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Can the OP DIY? I like the 135i, but it will almost certainly need more work and sooner than the 235i. I have changed turbos, oil and coolant lines, coolant pump and thermostat, valve cover and oil pan gaskets, rod bearings, alternator, ignition coils, fluids, etc. on the N54. It can all be done and there are plenty of threads and videos. But if you have to pay for labor, it will add up fast.
I drove a 135i not long after they first came out. I have an E36 M3 and the size and fit reminded me of the E36 M3, but I already had something similar so the 135 did not interest me. My E36 M3 is turbocharged and on coilovers so there was no performance benefit for me with the 135i.
I had a friend with an N55 engine 135 or 235 - can’t remember which. He modded it nicely with an exhaust, coilovers, tune, intercooler, bigger turbo and I thought it drove really nicely. It was smooth and quick and handled well. He sold it and bought an M2CS.
I drove a stock M235i on an auto cross and around a track years ago and was not at all impressed. But maybe I could have modded it to make it more my kind of car. M2 would have been closer to what I like.
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