Test drive

[harpoon]

I went to Canterbury BMW today and testdrove the manual 135.

Wow. What a car.

That engine is superb. I currently drive a Nissan 350z and love it, and always considered to be a quick car but the 135 feels 25% faster. It's such a smooth pull, particularaly in second gear. Took me a couple of gear changes to get used to 1st-2nd as the gearbox is slightly more notchy than the 350z. I would say I prefer the z's shift but that could be just cause I am used to it. I got the best results when I made slower changes with a bit of rev matching.

The clutch was way lighter though and I didnt have any trouble heel-toeing with the pedal formation (but I have pretty skinny legs and small feet):smile:

The feel through the wheel is very similar to the 350z ie communicative - much more so than the 335 I thought. Didnt get a chance to do any fast cornering but I think I am going to go for a longer testdrive on Saturday.

But the bottom line was when I hopped back into the zed to drive home it was slightly underwhelming which I have never had before.

The sales guy knew nothing about the car and the options that go with it. He tried to tell me Pro nav was standard on all 135s and knew nothing about the interior finish options. I was telling him what the options were in the end.

But anyway I will be buying one for sure now. I reckon its a steal for $85kish , the only problem is the 3-4 month wait.

Think I'm gonna give the nav a miss though. Seems most people are getting it but it seems a waste of 3k to me?? I just use the old fashioned Gregorys!

[BMWDave]

You don't even have to go that old skool for Nav, TomToms are less than $300 now!

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Love the 350Z's myself but looking forward to getting my 135i. Don't think i'm going to test drive one. Think i'd like mine to be the first one i drive.

[Carlos]

Well, I'm going for my test drive on Saturday and I can't wait to drive it Beside since I still have not order mine, I am not going to wait 5 months before i do.

[harpoon]

Yeh I am impressed with all the people that bought this car sight unseen. Very good call but I could never do it. Have to drive it first.

If you go to testdrive at Canterbury Carlos ring and make sure they have a manual coupe cause I think they may have sold a couple already.

[professor]

thanks for the entertaining write up harpoon, and welcome to our point of view. :smile:

[Carlos]

Thanks harpoon, I'll surely ask for a manual, I do not want to test drive an auto, since the one I want is a manual, so no point doing that.

[smarm]

Thanks harpoon, can't wait for my test drive saturday morning!

[Kris]

Carlos, ill warm it up for you as i believe you're after me at Canterbury Sat mornin?

[harpoon]

Hey quick question. The salesman said you can't get the logic 7 stereo upgrade without having the nav. Is that correct?

[Kris]

Thats bullcrap.

I have ordered Logic 7/Pro Hifi without NAV.

[d3syd]

Envy all you guys getting to test drive on the mainland. No 135s here yet. Mine will be the 1st car in the state, and it will be the first 1er I lay eyes on.:thumbup:

[Carlos]

Thanks Kris, it seems lots of us (the ones with no cars yet) are going to be driving on saturday morning.

[andrew@southernBM]

Fly over on the weekend, cheap flights, you know you want to.:biggrin:

Originally Posted by d3syd

Envy all you guys getting to test drive on the mainland. No 135s here yet. Mine will be the 1st car in the state, and it will be the first 1er I lay eyes on.:thumbup:

[harpoon]

Yeh thought that might be the case thanks Kris. This guy had nfi.

[Kris]

hehehe more guys on this forum would know 100% more than the sales guys! lol

[Carlos]

So it is the absolute truth. I do not think that the salesman will know more than some of us about the car, parts and extras, except perhaps if you talk with some of the mechanics about very specific mecanicals things, but other than that, do not bother with them.

[d3syd]

Originally Posted by andrew@southernBM

Fly over on the weekend, cheap flights, you know you want to.:biggrin:

I would, but I'm going to Darwin on the w/e for a weeks break away from this cold weather. Wonder if there will be any 135s up there to test drive.....

[imported_Dodgy]

I am more than happy with the iDrive / Nav. It's not worth the money if you want to be critical (4200 for Pro), but don't let other people crap on the concept when they don't have it.

Whilst the Tom Tom option is cheaper, the whole point of the car is style and integration. The suction-cup-stick-on-pull-off bullshit just cheapens the whole thing.

And it's more than the Nav. Phone book on screen rather than crappy 2 line dot matrix display. IPod integration with playlists etc.

Don't dismiss it out of hand.

[d3syd]

Originally Posted by Dodgy

I am more than happy with the iDrive / Nav. It's not worth the money if you want to be critical (4200 for Pro), but don't let other people crap on the concept when they don't have it.

Whilst the Tom Tom option is cheaper, the whole point of the car is style and integration. The suction-cup-stick-on-pull-off bullshit just cheapens the whole thing.

And it's more than the Nav. Phone book on screen rather than crappy 2 line dot matrix display. IPod integration with playlists etc.

Don't dismiss it out of hand.

I'm with dodgy on this one.

Yes portables are cheaper and great for moving from car to car, but personally I think having built in nav with all the extra features and functions that i-drive has rounds off the car for me. Plus I love the pop up screen on the dash.:w00t:

I still would recommend that one buy a portable unit for moving from car to car, or when traveling for use in rental cars.

[harpoon]

Originally Posted by Dodgy

I am more than happy with the iDrive / Nav. It's not worth the money if you want to be critical (4200 for Pro), but don't let other people crap on the concept when they don't have it.

Whilst the Tom Tom option is cheaper, the whole point of the car is style and integration. The suction-cup-stick-on-pull-off bullshit just cheapens the whole thing.

And it's more than the Nav. Phone book on screen rather than crappy 2 line dot matrix display. IPod integration with playlists etc.

Don't dismiss it out of hand.

Hey mate, sorry wasn't meant to be a personal attack or anything. Just my own opinion. And I wasn't dismissing it out of hand at all, in fact I was looking for feedback either way as I could be swayed - and indeed not for the nav but for the other functions as you say. Thats kind of why I had the question marks but as I re read it I can see it looks like I'm calling anyone that got it a crazy person haha.

Sorry if I offended anyone. Wasn't the intention!

[Eureka]

Originally Posted by Kris

hehehe more guys on this forum would know 100% more than the sales guys! lol

When my salesman was 'handing over the car' to me I said to him "so, what do you want to know about it?". He just laughed...but to be fair he actually knows his stuff and I think has won BMW awards in the past for his knowledge of the products etc. Anyone in Brisbane area thinking of buying should definitely go see him: Neil Marshall at Motorline.

As for the NAV and iDrive - I've got it (business spec) and think it's great - especially for the extra functionality it provides etc.

[Carlos]

I agree even though It might seem a lot expensive, I like the way It all blends, with the screen, instad of the portable GPS, that everytime I use it, keeps leaving marks on the window that I have to keep cleaning (I am a maniac of clean windows and a clean car:eyebulge