blockquote>I much prefer the stick. It’s far easier and safer to throw the stick directly from 6th to 2nd, as opposed to sit and wait as the gearbox clunks down through each gear.<blockquote

Why on earth would you want to shift from 6th to 2nd? That sounds retarded?

The “problem” actually is better, in my experiences, in a fully automatic mode where the gearbox can anticipate what you are trying to do. When the gearbox gets it right, all is well. But nine times out of ten, I’ll put my foot down then wait… wait… then the gear change comes and off I go.

Of course, this whole problem is less significant with the 135i with its huge torque throughout the rev band. But it still aggravates me when I have to sift through the gearbox logic to extract the performance that I know is there.

I thought I read that if you hit the paddle , say 4 times in succession, that the engine would go straight from 6th to 2nd?

Now to get a test drive in one!

As for the rest of the car, the 1er has never wow’d me like I wanted it to. I could list what I did and didn’t like but the bottom line is just that: I walked away without the high-in-the-sky, gotta-have-it feeling I did when I drove MINI. A fix to the steering would go a long way, in my opinion.

Clubman S or 128i….

Great review.

I find it odd this car didn’t have the secondary wheel-well oil cooler. According to owner reports and photos to back it up on 1addicts.com, all 135i’s have the second oil cooler up front by the right wheel, whether it be manual, auto, ZSP, or no ZSP.

This was a very early production US spec car so that may have played a part.

Great review Gabe, one question though, with your extended wheel time how do you think the 135 will handle a baby/car seat?

As you can see here courtesy of our wonderful model Steve… yes. As you can imagine that was a hot topic for several of us.

Great job! Another fabulous review