by "E90M3" (e90m3)
Published 01/31/2017 at 13:23
by "E90M3" (e90m3)
Published 01/31/2017 at 13:23
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STARS: 9
I always wanted to drive a 1M, so I went and drove one.
As someone who has owned both a 1 series and an M car I was wondering what it would be like to drive. In brief, it’s awesome. It was like someone took a 128i, put a more powerful engine in it and then decided it needed to be festooned with M3 parts, which is basically what it is. It felt like the previous owner put a different clutch in, the clutch felt completely different than an M3 I’ve ever driven, it was also a lot heavier. Other than that, it felt like an M version of a 1 series, which is exactly how it should feel. Not a very deep analysis, but it is awesome. Holy shit I want one.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 13:29, STARS: 2
I put a deposit on one when they were new as that was the only way to get a TD. I was 3rd in line, and my turn came when I was in Europe:( Always wanted to drive one.
"BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo" (bluemazda2)
01/31/2017 at 13:35, STARS: 0
This has always been my favorite M car since it came out. I promised myself that I would one day own a Valencia Orange one. Back in 2011, 13 year old me was obsessed with it. I had pictures of them all over my door.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
01/31/2017 at 13:39, STARS: 0
I had a 135is and really enjoyed it, although it has the squirelly rear end from the soft subframe bushings, open diff, and lots of torque. The 1M fixes all those things.
Not that my E92 335xi is much bigger but it’s juuuust enough extra room to make the 1er feel a bit too cramped on longer drives. I’m an athletic 5'11" and 200 lbs so not huge but the shoulder room in the 1er is a bit constricting. Getting in and out of my lowered E92 is still annoying though.
I do miss the nice quick steering ratio of that car. Even though my 335xi has a bunch of suspension mods including loads of negative camber and upgraded lower control arm bushings, the xDrive steering gear ratio is just too slow. But that’s the tradeoff for having a fun BMW that also powers through Wisconsin winter.
"DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars." (dfwscars)
01/31/2017 at 13:59, STARS: 1
Does anyone who has driven the 135i or iS really think the M1 is worth it? Minus some tune differences and suspension bits, and a awesome looking body kit- they’re so so close. My project 135 has a goal of getting as quick as a 1M or M2 (follow if interested in more on that). Already got it to a 0-60 of 4.5
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:01, STARS: 0
The 135is does need an LSD in it, the 1M does feel a lot more planted.
I had my M3 and 128i at the same time, and yeah the 128i is a little smaller, but I never felt cramped and I’m 5'9" 195 lbs.
I didn’t think about the x-drive cars having slower steering as a result of AWD. This car could handle GA winters as the M3 has managed no problem on summer performance tires.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:03, STARS: 1
In 2011, my 4th year of college, I told myself I’d get an E9X M3. I thought about a 1M when I was buying my M3, as they were both right around 50k, but I always wanted a 4 door M3. In high school I wanted a sedan E36 M3.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:03, STARS: 0
I saw this one come up for sale and was like, well I need to go drive one, so I did. The bad part is, I want one even more.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:06, STARS: 1
My dad has a 135is, it’s a DCT car though, and I think the 1M might be worth it. Yeah the M car is only 5-10% better, but that 5-10% make a huge difference. The 1M does have better suspension and an LSD. The 135i/is is probably the better deal, plus you’d have money to throw at it. That said, personally, I’d spent the extra money and get the 1M.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 14:10, STARS: 0
Yea I’d do the same thing if one came up for sale near me. At a dealer? How many miles? How much?
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:13, STARS: 0
Here’t the ad . The real reason I didn’t post it is cause there’s no pics yet.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 14:19, STARS: 0
50 and 50 was my guess. That is still silly money. I guess that is what happens when there are so few. I’d spend a little extra and be in the M2 at 50k. I much prefer the look of the 1 however.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:20, STARS: 0
I though about buying a 1M when I got mine, since I was spending 50k anyways. The only problem is that you have to sell it to get that money back and I love mine too much to do that.
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
01/31/2017 at 14:22, STARS: 0
You mean at 60k, right? I’ve yet to see one around here at MSRP.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 14:25, STARS: 0
I meant the 1er at 50k, I’d spend the extra 10 to get a new two instead of a used 1M
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 14:27, STARS: 0
Yea the 1M was one of the few cars where the best deal was to buy it brand new (assuming no markup). The sticker on the one I had a deposit on was just under 50k!
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:28, STARS: 0
This was at a Ford dealer, who also happened to have a Focus RS with a 5k mark up. I let out an audible laugh when I saw that.
Also this isn’t a good deal, but hot damn I want it.
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
01/31/2017 at 14:32, STARS: 0
Ahh, gotcha.
actually I take that back. Lowest M2 markup I’ve seen was $5k on a model without any options.
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
01/31/2017 at 14:33, STARS: 0
All the interesting compact cars have markups. M2, FoRS, hell the Golf R’s around here still have a $5k markup! It’s ridiculous.
Meanwhile I’m having a heck of a time finding a nice 997.2 that’s not overpriced or too far away..
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 14:36, STARS: 1
Yea I can honestly say that I would overpay for a 1M, which is crazy because they don’t make it in a color that I like even a little bit. If I ever saw a well sorted one for less than 40k I would probably buy it without even mentioning it to my wife. Then I would be like “sorry, I was out at the grocery store and I needed this.”
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
01/31/2017 at 14:38, STARS: 0
The slower steering isn’t because of awd in and of itself, it’s because BMW chose to equip the xDrive cars with a slower steering rack.
I’ve got a bit more snow to contend with here in Wisconsin so awd and either snow-competent UHP all-seasons or dedicated winter tires make things a lot easier. Not that rwd with snow tires doesn’t also work but the awd is nice to have, and even with the slow steering ratio the car is still plenty fun.
I didn’t want to compromise on one set of year-round tires so I have proper summer tires on 19" wheels and winter tires on my stock 18s.
But I’m the kind of guy who in response to my wife wanting to not deal with switching wheels on her Impreza, put BFG g-Force Comp-2 A/S on it haha. It’s a total commuter car for her but at least it’s now a bit more entertaining for me on road trips.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:41, STARS: 0
Hopefully they either remove the markup, or if you’re serious you walk in and are like yeah no I’m not paying that for it and they remove it.
No idea what the 997.2 market is like, but I was talking to a neighbor who is a lawyer and a car guy and was lamenting over the fact he didn’t get a GT3 before the prices on them went up.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:42, STARS: 0
If I ever saw a car in the 30s I’d probably call my dad and be like, so we splitting the costs of this?
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 14:43, STARS: 0
My dad would probably try and buy it out from under me if I brought him in on the deal lol. Which I would because we always do car stuff together.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:44, STARS: 0
I didn’t realize they put a different rack on the x-drive cars.
Don’t blame you for wanting AWD, and a set of good snow tires.
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
01/31/2017 at 14:44, STARS: 0
997.2's are just harder to find, but prices overall aren’t too bad. I’m just being picky on colors and options. And there are WAY too many convertibles.
I’m focusing on 997.2 for the updates made to them. Minor cosmetic and interior updates, but the updated (and damn near bulletproof) engine is what I really want.
GT3 prices are still high, but I think the bubble on them is bursting. It’s still ridiculous though...in 2009, you could by a 2 year old GT3 with 30k miles on it for 69-75k. Now that car is $110k.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:45, STARS: 0
I mean, I don’t have 20k lying around to blow on a BMW right now, the whole goal would be to get my dad to just write a check for it. I know he’d really like it, he really likes his 135is.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:54, STARS: 0
I was picky when I got my E90 and it was a bitch to find. It’s worth it to find the right car.
I think GT3 prices have gone up cause the 991 doesn’t have a 6MT and it also has electric steering.
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
01/31/2017 at 14:55, STARS: 1
Yep, that was my assessment. The new GT3 will drive down 997.1/997.2 GT3 prices for sure.
"BeaterGT" (beatergt)
01/31/2017 at 15:16, STARS: 0
If you had to recommend a AWD 3 series, which would it be? I’m contemplating a Legacy GT replacement but know close to nothing about the BMW offerings except that I don’t want to deal with being stranded by HPFP issues.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
01/31/2017 at 15:38, STARS: 0
Supposedly the N55 single turbo like in my car is more reliable than the older N54 twin turbo but with less headroom for tuning. That said, I’ve also replaced my HPFP haha. In my case, the symptoms presented themselves but the car didn’t die on me before I got a chance to have the HPFP replaced. The BMW remanufactured part is $350-400ish and I forget how much I paid in labor to have it replaced. Maybe a couple hundred bucks. I posted about it.
The stock suspension on the xDrive E9x cars is very soft and if you lower them much then the front travel gets very short. My car is lowered about as much as you’d want to go without taking other measures like modified struts to help get back some travel.
The F3x cars are more refined and comfortable, and there are more factory performance suspension options so you don’t necessarily need to go aftermarket. The steering is pretty dead though and the refinement is a bit much if you want something a bit raw around the edges. It’s a more chilled out type of car, I guess.
"BeaterGT" (beatergt)
01/31/2017 at 15:59, STARS: 0
What about a 328 xdrive? I just need it to be a practical DD with enough umph to not be boring.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
01/31/2017 at 16:21, STARS: 0
Some folks like the E90 328, it’s not exactly slow with a stick but if you’re used to a turbo it may be a bit underwhelming. The F30 328 with the turbo 4 is more torquey with less top end but also easy to tune.
"BeaterGT" (beatergt)
01/31/2017 at 16:26, STARS: 0
Cool, thanks for all the info. I’ll have to go out and test drive a few once it’s time to sell the LGT.
"Tazio, Count Fouroff" (tazio0625)
01/31/2017 at 18:48, STARS: 0
Thanks for the review and impressions.
Good to read a new and different viewpoint after R&T more or less panned the 1M last summer in their epic 2-Series test — personally kind of a surprise given the 1M’s near-cult popularity, you know?
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 19:07, STARS: 2
I didn’t read that review, every review I’ve read and seen has pretty much praised the 1M, and I can see why. I prefer the V8 in my M3, but then I’ve spent a lot more seat time in the M3 as opposed to the 1M.
If I have the money, it’ll be really hard not to try and buy a 1M.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/01/2017 at 09:44, STARS: 0
Let’s hope so!
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/01/2017 at 09:46, STARS: 0
So, E90 M3 > 1M, in your opinion? Or just equally good and just different?
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/01/2017 at 09:48, STARS: 1
There is some turbo lag in the 1M, but they’re both fantastic cars, I think I prefer the V8 in the E90. If I had to choose between the two, I’d take the E90. I mean I’d have no problem having one or the other, but I’d make the same decision I made in 2014, I’d get the M3.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/01/2017 at 09:58, STARS: 1
Ever watch Everyday Driver? They did a huge M3 comparison (ICON), and included the M2 and 1M, and both of them loved the 1M. Motor Trend did a direct comparison of the E92 M3 & 1M way back when and both reviewers chose the M3. Honestly, when it comes to cars like these, I think a lot of it really comes down to personal preference and what you’re going to use the car for primarily. There’s not a definitive “best” unless you’re just basing it on lap times.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/01/2017 at 10:16, STARS: 1
I forget - did you watch Everyday Driver’s ICON film?
A 1M and an E9x M3 would make a pretty good pair. The end/pinnacle of one era, and the beginning of the next (although it’s more of a hybrid - the beginning of the next is actually the current M3, with turbos, EPS and the DCT).
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/01/2017 at 10:26, STARS: 0
I haven’t watched it yet.
They would be a fantastic pair.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/01/2017 at 10:55, STARS: 0
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/01/2017 at 10:57, STARS: 0
Yup - no question for me, either.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/01/2017 at 10:57, STARS: 0
1. Holy shit I need that.
2. That was the BMW dealer I tired to buy that white E90 at .
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/01/2017 at 11:02, STARS: 1
After all the hype the E9X got, I really think it’s lived up to it. It really is a fantastic car, and I know you also really like yours.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/01/2017 at 12:11, STARS: 1
One thing that really sold me on this car was the long-term verdicts from several magazines saying that they didn’t want to give it up. One basically called it the best car in the world - ha! And there were plenty of comparisons where they picked it over the 911s of that era. It’s just a fantastic automobile that’s very hard to beat, especially when you consider usability along with performance.
Looking at APEX wheels this morning... They’ve got a really good sale going on their 19" stock. Torn between the PS-7 and the EC-7.
But dammit... the ARC-8s look great and are quite a bit lighter...
"rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S" (rb1971)
03/16/2017 at 15:11, STARS: 1
I owned a 1M when it was new. I think the answer is that basically none of the M cars (or the AMG cars from Mercedes) are “worth it” on a price/performance basis, but like everything else as you go up the asymptotic curve of performance the price per unit of performance goes up dramatically. Turbo cars probably more so since there are so easy to tune.
However if you ever find yourself in a situation where you are doing a childish highway pull with a 135 you’ll be happy you have the 1M.
"B_dol" (bdolan40)
03/16/2017 at 19:54, STARS: 0
Still closely considering it but I’m not sure the sporty sedan jives with me - and at the current price point I would likely go with a new M2 (tired of being the Xth owner).
I also wonder if it provides the same sense of occasion that the Z4M does.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
03/16/2017 at 20:36, STARS: 0
I would try to drive them both on the same day. I don’t know how good the steering is on the M2. Obviously, the 1M was fantastic; however, I still prefer my M3.