Quote:
Originally Posted by GoingTooFast
Hummm... does that mean you bought your 135i thinking about its weight then?! Because its huge at 3373 lbs ... as every magazine will happily tell you! 
Sure you didn't care about the 306 hp @ 5.800 rpm or, more importantly, the 295 lb-ft @ 1.200-5.000 rpm. Some magazines even will tell you that those values are way conservative... but what would you care, right?! Oh... and the official 5.3 sec from 0-62 mph... you didn't care either.
So, the only reason I can think of for you to have bought the 135i instead of the 165 lbs lighter and nimbler (@ 3208 lbs) 128i is... you like to waste money! 
Because revving means you will hit higher speeds... good for the track, sure... but not for the road, which is what every day fun is all about.
You should be asking Honda instead why did they drop their mighty F20C 9000 rpm capable engine, or the every other high revving engines for that matter.
Yes... driver improvement, that's something you wanna be able to do first at lower speeds for the fun sake... that's what rwd low end torque is for! |
I bought the 135i used, it was 1 year old at a good discount, low milage and in tip top shape. If there was a nicely optioned, good condition 128i I would've done that instead. In fact I was debating between the 1 year old 135i and a 3 years old 328i. The 135i just simply was in much much better shape as the first owner babied the thing, while the 328i didn't feel like having the same level of care for the 3 years it's been with the owner. So I chose the 135i.
There was really, simply no good 2+2 FR before the new 86 without paying at least the 128i price range. I thought about the Miata but it isn't cheap either, and I wasn't ready to have no back seats at all for the 2 or 3 times I need it a year.
Reving does not have to mean higher speed. What I mean is, If you are in the pedestrian 4th gear at some 60km/hr or 40mph and you want torque and power, drop into 2nd. Yes you have to downshift, but that's what the upper revs and the gearbox is for. On the street, you'd have plenty enough power to do anything but racing red-light to red-light in almost any car out there (maybe not a Smart.....).
Honda dropped their rev-happy engines because they don't make a sport/sporty car anymore... Referencing a disgrace such as Honda who dropped all their racing hertiage is the worst example one can come up with.
My stance on the 86 engine is. Good if it give low end torque. But it's definately not necassary, and can probably be argued that it's not worth it if any other sacrifieces have to be made (weight, power response, COG, price, etc).
And yes, given the same position today, I'd have bought a new 86 rather than a 1 year old 135i, especially when it's over 10k CAD cheaper. It'd be absolutely no brainer if it's a well kept 1 year old 86 vs a well kept 1 year old 135i (probably 15k in savings where I can put towards an entry luxury SUV as people carrier).