The 8-speed auto is a 'must tick' option on the 1 series I reckon.

Flooring the M135i and thumping up through the ratios with the paddles was just epic. I was "Nursing a Semi" throughout my test drive....

It's an absolute peach mate. Changes feel as quick as the DSG but to me seems even smoother especially between 1st-2nd. Best box I have driven. The paddles feel very niiiice beneath the fingertips too lol!

 

It's the pulling away and slow speed smoothness that is the main advantage over DSG. The box can lock the torque converter from 1200rpm in 1st, will open for the 1st to 2nd change then will lock up from 1200rpm in 2nd, from 2nd to 8th it will remain direct drive. It doesn't feel like a torque converter auto, it drives more like a DSG just without the low speed issues.

 

Cheers

Lee

Edited 31 August, 201312 yr by logiclee

The 8-speed auto is a 'must tick' option on the 1 series I reckon.

 

For three reasons I found.

 

1. The auto is excellent and you get most of the money back come resale.

2. The manual has a cramped pedal layout with offset pedals.

3. The manual has a springy cable feel to the gear shift mechanism.

 

Lee

It's the pulling away and slow speed smoothness that is the main advantage over DSG. The box can lock the torque converter from 1200rpm in 1st, will open for the 1st to 2nd change then will lock up from 1200rpm in 2nd, from 2nd to 8th it will remain direct drive. It doesn't feel like a torque converter auto, it drives more like a DSG just without the low speed issues.

 

Cheers

Lee

thats it isn't it? its still a torque converter , so can be smoother than a DSG , but its sharp enough to drive through the gears like a DSG ......... i.e not wooly....

Yeah it slurs the change from 1st to 2nd which is what you want really for smoothness. Then the box "locks-up" to give you nice quick crisp changes DSG-stylee.

Lee you are spot on about the pedal box issue - much less cramped on the auto!

Flooring the M135i and thumping up through the ratios with the paddles was just epic. I was "Nursing a Semi" throughout my test drive....

 

Yep, the sound is epic too (Even if some of it is coming through the speakers)

I haven't experienced it, but, I don't like the idea of engine noises through speakers... I mean seriously, even the idea is stupid,,.

Agree it's a crazy idea. Think the M135i pipes actual induction noise into the cabin tho rather than simulated engine sounds, but still....

I haven't experienced it, but, I don't like the idea of engine noises through speakers... I mean seriously, even the idea is stupid,

Agree it's a crazy idea. Think the M135i pipes actual induction noise into the cabin tho rather than simulated engine sounds, but still....

  

No it's an electronic sound symposer that is mounted in the boot. Plays sound through the speakers same as the M5 and M6. Someone on babybmw disconnected it and posted vids up.

 

Modern cars are very well insulated for noise and the exhaust notes are dulled with twin scroll turbos. Leaves you to either pipe in induction noise or use speakers. VAG have both systems but use a seperate speaker. BMW use a sound symposer and play the noise through the audio systems speakers.

 

Cheers

Lee

No it's an electronic sound symposer that is mounted in the boot. Plays sound through the speakers same as the M5 and M6. Someone on babybmw disconnected it and posted vids up.

Modern cars are very well insulated for noise and the exhaust notes are dulled with twin scroll turbos. Leaves you to either pipe in induction noise or use speakers. VAG have both systems but use a seperate speaker. BMW use a sound symposer and play the noise through the audio systems speakers.

Cheers

Lee

Yeah sorry I know all that - what I meant was that its not "fake" engine noise, it comes from the actual engine in the car (via the symposer).

http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=50384&sid=c21f4efcf601fc031702c742bc2a1b77

yeah but honestly... through the speakers? its NOT a playstation, my vRS whines up with the supercharger then screams beautifully at high revs... it makes lovely noises...... If I heard it through speakers, it would royally **** me off and I'd disconnect them. whether its the "real" noise or not, its a magnet moving a diaphram... its "fake..."

 

edit: imagine the speaker "vfibrating" and you getting that "too loud" distorsion ect ... oh dear... lets hope they have thought of that..... interactions with "other" things comming through the speakers.... its "fake"

yeah but honestly... through the speakers? its NOT a playstation, my vRS whines up with the supercharger then screams beautifully at high revs... it makes lovely noises...... If I heard it through speakers, it would royally **** me off and I'd disconnect them. whether its the "real" noise or not, its a magnet moving a diaphram... its "fake..."

Haha I'm not suggesting for one minute I like the idea, just saying its preferable to some setups that play petrol-esque noise in a diesel car for example. Now that really is fake!

yeah but honestly... through the speakers? its NOT a playstation, my vRS whines up with the supercharger then screams beautifully at high revs... it makes lovely noises...... If I heard it through speakers, it would royally **** me off and I'd disconnect them. whether its the "real" noise or not, its a magnet moving a diaphram... its "fake..."

Haha I'm not suggesting for one minute I like the idea, just saying its preferable to some setups that play petrol-esque noise in a diesel car for example. Now that really is fake!

Sorry double post!

Edited 31 August, 201312 yr by Furbytom

There is no microphone on the M135i or connection with the airbox or exhaust.

 

It's just an electronic box that gets information from the ecu on rpm, load and throttle position.

 

The frequencies the box output over the speakers is down to the software engineers. It's designed to enhance the  standard engine noise by filling in the missing bottom end frequencies. It isn't a direct recording of the engine and isn't sound being picked up and amplified. It's very different to the Porsche and VAG system

 

Cheers

Lee

yeah but honestly... through the speakers? its NOT a playstation, my vRS whines up with the supercharger then screams beautifully at high revs... it makes lovely noises...... If I heard it through speakers, it would royally **** me off and I'd disconnect them. whether its the "real" noise or not, its a magnet moving a diaphram... its "fake..."

 

edit: imagine the speaker "vfibrating" and you getting that "too loud" distorsion ect ... oh dear... lets hope they have thought of that..... interactions with "other" things comming through the speakers.... its "fake"

 

 

 

That's because the Fabia is a cheap supermini and doesn't have great sound insulation. If you are buying an M5 you don't want to shout over wind and road noise at 155mph. You want refinement from your super saloon. Trouble is how to get a nice engine note into the super insulated cabin.

Porsche, BMW, Merc, Audi etc all have the same problem with insulated cabins and legal exhausts. All have different ways of piping in extra sound.

There is no microphone on the M135i or connection with the airbox or exhaust.

It's just an electronic box that gets information from the ecu on rpm, load and throttle position.

The frequencies the box output over the speakers is down to the software engineers. It's designed to enhance the standard engine noise by filling in the missing bottom end frequencies. It isn't a direct recording of the engine and isn't sound being picked up and amplified. It's very different to the Porsche and VAG system

Cheers

Lee

Ok fair enough. It's a real shame this is needed although the car did sound rather nice I have to say.

At least I can be smug driving around in my 120d in the knowledge that I am listening to "authentic" taxi/tractor noise rather than that straight-six fakery the M135i boys have to put up with lol!

Ok fair enough. It's a real shame this is needed although the car did sound rather nice I have to say.

At least I can be smug driving around in my 120d in the knowledge that I am listening to "authentic" taxi/tractor noise rather than that straight-six fakery the M135i boys have to put up with lol!

What options did you go for?

 

Cheers

Lee

What options did you go for?

Cheers

Lee

Sport-auto, Driver Comfort Pack (rear pdc, cruise etc) and the bargain M-Sport Plus pack (sun protection glass, Xenons, Harman-Kardon sound and uprated M sport Brakes for those wondering what this includes!)

Can't wait for it to arrive now!

Will miss the little Abarth I am trading in for it but needed something abit bigger.

Sport-auto, Driver Comfort Pack (rear pdc, cruise etc) and the bargain M-Sport Plus pack (sun protection glass, Xenons, Harman-Kardon sound and uprated M sport Brakes for those wondering what this includes!)

Can't wait for it to arrive now!

Will miss the little Abarth I am trading in for it but needed something abit bigger.

 

That's a nice spec, you get Servotronic steering in the Driver Comfort Pack, I really like it, it's nice and light around town and firms up as the speed increases. Drop it in Sport mode and the steering weights up nicely.

I'm not too convinced with the brake function on the cruise control though, it's good if you are in a 50mph limit on the Motorway etc but on other times it's frustrating as it brakes down hill and powers up the other side, not good for fuel economy. You also know the guy behind you is thinking "What's he braking for?" lol.

 

A tip for the sound system. I tried to use the phone and ipod using Y cable etc but by far the best solution is just a USB Memory stick. I have a 64GB stick with over 5000 tracks at 320kbps. The car builds a library from the ID3 tags and you can search via Artist, Track, Album, Genre, Playlist etc. Using the idrive controller and big screen is easy to navigate and search, much easier than the single line of text on the Swing and easier than the big RCD510 touch screen I have in the Passat.

This is what I use.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0058MTWT0/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=computers

 

Cheers

Lee

+1 on the USB option. Have all my music on a stick in the Abarth so will be easy to plug and play when the new car arrives :-)

The furby keeps its tunes on an iPod nano plugged in via MDI.

I don't keep much music on my iPhone anyhow so not too fussed. You would have thought that a new BMW would integrate seamlessly with apple products tho in this day and age as standard!

Everyone says that there is nothing on the market that compares to the Fabia vRS for £/bhp, but IMO that only counts when buying new and then its only then if it is with the VAT free deal.  At full price I wouldnt have even contemplated the Fabia vRS thats for sure.

 

But if you consider what you COULD get aged upto 3 years old for between £10-12k on the autotrader there are loads of awesome value £/bhp to be had

 

2011 Leon Cupra all with less than 15k mileage 

2010/11 Meganne RS250 with less than 30k mileage

2010 Scirocco 2.0 GT with les than 20k mileage

2010 Mk6 Golf GTI with les than 20k mileage

2010 Insignia VXR with les than 50k

2010 Civic Type Chamionship White edition with less than 40k

 

For me though, the real baragins are what you can get for £7-9k!!!  There is some phenomenal machinery available

 At full price I wouldnt have even contemplated the Fabia vRS thats for sure.

 

 

I think that's why the CEO has said no to a vRS MK3 at £17150 for the hatch and £18000 for the Estate it just doesn't sell, the only reason the UK has had some sales success is because of the No VAT deals.

vRSy - £10-12k!! You coudl buy ALLSORTS for that.  That is 911 money.  And they can get 30mpg, have back seats you can use (I've been to the shops in one and would happily stick the kids in there) and it almost has the boot of a Mini...

 

In my little fantasy (approaching reality) world, I look at this at least twice a month.

 

the two view points (pretty much mine and my wife's) are:

 

1.  We need a family car and a second family car - her view.

 

2.  We need a family car and somethig I WANT to own and WANT to drive (and accept running costs) - my view.

 

I even did some schoolboy maths and showed how I could probably buy and run a BMW 840 for the same as it costs me to run the Fabia for a year.

 

I refined that to a 540 when a friend who is a serial BMW owner (7 series, E30 M3 and shops for more...) pointed out that buying a £5k 840 is a bit like buying a £450 banger from autotrader...it won't survive the year, parts cost the earth, specialists are few and far between, etc.

 

On the auto vs manual vs automated manual vs DSG - I have only driven old skool autos (torque converter on the Triumph and Jeep), with the exception of a 535d, DSGs on a Fabia 1.2 and a Superb 2.0 TDI and manuals everywhere else. 

 

From those experiences and from what I've read, the new generation of Autos (including the ZF 8 speeder) seem to be the business.  I don't know whether the latest Gen of DSG (including Porsche's PDK or whatever) are as good or better, or whether the auto has the current edge.  Only a few high end manufacturers still bother with automated manuals (like the BMW unit was on M3s - switchtronic?), citing lower unit size and weight with a single clutch.

 

I like manual, but could probably live with an auto, especially if it faked being a manual with paddles and defined shift points.

 

From those experiences and from what I've read, the new generation of Autos (including the ZF 8 speeder) seem to be the business.  I don't know whether the latest Gen of DSG (including Porsche's PDK or whatever) are as good or better, or whether the auto has the current edge.  Only a few high end manufacturers still bother with automated manuals (like the BMW unit was on M3s - switchtronic?), citing lower unit size and weight with a single clutch.

 

 

BMW have dropped SMG now, some hard edged M models get their DCT (Dual Clutch) the rest of the range gets the ZF 8 Speeder. The DCT is lightning fast but a bit abrupt around town.

Same goes for the PDK, for the hard edge sports cars it's fine but for some models like the Panamera diesel it just doesn't gel so Porsche fit the ZF 8 speed box.

I think the only top end manufacturer who still uses a single clutch robotised manual is Lamborghini but they haven't had an alternative.  

Some at the lower end still use them, VAG in the up/citigo, Smart and Peugeot/Citroen.

I had an Alfa 156 Selespeed Veloce back in 2001, I quite liked the box back then, one of the first robotised manuals, wouldn't consider one today though the dual clutch and new auto boxes have made them obsolete.

 

Cheers

Lee

the 8-speed box is supposed to be awsome...

 

Sven's uncle has a VW Touareg 3.0 TDI V6 with the ZF 8 speed box.

 

It really is a very nice gearbox. He did a couple of launches in it previously and I was very impressed. Then at Autobahn speed it's nicely geared.

 

Phil