What made you buy a 135 out of that bunch of cars ?
I enjoy this question
997 I just didnt like, it felt nervous on the road and I didnt like the interior much either. Weird as I really like the 996 but was a bit scared of maintenance costs (I was looking at a turbo).
RS4 (and S4 for that matter) didnt handle great and felt heavy, Focus RS I liked but was a bit barry compared to the others as was the Golf, even an R32 or R isnt going to stand up against a Porsche. Evos were considered but 3K service interval is no good for a daily.
IS-F I couldnt find one I liked in budget, XFR in a few years time I reckon, and the E92 M3 is a great car but not when you compare it to a modified 135i, the performance is all at the top end and its noticeably bigger and heavier.
Which leaves the other Beemers and the Cayman. I actually went to buy a Cayman from a dude on here but (fortunately) he had to go out somewhere so I didnt actually get to him, they are excellent cars ......... but dont have anything like the performance of a remapped N54/N55, Ive actually gone off the look of the 987 now as well ......... although Im seriously looking at a 981 as my nest car, they are sublime. The 370, when up against the BMW's and Cayman feels a generation older and while interior is nice and the Nismo looks gorgeous I actually preferred my 350Z for the drive.
And of the Beemers? 335/435 too soft and heavy, 135i hatchback not pretty enough (although the latest 2 doors are actually pretty sweet looking), 1M amazing car but I would have had fear using it on track. M235i I came very, very close to putting a deposit on but it was brand new and I didnt fancy the depreciation hit.
So I bought an N54 E82. The handling has been sorted (E92 M3 arms, struts, diff, ARB's) and with the remap its similar performance to a 997 Tuebo (my cousin has one). Its actually a very pretty car but quite understated, and 560 lb/ft from 2500 rpm never gets boring, Ive had it just over 2 years and it still makes me giggle every time I mash the loud pedal, it literally embarrasses XFR's and M3's and had no trouble p[acing 991 GT3's at spa the other day.
Business is good at the moment and Ive got a test drive lined up in the Giulia QV, Ill prob try and M2 soon as well but I will really struggle to sell the 1er as it fits what I want so well, tempted to make it a bit more track focused to try and justify keeping it. If you can get over the "everyone has one" comments then its a very, very difficult car to look past IMO
You tried the rag top?