Z4m coupe vs. 135i

[cleverclive]

I'm in the market for a new car and having trouble deciding. Right now I am driving a 1997 M3 coupe supercharged by active autos. The thing is a beast! So I am tring to decide what will give me a thrill that can compete. I leaning toward the 135i b/c it is very open to relatively cheap mods with great performance output. But then again a 07-08 z4m coupe will let me keep the M performance but without the cheap mod capability. Also I have never driven a z4 or m for that matter so it is completely foreign to me. I have driven a auto 135i and was very impressed although it is not really representive of the manual i would get. Any thoughts or experiences would really be appreciated since people on this board are very enthusiastic and take their cars seriously like me.

[The HACK]

Drive both car and decide for yourself.

[BMWI6]

Coming from a 335 driver to a z4m... .get the M. Theres no feeling like the M feeling. My 335 was putting out 420hp and i dont miss the power very much at all. Later in the road you can supercharge the M and have the ultimate street weapon.

[cleverclive]

335 w/ 420 hp to a z4m and you don't miss it at all? How does the handling compare? All around feel performance and comfortability?

[Erhan]

The 135 is longer, higher, narrower and significantly heavier than MZ4. And it is not an M. So I wouldn't expect it to handle as good as MZ4. That being said, I didn't test drive one.

In terms of power, 135 can be modded quite cheap and go 400+ hp but S54 revs to 8000rpm, and nothing beats that feel. Also, even though it is quite expensive, you can supercharge the S54 and get 500hp...

At the end, you should test drive both.

[crfine88]

They are Drastically Different. I would chose the Z4MC for handling and performance. On the other hand; the 135 will be more comfortable, mods galore, easy to get in and out of, and has a back seat.

Drive them both to see what suits you best.
Good Luck

[lo-tek]

Originally Posted by cleverclive

I'm in the market for a new car and having trouble deciding. Right now I am driving a 1997 M3 coupe supercharged by active autos. The thing is a beast! So I am tring to decide what will give me a thrill that can compete. I leaning toward the 135i b/c it is very open to relatively cheap mods with great performance output. But then again a 07-08 z4m coupe will let me keep the M performance but without the cheap mod capability. Also I have never driven a z4 or m for that matter so it is completely foreign to me. I have driven a auto 135i and was very impressed although it is not really representive of the manual i would get. Any thoughts or experiences would really be appreciated since people on this board are very enthusiastic and take their cars seriously like me.

Amazing. I just went through this turmoil for almost a year and finally bought a CPO M Roadster. I drove by a dealer to look at the 135's and ended up on the used car lot. In the corner of a showroom was a 2006 CPO M Roadster. I didn't drive it but it got me to thinking about Ms and how the price is really starting to come down on the CPO ones.

I ended up buying a Interlagos Blue on at Classic BMW in Plano with black extended leather and the carbon leather trim. I still can't get the grin off my face.

I will agree with the other posters, drive both and see how you like them. I came out of 2003 3.0 Z4 with SMG and have driven 135s and 335s but as someone else said, there is nothing like an M to make your heart sing.

[Leonardo629]

Do you want a sports car or a sports coupe that you can drive around town with comfort?

There's reason car magazines did a comparo between a Z4M and a Porsche Cayman, and they pitted a 135i against the likes of RX-8 and 370Z.

Without reading too deep into your mind, I'm going to assume you value straightline power/comfort over overall race track worthyness...so I say get the 135i and be happy with the all around greatness of a fine BMW.

[cleverclive]

I am not sure how I would classify what I want in the car. I do know that my heart lies with my 1997 m3, it is in soo many ways the best car I have ever driven. It fits me like a glove, a extension of my body. Its extremely fast and agile, looks amazing and the vader seats cannot be beat. So I am just trying to find something that would fill the gap of my soon departing e36M SC. Actually if i could find one, I would just buy it all over again. But that is just not practical. So I think that you guys (Z4M fans) are right and I should stay on the dark side and keep with the M series.

[bc1144]

if you love your car so much why don't keep it?

[cleverclive]

battered and bruised

[pal]

If you want the practicality of the 135 coupe (rear seat, trunk, ease of ingress and egress etc) and still stay with an M car, an e46 M3 would also fit the bill very well. And, one huge plus of the e46 M3 is the large selection of aftermarket parts.

For me, if I bought a 135i, right off the bat I would upgrade the suspension and the diff since those 2 areas on that car are deficient for track time. The Z4M is pretty much all set from the get go for that.

The Z4M has very little support in the after market since BMW M switched the DME to the new e92 style and given the low production numbers, not many companies are doing much for it.

[mkaresh]

The 135i will feel more like your current car, because of the driving position.

[Dammmittt]

I've never driven the 135, but I've always felt that the 1 series, is way over priced. If it comes down to price vs. performance you'll probably be able to find a dirt cheap ///M coupe, not sure you'll find the same bargains for a 1 series.

[Z4MCJJ]

I too had a 335i that had around 380hp....in a straight line the torque was enjoyable. But it drove like a mini van around corners. The 135i is similar to the 335i.

Go with the Z4M Coupe.

[BZZZE]

IMHO, if you are going to track your car then go with the MC if not grab a MR. Top down along the beach is hard to beat especially after sundown!

[VitaminT]

Drove a buddy's 135 vert today. Just a short trip to lunch. It is a good bit different, but mostly do to the seating position and lack of the back seat. I didn't find it "big" feeling to drive like I did with a co-workers 335 coupe. The 135 was very similar to my E46 M3 in many areas. I personally don't care for the textured leather in the 135/335 compared to the M roadster I have or my previous M3, but it was okay.

If I was looking for a E36 M3 replacement and wanted something newer than 2006 then I think the 135i with the sport pak is the closest choice. If you don't mind going with an 06 then you should look into the M3. And lastly if you want something that feels sharper in almost every aspect, much lower seating position, further from the front axle/end of the car then you should look at a M coupe. To me my M roadster is just a step up on the senses than my E46 M3, but a very different car to commute in.

[cleverclive]

thanks for all the input guys! Besides the performance aspects, are there any glaring differences on the interior baring the lack of a backseat? (radio quality, leather feel (like Vitamin said), reduced visibility, sunroof, cool options..etc?

[VitaminT]

135 is way more comfortable to me. Getting in and out of the car is much easier. I have the extended leather in my M roadster so I can't say that the feel and "niceness" is much different although with extended leather I think the roadster is a bit more supple.

People will probably disagree, but comfort access on the 135 is nice.

[AtoB]

i test drove a 135.... it surprised me... tons of power handled well. no chance of me trading my M in on one, but i was very impressed with it.

[BMWI6]

Originally Posted by cleverclive

335 w/ 420 hp to a z4m and you don't miss it at all? How does the handling compare? All around feel performance and comfortability?

Well the car handles much much better and feels much more like a true sports car. I removed the resonators on the M and people tell me it sounds like a lamborghini. The car is less comfortable but I am 5'5 so for me it is not that big of an issue. The trunk on the M is tiny, but so I put most of the stuff I need to carry in the passenger seat. The engine feels much more solid in the M and I know it can take a lot more abuse than the 335. Oh and I have driven many much more expensive cars like a 911 S and porsche turbo, An e63 amg, rs4 and others. There is absolutely no car that gives me so much pleasure because the gear changes in the M are so long and hearing that engine sing to 8000 is an unforgettable experience.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Get the Zed. You don't want to be tempted to gauge out your eyes every time you look @ your car?