M140i Shadow Edition

Leesey

Leesey

Leesey

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7 Sep 2010
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I'm looking at getting a new car towards the end of the year. If I order soon, I can get one for an October slot.

What are peoples thoughts on the M140i Vs the Audi S3. I quite like both, but have not yet looked into getting a price and what must have options on a S3. I've priced up a M140i Shadow Edition as follows;

M140i 3dr Auto
Shadow Edition (Sun Protection Glass, Rear Park Sensor, Cruise Control, Harman/Kardon Speakers)

Unique Equipment (Shadow Edition Exterior):
Darkened front LED Headlights
Smoked rear lights
Black Kidney Grilles
Dark Chrome Tailpipes
18” M light alloy wheels in Orbit Grey or 719M Jet Black (no cost option)

Optional Extras:
Mineral Grey
Pro Nav
Front Sensors
Heated Front Seats
Electric Folding Mirrors

This would cost £2700 down and £343.42pm for a 4 year PCP.

Is there any options I'm missing, and is adaptive suspension worth it for £10.20 extra per month?

S3 wise I would be looking at an identical spec in Nano Grey.
 
Leesey said:
Any thoughts on adaptive suspension? Is it worth trying to try one with and one without?
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It's a nice option... comfy cruising and firmer when you want it at the press of a button... when under warranty it's worth having, when out of warranty it would be more expensive to fix if/when it goes wrong.

If it was my money, yes - I'd have the option.
 
Test drove a couple of M135i's and decided the adaptive suspension was worth it.

In fact if there's one option I had to get, I'd go for the auto box first, and then the adaptive suspension.
 
I wouldn't immediately discount the S3 on the word of someone on a computer forums motors section that has a clear bias towards all things BMW, personally.

I would go drive both (if you can), and see what you prefer. It might even be worth considering the RS3, as it has stronger residuals. When I was looking a year or so ago, the RS3 was coming out with similar monthly payments on a PCP as the Golf R and S3 (I don't like the 1 series for whatever reason, so never looked into the 140i myself). At least the RS3 has that lovely 5-pot, and I hear the new ones are up to 400 BHP now (although they might not be out yet, I dunno). And even if not, the 300 BHP 4wd S3 is not to be sniffed at.

Agree with above though. Auto Box and Pro Nav before all other options. Good to see you are already there.

Shadow Edition sounds a bit F&F to me, but probably looks nice enough when not on a white car.
 
Doubt you would get an RS3 for the price, when I was looking they were way more expensive.

I would take adaptive suspension over pro nav and heated front seats.
 
Well, I can only go on the monthly prices I was quoted last year. Golf R and RS3 were very similar in prices. S3 was there abouts too. When looking at PCP's. Based on same deposit and miles per year.

It can't hurt to ask about it anyway.
 
Not the worst deal with the extras

Just took delivery of my M140i

5dr Auto in Mineral Grey
Comfort Pack, Security, H&K speakers

£900 deposit, £333 a month

Get yourself on babybmw and read the deals thread. You might as well get a reservation made now with Nige at powerflow as you will be going there once you get the car ;-)

Read my guide and video on there regarding the rear lights. They are absolute tosh compared to my led replacements. also, get yourself the bimmercode app and compatible odbc dongle.

The only real negative with the car are the alloys. Shadow edition might be better, but the standard alloys are like butter. Imported some different ones from Italy which are a million times better.

p.s. The car is awesome!
 
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I've not completely gone off a S3, I do want to test drive them both first. (Coming from a MK2 FL Leon Cupra @ 300BHP) I did look at the RS3 (Love the Nardo Grey Black Edition), but they looked slightly more than I was willing to pay.

I've used BabyBMW to get my price, for the Shadow Edition. The Shadow Edition is £14pm on top of a standard M140i, but it includes 4 options I would opt for which would cost £27.37pm, I would have also bought the black kidney grill, the rest is bonus.

It's a shame they have discontinued the coral leather, which is an option I would've liked, so I'll be sticking to a black interior if I do buy one.

I'm tempted to lose front parking sensors and folding mirrors which are not really necessary and would bring cost down £10pm and swap in the adaptive + £10.

Overall I'm trying to keep myself below £350pm.
 
I test drove an S3 manual and test drove a 440i auto. Yes i know completely different cars, but the engine in the 440i was incredible. The S3 was alright, but 40i was something else. Hence i now have a 340i ;)
 
Leesey said:
My local audio have this in at the moment:

https://www.pistonheads.com/classif...-rs3-2-5-t-fsi-quattro-367ps-s-tronic/7304487

It's just the up front cost / monthly payments which would be an issue.
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I assume you're looking at broker prices though either broadspeed or carwow? Or leasing?

On base prices, Merc A45 AMG show discounted at £36k, M140 at £27k, S3 at £32k.

Of all the fast premium brand smaller cars the M140 is by far the sweet spot in pricing and deals at the moment especially given your budget.

That RS3 is a lot of money for a very bland car, and I could imagine you would easily be at £500-600pm on an approved used like the one linked to.
 
xs2man said:
Well, I can only go on the monthly prices I was quoted last year. Golf R and RS3 were very similar in prices. S3 was there abouts too. When looking at PCP's. Based on same deposit and miles per year.

It can't hurt to ask about it anyway.
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I can't see how that can be, the RS3 is a good £15k more than the golf with options.
 
I've had my M135i just over a year now, so here's my quick thoughts on those options.

It's a great rwd car while also being v practical.

Auto - everyone raves about it, but in all honesty, if I was to spec again I'd go manual. It's my 1st auto car and I just find it less engaging to drive. I miss that additional connection/thought of choosing appropriate gear based on the corner coming up, etc. Yes, the car can only be quicker with the auto (and apparently about 10% better mpg, as it's got 8 gears to play with), but once away from booting it in a straight line (motorway slip roads) and on winding roads, I personally find it mutes the experience.

Adaptive - As far as I've read, the non adaptive is almost as firm as the adaptive in sports mode, so it effectively gives you a softer option when in comfort mode. Yes, it makes it smoother on bumpy roads, but if you're blessed with smooth roads near you (admittedly, who is these days?), then it's possibly not a must have? For the roads around here, I'd probably spec it again.
 
DereksDontRun said:
Auto - everyone raves about it, but in all honesty, if I was to spec again I'd go manual. It's my 1st auto car and I just find it less engaging to drive. I miss that additional connection/thought of choosing appropriate gear based on the corner coming up, etc. Yes, the car can only be quicker with the auto (and apparently about 10% better mpg, as it's got 8 gears to play with), but once away from booting it in a straight line (motorway slip roads) and on winding roads, I personally find it mutes the experience.
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I'm the opposite on this, I've always been a manual only sort of person but the auto box in my M135 has convinced me otherwise

Granted if you just leave it in auto on a spirited driving it is not so engaging but still very good at selecting the appropriate gear, if I really want to give it some stick then I flick it into manual mode and use the paddles so I can select my gear for the corners that I'm taking and I still find it fun to drive after 2 years
 
There's no denying that using the paddles in manual mode make it feel more like a race-car (or computer game) and the speed of gear change is amazing, but I feel like I'm missing the feeling of a nice smooth rev-matched change down before a corner and then powering round it - I just feel that flipping my left fingers isn't as engaging. I also find that I can't control any engine breaking as confidently. I'm torn when I think about the auto box, as it's v nice with a busy stop-start commute or just cruising, but other times I feel like I'm missing not using my left leg. But, that's just me - it would be a boring world if we all liked and did the same things.

Either way, it's a very capable car and it will be a shame when the present run ends and it changes to a 4 pot fwd (and possibly awd for the M-lites) platform.
 
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