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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: drisser on 04 August 2013, 18:23
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My dilemma is well documented here - GTi on order, change of job since ordering and chance of a company car, and also a mouth watering deal on a brand new M135 available, bringing it spec for spec within about 1500 quid of my Golf order... with delivery promised in 6 weeks.
I received an invitation to a Sytner Group test drive weekend and so booked in for the M135 today at 2pm, in order to see how the car drove compared to the Mk7 GTi. I think a lot of us on this forum have pondered about the 135 so maybe I can give my own opinion given my selection dilemma..
Firstly, was disappointed with the way this test drive weekend was handled, although I wont dwell much on this other than to say if I did order a 135 it wont be from Sytner. No Brochures of any mode available. Nobody wanting to talk about actuals deals, seemed like a bit of a joyride opportunity. Also, I booked a 1 hour slot thinking as a potential customer ( had been talking to a salesguy at dealership a few days earlier) I was going to get a 1 hour drive on my own. Turned out to be a 15 min spin with the Sytner guy next to me on a pre determined route. Not too impressed so far.
Anyway, moving onto the car. First, lets deal with the looks. Yep, I still dont think its a nice looking car but the restyle is definately better than the previous 1 series. I drove an Estoril Blue 3 door and it did look quite nice to be honest. Inside it is quite a nice place to be, the optional sat nav is a big 10 inch screen and in a good place. Fit and finish is most definately in line with the Golf or better, it feels like a refined and quality hatch. It confirmed another thing, people in the market for one of these, or a GTi for example are not just looking at 0-60 they want quality. You cannot compare the finish of a Ford ST or Megane, they are miles apart. Road testers seem to brush over it all the time but when you get in car you want to feel the quality.
Outside looks, I love the dark allows and M branded calipers, they are seriously cool, 4 piston up front. I checked the brakes size they are 340mm, same as the GTi PP. Anyone who has ordered a PP car and not seen it in the flesh, guys I think you are going to be surprised how big the front discs are and they show serious intent. No question the the M135 brakes look more up to the job than the Golf, how they perform we will see.. I do like the fact the 135 is quite understated and in that way like the GTi. Order it in grey or black and joe blogs wont know it from a 116d but those in the know, anyone driving a Boxster S for example is going steer well clear of this car in a drag race.. which takes me onto performance.
I didnt get a huge chance to rag the car but did get to give it a foot to the floor M4 slip lane acceleration. What is it like ? ON another planet to be honest. Where the GTi felt very fast and torquey, the M135 is simply MINDBLOWING in terms of outright acceleration. The road test figures some people have achived don't lie, its warp speed and I dont see anything this side of a Porsche 911, Audi R8 etc would outrun this car, I kid you not it would embarrass some 80k+ machinery. With the 8 speed auto box, manual mode holds the gears or you simply put it in sport and mash the throttle, its a very very good transmission, but because it has so many gears, it does shift around a lot. I would love to drive a manual car because with the power and torque band I reckon it would be as good to drive.
This takes me on to another issue - As i said i didnt get a chance to really DRIVE the car but it does not feel light on its feet like the Golf. I didnt check the tech spec but it feels heavier and with the 6 cyl motor I am sure its a good 150kg heavier. Where the golf dances and feels light, the 135 is a touch heavy. Some might disagree because the price is so cheap relatively speaking, but I actually think a Golf GTi buyer won't buy this car really. Its quite a different drive, almost like a mini GT car. I am sure it handles well on track etc. I actually think the kind of buyer this car will attract is someone trading down from something more expensive, rather than your GTi or Megane buyer trading up.
Running costs - I have a strong view on this - anyone who thinks this car wont cost more to run than a GTi or any other mainstream hot hatch with a 4 cyl turbo is dreaming. You dont buy this car to pootle around in, you buy it to beat an Aston Martin Vantage away from the lights ( and you can ). So for starters you wont get more than 30 MPG. The guy with me said you will get 32 on a long run, 24-25 around town. If you use the performance, and its addictive believe me I would expect to get no better than 25 average. The golf of course wont do 47 but I would guess realistically it will be 25 plays 35. It will eat tyres like no tomorrow. 1st year road tax is 460 quid. Would I buy a 5 year old M135 ? Nope I dont think so, because you know it will have been driven so hard in its life, the turbo might go pop. YOu cant drive this car slowly sorry, you floor it at every chance, or blip the gears down when you can. I think this is going to hammer used values - unless they restrict supply soon and it develops a cult following - which it might. But search on BMW approved used, there are dozens and dozens of pre reg M135's and that cant be good. That said, I noticed a few ex demo mk 7 GTis on Piston heads at around 25k so not sure how residuals will hold up.
SO in summary, I actually think the 135 is competing with different cars to the GTi - its competing with the S3 and AMG 45 only in the hatch category, it is surely going to tempt some owners out of things like Porsche Boxsters and Caymans, fast coupes and fast sallons costing maybe 50-60k. Why, because for half the money you can blow the wheels of anything pretty much this side of a supercar. If I had 60k to spend I would buy an M135 and another maybe convertible for the summer.
The acceleration is simply amazing, the engine is just fantastic. I drive a 6 cyl BMW so I know how smooth they are but the kick is simply staggering and neck wrenching. I do believe most people will buy it for the engine and discreet looks. With a sensible head on would I buy one ? Nope. The GTi is fast enough for most of us in the real world and I think I could easily lose my licence with a 135. Its better in the flesh than pics for sure, but not nearly as cool and good looking as the golf. The thikg I am struggling with most, to bite the dealers hand off to buy a 135 is my concern how much it will cost to run and how much it will depreciate by. It should be reliable, but I have a niggling doubt that when some of these are on the used market at 3-4-5 years old, they could be in a bad way and that could give them a bad reputation.
Its a stunning peice of kit for 28k after discount. It would be an easy car to live with every day, its quite understated but those in the know will not want to take you on at the lights ! Would I buy one ? Hmm, not sure I need to sleep on it. If I could get a bit more money off, I might just think about it, knowing it would cost a fair bit more to run, and just enjoy that amzing engine.
The key difference for most of us in the real world though is with the GTi, you can go ahead and order one with a high degree of confidence if you are sensible it wont cost much more to run than a normal golf. If you buy a 135, you need to go into it with your eyes open a fair bit more I think. I think the GTI will slowly and over the long term grow into your affections a lot more as an everyday car than the 135.
Thats a long review, but hopefully it helps a few of you pondering the same thing - 0-60 in 4.5 secs ? for 30k. Surely not ?! If you want outright grunt, then you simply can't beat the 135. It comes down to do you want a lighter, more agile, cool, quick car aka the GTi, or a neck braking but possible less engaging Aston bating ugly hatchback !
Me, I am going to sleep on it. Just dont ever race one away from the lights in your GTi ( or Golf R, I dont see it will also be able to get close) :cry:
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by the way I meant to say, one other downside.
At this event, there was an estoril blue 116d M sport and I struggled to tell it apart from the M135. I looked on the BMW configurator, you can tick the M sport plus package for 1400 -
The M Braking system and blue calipers
Harmon Kardon Hi Fi
Xenons
Headlight wash + a couple of other things.
I cant help thinking a nicely specced 120d with this package is going to be a more sensible and compelling 1 series and most people wont tell it apart from the 135..
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by the way I meant to say, one other downside.
At this event, there was an estoril blue 116d M sport and I struggled to tell it apart from the M135. I looked on the BMW configurator, you can tick the M sport plus package for 1400 -
The M Braking system and blue calipers
Harmon Kardon Hi Fi
Xenons
Headlight wash + a couple of other things.
I cant help thinking a nicely specced 120d with this package is going to be a more sensible and compelling 1 series and most people wont tell it apart from the 135..
Sensible, yes, compelling? Hell no, not for me. The main plusses of the M135i were covered in your review.
1: The engine and the performance.
2: The engine and the performance.
3: The engine and the performance.
The diesel M-Sport and lower petrol models for that matter are good enough cars, but the outrageous engine in the sleeper M135i is the pick of the range for me, and the only 1 series I would consider.
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Just to clarify..
When I said compelling, I meant compelling anyone who is a serious 1 series buyer, not compelling for me :rolleyes:
As in, you can get a car that looks identical to an M135 down to the blue M brakes, but with much more sensible running costs..
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Just to clarify..
When I said compelling, I meant compelling anyone who is a serious 1 series buyer, not compelling for me :rolleyes:
As in, you can get a car that looks identical to an M135 down to the blue M brakes, but with much more sensible running costs..
Ahh right, see what you mean.
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It's a hell of a rocket and very well made. The performance is so addictive.
When I was buying, I could not get the deal I wanted on the M135i, which I did on the 330d M Sports and which was too sweet to ignore.
Birds are offering an ECU Update for an M135i - 370 bhp + Quaife LSD for £3069 inc VAT which does not affect BMW Warranty (so they say). Such a car would take you into hyperspace.
The LCI F20 comes out next year which will have improved looks especially of the snout.
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Great write up mate, and I knew it would be an awesome machine in terms of outright power and performance. I'm going on instinct here, but I'm sure that the novelty of that will wear off, and the realities of the higher running costs and "lesser practicality" for want of better words will set in. As you say, you can have an almost identical looking car for less money and lower running costs. Is it worth it just for the acceleration? As a guy who can only afford to own and run one car for myself, I'd have to say no it's not...even with a bit more discount thrown in.
Good luck with whatever decision you make!
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Gryzor
you are almost spot on in terms of my summary thoughts. The acceleartion is mind blowing no question, but then when reality bites and you have the running costs, and the looks, what have you go left ?
Telling people in the pub about the 0-60, embarrasing the odd Boxster S or Cayman, yes for sure..
Hence you can have literally 99% of the looks in a much more sensible package by going for the 125d M sport and tick the M sport + package option ( ironically I think this is the most direct comparison to the GTi / GTD, not the 135 in terms of performance and running costs).
Its a few weeks since I drive the GTi but i remember it getting under my skin and feeling alive, the M135 was just a rocket but didnt pull too many heart strings as an ownership proposition...
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Great write up. I've been thinking about an M135 after all the delays but I think once the novelty of the engine and acceleration has worn off I'm pretty sure I would be regretting not holding out for the GTI
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Excellent write up drisser. As suspected you'd need deep pockets to run one of these!
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Great write up. I've been thinking about an M135 after all the delays but I think once the novelty of the engine and acceleration has worn off I'm pretty sure I would be regretting not holding out for the GTI
And is is the rub with all these road tests - can a gti stay with an m 135 on an empty road or on the track ? No, but when are you ever going to find yourself in that position ?! Roads are too busy and the one time you are at the lights next to an m135 yes, you will have to eat humble pie, but so what ?
When you strip away the pure acceleration of the 135 and the really good auto box, what is left. An ugly hatch that looks the same as a 116d nicely specced. This is the problem for me, you simply won't get a outh chance to use al that oomph and the one time you do some twit with a radar gun will be waiting..
So in my position with maybe going abroad in 3 years I think buying the 135 would cost me a ton of money, which leaves me with buying the gti and enjoying it for 3 years or waiting 6 months to order a gtd company car. Keeping the gti on order is still tugging my heart strings..
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Think you've made a lot of good points from your road test that I've experienced in my first week of M-lite ownership.
The GTI will be a more practical car in the long run, especially if you have a family as the rear room is limited. The M will cost more to own, but I don't think it will be THAT much more. If you want to be sensible 35mpg is achievable and more if you have the auto-box. Tyres will last 10k-15k tops and the rears are about £175 per corner :-s
Don't agree on the depreciation front, its a BMW and will hold its value pretty well as long as its looked after. In my experience, the type of people who rag cars to death certainly don't pay £30k for the pleasure or they have more money than sense!
On the looks side, I've not had one bad comment yet and everyone loves the Estoril blue, but I do appreciate its subjective.
Glad you had a test drive though to see for yourself the performance is on another level to the GTI, no comparison at all.
Personally, I would have ended up modding the GTI as it should have a bit more oomph, and I bet there will be a fair few people on here who go down that route when the software is available. Not once have I thought the that I need more craziness in the M135i after 500 miles.
Both great cars probably aimed at different people, I kind of fall in between the segments as I don't have a family and am willing to justify the extra cost in place of smiles per gallon!
If your not sold straight away its definitely not the car for you though.
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Lovely write up Drisser. Food for thought (for you).
I'm not in the market for an M135, but i think its a seriously good car for the money!
I think I would probably lose my licence pretty quickly if I owned one. I'll have to be VERY careful when I get the GTI :wink:
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I tried to approach the drive today subjectively to be honest, partly knowing that given I might be abroad in 3 years it might not be sensible to buy either ! ( my other thought is a used 135 coupe for maybe 17k to go the halfway house)
I am a real BMW fan and I think they are engineered very well, my 330 has done 101k miles, the last 35k with me and it feels rock solid and like 4 year old car. I did hear there were some problems with the 3 litre turbo in the 335i which makes me a tad nervous.
Looks wise I would agree the M135 is definately better in the flesh than pics and the 3 door looks much better than the 5 I think. There was a black one there today and that looked pretty menacing. I think one thing I need is a proper 1-2 hour test drive though the 20 mins today wasnt enough, or indeed fair when i drove the GTi for 3 hours alone.
I am planning to ask for a test drive this coming weekend at the local dealer who offered me the good deal on a 135 (27,950 with heated seats and sunroof and the 5 year service pack) That is currently only 1200 quid above my GTi order, spec for spec and the 135 has full leather standard. If they start shaving off more money to try and get the sales, I admit it is going to be pretty tempting
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Rob
agree Estoril is a nice colour, the one I drive today was that colour, but I think BMW have 2 issues -
1 Estoril was always an M only colour and now you can have a 116d in Estoril which I think dilutes that colour a bit..
2.Who on earth would bother buying a new M3, or for that matter a used v8 M3 ? No wonder they are doing huge deposit contributions on the M3, when you can get the same performance, in a more practical package for 30k less than the M3 ! IN a flash BMW have undermined a lot of the M brand with this car because it is so good. Good for punters, not sure its good for the brand long term..
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@drisser:
Do the sums and go for the best car for your needs and which satisfy your desires at the same time. Put it this way, your are in that enviable position which would bag you a great car. All you have to do is decide from a very short shortlist. Simples.
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I took my brother out for a 20 mile spin around country lanes today and he couldn't believe it, said it was every bit as fast as his mates Cayman and then some.
Licence losing potential is huge if your not careful. If you red line it in 4th gear (on a private road) you will be doing around 125mph!
Its the deals BMW are offering that make it appealing, normally I would never have considered a 300+ bhp monster, but for less than £30k....it makes it at least a consideration.
I agree the blue should be an M only colour, but kinda adds to the stealth potential if someone thinks they can take a 116d or whatever and proceed to embarrass themselves!
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Hey drisser!! "Brilliant write-up". Great to hear your thoughts on the M135i.
I agree with a lot of what you say, however I think there's more to the M-lite then just outright pace & its ugly appearance. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and personally I don't have a big problem with its looks (& the fact that it looks like any other F20 M-sport)... It's definitely a grower and looks so much better in the flesh.
I agree that with our congested roads you'll rarely have the opportunity to unleash the full performance potential of the Beemer but then again you could say the same about the GTi. And yes I agree the Golf is slightly better than the Beemer in terms of practicality & rear leg room.
But what stood out for me about the BMW was how beautifully balanced it was in terms of how it handled. There was a precision & weighty-ness in the steering that I found lacking in the GTi. The way it strung together a series of corners was sublime. Ok it got a slatting from Autocar as the handling was unpredictable on the limit, but for everyday road use I found the Beemer more pleasurable to drive. Maybe it had something to do with the rear wheel drive setup.
That's not to say the Golf handles like a shopping trolley, but all I'm saying is that there's more to the M135i than raw power. I was so impressed with the driving dynamics after my test drive I was ready to sign on the dotted line there and then.
But at the end of the day it was about getting the right deal and unfortunately BMW couldn't get anywhere near the deal I wanted. So VW got my business instead which I'm just as happy about as they are BOTH 'Great' cars!!
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Interesting points Gung Ho
I think when I get a better drive on sat this week it will help me make my mind up.
Out of interest, if you could have got the 135 for the same money or so, ie less than 1200 quid difference similar spec, would you have ordered the M ?
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Interesting points Gung Ho
I think when I get a better drive on sat this week it will help me make my mind up.
Out of interest, if you could have got the 135 for the same money or so, ie less than 1200 quid difference similar spec, would you have ordered the M ?
There's no Question about it... The M-lite was my number one choice. But it was not such an easy decision as I love my current Mk6 GTi (I would say the BEST all round car I've owned to date)...but then I'm equally passionate about my BMW's... Like I said I would have been happy with either. It's a WIN WIN for me.
It was the driving dynamics that swung it for me with the M-lite, but like you the service I got at BMW was appalling, which made me choose the Golf in the end!
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Yep it's a fair point. When you have 2 cars very close in spec and price a lot comes down to the dealer.
My local BMW dealer in Suffolk are good and trying hard to keep me as a customer due to me having my e46 serviced there, hence the 13% discount and maybe a bit more to come..
It's def a win win situation, both cars are great all round every day fast practical hatches. I wish I could find a manual 135 to drive to get a direct comparison. My e46 330 ci has been the best every day car I owned so the pull of the creamy bmw 3 litre is hard to resist but will for sure cost more to run.
I was just looking at pics of the gti in carbon grey thinking mmm that does look super cool !
Oh the dilemma
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Yep it's a fair point. When you have 2 cars very close in spec and price a lot comes down to the dealer.
My local BMW dealer in Suffolk are good and trying hard to keep me as a customer due to me having my e46 serviced there, hence the 13% discount and maybe a bit more to come..
It's def a win win situation, both cars are great all round every day fast practical hatches. I wish I could find a manual 135 to drive to get a direct comparison. My e46 330 ci has been the best every day car I owned so the pull of the creamy bmw 3 litre is hard to resist but will for sure cost more to run.
I was just looking at pics of the gti in carbon grey thinking mmm that does look super cool !
Oh the dilemma
Well - I moved from an e46 6 cylinder Petrol Coupe - to a MK6 GT TDI
I loved the e46 and even shed a tear when it went, and as much as I like the GT TDI - it wasn't a patch on the BMW
However!! - having just had a fleet demo of the GTI for 3 days - I would choose the GTI :)
Plus - those new beemers are bl00dy ugly arnt they! :tongue:
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If running costs weren't a consideration I would think the M135 would take a lot of sales from the GTI. Running costs are a consideration for a lot of drivers though which is why I didn't consider the M135 for long particularly with the mileage I do. Great car for the money, ugly as sin though. Seeing quite a few of them around Aberdeen these days as well, design just doesn't grow on me but fair play for being bolder than VW in the styling department.
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If it looked like the M1 then i would be seriously tempted. It's just far too ugly and as you say the running costs will probably be crippling. It will be interesting to see what the M2 looks like when it makes an appearance :smiley:
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Well
not the news all you Golf fans wanted to hear, but looks like I am going to cancel my order tomorrow and stay with BMW. :sad:
Shame because I was really so excited about getting the Golf, it really was a great drive but I have just become too impatient with the lack of information and delays everyone is reporting. On top of this my 330 ci is going to need 3 tyres soon and I can't plan to sell privately because as you all know VW tell you nothing.
That coupled with a fantastic deal from my local BMW who desperately wanted to keep me as a customer have come up with an amazing deal on the car I specced up
M135 i 3 Door Manual
(Probably) White with red leather (std) -
4 Options added
Elec Sunroof £895
Heated Seats £295
Comfort Pack (Cruise and Parking sensors) - £385
Basic Media Pack with Nav - £990
The Std spec otherwise is all you need including Xenons, 18 inch alloys etc
List price of the above car £33,135 (around £5k more than the Golf I ordered)
Total Discounts incl £500 BMW loyalty bonus £5169
Final Discounted price £27,965
Plus half price 3 year service pack normally £800.
Part ex underwritten same as the VW dealer.
I think you will agree, whether you like the car or not, that car for that price is a really compelling offer ? With the same deposit from me it left the M135 just £600 more than the Golf I specced almost identically.
The real killer though, I have a 2 hour test drive of the M135 this weekend and if I order, the car will be at the dealer around the 10th September, yep just over a month away and in my hands by the end of that week. That really swung it for me.
Yes, I am still not really comfortable with the looks v the Golf, but at the end of the day it is a very serious piece of kit with supercar performance and I think most of us would be happy with either car. I am sad that VW are losing sales and probably will lose many more due to their poor demand planning and worse communication.
I will be making a final call on Saturday after my test drive but with that lead time at that price I don't see me saying no.
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Well
not the news all you Golf fans wanted to hear, but looks like I am going to cancel my order tomorrow and stay with BMW. :sad:
Shame because I was really so excited about getting the Golf, it really was a great drive but I have just become too impatient with the lack of information and delays everyone is reporting. On top of this my 330 ci is going to need 3 tyres soon and I can't plan to sell privately because as you all know VW tell you nothing.
That coupled with a fantastic deal from my local BMW who desperately wanted to keep me as a customer have come up with an amazing deal on the car I specced up
M135 i 3 Door Manual
(Probably) White with red leather (std) -
4 Options added
Elec Sunroof £895
Heated Seats £295
Comfort Pack (Cruise and Parking sensors) - £385
Basic Media Pack with Nav - £990
The Std spec otherwise is all you need including Xenons, 18 inch alloys etc
List price of the above car £33,135 (around £5k more than the Golf I ordered)
Total Discounts incl £500 BMW loyalty bonus £5169
Final Discounted price £27,965
Plus half price 3 year service pack normally £800.
Part ex underwritten same as the VW dealer.
I think you will agree, whether you like the car or not, that car for that price is a really compelling offer ? With the same deposit from me it left the M135 just £600 more than the Golf I specced almost identically.
The real killer though, I have a 2 hour test drive of the M135 this weekend and if I order, the car will be at the dealer around the 10th September, yep just over a month away and in my hands by the end of that week. That really swung it for me.
Yes, I am still not really comfortable with the looks v the Golf, but at the end of the day it is a very serious piece of kit with supercar performance and I think most of us would be happy with either car. I am sad that VW are losing sales and probably will lose many more due to their poor demand planning and worse communication.
I will be making a final call on Saturday after my test drive but with that lead time at that price I don't see me saying no.
Apart from the looks my other main concern would be the RWD in winter in this country, however it is a fantastic deal at that price with that spec so I can certainly see why you would go down that route. Given the current situation with VW deliveries I don't blame you at all pal for choosing this option. I'm sure you will love it as it's no doubt a tremendous car :smiley: :smiley:
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It's a great deal and I would have done the same as you. Brillant motor! Yet again VW lose a sale because of this pathetic 20+ week wait & lack of information for the customer.
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Great result drisser!! Can't believe you pulled off such a good deal. I'm sure you're gonna be equally happy with the M-lite.
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Craig
Take your point, see you are in Glasgow - Part of the reason I went for this is I am moving to a new job going to be based near Dundee for 2-3 years and driving to work instead of commuting into London, hence wanted to get a nice motor
Think I will be buying a £1500 Jeep Cherokee for the winter, got a BMW just now and might as well leave it at home !
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Great result drisser!! Can't believe you pulled off such a good deal. I'm sure you're gonna be equally happy with the M-lite.
The funny thing was, overnight BMW website update with their dealer contribution up from £2370 to £2420, so I told them to leave the quote the same but fill her up with fuel to cover the £50 :grin:
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Can't argue with the deal mate, it's a really good one, and clearly you were smitten with the speed! I'm sure the overriding factor was one of patience, but I know you had other influences too. They are clearly both great cars, but for me cater for differing requirements. I don't need or want that level of performance in a family hatch, dislike the looks, and much prefer the "uninspiring but balanced" package that is the GTI. You'll have a blast though, so enjoy, with no regrets! :smiley:
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totally agree, they serve different markets despite all the comparions.
At the end of the day I have no kids etc so its just about having a fun drive. TBH if I could have got the Golf within 8 weeks or so I would never have looked elsewhere, but 5 weeks gone and no communication, not really acceptable for a £30k purchase..
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totally agree, they serve different markets despite all the comparions.
At the end of the day I have no kids etc so its just about having a fun drive. TBH if I could have got the Golf within 8 weeks or so I would never have looked elsewhere, but 5 weeks gone and no communication, not really acceptable for a £30k purchase..
Yeah, life gets so serious at times we often forget about having fun. It's a balanced, rational decision you made at least, and not something you rushed into.
Blimey, only 5 weeks without any communication?! I was around 16 weeks (what it should have taken from order to delivery in the first place!) to get any wind of a confirmed build week :grin: It's been a long hard wait, but starting to see light at the end of the tunnel now.
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Thats a fantastic spec with a great discount. They must really want you to stay, well done.
I hope you let VW know the reason why you are changing as the more folk that tell them the more inclined they might at least have a look at the whole situation. On second thoughts I doubt it.
Will you get your deposit back okay?
With living in Dundee you are certainly more likely to get snow up there so definitely wise to get something for the winter months or at least a set of winter tyres but I'm not sure how effective they would be on RWD.
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Craig
Take your point, see you are in Glasgow - Part of the reason I went for this is I am moving to a new job going to be based near Dundee for 2-3 years and driving to work instead of commuting into London, hence wanted to get a nice motor
Think I will be buying a £1500 Jeep Cherokee for the winter, got a BMW just now and might as well leave it at home !
That makes perfect sense to me drisser. It can get a bit snowy up this neck of the woods :smiley: :smiley:
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Went to union Aberdeen many years ago, so expecting to keep the 135 on the drive during some winter weeks.
Wonder why they are not bringing the 135 x drive to the uk..? Would be a great all weather tool.
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Correction * uni in Aberdeen * :wink:
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@Drisser,
Your decision saddens me, but I completely understand.
How the f*ck are BMW able to supply a brand new ultra-premium M135i in a 4-5 week turnaround, yet it takes VW 20+ weeks? It beggars belief it really does!
They [VW] don't really deserve our money do they.
Enjoy it when it arrives fella.
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Makes perfect sense to go for the beemer. I'm busy thinking of ANY other car I want rather than a GTD, I'm not sure I'm prepared to wait an unspecified amount of time for what is a diesel Golf at the end of the day. VW are up their own arses IMO.
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You are not alone Drisser :smiley:
I had negotiated my Mk7 GTI order on Monday, reasonable discount and trade in for my current 3 series. Expected delivery January 2014.
I then had a chance to try a m135i on Tuesday, sweet mother that thing shifts. After a few hours with my local dealer, whom my current car was bought from and after discussing my potential mk7 gti purchase they put an offer together. Some easy haggling later a very well specified m135i list price £35240 was purchased for just over £29k. I also secured an extra £1500 for my trade in and my delivery is expected 1st week in october.
I'm just down the road from you in Stirling. Really really loved the Mk7 GTI but the sheer performance in the BMW just sold it for me.
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Some easy haggling later a very well specified m135i list price £35240 was purchased for just over £29k.
sh!t seriously? That is an immense discount! What spec did you get if you don't mind my asking?
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This isn't a surprise to me, I posted last week I think about how desperate BMW are for sales. Another great discount!
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Just gone back to my configuration on the BMW site. Basically this discount cptmorgans got would make the M135i identical in price to the GTI when I spec them roughly the same. Obviously they don't have the exact same spec, I had to drop a few things on the BMW (e.g. adaptive chassis etc) but then picked up some kit that is better than on the Golf. Also the extra 100 horses.
Thinking insurance would be a killer I checked that too. £366, compares with about £250 for the Golf. I think there is a tax difference too, but f**k it. I'm totally gonna be explaining this to VWCS in lengthy detail when they (eventually) call me back!
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Trouble is Bear is that I don't think they'll give a toss! They know that if you cancel they'll sell your car straight away. And this is what grates on me - they don't care!
The wait is highly annoying - however all anyone asks for are reasons why eg the camera - if they said that then at least we'd all know and either take it off or keep it on and deal with it!
Everyone should bear in mind my experience from a few months ago - in summary, VW were highly f7cked off I was commenting on the wait on twitter and, according to my dealer, were close to cancelling my order. I don't believe this for a second, however it shows that they take public displays of annoyance (I was never rude or threatening etc etc) seriously. The flip side of this is that if I hadn't of gone through that process and subsequently been dealing with the VW Executive Office, that I would still be waiting for a build week confirmation - so it was worth it in my eyes.
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The flip side of this is that if I hadn't of gone through that process and subsequently been dealing with the VW Executive Office, that I would still be waiting for a build week confirmation - so it was worth it in my eyes.
I echo this exactly. We can argue the toss of having to complain in the first place, but if you don't, somebody else will, and they will get the attention. Just be firm but fair, and show a bit of understanding from their side, even if you don't mean it.
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The flip side of this is that if I hadn't of gone through that process and subsequently been dealing with the VW Executive Office, that I would still be waiting for a build week confirmation - so it was worth it in my eyes.
I echo this exactly. We can argue the toss of having to complain in the first place, but if you don't, somebody else will, and they will get the attention. Just be firm but fair, and show a bit of understanding from their side, even if you don't mean it.
Exactly, bang on.
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You are not alone Drisser :smiley:
I had negotiated my Mk7 GTI order on Monday, reasonable discount and trade in for my current 3 series. Expected delivery January 2014.
I then had a chance to try a m135i on Tuesday, sweet mother that thing shifts. After a few hours with my local dealer, whom my current car was bought from and after discussing my potential mk7 gti purchase they put an offer together. Some easy haggling later a very well specified m135i list price £35240 was purchased for just over £29k. I also secured an extra £1500 for my trade in and my delivery is expected 1st week in october.
I'm just down the road from you in Stirling. Really really loved the Mk7 GTI but the sheer performance in the BMW just sold it for me.
Yep, identical situation really, I was sold on the Golf, but BMW put together a compelling deal, and when I sat down and actually worked it out, its cheaper than if I specced the Golf PP to same level (I have leather and NAV on the 135 and discounted it will cost me around £800 more than the Golf I specced which didnt have either)
The real clincher at the moment is the lead time - people will wait 6-9 months for an Aston or Porsche 911 maybe, but not a mainstream hatch. Plus I have an MOT due end of the year so you dont want to shell out on a service, tyres, etc just because a manufacturer cant give you ANY info.
Sad situation really - some demand is good, too much demand and poor service is a no no.
Still, i will enjoy the BMW also I am sure. What spec did you go for ?
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5 door, alpine white, comfort pack, sun protection pack, auto transmission, adaptive suspension, HK Stereo, elec folding mirrors, heated seats and black panel display (which is cool as f^&k).
Main reason I'm changing my car is for performance and sound, and damn does it tick those boxes. Can't wait now :)
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dont get the black panel display thing.. whats the difference to the std spec ?
Am finalising my spec on saturday before ordering..
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Wait, what is the black panel and why is it bad?
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dont get the black panel display thing.. whats the difference to the std spec ?
Am finalising my spec on saturday before ordering..
I think the plastic under the dials etc is actually a display, looks really cool. Definite option I would say.
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq19/pangster79/BMW%201%20Series/BMW1Series_21_zps1ec6be35.jpg)
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What wrong with you lot,
Its a dirty filthy BMW :sick:
If you ask me any VW is worth the wait.
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dont get the black panel display thing.. whats the difference to the std spec ?
Am finalising my spec on saturday before ordering..
I think the plastic under the dials etc is actually a display, looks really cool. Definite option I would say.
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq19/pangster79/BMW%201%20Series/BMW1Series_21_zps1ec6be35.jpg)
Not too keen on the car graphic, a reminder that even inside the car you can't escape the looks on the outside.
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Not too keen on the car graphic, a reminder that even inside the car you can't escape the looks on the outside.
LOL! ... True though. :sad: On the other hand that dash is infinitely better than the VW effort (or lack of) IMO :lipsrsealed:.
Anyway, I speced up the BMW and it comes at £36.5... ouch! If I didn't want the damn Nav and Auto wouldn't be so bad. I might drop the auto but the Nav is staying. I sent the dealer the spec and mentioned I had the GTI on for £30k. If they come back and say they can get close to £30 (which it seems some BMW dealers can) then I'll be seriously interested. Problem is its gotta be this good an offer because its not a looker (though Estoril helps) and because I'm so used to FF cars I'm a bit nervous about the transition to a 320PS rear wheel drive! :embarrassed:
On the plus side the equipment looks to be a class above the GTI in most cases.
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dont get the black panel display thing.. whats the difference to the std spec ?
Am finalising my spec on saturday before ordering..
I think the plastic under the dials etc is actually a display, looks really cool. Definite option I would say.
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq19/pangster79/BMW%201%20Series/BMW1Series_21_zps1ec6be35.jpg)
The problem with this is you can't see half of it cos the steering wheel and column obscure the screen. :rolleyes:
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£36.5k?! What did you add on Bear?! I did one and it comes to £33,405 - ok, I didn't add parking sensors as whatever but still I put on the HK system, Nav etc! :laugh:
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Not too keen on the car graphic, a reminder that even inside the car you can't escape the looks on the outside.
LOL! ... True though. :sad: On the other hand that dash is infinitely better than the VW effort (or lack of) IMO :lipsrsealed:.
Anyway, I speced up the BMW and it comes at £36.5... ouch! If I didn't want the damn Nav and Auto wouldn't be so bad. I might drop the auto but the Nav is staying. I sent the dealer the spec and mentioned I had the GTI on for £30k. If they come back and say they can get close to £30 (which it seems some BMW dealers can) then I'll be seriously interested. Problem is its gotta be this good an offer because its not a looker (though Estoril helps) and because I'm so used to FF cars I'm a bit nervous about the transition to a 320PS rear wheel drive! :embarrassed:
On the plus side the equipment looks to be a class above the GTI in most cases.
A couple of starters for you Bill:
This is a very healthy discount from a big dealer to start negotiations without too much BS:
http://www.douglasparkhamiltonbmw.co.uk/current-offers/new-bmw-offers.html?offer_category_id=1
Also Coopers, Durham have 3 pre-reg M135i's in stock with the 8speed Auto and they can offer the same 5.9% apr on them, nice discounts and maybe more if pushed?
http://www.cooperdurhambmw.co.uk/current-offers/immediate-delivery.html
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£36.5k?! What did you add on Bear?! I did one and it comes to £33,405 - ok, I didn't add parking sensors as whatever but still I put on the HK system, Nav etc! :laugh:
I have a habit of picking expensive kit. :embarrassed:
5 door, auto
Estoril Blue
Navigation
Parking front and rear
Reverse cam (hahahhaha... shoot me now!)
Keyless
Heated seats
So this is similar to my GTI order (minus the sunroof, the ACC, the cruise, the performance pack which you don't need on a M135i, and the warranty). Hence why I implied I wanted it for £30k.
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Just sat in the M135i in the showroom 1min down the road from me. Lovely interior, sadly the GTi can't compete here. Feels much more premium and the media unit is simply superb. It's more crampt than the GTI, and its black. Can have the nice blue but only on a factory order and the discount would be less. The GTI looks so much nicer on the outside but the BMW is nicer on the inside.
Said I wanted to drive it but will be out of the country from Saturday. No problem the chap says. Call me tomorrow and we can do it then. :grin:
So tempting. Will see after I drive it.
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That's another golf order cancelled then :lipsrsealed:
Once you feel 0 to 6 in 4.8 for 30k its hard to forget..
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The difference between the UK and Irish market is astounding. The GTI and m135 aren't even in the same galaxy here, never mind "competitors". The GTI starts at around €34k but you'll easily push it into €38-€40k with a few options.
The BMW starts at around €50k! And will easily go into 60k++ with a few options!! On top of that its in a much higher tax (Co2) bracket, meaning hundreds more per annum to tax it. Is that not the case over there?
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The difference between the UK and Irish market is astounding. The GTI and m135 aren't even in the same galaxy here, never mind "competitors". The GTI starts at around €34k but you'll easily push it into €38-€40k with a few options.
The BMW starts at around €50k! And will easily go into 60k++ with a few options!! On top of that its in a much higher tax (Co2) bracket, meaning hundreds more per annum to tax it. Is that not the case over there?
RRP is about £4k higher, but BMW discounts are much better.
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That's another golf order cancelled then :lipsrsealed:
Once you feel 0 to 6 in 4.8 for 30k its hard to forget..
I've got to say Drisser, i've been looking at the Beamer A1 configurator, and even this seems more slicker than the VW and Audi ones. Still speccing up a 125D M sport, and it's looking pretty good in mineral grey and with the M-Sport package plus (£1400).
I'll try and get a test drive soon, before i make my order. ;)
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"Don't do it Bear!".... Don't be seduced by the Dark Side of the Force!!! :grin:
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LOL
depends how much patience he has !
I am worried I have started a thread that too many people are going to cancel and order M135's and they will be everywhere !
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Joe the difference in road tax would be minimal about £100 per annum. The road tax on the GTI is £120 per annum from memory..
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Joe the difference in road tax would be minimal about £100 per annum. The road tax on the GTI is £120 per annum from memory..
GTI RFL - £125 a year
M135i RFL - £260 a year
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LOL
depends how much patience he has !
I am worried I have started a thread that too many people are going to cancel and order M135's and they will be everywhere !
My wife wants me to cancel and get the M135i - so she can have a GTI as a company car next year :grin:
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LOL
depends how much patience he has !
I am worried I have started a thread that too many people are going to cancel and order M135's and they will be everywhere !
My wife wants me to cancel and get the M135i - so she can have a GTI as a company car next year :grin:
Oh no... Not you as well!!! :grin: Everyone's leaving by the droves.
I'll see you fellas over on the Babybmw.net then :grin:
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LOL
depends how much patience he has !
I am worried I have started a thread that too many people are going to cancel and order M135's and they will be everywhere !
My wife wants me to cancel and get the M135i - so she can have a GTI as a company car next year :grin:
Oh no... Not you as well!!! :grin: Everyone's leaving by the droves.
I'll see you fellas over on the Babybmw.net then :grin:
:grin: if they p1ss me around next week and don't build my car I'm going to seriously consider it. If I'm not 'in transit' by next Friday I think I'm going to lose the plot :angry:
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I haven't gone yet! But the more I think about what I saw today the more I like that car though, gotta see how it drives.
It may be a bridge too far though. Best discount is only on the one in the showroom. Plus side is I could be driving it this weekend (except I'm not in the country) down side is the spec. Can't pick the exact options and its black not blue. Then again those options are expensive so it's debatable I'd be able to afford specing one up anyway! :grin:
Just not sure i wouldn't regret it later. As you say if the 0-60 squishes me into the seat like I think it will i might have nothing to worry about. And it does look better in person, but lets not kid ourselves, it's no looker. Interior is super though. Why can't I have the M-lite AND a GTI? :cry:
Hehehe ok that's too greedy isn't it? :tongue:
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Buying a car you didn't really want in the first place, just because of delays, and because others are doing it, isn't the way to go about it. Sorry to be blunt!
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Don't worry that's not the reasons at all. I never even looked at the M135i because I knew what I wanted (GTI) and it was too expensive anyway. But what if I don't want the GTI that bad? And what if the BMW isn't as expensive as I thought?
Basically I'm treating this as if I'm starting the new car selection process from scratch.
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For those considering a M135i as an alternative to the Golf, here's an interesting debate going on on Pistonheads.....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1243801&mid=0&i=0&nmt=Has+the+BMW+M135i+killed+the+Golf+GTI%3F&mid=0
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Don't worry that's not the reasons at all. I never even looked at the M135i because I knew what I wanted (GTI) and it was too expensive anyway. But what if I don't want the GTI that bad? And what if the BMW isn't as expensive as I thought?
Basically I'm treating this as if I'm starting the new car selection process from scratch.
So is this just a theoretical exercise for you, or are you actually treating it as a new car selection and reviewing your original choice?! Even if it is theoretical, it's one exercise triggered by the delays, lack of info. and the fact that others are canceling and going for the M135i. What else could have triggered it?!
End of the day it's your hard-earned cash, so you need to be happy with what you get. I'm sticking with the GTI as it looks much classier and is way fast enough for me, with all the refinement I want.
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Not sure what theoretical means in this context? :undecided:
I'm looking at the M135i, I'm gonna drive one. If I like it enough I'll tell the BMW guy if he can give me a low enough price I'll cancel the GTI and go to the dark side. If I don't get a low enough price or I don't like it enough then I'll just stick it out waiting for the GTI.
You seem to think I must have a preferred choice, which is not subject to change, and that to pick a different car is therefore not sensible. But I don't really have a preferred choice. I didn't even consider the M135i originally, well now I am considering it. Also it is possible for perceptions to change over time. The GTi is not perfect. There are a whole set of pros and cons for each car, but I haven't properly tested the M135i yet so I can't yet make a judgement. First stage is to drive it, then to see what the best price is.
My gut feeling is I'm going to find the M135i the better car... but at £32k it is too expensive, and they've implied the one they have, with less spec than I'd ideally like, will not go for less than £32k. This is jumping the gun though, gotta wait and see tomorrow.
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Not sure what theoretical means in this context? :undecided:
I'm looking at the M135i, I'm gonna drive one. If I like it enough I'll tell the BMW guy if he can give me a low enough price I'll cancel the GTI and go to the dark side. If I don't get a low enough price or I don't like it enough then I'll just stick it out waiting for the GTI.
You seem to think I must have a preferred choice, which is not subject to change, and that to pick a different car is therefore not sensible. But I don't really have a preferred choice. I didn't even consider the M135i originally, well now I am considering it. Also it is possible for perceptions to change over time. The GTi is not perfect. There are a whole set of pros and cons for each car, but I haven't properly tested the M135i yet so I can't yet make a judgement. First stage is to drive it, then to see what the best price is.
My gut feeling is I'm going to find the M135i the better car... but at £32k it is too expensive, and they've implied the one they have, with less spec than I'd ideally like, will not go for less than £32k. This is jumping the gun though, gotta wait and see tomorrow.
To be fair if they got close to £30k I think I would have jumped ship
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Bear, it's just that you said you are not revising your choice because of the delays and the fact that others are considering the M135i, so I'm curious as to why. You obviously favoured the GTI over the M135i previously, largely due to price, because you ordered one and stuck it out this long. Of course perceptions can change, but they often change due to influence.
I never said the GTI is perfect, few things in life are. You might well be smitten with the BMW, especially the speed, and if the price is right and you don't mind the looks, go for it.
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I think if they were the same price, available in a month, parked side by side I would still probably take the Golf.
WHile I agree the M135 is too expensive (for me) at £33-£35k it feels very well engineered for that money and has performance of a £60k + car, that is undeniable.. although the looks will always bug me a bit.
I also maintain at anything over £30k the Golf is also too expensive.. so when I was able to spec an M135 with leather and nav over and above the Golf I specced, for a price that was almost the same, and delivery in a month rather than ??? months... it was too compelling to turn down.
I dont blame anyone for staying with the GTi, I would have done as well but cant wait for maybe 4-6 months for my car
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oh, and also to say i had "judged" the m135 on car mag road tests and looks alone having not driven it and ruled it out on the list price
When I drove it, some of those perceptions changed.. and then when the price became comparable.. well then its a different argument..
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I'm sure there are some here that never considered the BMW because they never thougt in their wildest dreams they could get £5k+ off list price for one. Some here are true VW fans that would only consider a GTI/GTD, some are just looking for a a high spec practical car with performance that offers excellent value for money and low running costs (relative to the sticker price), and that M135i is looking more tempting to them (fuelling costs excepted) in light of VWs inability to supply in a reasonable length of time, especially if you have specced a camera.
From a used value point of view come p/x time, I do think the lack of build restriction (supply exceeding demand), the large level of discount and an ever incrreasing desire for better fuel economy from would-be buyers may hurt residual values (but not by much vs a GTI). If worst case is GFV of £12k after 4 years then you can just hand it back if you have 48 month finance.
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My gut feeling is I'm going to find the M135i the better car... but at £32k it is too expensive, and they've implied the one they have, with less spec than I'd ideally like, will not go for less than £32k. This is jumping the gun though, gotta wait and see tomorrow.
I think you will like the M135i. It's been said a lot before but it should really be compared to the Golf R or S3.
I deliberately didn't test drive it, as I thought I may not be able to resist, and it was more than I wanted to spend this time around.
Because of your spec (in particular the Leather) the cost difference for the car itself is probably not that great, although it will cost more to run if you do higher than average mileage.
It'll be a shame to see another potential GTI owner go down the M135i route, but I couldn't blame you after the way VW have messed you (and most the other early adopters) about.
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I'm sure there are some here that never considered the BMW because they never thougt in their wildest dreams they could get £5k+ off list price for one. Some here are true VW fans that would only consider a GTI/GTD, some are just looking for a a high spec practical car with performance that offers excellent value for money and low running costs (relative to the sticker price), and that M135i is looking more tempting to them (fuelling costs excepted) in light of VWs inability to supply in a reasonable length of time, especially if you have specced a camera.
From a used value point of view come p/x time, I do think the lack of build restriction (supply exceeding demand), the large level of discount and an ever incrreasing desire for better fuel economy from would-be buyers may hurt residual values (but not by much vs a GTI). If worst case is GFV of £12k after 4 years then you can just hand it back if you have 48 month finance.
This was my theory, and the reason why I went down the PCP route - worst case if values plummet in 3 years I walk away and probably abroad with work anyway. The GFV of the car I specced is £15,200 after 3 years which isnt bad considering I am paying under £28k.
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You obviously favoured the GTI over the M135i previously, largely due to price, because you ordered one and stuck it out this long.
It feels to me as if I'm looking at the M135i because it has just this minute been released and wasn't an option when I ordered the GTI. I guess what I mean is its not that a favoured the GTI, or that I've changed my view on it. Its also not that I'm being influenced other than in being made aware that there is another option out there. Its popped up on my radar so I'm going to have a look.
I also have my p/x to consider. Last night I lined up a third family member who wants my car and will take it off me for close to the p/x I was offered in April, because to them this is still less than they'd pay on the forecourt and they know the history of the car. Yet again I have a narrow window as they've been offered a great deal on a new vehicle and they have a few weeks before that expires. Doesn't mean I have to shift my car now but there may be some advantages if I can.
To be hoenst I wish I could get myself an M-lite and my wife a GTI (so I could drive it). However her priorities differ. She likes soft tops... or a smart car due to parking. :sad:
Because of your spec (in particular the Leather) the cost difference for the car itself is probably not that great, although it will cost more to run if you do higher than average mileage.
Yes. Effectively I've spec'd the GTI higher than its most competitive price point such that price wise the M135i is now competitive. Kinda my own fault though! haha
I just arranged a test drive for this afternoon. Hoping when me boss gets here he will take pity on me and give me the time off! hehe. Being a car enthusiast and driving a BMW himself I hope to convince him he should.
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First question I ask myself is, "Do I like the look of this car?" If it's a no, it can be as fast and cheap as it wants! Believe it or not though, I do get why people are getting fed up and have (relatively small in the scheme of things) financial considerations to want to jump ship, especially if the price and spec is there or thereabouts, with a "guaranteed" delivery.
Bear, it's a tough decision, and one I'm very happy to not put myself into a position of needing to make!
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I just arranged a test drive for this afternoon.
Don't forget to report back Bear, I'll be very interested in what you think of it.
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This was my theory, and the reason why I went down the PCP route - worst case if values plummet in 3 years I walk away and probably abroad with work anyway. The GFV of the car I specced is £15,200 after 3 years which isnt bad considering I am paying under £28k.
3 years GFV of £15200 beats the GTI (standard spec) by about £2100 (£13084 on GTI at 3 years/30k miles). Maybe factor in an enhancement of £1000 for a very well specced GTI to same price (leather and PP being largest option contributors to GFV) and the BMW is £1100 up, perhaps mitigating it's higher purchase price after discount. Seems to me that if you resign yourself to worst case scenario of giving the car back at GFV then there isn't much in it either way
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Don't forget to report back Bear, I'll be very interested in what you think of it.
Will do.
Gryzor, yeah if you can't get over the looks you shouldn't look at the BMW. I doubt anyone would argue it looks as good as the GTI. I expected to see it and think "no". It actually wasn't bad at all. Still hardly a point in its favour!
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Gryzor, yeah if you can't get over the looks you shouldn't look at the BMW. I doubt anyone would argue it looks as good as the GTI. I expected to see it and think "no". It actually wasn't bad at all. Still hardly a point in its favour!
It's not "that" bad, but looks are definitely not in its favour! Now, if it was in 1-series coupe form, it would be a different consideration altogether!
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I just arranged a test drive for this afternoon.
Don't forget to report back Bear, I'll be very interested in what you think of it.
Yes me too!! The last BMW I had was a 335i and although I loved the car the ride for me was overly firm to the point of being uncomfortable at times. Be very interested to see what you think
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I just arranged a test drive for this afternoon.
Don't forget to report back Bear, I'll be very interested in what you think of it.
Yes me too!! The last BMW I had was a 335i and although I loved the car the ride for me was overly firm to the point of being uncomfortable at times. Be very interested to see what you think
Hey John... I'm guessing you had the M-sport with the runflats. I didn't have a problem with the ride quality on my SE, even though I was running on the 19" 230 Style Alloys. Yes it was 'slightly' on the firm side, but definitely not uncomfortable.
The ride quality of the M135i I test drove earlier in the year was sublime! Nicely damped & not overtly firm whatsoever. The Adaptive Suspension made a big difference though, plus the fact it was fitted with the Michelin Super Sports...
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The ride quality of the M135i I test drove earlier in the year was sublime! Nicely damped & not overtly firm whatsoever. The Adaptive Suspension made a big difference though, plus the fact it was fitted with the Michelin Super Sports...
Am I right in assuming the Adaptive Suspension is the equivalent of the ACC on the golf?
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The ride quality of the M135i I test drove earlier in the year was sublime! Nicely damped & not overtly firm whatsoever. The Adaptive Suspension made a big difference though, plus the fact it was fitted with the Michelin Super Sports...
Am I right in assuming the Adaptive Suspension is the equivalent of the ACC on the golf?
Yes. Its cheaper than the VW though.
Not sure if it works on the same principals though. My GTI test drive (such as it was) was on an ACC equipped car. I'll review the M135i as a comparison when I'm back (2 hours until drive).
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The ride quality of the M135i I test drove earlier in the year was sublime! Nicely damped & not overtly firm whatsoever. The Adaptive Suspension made a big difference though, plus the fact it was fitted with the Michelin Super Sports...
Am I right in assuming the Adaptive Suspension is the equivalent of the ACC on the golf?
Yes mate!!! I haven't had the opportunity to drive a Golf with the ACC so I can't make a direct comparison, but changing between comfort & sport on the M135i made a big difference. Sport was rather too firm for every day use, however I found Comfort probably the best setting to leave it on for everyday driving.
I believe it works similar to the Golfs ACC in that sensors continuously measure data and control the shock absorber valves in the dampers according to the driving situation and road conditions.
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Not sure why VAG developed 2 adaptive suspension set-ups (the other being Audi magnetic ride) - which one is best? I've got the MK1 ACC on my Scirocco, but never tried the magnetic ride out (it's about the same price as ACC if I remember rightly).
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I have ACC andi must say I can't tell that much difference
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I have ACC andi must say I can't tell that much difference
I can definitely tell the difference with ACC modes - Comfort for when you know there are potholes about, Sport for everything else and normal is like a bag of hammers (it doesn't know what it wants to do). This is all based on the original set-up and not taking into account any improvements VW have made for the MK7 Golf.
The standard GTD set-up was more than good enough for me. I might miss comfort in pothole season, same as for 1 week of the year I wish I had 4WD.
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Hey John... I'm guessing you had the M-sport with the runflats. I didn't have a problem with the ride quality on my SE, even though I was running on the 19" 230 Style Alloys. Yes it was 'slightly' on the firm side, but definitely not uncomfortable.
The ride quality of the M135i I test drove earlier in the year was sublime! Nicely damped & not overtly firm whatsoever. The Adaptive Suspension made a big difference though, plus the fact it was fitted with the Michelin Super Sports...
Yes it was M-Sport with run flats and put me off the faster BMWs. Very interested to see your thoughts on the M135i suspension. Suspension is generally a compromise between comfort and handling but Adaptive suspension/ACC seems to give the best of both. I think I'm like most in that I want a car that is comfortable when I have to drive and one that has great handling when I want to have fun!!
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I just arranged a test drive for this afternoon.
Don't forget to report back Bear, I'll be very interested in what you think of it.
Where is Bill, I want to know what this motor was like! :laugh:
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I just arranged a test drive for this afternoon.
Don't forget to report back Bear, I'll be very interested in what you think of it.
Where is Bill, I want to know what this motor was like! :laugh:
Bills probably filling out a new order form as we speak! :grin:
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I just arranged a test drive for this afternoon.
Don't forget to report back Bear, I'll be very interested in what you think of it.
Where is Bill, I want to know what this motor was like! :laugh:
Bills probably filling out a new order form as we speak! :grin:
:grin: I've sat in the car he's test driving and it is the nuts so it wouldn't surprise me!
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I'm going to craft this as an M135i review, but always referencing to the GTI, otherwise this post is on the wrong forum!
TL,DR:
- The M135i is a monster of a car. Quality, super fast, doesn't even look all that bad in person.
- I started off nervous of all that rear wheel power. 30seconds in I'm :smiley:. 5 minutes in I'm :grin:. 30minutes in I'm :laugh:. Wow!
- But... is it worth switching from a GTI? Maybe.... maybe.
- Its a lot of cash. M135i and GTI both.
Introduction
Yesterday I visited the local BMW dealer and asked what they could do to convince me to change from VW to them. I gave them the core spec of my GTI order (skipping some stuff) and the equivalent M135i comes to near enough £37k. I said I wanted to pay £30k. The dealer thought £32k might be possible. I said I'd have to drive it first whatever, so today he handed me the keys and asked how long I wanted it. 2 hours seemed reasonable. Ok its review time!
EDIT:
To be clear the car I drove is not the one I would buy. The one they can do a deal on has this spec:
5 door
8 speed auto
Black metalic
Pro Nav pack
Sun protection pack
Heated seats
Loudspeaker pack
Rear park sensors
M135i Spec (that I was driving)
White
3 door
No adaptive suspension
Manual
Fancy Sat Nav and associated Jazz
Special exhausts
Special steering wheel (which had buttons that seemed to do bugger all)
Cruise control
What did I do for 2 hours?
I drove home (30 seconds down the road) and immediately hit snag #1, how the hell do you put it in reverse? Wasted a few minutes trying then looked it up on my phone (forgetting the owner manual is built into the sat nav unit). You have to really force it into reverse!
I then drove on A roads to Bedford, A421 dual carriage, said hi to my folks (they think 3 litre is unnecessary overkill), drove though the town and took some windy roads back. 60mile round trip. I had to stick £10 of unleaded in. :sad:
Whats good? (i.e. better than the GTI)
- The engine sounds epic. Seriously epic. Its 6 cylinder so, sorry GTI, can't compete here.
- 0-60 is under 5 seconds. I dunno if I did that but boy is it fast. Even in 5th or 6th if you put your foot down it just goes. I overtook a few cars and in seconds they hundreds of meters behind.
- The ride was smooth. No adaptive suspension but still felt good. Eco, comfort and Sport felt very different (unlike the GTI to be honest). If you go BMW then forget the adaptive suspension, you won't need it.
- It really doesn't look as bad as you'd think, and when you sit in it you can't tell anyway
- The infotainment system is awesome. Again the GTI is not competing here
- Quite a lot of space in the back, surprised me.
- The dash is very nice and it customises itself depending on what you are doing. In cruise it shows things about that. In eco mode it assesses how you drive, tells you how much fuel you are saving, shows regenerative breaking when it comes on. Stop start activates and the rev counter tells you its "ready". Modern looking dials, although the speedo is on the wrong side! I kept glancing at the rev counter, lol.
- The nav unit is clever. It can give you extra dials and charts. For example in sport it allows you to display power and torque dials (480Nm anyone?) and in ECO it charts your efficiency and average fuel consumption. I liked it.
- The iDrive (infotainment controls) are fantastic.
- The seats are very nice, very comfy, lovely leather. I wanted leather so this is a big deal to me but probably not so much to a lot of GTI lovers who like their classic tartan
- The price. Dealer I visited doesn't want to go below £32k, but I have a feeling he's gonna say "its hurting me but... £31k" £31k for an auto, metallic, pro nav, 320PS, 480Nm, leather M135i. It just makes other cars look bad.
Whats not so good? (i.e worse than the GTI)
The price (yeah its a pro and a con!). Add even a couple of little options and it goes up and up ... and up! And £31k? Really? That's a lot of cash. Is it really worth spending this amount? Sure for the first month or two you'll love it, but then its just a car, and a bloody expensive one to fill up with petrol. After 30minutes I honestly was laughing at the fun I was having, but would I still be doing this after 3 months of ownership? Well... actually there is a good chance I would be. :tongue:
There are a couple of big problems really:
- 3 litres drinks petrol. I got 30mpg which in fairness is pretty darn good because when not in a traffic jam I was really chucking it around. Its going to mean a lot of trips to the pump though. Effectively the GTI is giving you 33% less fuel costs and the GTD is 50% less. That might be a deal breaker for some people.
- It felt a little cramped in the 'cockpit' the driver sits in. I don't think my feet are especially large but if felt a bit like I was wearing clown shoes. No where to put your legs when in cruise and if using the peddles the next door ones catch on your shoes. The pedals are also very stiff! When I got back in my Ford it was like a breeze driving it was so light. I think I'd get tired on a long journey (so no manual, has to be auto, has to be). Might get used to it I suppose. However, the seats do have more adjustment options than the GTI, even without the electric upgrades.
- I never quite got on with the manual. I'll take the 8 speed auto no question. It was too firm and getting it into second was often difficult. I can't see myself managing fast shifts, but maybe I needed more time to get used to it. The GTI manual was a lot better I think.
And some minor stuff
- Dash had a driver assistance (ADC/lane assist thingy) that was off and I couldn't get it on. Perhaps it wasn't spec'd, but why would the display be there but greyed out?
- I sort of expected instant power, it was more of a surge. Its a real big surge but my memory of the GTI was that it was lurching forward sooner. Been a while since the VW test drive though.
Maybe good, maybe bad
- I had only one person stare at it (she was a seriously hot young lady though if that makes a difference).
- Obviously the looks. Some of us hate it. I'm coming around to liking it, but this isn't its strong point.
Conclusions:
Can't say it was enough to make me cancel the GTI. The main problem is the price. The GTI is a known entity (provided it doesn't feel slow now I've experienced the rocket car) so its the safe bet. The M135i does some things incredibly well, raw power and build quality stand out. This is a modern drivers car that out paces virtually everything out there and I enjoyed that feeling. 6 cylinders, rear wheel set up, proper modern computer system (I don't think the GTI is even in the same league on that front). But is that enough? At £30k I'd consider it. Less than £30k and hell yes I'm going BMW all day long, but they won't go that low so... tough one. You can get a lot of motor for £30k, do I really want to be sinking the bulk of that cash into 320 horses? Makes the cheaper 1 series cars look more tempting when I think like that.
Lastly:
I will add a little paragraph on GTI vs M135i about any part of the spec anyone would like to hear more about. I could just write about everything but this will get far too long if I do, so ask if you want more info.
Bill ponders his options
(http://i.imgur.com/nYQaiyq.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/um5h1xd.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/WTBNZWK.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/tXVkdo9.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Q7nJ9hw.jpg)
And how am I supposed to reach the pedals? Seriously guys, not cool!
(http://i.imgur.com/L1LtpiH.jpg)
The nice black one in the showroom (where they have about 50 cars, mostly M or other fancy kit!):
(http://i.imgur.com/DuDI7ap.jpg)
The one I drove in her owner's drive about 2 months ago:
(http://i.imgur.com/2Y8CDam.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/yrlO7Au.jpg)
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My post was long so I made a new topic. It was the black one at Cambourne you got in match? For test drive they gave me a white manual that is usually parked outside the neighbour to one of my mates here in Cambridge! Haha, I photoed it months ago and have now spent 2 hours flinging it around the county! Heh heh
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=257969.0
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Good review Bill, I hope you don't find the GTI a little tepid after the awesome power of the M135i :huh:
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Great write up Bill. It really is a big dilemma. When the dealer said he could perhaps get close to £32k was that inclusive of the auto box?
As I've said before the two things that would concern me above all else would (looks aside) would be the running costs and the rwd in the winter.
However the fact that BMW know that you are definitely in the market for a new car may lead them to making you an offer that would be hard to turn down.
Do you have any more pics of it?
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Excellent write up Bear, and the pics made me :grin:
I have to say I'm glad I didn't drive one as I don't think I could resist that power, the consumption is irrelevant when you've got a massive smile on your face....but....the GTI did that to me anyway.
Do you need the extra power? Probably not. But I bet it was a shed load of fun!
One thing to consider - once you get used to that kind of speed it's very difficult to go back to a slower car - trust me, it just p!sses you off. And you're exactly right, why over stretch yourself now when you'll (hopefully) be in a better position to buy that level of car comfortably in 3 years. Nothing worse than owning a great car but not enjoying it as all your thinking about is how much it's costing you.
I think you've made the right choice, the GTI is the winner here - just!
Great way to spend a Friay afternoon though! :cool:
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My post was long so I made a new topic. It was the black one at Cambourne you got in match? For test drive they gave me a white manual that is usually parked outside the neighbour to one of my mates here in Cambridge! Haha, I photoed it months ago and have now spent 2 hours flinging it around the county! Heh heh
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=257969.0
Yep that's the one. I think it looks the nuts :drool:
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Great write up Bill. It really is a big dilemma. When the dealer said he could perhaps get close to £32k was that inclusive of the auto box?
As I've said before the two things that would concern me above all else would (looks aside) would be the running costs and the rwd in the winter.
Do you have any more pics of it?
I should have been clearer on this. I'm interested in factory order, or this black one they have in the show room. The dealer has figured that unless he is talking sub £32k in either case I'm not likely to switch so I think he's going to make me an offer sometime soon.
The spec for £32 is:
5 door
8 speed auto
Black metalic
Pro Nav pack
Sun protection pack
Heated seats
Loudspeaker pack
Rear park sensors (but no camera :sad:)
Cruise (I'm sure it had it but there is no mention on the quote as an option or as std equipment...).
Winter + fuel costs + tire costs also concern me, I should add that to the cons.
I have a couple of old pics of it outside my mates house I will try to add them. However, its not photogenic, but you come round to it in person!
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Excellent write up Bear, and the pics made me :grin:
I have to say I'm glad I didn't drive one as I don't think I could resist that power, the consumption is irrelevant when you've got a massive smile on your face....but....the GTI did that to me anyway.
Do you need the extra power? Probably not. But I bet it was a shed load of fun!
One thing to consider - once you get used to that kind of speed it's very difficult to go back to a slower car - trust me, it just p!sses you off. And you're exactly right, why over stretch yourself now when you'll (hopefully) be in a better position to buy that level of car comfortably in 3 years. Nothing worse than owning a great car but not enjoying it as all your thinking about is how much it's costing you.
I think you've made the right choice, the GTI is the winner here - just!
Great way to spend a Friay afternoon though! :cool:
This 100%.
Except I am waiting to hear his offer before deciding!
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Why is this here? I thought this was a VW forum.
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Why is this here? I thought this was a VW forum.
Because VW are currently trying the patience of most of us.
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Why is this here? I thought this was a VW forum.
Because VW are currently trying the patience of most of us.
And because he's comparing it to the GTI. What's the issue?
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Nice review Bill, i didn't know you was a polar, cool. :rolleyes:
Have to agree with a few things as i had a test drive of the M-sport 125D auto today also.
The ride was extremely smooth, and for a diesel the engine was very quiet, even when accelerating hard.
The cabin was lovely, and the standard cloth and alcantara trim is great, no leather as standard on this one. :( but i did feel very hemmed in and not too spacious (i am 6' 2"), there seems more room in my A1. With my sitting in the front, this had compromised the seat behind, unlike the golf.
Dealer discount was about a grand, and the car would be around £31k with this.
The 125D runs a 2.00 TDI with twin turbos and around 215bhp, so not too shabby compared to the GTD, but it didn't feel rapid, even though 0-60 is 6.5 seconds.
So not really coming to close to GTD pricing, with similar spec, and we all know there are good discounts out there for the GTI and GTD now.
But overall is really well built and has some very cool options, but still undecided. :shocked:
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No Bill, Wait for the GTi
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Nice review Bill, i didn't know you was a polar, cool. :rolleyes:
Have to agree with a few things as i had a test drive of the M-sport 125D auto today also.
The ride was extremely smooth, and for a diesel the engine was very quiet, even when accelerating hard.
The cabin was lovely, and the standard cloth and alcantara trim is great, no leather as standard on this one. :( but i did feel very hemmed in and not too spacious (i am 6' 2"), there seems more room in my A1. With my sitting in the front, this had compromised the seat behind, unlike the golf.
Dealer discount was about a grand, and the car would be around £31k with this.
The 125D runs a 2.00 TDI with twin turbos and around 215bhp, so not too shabby compared to the GTD, but it didn't feel rapid, even though 0-60 is 6.5 seconds.
So not really coming to close to GTD pricing, with similar spec, and we all know there are good discounts out there for the GTI and GTD now.
But overall is really well built and has some very cool options, but still undecided. :shocked:
£31k for 125D vs £32k for M135i??? Think the dealer could do better than a £1k discount :huh: :huh:
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Nice review Bill, i didn't know you was a polar, cool. :rolleyes:
Have to agree with a few things as i had a test drive of the M-sport 125D auto today also.
The ride was extremely smooth, and for a diesel the engine was very quiet, even when accelerating hard.
The cabin was lovely, and the standard cloth and alcantara trim is great, no leather as standard on this one. :( but i did feel very hemmed in and not too spacious (i am 6' 2"), there seems more room in my A1. With my sitting in the front, this had compromised the seat behind, unlike the golf.
Dealer discount was about a grand, and the car would be around £31k with this.
The 125D runs a 2.00 TDI with twin turbos and around 215bhp, so not too shabby compared to the GTD, but it didn't feel rapid, even though 0-60 is 6.5 seconds.
So not really coming to close to GTD pricing, with similar spec, and we all know there are good discounts out there for the GTI and GTD now.
But overall is really well built and has some very cool options, but still undecided. :shocked:
£31k for 125D vs £32k for M135i??? Think the dealer could do better than a £1k discount :huh: :huh:
+1, big BMW discounts are easily come by without too much searching.
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I added a few more pics at the bottom (this time of the actual car!).
Added the spec of the car the dealer is talking about £32k and I'm pressing for £30k.
Bolded the part about how epic the 6 cylinder sounds. Cannot. Stress this. Enough. Aparently the sound is "piped" into the cabin but whatever they are doing they are doing it damn right. Of course, the GTI also sounds awesome, just not quite as awesome. Every time the M-lite hits 2.5k revs and makes this little burbling sound ... well, its enough to make a polar bear quite excited. :whistle:
Logic hat on though its got to be £30k to be "considered" and may still lose to the GTI.
Emotional hat on... get the M-lite. Go. Now!
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It's pig ugly IMO. :sick: And I agree with another poster above, there's far too much bloody BMW chat on here lately. At least keep it to one thread! Sorry.
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I'VE MERGED THE TWO BMW THREADS DUE TO COMPLAINTS, CAN WE KEEP ALL THE BMW v GTI CHAT IN ONE THREAD PLEASE, I KNOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME MIXED UP POSTS ON THE LAST COUPLE OF PAGES.
THANKS GUYS ;)
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I added a few more pics at the bottom (this time of the actual car!).
Added the spec of the car the dealer is talking about £32k and I'm pressing for £30k.
Bolded the part about how epic the 6 cylinder sounds. Cannot. Stress this. Enough. Aparently the sound is "piped" into the cabin but whatever they are doing they are doing it damn right. Of course, the GTI also sounds awesome, just not quite as awesome. Every time the M-lite hits 2.5k revs and makes this little burbling sound ... well, its enough to make a polar bear quite excited. :whistle:
Logic hat on though its got to be £30k to be "considered" and may still lose to the GTI.
Emotional hat on... get the M-lite. Go. Now!
The one thing ill say about the 135 is that you can tell what it is when you see one due to the aggressive front end. As someone else alluded to, now that you have driven one you can only be disappointed by the performance of the GTI. Plus I would also say that the exhaust noise from the GTI is not particularly noticeable when your in the cabin.
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Apologies Jimble.
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Apologies Jimble.
No worries mate. ;)
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I added a few more pics at the bottom (this time of the actual car!).
Added the spec of the car the dealer is talking about £32k and I'm pressing for £30k.
Bolded the part about how epic the 6 cylinder sounds. Cannot. Stress this. Enough. Aparently the sound is "piped" into the cabin but whatever they are doing they are doing it damn right. Of course, the GTI also sounds awesome, just not quite as awesome. Every time the M-lite hits 2.5k revs and makes this little burbling sound ... well, its enough to make a polar bear quite excited. :whistle:
Logic hat on though its got to be £30k to be "considered" and may still lose to the GTI.
Emotional hat on... get the M-lite. Go. Now!
The one thing ill say about the 135 is that you can tell what it is when you see one due to the aggressive front end. As someone else alluded to, now that you have driven one you can only be disappointed by the performance of the GTI. Plus I would also say that the exhaust noise from the GTI is not particularly noticeable when your in the cabin.
I disagree with this tbh, from the front it's like any other M sport 1 series if you have the light pack, at least the GTI is a bit more individual.
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If thats what they look like no wonder no one gave it any looks Bill... :sick:, not a fan sorry, Gti will be worth the wait, whats the tax , insurance, tyres etc on that
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I think they look great (M Sport and M135i), it got taken off my most wanted list due to costs and costs alone. I'm currently fighting myself over pushing the budget :huh: or sticking with the GTI.
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I think they look great (M Sport and M135i), it got taken off my most wanted list due to costs and costs alone. I'm currently fighting myself over pushing the budget :huh: or sticking with the GTI.
That is the dilemma isn't it? If it were cheaper even by a little it would be a no brainer. But how can you convince yourself to drop the GTI, AND pay more money? It may be a better car but you wanted that GTI enough to place an order so it needs something to tempt you away.
My mind is not yet made up. I kinda feel like the sheer power would be wasted on me (and my cash wasted as a result)... yet how do I then go and buy a GTI without applying the same logic? Hmm...
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I think they look great (M Sport and M135i), it got taken off my most wanted list due to costs and costs alone. I'm currently fighting myself over pushing the budget :huh: or sticking with the GTI.
That is the dilemma isn't it? If it were cheaper even by a little it would be a no brainer. But how can you convince yourself to drop the GTI, AND pay more money? It may be a better car but you wanted that GTI enough to place an order so it needs something to tempt you away.
My mind is not yet made up. I kinda feel like the sheer power would be wasted on me (and my cash wasted as a result)... yet how do I then go and buy a GTI without applying the same logic? Hmm...
I always look to try and progress with cars if I can so in my case I feel I have taken a small step up from the TT. If I'm right Bill, you are coming from a fiesta so the GTI is going to be quite a big step up for you and the BMW would be a huge step up.
Either car you will love to be honest
Ps going by my logic I'm hoping to be in a Porsche before I turn 50 :grin: :grin:
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I'VE MERGED THE TWO BMW THREADS DUE TO COMPLAINTS, CAN WE KEEP ALL THE BMW v GTI CHAT IN ONE THREAD PLEASE, I KNOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME MIXED UP POSTS ON THE LAST COUPLE OF PAGES.
THANKS GUYS ;)
Thanks Jimble. Although anyone who's actually gone to the bother of complaining about something so trivial really needs to get a life IMO :rolleyes:
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I always look to try and progress with cars if I can so in my case I feel I have taken a small step up from the TT. If I'm right Bill, you are coming from a fiesta so the GTI is going to be quite a big step up for you and the BMW would be a huge step up.
Either car you will love to be honest
Ps going by my logic I'm hoping to be in a Porsche before I turn 50 :grin: :grin:
Yeah I should probably stick with the GTI, one step at a time right?
I too would like a Porsche at 50. 40 really so I can go to a Gallardo at 50. As if we won't be 100% electric by the time I'm 50! Ah well, maybe better to enjoy it while it lasts, so M-lite then?
Oh dear. :undecided:
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I test drove my mates M135i last weekend and had a little play with him against my MK6 Revo Stage 2 GTi.
The BMW is effortlessly fast and mullered me off the line with its rwd and auto box, but once rolling there was nothing between the cars performance wise.
If you love your GTi's a cheeky remap on the new MK7 and you'll be knocking on the door of 300bhp easily, best of both worlds.
Was a bit of a last hurrah for our GTi mind as we went and bought a new 120d M-Sport, test drove the 125d which is a twin scroll single turbo (not a twin turbo like the old 123d) and didn't feel the additional performance over the 120d justified the cost, agree with earlier comment that it just doesn't feel 210ish bhp fast.
Had looked at the GTD a few weeks previously and just felt it looked too similar to our current MK6 so gone for something different this time.
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Just travelled 20 mins back up the road from my parents house and I'm telling you this car is definitely worth the wait! The cabin is such a nice place to be in and the ride is so smooth. It effortlessly glides past other cars and probably has all the power you will need in everyday driving.
Plus it just looks amazing during the day but especially at night!!!
Bill just hang in with your order and you will be rewarded trust me :smiley: :smiley:
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I agree with Craig... Don't do it Bear!! BMW ownership is definitely not all it is cracked up to be.
"You've made your Bed, so just hunker down and lie in it'" :grin: :grin: :grin:
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Yeah I should probably stick with the GTI, one step at a time right?
All things considered, it won't come as any surprise to hear it from me, but I would stick with your GTI order. Being honest, it is ugly - all 1 series hatches are. I saw a M125i I think it was at the gym tonight, and it simply isn't a car I could live with. As you said, you wanted the GTI enough to place the order and stick with it so far. Also, do you really need all that power, and want that in rear-wheel drive form come the bad weather? As an all-round, refined and balanced car, the GTI steals it for me.
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I know we're all trying to be "helpful" but this really is Bear's decision. Feels like everyone is pressurising him to stick with the GTI. If he's fallen for the Beemer then good for Mr Bear.
At the end if the day it's his £30k of hard earned cash so he's gotta be 100% happy.
Just saying :whistle:
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Lets face it they are both the pick of the moment in terms of quality cars in that price bracket.
Either has merits and downsides.. So either choice will be a good one.
I'm off for my extended drive at 9 and decision time with the deal I have in the table.. My main decision is going for manual or the 8 speed auto which is great but pricey..
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I know we're all trying to be "helpful" but this really is Bear's decision. Feels like everyone is pressurising him to stick with the GTI. If he's fallen for the Beemer then good for Mr Bear.
At the end if the day it's his £30k of hard earned cash so he's gotta be 100% happy.
Just saying :whistle:
Yep, regarding money and his decision, exactly what I've said in the past too. But let's be realistic here - these are GTI forums, not BMW forums. People are on here because they like VW and specifically GTI. If we were on BMW forums I'm sure the advice would generally swing the other way. I'm happy for him regardless, but my opinion of the BMW is what it is and wont change just to be diplomatic about it!
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I know we're all trying to be "helpful" but this really is Bear's decision. Feels like everyone is pressurising him to stick with the GTI. If he's fallen for the Beemer then good for Mr Bear.
At the end if the day it's his £30k of hard earned cash so he's gotta be 100% happy.
Just saying :whistle:
Yep, regarding money and his decision, exactly what I've said in the past too. But let's be realistic here - these are GTI forums, not BMW forums. People are on here because they like VW and specifically GTI. If we were on BMW forums I'm sure the advice would generally swing the other way. I'm happy for him regardless, but my opinion of the BMW is what it is and wont change just to be diplomatic about it!
Not really "hard earned" is it? I mean he spends most of the day on here!! :evil:
Sorry Bear, couldn't resist! :kiss:
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Not really "hard earned" is it? I mean he spends most of the day on here!! :evil:
Sorry Bear, couldn't resist! :kiss:
Haha, true! Either that or he's out during works time test driving other cars! ;)
We jest mate, whatever you decide, just make sure it's the GTI :evil:
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Not really "hard earned" is it? I mean he spends most of the day on here!! :evil:
Sorry Bear, couldn't resist! :kiss:
Haha, true! Either that or he's out during works time test driving other cars! ;)
We jest mate, whatever you decide, just make sure it's the GTI :evil:
I agree, the 135i is an awesome piece of machinery but one day you'll be driving along and catch your reflection in a shop window and you'll think you've made a big mistake!!
Just sayin like....
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With all the BMW talk of late, stands to reason that you start to notice more of them and pay more attention. There are a couple near me, and I saw another one into the car park today. I take back what I said about the 1 series hatch not being "that bad"...it really is that bad! The front end of the older model was kinda' OK, but the new one looks worse, and the back-end is one of the ugliest out there. Not trying to sway decisions like, it's just what I think of the car in terms of aesthetics. In contrast, with the Mk7 GTI there isn't one angle of the car I don't like the look of. Relative performance doesn't even factor into it for me!
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Guys
Just returned from a 1.5 hour test drive of the 135, as most now I had a cracking deal on the table.
Did I sign up an order ?
NOPE. I have one word to sum up the 135. FRUSTRATING. The 8 speed gearbox. Frustrating. The ride quality. Frustrating. The acceleration, so quick it's frustrating. I got annoyed with this car to be honest.
A quick spin a week ago I was sold but today on a range of roads,it was just plain annoying. I drove the same piece of road I drove the gi on when I ordered it and i don't believe I could rive it any quicker in the 135.
When I stopped and really looked at the interior, sorry Bear I don't agree it the same quality as the golf, there are some very nasty plastics going on, I kid you not my 330 ci is better made.
You just can't use more than 60pc of the performance more than 20 pc of the time. Here is why. I pulled onto the a14 dual carriage way, booted it past a 1.2 corsa and then got stuck in traffic, then it cleared, booted it, then stuck in traffic, corsa up my arse, then boot it, more traffic, corsa up my arse. Grrrr.
Sorry but the golf thrills you 90 pc of e time whether you drive it 90 Pcp or 50 pc. The only reason you buy a 135 is the 0 to 60 time and that isn't enough for me. I drove through bury st edmunds and not one , mean not one single person gave it a 2nd look. I like understated but he'll for 30k I want a bit of jealousy o ?
So I am back to square one, not sure about the golf due to my work situation. I am pondering a used 135 coupe because for 17k I can get most of the performance in a better looking body.
My advise to anyone sitting on the fence, I really think now having driven both cars for 2 hours n the same roads, the golf is by far the better car. How they got it to ride so well on bad roads yet handle amazingly is simple unreal. The 135 ride is just too hard for me, it shakes over roads the golf glided over, yet on the twisty stuff the golf was as fast and that was the non PP car.
I would tire of the 135 performance after a month and then the golf everyday usability comes through. At 8 speed auto box, man it was annoying. I mean who needs 8 gears with 300bhp and 300b of torque. God I want a really long their gear that uses all that power and will haul me from 30 to 100 without changing gear, no sooner have you changed from 3 to 4 you are bouncing off the limiter.
Funny when I came back to the dealer, they couldn't believe my comments about the gearbox and the fact e performance is frustrating. Said I was the first person who didn't like it !
Oh well, I am striking off the m135. Maybe a 135 coupe is better for me for half the money, or he'll I might stick with my golf order.. But if I had a PP golf on order, I would wait for it, that's my advice.
Cheers
Andy :smiley:
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Thanks drisser, nice write up. It's an interesting point you make regarding the speed - can you actually use that much power on a daily basis? Not really, given the amount of traffic around. Plus if you ever do get round to having a clear road you run the risk of losing your licence!
My brother once traded in his Porshe Turbo S because of this very reason - it was too quick (if that makes sense).
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Exactly the point
When you are not flat out you are just annoyed. I can't out my finger on it but I remember driving the golf and it just had the magic, light, nimble, perfect size, fast enough, everything balanced.
The m135 is just engine engine engine. Sorry but my £3500 worth of 330ci from 2004 is a nicer drive, slick manual box, lovely engine, low driving position. And it gives me more fun, pulling third gear in that is a pleasure as the revs slowly climb and the engine builds
In the 135 the engine dominates everything. I really get why someone would buy it, but its not for me, a used 135 coupe is 99% as fast, half the price and better looking.
I urge any one pondering this car, or any golf alternative, for god sake drive it for 2 hours on roads you know and love so you compare them back to back ..
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Nice balanced second opinion there, and I can relate to pretty much all of it without even having driven one. I absolutely do not need that much power in my everyday car. I've already aired my views on the exterior looks, but I dislike the interior too. Having said that, I do like the 1-series coupe in terms of body shape, so can understand you considering that.
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Some good valid points there drisser.... Saw my first Mk7 GTD this morning (in carbon grey) and thought to myself....... "I'm so glad I ordered the Golf over the BMW!!"... The new Mk7 looked absolutely 'Stunning' on the road :cool:
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Fascinating reviews there.
Having not driven either but would happily live with either I must doff my hat to the BM but to me the GTI with a touch of ECU trickery would be my choice all day and all night.
However if I were to actually drive the 135 then just maybe...
... nah, even at £30k it's well over my self imposed budget.
Big respect to anyone who buys one, it's the car equivalent of Viz's Buster Gonad, and even bigger respect to BMW for building something that mad at an almost affordable price in this age of increasing suffocation from both pollution, resources and those who wish to instil their political agendas down our throats.
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I read this entire thread this morning.
This afternoon I read a thread on audi-sport.net comparing the GTI to the S3
Very similar replies on both threads. That one bias to the S3 this one bias to the GTI.
Your asking people on a specific forum who have made the choice to admit they may have made the wrong choice.
Only you can decide whats right for you.
Dont let anyone make your mind up. Make your own decisions.
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Not sure if I'm missing something here, but a few people have been talking about "potentially" cancelling their GTi orders and going for a M135i instead.
Surely, if you did this you'd lose your deposit on the GTi? Or are people willing to just take that hit as they are fed up of waiting?
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A lot of the time they will give you back the deposit. Especially in these types of circumstances.
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Hmmm - When I ordered they 'estimated' I wouldn't have the car until early-mid November. So unless I get delayed into December, I don't have much to go on I guess?
Not really looking to change, just nice to have the option available. Waiting no where near as long as some on this forum, but when hearing 6 week lead times for other cars in this class, it's frustrating.
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Can you trust a grown man that still has a "teddy bear" to make an informed choice?!? :grin:
That was a bit of a shocker mate :cool:
Some good advice being given out but surely you are past the worst of it now having waited 4 months without a build date. Can it possibly be that long now?
The M135 sounds like a guaranteed licence loser if you want to use it anywhere near its capacity and if you don't is it really worth that extra over the GTI.
The thing with the GTI, is it has the ability to be driven normally as a daily just waiting for it to be let loose. For me it also carries a stature about it.
From your review it sounds like the BMW wants to be let loose all the time, that's maybe okay if you want to can your car every time you are in it but I think you would soon get bored with that. As for presence and stature I don't think it even comes close to the GTI.
Like everyone has said its your money and your choice, but coming from a Fiesta to a GTI or M135, i'm sure you will be pleased either way, however what is going to make you happy driving in the rush hour traffic going to and from work?
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I'm abroad for the week so internet access is sporadic. You are all making some good points here.
I'm really finding it hard to get the M135i out of my mind, really did make me smile! I didn't feel in danger of losing my licence, but watching the speedo when near cameras is a must. (EDIT: if. You're worried about this kind of thing you can set the car to alert you when you exceed certain speeds, say 30 and 70). I don't think it's credible to say the M-lite interior isn't as good as the GTI. The Nav unit is a class above, the leather is great and the dashboard is significantly better. That's not to say the GTI isn't great, but the M-lite has it beat on the inside in the same way the GTI wins out on the outside, it's hard to see how either of those could be up for debate really.
The thing is the M-lite has a bunch of down sides. Fuel Eco, exterior looks, tire costs, insurance and tax, a little bit less space. Does the sheer brilliance of its engine, rear wheel drive, 8speed auto and interior quality compensate enough? Hmmm. So top of the class in some areas, mediocre in others.
In contrast the GTI is a safe bet, it does everything well with no downsides... Both cars average top scores, but the GTI does it by being jack of all, master of none. the M-lite does it by mastering a few things and doing just enough to avoid a fail in others. does that make sense? But at the spec I ordered I'm struggling to feel the GTI is a good deal compared to the M-lite. I could dump all my options bar the Nav unit, keyless and rear cam. Alternately I could push BMW for a £30k deal and probably get it or close... I'd be driving away the next day.
I have to say guys it's a really tough choice. Good thing the outcome is awesomeness in both cases!
@Jimble, I do my work in short, hyper-productive periods... Then I wait weeks for everyone else to catch up. :whistle: that's how I'm telling it anyway, heh heh. :evil:
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Bill
We must have driven different cars !
The things you say are good about the 135 put me off !! Thought the interior was no way better than the Gti, the door handles were really plastic cheap feeling. I agree the media unit is excellent but I did not feel it was a " nice " place to be v the golf.
As for the 8 speed auto. Argghhh. I must be an old purist from a past era. It drove me nuts that auto box.. Yes it's fun banging the gears and its great tech, but hell you don't need those gears in a car with so much torque. Half the time I had no idea which gear I was in and I got no pleasure from it compared to a nicely matched 3rd gear in a manual with that engine you can use the torque at low revs. Just didn't feel the love for that box !
This is why I am looking at a 135 coupe this morning. 305 hp, better looks and it's a late 2010 model with xenons and 20k miles for £20k. I'm hoping it will be a better drive.
Good luck with your decision though whichever way you go ! :smiley:
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This is why I am looking at a 135 coupe this morning. 305 hp, better looks
Personally I think that 3 door saloon that BMW try to pass of as coupe is one of the ugliest recent (If you can call a 7 year old car recent) cars on the road, the newer F20/F21 is much better looking in my opinion. It will go well, but better looks? :lipsrsealed:
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That's not to say the GTI isn't great, but the M-lite has it beat on the inside in the same way the GTI wins out on the outside, it's hard to see how either of those could be up for debate really.
It's all personal opinion of course, but I have to disagre on the interior. I haven't driven one, but I've sat in a 1 series and seen a lot of pictures, and while it's not ugly like the outside, I don't think it is as nice as the GTI/Mk7 Golf. The GTI just feels like a cleaner, better laid out, nicer place to me.
Given the nature of the cars and your pros and cons, if you could have either car for £30k and drive it away tomorrow, which one would you have? Be honest, is the toughness of the decision one of patience or relative value for money?
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I would wait for the m235i looks so much better !
Yes probs more money but it looks the part if the pics are true
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The reason I say the interior is clearly better in the M is because of the leather, the infotainment system, the dashboard, they are all way more expensive in the M. Regarding the layout the M felt a bit cramped, so that's something I could see opinions differing on.
Your auto comments worry me. It's supposed to be the best box in the business is it not? I didn't really like the manual, too stiff and hard to go into second, let alone reverse. Perhaps practice is needed but the car is sold through its 0-60 as a main selling point and with the manual my changes would be far too slow. I hated constantly using the clutch because my feet caught on the side wall and the brake pedal. Auto or nothing, sounds like I need to ask to drive an 8 speed.
Gryzor... I don't know the answer! I need to think hard. Arrrrgh :shocked:
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Your auto comments worry me. It's supposed to be the best box in the business is it not? I didn't really like the manual, too stiff and hard to go into second, let alone reverse. Perhaps practice is needed but the car is sold through its 0-60 as a main selling point and with the manual my changes would be far too slow. I hated constantly using the clutch because my feet caught on the side wall and the brake pedal. Auto or nothing, sounds like I need to ask to drive an 8 speed.
The 8sp auto is indeed regarded as one of the best auto boxes available. The manual is a dry sump high performance gearbox taken directly from the 1M Coupe, very highly regarded too but I think it may have felt somewhat 'different' to what you're used to.
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Your auto comments worry me. It's supposed to be the best box in the business is it not? I didn't really like the manual, too stiff and hard to go into second, let alone reverse. Perhaps practice is needed but the car is sold through its 0-60 as a main selling point and with the manual my changes would be far too slow. I hated constantly using the clutch because my feet caught on the side wall and the brake pedal. Auto or nothing, sounds like I need to ask to drive an 8 speed.
The 8sp auto is indeed regarded as one of the best auto boxes available. The manual is a dry sump high performance gearbox taken directly from the 1M Coupe, very highly regarded too but I think it may have felt somewhat 'different' to what you're used to.
Perhaps I'm just too used to the light gear shifts from the various Fords I'm had, but I didn't have any issues with the GTI manual, it slotted in and out of the gears like a breeze. The M's pedals though... Was constantly scrapping my foot.
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I have been following this rather interesting thread.
2 months ago I was weighing up the GTI and M135i as a purchase and eventually plumped for the M135i.
For me it was a tough decision the GTI imo has a classier image and more 'heritage', it looks better on the outside and will be cheaper to run over a 3 year period.
The M135i on the other hand has a superior interior however the GTI especially with the lovely tartan trim is a great place to be. For me the clincher was the 'in another league' performance and the purer RWD setup.
IMO you could not knock any ones decision to purchase either product as they are both extremely good but the trouble is once you experience the M135i's performance it does become a heart over head decision. Good luck on whatever choice you make, but as a side I have heard people getting 15% disc on the BMW, I am not a good haggler and only got 10% and many are getting orders through in less than 5 weeks.
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Remember you will have run flat tyres on a M135i :sad: having worked in the tyre industry for a few years its never a good thing for the bank balance...
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Only if you spec them on the M135i otherwise they come with normal tyres.
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Only if you spec them on the M135i otherwise they come with normal tyres.
+1, Michelin Pilot Supersports are standard.
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Drive I had was on the Michelins and with no adaptive suspension, found it fine... Not sure what the car I'd buy has but could probably ask them to switch them, if they want the sale I'm sure they'd do it.
I suspect neither the GTI nor M needs the adaptive suspension now, ride should be fine on both.
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The more I talk to normal people I find the GTI badge has little to no meening now. It did once but that was before the mk3 and mk4. It only has image with older people imo.
I know if i parked a 1 series in the car park outside work and parked a mk7 GTI next to it and asked the office staff which was the classier and more upmarket 99% would pick the BMW. When asked i bet i would get replys thats just a golf but thats a BMW.
Thats why cars like the 1series Audi A1, A3 exist. For people who are not car enthusiasts and won't know better.
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Clearly your office staff are not car enthusiasts either then
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The more I talk to normal people I find the GTI badge has little to no meening now. It did once but that was before the mk3 and mk4. It only has image with older people imo.
I know if i parked a 1 series in the car park outside work and parked a mk7 GTI next to it and asked the office staff which was the classier and more upmarket 99% would pick the BMW. When asked i bet i would get replys thats just a golf but thats a BMW.
Thats why cars like the 1series Audi A1, A3 exist. For people who are not car enthusiasts and won't know better.
The GTI badge is more of a heritage thing. In MK1 and MK2 it meant you were in pretty much the best performing hot hatch out there, solidly built (putting it head and shoulders above the Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9). They did nowt with it in MK3, but the car got heavier and ugly. MK4 was a joke - huge upgrade on the main car for interior and exterior (for all Golfs), and for the GTI there were 3 engines available initially, including a truly wimpy 2.0 with 115PS. MK5 brought it nearly back up there in the power stakes, but since them the performance competition has peeled away and the GTI has become quite expensive. Only the comprehensive and geniunely useful standard equipment makes it stand out as a better buy than the A3 offerings now (looks aside). The badge now means a great all rounder and well equipped. It is a practical car with a bit of bite now. How many people here bought it for it's relative value for money as much as its performance figures.
A lot of people don't know the cost of a VW now. A colleague of mine who has a Mini Cooper asked me about my Scirocco, thinking that they'd like one as their next car. They thought a GT 170TDI cost £16k new, they were dumbfounded that it was a £24k car.
The GTI is a great car, but it is not the must-have that it once was. Most GTI fans are VW fans, but for the general public it doesn't stand out as the best hot hatch in an increasingly larger group of hot hatches on the market. Whenever I give a lift to someone who doesn't drive a German car, they seem quite taken aback how much better it feels than their Ford or Vauxhall for ride comfort/refinement and interior quality - many people out there don't know what the fuss is about as they've not driven one.
On the other hand, I don't think many people consider the 1 series to be a true BMW - it is built to a price, not a spec. It is definitely trading on its badge rather than its looks (i'm talking generally about the 1 series here, not specifically the M135i) - the BMW for people who can't afford a BMW. Away from the upper dashboard there are some woefully low rent meterials being used in the 1 series interior, hard/scratchy/brittle plastics - the money saving measures are there to be seen. The 3 and 5 series are rep mobiles now, having taken the Mondeos place. The BMW badge image has taken a battering over the last 5 years - you don't have to be very well off to own/run one.
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Clearly your office staff are not car enthusiasts either then
Thats the point i was trying to make. They are all in their 20s and 30s or older women. They are pen pushing paper shufflers like 99% of the uk population. They have little interest in engineering or cars. Some of them maybe snobbish think there better tyan others and to them a badge meens everything. To say in this thead the golf is a higher class is incorrect. It maybe to an enthusiast but class is image. A BMW badge will always have more image than a VW badge.
GTI history I do know it as an enthusiast.
Ive owned this mk1 GTI for 23 years and owned other Golf GTIs before and during that time.
Theres talk of VW quality its funny but ever since 2005 with the mk5 and 2010 with the mk6 ive actually been slightly embarrised when work colleges travel In my car as both cars have always had at least one rattle and lots of tyre noise. Ive spent probably weeks of my life on forums since 2005 telling others how to fix this or that rattle as many suffer them with the mk5 then the mk6 and probably days of my life fixing the rattles. But when I get in work colleges fords or mazdas or citroens they are very quiet, refined and rattle free and often older cars than mine...
To also judge a cars quality on touchy feely plastics as an engineer I always find funny.
Thats not quality. Thats just a way of making journalists who have no idea of engineering because their just writers make people believe there better. Quality was always how well something was designed.
How well something was engineered. How well something is screwed together. How well something lasted in the environment it was designed to be used in. Material long lasting ability (touchy feely does not do well here look at the mk4s). VW materials dont now ware well over many years of use. Its a consumer white good replaced in a few years. Look at how the mk5 is suffering with rust and worn interior leather and cloth. Thats not quality.
Im not saying the bmw would be better it probably won't, but I do find it funny when people bleet on about vw quality when what they really meen is the interior has a touchy feely dash and materials and nothing more. What they often forget is maybe that money to pay for that was took from the engineering budget or something else...
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Clearly your office staff are not car enthusiasts either then
Thats the point i was trying to make. They are all in their 20s and 30s or older women. They are pen pushing paper shufflers like 99% of the uk population. They have little interest in engineering or cars. Some of them maybe snobbish think there better tyan others and to them a badge meens everything. To say in this thead the golf is a higher class is incorrect. It maybe to an enthusiast but class is image. A BMW badge will always have more image than a VW badge.
GTI history I do know it as an enthusiast.
Ive owned this mk1 GTI for 23 years and owned other Golf GTIs before and during that time.
Theres talk of VW quality its funny but ever since 2005 with the mk5 and 2010 with the mk6 ive actually been slightly embarrised when work colleges travel In my car as both cars have always had at least one rattle and lots of tyre noise. Ive spent probably weeks of my life on forums since 2005 telling others how to fix this or that rattle as many suffer them with the mk5 then the mk6 and probably days of my life fixing the rattles. But when I get in work colleges fords or mazdas or citroens they are very quiet, refined and rattle free and often older cars than mine...
To also judge a cars quality on touchy feely plastics as an engineer I always find funny.
Thats not quality. Thats just a way of making journalists who have no idea of engineering because their just writers make people believe there better. Quality was always how well something was designed.
How well something was engineered. How well something is screwed together. How well something lasted in the environment it was designed to be used in. Material long lasting ability (touchy feely does not do well here look at the mk4s). VW materials dont now ware well over many years of use. Its a consumer white good replaced in a few years. Look at how the mk5 is suffering with rust and worn interior leather and cloth. Thats not quality.
Im not saying the bmw would be better it probably won't, but I do find it funny when people bleet on about vw quality when what they really meen is the interior has a touchy feely dash and materials and nothing more. What they often forget is maybe that money to pay for that was took from the engineering budget or something else...
Snoopy with ten edits in the last 5mins I'd have thought you would have got your spelling right by now :grin: :grin: only joking pal
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The more I talk to normal people I find the GTI badge has little to no meening now. It did once but that was before the mk3 and mk4. It only has image with older people imo.
I know if i parked a 1 series in the car park outside work and parked a mk7 GTI next to it and asked the office staff which was the classier and more upmarket 99% would pick the BMW. When asked i bet i would get replys thats just a golf but thats a BMW.
Thats why cars like the 1series Audi A1, A3 exist. For people who are not car enthusiasts and won't know better.
The GTI badge is more of a heritage thing. In MK1 and MK2 it meant you were in pretty much the best performing hot hatch out there, solidly built (putting it head and shoulders above the Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9). They did nowt with it in MK3, but the car got heavier and ugly. MK4 was a joke - huge upgrade on the main car for interior and exterior (for all Golfs), and for the GTI there were 3 engines available initially, including a truly wimpy 2.0 with 115PS. MK5 brought it nearly back up there in the power stakes, but since them the performance competition has peeled away and the GTI has become quite expensive. Only the comprehensive and geniunely useful standard equipment makes it stand out as a better buy than the A3 offerings now (looks aside). The badge now means a great all rounder and well equipped. It is a practical car with a bit of bite now. How many people here bought it for it's relative value for money as much as its performance figures.
A lot of people don't know the cost of a VW now. A colleague of mine who has a Mini Cooper asked me about my Scirocco, thinking that they'd like one as their next car. They thought a GT 170TDI cost £16k new, they were dumbfounded that it was a £24k car.
The GTI is a great car, but it is not the must-have that it once was. Most GTI fans are VW fans, but for the general public it doesn't stand out as the best hot hatch in an increasingly larger group of hot hatches on the market. Whenever I give a lift to someone who doesn't drive a German car, they seem quite taken aback how much better it feels than their Ford or Vauxhall for ride comfort/refinement and interior quality - many people out there don't know what the fuss is about as they've not driven one.
On the other hand, I don't think many people consider the 1 series to be a true BMW - it is built to a price, not a spec. It is definitely trading on its badge rather than its looks (i'm talking generally about the 1 series here, not specifically the M135i) - the BMW for people who can't afford a BMW. Away from the upper dashboard there are some woefully low rent meterials being used in the 1 series interior, hard/scratchy/brittle plastics - the money saving measures are there to be seen. The 3 and 5 series are rep mobiles now, having taken the Mondeos place. The BMW badge image has taken a battering over the last 5 years - you don't have to be very well off to own/run one.
Good points here.
To buy a vehicle solely for a badge is a bit sad but I'm sure people do it... 'It must be reliable because it's a VW' or 'The brand is prestigious' like Bmw when in fact it's very common and many older Bmw's seem to be driven round by chavs.
Feels like some of these cars are built to last a lease period.
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To buy a vehicle solely for a badge is a bit sad but I'm sure people do it... 'It must be reliable because it's a VW' or 'The brand is prestigious' like Bmw when in fact it's very common and many older Bmw's seem to be driven round by chavs.
Feels like some of these cars are built to last a lease period.
I do think that my Scirocco will become a charva favourite when it gets below the £5k mark in the used market. I don't think there are any cars out there that are built to be bulletproof now - longevity and retained appearance down the line for newer cars are very much related to how a car is treated. My Dad's MK5 07 plate GT TDI170 looked like new when he traded it in. My brother in law has a MK5 GTI that looks like sh!te. He's never been bothered about keeping it clean or tidy. A neighbour has an 86 MK2 GTI that looks like it has just rolled out of the showroom. He treats it well, but I doubt a MK7 Golf or a 1 series BMW will last 26 years treated the same way when issues like whiteworm are the least of our troubles.
I'm not sure i'd dare run a VW much out of warranty there days for fear of a massive repair bill. VW UK manipulated residual values make the relatively expensive Golf reasonable value for money - the main reason I buy new.
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I hear where you are coming from MH, but I've never had to repair anything on my Mk5 GTI for reasons other than general wear and tear. Not saying it would last 26 years, but looked after well and driven reasonably, even a modern car should do OK.
Not running a car past it's warranty period is a bit of a false economy though, and one of convenience as far as I'm concerned. Swapping your car after 3 years means losing a bit of money on trade in, and losing several thousand each year in depreciation on the new one. At the same time, the car that's over 3 years old would be depreciating at a much lower rate, and I highly doubt would cost the equivalent each year in maintenance and repair bills.
Apart from enjoying my car for its looks and performance, and not really liking the Mk6, it's why I was happy to keep it, and hope to do the same with my Mk7.
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I hear where you are coming from MH, but I've never had to repair anything on my Mk5 GTI for reasons other than general wear and tear. Not saying it would last 26 years, but looked after well and driven reasonably, even a modern car should do OK.
Not running a car past it's warranty period is a bit of a false economy though, and one of convenience as far as I'm concerned. Swapping your car after 3 years means losing a bit of money on trade in, and losing several thousand each year in depreciation on the new one. At the same time, the car that's over 3 years old would be depreciating at a much lower rate, and I highly doubt would cost the equivalent each year in maintenance and repair bills.
Apart from enjoying my car for its looks and performance, and not really liking the Mk6, it's why I was happy to keep it, and hope to do the same with my Mk7.
If cars stayed the same i'd be tempted to keep the car 5 or more years, but there is always progress. For the top end 2.0TDI alone we've seen a new common rail 170TDI come in June 2009, then it got upped to 177PS, and now we've had the 184PS 2.0TDI. The new GTI engine has had a modest power hike and a huge dose of torque in the same time period - there is always some upgrade right arount the corner.
I have found that VW residuals fall off a little when they are old enoough to be beyond the interests of franchised VW dealers - to get to the point where a 6 year old GTI would cost twice as much as a 6 year old Focus ST is unsustainable, the used price has to fall. My GTD is likely to cost £10k in depreciation (vs RRP) over 3 years, with no maintenance costs if I rotate the front and back tyres (save for punctures). Take the same car and run it for 6 years and it will probably lose another £6.5k, cost me about £600 in servicing, and £800 for 6 tyres. You run the risk of a big unwarrantied repair bill to save about £2100 (£1600 if you buy the 5 year warranty) over years 4 to 6. Personally i'd pay the extra £2100 to have another new car at year 4 which may have an upgraded output or improved economy or more equipment and no risk at all on coverage for anything going wrong.
Of course VW engineer the finances to maintain their sales. For me the prospect of a new car every 3 years doesn't come at much extra cost than keeping it 6 years.
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True, there is always progress to take into consideration, and not saying I'd always choose to keep the car for longer - depends how much I like it and am happy with it. I've swapped previous cars like they are going out of fashion! :grin: We'll just have to see what happens with the next iteration of the Golf - if it's a backwards evolution from the Mk7 like I felt the Mk6 was to the Mk5, I'll just stick with it. Happily that's a long way off, and we've all got 3 or 4 years at least of Mk7 enjoyment to come :)
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True, there is always progress to take into consideration, and not saying I'd always choose to keep the car for longer - depends how much I like it and am happy with it. I've swapped previous cars like they are going out of fashion! :grin: We'll just have to see what happens with the next iteration of the Golf - if it's a backwards evolution from the Mk7 like I felt the Mk6 was to the Mk5, I'll just stick with it. Happily that's a long way off, and we've all got 3 or 4 years at least of Mk7 enjoyment to come :)
I agree with the MK6 - luckily for VW the 1 series was too ugly, the A3 was too expensive/sparsely equipped and the Scirocco was looking pretty good. I might be tempted back to a coupe (probably new TT, if the MK3 is looking better than the MK2) if the wife learns to drive (she will have to soon) and wants a sensible option (she wants an A1 S-line). If you want a MK8, you might have to order it in 3 years time!
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I agree with the MK6 - luckily for VW the 1 series was too ugly, the A3 was too expensive/sparsely equipped and the Scirocco was looking pretty good. I might be tempted back to a coupe (probably new TT, if the MK3 is looking better than the MK2) if the wife learns to drive (she will have to soon) and wants a sensible option (she wants an A1 S-line). If you want a MK8, you might have to order it in 3 years time!
I'd agree with all of your evaluations there. Funny though, when the Roc first launched I didn't like it at all, hated the back end, but it really has grown on me and aged well. Haha, yeah, tempted to provisionally put my name down for a Mk8 when I go to collect my Mk7, just in case! :grin:
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Surely the scirocco is due a facelift?
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Surely the scirocco is due a facelift?
More than a facelift, needs MQB etc in my opinion. I'd be in one now if they had updated it.
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A lot of people don't know the cost of a VW now. A colleague of mine who has a Mini Cooper asked me about my Scirocco, thinking that they'd like one as their next car. They thought a GT 170TDI cost £16k new, they were dumbfounded that it was a £24k car.
A lot of people don't know the price of cars full stop.
I have just had a look and a top spec KIA Ce'ed with 133bhp and metallic paint is £23,257.
That makes the golf GTI/GTD look extremely good value in my book.
Given residuals I am sure the golf will be way cheaper to own.
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Surely the scirocco is due a facelift?
More than a facelift, needs MQB etc in my opinion. I'd be in one now if they had updated it.
I was about to say the same. As the Scirocco and EOS are built at the same plant in Portugal (and share a dashboard, frameless windows and other aspects), I suspect they'd both get a new model at the same time, after the plant has been modified to accomodate MQB body build. When teh new TT is out I think the Scirocco will look very old hat without a new model.
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I have just had a look and a top spec KIA Ce'ed with 133bhp and metallic paint is £23,257.
That makes the golf GTI/GTD look extremely good value in my book.
Given residuals I am sure the golf will be way cheaper to own.
Undoubtedly the Golf will be cheaper to own - £23k for a 133bhp Kia Ceed? Are they for real? I can't see them getting anywhere near the residuals of the Golf for a long time. They sell well because they are (were?) cheap and have a long warranty (which isn't all that comprehensive in the later stages). If they are no longer cheap, why would you buy one?
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The Pro Ceed GT is only £19,995
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You know how Asian companies roll though. They beat you one little step at a time. The Kia price is lower, the warranty is longer the dashboard is nicer. They keep working on it until one day you wake up and everyone has Honda and Suzuki bikes and no one is buying Triumph anymore, even though Triumph publically howled with laughter at the idea of a Japanese firm taking even 1% of their market share. Who is laughing now? Who knows what will happen to Kia, but there is a lesson here!
Back on topic, I still can't decide but the damn BMW is occupying my thoughs more and more :undecided:.
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Hey Bill, how about a new S3, 300BHP with quattro. Only £29859 through Drive the Deal. ;) :whistle:
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This may help....
http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/290242/best_hot_hatchbacks_top_ten.html
:smiley:
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Wasn't it Chris Harris said the S3 was all round sh!t compared to the M135i (or GTI for that matter)?
Anyway BMW just emailed final offer. £6400 discount if I register on 13 plate. And I can collect it when I get back from holiday.
I hate making this decision! lol
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Wasn't it Chris Harris said the S3 was all round sh!t compared to the M135i (or GTI for that matter)?
Anyway BMW just emailed final offer. £6400 discount if I register on 13 plate. And I can collect it when I get back from holiday.
I hate making this decision! lol
Holy ****, that's gotta be tempting. :shocked:
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Holy ****, that's gotta be tempting. :shocked:
Aye, that's a big chunk...says it all really ;)
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Blo0dy hell that's a discount and a half! :shocked:
I'd tell em to get it to 7 and you have a deal!
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Mental. Not sure of the spec of the car that's based on - but is it around 18%?
End of Quarter? Slow sales due to imminent 63 Plate?
Either way that's a cracking deal...if it's the Car/Spec you want...
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How long are you planning on keeping the car?
Don't get caught up in the reviews too much.
Whichever one you go for, you aren't stuck with it forever.
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It's discounted from a £38k car :shocked: they have in the showroom and want to shift, which luckily includes almost all the kit i like the look of. Sounds great getting a £38k car for just over £31k, but gotta remember BMW overprice their options (not that VW don't) so I view the stellar discount with respect to that. This makes it just slightly cheaper than my GTI order is even after the 9% discount I got on the GTI. It is missing some of the spec from the GTI (doesn't have sunroof, only semi keyless, no rear cam, no DCC). It's also the wrong colour, black. Admittedly does look good in black but I would have preferred blue. There is no extended warranty available but it includes a 5 year (I think) service plan.
Must be slow August sales yeah. Apparently there is another interested customer (usual sales bull?). Other than that they are putting on great service (unlike VW) but then they want to make a sale so...
I loved that 6 cylinder engine so much this is very very tempting! I'd probably keep it for 3 or 4 years at least.
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With this sort of money on the table I would rather have a car in a colour I wanted.
Yet another Bmw or Aldi in resale black...
It's not that black is a bad colour it's just common.
And yes sounds like sales pressure...
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Black isn't too bad... shame it wasn't blue but its offset by the fact its available right now! He's yet to come back to me with the factory order option, but claims this level of discount won't be available on a factory order because it would be too low margin (he claims loss for them but they always say this).
Anyhow, VWCS promised to email me tomorrow with an update on my order and an offer for my p/x problems. I've sorted a private sale for the p/x (third time lucky?) so I've decided I'm going to tell them it's too long wait so they can either give me a significant discount or I'll take my deposit back and hand it to BMW. If they want my business they can put me under £30k. I figure that is a lot to ask for so if they actually do it I won't regret staying with the GTI and passing on the BMW deal.
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Bill, all who are pondering what to do with their order, good luck and hope you make the right choice.
I finalised a deal today and went for the intermediate option of a used 135 coupe. My local BMW dealer had just got in a 60 plate, 1 owner car with just 20k miles on the clock and I got it for under £20k with the usual BMW warranty etc.
Metallic Graphite, Full Sat Nav, Harmon Kardon hi-fi, Xenons etc. Bascially all I need and thank god a lovely manual 6 speed box non of this auto rubbish :wink: 306 BHP, rear wheel drive, 0-60 in 5.3 secs, its all I need to be honest and will do me for 3 years then I can sell it privately knowing it hasnt cost me a ton of depreciation.
IN the end I loved both the golf and to a lesser extent the M135, but I couldnt justify buying something new when I could be moved abroad in 3 years. The 135 Coupe I bought ticks all the boxes and has already taken a £15k depreciation hit in 2.5 years so it was a cracking buy really. I would really urge anyone pondering a new M135 to drive a 135i Coupe if you like the looks.. you get 99.9% of the performance in a much tighter handling, lower centre of gravity package that just feels much more intimate than the M135. Truth be told it is more like the GTi to drive, just with a bit more punch.
Will try and post a pic of the car i bought if anyone is interested.
I will be keeping up with the forum and hoping you guys all take delivery ! Cracking forum by the way, some great debates, they are way more valuable than reading road test
Andy :wink:
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Sounds like a really good choice Andy, certainly given your future position. The coupe looks much, much nicer than the hatch, and if they did a 5 door version in that style, I'd have seriously considered one myself.
As for Mr Bear, I dunno' mate... Personally I wouldn't bother with the BMW in a colour I don't necessarily want, and instead just focus my energies on the GTI and getting the information and best deal I can. As you said before as well, I'd also consider knocking off things like the pano roof, leather and PP. It'd still be all the car you'd ever need, but much cheaper. Question is, what would that do to the as-yet unconfirmed build date?!
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If Bill waits a few more days he should know if he is confirmed BW37 - should change on the tracker this Thurs evening/Fri morning if he really is BW37. Unless something is really off, Bill should get a status change in teh next week or 2 unless he really is BW40+ and noone wants to tell him.
How much longer are you prepared to wait until they push you into a BMW Bill?
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Couple of pics in case anyone is interested
Won't post any more in case I get shot down for making it a BMW forum :lipsrsealed:
Hope the links work..
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe2_zpsf63376f7.jpg
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe1_zps5a25e8b4.jpg
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Couple of pics in case anyone is interested
Won't post any more in case I get shot down for making it a BMW forum :lipsrsealed:
Hope the links work..
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe2_zpsf63376f7.jpg
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe1_zps5a25e8b4.jpg
Congrats Andy! Very nice and much prefer that shape compared to the hatchback
Hope you will hang around the forum even though you have ventured over to the dark side :grin: :grin:
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Bill, all who are pondering what to do with their order, good luck and hope you make the right choice.
I finalised a deal today and went for the intermediate option of a used 135 coupe. My local BMW dealer had just got in a 60 plate, 1 owner car with just 20k miles on the clock and I got it for under £20k with the usual BMW warranty etc.
Metallic Graphite, Full Sat Nav, Harmon Kardon hi-fi, Xenons etc. Bascially all I need and thank god a lovely manual 6 speed box non of this auto rubbish :wink: 306 BHP, rear wheel drive, 0-60 in 5.3 secs, its all I need to be honest and will do me for 3 years then I can sell it privately knowing it hasnt cost me a ton of depreciation.
IN the end I loved both the golf and to a lesser extent the M135, but I couldnt justify buying something new when I could be moved abroad in 3 years. The 135 Coupe I bought ticks all the boxes and has already taken a £15k depreciation hit in 2.5 years so it was a cracking buy really. I would really urge anyone pondering a new M135 to drive a 135i Coupe if you like the looks.. you get 99.9% of the performance in a much tighter handling, lower centre of gravity package that just feels much more intimate than the M135. Truth be told it is more like the GTi to drive, just with a bit more punch.
Will try and post a pic of the car i bought if anyone is interested.
I will be keeping up with the forum and hoping you guys all take delivery ! Cracking forum by the way, some great debates, they are way more valuable than reading road test
Andy :wink:
Sensible choice whether you move abroad or not imo.
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Looks really nice Andy, very smart indeed :)
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Couple of pics in case anyone is interested
Won't post any more in case I get shot down for making it a BMW forum :lipsrsealed:
Hope the links work..
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe2_zpsf63376f7.jpg
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe1_zps5a25e8b4.jpg
Congrats Andy! Very nice and much prefer that shape compared to the hatchback
Hope you will hang around the forum even though you have ventured over to the dark side :grin: :grin:
For sure will be hanging around ! Ironically the bmw I bought is almost carbon grey..
Oh by the way, am already in the dark side, was just nearly escaping it :wink: hope you are enjoying your motor btw, am going to miss those red running strips in the doors :laugh:
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VW promised email contact today updating on BW and discussing options to help with my p/x losing value. Surprise surprise nothing arrives... if you have a £30k contract with someone and you promise to email them on a specific date you better f**king do it. What the hell is wrong with these assholes? :angry:
I think now I'M gonna have to call THEM incurring stupid international charges and all. Needless to say I'm now pretty pissed. I'm no longer interested in selling them my p/x (as bored of waiting for them ive agreed a private sale now) but I still expect them to compensate me for loss of value, the tax, the MOT etc etc so I want an additional and HEFTY discount or they can return my deposit. Think I'll invite them to beat my BMW quote! So, assuming they respond to that with a complete lack of any competence whatsoever, like they have done so far, the probability seems high that I will own a M135i tomorrow and VW will join the list of companies I don't deal with.
They're not the worst company I've ever dealt with (Vodafone gets that honour as they literally stole money from me) but they win second place!
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Bill,
Sounds like your buying experience has been rather badly tainted beyond repair. If it was me I would just vote with my feet. Buying a new car should be pleasurable and yours seems to have been one stress after another.
Whether its for anM135 or in fact any other car, I would just get on with it. I don't know how you can end up having an enjoyable owning experience after that, I would feel forever bitter with VW if I took delivery after that experience.
It's hard to turn your back on a car you really wanted, I have just done it so know how it feels but at the end of the day most modern cars are pretty good and there is plenty of choice out there.
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Referring to comments I just made in the build week thread, you need to just stick to your original guns and wait for the car you wanted, or walk into VW, cancel the car, and get the BMW that's available now. Playing games with them is going to make you even more stressed than you are now, and I wonder if you'll even be happy with the BMW now. I hope so, because as drisser said, buying a car should be enjoyable. I guess one lesson here is, always fix the value of your part-ex.
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Totally agree,
Only thing worse than getting stressed about waiting for a car you really want, is getting stressed about a car that you don't really want, or might want but can have it tomorrow !
Just have to go with gut feel, in the end that is what drove my decision to cancel and buy used 135 coupe. I so wanted the Golf but the combination of a good private offer for my 330, and the guy wanted it within a week, plus my work situation and no certainty on build week meant buying approved used was the best bet for me.
I tried very hard to love the M135 and just couldn't, so my advice is either buy the M135 TODAY and be done with it, or forget all the other possibles and just sit tight for the car you ordered. It gets tiring speccing up cars, test driving, pricing things up etc and you eventually get burned out. TBH I was days away from just sticking with my 330 !
Make a decision, and stick with it :wink:
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Oh my final point on the M135 decision.
Don't, for god sake buy it just because it cost 38k and there is a huge discount. It doesn't mean it's the right car for you.
I very nearly fell into that trap. But if you love the car for what it is and there is a great deal, go for it.
Don't fall into this trap of " I can have 300 bhp for the same money as 230" so it's a no brainer. I don't know if anyone else drive the m135 over the exact same roads as the GTi but I specifically did and I swear in the real world in real conditions the golf is no slower on the twisty fun B roads.. The ones that matter..
Anyone can drive at 100 on a motorway as I found out when I couldn't shake off a bimbo in a 1.2 corsa in the M135 :grin: :grin:
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Some really wise words there drisser, and I agree completely. Was going to say, you had a lovely car already with the 330, so sticking with it wouldn't have been such a silly move, but I get there comes a time when change is right.
There were a few times during the order process where I canceled, un-canceled, considered canceling again...just got tiring just questioning myself all the time. In the end I just forgot about it, spent less time on these forums whining about it, and the time just flew by.
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I think its easy to say stick with your guns if you've been given a BW or your car is being built at present. Bear ordered mid April and still hasn't been given a confirmed date. If he did have a confirmed date I'm sure he'd feel a little better (I know this eased my pain ever so slightly). Saying that, if he feels the M135i is a better car for him then he should go for it!
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VW promised email contact today updating on BW and discussing options to help with my p/x losing value. Surprise surprise nothing arrives... if you have a £30k contract with someone and you promise to email them on a specific date you better f**king do it. What the hell is wrong with these assholes? :angry:
I think now I'M gonna have to call THEM incurring stupid international charges and all. Needless to say I'm now pretty pissed. I'm no longer interested in selling them my p/x (as bored of waiting for them ive agreed a private sale now) but I still expect them to compensate me for loss of value, the tax, the MOT etc etc so I want an additional and HEFTY discount or they can return my deposit. Think I'll invite them to beat my BMW quote! So, assuming they respond to that with a complete lack of any competence whatsoever, like they have done so far, the probability seems high that I will own a M135i tomorrow and VW will join the list of companies I don't deal with.
They're not the worst company I've ever dealt with (Vodafone gets that honour as they literally stole money from me) but they win second place!
Bill: I doubt they'll offer you anything towards loss of value in your would-be p/x if you are selling it privately. Are you selling it privately for at least as much as you would've gotten in p/x? What you sell your would-be p/x for is beyond their comtrol and so I doubt they'll consider any compensation on that score (they might consider that you undersold it and then expect them to pick up the slack).
If you stick with p/xing it and incur additional costs that you otherwise wouldn't have incurred if the car had been delivered within an expected timeframe (such as an extra service or a few new tyres), VW should (and have done in the past) meet those costs directly or indirectly via further discount.
If you get rid of your car privately, what they should be able to do for you is guarantee you a courtesy car for the remaining duration seeing as we've now exceeded 20 weeks since order was accepted.
You can always ask for more in the way of goodwill etc, but I doubt you'll get it if your car goes privately.
You've really got to ask yourself whether you like the M135 over the GTI enough to not wait a probable 8 weeks more for your GTI. If you place a fresh BMW order, the gap is likely to shorten to 2 weeks at best case (as you'll wait at least 6 weeks for a new order to be built and delivered).
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Couple of pics in case anyone is interested
Won't post any more in case I get shot down for making it a BMW forum :lipsrsealed:
Hope the links work..
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe2_zpsf63376f7.jpg
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/andysexyberkshire/135%20COUPE/135coupe1_zps5a25e8b4.jpg
That is a great purchase, we looked to buy one before the Mk6 GTi, but the lack of head room ( my head brushed ceiling) put pay to that option sadly.
They sound fantastic even with oem exhaust, spectacular with an aftermarket one :evil:
Enjoy :cool:
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Cheers Raffe.
This was my point earlier, when you drive a car and it feels " right " you know it ... Feeling I got when I drove my 330ci, when I drove the new GTi and when I drove the 135 coupe.. With theM135 I was always saying, " I wonder if i Can live with this car" for the money.
For £ 10k less I think the 135 coupe is the forgotten brother of the m135 and IMO a far superior handling and riding car, with almost identical performance.
I will shut up now and let Bear make his own mind up !
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I find it quite surprising that the new Focus ST never gets a mention? Just the 135i??
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Guess there is another thread for that, this one being M135 v mk7 GTi :rolleyes:
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I find it quite surprising that the new Focus ST never gets a mention? Just the 135i??
That's because the ST is either for Chavs or boy racers
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:laugh:
http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=51579 (http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=51579)
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Hmm
Some interesting comments there based on a quick scan..
The underlying tone to me seems, " I got sold on the 0-60 time but in the real world every day it's not fun to drive or engaging"
Exactly my experience and the reason I came back early from my test drive. Zzzzzzz.
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I can 100% see where people are coming from on that thread.
Now I'll admit I've never even seen (or noticed) an M135i in the flesh and the pics do nothing for me. The look is irrelevant to me though as it's a case of function over form to me where cars are concerned. I've been in a few pig ugly cars that are an absolute hoot to drive.
If the car has a 5 second 0-60 time then that's very quick. However if the 'Green scene' Nazis have insisted BMW dull the engine and exhaust noise to meet regulations, then make sure that the power delivery is flat as a fart to meet emissions regulations and to cap it all the power doesn't let the car thrust you back in your seat just in case you crash it into a tree in surprise and then sue BMW.
Now that just sums up most modern cars.
The people in white shirts and boring ties in Brussels or wherever decree that the car must conform to certain regulations that they're ever tightening. The engineers look at those bits of paper thrust in front of them and say "F**K YOU" to the white shirts then just go off and design something that meets those regulations but is twice as powerful as the one before as a gesture of defiance. The marketing guys love this as they have big figures to dangle in front of the press and customers. Then the accountants and legal team arrive on scene and make sure nobody will be in the slightest bit upset by anything the engineers have worked hard to come up with and insist it's all dulled down.
Take my mk6 GTI. Well ok, take my previous one. It arrived and was as dull as ditchwater to drive. The throttle response was worse than my 16 year old Ibiza with half the power. The torque was flat and although it went fast enough it was dull as hell to drive.
So I wandered over to the REVO stand at a show and asked them to wake the car up a bit. And they did. And some.
I drove it home and decided that the throttle response was still lacking.
So I phoned REVO and asked if they could map the throttle via the ECU and they said they'd looked at that and had done all they could.
Next up was a Sprint Booster. The car now moved off the line like a scalded cat.
The car was now nigh perfect as a road car.
Fast, EXCITING, sharp and still did 30+ mpg. That was how it should have been from the factory. No doubt that was how the engineers would have liked it to have been from the factory.
I'll be 100% honest and say that the Caddy TDI hire vans I get in work are more rewarding to drive than my GTI at times.
So GTD owners take note, I've driven an awful lot of fast and modified VW group stuff and an awful lot of non VW group stuff too in my 27 years of driving. One of my very best mates is a manager in a big rental and lease company so he gets to drive everything going, exotica, the lot. And he will take me out in something interesting when he can.
His favourite affordable car out of everything on the market? Previously it was the Leon FR TDI and latterly the Golf GTD DSG. And I 100% agree with him.
Those are the cars he's chosen as his own company cars and will happily shun all sorts of far more expensive machinery.
Andy why? The CR Diesel engine is as smooth as a petrol from the driving seat, does 50mpg and has masses of torque and despite the limited rev range of the Diesel engine the DSG will keep in 'in the zone' and in the power band.
As a road car it's as fast as almost anything point to point and to boot it actually feels exciting to drive (as modern cars go, my 16 year old SEAT Ibiza GTI is still more fun than my 2 year old GTI, however it's nowhere near as refined) and costs peanuts to run.
As engines go the CR 2.0 is a peach. It sounds less like a Diesel than the 2.0 TFSI GTI engine in the mk5 and although the paper 0-60 won't set your world alight the reality of the way it picks up speed is very different.
So why do I have a GTI on order and not the GTD? Most days I wonder that myself!! It's just the cachet of the GTI really and the fact the PP intrigues me added to the fact the GTI now has 258lb ft of torque from the factory. That hints at what the car 'could' become with a bit of help!!! :smug:
Anyway, back on topic, I can see why these people think the 135 dull. It has been decreed that it has to be made that way. I'm sure with a remap it would be an absolute animal and give you a trouser moment at every opportunity.
Can't comment on the steering though. Maybe that could be fine tuned with the BMW equivalent to VCDS?
Rant over. :kiss:
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Indeed.
I had a 135i M Sport before my current car.
It was bloody quick in any gear BUT it lacked that....something that makes a car special.
I never just got in it and took it for a spin. The suspension was hard, almost unbearable until I changed to non RFTs'. The gearbox was a pig, especially from 1st to 2nd, the cabin was cramped (I'm 6' and 15 stone), the sterring had little feed back and the thing was plain ugly (from the front). I used to find myself reversing it on to the drive so I never had to look at it's face!!
MPG was circa 28.
Sold it after 10mths and 15k miles.
Bought the Porsche for the same money as I sold the 135i for......now that is a truely amazing car!!
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That guy is clearly a wind up merchant, but I can see where he's coming from.
Your expectations about a car will very much depend on what you've driven or owned in the past. If for example you're downsizing from say a Bugatti Veyron Super Sports to a M135i, the Beemer won't exactly set your pants on fire. But also vice versa... If you're trading up from say a Kia Piccanto, the Beemer will seem like the Millenium Falcon in comparison!
What I will say is that I agree with him, in that the although the M135i is a great car, its not an exciting car to drive. Yes! It's quick and the driving dynamics are spot on but it lacks that "Je ne sais Quoi!"
BMW have left that to the full fat M Cars.
People should enjoy the M135i and Golf GTi for what they are and shouldn't get too hung up on the fact that they're not as quick as this, or as fast as that, or as roomy as etc etc etc....
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Damn the M135i makes a good case for itself in this test (I really dislike the A45 though, looks cheap inside and out):
http://youtu.be/UFQRy6KCEBs
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I've had the M135i a month now and people wont be disappointed if they get one, its an absolute animal! Apparently the BMW mega-deals are expiring before Christmas though (big sales push for H2), so if you're wanting one then now is the time to do it.
Reckon ill be back in a VW within 2 years though as I love the Mk7 and the R isn't too far away now.
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Damn the M135i makes a good case for itself in this test (I really dislike the A45 though, looks cheap inside and out):
http://youtu.be/UFQRy6KCEBs
I rather like the look of the A45 from the outside. Not to keen on the inside. Tell you one thing though, it sounds bloody brilliant! I'm in Monaco just now and just had one go past me in the tunnel and what a noise it made.
Good thing is I've seen loads of 458's, an aventador and even a Maserati MC12 but not single GTI. Didn't even have one on the VW showroom although they did have a GTD. Just shows you what a rare beast it is still :grin:
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Damn the M135i makes a good case for itself in this test (I really dislike the A45 though, looks cheap inside and out):
http://youtu.be/UFQRy6KCEBs
I rather like the look of the A45 from the outside. Not to keen on the inside. Tell you one thing though, it sounds bloody brilliant! I'm in Monaco just now and just had one go past me in the tunnel and what a noise it made.
Good thing is I've seen loads of 458's, an aventador and even a Maserati MC12 but not single GTI. Didn't even have one on the VW showroom although they did have a GTD. Just shows you what a rare beast it is still :grin:
I think VW have decided to compete with Morgan for build times to add to the exclusivity of their hand built ultra rare shopping car.
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I think VW have decided to compete with Morgan for build times
(http://www.gifbay.com/images/2012/09/tatum_channing_laughing_hysterically-1508.gif)
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I signed the deal for a factory order M135i just an hour ago. It seems there were three GTI customers in the showroom at the same time switching their order.
The dealer says the car will go into build immediately and showed me on a screen where he confirmed my options and then after a few moments it changed to the BMW equivalent of VWs "build in progress". Will be with me before the end of September.
The discount was crazy. 17.5% in the end i think. Afterwards I even added a bunch more options and they still undercut the GT by £1500... and on a 5 week lead time. Very happy with the service BMW are giving. They want the order and they'll be nice and helpful to get it. VW seem to think of their customers as an irritation. :sad:
I honestly think I could have driven away in a GTI with a big smile on my face despite all the delays if not for the attitude of VW customer service. The car is great, the support is abysmal. Good job there VW :rolleyes:
However, this forum and you chaps here are giving the level of friendliness and support that VW should be giving, all credit to the lot of you. I appreciate all the help and good banter and all the advice, it has enabled me to get a deal I'm pleased with (even if its not VW in the end). And I look forward to hearing about your fab cars when you get them!
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I signed the deal for a factory order M135i just an hour ago. It seems there were three GTI customers in the showroom at the same time switching their order.
The dealer says the car will go into build immediately and showed me on a screen where he confirmed my options and then after a few moments it changed to the BMW equivalent of VWs "build in progress". Will be with me before the end of September.
The discount was crazy. 17.5% in the end i think. Afterwards I even added a bunch more options and they still undercut the GT by £1500... and on a 5 week lead time. Very happy with the service BMW are giving. They want the order and they'll be nice and helpful to get it. VW seem to think of their customers as an irritation. :sad:
I honestly think I could have driven away in a GTI with a big smile on my face despite all the delays if not for the attitude of VW customer service. The car is great, the support is abysmal. Good job there VW :rolleyes:
However, this forum and you chaps here are giving the level of friendliness and support that VW should be giving, all credit to the lot of you. I appreciate all the help and good banter and all the advice, it has enabled me to get a deal I'm pleased with (even if its not VW in the end). And I look forward to hearing about your fab cars when you get them!
Good news Bill, colour and spec? Price paid (PM if you don't wanna tell the world) :wink:
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That's a great deal Bear! And it was good to meet you and put a face to the name! Who was the 3rd GTI switcher, someone off here?!
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Yeah, great to hear you finally pulled the trigger Bear, you'll be chuffed to bits. In all fairness to my dealer, they have done everything they can really to keep me in the loop, just that the powers above have done a piss-poor job of letting them dish out timely information.
I know cancelled orders will still end up on the road, but the one thing I take from all these people switching to BMW is that it makes the GTI just that little bit more special. Meaningless really, but gotta' scrape something from the barrel! :grin:
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Nice one Bear!!! Best decision you've ever made. What an 'Amazing' deal. I'm sure you're gonna be just as chuffed to bits with the Beemer as you were with the Golf.
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Excellent news Bill. If I had known the discounts were that good for the 135 I think I would have been ordering one rather than the GTI. Hopefully you will stick around this forum anyway just for some banter and it would be great to see some pics of your car when it arrives :smiley:
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Ya' know, even if I managed 20% off, I still doubt I'd have been tempted to swap, but I can completely see the appeal. Definitely looking forward to the pictures though Bear, purely just to see the happy ending to this particular chapter! :) Only condition though, every one must incorporate that stuffed bear you have shown in previous ones! :grin:
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Ya' know, even if I managed 20% off, I still doubt I'd have been tempted to swap, but I can completely see the appeal. Definitely looking forward to the pictures though Bear, purely just to see the happy ending to this particular chapter! :) Only condition though, every one must incorporate that stuffed bear you have shown in previous ones! :grin:
LOL... Ok deal. :grin: the bear will be there.
You're right BMW is not for everyone. And I still love the GTI. I'm pleased I got a deal that works for me and was good to meet Mark too! What did you think of the black one mate? I'm not sure who the 3rd guy was, I thought the sales chap said he was another Golf order but not sure if it was someone from the forum.
The spec is fairly long :embarrassed:, here goes:
F20 (5dr) M135i in Estoril Blue
8speed Auto
Pro Nav
Harman Kardon
Visibility Pack (adaptive Xenons and High beam assist)
Cruise
Front and Rear parking sensors
Comfort Access (this is BMW's Keyless)
Folding/dipping/dimming Mirrors
Seat Heating
Extended Storage
Driving Assist (kinda a combination of distance control/breaking and lane assist)
Speed Limit display
Basically what I didn't get was:
Electric seats
Sunroof
Adaptive suspension
Park assist
Rear Camera
Tinted windows
The damage came to £31.6k
BMW service pack is a little more pricy than the GTI and you can't get extended warranty so I guess you have to factor that in too.
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Ya' know, even if I managed 20% off, I still doubt I'd have been tempted to swap, but I can completely see the appeal. Definitely looking forward to the pictures though Bear, purely just to see the happy ending to this particular chapter! :) Only condition though, every one must incorporate that stuffed bear you have shown in previous ones! :grin:
LOL... Ok deal. :grin: the bear will be there.
You're right BMW is not for everyone. And I still love the GTI. I'm pleased I got a deal that works for me and was good to meet Mark too! What did you think of the black one mate? I'm not sure who the 3rd guy was, I thought the sales chap said he was another Golf order but not sure if it was someone from the forum.
The spec is fairly long :embarrassed:, here goes:
F20 (5dr) M135i in Estoril Blue
8speed Auto
Pro Nav
Harman Kardon
Visibility Pack (adaptive Xenons and High beam assist)
Cruise
Front and Rear parking sensors
Comfort Access (this is BMW's Keyless)
Folding/dipping/dimming Mirrors
Seat Heating
Extended Storage
Driving Assist (kinda a combination of distance control/breaking and lane assist)
Speed Limit display
Basically what I didn't get was:
Electric seats
Sunroof
Adaptive suspension
Park assist
Rear Camera
Tinted windows
The damage came to £31.6k
BMW service pack is a little more pricy than the GTI and you can't get extended warranty so I guess you have to factor that in too.
Brilliant price, look at it this way. You got all those options for exactly £500 over the price of the bog standard 5dr, including the very expensive but also excellent 8spd Auto box and Pro Nav.
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That's a fantastic deal Bear, there is no way the GTI compares to that car with that spec, for the same money. Great choice!
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That's a fantastic deal Bear, there is no way the GTI compares to that car with that spec, for the same money. Great choice!
Thanks! How did you get on after I left?
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That's a fantastic deal Bear, there is no way the GTI compares to that car with that spec, for the same money. Great choice!
Thanks! How did you get on after I left?
I got them down to a decent level!! Decision time! I've PM'd you a question!
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I signed the deal for a factory order M135i just an hour ago. It seems there were three GTI customers in the showroom at the same time switching their order.
The dealer says the car will go into build immediately and showed me on a screen where he confirmed my options and then after a few moments it changed to the BMW equivalent of VWs "build in progress". Will be with me before the end of September.
The discount was crazy. 17.5% in the end i think. Afterwards I even added a bunch more options and they still undercut the GT by £1500... and on a 5 week lead time. Very happy with the service BMW are giving. They want the order and they'll be nice and helpful to get it. VW seem to think of their customers as an irritation. :sad:
I honestly think I could have driven away in a GTI with a big smile on my face despite all the delays if not for the attitude of VW customer service. The car is great, the support is abysmal. Good job there VW :rolleyes:
However, this forum and you chaps here are giving the level of friendliness and support that VW should be giving, all credit to the lot of you. I appreciate all the help and good banter and all the advice, it has enabled me to get a deal I'm pleased with (even if its not VW in the end). And I look forward to hearing about your fab cars when you get them!
They are an insane car for the money the old M1 "light" ;-)
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Ya' know, even if I managed 20% off, I still doubt I'd have been tempted to swap, but I can completely see the appeal. Definitely looking forward to the pictures though Bear, purely just to see the happy ending to this particular chapter! :) Only condition though, every one must incorporate that stuffed bear you have shown in previous ones! :grin:
LOL... Ok deal. :grin: the bear will be there.
You're right BMW is not for everyone. And I still love the GTI. I'm pleased I got a deal that works for me and was good to meet Mark too! What did you think of the black one mate? I'm not sure who the 3rd guy was, I thought the sales chap said he was another Golf order but not sure if it was someone from the forum.
The spec is fairly long :embarrassed:, here goes:
F20 (5dr) M135i in Estoril Blue
8speed Auto
Pro Nav
Harman Kardon
Visibility Pack (adaptive Xenons and High beam assist)
Cruise
Front and Rear parking sensors
Comfort Access (this is BMW's Keyless)
Folding/dipping/dimming Mirrors
Seat Heating
Extended Storage
Driving Assist (kinda a combination of distance control/breaking and lane assist)
Speed Limit display
Basically what I didn't get was:
Electric seats
Sunroof
Adaptive suspension
Park assist
Rear Camera
Tinted windows
The damage came to £31.6k
BMW service pack is a little more pricy than the GTI and you can't get extended warranty so I guess you have to factor that in too.
Lovely spec Bill. I really hope you feel happy about your choice. Y'know I went for a walk this afternoon (with my new little man) and what drove past me - a white 3 door M135i - looked the f*ckin nuts it really did.
How does the insurance compare to the GTI? A lot worse or not?
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£360 instead of £250, no biggy. The one that matters is tyre costs. I have a feeling I read that its £250 a corner! Ouch.
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Nice one Bill, the spec looks awesome!
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£360 instead of £250, no biggy. The one that matters is tyre costs. I have a feeling I read that its £250 a corner! Ouch.
Glad you got a great car from all of this Bill. You'd better not be lighting up the tyres too much from the lights at that price though!! :laugh:
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£360 instead of £250, no biggy. The one that matters is tyre costs. I have a feeling I read that its £250 a corner! Ouch.
Glad you got a great car from all of this Bill. You'd better not be lighting up the tyres too much from the lights at that price though!! :laugh:
Yeah. Seems you can get them for £190 if you shop around but... wow, I better start saving up now! :shocked:
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Congrats on the new purchase, have fun :evil:
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£360 instead of £250, no biggy. The one that matters is tyre costs. I have a feeling I read that its £250 a corner! Ouch.
Glad you got a great car from all of this Bill. You'd better not be lighting up the tyres too much from the lights at that price though!! :D
Yeah. Seems you can get them for £190 if you shop around but... wow, I better start saving up now! :o
The first set i'd be buying would be winters! 300hp and rear drive in the snow?? Eek.... :o
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Lovely spec Bear, looking forward to the posing stuffed bear in the photos! :grin:
Ouch at the price of tyres per corner though...and even with winter tyres, I echo Jimble's thoughts!
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Don't need em. I live in Cambridgeshire and winters completely are unnecessary :smug:
Also my house is 200m from a duel carriageway and my work is about 300m from the same duel carriageway, so even if this were Scotland I'll never be driving on iced up roads.
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it's temperature related not just snow and ice. anything under 7 degrees and your tyres harden up.
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it's temperature related not just snow and ice. anything under 7 degrees and your tyres harden up.
They soon get warm and grippy if you're driving hard enough.
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erm no they don't. you can't force hardened rubber to all of a sudden be pliable again no matter how hard you drive it. your more likely to destroy the tyre first.
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I wouldn't worry about it. It's the same physics that applies to all cars on the road.
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Email arrived from the dealer. Car is in production (which I knew) and expected delivery is week 39!
Edited my sig slightly to be less irritating, sorry. Will have to wait until after work to change the pic though.
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GTI cancelled today, M135i deal done, just finalising the spec/colours. I'm sad to say goodbye to the GTI but as others the whole experience has be soured beyond what I was prepared to put up with. Have secured a 19% discount on the M135i and the same trade in for my Golf that VW offered so it's costing me roughly the same as my GTI was costing.
Great forum guys keep up the good work, I'll still pop by every now and then to see your new cars etc.
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Not happy with the people we're losing. Forum is going to be half empty and less knowledgeable :(
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GTI cancelled today, M135i deal done, just finalising the spec/colours. I'm sad to say goodbye to the GTI but as others the whole experience has be soured beyond what I was prepared to put up with. Have secured a 19% discount on the M135i and the same trade in for my Golf that VW offered so it's costing me roughly the same as my GTI was costing.
Great forum guys keep up the good work, I'll still pop by every now and then to see your new cars etc.
Nice one mate. Seems to be some brilliant deals for the 135. BMW are clearly pulling out all the stops to make sure they attract new business and satisfy their customers and fair play to them. Far better than VW that's for sure
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My GOLF GTI gets built next week, who was it that said its good to be starting over again?
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My M135i was built this week. Delivery before end of September. Can't wait!
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My M135i was built this week. Delivery before end of September. Can't wait!
Good second choice Bill, sorry it didn't work out with the GTI
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Haha, it's first choice. Didn't think I could afford it back in April but got a deal that makes it £1.5k cheaper than the GTI and much higher specification to boot. Plus the 5 week lead time, no brainier.
I wish I could have had both but couldn't convince my wife to have the Golf so had to pick one of them.
Welcome back by the way!
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Haha, it's first choice. Didn't think I could afford it back in April but got a deal that makes it £1.5k cheaper than the GTI and much higher specification to boot. Plus the 5 week lead time, no brainier.
I wish I could have had both but couldn't convince my wife to have the Golf so had to pick one of them.
Welcome back by the way!
Fair enough, you're not convincing me though (I won't mention the looks, sshhhh) :smiley:
For the record I quit and was not sacked :laugh: Not that anyone may be interested :whistle:
Will take me a while to get back my stars though :grin:
I'm sure you and you're BMW will make sweet music ( I wish there was a thumbs up thing on here as that is what I want to give you) :wink:
In a friendly way
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Haha, it's first choice. Didn't think I could afford it back in April but got a deal that makes it £1.5k cheaper than the GTI and much higher specification to boot. Plus the 5 week lead time, no brainier.
I wish I could have had both but couldn't convince my wife to have the Golf so had to pick one of them.
Welcome back by the way!
Fair enough, you're not convincing me though (I won't mention the looks, sshhhh) :)
For the record I quit and was not sacked :D Not that anyone may be interested :whistle:
Will take me a while to get back my stars though ;D
I'm sure you and you're BMW will make sweet music ( I wish there was a thumbs up thing on here as that is what I want to give you) ;)
In a friendly way
:afro:
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How do you do that Jim? :tongue:
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How do you do that Jim? :tongue:
Quote me and all will become clear. :afro:
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How do you do that Jim? :tongue:
Quote me and all will become clear. :afro:
Done, didn't work I am dumb at this stuff LOL
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How do you do that Jim? :tongue:
Quote me and all will become clear. :afro:
Done, didn't work I am dumb at this stuff LOL
You need to type : afro : but without any spaces, you should be able to see it when you quote me unless your using an ipad which for some reason just shows the smiley.
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How do you do that Jim? :tongue:
Quote me and all will become clear. :afro:
Done, didn't work I am dumb at this stuff LOL
You need to type : afro : but without any spaces, you should be able to see it when you quote me unless your using an ipad which for some reason just shows the smiley.
I-pad yes, anyway back to the thread thanks Jim :smiley: :cool:
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Just for the hell of it... :afro:
And I'm using an iPad.
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GTI cancelled today, M135i deal done, just finalising the spec/colours. I'm sad to say goodbye to the GTI but as others the whole experience has be soured beyond what I was prepared to put up with. Have secured a 19% discount on the M135i and the same trade in for my Golf that VW offered so it's costing me roughly the same as my GTI was costing.
Great forum guys keep up the good work, I'll still pop by every now and then to see your new cars etc.
Shame to see another one bite the dust. Sounds like you got a cracking deal!
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Not happy with the people we're losing. Forum is going to be half empty and less knowledgeable :(
They'll be back, they always come back! :grin:
Glad you guys are getting a good deal. :cool:
Bear, your not fooling anyone that the BMW was your first choice! :laugh:
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Bear, your not fooling anyone that the BMW was your first choice! :laugh:
Why do you say that? When I ordered the GTI I did not consider the BMW for various reasons. Couple weeks back I had the choice of either car but I had to pick one of them. I picked the M135i, by definition making it my first choice.
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Bear, your not fooling anyone that the BMW was your first choice! :D
Why do you say that? When I ordered the GTI I did not consider the BMW for various reasons. Couple weeks back I had the choice of either car but I had to pick one of them. I picked the M135i, by definition making it my first choice.
Lot of umming and ahhing for something that was your first choice no? And what reasons? If it was your first choice then you would've considered it regardless and i'm sure they would've given you a similar deal?
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Yes it was a really hard decision to cancel, not least because during a lot of my decision making it seemed like the BMW was going to cost me more and probably lead to even more of a wait. In the end I had to pick which car I wanted and I was fortunate to find it was significantly cheaper and available in 5 weeks.
I picked the car that was best for ME. My decision is of course in no way relevant to those who are sticking with the GTI, which I still maintain is a great car I would love to own.
You added the bit about reasons, here ya go:
- Didn't know the M135i existed, saw GTI7 was soon to arrive and thinking it was too expensive suddenly realised it wasn't. Compared to ST and picked the GTI.
- Later saw M135i reviews, but seemed far too expensive.
- Didn't expect such crap service from VW.
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Yes it was a really hard decision to cancel, not least because during a lot of my decision making it seemed like the BMW was going to cost me more and probably lead to even more of a wait. In the end I had to pick which car I wanted and I was fortunate to find it was significantly cheaper and available in 5 weeks.
I picked the car that was best for ME. My decision is of course in no way relevant to those who are sticking with the GTI, which I still maintain is a great car I would love to own.
Don't get me wrong mate, i'm not picking fault with your decision and the BMW will be a great car and you will most likely love it but if it was your first choice you wouldn't have ordered the GTI in the first place, you'd have gone to a BMW dealership and ordered the 135i, in which case it wasn't your first choice. :smug:
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Yes it was a really hard decision to cancel, not least because during a lot of my decision making it seemed like the BMW was going to cost me more and probably lead to even more of a wait. In the end I had to pick which car I wanted and I was fortunate to find it was significantly cheaper and available in 5 weeks.
I picked the car that was best for ME. My decision is of course in no way relevant to those who are sticking with the GTI, which I still maintain is a great car I would love to own.
You added the bit about reasons, here ya go:
- Didn't know the M135i existed, saw GTI7 was soon to arrive and thinking it was too expensive suddenly realised it wasn't. Compared to ST and picked the GTI.
- Later saw M135i reviews, but seemed far too expensive.
- Didn't expect such crap service from VW.
So how was it your first choice??????
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But as I said I didn't even know the BMW existed....
My original choice was GTI or ST. GTI was my first choice.
My subsequent choice was GTI or M135i. M135i was my first choice.
If by second choice you mean I choose it later in time then yeah. If you mean by second choice that I would secretly rather have a GTI, but for some odd reason cancelled one and took a car I like less then no.
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Regret.
Every time you see a mk7 GTI on the road.
On the upside they are quite rare.
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But as I said I didn't even know the BMW existed....
My original choice was GTI or ST. GTI was my first choice.
My subsequent choice was GTI or M135i. M135i was my first choice.
If by second choice you mean I choose it later in time then yeah. If you mean by second choice that I would secretly rather have a GTI, but for some odd reason cancelled one and took a car I like less then no.
This was my point, the M135i has been available longer than the mk7 GTI and the fact that you weren't aware and the fact you ordered the VW means it wasn't your first choice, you subsequently had a decision to make between the two cars having been made aware of it later on, you chose the BMW but would you even have entertained it if VW had been better? Probably not.
Like i said, i'm glad your getting a car and the service your happy with. 8)
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Looking forward to posting my Golf GTI Mk7 on the Golf GTI forum :laugh:
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Bill's experience with the VW GTI/GTD launch fiasco caused him to look elsewhere - and who can blame him?
Bill's also comparing a deal on the GTI when he ordered some months ago with a deal available now on the M135i, so the BWM in comparison is good value (especially considering his options of PP and Leather which must have pushed the GTI price close to / above the M135i).
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Bill's experience with the VW GTI/GTD launch fiasco caused him to look elsewhere - and who can blame him?
Bill's also comparing a deal on the GTI when he ordered some months ago with a deal available now on the M135i, so the BWM in comparison is good value (especially considering his options of PP and Leather which must have pushed the GTI price close to / above the M135i).
I'm not disputing these facts.
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Bill's experience with the VW GTI/GTD launch fiasco caused him to look elsewhere - and who can blame him?
Bill's also comparing a deal on the GTI when he ordered some months ago with a deal available now on the M135i, so the BWM in comparison is good value (especially considering his options of PP and Leather which must have pushed the GTI price close to / above the M135i).
I'm not disputing these facts.
I'm pretty sure that wasn't aimed at you Jimble :wink:
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No it wasn't :wink:
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Fair enough. :-*
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Wow, I have a whole day not visiting the forum and it all kicks off! :laugh:
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Wow, I have a whole day not visiting the forum and it all kicks off! :laugh:
Yep, in your absence you cancelled and you don't even know it yet. :grin:
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Wow, I have a whole day not visiting the forum and it all kicks off! :laugh:
Yep, in your absence you cancelled and you don't even know it yet. :grin:
:grin: :grin:
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Picked her up 30mins ago!
Lighting was actually really bad for these photos but I went overboard anyway! I'll post a few, click through to the album if you want to see the others (http://imgur.com/a/4uhn0#6aO7VgG (http://imgur.com/a/4uhn0#6aO7VgG)). I really like the colour. :cool:
(http://i.imgur.com/PJZPwuy.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/6aO7VgG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/sgQMxBE.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/UoRIJvx.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mWnQN48.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/guAy3J2.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/VZIzRoN.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Ytb3nD8.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/13LvjQ3.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/MYaMixk.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Qcq7rdM.jpg)
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Congrats Bill! She's a fine car. Love that colour. You weren't too far behind Mark after all.
What you doing on this forum just now, you should be taking her out for a blast :grin: :grin: Get out there man!
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Congrats Bill! She's a fine car. Love that colour. You weren't too far behind Mark after all.
What you doing on this forum just now, you should be taking her out for a blast :grin: :grin: Get out there man!
My damn beautiful wife asked some friends over for dinner yesterday and they are gonna be here any minute. So no fun for me tonight :undecided:
Well... maybe a little later! Must resist the alkyhol.
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Looks aside (I prefer the Golf inside and out, so i'll not dwell on it), how did it drive (the real reason you bought it - and the lack of wait)? That colour seems to show it at it's best. It's great when you finally get your hands on your new car. Does it irk you that you could've been driving one of these in June? :whistle:
Anyway, feel free to feel smug as my GTD is starting to fall to bits! :grin: (handbrake issues)
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Congrats Bill! She's a fine car. Love that colour. You weren't too far behind Mark after all.
What you doing on this forum just now, you should be taking her out for a blast :grin: :grin: Get out there man!
My damn beautiful wife asked some friends over for dinner yesterday and they are gonna be here any minute. So no fun for me tonight :undecided:
Well... maybe a little later! Must resist the alkyhol.
Ah the old dinner parties. Looking forward to hearing a thorough review pal :smiley:
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Unfortunately I can't drive it as friends just came over! NOOOO. I'll add some thoughts later. :wink:
Pics never do the 1 series justice though, it looks amazing! Colour is superb and interior is fantastic.
Thanks for the comments chaps, gotta go entertain now!
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It's a beauty Bill, mine will be here Sat/Sun next week so only a week to go. I checked my cancelled GTI slot and it's still not been built :grin: despite supposedly entering build 2 weeks ago.
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Unfortunately I can't drive it as friends just came over! NOOOO. I'll add some thoughts later. :wink:
Pics never do the 1 series justice though, it looks amazing! Colour is superb and interior is fantastic.
Thanks for the comments chaps, gotta go entertain now!
gorgeous car that :smiley: seen the bit were vbh was giving 1 some stick on fifth gear the other night
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Bear - wow!! That is stunning, and Estoril Blue is THE colour to get!! Can't wait to hear your thoughts once you give it a blast!
What a p1sser you've got people round - of all the nights :grin:
Edit: Just showed the missus and she is drooling over your car - she now wants one when her car is up for renewal (which I quickly vetoed at least until I get an R :grin:)
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In my opinion that is a stunning car. I wouldn't own one only because of the running costs (that's why I'm getting rid of my S2000 after all), but there is no denying BMW have really done well to correct those ass ugly cars they've been pumping out the last few years.
I understand it's not to everyones tastes, but me likey. Can't wait to hear how it drives.
Congratulations! :)
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Looking good Bill, and i've got to say i don't think i've ever seen a M135 on the road (or in a showroom). :whistle:
You just need a new signature now. :cool:
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Very quiet for bear - he's obviously not contributing on the sly by smart phone under the table. :grin:
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Very quiet for bear - he's obviously not contributing on the sly by smart phone under the table. :grin:
I can't believe he's not woofed his dinner down, poured all the drinks down the sink and told his missus they've run out so he has to go up the shops to restock (for an hour) :laugh:
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Looks Awesome Bear!!! :cool: Especially in EB... Best colour by far in the range. I don't know what all the fuss is about with regards to looks. Looks Fab & equally aggressive compared to the GTi.
All the Best Buddy!!! ENJOY...
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Am I allowed to say?
I don't like it.
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Am I allowed to say?
I don't like it.
Of course mate, personal taste.
Finally got a blast about 10pm. Really enjoyed it but its hard to keep the revs down as I'm sure everyone who's got their cars is finding the same! Looking forward to trying it in the daylight.
Running costs... yeah. They're pretty reasonable, apart from the tyre costs, which I don't want to think about at this point! :laugh:
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It looks great, almost as good as a MK7 GTI :)
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Such a stunning colour Bear. Really like the look of the inside of it too. How do you find the computer system in the car?
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sorry but I just don't like the shape. I'm sure it's a great car and that engine will be epic but I just don't like the shape of them. sorry bill :smiley:
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The thing that puts me off is that looks wise, more than the shape - it lacks aggression, in the same way as I didn't like the rounded MK6 GTI/GTD. The MK5 looked mean - it really stood out as a performance model, same with the MK7 and even more so with the Scirocco. All the lighting units front and back are rounded and smiling at you rather than snarling at you, if that makes sense.
So the 135i will just have to be the smiling assassin rather than looking like a radgie that's going to cause some mayhem if he catches your eye in the pub. :grin:
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Thanks for all the comments guys, really appreciate it! Going on a trip to north London now so will answer a few of the questions after.
MH sorry to hear about your brake issue, hopefully it's just a blip and nothing to worry about!
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I know exactly what you mean Bear, it's so hard to not put your foot down and be sensible! :grin:
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How's the beemer Bear? How many miles have you done, and how much have you pushed it?!
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About 300 miles so far. Had a bit of a play this afternoon, the throttle is so responsive it just wants to rocket away and I've been quite a bit over 4k a few times now. :embarrassed:
The best parts are the sound and the smoothness and the way it's so responsive. The colour is great, I went to a christening on Saturday and ended up with quite a crowd admiring it. Pulled up the instant mpg on the A1 while driving back and it was doing 50mpg in Eco mode at 70mph cruise! On back roads or city driving its more like 25 so the average will be lower, but still that was a pleasant surprise.
The only bad part is my garage is so small I'm worried I'm going to scratch a door or something. Had a bit of carpet ready but it got "disposed of" :rolleyes:
I'll add a couple more pics in a bit. How are you finding your red beast?
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About 300 miles so far. Had a bit of a play this afternoon, the throttle is so responsive it just wants to rocket away and I've been quite a bit over 4k a few times now. :embarrassed:
The best parts are the sound and the smoothness and the way it's so responsive. The colour is great, I went to a christening on Saturday and ended up with quite a crowd admiring it. Pulled up the instant mpg on the A1 while driving back and it was doing 50mpg in Eco mode at 70mph cruise! On back roads or city driving its more like 25 so the average will be lower, but still that was a pleasant surprise.
The only bad part is my garage is so small I'm worried I'm going to scratch a door or something. Had a bit of carpet ready but it got "disposed of" :rolleyes:
I'll add a couple more pics in a bit. How are you finding your red beast?
Sounds brilliant! And going over 4k just has to be done :grin: Yeah I showed my missus and she was cooing over the pics as that's the best colour by a mile. Decent economy as well, just shows a lot of the time it's down to how you drive.
I love mine too, just left it in sport :grin: and I'm averaging around 33 with motorway driving in rush hour with some bursts. Took my dad and sister out in it and did hit 6k revs a few times :whistle: which I probably shouldn't have given I've only done just over 200 miles but f7ck it it was awesome fun and the noise is great!
Sounds like after all the hassle we're both happy in the end! Yes, more pics please - interior would be good as it's class!
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Hi guys, thought I'd show my new beast to any non-haters :grin:
(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e314/AnthonyAndrades/M135i/0c59da21-3a24-49b1-84f3-d972808f58ca_zpsd1610f4d.jpg)
(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e314/AnthonyAndrades/M135i/9e27702f-4369-4601-a949-187768dbce18_zps9df56421.jpg)
(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e314/AnthonyAndrades/28b6e8f5-029d-4529-832b-4995de0cbfbd_zpsa7305a4e.jpg)
and a little video of the exhaust note:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKsaP12D9I0
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Nice! Jealous of the colour!
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Lovely AAddict. Sounds very nice! :smiley:
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Lovely AAddict. Sounds very nice! :smiley:
Cheers mate, all well with the GTI?
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Looks awesome! And that leather is :drool:
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Lovely AAddict. Sounds very nice! :smiley:
Cheers mate, all well with the GTI?
Ups and downs pal. The car handles great but the list of rattles is long :sad:
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Looks awesome! And that leather is :drool:
Thanks, I'll admit I nearly bottled it and went for the black leather, so glad I went with my heart. It looks fantastic in the flesh.
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Lovely AAddict. Sounds very nice! :smiley:
Cheers mate, all well with the GTI?
Ups and downs pal. The car handles great but the list of rattles is long :sad:
Damn, hope they get sorted for you. I had a few on my MK6 and they drove me to distraction.
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Looks awesome! And that leather is :drool:
Thanks, I'll admit I nearly bottled it and went for the black leather, so glad I went with my heart. It looks fantastic in the flesh.
If I was ordering a bmw that's the leather I'd go for as it's pure class, gives it a proper premium feel and look!
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Looks awesome! And that leather is :drool:
Thanks, I'll admit I nearly bottled it and went for the black leather, so glad I went with my heart. It looks fantastic in the flesh.
If I was ordering a bmw that's the leather I'd go for as it's pure class, gives it a proper premium feel and look!
Smells amazing too :grin:
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Looks awesome! And that leather is :drool:
Thanks, I'll admit I nearly bottled it and went for the black leather, so glad I went with my heart. It looks fantastic in the flesh.
If I was ordering a bmw that's the leather I'd go for as it's pure class, gives it a proper premium feel and look!
Smells amazing too :grin:
And sounds great too - the car that is, not the leather! Saw one in the same colour one day last week when I left off work and the driver was clearly enjoying it and making it 'sing'. :cool:
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Sounds great. I haven't listened to mine from the outside, will have to get the wife to rev it while I stand at the back. Is it the stock exhaust you have? Perhaps it's better sounding because of the manual I guess!
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Sounds great. I haven't listened to mine from the outside, will have to get the wife to rev it while I stand at the back. Is it the stock exhaust you have? Perhaps it's better sounding because of the manual I guess!
Yeah manual, I notice it when engine breaking in second gear quite a lot, and obviously it's loud n fruity when revving in neutral like in the video. I pretty much drive in Sport/Sport+ modes all the time so not sure if that has anything to do with it.
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Sounds great. I haven't listened to mine from the outside, will have to get the wife to rev it while I stand at the back. Is it the stock exhaust you have? Perhaps it's better sounding because of the manual I guess!
Yeah manual, I notice it when engine breaking in second gear quite a lot, and obviously it's loud n fruity when revving in neutral like in the video. I pretty much drive in Sport/Sport+ modes all the time so not sure if that has anything to do with it.
I will have to have a play! In theory I can make the auto do the same as a manual using the paddles. What I haven't tried is doing this and popping the winding down to listen. Can you hear the exhaust easily with the windows down do you think? I'll have to test it out tomorrow!
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Sounds great. I haven't listened to mine from the outside, will have to get the wife to rev it while I stand at the back. Is it the stock exhaust you have? Perhaps it's better sounding because of the manual I guess!
Yeah manual, I notice it when engine breaking in second gear quite a lot, and obviously it's loud n fruity when revving in neutral like in the video. I pretty much drive in Sport/Sport+ modes all the time so not sure if that has anything to do with it.
I will have to have a play! In theory I can make the auto do the same as a manual using the paddles. What I haven't tried is doing this and popping the winding down to listen. Can you hear the exhaust easily with the windows down do you think? I'll have to test it out tomorrow!
In second engine breaking for a junction/roundabout or indeed free revving I can hear with the windows up, not loud like it is from outside the rear of the car but I can detect the popping and frapping. Haven't tried with window down, the car so well insulated it's never gonna be loud in the cabin though.