Newbie - Trade my 135i for an M coupe?

[ajvee]

Guys,

I hope you are doing well. I was browsing auto trader today and I came across this beauty

http://www.maplewoodaudi.com/used/BM...4404fa5e15.htm

I ABSOLUTELY love the way the M coupe looks and immediately setup a test drive. To be honest, the car is not as fast as my tuned 135i, but is a lot more communicative. I felt every bump in the road and the engine just wanted to sing to redline. I also noticed that the throttle response is awesome in sport mode. There is also of course that intangible "M" factor!

I would like your opinion on whether I should trade my 2009 135i for this car. Please keep in mind that this will be my daily driver that will also have to do some winter duty. I feel like this would be a crazy decision, but I would appreciate your inputs.

Cheers.

[nmulax]

I love my M coupe, and there's nothing I can afford that I'd rather have.

However, I don't think I would DD it. But that's just me; a handful of guys on the forum do use their Z4M as their regular car. It really will depend on what your needs are, where you live, what your typical commute is like, etc.

[Erhan]

Originally Posted by ajvee

To be honest, the car is not as fast as my tuned 135i

Do you mean on the corners, or on the straight line? I test drove a 135, it can't compete with a Z4 M (in my view). Also if you check its specs, 135 is narrower, taller, and heavier than Z4 M. Sure, it has a turbo engine and you can increase the boost and get lots of HP (and be faster than Z4 M on a drag race), but it won't feel as good as the NA engine that can rev to 8k.

But than, 135i is a lot more comfortable and practical than Z4 M. Cheaper to run as well (assuming turbos won't fail after 4 years).

[dekaliber]

Originally Posted by nmulax

I love my M coupe, and there's nothing I can afford that I'd rather have.

However, I don't think I would DD it. But that's just me; a handful of guys on the forum do use their Z4M as their regular car. It really will depend on what your needs are, where you live, what your typical commute is like, etc.

QFT. Not even a month after buying my coupe, I'm already on the lookout for a second car. Admittedly, a big reason for doing so is to have another option when the weather is crappy. Given the option not to, I'd probably avoid driving the M when it's shitty out because 1) black gets dirty instantly under anything but perfection conditions and 2) the chances of something bad happening increases dramatically with rain/snow. Another major reason is the lack of trunk space in the M, what with the huge battery/mobility kit eating up a decent chunk of an already small trunk. Expect to ask for favors any time you need to carry anything large (e.g. wheels, tires, big boxes).

Of course, if I were you, I'd still get the Z4M in a heartbeat.

[ajvee]

Guys, great inputs! Financially, would I be "losing out" trading a 2009 135i for a 2007 m coupe? Do these cars hold their values well?

[ajvee]

Originally Posted by erhanh

Do you mean on the corners, or on the straight line? I test drove a 135, it can't compete with a Z4 M (in my view). Also if you check its specs, 135 is narrower, taller, and heavier than Z4 M. Sure, it has a turbo engine and you can increase the boost and get lots of HP (and be faster than Z4 M on a drag race), but it won't feel as good as the NA engine that can rev to 8k.

But than, 135i is a lot more comfortable and practical than Z4 M. Cheaper to run as well (assuming turbos won't fail after 4 years).

I should have specified. In a straight line! I figured this is relevant, since there isn't much corner carving during daily driving.

[b0bab0i]

You are asking the Z4 part of the bimmerpost which is biased.

I think you should take a look at E46 M3's also.

[ajvee]

Originally Posted by benmoooon

You are asking the Z4 part of the bimmerpost which is biased.

I think you should take a look at E46 M3's also.

Appreciate the note. I've thought about the E46s and I am not sold on them. Part of the allure of the M coupe is that they are pretty rare! (Not a very practical reason to buy one!)

[LHB]

That car has had 3 owners in 19k miles. I would want to know why. The MCoupe should also be able to pull on the 135 at above 100mph, if you ever drive that fast.

If the car checks out I would greatly prefer an M Coupe to a 135. Especially if you're not planning on buying one that I'm looking at

[wzjra]

Do it. I traded my 335i coupe for an M coupe and didn't look back. As smooth and powerful the N54 is, it just can't beat the feeling of an M.

[nesrevival]

everyone is going to say YES in this forum

[david_lm]

YES.

(I had a 335i before this.)

[007MCoupe]

of course YES! lol

but since this is my first BMW i have no previous experience in one but i do love this car. that said, i am going to definitely say this is NOT a daily driver. I've had mine for a few weeks now and will be going back to my truck for the most part back and forth to and from work. this car does NOT like to be driven slowly. and this town's speed limit is 35 it's a wonderful car to drive on the highway and i'm sure it will be even better when i get some track time to really push it, but for practicality's sake make sure you have another vehicle to get groceries and such.

[dekaliber]

Originally Posted by ajvee

Guys, great inputs! Financially, would I be "losing out" trading a 2009 135i for a 2007 m coupe? Do these cars hold their values well?

Haha, no. Depreciation has been nasty in the short term, and dealers were offering fire sales when they were new to get them out the door. I guess not a large market for these cars, which is both a blessing and a curse.

I would find a car with fewer owners though, especially if you're concerned about value. There should be plenty of 1-owner lease returns this year.

[wildag]

I DD my Z4M Roadster, and it has less stowage space than the Coupe. I find it to be a very practical car for a single guy with no kids.

... and there's no way a 135i, tuned or not, keeps up with a Z4M Coupe on a track. Not even a driver's chance.

[Rustycat]

I've had the use of 2 different 135s as dealer loaners. Frankly, I found them boring and I would feel no compelling reason NOT to buy a Toyota, Honda or Huyandi instead.
The M coupe will always challange you. It will always keep you respectful or it will punish your hubris. If I had it as a daily driver, I'd probably find a large motorcycle touring trailer to pull behind it when I had to carry something more than a couple of bags of groceries.
I would suggest that you look for a 3.0 coupe. It would be easier to live with as a daily driver, and except for the wheels, hood, front air intake, and exhaust it looks pretty much the same.

[Finnegan]

It's really up to you buddy. There's the financial questions, and then there's the "what do you need the car to do" question.

The Z4M is way more fun to drive IMO than the 135. The 135 has that punch, especially when tuned, but it doesn't sound like or pull to redline like the ///M. Are you going to do a lot of canyon carving? Do you have a need to carry people/passengers?

We've still got our e92 M3, and honestly I don't think I we could do without it, as much as I'd like to trade it for a Cayman S or another Z4M. The Z4M just doesn't have the ability to carry me, my wife, and our Jack Russell and/or some cargo. And we need to have the ability, so the M3 fills that need. The 135 can play a similar role.

If you don't have a need to carry passengers or cargo, or have access to another vehicle for the rare times you do (e.g. friend or cheap rental) then go for it. The Z4M is just a blast to drive--no doubt about that!

[CalRick]

Originally Posted by dekaliber

Haha, no. Depreciation has been nasty in the short term, and dealers were offering fire sales when they were new to get them out the door. I guess not a large market for these cars, which is both a blessing and a curse.

I would find a car with fewer owners though, especially if you're concerned about value. There should be plenty of 1-owner lease returns this year.

Indeed the initial depreciation has been nasty, as it has been for many "toy" cars in this economy. Many of the 07's sold new in the 40's (with a couple of outliers even below that) from an MSRP in the upper 50's. But the worst of it seems to be behind us, as the depreciation seems to have slowed now that we are working thru the bulge of lease returns - the average & median market prices have declined fairly slowly since last fall when I bought my M. Trading from an 09 135i will take a hit on the value of the 09, as one would whenever trading a fairly new car, but the subsequent depreciation on an M trade should be less than on the 135, both because of the M being a couple years older (and being an "obsolete" model) and due to its relatively lower numbers.

[E86M.au]

Bar the E46M3CSL, the Z4MC is BMW's most uncompromising whip... raw n visceral it entertains n stimulates your senses like no other ///M straight out of their factory... no, it is not the quickest but it is the most entertaining n rewarding to drive... no suspension settings to soften the car, slower settings for paddle operated gear shifts, artificial electric steering to make turning the car easier, rear seats or otherwise dumbed down priorities for the mass market like RFT... this is a full time focussed dedicated ///M. A hardcore experience for a hardcore driver...if that is what YOU want then this is the car for you. If your needs require a dialed down experience coz u need to haul stuff, carry >1 passenger or u have other priorities like the need to compensate for personal inadequacies by having the latest/fastest/wankiest car at the lights, get that other car with the compromises u need, a shrink or a plastic surgeon... Z4MC is BMW's no excuses machine for the purist driver. IMHO, for the rewards this car delivers, its better 4 U 2 make consessions in your lifestyle such as another car for practical duties... get the Z4MC... BMW don't make cars like this anymore.

[jnkhan82]

I think they're both cool cars.

depends on you. The Z is a bigger head turner, but again that depends on you if you care for that or not. There are a lot of 1series around my area, but very rare to see a z4 roll by.

Enjoy which every you pick.

[nmulax]

Originally Posted by erhanh

But than, 135i is a lot more comfortable and practical than Z4 M. Cheaper to run as well (assuming turbos won't fail after 4 years).

That's a good point as well. M cars a performance vehicles and therefor maintenance is required more often, and usually costs more.

Originally Posted by ajvee

Guys, great inputs! Financially, would I be "losing out" trading a 2009 135i for a 2007 m coupe? Do these cars hold their values well?

See what both dekaliber and CalRick said.
At first the Z4M took a HUGE hit. Could be that it's not practical, could be the love it or hate it styling/ride/etc. But in the long run M cars typically hold their value better then standard BMWs (which still have good residual compared to the rest of the industry). Add in the rareness of the Z4M Coupe, and the fact that it's the last car with the S54 motor - some people (myself included) feel it's a car that from this point forward will see the depreciation come to a crawl.

Originally Posted by dekaliber

Haha, no. Depreciation has been nasty in the short term, and dealers were offering fire sales when they were new to get them out the door. I guess not a large market for these cars, which is both a blessing and a curse.

I would find a car with fewer owners though, especially if you're concerned about value. There should be plenty of 1-owner lease returns this year.

Originally Posted by CalRick

Indeed the initial depreciation has been nasty, as it has been for many "toy" cars in this economy. Many of the 07's sold new in the 40's (with a couple of outliers even below that) from an MSRP in the upper 50's. But the worst of it seems to be behind us, as the depreciation seems to have slowed now that we are working thru the bulge of lease returns - the average & median market prices have declined fairly slowly since last fall when I bought my M. Trading from an 09 135i will take a hit on the value of the 09, as one would whenever trading a fairly new car, but the subsequent depreciation on an M trade should be less than on the 135, both because of the M being a couple years older (and being an "obsolete" model) and due to its relatively lower numbers.

[ajvee]

I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of valuable inputs and I really appreciate them. I've outlined my situation and interests in bullet points:

1) Though this car will be my primary driver, it WILL NOT be my daily driver. I drive my 1 series more for pleasure than to get it from point A to point B.

2) During the times that I do drive, I rarely carry more than 1 other person. In fact in my 9 months of ownership, I have used the backseat 3 times for additional passengers.

3) I do carry a sport bag with some equipment and during my initial test drive all of my stuff fit perfectly into the M coupe's trunk.

4) I love the way the m coupe looks and will be frank, I am drawn to the rarity/quirkiness of it!

5) Financially, I am not sure how well 1s will hold their value and 3 years from now, I think I will get a better value from the M coupe than I will for my 1.

Plan - I am going to ask the dealer if I can borrow the car for a weekend and use it for my daily duties to see if it will fit into my life. Does this sound like a good plan