Jack of all trades against a master of one | Volkswagen Golf R MK7 vs BMW M135i F20

In this video, I compare my BMW M135i F20 to a Golf R MK7. Of all the cars we've had on the channel, this is hotly contested fight in terms of power and price. The Golf R and the M135i both cost around £30,000 new without any options and around 300BHP. As time has gone by, the M135i value has plummeted compared to the steady residual value of the Golf R. This is due to the amazing finance deals BMW were offering with the M-Lites when they were new so there's lots of examples on the second hand market but is the Golf R a better car though? It's also worth mentioning the new F40 BMW M135i is very similar to a Golf R in terms of recipe so clearly BMW jumped ship. Question is, should they have?
#CarNitty #GolfR #BMWM135i
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Chapters
00:00 - Drive by
00:10 - Title sequence
00:16 - Introduction
00:39 - Performance and setup
01:30 - Comparison with Audi S3
02:07 - Prices
02:43 - Modifications of Golf R
04:14 - M135i drive/review
09:41 - Golf R drive/review
14:35 - Summary
16:23 - Rev battle
Thank you for your viewership and support.
Please like, comment, share and subscribe if you haven't already!
"Art of Silence - by Uniq" is under a Creative Commons license (Creative Commons - International Recognition 4.0 - CC BY 4.0)
DISCLAIMER:
*Some footage from this video may be edited and or sped up for cinematic effects.
*Some footage was also filmed on private land

[@CarNitty]

What's some of the most important factors in a hot hatch? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this video, make sure you like, comment, share and subscribe! Check out some of our other uploads too! 🖤 Please do checkout Shoobzy if you want to see more of the Golf R: instagram.com/shoobzy/?hl=en www.tiktok.com/@s400bsy?lang=en

[@xlewis1209x]

Good review. Very similar looking R to mine

[@CarNitty]

Glad you enjoyed it and that means you've got a very good looking car! Unpopular opinion: Tornado Red is a much better looking colour than Lapiz Blue... 🚗🚙

[@m140i_james]

Both good cars in their own right. Better daily driver = Golf More fun = 135i It depends what you want. I like to engage with the drive and feel like the car requires me to drive it. The Golf just does it all for you. I found it very boring personally, my nan could drive it fast. And being from just outside Bradford, they're everywhere. Plus, 6 cylinders or 4? Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad car at all. But for me personally it's not even close. Another good video mate.

[@CarNitty]

Thanks for your comment James and glad to see you being a regular viewer. It's much appreciated 🖤 I completely agree with you. The Golf R is a great car but it's a car anyone can drive fast hence why it's chosen by many. It's fool proof. The M-Lites are chosen by enthusiasts that want to drive cars that can kill them if they don't know what they're doing! It's like going to an amusement park. We can't understand why we love the thrill. The other thing is 6 cylinders in a hatchback is no longer a thing so I love the 135i for that alone. The Golf R's formula can be found in S3, Leon Cupra, new M135i, A35 AMG and the list goes on. The OG M-Lites are just legends. That being said, I've just shot a video with an S3 Saloon Stage 1... That's changed my view completely. Make sure you tune into that upload when it goes live!

[@m140i_james]

@@CarNitty You're welcome. I've been enjoying the content so far, so keep it up 👍 The R is a great car and like you I totally understand the appeal, but it just didn't do it for me. The RWD and B58 combination for me was perfect. Yes the 135 and 140 have their faults (chassis and lack of LSD being the main 2), but they're not bad cars by any stretch. You just have to learn to respect them and understand either your limits or the limit of the car. The other thing with the R is what you said also. Everything on the market at the moment is a 2.0l 4 pot around 300hp with AWD. They're all going to drive very similar and there's not much to differentiate. You have to go into a whole new price bracket with the RS3 or A45S, and for me that's too much. End of the day it's all down to the individual's preference, and I think you're right in saying the M lites are chosen by enthusiasts who enjoy driving more. Look forward to the S3 video anyway 😊

[@DjNikGnashers]

@@m140i_james I agree. There are plenty of AWD hot hatches that launch better than the M135i/M140i, but they are all quite boring to drive. They are fast yes, but any clown can launch an AWD from one set of traffic lights to another, b o r i n g. The M135i and M140i are for people who don't care about silly willy waving numbers, they are for real divers who like taming a beast. I don't think I will ever sell my M140i, just keep tuning it to make it even more wild, next month it should be 450+ bhp.

[@timed6659]

​@@DjNikGnashers You still got it?

[@DjNikGnashers]

@@timed6659 Hi, no I had it for 4 years, and it was utterly reliable. I got myself into an OG M2 last November, and while it is not quite as fast in a straight line (it's a standard car, and the M140i was 455bhp/634nm after a Wagner 200 cell cat and a day on the dyno tweaking the map), the M2 is better in every other way. Better steering feel, better cornering, better ride/damping, better chassis composure, and of course looks much better !

[@nateamg5206]

BabyBMW brought me here. Anyone else?

[@CarNitty]

Awesome community ❤️

[@jennijdm9560]

Babybmw is tarnished by pretentious small penis owners which is a shame for the genuine people on there. It's the M2 crew that don't fit in anywhere else that are the worst offenders. Should of bought a Porsche.

[@Tight--LiNeZ]

EWG M135i's are not limited to what power you can get out of it with mods (to a point). Only PWG are limited to what you can get out of them, power wise.

[@CarNitty]

EWG are slightly better to tune with better results than PWG. Stock for stock, there's not much difference. If going stage 3, then that factor is taken away

[@wingman548]

​@@CarNitty It's a pretty big difference! not only is the peak power quite a bit higher (I'd say ~35WHP on a custom tune on both), the EWG holds power right up to the redline whereas the PWG drops off very early. The whole driving experience is completely different. Also EWG N55s have a forged crankshaft and conrods from the factory whereas the PWG has standard cast ones, that's why quite a few 2012 M135i's ended up with rod bearing failures

[@TeamRocketLDN]

Our two Admins collaborating!

[@CarNitty]

Before we were admins though! I wasn't even a member at this time. Crazy how time flies

[@noelweidner2208]

I can afford a m135i as a first car from like 2012. A golf r is just so much more expensive it’s out of reach… They’re both amazing cars but each in it’s own way. I don’t need the 4wheel drive because the 0-60 time isn’t that important to me. But in the winter It would probably be much more fun than rwd

[@CarNitty]

The honest truth is right now prices are crazy due to the chip shortage. Buy whichever out of the two makes more sense for you. I'd never have bought a Golf R as sound is important to me and 4 cylinders just don't scratch my back. Hold out for the Golf R until after Xmas if your heart is set on it. If not and you like the M135i, buy it and you'll love it!

[@p88trb]

Had both golf r 400bhp an got bored after 2months an got rid of it. Point an shoot car fast yes, fun mmmm to start then it becomes mundane. Had bmw 2 month now an have done a few mods, more fun to drive, sounds better but handling needs addressed it very floaty or washy when picks up speed. But overall its a better car an daily from my view

[@CarNitty]

Hi Paul, thanks for your comment. The Golf is no doubt very good at going fast and gives plenty of grip with its 4WD not definitely lacks character and playfulness unlike the BMW

[@natsiel]

Isn’t the m135 LCi the one with 320ish 10hp+ than the one on this video.

[@CarNitty]

My car has around 320BHP LCI has about +5/6 BHP. I've read lots of forum posts and YT videos previously and those that had the pre LCI and later moved onto the LCI (due to PCP deals) didn't feel the extra horses at all. It's too nominal of a difference.

[@AH-jv5zt]

Saw of the legs of me passengers rather than give up some space hahaha that’s the one 👍

[@CarNitty]

You know it mate! 6 pot scream over 4 pot tinny noise...

[@AH-jv5zt]

@@CarNitty yeah man I got same car as you, got the Mperformance Lsd for it and took it up abit with the MHD super licence app with all maps in the app, intercooler Wagner decat downpipe braided steel brake lines, yellow stuff brake pads, polyflex subframe bush n diff inserts, some spacers 15mm rear 12 front and some MMR drop springs 30mm plus XHP 3 gearbox map. Just at to start this 👍 big turbos hpfp, baffled sump, LCA & TS maybe bilstein shocks, expensive stuff, take it easy

[@CarNitty]

@@AH-jv5zt your car sounds like an absolute weapon! How long you planning to keep it? That's what stops me from going too crazy. I've had the car for a year now and think I'll be ready to change up after next summer

[@CarNitty]

@@AH-jv5zt sounds awesome and looks like you're going into this project knowing what you're trying to achieve

[@vagscanetprogramation7239]

The 4 motion & dsg of golf 7 R or 7.5 R are in other level and the 8R is in the moon

[@CarNitty]

Very good gearboxes but I don't think I could live with a 6 speed with an auto!