Quote:
Originally Posted by F30AM
Not at all me ol' fruit!
I too would have seriously considered the LCI M135i if it was available when I decided on a change of car for the purpose of downsizing. I think it looks very nice now and is not quite the minger it used to be; but I personally still prefer the R's looks by a considerable amount. ETTO.
Where the R falls down:
(1) Crappy Sat Nav System. iDrive is incomparable IMO.
(2) Paintwork visible on inside of door frames. Cheapens the look.
(3) Exorbitantly priced crappy leather with no real choice of colours. Believe me, BMW Hippo Hide is better, though not by much. I far prefer the Cloth/ Alcantara Seats in the R to both VW and BMW Leather.
(4) VW is not a Premium Brand. But I am no brand snob. Well I can't be anymore as I've got a people's car! Power to the People!!!
(5) Does not have that lovely creamy BMW 6cyl engine. Not a deal breaker for myself as the 2 litre lump in the R is rather good. So I'm happy with it and don't really miss BMW 6 cylinder power.
(6) The HK sound system has an equaliser whereas the VW Dynaudio does not; just bass, mid, treble. So my vote goes to the HK.
(7) Too much obvious cost cutting which makes it non-premium. Examples: No puddle lights in door handles and no mood lighting at the top of rear doors. Only the fronts have the blue lighting strip.
(8) Gloss black trim on the dashboard and carbon effect trim on the doors. Stupid.
Where the R trumps the M135i:
(1) Far better looks. The LCI M135i still looks like a lizard.
(2) Better fit and finish, both inside and outside.
(3) Very tight panel gaps. The BMW looks as if it is thrown together in a hurry.
(4) Much more attractive dashboard and by a considerable margin (Thanks to that famed jewel-like effect!).
(5) Much less claustrophobic on the inside.
(6) Security of 4WD (I really need this in sunny, mostly dry and snow-fee London).
(7) Better paint finish (less orange peel).
(8) Lots of tech which are costly options with the BMW.
(9) Spare wheel (space saver).
The M135i will probably be the last RWD BMW performance hatchback. You could very well end up with a unique piece of BMW history.
Both these cars are excellent. Go for the one that gives you the best deal. Business is business. Money talks.
And just to present you with the customary curved ball: Have you considered the Audi S3 Sportback? Premium, roomy, 4WD, beautifully made though a tad frumpy.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick the Greek
My friend F30AM will chastise me for this, but have arranged to borrow the LCI M135i for a weekend in March. To com pare to Golf R.
|
Nick, have you tried out the LCI M135i over the weekend?
