MarkCup's BMW M140i

[Cookson]

Having spoken to my mate in work yesterday with a JB4'd M135i he says they are utterly useless in this cold, wet weather, even at quarter throttle the car is all over the place. From a standing start in similar conditions he said you cannot get any traction what so ever and it just snakes about even with decent tyres on. I think he's regretting selling his 250 cup for it.

He must drive like a prick 24/7

 

[davo172]

Not sure? Is that any different from any fast and cheap car though? Nob ends buy them and wrap them round lamp posts.



Yes and no. There is plenty of traction (genuinely, I did 0-100 in a tad over 10 seconds) in the wet with PSS tyres. PS4 are on another level in the wet so those would be what I’d recommend.

If you drive with DSC off then the back will go from time to time, but isn’t that the point of driving a powerful RWD car?

I wouldn’t recommend my mum drives around with a JB4 and stability control turned off, but my GF managed just fine through last winter the times she drove it. Just stick it in auto and relax. It’s only when you start giving it bootfuls round corners that it’ll bite.

I love the 250 shape Megane but not a hope in hell I’d trade a 400hp RWD weapon for one.

Std?
0-100 in how much over 10 in the wet!?
Best m140i quarter mile I have seen at pod is 12.4 @ approx 112ish dry days seen a lot run too. That's a good time in standard car.

 

[_Tom]

I've driven my Mum's M135i plenty of times and never have I thought it was skittish. They drive just like any other high power rwd in the wet.

 

[McGherkin]

Probably running T1Rs.

 

[Sir_Dave]

I found my M135i fine in the wet, you just drive to the conditions as per any other car, well barring the RS3, irrespective of the conditions that thing was ballistic lol ... on the flipside, i found the MPSS to be absolutely useless in the greasy conditions post rain. Actual water on the ground fine, dying out, but not dry yet? Death-trap ?
The newer PS4S are a billion times better in those types of conditions.

I have said in the past that the rave launch reviews & lap times for the M135i would very much have been tyre related. If it came on Bridgestones/Pirellis etc from the factory it would have been panned as an absolute mess of too much power & no traction.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Std?
0-100 in how much over 10 in the wet!?
Best m140i quarter mile I have seen at pod is 12.4 @ approx 112ish dry days seen a lot run too. That's a good time in standard car.

No that was with JB4. Which is a good bit quicker than a standard M140i

Wasn’t pouring, but there wasn’t enough traction to launch it properly.

 

[JB21]

Probably running T1Rs.

P-Zero's its on.

 

[Sir_Dave]

P-Zero's its on.

Unless they are brand new, they are absolute turd; its what the RS3 came on when i bought it.

Swop them out & the car will be transformed. On anything high powered/RWD, there is no reason not to fit PS4S these days.

 

[flebay]

there is no reason not to fit PS4S these days.

If you've got a M140I there is, as there not made in 18"

 

[davo172]

No that was with JB4. Which is a good bit quicker than a standard M140i

Wasn’t pouring, but there wasn’t enough traction to launch it properly.

Had any issues with the jb4? Easy fit?

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Had any issues with the jb4? Easy fit?

The only thing I’d consider an issue is the shifts become a lot more harsh as the JB4 cuts boost on gearchange to preserve the box (never heard of a failure mind you).

Although when you take the thing off (takes a few mins when you know how) the car feels broken (slow).

 

[JB21]

We fitted the JB4 to my mates car on our dinner,really is a piece of piss.

 

[JamesBryan]

If you've got a M140I there is, as there not made in 18"

They make them from 16" upwards...

https://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-pilot-sport-4#sl

 

[The Psychedelic Socialist]

They make them from 16" upwards...

https://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-pilot-sport-4#sl

That's a PS4, not a PS4S.

The PS4S is only available in 19"+

https://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-pilot-sport-4-s

That said, there was a good YouTube video I've since lost recently where someone did a direct comparison between the PS4, PS4S and Cup2 and there wasn't all that much between the PS4 and PS4S, particularly on the road and not at 10/10ths.

 

[_Tom]

Unless they are brand new, they are absolute turd; its what the RS3 came on when i bought it.

Swop them out & the car will be transformed. On anything high powered/RWD, there is no reason not to fit PS4S these days.

My mini has them fitted currently. I honestly think I've had budgets handle rain better. They are terrible for a "premium" tyre.

 

[JamesBryan]

That's a PS4, not a PS4S.

The PS4S is only available in 19"+

https://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-pilot-sport-4-s

That said, there was a good YouTube video I've since lost recently where someone did a direct comparison between the PS4, PS4S and Cup2 and there wasn't all that much between the PS4 and PS4S, particularly on the road and not at 10/10ths.

Ahh right.

PS4's are probably just as good.

 

[Sir_Dave]

If you've got a M140I there is, as there not made in 18"

lol. Sad times. You want PS4 then. Just fitted another set to Sarah's TT (its had nothing but Pilot Sports for the past 10 years). I'd wager that on the road they are probably just about as good, with more than likely slightly better wet weather performance. Wont be as good on track, or in super dry conditions, but still better than most tyres out there.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Ahh right.

PS4's are probably just as good.

PS4s are incredible.

Albeit the car didn’t have a JB4 on at the time, but in the M135i I used launch control with PS4s and it felt like it was AWD the way it launched (it was only a couple of months ago at around midnight so it was very cold, but on the M6 toll at a booth so was at least dry).

Prior to that, with PSS, the car would do a burnout if you activated launch control on anything other than a hot day with warm tyres.

Anecdotal for sure, but it’s hard to stress just what a difference in normal weather grip there is between PSS and PS4.

 

[Christopher]

I'll be definitely switching to PS4s when the time comes (I've already bought two for the rear on a Black Friday deal)

 

[McGherkin]

PS4s are incredible.

Albeit the car didn’t have a JB4 on at the time, but in the M135i I used launch control with PS4s and it felt like it was AWD the way it launched (it was only a couple of months ago at around midnight so it was very cold, but on the M6 toll at a booth so was at least dry).

Prior to that, with PSS, the car would do a burnout if you activated launch control on anything other than a hot day with warm tyres.

Anecdotal for sure, but it’s hard to stress just what a difference in normal weather grip there is between PSS and PS4.

My experience has been much the same. Cheaper than PSS too. Absolutely awesome tire.

 

[Daz.]

I'm proper balls deep in looking at M135i's at the moment for late next year... Like signing up for a forum balls deep and watching youtube vids for 2 hours. Says a lot for me as I still couldn't find something to commit money too, that's why I've had the Megane for 8 years!!!

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

An M135i will 100% be my next "expensive" car

 

[cat171]

An M135i will 100% be my next "expensive" car

They probably dropped £50 in the time it took you to write that. They seem to be getting crazy cheap!

 

[Daz.]

They can keep going! Another 5k in 12 months will do

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

They probably dropped £50 in the time it took you to write that. They seem to be getting crazy cheap!

Yeah they're already a decent price. In fact I can't believe how much they've dropped!

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

The curve has to flatten out and I’d be surprised if any of them go below 10k. Look at the package, it’s a bonkers little car that’s not going to be superseded either. The new one is meant to be FWD!

 

[Daz.]

I hate depreciation, that's why I drive a Megane that has lost £1000 over 8 years....

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

I hate depreciation, that's why I drive a Megane that has lost £1000 over 8 years....

Sometimes you’ve just got to say what the fudge.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

The curve has to flatten out and I’d be surprised if any of them go below 10k. Look at the package, it’s a bonkers little car that’s not going to be superseded either. The new one is meant to be FWD!

New one will be 4WD I believe. Some kind of transverse, Haldex (or similar) type arrangement.

 

[MarkCup]

I'm running Bridgestone Potenza S001 and mine's not skittish in the wet at all. I'll be on PSS or PS4 next, that they're cheaper than anything on the RS is a bonus. Regardless of conditions you can pitch the 140 in just like the RS or ST, it takes a little longer to settle and the back only moves if you ask it to. Get it loaded up and it's linked to the throttle and almost linear. With the diff it's going to be epic.

Speaking of which I'm not going to fit that for a while. The plan is to book two days at Goodwood four weeks apart and get the diff fitted in between so I can feel how the open versus locking diffs change it on track.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

I'm running Bridgestone Potenza S001 and mine's not skittish in the wet at all. I'll be on PSS or PS4 next, that they're cheaper than anything on the RS is a bonus. Regardless of conditions you can pitch the 140 in just like the RS or ST, it takes a little longer to settle and the back only moves if you ask it to. Get it loaded up and it's linked to the throttle and almost linear. With the diff it's going to be epic.

Speaking of which I'm not going to fit that for a while. The plan is to book two days at Goodwood four weeks apart and get the diff fitted in between so I can feel how the open versus locking diffs change it on track.

I think you’re mad for sacrificing all this practice time in the damp, but one things for sure - a B2B comparison video of diff vs proper diff will be a good video indeed!

Especially going from open diff to locking diff and taking it on track within weeks of fitting.

Remember to invite me along and you can stick a GoPro to the front of mine and I’ll get a few shots from behind.

 

[Daz.]

Sometimes you’ve just got to say what the fudge.

Well I think I'm at that point that's why I'm looking! Can't seem to find anything else I would like around the same price/performance/age...

 

[Ian_182]

Good little video;

 

[mr bognor]

Im running ADO8R and they have been fine in the wet and colder weather for a semi slick you just need to take a bit of extra care .

Good little video;

 

[-Jamie-]

AD08Rs are not a semi slick [emoji23]

 

[mr bognor]

Ok but still a very HPT that are used on track but are still ok for winter .

AD08Rs are not a semi slick [emoji23]

 

[-Jamie-]

Road tyre that can stand up to track use, but still have relatively soft sidewalls and grip levels are not that high with compared to a full R tyre

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Road tyre that can stand up to track use, but still have relatively soft sidewalls and grip levels are not that high with compared to a full R tyre

Same as a normal Pilot Sport. Which are great on track in shorter bursts, but they're not track tyres.

 

[-Jamie-]

The Yokohama can definetly take a bit more abuse than the Michelin on track but overall grip levels arn't massively bigger


I stuck SOME PS4s on my road wheels recently to replace AD08Rs that I've ran for years and they are leagues ahead on the road.

 

[MarkCup]

I've been really leaning on the Bridgestones this weekend, they hang on well! I'd like them gone before I do a trackday in the new year so I can get some Michelin PSS or PS4S on it.

In other news I almost went around completely larking about in it earlier, all super slow <20mph stuff, it's hilarious fun trying to keep the back out there.