all rounder.”

Turns out I found that better, more capable all rounder. Huzzah!

#realcars #m135i