thinking about going to the dark side....(Audi driver)

[euroluv]

so ive been thinking about going into a 135...im a big Audi guy coming from a modded Mk1 TT but not having a proper 6sp manual in the new mk2 TT i have been looking at BMW, i test drove a 08 135 i must say im pretty impressed other than the auto tranny. my only concern is how does the 135 handle in the snow?? with the quattro, snow wasnt anything to worry about...haha! and other than the fuel pump issues anything else to be worried about??

[pixelblue]

you gonna love it. I just switched from a 2004 s4. Definitely more fun to drive than the s4. I have done a few mods on the suspension though. the audi felt a little numb and heavy compared. fit and finish of the audi is def better though. not much of a snow car but you can always get some blizaks for winter. it's a more visceral experience somehow. get some

[Irishace]

Worry about speeding tickets, the 135 is a monster compared to the TT.

[euroluv]

yeah the interior is pretty bland compared to the Audi and i figure with the winter tire, although would not nearly be as good as the audi, i should be ok. how well do the motor and trans hold up to mods?

[ptack]

I would say that a 1 with good snows is as capable as the TT with all seasons in winter weather. I've seen way too many people with awd and poor tires get into accidents in snow storms because they think awd is all you need.

[elciddragon]

I had an Audi A4 before with all seasons in Boston and had a 135i this past year with Dunlop Wintersports and I have to say that I was fine. You obviously have to use your brain (e.g. don't floor it in second going around a corner and hope for the best) but I never got stuck and braking performance was significantly improved.

[BrokenVert]

Winters will do you just fine in the snow. If you want to get crazy you can also get an LSD, that's what I'm doing. I drove through a few bad winter snows that we had here and I only got suck once when my right rear hit a patch of ice and started spinning.

[PositvPresur]

I switched from a 2006 S4 last year and could not be happier. Just make sure you get a good set of snows and everything will be fine. The 135i with a Dinan stage 2 tune is just a beast compared to the S4.

[Cuz5150]

Welcome to the dark side...........I made the jump, however, My B5 is my work horse DD,
Buy cheap steelies with very good snow tires for the 135. We know how us quattro people get lazy with AWD traction

[clausy]

Originally Posted by Cuz5150

Welcome to the dark side...........I made the jump, however, My B5 is my work horse DD,
Buy cheap steelies with very good snow tires for the 135. We know how us quattro people get lazy with AWD traction

Indeed. For the winter pop on some Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds and no probs at all in the snow. Almost as good as the stock Bridgestones in the dry and better in the wet.

[old1]

Originally Posted by clausy

Indeed. For the winter pop on some Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds and no probs at all in the snow. Almost as good as the stock Bridgestones in the dry and better in the wet.

Be warned that the stock suspension is junk for anything over 60mph and be prepared to spend at least $2500 to fix it.

[bluejaypanther]

Originally Posted by old1

Be warned that the stock suspension is junk for anything over 60mph and be prepared to spend at least $2500 to fix it.

This seems like an overstatement to me. It's not like this is supposed to be a pure sports car. I guess it depends on your expectations, but I think the handling is pretty decent stock and significantly improved from that with just a front sway bar. YMMV I suppose.

I did fine in an absurd Pittsburgh winter with a set of blizzaks. And I live on top of a hill.

[Sidh135i]

come to the dark side, you won't regret it!

[old1]

Originally Posted by bluejaypanther

This seems like an overstatement to me. It's not like this is supposed to be a pure sports car. I guess it depends on your expectations, but I think the handling is pretty decent stock and significantly improved from that with just a front sway bar. YMMV I suppose.

I did fine in an absurd Pittsburgh winter with a set of blizzaks. And I live on top of a hill.

If euroluv is coming from a modded TT, he will not be happy with the stock 135i Sport suspension. I guess that is my main point. I know that I came from a slightly modded VW (koni yellows, Michelin PS2's, billet front strut brace) that was more stable at speed and would spank my 135i in the corners (of course the 135i can run and hide on the straights). I am very disappointed in the handling of the BMW, and that is not an overstatement. And it's not the kind of thing you can discover on a test drive, unless your Ferris Bueller's parking attendant.

[pixelblue]

Originally Posted by old1

Be warned that the stock suspension is junk for anything over 60mph and be prepared to spend at least $2500 to fix it.

just spent $2k on modding the front suspension. m3 front components with the sway bar and adjustable end link. also threw in the vorshlag camber plates. will be hitting the track on saturday so I should have some good impression on this setup. I am sure it will be dope. can't wait

[euroluv]

ya i never got around to the suspension on the TT just some tuning to the motor. i'll auto x for fun here and there but thats about it. i figure springs with sways will be enough for what im looking for.

[TreDirtyFive]

Originally Posted by old1

If euroluv is coming from a modded TT, he will not be happy with the stock 135i Sport suspension. I guess that is my main point. I know that I came from a slightly modded VW (koni yellows, Michelin PS2's, billet front strut brace) that was more stable at speed and would spank my 135i in the corners (of course the 135i can run and hide on the straights). I am very disappointed in the handling of the BMW, and that is not an overstatement. And it's not the kind of thing you can discover on a test drive, unless your Ferris Bueller's parking attendant.

What kind of VW? Outside of an R32 (with a 4wd rear bias), all the FWD VW's, even with heavily modded suspensions will NOT keep up with a stock 135 on the track and I know that because I have both cars (A heavily modded Jetta and a FWD A3) and am a heavy track driver (Laguna Seca, etc.) Although the 1er has a tendency to undertsteer a tad, it grips much harder and more confidently than any modded suspension VW I've ever driven. (I've been an avid VAG customer for over 15 years; MKIV, Jetta, B5 S4, R32, A3) and these cars will not even hold a candle to the 135i in stock form on the corners...not sure where you're getting this..anyhow, at high speeds, on after market suspension, the fwd car will feel more stable than a 1er. That's where it all ends. Take it for what it's worth. Cheers.

[Bimmer-Bob]

I think people on this board sometimes get a little mod crazy and forget what a "normal" car feels like. Can the 1er's suspension be improved? Absolutley. But I reckon that most of the people who mod their 1er's suspension would very likely mod the suspension of any car they owned.

But to say that the 1er's stock suspension is "junk for anything over 60 mph" definitely seems like hyperbole to me. It handles fine on the highway (where, let's face it, most people will be spending their time at speed in this car) at speeds well above that.

[ptack]

Originally Posted by TreDirtyFive

What kind of VW? Outside of an R32 (with a 4wd rear bias), all the FWD VW's, even with heavily modded suspensions will NOT keep up with a stock 135 on the track and I know that because I have both cars (A heavily modded Jetta and a FWD A3) and am a heavy track driver (Laguna Seca, etc.) Although the 1er has a tendency to undertsteer a tad, it grips much harder and more confidently than any modded suspentionh VW I've ever driven. (I've been an avid VAG customer for over 15 years; MKIV, Jetta, B5 S4, R32, A3) and these cars will not even hold a candle to the 135i in stcok form on the corners...not sure where you're getting this..anyhow, at high speeds, on after market suspension, the fwd car will feel more stable than a 1er. That's where it all ends. Take it for what it's worth. Cheers.

Yeah, I though the VW comment was "uninformed". If you browse any of the VW forums you see a great deal of respect for the 135i.

[old1]

Originally Posted by TreDirtyFive

What kind of VW? Outside of an R32 (with a 4wd rear bias), all the FWD VW's, even with heavily modded suspensions will NOT keep up with a stock 135 on the track and I know that because I have both cars (A heavily modded Jetta and a FWD A3) and am a heavy track driver (Laguna Seca, etc.) Although the 1er has a tendency to undertsteer a tad, it grips much harder and more confidently than any modded suspentionh VW I've ever driven. (I've been an avid VAG customer for over 15 years; MKIV, Jetta, B5 S4, R32, A3) and these cars will not even hold a candle to the 135i in stcok form on the corners...not sure where you're getting this..anyhow, at high speeds, on after market suspension, the fwd car will feel more stable than a 1er. That's where it all ends. Take it for what it's worth. Cheers.

Like an earlier poster said YMMV. Surprisingly, and I can already hear the chuckles, the lightly modified VW I'm referring to was a 2003 New Beetle Turbo S, and I'm certain it could not keep up with the 135i on a track (see my run and hide comment), but in my morning go to work grand prix, there is a tight, rough, patched concrete ramp that I can't take nearly as fast in the BMW as I did in the Bug. And no one is more shocked and disappointed about that than me. Beyond that, the Turbo S has an aero package that really works (major improvement over the standard Bug, yeah I had one those, too, along with a 16V Jetta, back in the day).

The BMW has a wonderful engine, and it seduced me at first drive. It's unfortunate that the stock suspension can't keep up with it. I'm scheduled to have the BMW PS installed next week. Fingers crossed that the PS will fix the thing.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by euroluv

yeah the interior is pretty bland compared to the Audi and i figure with the winter tire, although would not nearly be as good as the audi, i should be ok. how well do the motor and trans hold up to mods?

The trans are quite good, an these cars respond ferociously to mods.

It appears you live in Santa Fe, NM. I'm in the Chicago area.
I have all season Conti DSW tires and there were great in the cold and snow.
Use good driving sense and you're good to go.
I had a 2006 A4, and I used all seasons on that one for 3 years, no problems at all.
Granted, with the A4 snow driving was so capable that it was FUN to drive in it and do silly things with it too. Not so much with the 135i, but overall it's a very safe vehicle in the fluffy stuff, just be cool until the roads get plowed and then you're good to go.

With all seasons, you just have to drive cautiously until the roads are cleared, but then you can take full advantage of the all season capability.
Dedicated snow tires will get you through the snow better, but when the roads are cleared you still have to drive somewhat cautiously because snows are not as good as all seasons when the roads are clear.

You should make your decision based on the average road conditions you will be driving, and how often the roads are bad enough that you need dedicated snow tires. In the Chicago area I've not needed dedicated snow tires for decades. 2003 to 2006 I drove my E46 with all seasons.
2006-2009 I drove my A4 with all seasons. 2009-current with 1 winter, I drive my 135i with all seasons. YMMV.