335 vs 135

colt9987 · 09-30-2009, 02:43 PM

i looked for a thread debating this but could not find anything...

i had my mind set on getting a 335 coupe but now was wondering if i should look into the 135 coupe also...does anyone have any input on how the two feel different from each other? or any pro/cons to each?

scheherazade · 09-30-2009, 02:47 PM

If you don't want AWD, and the looks don't matter...

Then I'd go 135.

-scheherazade

mwahlert · 09-30-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheherazade

If you don't want AWD, and the looks don't matter...

Then I'd go 135.

-scheherazade

the back seat in my 335i sedan is cramped - can't imagine the 135i rear seat being usable...

not sure if that is important or not...

the 135i is lighter = faster.

kirby135i · 09-30-2009, 03:05 PM

i bought the 135i after driving them back to back...1 was more enjoyable...back seat is slightly smaller but not enough to matter to me. The looks are subjective. Was also about $6k less for similar options.

boom · 09-30-2009, 03:11 PM

A buddy of mine with a 135 drove my e90 and liked the 3 much better. Said he felt the 3 was a completely designed car while his 1 was like a 3 series chassis that had been cut to fit. It just didn't handle/respond to the road with the same stability that my 335 had.

vase330 · 09-30-2009, 04:26 PM

135 is marginally faster on paper, in real life, not so easy to extract that extra marginal speed from the 135 vis a vis 335. That said, the 335 is more practical and better riding car. IMO its better looking of the two too. If you want to resell, the 335 has a much bigger buyer pool too. I obviously got the 335, I recommend it over the 135 any day.

midlife · 09-30-2009, 04:38 PM

curious as i have never read a post about a stock 135 versus a stock 335 in the quarter mile.
on paper the 135 should be a bit quicker - but in reality - by how much in the quarter ??

Curt2000 · 09-30-2009, 05:10 PM

I have a 335i sedan and my fiance has a 135i. I like her 135 better...its lighter and more nimble feeling, but is at the bottom end of the BMW line by way of luxury. 1 series are as common as civics over in europe and come in stripped down versions that are actualy priced to compete with compact cars.

BobVader · 09-30-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boom

A buddy of mine with a 135 drove my e90 and liked the 3 much better. Said he felt the 3 was a completely designed car while his 1 was like a 3 series chassis that had been cut to fit. It just didn't handle/respond to the road with the same stability that my 335 had.

I have installed 3 JB3 on 135i...and I have drive the 3 after install...and I prefer my 335. I think the car is better balanced. I have more road sensation with 335. My opinion.

john boxter · 09-30-2009, 06:23 PM

no lets be honest the 135 is faster than the 335 i drove both my friend has the 135 in black looks amazing and drives amazing if i didnt get the convertible (i like the hardtop better) if i was to get a coupe i would get the 135 noticably faster i cant even imagine a jb3 in that car it would fly!!!!!

vase330 · 09-30-2009, 06:34 PM

Convertible 335 significantly slower than the 335 couple, which is in turn marginally slower than 135. No wonder you think the 135 is significantly faster. It is true your convertible 335 is significantly slower than a 135 coupe. If you had a 335 coupe and compared that to a 135 coupe, you'd findout little performance separates the two.

bfi2906 · 09-30-2009, 07:30 PM

Obviously enough, most here are biased, and voted with their $'s. I'm no different - I came down on the side of the 135 coupe.

I looked at the 335. I even looked at the M3. In my view, it all depends on where your priorities are, and what you need / want from the car. Based on that, I don't believe there's a "right" answer to this perennial question. It's more a case of "What's right for you". And looks are a matter of personal taste - I happen to like the look of both. The 3 is a "pretty" car, the one is a little more "edgy".

In my case, I moved on from the M3 pretty quickly because I simply couldn't justify the additional cost for the amount of use I'd get from the extra power and dynamics of the M3 (or any other car with that level of performance - C63)

Why did I pick the 135 over the 335 - 99% of the time I'm in the car on my own. For the occasions that I need the other front seat, the 1's as good as the 3. For the rare occasions I need the back seat, both are cramped, but functional.

The 3 is better appointed here in Australia. It's more of a grand tourer than the 1, which is more of a nimble sports car. The 335 coupe is $A30K -$A40K more than a 135 coupe - I struggled to justify the difference. The 3 is wayyyy more common here than the 1, and we only get a small selation of the range, so the 135 is pretty rare.

I've had 6 BMW's, the last 2 being e46 - a sedan and a coupe. They just keep getting bigger. This time around I wanted a "toy", and the 135 filled the bill best for me. While they're very diffiernt in many ways, the 1 reminds me of my first BMW, which was an e30 323 - agile, "throw-able", quick, small-ish, engaging to drive.........so there's an emotional element to my decision.

Don't get me wrong, I think the 335 is a fantastic car. I had a coupe and a convertible as loaners (for weeks) while I was waiting for my 1 to arrive. And anyone that criticises the 3 is a tough judge, in my view.

Eyeman · 09-30-2009, 07:44 PM

I'd like a new BMW with an N54 that was even lighter and smaller than the 135 if there was such a thing. But I like small cars. I was considering the Z4 Coupe before the One came out.

I guess the biggest thing that positively differentiates the 135 from the 335 to me is the fact that the 135 is much less common, I like being atypical. Probably the biggest relative negative is the wheel offsets for Ones are very uncommon so you can barely find any wheels to fit. However, they did just finally came out with AdvanRZ's to fit Ones. They also cant fit a true dual exhaust on the One.

Tortfeasor 335xi · 09-30-2009, 08:17 PM

Here is a good comparison done by Edmunds Inside Line:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..1.*

Edit: So why did I get a 335xi? Because I need AWD.

ssabripo · 09-30-2009, 08:37 PM

I've come from a e36 m3, e46 330ci, and e46 M3....last april (2008) I was all set to go into the dealer to order my 335i coupe (had driven it a couple of times, loved it). As I was waiting for my salesperson, I saw a 135i coupe with SP and red interior...really sexy.

So I asked her if we could take it for a test drive, and compare them back to back with the 335i coupe....both exactly the same (other than color): SP, manual, PP, red interior (one was white, the other black).

It took just one spin, and my mind was made!! the 135i is only slightly faster in real life, but it "feels" much faster when you drive it. It is much more nimble, much sportier and composed in the curves, the breaks are more responsive, and it just felt like the faster funner car. I took them back to back, twice, just to make sure I wasn't missing anything..took it on the highway, and some back roads near the dealer with some nice twists, and the 135i just was the better car in terms of driving dynamics.

As I went back, I recall all the "135i is ugly" comments I've heard, but looking at it in person, it looked much nicer. Yes, the 335i is still a much nicer looking car, but the interior of the 135i felt nicer, with all the M accents (steering wheel, shift knob, etc), the BMW brakes gave it a nice look, and the performance was all there.

After I tallied both cars, same options, the 135i came out to a near $6000 difference... and given the test drive on both, my decision was an easy one at that point. Have not looked back since!

marcel b · 10-01-2009, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boom

A buddy of mine with a 135 drove my e90 and liked the 3 much better. Said he felt the 3 was a completely designed car while his 1 was like a 3 series chassis that had been cut to fit. It just didn't handle/respond to the road with the same stability that my 335 had.

+1

Just think about it. How much money does BMW spent on their best selling car (3series) and how much on the 1 series coupe... This is exactly what you feel. The 3 series is just more finished, more balanced. In straight line speed, this ofcourse does not matter.

Zeph · 10-01-2009, 07:15 AM

The 335 rode a little better and also seemed more crisp and precise for handling. The 135 didn't "feel" lighter and seemed about the same speed during WOT. Like mentioned above, the 335 seems like a complete car where the 135 seems like a chop/cut/rebuild of the 335 and just isn't as well done. I really don't like the 135 for looks either, kinda girly and cute I guess IMO. I chose the E92 because of it's aggressive looks, best handling feel, and really speed was the same in all of them.

Potty_Pants · 10-01-2009, 08:09 AM

3 series is their bread and butter car...

everything else is just a bonus.

ppp

p.s. more sales = more effort

eltoshan · 10-01-2009, 08:21 AM

FWIW, from a handling standpoint, the two is a wash in stock form. The 335i is slightly heavier, but the 135i understeers quite a bit more being narrower and due to the inherent camber-challenged-ness of BMWs.

Muffnbluff · 10-01-2009, 08:38 AM

I test drove a couple 335s before I test drove a 135. I was dead set on getting a 335 and wasn't even considering the 135 until I test drove one a week later just for shits and giggles. It was so much more fun to drive than the 335 that I bought it off the lot that day. I wasn't even going to get a coupe, I was set on a 335 automatic sedan. I'm so glad I didn't do that as I love driving my 6mt 135, it's an absolute blast.

I had a 335 sedan loaner that didn't have the sports package, felt like I was driving a big boat compared to my 135, especially with that big steering wheel.

FCP Euro · 10-01-2009, 09:11 AM

IMO, I would go for the 1 series. The reason I say this is because 1) I like smaller cars. They just seem more nibble in the twisties. 2) The price. I feel 6K is a lot more money for not much more car.

RyanE92 · 10-01-2009, 09:29 AM

I test drove both and went with the 335i. I didn't dislike the 135i by any means. The only major differences were the roomier and more refined feel of the 335i. The actual differences on those fronts may only be marginal, but in terms of how the cars felt I just liked the 335i better.

Can't go wrong with either one.

09-30-2009, 02:43 PM	#1
colt9987 Lieutenant 45 Rep 437 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: dallas iTrader: (2)	335 vs 135 i looked for a thread debating this but could not find anything... i had my mind set on getting a 335 coupe but now was wondering if i should look into the 135 coupe also...does anyone have any input on how the two feel different from each other? or any pro/cons to each?
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09-30-2009, 02:47 PM	#2
scheherazade Major 36 Rep 1,467 Posts Drives: 09 GTR (& 93' accord!) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: DC metro area iTrader: (8)	If you don't want AWD, and the looks don't matter... Then I'd go 135. -scheherazade
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09-30-2009, 03:05 PM	#4
kirby135i Lieutenant 15 Rep 506 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: here iTrader: (1)	i bought the 135i after driving them back to back...1 was more enjoyable...back seat is slightly smaller but not enough to matter to me. The looks are subjective. Was also about $6k less for similar options.
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09-30-2009, 03:11 PM	#5
boom My X5d tows my spec miata to the track. 74 Rep 1,254 Posts Drives: 2010 X5 35d Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	A buddy of mine with a 135 drove my e90 and liked the 3 much better. Said he felt the 3 was a completely designed car while his 1 was like a 3 series chassis that had been cut to fit. It just didn't handle/respond to the road with the same stability that my 335 had.
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09-30-2009, 04:26 PM	#6
vase330 Colonel 103 Rep 2,760 Posts Drives: 19 E63S; 15.5 RangeRover ATB Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arlington, Va iTrader: (1)	135 is marginally faster on paper, in real life, not so easy to extract that extra marginal speed from the 135 vis a vis 335. That said, the 335 is more practical and better riding car. IMO its better looking of the two too. If you want to resell, the 335 has a much bigger buyer pool too. I obviously got the 335, I recommend it over the 135 any day. __________________ E92 335 \| Space Gray \| Saddle Brown Dakota \| Dark Burl Trim \| ZPP \| ZSP \| AT \| Idrive \| 6FL \| FBO \| Dinan CAI \| Quaife LSD \| STG3 PROCede.
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09-30-2009, 04:38 PM	#7
midlife ocasionally in crisis 52 Rep 2,358 Posts Drives: '08 335i cabrio Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: .......... iTrader: (0)	curious as i have never read a post about a stock 135 versus a stock 335 in the quarter mile. on paper the 135 should be a bit quicker - but in reality - by how much in the quarter ?? __________________ If your car isn't scary - it's just not fast enough ! RPI IC / UR catless DPs / JB3 2.0 beta / UR CAI / Quaife LSD / Snow Methanol Injection / VK oil cooler upgrade / Forge DVs / M3 rear sway / Riss catch can / Paddle shifting 6AT / M Sport steering wheel / Logic 7 / Dunlop Direzza Z1 255/235 /
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09-30-2009, 05:10 PM	#8
Curt2000 Brigadier General 1018 Rep 3,157 Posts Drives: '93 Supra Turbo Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Washington D.C. iTrader: (25)	I have a 335i sedan and my fiance has a 135i. I like her 135 better...its lighter and more nimble feeling, but is at the bottom end of the BMW line by way of luxury. 1 series are as common as civics over in europe and come in stripped down versions that are actualy priced to compete with compact cars. __________________ Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports
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09-30-2009, 06:23 PM	#10
john boxter Captain 35 Rep 763 Posts Drives: 2008 e93 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: long Island New York iTrader: (3)	no lets be honest the 135 is faster than the 335 i drove both my friend has the 135 in black looks amazing and drives amazing if i didnt get the convertible (i like the hardtop better) if i was to get a coupe i would get the 135 noticably faster i cant even imagine a jb3 in that car it would fly!!!!!
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09-30-2009, 06:34 PM	#11
vase330 Colonel 103 Rep 2,760 Posts Drives: 19 E63S; 15.5 RangeRover ATB Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arlington, Va iTrader: (1)	Convertible 335 significantly slower than the 335 couple, which is in turn marginally slower than 135. No wonder you think the 135 is significantly faster. It is true your convertible 335 is significantly slower than a 135 coupe. If you had a 335 coupe and compared that to a 135 coupe, you'd findout little performance separates the two. __________________ E92 335 \| Space Gray \| Saddle Brown Dakota \| Dark Burl Trim \| ZPP \| ZSP \| AT \| Idrive \| 6FL \| FBO \| Dinan CAI \| Quaife LSD \| STG3 PROCede.
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09-30-2009, 07:30 PM	#12
bfi2906 Captain 36 Rep 686 Posts Drives: M140 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0)	Obviously enough, most here are biased, and voted with their $'s. I'm no different - I came down on the side of the 135 coupe. I looked at the 335. I even looked at the M3. In my view, it all depends on where your priorities are, and what you need / want from the car. Based on that, I don't believe there's a "right" answer to this perennial question. It's more a case of "What's right for you". And looks are a matter of personal taste - I happen to like the look of both. The 3 is a "pretty" car, the one is a little more "edgy". In my case, I moved on from the M3 pretty quickly because I simply couldn't justify the additional cost for the amount of use I'd get from the extra power and dynamics of the M3 (or any other car with that level of performance - C63) Why did I pick the 135 over the 335 - 99% of the time I'm in the car on my own. For the occasions that I need the other front seat, the 1's as good as the 3. For the rare occasions I need the back seat, both are cramped, but functional. The 3 is better appointed here in Australia. It's more of a grand tourer than the 1, which is more of a nimble sports car. The 335 coupe is $A30K -$A40K more than a 135 coupe - I struggled to justify the difference. The 3 is wayyyy more common here than the 1, and we only get a small selation of the range, so the 135 is pretty rare. I've had 6 BMW's, the last 2 being e46 - a sedan and a coupe. They just keep getting bigger. This time around I wanted a "toy", and the 135 filled the bill best for me. While they're very diffiernt in many ways, the 1 reminds me of my first BMW, which was an e30 323 - agile, "throw-able", quick, small-ish, engaging to drive.........so there's an emotional element to my decision. Don't get me wrong, I think the 335 is a fantastic car. I had a coupe and a convertible as loaners (for weeks) while I was waiting for my 1 to arrive. And anyone that criticises the 3 is a tough judge, in my view.
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09-30-2009, 07:44 PM	#13
Eyeman Colonel 122 Rep 2,040 Posts Drives: 2008 135 blk, blk, step Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0) Garage List 1994 Porsche 968 Cab [0.00] 2017 AMG GTS [0.00] 1994 Porsche 968 Coupe [0.00] 1977 Mercedes 450SE ... [0.00] 2008 135 [8.00]	I'd like a new BMW with an N54 that was even lighter and smaller than the 135 if there was such a thing. But I like small cars. I was considering the Z4 Coupe before the One came out. I guess the biggest thing that positively differentiates the 135 from the 335 to me is the fact that the 135 is much less common, I like being atypical. Probably the biggest relative negative is the wheel offsets for Ones are very uncommon so you can barely find any wheels to fit. However, they did just finally came out with AdvanRZ's to fit Ones. They also cant fit a true dual exhaust on the One. __________________ Injen, RR OCC, MadDad Whisper, donut spare, 19x8.5et43fr 19x9.5et45r Volk LE37's, rear fenders rolled/pulled, PSS4S 225/35fr 255/30r, KW V1's, AR coated catless dps, Cross strutbar, CF grills and license plate holder, iCarbon diffuser, ETS black anodized FMIC, M3 control arms, Quaife, ER chargepipe, ForgeDV's, Topspeed Custom Tune, V3sims, Braille, Andrey_GTA rear hub mod, Ebay Mstyle front bumper and performance style side skirts.
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09-30-2009, 08:17 PM	#14
Tortfeasor 335xi Corporate Hack 4 Rep 288 Posts Drives: '08 335xi Coupe Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Princeton, NJ / Philly, PA iTrader: (0)	Here is a good comparison done by Edmunds Inside Line: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..1.* Edit: So why did I get a 335xi? Because I need AWD. __________________ New Car: 2008 335xi Coupe Earlier Car: 2004 STi (got stolen) Earlier Earlier Car: 1995 Mustang GT (416 whp and a blown engine) Really Much Earlier Car: 1988 Mazda 626 TURBO
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09-30-2009, 08:37 PM	#15
ssabripo HALA MADRID! 941 Rep 2,879 Posts Drives: camels & donkeys Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Plantation, Fl iTrader: (7)	I've come from a e36 m3, e46 330ci, and e46 M3....last april (2008) I was all set to go into the dealer to order my 335i coupe (had driven it a couple of times, loved it). As I was waiting for my salesperson, I saw a 135i coupe with SP and red interior...really sexy. So I asked her if we could take it for a test drive, and compare them back to back with the 335i coupe....both exactly the same (other than color): SP, manual, PP, red interior (one was white, the other black). It took just one spin, and my mind was made!! the 135i is only slightly faster in real life, but it "feels" much faster when you drive it. It is much more nimble, much sportier and composed in the curves, the breaks are more responsive, and it just felt like the faster funner car. I took them back to back, twice, just to make sure I wasn't missing anything..took it on the highway, and some back roads near the dealer with some nice twists, and the 135i just was the better car in terms of driving dynamics. As I went back, I recall all the "135i is ugly" comments I've heard, but looking at it in person, it looked much nicer. Yes, the 335i is still a much nicer looking car, but the interior of the 135i felt nicer, with all the M accents (steering wheel, shift knob, etc), the BMW brakes gave it a nice look, and the performance was all there. After I tallied both cars, same options, the 135i came out to a near $6000 difference... and given the test drive on both, my decision was an easy one at that point. Have not looked back since! __________________ F87 M2 Competition, Sunset Orange, Exc, DCT. SOLD F80 M3 Mineral Grey/Sakir Orange, Exc, DCT... ED 6/2015 SOLDE90 M3, Interlagos Blue / M individual two-tone, ZCP, ZP2, ZCV, DCT, ED.
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10-01-2009, 07:15 AM	#17
Zeph Major 27 Rep 1,410 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 335i 6MT SGM CR/BD Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Southeast USA iTrader: (0)	The 335 rode a little better and also seemed more crisp and precise for handling. The 135 didn't "feel" lighter and seemed about the same speed during WOT. Like mentioned above, the 335 seems like a complete car where the 135 seems like a chop/cut/rebuild of the 335 and just isn't as well done. I really don't like the 135 for looks either, kinda girly and cute I guess IMO. I chose the E92 because of it's aggressive looks, best handling feel, and really speed was the same in all of them.
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10-01-2009, 08:09 AM	#18
Potty_Pants Colonel 67 Rep 2,189 Posts Drives: 2012 Genesis Sedan Rspec Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Southern NJ iTrader: (0)	3 series is their bread and butter car... everything else is just a bonus. ppp p.s. more sales = more effort __________________ Olds Starfire > Chevy Malibu > Isuzu I-mark RS & Honda Magna 500 > Grand Am GT & YSR50 > Nissan Maxima & Ninja 750 > X-Wife > Hyundai Excel > Honda Prelude > Honda Accord > Honda Prelude & Ninja 250> Infiniti G35 > E90 335i > Hyundai Genesis Rspec, Hyunadai Sonata > Kia Sorento > Honda CRV-EX
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10-01-2009, 08:21 AM	#19
eltoshan Private First Class 24 Rep 175 Posts Drives: BSM M4 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (1)	FWIW, from a handling standpoint, the two is a wash in stock form. The 335i is slightly heavier, but the 135i understeers quite a bit more being narrower and due to the inherent camber-challenged-ness of BMWs.
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10-01-2009, 08:38 AM	#20
Muffnbluff Redline Addict 21 Rep 783 Posts Drives: '14 BMW 335 xdrive Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: STL iTrader: (0)	I test drove a couple 335s before I test drove a 135. I was dead set on getting a 335 and wasn't even considering the 135 until I test drove one a week later just for shits and giggles. It was so much more fun to drive than the 335 that I bought it off the lot that day. I wasn't even going to get a coupe, I was set on a 335 automatic sedan. I'm so glad I didn't do that as I love driving my 6mt 135, it's an absolute blast. I had a 335 sedan loaner that didn't have the sports package, felt like I was driving a big boat compared to my 135, especially with that big steering wheel.
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10-01-2009, 09:11 AM	#21
FCP Euro Lieutenant 10 Rep 462 Posts Drives: Volvo 850 T5 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Old Saybrook, CT iTrader: (0)	IMO, I would go for the 1 series. The reason I say this is because 1) I like smaller cars. They just seem more nibble in the twisties. 2) The price. I feel 6K is a lot more money for not much more car. __________________ sales@fcpeuro.com FCP Euro - European Car Parts Specialists
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10-01-2009, 09:29 AM	#22
RyanE92 Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 209 Posts Drives: 2011 135i Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: St. Louis, MO iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	I test drove both and went with the 335i. I didn't dislike the 135i by any means. The only major differences were the roomier and more refined feel of the 335i. The actual differences on those fronts may only be marginal, but in terms of how the cars felt I just liked the 335i better. Can't go wrong with either one. __________________ 2011 135i
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