2008 BMW 135i: Now THAT'S a lot of motor

I guess BMW made this car because they no longer have the E46 M3 to sell. Personally I'll take a low mileage M3 over this thing in any given day.

I live in Chicago, where the streets are pothole filled and where driveway lips can rip the front off a Porsche. In the winter, the BMWs without AWD often can't get out of the alleys. Also, I have a 3-year-old. Thus, the STI is the perfect choice. The BMW would be fun for track days, though. A stage 2 STI from Cobb Tuning, with Sway Bars and short shift kit is a much different animal to drive. Reduced body roll and a lot more punch from the motor. You guys should consider in investing in the upgrades.

The paint is absolutely stunning in that picture.

"though the STI's rated at 305 hp, you don't really get that heady turbo rush until about 3,000-3,500 rpm, whereas the 135i offers stupid stonk speed on demand;"
 
Finally, someome who knows the difference between peak power and power under the curve. I love the STi but the 1 just talks to me more.

This post encapsulates what made me join the BMWCCA....I want that engine. I've driven tons of cars. No other current manufacturer offers an engine like that 3.0 liter twin turbo. It's so wonderfully smooth and yet the power comes on at 2000 rpms, instantaneously, full throated.
 
I'm hoping the 2009 3-series (or 2011/2012 redesign) will help cure some of the areas I feel are problems (interior a little bland, rear end taillights, front moustache on sedan...). And, if I wait till 2011/2012, they will almost certainly add stop-start technology, decoupling alternator, etc. which will help give it better mileage....oh, for that sweet engine and the gobs of power.
 
BMW w/ snow tires and narrower wheels have greater available traction in snow than the STI with all seasons. Lots of BMW owners don't realize they need snows, and then you get stories about "BMWs can't go anywhere in the snow".
 
Joe

Yeah, there' ssomething about leaving the car in 6th gear until 1500 rpms and then just steadily pulling back up to highway speed with no hesitation. Think about it....traffic going from 20-75mph and back again would be a one gear situation :)
 
Joe

Good thing that the Subie has that $20K car for $40K look going for it though. Wait, that's another strike against it...

Anyone notice that reflection in the door?
Looked at from one way it looks like some weird medical experiment (some might say like the styling!); looked at it from the other way it looks like a fancy corkscrew/wine bottle opener...

Even with Blizzaks, I've seen BMWs get stuck where the Subies have no problems. And people should be smart enough to put winter tires on their cars in the winters.

i don't understand the 135i vs STI comparo. It's a BMW and SUBARU. Totally different markets.

"Totally different markets."
 
The price is close, the performance is close and both are being bought by true drivers.
 
By that I mean the BMW is ugly and the Subaru looks just like the base version that cost half as much.
 
Neither one is a car for posers.... and that's makes them both great in my book.

cruiserhead,
 
I disagree. The open-minded enthusiast will consider a wide range of high-performance cars, and these two happen to have similar prices and numbers (300 hp vs 305, 5.0 seconds to 60 vs 4.8, etc.).
 
The European-market 1 Series five-door hatchback with the 3.0TT would make for a better comparison, but that car doesn't exist, and even if it did, we probably wouldn't get the hatchback here anyway.
 
-Sadlier
 
EDIT: ...and what firstwagon said.

Yup. Both great cars, with similar performance—and both are hoot to drive.
 
So what it comes down to, as Josh stated, what are your needs. I just happen to value the more practical aspects of the STI over that of the 135i, and the fact that it's AWD.
 
Regardless of which one you pick, you're not coming away with a loser.

Fwiw, turbo lag isn't an issue if you're in the right gear. :o)
 
Sadlier's just a turbo n00b. j/k :o)
 
Tight corners? I don't think the 1er would be able to pull off a handbrake hairpin like those found on a rally stage (think Rally Corsica if you're a WRC fan) as well as the STI. Corners don't get much tighter than that folks. Let's ask the other Josh (Jacquot)!
 
Regarding clutch and shifter feel, I haven't driven a 135i so I can't comment on that.

Suby T., how about "tight PAVED corners," which is what I was referring to -- still think the STI's going to outdo the 135? I know the numbers suggest they should be neck-and-neck, but to me the 135 feels significantly more secure and tossable.

"Suby T., how about "tight PAVED corners," which is what I was referring to "
 
I would say yes for the STI (tough to beat a good awd for powering out of a corner)... but to be sure.... Edmunds.... how about a race on somewhere like Willow Spings, Lime Rock, Etc.
 
:)
 
Inquiring minds want to know.....

bbastyr,
 
As a long time Subaru owner, I can tell you that they absolutely suck in snow unless you have GOOD winter tires on. One time I had the same exact model on all-season tires on my old SAAB 900 and on my AWD Impreza. The ones on the SAAB were practically worn out. The ones on the Impreza were pretty new. Yet, with any amount of snow on the ground the Subie was practically undrivable while SAAB was like a tank.
 
My RWD BMWs are excellent in snow with good snow tires on.

BMW owners aren't shopping Subaru STI's. There maybe a lot of webwheeling going on but in actual fact, I don't see much crossover.
 
I've seen more than a few STI's on trails, the owners being obvious victims of too many WRC videos.
 
Being hit with a dose of reality when they realize how abusive trails actually are, and getting a reality check when they dont get very far.
 
That is not a BMW 135i owner.
 
I like the Subaru but not a fan of the looks. It's just way too fast n furious.

^ agreed. BMW owners are not considering an STI, but many Subaru owners have already moved onto BMW's and soon more will follow.

Hahaha, Josh! You didn't explicitly say PAVED corners. :o) I concede you're probably right, though. How 'bout we have Jacquot (or Chris) put 'em through a custom test for kicks since they're both in the LT fleet. :o)

I think that's a great idea. Pitch them both against each other. That will settle this thing.
  Letttttss get rrrready to rrrrruuuummmbbllee!

Oooo this should be a good comparo!...Thing is though, I'm a little bit sad that we live in a world where a Subaru is priced so close to a BMW as to warrant a comparison. Weren't STI's always the car you bought if you didn't have a trust fund, but you wanted beat the pants off those who did?

The real competition for the 135i is the Infiniti G37 Coupe not the Subaru. Unfortunately for the G37 which is tons nicer looking is that the 135i beats it in everything else. If you de-bangleized the 135i, it would have zero competition from any other coupe in the market.

Everything I've read about the twin turbo BMW 6 says its a great engine. I just wish it had more audible turbos. Maybe I'm just weird, but I always loved the whistle turbine sound of a turbo. It could be because my first car, a 1983 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe had a really loud and nice turbo whistle when it spooled up and down.

Okay, here's one for you: Compare the cost and effort of making the Subaru handle like the 135i to the cost and effort of making the 135i into AWD and as practical as the STI. :)

"Okay, here's one for you: Compare the cost and effort of making the Subaru handle like the 135i to the cost and effort of making the 135i into AWD and as practical as the STI. :)"
 
The 135i is offered as a 5-door in Europe so the body style already exists but just wasn't brought to the U.S because of our market's preferences. xDrive can probably be relatively easy to add if the market demanded it because the 135i uses the 3-Series chassis and powertrain.
 
Bringing the Subie's handling, materials quality, and overall refinement up to the BMW's levels, on the other hand, is not a simple feat. If it was, BMW's direct competitors in the entry-lux segment would have all been able to master it by now.

I think, if I bought either one of these, at some point I would slap my forehead and shout, "man I coulda had a G8"
 
kidding.

"As practical as the Sti"...
!
The Sti was/is meant to be about the ultimate performance vehicle for the money. I guess now that it is shown to be outmatched/outgunned by a higher quality and better refined competitor for the same money you have to take the Camry route..
practical?! hah, then just get the WRX. This is the Sti fercryinoutloud. Boy it's hurtin' if practicality is used as a defense.
p.s. if the 135i outperforms the Sti with 2wd, why does it need AWD? And don't kid yourself that you'll be hauling in the snow. Anyone that knows anything about driving in the snow on public roads knows that you drive slowly, and smoothly. For deeper conditions I'm taking my Wrangler!

desmolicious
 
"Practicality" is a very real issue for some of us—who want to have our cake, and eat it too. That's where the STI (and WRX) shines, and that's where the 135i fades.
 
The STI is a do-it-all sports car: take it to the track on weekends, and go to Best Buy and pick up a new big screen TV on Monday. Can't do that with the 135i. To me—a person who can't afford multiple vehicles to do multiple tasks—is of maximum importance.
 
I could care less about the fact that it was originally conceived as the "ultimate performance vehicle for the money" fercryinoutloud. I'm solely interested in what the vehicle is "now," and how it fits "my needs." Where it came from is ancient history, and of little relevance in how I use it daily.

Everyone stop arguing and look at that picture. God damn, that is a beautiful picture.

"For deeper conditions I'm taking my Wrangler!"
 
Exactly! That's why I held on to my '99 Sahara. Either that or my wife's X3 truck. My track rats stay in the heated garage; if someone runs into the Jeep, so what? However, if some brain-dead moron were to tag my Club Sport I'd wind up doing five to ten for aggravated manslaughter...

I know how we can settle this! Josh and Chris should take the cars to a SCCA autox event on a weekend! :o)
 
What do you all think?

What do you all think?
 
Regardless of who wins or loses, it wouldn't change my opinion one way or another, as both cars are fast and handle well. So as far as I'm concerned that would be merely an exercise designed to encourage more "bench racing" sessions down at the local watering hole.
 
Discussions about "livability" over the long haul are of far more interest to me, which is what this "long-term testing" blog is about. :)

"Everyone stop arguing and look at that picture. God damn, that is a beautiful picture."
 
You must be looking at a different picture than me... Because I can easily pick a dozen mainstream cars that look better than the 1er.

I really like the Subie.. but I ended up getting a 135i after test driving both (also considered G37, A5, Z4, and Evo, though I only test drove G37 and Z4). The BMW handles smooth as butter, and is a blast. Subie isn't as fun, but offers just as much performance, if not more.

I actually like the way the 135i looks. Sure, the headlights are huge, and it looks a little fat, but I like it! Plus, on north NJ roads where 3-series are as common as Civics, it's kinda nice to stand out. What turned me off most about the Subie was how it looks more than anything. It's like a 15 year old with a Hot Wheels obsession got to design it. Does the spoiler really need to be that big, I doubt it provides much downward force to begin with..

STI might be more convenient (with AWD, more space, etc), but I have a backup car (Honda Element, possibly the most utilitarian and useful vehicle ever, though it's about as much fun to drive as a rock), so I chose the immensely fun and less practical 135i over the slightly less fun, but still monstrously fun, STI. Also.. though similar in price remember- 135i = luxury sport coupe; Sti = street-legal rally car. Both have their ups and downs, it's no use arguing which is better because either will be better suited for different needs.

I am in the process of selling my 2002 WRX and am about 2 weeks out from receiving my 135i. I loved the WRX but once I drove the 135i (after driving an RX-8 and G37) I had to get it.

Unbelievable smoothness and power without that complete lack of bottom end below 3000 rpm in the WRX (even more so in the RX-8 for that matter), with less body roll. Fantastic clutch and shifter especially compared to the G37, and absolutely no comparison in the interior.

Like I said, I loved my WRX, and I never thought I'd buy a BMW, but I'm just counting the seconds....