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Post by chipbutty on Mar 31, 2017 9:58:55 GMT
Racing - did you do an end of term summary of your M135i ? (buggered if I can find it on the old forum if you did). If you didn't - would you mind sharing your thoughts on : - Manual gearbox - would you order one with the MT again ? - do BMW still fit clutch delay valves to their manual cars ?
- VDC - Did you spec it ? - everything I have read suggests it's a no brainer and essential to get the appropriate ride/handling balance
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 31, 2017 11:36:23 GMT
I did not. That might also be because I still own it...not proving an easy car to sell.
But sure, will do.
To answer your questions:
(i) Not sure. I have difficulties with the idea of an automatic hot hatch. I'm not wholly convinced that the engine and manual gearbox in the M135i were the happiest of combinations on reflection. It was great when you were out on the open road and gorgeously flexible in higher gears, but it never liked low speed trickling much which isn't great when you live in London. Then again the M140i has a completely new engine and by all accounts, it's quite peachy with the manual gearbox.
The interesting part is quite how different the 440i feels. It's much more laid-back when you're not "on it" and has more of a Jekyll & Hyde personality which is completely at one with the rather raffish styling, and I'm sure a huge part of that is the gearbox. And whilst I love the way the 440i feels, I don't whether it would suit the M135i/M140i, which feels much more obviously sporty. But perhaps Piers can comment?
(ii) yes mine has the adaptive suspension. As you say it is considered essential for normal driving and I added it again on the 440i. It can clonk occasionally over eg speed humps but it's something they all do apparently (and the 440i is no exception). I note that the M135i rides and handles beautifully up to about 8/10ths but can start to feel a bit untidy after that – that last edge of damper control isn't quite there, even in Sport chassis mode. If that bothers you, go for the passive suspension and get eg Birds to fit a suspension upgrade – apparently that and a slippy diff make all the difference. But I quite liked the fact that the car telegraphs its limits so clearly and it also requires more of you as a driver, which is sort of the point of this type of car.
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Post by chipbutty on Mar 31, 2017 13:15:53 GMT
Thank you for your comments
It is surprising and somewhat of a concern that you haven't been able to sell yours (approaching 3 months now ?) so far. I guess that's a huge tick in the lease vs buy box then.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Mar 31, 2017 13:24:45 GMT
It's a hell of a good buy for someone I thought you'd get your hand snapped off.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 31, 2017 13:32:07 GMT
Problem with the M135i as a used-sell is the competition: there are gazilions of them and too many of the current crop of buyers are of the "lowest price wins" variety.
Wrong gearbox for me to make an offer for W2.0's new car, although I am now told I am funding her new business venture, which I'm actually more excited about, if disappointed that it's yet more delay for another car...
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 31, 2017 14:04:52 GMT
Mine is pretty much the lowest price for anything that isn't Cat D, leggy, a 3dr or low-spec.
5dr manuals are rare. High-spec manuals are rare. High-spec 5dr manuals are really rare. Ones which are over 4 years old but still immaculate, 1-owner and under both BMW warranty and servicing plan are hen's teeth territory. Chuck in that it's a good colour combo, has the desirable sunroof and also has the expensive official sports exhaust, and you'd think it wouldn't be a hard sell.
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 31, 2017 14:08:27 GMT
Thank you for your comments It is surprising and somewhat of a concern that you haven't been able to sell yours (approaching 3 months now ?) so far. I guess that's a huge tick in the lease vs buy box then. Well I'm not in dire need of the money, so it can just sit there and wait for the right buyer for the time being so far as I am concerned. It's past the worst depreciation stage.
It's on sale or return at a specialist dealer, as that saves me having to think about tax, storage and insurance costs. He said the markets been pretty dead but he's expecting it to pick up as we head towards Easter. As he remarked last week "the car is stunning, it will sell, we just need to wait for the right buyer".
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Post by Martin on Mar 31, 2017 14:09:19 GMT
It's the wood trim, would have sold weeks ago otherwise.....  Seriously, I am surprised, as it is a very good spec and sounds to be priced very competitively. Have you had many calls / much interest? |
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 31, 2017 14:12:15 GMT
These days you can get piano black in an M140i, which I might have gone for. But I refuse to have the aluminium trim - I really dislike it.
Plus, for the die-hard tree-haters, BMW sells a dealer-fit trim upgrade to carbon fibre or MPerformance suede.
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Post by LandieMark on Mar 31, 2017 14:48:32 GMT
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Post by chipbutty on Mar 31, 2017 14:49:16 GMT
I would be going for the M-peasant edition
Metallic paint
VDC
Cruise control
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 31, 2017 14:53:25 GMT
But I refuse to have the aluminium trim - I really dislike it. Yep: that's me, also. It looks particularly cheap and horrid in many BMWs if you're minded too dislike it. |
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 31, 2017 14:55:10 GMT
Bloody hell, I stand corrected on the competition: that'll be gone by the end of May. |
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 31, 2017 15:14:45 GMT
Yup. Really not clear why it's proving such an orphan. Tempted to say the black front grilles don't help but not minded to spend money replacing them. |
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Post by PR on Mar 31, 2017 16:41:57 GMT
I can offer the alternative view as my car is an auto with passive dampers.
I've never once regretted going for the auto. I recognise Jonny's description of the engine/gearbox combo as mine will quite happily mooch along in comfort mode (and really slushes in eco pro, which I select in motorway queues for example), but feels very much more urgent and aggressive in sport. If you push the lever over into 'manual' it really does leave it almost entirely up to you, although annoyingly it does drop into first at crawling speed when staying in second would be better. The paddle shifters respond very quickly and deliver fast changes up or down.
As for the dampers, I'm happy with what I've got although I've never driven one with VDC so don't know what I'm missing. In normal driving it's pleasantly supple - I don't find myself wincing over bumps like I did in the 130i - but still agile and grippy. The worst thing is the light and aloof steering but you're stuck with that whatever dampers you have.
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Post by PG on Mar 31, 2017 20:53:38 GMT
Bloody hell, I stand corrected on the competition: that'll be gone by the end of May. I'm not a BMW spotter, but that seems quite pricey to me considering Drive the Deal are offering new manual 140i Nav 5 doors for £26k on the road (that's £7k off list). )OK, yours has a way better spec and option packages, but although some options seem "essential" for resale do they really add value? Tomorrow somebody will buy it and prove me wrong of course. |
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Post by racingteatray on Apr 1, 2017 10:42:39 GMT
Specced to match mine, a new M140i 5dr manual would set you back about £32k post-discount and still suffer some fairly brutal initial depreciation, notwithstanding the discount.
So £17.5k is knocking on for half-price for a car that still under warranty and service cover, and the worst depreciation is past.
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Post by chipbutty on Apr 3, 2017 6:10:12 GMT
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Post by racingteatray on Apr 3, 2017 11:28:38 GMT
Although that's a three door with the square root of naff-all options fitted.
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Post by michael on Apr 3, 2017 11:55:52 GMT
I am surprised how much money they command. What is it that the market is going for, the Golf R?
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Apr 3, 2017 14:05:42 GMT
Bloody hell, I stand corrected on the competition: that'll be gone by the end of May. I'm not a BMW spotter, but that seems quite pricey to me considering Drive the Deal are offering new manual 140i Nav 5 doors for £26k on the road (that's £7k off list). )OK, yours has a way better spec and option packages, but although some options seem "essential" for resale do they really add value? Tomorrow somebody will buy it and prove me wrong of course. I know £17k to £26k doesn't seem that much of a jump an a newer car but if you're looking for one of these and you've got a decent trade in - say £7k - it's the difference between financing £10k and £19k - almost double. And as Racing says his is much better spec. |
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Post by michael on Apr 3, 2017 14:44:13 GMT
It has a lot more spec but I'd suggest the market doesn't agree it's better.
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Post by racingteatray on Apr 3, 2017 16:23:03 GMT
The relatively chunky price (over 50% of what I paid for it) is one reason why I have it on sale-or-return - the dealer can offer (i) part-ex and (ii) finance, neither of which I can do as a private seller, which widens the pool of potential purchasers.
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Post by racingteatray on Apr 3, 2017 16:24:35 GMT
It has a lot more spec but I'd suggest the market doesn't agree it's better. That's why it is priced at a point where everything equivalent is more expensive... |
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Post by chipbutty on Apr 3, 2017 16:32:00 GMT
I wasn't making any reference to your pricing...just stating that if I get one, that's what I would be getting (rather than going new).
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Post by michael on Apr 3, 2017 17:03:27 GMT
It has a lot more spec but I'd suggest the market doesn't agree it's better. That's why it is priced at a point where everything equivalent is more expensive... Fair enough. Do you think it's the colour that's holding it back? |
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Post by Andy C on Apr 3, 2017 18:04:03 GMT
Are you opting out of the JLR scheme Pete, or is this a second car?
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Post by chipbutty on Apr 3, 2017 18:46:43 GMT
Possible replacement for the S-type R.
Disco 4 remains with the boss.
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Post by Andy C on Apr 3, 2017 19:49:09 GMT
Nice - I forgot about the S-type
Not tempted by a Golf R at all ?
The facelifted one (new interior, digital cockpit, slight power increase) makes it even more desirable
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Post by PG on Apr 3, 2017 21:46:04 GMT
Possible replacement for the S-type R. Disco 4 remains with the boss. Why are you changing the S TYpe R? |
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