I emailed BMW about the 135i...

[BimmerDave007]

I asked about the oil coolers and the oil temperature and this is what they said....

"Thank you for your response. The 135s will not have oil coolers. The
new fuel pumps have been upgraded."

I thought that was interesting.

[Boston Killer]

Cost-cutting? Wow...I guess we should get used to seeing 300F oil temps from now on.

[grantg]

Cost-cutting? Wow...I guess we should get used to seeing 300F oil temps from now on.
No, you should get used to paying alot of money in the aftermarket for stuff that should come with the car:

Oil Cooler, Limited Slip Differential, Sunroof Delete, etc...

[robertm]

No discredit to BimmerDave but I simply don't believe they will deliver the car to America w/o oil coolers. I mean the car is coming with m package tuned suspension and fricken 6 piston calipers. Why would you put all that stuff on the car and not give it the ability to stay cool? Nope, I don't believe it. There would be a pr nightmare as well as huge numbers of service call issues. BMW doesn't want that.

[bower]

Well now, I've been one of the ones bitterly disappointed at BMW and the errors made on the 335i (too much stupid tech, lack of gauges, no LSD) especially the overheating.

However, it is possible that BMW is solving this problem in other ways. An oil cooler is not the only solution - larger radiator and/or better coolant flow are among the many things they could do to keep it cool.

Having said all that, it is too bad the lack of LSD continues, and there is still no evidence they will provide drivers with a proper instrument cluster.

-Dave

[Euro durch Tod]

What gauges are lackin on the 335i that would be helpful?. And a 300hp performance car with not LSD is just stupid! Is traction control break modulated?

[xatlas0]

What gauges are lackin on the 335i that would be helpful?. And a 300hp performance car with not LSD is just stupid! Is traction control break modulated?

Yeah, the TC uses the brakes. They call it an electronic LSD. (what a load)

As for gauges, I'd like to see a boost gauge, oil pressure, trans temp, voltmeter, and the mpg gauge. Many people won't concur with my last suggestion, but I've always liked it. Uniquely BMW, as I have never seen another car with a mpg gauge.

[Acorn]

Uniquely BMW, as I have never seen another car with a mpg gauge.
I've seen it on Fords. The new Mustang GT and Nineties Mercury Grand Marquis.

[robertm]

As for gauges, I'd like to see a boost gauge, oil pressure, trans temp, voltmeter, and the mpg gauge..

Now you're dreaming:lol It would be nice though. :rolleyes Hell I'm just glad they gave us the dip stick back!!

I will not be buying the car if it doesn't come with factory installed oil cooler though. A big part of the reason I'm buying the 135 is so the wifey has something to take to DEs and that won't be possible without the cooler.

So no oil cooler = no me*

*I will have a spot on the list I can sell for what it cost to someone though..

[bower]

I'd be happy with coolant temp and oil pressure, as long as they are REAL gauges with clear markings (fake or heavily damped Ford-type gauges need not apply). Boost and volts would be nice, but only after the first two are done right. MPG can be done with an integrated or separate trip computer (i.e. nav screen).

Real gauges, a real LSD, and a real dipstick would start to get my attention!

-Dave

[BimmerDave007]

No discredit to BimmerDave but I simply don't believe they will deliver the car to America w/o oil coolers. I mean the car is coming with m package tuned suspension and fricken 6 piston calipers. Why would you put all that stuff on the car and not give it the ability to stay cool? Nope, I don't believe it. There would be a pr nightmare as well as huge numbers of service call issues. BMW doesn't want that.


That is exactly why I posted this. It makes no sense to me either. I read it multiple times to be sure I read it correctly. I have continued emailing BMW and I got this response....

"Thank you for your response. The base model 1 Series will not have an
oil cooler. Currently, only our 3 Series Coupes with automatic
transmission and Sport Package are equipped with an oil cooler. If a similar
package is offered with the 1 Series, I'm sure our engineers will
incorporate all the equipment needed to run the vehicle safely and at
optimum performance."

So who knows? it sounds like this person doesn't know what the 135i is gonna have either....

[vazqued2]

I'd be happy with coolant temp and oil pressure, as long as they are REAL gauges with clear markings (fake or heavily damped Ford-type gauges need not apply).
-Dave

I hate to burst our bubble, but I attended a BMWNA event not too long ago where the marketing rep flat-out told us that the monitoring gauges (e.g. water temp) is basically bogus. Heavily damped, so that only an extreme change in temp would cause it to move.

The rationale was to minimize complaints...

[psucelticXI]

:eatpop:

[bottlecape30]

i was all up for one and depending on the price i might buy a 135 or z4 coupe.
BUt god dam it i need a dip stick.
and if a car is boosted it should have a boost gauge and oil temp for sure.
i can only hope these will be options ( dreaming i know bmw option list is now quite lame).
I also think the oil cooler is very needed in the car if it is not there i might be walking over to a mazda rx-8 ( hate to say).

[robertm]

There is a dip stick on the new 135. I saw it on some press release spec list somewhere (I think it was the one out in Britan).

Also, I am much relieved after reading the second response from the BMW rep. The person obviously has zero knowledge of basically anything. I am willing to bet my deposit the 135 comes with oil cooler(s). There is simply no way they can sell that engine w/o. They already tried once and it didn't go well at all. I don't think BMW always does things right the first times, but they do tent to learn from there mistakes. Look at the dip stick, improvements to I-drive, redesigned 7 series headlights, radiator improvements on the e46 compared to e36. Of course you could say the same about things they haven't fixed that are known problems too. Rear strut towers, rear subframe attachment points, etc.

Regardless, I am hereby betting my deposit there will be oil coolers -stock, on the 135!!

[gobuffs]

The base model 1 Series will not have an
oil cooler.

base model 1 series = 128.

[bower]

I hate to burst our bubble, but I attended a BMWNA event not too long ago where the marketing rep flat-out told us that the monitoring gauges (e.g. water temp) is basically bogus. Heavily damped, so that only an extreme change in temp would cause it to move.

The rationale was to minimize complaints...

I was on a Mustang board a few years back when there was an SVT marketing lady posting. She used the same lame excuse as to why most of the gauges in my Cobra are fake.

The argument simply doesn't wash with me. I had a '93 Suburban for a while, and every gauge in there was real and real-time, even the oil pressure gauge. I did not hear of GM getting hammered from soccer moms complaining that the oil pressure actually moved with engine RPM and temperature! And that, OMG!, the voltmeter dips a bit when the rear defroster is turned on at idle! :eek: Just about every GM truck has a full compliment of real gauges, as does Porsche (at least the ones I've seen).

The running joke is that it is surprising that Ford didn't just paint the needle on the tachometer (as they did with volts, oil press, and water temp). After all, someone might complain that the darn needle keeps moving when I press down on the right pedal!

Again I ask - if anyone from BMW or any other car maker is reading this - PLEASE do not assume stupidity from your owners, ESPECIALLY from a company that prides itself on producing so called 'driver's cars'. Education of new owners may be needed, but don't insult our intelligence with dumbed down instrumentation!!

-Dave

[Euro durch Tod]

so with gauges that dont tell you what there suppose to does that make BMW liable for any issues relating to that instrumentation? I mean if you watchin your gauge and its doesnt tell you what happening in the engine and then suddenly that cars dies, its not really your fault.

[MrBlah]

the gauges on bmw's have been heavily dampened for years

[bower]

so with gauges that dont tell you what there suppose to does that make BMW liable for any issues relating to that instrumentation? I mean if you watchin your gauge and its doesnt tell you what happening in the engine and then suddenly that cars dies, its not really your fault.

Exactly! As an example: in typical Ford fashion, the oil pressure gauge is connected to a switch. If oil pressure is >5 psi, the gauge reads 3/4 scale. That is all there is, no reading or 3/4 scale.

So, let's say I'm low on oil and decide to hammer turn 6 at Sears Point in second gear. (yeah, I know - it's a track, but there are plenty of cloverleaf on ramps that are similar). According to Ford, my lovely V8 is happy getting 6 psi of oil press at 6800 rpm redline. :mad

At least a no gauge cluster is honest - you KNOW you don't know what's going on. Fake/damped gauges are only for bling and can leave someone not in the know in trouble. If you can't trust the gauge, what's the point of putting it in there?

I want to see trouble BEFORE it happens, not after I shed a connecting rod or blow a head gasket.

-Dave

[atrhugo]

Dam - Ford must be supplying gauges for my Miata! ; -) BTW, I think that English BMW site has the diesel and petrol engine information intermigled on their page - I hope the N54 comes with a dipstick on the 135; if it doesn't, I'm going to have to get a nomex condom for my little finger to dip into the oil fill neck when I want to check color and smell of the 'earl'.

[tatawaki]

As per the preliminary specs
base 135i will NOT have an oil cooler. If you purchase the performance/sport package you will get increased top speed and Oil Cooler.