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Yes. The run flats! Seems like BMW is making a lot of questionable decisions lately-none of them in favor of driving enthusiasts.
I won't mind moving over to Porsche when they come out with that small, sporty hatchback. I have driven its cheaper "cousin", the VW Rabbit, which I found to be a lot of fun to drive with an incredible amount of interior space. I can't even begin to imagine what Porsche will do with a hatch.
More in line with the topic-why would anybody shell out for a 135i, when for a few thousand more, drive a better-looking coupe which doesn't have the stigma of being BMW's "entry-level" model? BMWNA will even give you back $500 for buying/leasing the 335i through BMWCCA membership, but not for the 135i. Puzzling.
Well, there are people with a bridge that they'd love you to buy. Two things:
1) The oil level sensor was, in fact, quite unreliable after its initial introduction. If you're me, you're wondering why on God's earth anyone thought it was a good idea to take a $5 dipstick and replace it with something that cost an order of magnitude more & didn't work.
2) Anytime you think you'll come out ahead trying to recover major engine damage under a warranty (as opposed to being able to just check the fricking oil), you're living in a different world than mine. Then there's the "factory bubble" that I hate to ever break. Letting ham-handed dealership "mechanics" tear into a vehicle on the off chance that they'll get everything back in right is not where I want to go.
I have voted on these issues with my money. I spent most of four years thinking that my next vehicle would be a BMW. It was not.
What kind of small sporty hatchback is Porsche coming out with? Built off the FWD Rabbit platform?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Ummm, because you get more performance for less money? :confuse:
Seems like a winning combination to me...
Has it been proven that the oil level sensor is unreliable? If so, how was it shown to be unreliable? You know BMW is not the only manufacturer to use an oil level sensor. Lexus and Land Rover I believe also use one, to name 2. (Now, they might also include a dipstick for free!)
Just another thought, regarding why take away a $5 dipstick: Perhaps too many owners don't bother using it? I think society is a whole is moving towards everything being automated and maintenance-free.
Again, I'm just trying to present another side to the argument. Don't beat me up!
(Now, I do think the 1-series cabriolet makes sense, since not everyone wants a power retractable hardtop)
I'll be waiting.
Terrific for 3 Series buyers. Not only do they get a great vehicle, but it is no longer "entry level" BMW.
Well, that depends on what the meaning of "proven" is. What I do know is that after the oil level sensor was introduced, the 3-series boards were full of reports of failed sensors and/or questions as to how to determine how much oil there was in the crankcase if the sensor had failed. To add to the joy, since it was a relatively new idea/part, spares weren't readily available. It may have failed, but at least you couldn't get a replacement.
Oh, and the answer to the question is: Drain the oil and measure it. Pour it back in. Repeat.
It's $6,000 less. That's a significant amount of money in my book.
"The 135i is a bit too expensive"
Name any other 300 HP luxury sport coupe/sedan that costs less.
"and one gets the "entry level" stigma"
If someone wants to spend an extra $6,000 just because they can't stand having a "1" on the trunk, then they simply don't deserve (and wouldn't appreciate) a "1." Personally, I've never perceived a "stigma" with any BMW. I don't see the 1, 3, 5, or 7 as "climbing up" some imaginary status ladder - and I feel sorry for anyone who cares so much about trying to impress their neighbors.
To me (and many enthusiasts here), the top of the BMW rung is the car with the most aggressive/most fun-to-drive combination of small size, light weight, and horsepower/torque. Right now, IMO, BMW only sells two "sports cars" - the Z4 M Coupe and M3 (debatable). The 135i falls one notch below these two, but also is a lot more accessible.
Considering that you can get BMW performance, driving dynamics, and luxury for the price of a Subaru WRX STI or Mitsubishi Evo, I'd say it's a lot of car for the money.
Actually, the 135 is even closer, so if that is your goal .... ??
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Whoops! 12:06 PM. Time to go out and pick up some cans and bottles.
Well, you would need to take "luxury" out of the equation. A base 135 is pretty spartan. And if you start to click off a couple of options the price creeps even closer to the 335.
You should be grateful the wife put some much needed sanity back in your life!
If looks are that important, isn't the A5/S5 better looking than them all?
All that to say, I love the 1 series. We sell everyone that we can get.
I feel a lot of passion went out of the LL with the seemingly permanent sabbaticals of some terrific former members.
Meanwhile, BMWFS has phoned me twice over the last 10 days, attempting to get me to buy my leased 2005 545i which I'm returning at the end of July. The residual is $34,300. First offer 10 days ago: $4000 off. Second offer today: $5600 off. If they get down to $25,000 as the purchase price, I'll be listening....
Some horror story eh? All those V8, 20 mpg 545i's coming off lease with nobody to buy them. They will take a killing at Manheim.
You know, getting back to the thread's topic, if I suddenly found a red or black 135i coupe sitting in my driveway, I would keep it without any protest. I just think the 335i coupe is a better vehicle. I don't hate the BMW 1 Series coupes; I just don't comprehend the reason for building them when you already have the 3 Series coupes which I still maintain look better, are more roomy and perform just as well as the 1's.
Anyone here who has a 1 Series: Enjoy it!
And yes, I agree. The A5/S5 are very handsome coupes with absolutely gorgeous interiors. As usual Audi beats BMW in the looks department. It's just that the A5/S5 will lose in sheer driving pleasure to BMW every time. It's why we put up with the "same old" boring BMW interiors. BMW has us hooked.
Regards,
Hpowders
Spartan is a relative term. It comes with pretty much everything the 335i does.
Hey, I agree the 335i Coupe is prettier than the 135i. Obviously, the better looks and roomier cabin are worth an extra $6000 to you. That's cool. And if you don't mind the performance hit you suffer from the added size and weight, then OK. I guess our priorities in a sporty coupe are different.
"...performs as close to the legendary M3 as many of us will ever get. Considering that the price differential between the M3 and 335i coupes is $17.000-$18,000, the 335i coupe becomes the screaming relative bargain, not the 135i."
You lost me here. The 135i outperforms the 335i and costs less, so how can the 335i be the "screaming relative bargain?"
But really, who are we kidding? Calling the 335i (or 135i) a "bargain" compared to the M3 is like calling a Yamaha upright piano a bargain compared to a Steinway Concert Grand.
BMW could have really made a statement here by creating a lighter vehicle like the 2002 used to be, devoid of the heavy technological doodads that most of us surely don't need; a car designed for purists, with a stick, basic radio, manually adjusted cloth seats, with a great BMW engine, suspension and brakes say for $30,000 plus tax, out the door. They would have earned my respect.
HP, I gotta go with Fedlawman on this, in a cash, or finance purchase, the 1 series is a hit IMO. 200 pounds is 200 pounds. Room is irrelevant when discussing performance isn't it?
At any rate, I'm still jealous of your 545. It's such a sleeper.
As far as stuff we don't need, I agree. But a lot of that stuff is government mandated. Airbags, tire pressure monitoring, you can't build a car without those things nowadays.
I'm assuming by "relative bargain", he was referring to more than just performance specs on paper.
I can't quite equate the Yamaha to Steinway analogy, but that's neither here nor there.
Let me put it this way, if I can only buy and keep one car for the rest of my life, I would feel quite comfortable in picking the 335i. Not sure I can say the same about the 135i. Well, ok, I know I can't say that about the 135i.
I'm planning on giving back the 545i late next month. I know BMWFS will never offer me a $25k buyout price, but if they go down to $28k(they are currently at $29,307 from an original buyout price of $34,300), I may decide to buy it. The vehicle has behaved flawlessly for 3 years and has less than 26k miles on it.
Fair enough.
Now my problem is the realization that a 3-coupe is a bad lease deal as compared to a comparably equipped a 3-sedan (which is what I have now). A comparably equipped coupe costs about $2,000 more to begin with. That I knew. But then I checked the leasing programs and found that the residuals are lower and the money factors are higher. The combination of these 3 factors working against a person wanting to lease a 3-coupe are so forceful that the situation is such that I could actually lease a 335i sedan for about the same monthly payment as a 328i coupe. Humm. Given that choice, I think I'd prefer the power boost and the 2 extra doors over the coupe's nicer looks.
The problem is, as usual with BMW's entry-level inline 6 engines, there is absolutely no low-end power from rest. I drove one about 6 weeks ago and I must say, the Accord EX V6 had better acceleration. Of course, once you are at speed, the 328i is as much fun as any BMW can be.
The terrific BMW leasing deals we all got used to are over, thanks to the big decline in the US dollar relative to the Euro.
The worst leasing terms are on the 1 Series. Anyone wanting one should think of purchasing instead.
I'm with you on that one, but you're not going to get it. Like dhamilton said: Modern BMWs are all going to have airbags up the wazoo, dsc (or dtc whatever they call it now), abs, sunroofs. You're not going to get a 2100 lb car with a BMW badge on it.
For me, as much as I'd love to have a 135i with its 300 hp twin turbo Inline 6, I can get a 128i with a few choice options (Sport Package, Sirius, Heated seats, & Xenon) that stickers for around $34,000.
You say you're into this Porsche hatchback thingy with a FWD based AWD system (didn't you say something about heavy technoligical doo-dads)that willl suffer from terminal understeer & be nose heavy. For the $40-$45K price...I'm going to get myself a Boxster.
EDIT: Your 545i is a sweet car. I'd love to have an E60 535i or 550i in my stable.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Infiniti, on the other hand, is just about giving away G35s, the widely regarded #2 car in this market segment. Much lower MSRP to begin with + invoice pricing + high residual + low money factor = WAY lower monthly payment on a lease than even a 328i sedan. It's a relative gas-guzzler (which may be the reason for the aggressive pricing and lease program), but it's mighty tempting. The more comparable 335i would actually cost about 50% more on a lease that the G35!
Back on topic, my fling with the 1 is now officially over . . .
All this means that while BMWFS is lowering the buyout price for me, I would have to be nuts to take on the potential for major expenses as the vehicle ages. All this technology can become a heck of an expensive nightmare. I will pass.
The best way to drive BMWs is to lease them every three years and keep turning them over. Never get attached to them.
As far as the Porsche version of the Rabbit hatch is concerned, I trust Porsche will make it the best performing, as well as the most expensive, hatch ever. They will overcome the problems you mention, somehow. It should be worth waiting for to see exactly how they accomplish this.
It seems you have a low-mileage, trouble-free car with great performance and decent gas mileage that you can retain at or below market value. If it were me, I would think twice about it.
They are realizing what a lot of us have been saying for a while. The residuals don't reflect real world prices.
All that said, BMW's still hold their mud better than most.
Another thing-with the 4 year free maintenance, all of a sudden oil changes became necessary at 15,000 mile intervals. Before the free maintenance, BMW required you to bring the car in at 1500 miles and after that more frequently for oil changes. As soon as they began picking up the tab, it became "see you every 15,000 miles." True, the oil is synthetic, but can I buy a vehicle that has had its oil changed at 15,000 mile intervals? That's still a lot of miles, even for synthetic oil. Who knows what the effect will be on that expensive V8 engine by years 5 through 8?
Read it again, Roundel's techies say BMW's A/Ts are troublesome if you make the mistake of believing BMW's BS about "Lifetime Fill". They believe new trans oil and filters at 60-70K intervals will result in good service life.
The A/T in my E39 528iA shifts more smoothly at 105K than the one in my MIL's LeSabre at 35K.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Well, BMWFS came down twice already on the buyout price. It is now at $28,700 from an original $34,300. A trouble-free 2005 545i with 25,800 miles, no dings, new Conti tires, AT, non-sport, premium package and comfort seats.
Something tells me, they will come down even further on the buyout price. According to inventory data, my dealer has four 2005 545i's sitting on his lot already. They don't want my vehicle back. For me to be interested, they will have to come down a bit more.
$28,000 for a like-new 545i is a screaming deal. I've seen E46's selling for that.