Quote:
Originally Posted by AusF20
You also need to consider that even though the F20/F21 is the new shape the 135i engine in it is not, it still comes from the previous stable (good as it is).
Depending the fickleness of public perception of the new 2013 135i it may effect the resale of the current 135i in years to come. (possibly a 2.5lt bi turbo 4 is the rumour)
The 328i is a great choice as the F30 is also a new model and uses the new engine technology, however it shares the same engine as the 125i (125i is slightly detuned through the exhaust) and it is not available in a 'M Sport' so it will not handle or have the acceleration you want when compared to the 135i.
You may want to consider waiting until the new 135i (5 door) with the new engine is released in 2013, or, if you want to save a few dollars now, go for a 125i M Sport with M brakes and have it M chip tuned and exhauste mods done (328i /125i Mtek expected = 225kw) when it comes out early next year.
The interior room is not that different to the 3er.
The balanced handling of the 125i M sport makes it a good allrounder, but with those extra horses, it will be a wolf in sheep's clothing. That's is the reason I went for the 125i M sport. Most cars depreciate at about 50% after three years so you have to work out your best value for the best driving experience. I think the M Sport will be the 'sort after' model in years to come and will have a better market value.
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What 2013 135i?
Are we talking coupe or hatchback?
On the coupe front, the current version's lifecycle is surely way too far gone to be adding new engines at this stage. The OP was looking at a 135i coupe. Cracking car - I had one and really enjoyed it. Distinctly more car than the 125i version. But at this stage in the production cycle, I imagine residuals will be quite dismal. The new version will be called the 2-series and isn't about to launch imminently.
On the hatch front, BMW already offers the 125i and the M135i, which are a gnat's chuff apart price-wise when you compare like-for-like specs, so I fail to see where or why you could or would insert a normal 135i inbetween them.
Furthermore, why would BMW go to all the trouble of engineering the M135i to take a very well regarded six pot that is used throughout its current range of models if next year it's going to replace it with a new four cylinder? And I would have thought engineering economies of scale dictate that any M235i should use the same engine as the M135i.
And, far be it for me to suggest that, if they are going to change the M135i/M235i to a 4-pot engine, then we'd all better get down to the nearest BMW dealer sharpish and get one of the 6-cylinder versions before it's too late. Because frankly that's the whole point - nothing else in the budget offers the option of such a beefy engine with a manual gearbox, so you overlook the car's shortcomings (mostly aesthetic) for the overall package. But if you're taking the drivetrain out of the equation (ie shoving in some underwhelming 4 pot alternative), I would wait for the new Audi S3 Sportback. Similarly-engined but really much better-looking and more desirable as an object than the rather unfortunate-looking F20. Either that, or fork out considerably more than a 335i.
Maybe I'm spoilt after a succession of tuneful engines (Alfa V6, Mercedes V8, BMW V10 and several BMW straight sixes) but most four cylinder engines just don't quite cut it on the character front. They can get close-ish but it's still no cigar.