Unique parts content: M Performance vs. M

[MeganeTrophyGuy]

Originally Posted by Sapper_M3

Why is this even a thread? What are we arguing about here..?

It is absolutely irrelevant how many "unique" parts each car has to its name. If the M135 had 0% "unique" parts (whatever this means) and was still as great a car as we all know it is, would you value it any less?

The M135 is a great car produced by BMW AG. If this is all coming down to a badge-coveting, BMW-has-truly-succeeded-in-making-us-all-believe-the-stupid-M-sticker-slapping-hype, then you'll never truly be happy unless you're driving a car made by BMW M. If that isn't the case, then just be happy with your VERY NICE car. Who cares whether people believe it's an "M" car or not..?

I for one, never cared about the M-badging on my M135 and never said I did (nor did I ever claim that it was a full-on M car). What was hard to believe is the number of posts that belittled me and my car for thinking it had any value beyond being a lowly "1 series with a nice paint job".

Yes, it drives great for a road, rather than track focused non-M car, yes it is astonishingly fast (huge, ear-to-ear grin fast!), yes, it sounds wonderful, yes it has a tremendous number of accolades and awards from almost every major car journalist and magazine, putting it at the very top of the hot hatch category. But here on the BMW Forum it is ridiculed as a worthless 1-series with some nice paint and badges. Seems the only place there is M-badge snobbery is on this very forum (something that as an ex-M3 and Alpina owner, I find a little offensive).

Honestly, it was not at all what I was expecting and took me very much by surprise...

[brianeck]

I think the way you posed your question/comment from the get go was a little bit "troll-esque" given the particular forum that you're posting in. This place is chuck full of M-super fanboys which you must know, and accordingly many of them answered in their own special M-super fanboy arrogant sort of way. You're also posting in the "M3/M4" section, which arguably has some of the most passionate (read: arrogant) posters in all the known car enthusiast universe. That said, I certainly can't blame them for your attempt to "subjectively objectify" the letter M.

You must have known you'd bring on this type of feedback when you posted in the "M3/M4 vs" heading section with a car that is admittedly not "a true m."

Now that I'm done pointing out the obvious I'd like to ask that you don't get too offended by the sandstorm that is blowing around, as you (hopefully unknowningly/untrollingly) created it. I think the previous analogy of 335is is very much so applicable to the m135. . . Its more of a standard car that's been tuned/worked over by division M than a newly developed full on M car, which I think we can all live with. Besides, most importantly at least they put the M sticker on it at the factory and you don't have to do it yourself, because that certainly wouldn't fly around here

Originally Posted by MeganeTrophyGuy

I for one, never cared about the M-badging on my M135 and never said I did (nor did I ever claim that it was a full-on M car). What was hard to believe is the number of posts that belittled me and my car for thinking it had any value beyond being a lowly "1 series with a nice paint job".

Yes, it drives great for a road, rather than track focused non-M car, yes it is astonishingly fast (huge, ear-to-ear grin fast!), yes, it sounds wonderful, yes it has a tremendous number of accolades and awards from almost every major car journalist and magazine, putting it at the very top of the hot hatch category. But here on the BMW Forum it is ridiculed as a worthless 1-series with some nice paint and badges. Seems the only place there is M-badge snobbery is on this very forum (something that as an ex-M3 and Alpina owner, I find a little offensive).

Honestly, it was not at all what I was expecting and took me very much by surprise...

[MeganeTrophyGuy]

Originally Posted by brianeck

I think the way you posed your question/comment from the get go was a little bit "troll-esque" given the particular forum that you're posting in. This place is chuck full of M-super fanboys which you must know, and accordingly many of them answered in their own special M-super fanboy arrogant sort of way. You're also posting in the "M3/M4" section, which arguably has some of the most passionate (read: arrogant) posters in all the known car enthusiast universe. That said, I certainly can't blame them for your attempt to "subjectively objectify" the letter M.

You must have known you'd bring on this type of feedback when you posted in the "M3/M4 vs" heading section with a car that is admittedly not "a true m."

Now that I'm done pointing out the obvious I'd like to ask that you don't get too offended by the sandstorm that is blowing around, as you (hopefully unknowningly/untrollingly) created it. I think the previous analogy of 335is is very much so applicable to the m135. . . Its more of a standard car that's been tuned/worked over by division M than a newly developed full on M car, which I think we can all live with. Besides, most importantly at least they put the M sticker on it at the factory and you don't have to do it yourself, because that certainly wouldn't fly around here

Thanks for the post. While I really appreciate what you are saying, I don't really agree with my being "troll-esque" or baiting people in anyway. This is my 7th BMW but first in several years and I have been very struck by how M-owners now seem to look down on non-M owners. It didn't used to be that way. I was very active in BMW CCA for at least a decade and back in the 90s was struck by how incredibly supportive and positive M owners were towards non M owners back then. I finally got a 1999 E36 M3 and treated non M-owners with the same respect and support that I was given and has assumed that kind of camaraderie was the standard since it was very much the same when I was an Alfa 147 GTA owner on the Alfa forums (all the non-GTA people were wonderfully passionate about their vehicles and we supported each other very positively), a lowly Gti owner on the VW forums and a lowly Boxster S owner on the Porsche forums (where 911 GT3 owners gave some of the best, most positive advice).

The M135i is not a full on M-car but is a unique, driver focused car that has done a lot of things right. It is hardly the piece of junk people on this forum make it out to be, far more than just a standard 1 series "with nice paint and stripes".

I am very seriously considering the M4 as a potential replacement for my M135i next summer, but that depends on (1) how tactile and undiluted the driving experience is and (2) if I can find an owners group that is not automatically dismissive of people who drive other cars. Half the fun of owning and driving nice cars is talking about them with other like-minded car nuts, and helping others looking for advice and support.

[Sy546]

the m135i is just a 135is...

[MeganeTrophyGuy]

Originally Posted by S.hasan546

the m135i is just a 135is...

Sorry, no....

People who know BMWs (this is my 7th) will tell you, models marked as "is" generally have nothing more than a slightly higher hp output and M-Sport aero parts.

Though the M135i is not marketed, sold or perceived as a full on M-car, it is quite a bit more than just some added aero parts. Here again is a non-comprehensive list of M Performance enhancements on the M135i beyond the superb 320hp engine and M aero-parts:

- revised sports suspension
- revised front axle
- new traverse control arm
- new swivel bearing
- new sports steering
- new sports brakes (4 pot)
- new forged crank
- upgraded engine cooling system
- larger air inlets and exclusive front end
- different sports settings for 8 speed ZF AT with 200 millisecond shift times
- specially adapted sports exhaust w/o central silencer and special exhaust flap exclusive to M135i
- new tires just for M135 (225 front 245 back)

The M135 is consistently clocked at 4.5-4.6 seconds for 0-100 and a non-professional driver lapped the Nurburgring in an M135 in 8:05, seven seconds faster than your 1M and the same time as the E92 M3...

No it is not an M, but they sure put together a helluva fast, fun, well-sorted automobile for gobs less cash than an M. For some of us, that's enough and nothing to be ashamed of...