Went to look at the 1er [Archive]

equ

03-15-2008, 08:38 PM

in the dealer... Really liked it up close, the back seat is not as bad as they make it up to be, especially if you're a tidy/upright/not-big person. Decent headroom.

Very cute overall, if I didn't have the croc or if I didn't have the bimmer I'd be interested. What gets me is how the interior is 10x better than the 3er interior it's based on. A few curves and a tilt toward the driver go a long way for negating the buick-flat dash. The cupholders are back in a good place too...

Sure I haven't driven it, and sure it's heavy on paper, but I really like it. It's a properly sized car.

equ

03-15-2008, 08:43 PM

Opened hood, engine looks really far back. Doesn't look like the back cylinder heads are that reachable, otherwise it's not too stuffed. Decent back seat with split/fold..

I'm really pushing it on a friend who's shopping. He was about to buy a 3er then a 6er then a 3er again last year. Then procrastinated (it took him 2-3 years to buy a house so he's, ummm, challenged). Now he's drooling over the a5. He's not much of a car guy so that might work for him. Just sitting in them though, the a5 back-visibility and the rear seat room/access sucked. The 1er's back is tight but no tighter than the a5. The a5 almost feels like a 6er.

For him (but he doesn't know it) and a lot of people (an equ without his current stable) the 1er looks like a great choice. I especially like the oversized headlights, very much a puppy look.

equ

03-15-2008, 11:28 PM

Sharp11

03-16-2008, 12:30 AM

I'd like to take a look at the convertible.

I suppose it wouldn't make any sense to consider it over the zhp, however, if it strikes an emotional chord, who knows......

I'd go 128 with the sport package.

Ed

Theo

03-21-2008, 07:46 PM

Just got back from driving a tit silver/black 135i 6spd. Car only had cold weather and sport pkgs and was still around 40.

First thing I noticed was the exhaust is a little more menacing then the 335i. It seems to have a little more bass to it and some nice pops coming down from high rpm’s. I also loved the stubby M Sport shifter with nice controlled throws and the chunky M Sport wheel.

This thing hauls some butt. From what I could tell the pull felt on par with my E46. The dash as equ mentioned is much better looking then the 335i and the materials are nice to the touch. I am only about 5/10 but I was able to adjust the driver seat for me and sit comfortably in the rear. My head was grazing the ceiling so I think anyone taller might have an issue.

Got some very brief highway time and one back road that has some nice turns to it. The car is very flat and controlled. The trunk is also quite a surprise. It's bigger then a thought and with the seats folded down is probably no worse then the E46.

The car does look better and less awkward in person. There are still some weird angles but less so in the flesh. All in all not to bad. I "may" have to rethink the E39 thing.

03-21-2008, 08:19 PM

lemming

03-23-2008, 10:58 AM

I saw a 128i cabrio at the showroom today. Black with red interior. Very nice.

i think it'd be a nice running update for you if you got yer-self into a 1er with the right amount of kit.

so long as you keep the uberwagen, i don't see why you couldn't get something fun. although, at this point, i'd find it hard to part ways with the ZHP.

equ

03-23-2008, 11:55 AM

There is a bit of a config problem - and this helps cut down my desire a bit.

Somehow, after sampling the n52, I have no desire to go back to the m54 that I've owned (even in crazy twin turbo form). The 128i needs a sport suspension, this puts me in sport seats that put fire in my right leg. The 135i, comes with sports suspension standard and I can get it with the non-sporty seats. But it's not the engine/price I'd like. Oh well, perhaps this will stop me from doing something rash.

Oops, forgot my very own thread from a week ago when I posted my test drive impressions yesterday. It has been a crazy week at work - to say the least - hope it doesn't get any crazier.

Back to the 1er...

I'm quoting myself as the real world drive simply revealed the weakness of the 128i and the b.s. in my above argument. This also means I can get a non-zsp 135i, i.e. the same suspension & tires. The base seats do feel better (at least in my few minutes sitting vs. driving test) for my sciatica-ish butt/right leg. I would just miss on the overly padded steering wheel.

Perhaps a 130i would be ok, but the 135i is something special. I'd really like to hear some reports from the 335 drivers here. Is the car faster? Because it feels like it is (which is also good even if it isn't faster). Is it gearing? Is it the louder exhaust? The weight difference should not be that noticeable. But the pull, and the animal nature are. It's a great car and no one should be shopping for a sports/fast car in the 40k+ range without driving one.

equ

03-23-2008, 11:58 AM

I can't wait to drive a 6spd. The auto 135i felt a bit out of control. And no, I don't like paddle shifters that much (not used to them) even if the delay is pretty improved.

lemming

03-23-2008, 02:31 PM

my curiosity is piqued, but there's just no way that i'd spend 40k++ on a daily driver like the 1er that will be fun to drive, but still struggle in wet weather and in the snow and never see the far side of 22mpg in city driving.

for people for whom this would be an only car, it seems marginally viable, but if you've got a 2nd car or room for one, it's not clear to me that you buy this car.

03-23-2008, 02:46 PM

i think it'd be a nice running update for you if you got yer-self into a 1er with the right amount of kit.

so long as you keep the uberwagen, i don't see why you couldn't get something fun. although, at this point, i'd find it hard to part ways with the ZHP.

I'm sure it's a nice fast car. But if I'm getting a compact 2-door car, it will be an MCS or a 911.

The only reason I saw the 128i was becasue I wanted to see if there was an M3 in the showroom.

lemming

03-23-2008, 02:59 PM

firstly, i'll try to consider the car without taking its price into consideration:

300hp/300ft#'s underrated is tremendous. make it RWD and give it a nice shifter. still sounds good. i don't have a problem with it being smaller --i'm a little worried about the lack of width (track) for the car? i'm a little concerned about the density of the car? weight is weight. power can hide it and brakes can stop it, but it's still physics. i guess with all of that power main question is: how well does it put that power to the ground? BMW is notorious, IMO, for putting puny little tires on its cars so traction will always be an issue, even in dry weather. this sort of car could probably use 275s easily in the rear --is there room for this? next issue: traction already being limited by narrow rear tires.......how's the car doing when power is applied? crux of the matter for me right there. short of F1 (where it's now banned), there just isn't an electronic system that is as good as a mechanical limited slip differential. argue for the aftermarket all you want, but the question is, why not OEM?

so, all is good just looking at the car. the 128 will never know it doesn't have an LSD, but it literally will be a wheezebag of a car. combine that weight with the cammy nature of the engine and that sounds bloody frustrating to me. the 135 is an aspiring sports car, but i'm worried about (1) cooling during hot runs and (2) traction all around for the car.

introduce price, and honestly? i don't know that i wouldn't be happier in the new Nissan 370Z car? the z4? a CPO 987S? it's really, when you option it out, a terrible value proposition. i'm sure that misses the point for a lot of BMW buyers, but for someone like me who's more likely to have multiple cars at a time, i cannot help but wonder how the money i'm not wasting on the daily driver isn't better applied to make the 'other' car faster.

JST

03-23-2008, 03:15 PM

The mall was closed today (?!) so I stopped at the BMW dealer with my new found free time during the kid's nap. They had both an M3 coupe and a 135 on the lot. In person, the 135 is very small--it's bigger than the Mini, of course, but parked right next to one another its clear that it is not much bigger. In black, the 135 is pretty inoffensive. The dark color hides some if the ugly, and it looks kind of butch with its stubby tail. This one had red leather, which looked good too.

The M3 is less interesting, somehow. It just looks like a 335 with four tailpipes. This one had a 70k sticker--yeah, no thanks.

BTW, I have noticed on the weekend that, given the choice, I always take the Mini instead of the 335. Just more fun, I guess.

03-23-2008, 04:07 PM

BTW, I have noticed on the weekend that, given the choice, I always take the Mini instead of the 335. Just more fun, I guess.

OT:

Josh, could you please compare & contrast the MCS and 996/997 back seat wrt putting kids back there (RF/FF)? I don't know how much you have done it in the MCS (I assume not at all in the 911), but still, I think you may have better guess than I.

I keep thinking the MCS would be a LOT easier to live with in that regard, but maybe I'm full of it.

Plaz

03-23-2008, 06:51 PM

OT:

Josh, could you please compare & contrast the MCS and 996/997 back seat wrt putting kids back there (RF/FF)? I don't know how much you have done it in the MCS (I assume not at all in the 911), but still, I think you may have better guess than I.

I keep thinking the MCS would be a LOT easier to live with in that regard, but maybe I'm full of it.

I don't know about the 911, but my daughter (5yo) has no problem getting in and out of the back of the MCS. My wife, on the other hand... :eeps:

I wouldn't want to hoist a baby in and out on a daily basis, though.

03-23-2008, 07:33 PM

I don't know about the 911, but my daughter (5yo) has no problem getting in and out of the back of the MCS. My wife, on the other hand... :eeps:

I wouldn't want to hoist a baby in and out on a daily basis, though.

Hmm...

[deleted a bunch of waffling text.]

equ

03-23-2008, 07:57 PM

It is solid, decently set up & powerful. The cons are really few:
- Low grip (cf. cayman). Can be somewhat ameliorated by tires/suspension. Still it's a tallish, boxy 4-seater so it will never be a full sports car.
- Lower feel/communication (cf. cayman or e36m3). Still this afflicts all e46/e90's, arguably to a greater degree. Non-rft's might help in sidewall feel.
- Lack of lsd (distant 3rd for me as I don't push that hard on city streets).

I don't care about looks one way or another. Actually the 3er looks uglier to me. Every secretary and her/his boss is driving one in NNJ. My biggest issue is that I already own one very nice & special car. I could trade in my 330xi for this but then there would be too much overlap in purpose between this & the croc. Similarly, as exciting as the 1er is, a 335i is likely too close a car to it. This is just a good bit more fun out of the box due to louder sound (fact) suspension/size/gearing effect (subjective guess). Quite possibly the 335's are close to this fast. I just never found out on my test drives as they were so civilized and didn't egg me on the way this little puppy did. It's also possible that I feel more in control (i.e. less animal) in MT. I drove an auto 135i and MT 335's (two years ago). I'm very curious for 335 driver reviews.

It's been decades since bmw has given us a small, fast car. You should all go drive one.

equ

03-23-2008, 08:09 PM

so, all is good just looking at the car. the 128 will never know it doesn't have an LSD, but it literally will be a wheezebag of a car. combine that weight with the cammy nature of the engine and that sounds bloody frustrating to me. the 135 is an aspiring sports car, but i'm worried about (1) cooling during hot runs and (2) traction all around for the car.

introduce price, and honestly? i don't know that i wouldn't be happier in the new Nissan 370Z car? the z4? a CPO 987S? it's really, when you option it out, a terrible value proposition. i'm sure that misses the point for a lot of BMW buyers, but for someone like me who's more likely to have multiple cars at a time, i cannot help but wonder how the money i'm not wasting on the daily driver isn't better applied to make the 'other' car faster.

I - for a change - completely agree on your 128 comments. My e90 330 has just enough torque for my purposes, not entertaining mind you, but sufficient. The 325/328/128 fall short of that. It's kind of sad that they are weaker than e46 330's.

In most every day situation, it feels faster than a 987S :(. Sure if you are tracking, the 987S, with its lighter weight, lower CG, NA engine & presumably longer lasting brakes may take it.

It's not such a bad value proposition as it is nearly 911-fast, it has back seats and it has decent highway manners.

lemming

03-23-2008, 08:11 PM

It is solid, decently set up & powerful. The cons are really few:
- Low grip (cf. cayman). Can be somewhat ameliorated by tires/suspension. Still it's a tallish, boxy 4-seater so it will never be a full sports car.
- Lower feel/communication (cf. cayman or e36m3). Still this afflicts all e46/e90's, arguably to a greater degree. Non-rft's might help in sidewall feel.
- Lack of lsd (distant 3rd for me as I don't push that hard on city streets).

I don't care about looks one way or another. Actually the 3er looks uglier to me. Every secretary and her/his boss is driving one in NNJ. My biggest issue is that I already own one very nice & special car. I could trade in my 330xi for this but then there would be too much overlap in purpose between this & the croc. Similarly, as exciting as the 1er is, a 335i is likely too close a car to it. This is just a good bit more fun out of the box due to louder sound (fact) suspension/size/gearing effect (subjective guess). Quite possibly the 335's are close to this fast. I just never found out on my test drives as they were so civilized and didn't egg me on the way this little puppy did. It's also possible that I feel more in control (i.e. less animal) in MT, which is how I drove the 335's. I'm very curious for 335 driver reviews.

It's been decades since bmw has given us a small, fast car. You should all go drive one.

two thoughts:

1. i really doubt getting a child in/out of the rear of the 1er is any different from that of the MINI. just putting that out there.

2. the major place i differ (i am styling insensitive, too, mostly) is that i would feel the lack of an LSD every single day. i am unsure of how your commute goes, but Boston traffic is nasty. room to merge is very short and brief. i would feel the lack of an LSD immediately and constantly. it's the nature of having a wall of torque at 2000rpms.

equ

03-23-2008, 08:43 PM

To be honest, I haven't owned an lsd-rwd car. Only awd and regular rwd. I did find the car scrabbling for traction at 40-45F every time I pushed it. Still fun. I'd agree that the MCS is a better commuter (mileage/shifting).

Re: child... You see this car doesn't really compare to a mini, more like a porsche.

Rob

03-24-2008, 01:21 AM

I haven't played with the 1 series yet, but the 335 keeps getting better and better for me. It's scary fast. It's either close to as fast or just as fast as the V was (or else I just don't know how to drive either of them) and it's more composed. If you are interested in having not enough doors, I can't see why you wouldn't at least consider a smaller, slightly lighter version of the same thing.

Side note - the 335 is significanlty louder with the golf tee mod (I know I said it wasn't earlier, but I have changed my mind). I wonder if the 135 has the valve. I would expect so, but that's one quick way to make it louder.

IndyMike

03-24-2008, 08:50 PM

Scoped it out this past weekend, but due to inclement weather opted to forego test drive (although I did ask if they had any manny's on the lot at which the agents eyes kind of glazed, then gently rolled over as he explained that most customers want a slushie).

Oh, really? :rolleyes:

Initial visual impressions:
reminds me of my former e30 318is in dimensions;
Sedona red reeks;
Black Sapphire is not bad, and in concert with Coral red is a nice combo;
grey headliner is not flattering;
headlights are not as bad looking as I thought, but are still on the goofy, ugly side of the ledger;
brakes look huge, reminiscent of the R32;
backseat area is cramped; really cramped (perfect replacement for waterboarding imo);
grey poplar is really cheap looking;

Overall, this car is far from good looking. It only reinforces that this company is clueless when it comes to designing anything that even remotely resembles a classic beauty.

The weather is supposed to be tolerable this weekend so I should get to stroke it hard, although if only in auto mode.

operknockity

03-25-2008, 11:05 AM

(although I did ask if they had any manny's on the lot at which the agents eyes kind of glazed, then gently rolled over as he explained that most customers want a slushie).

Oh, really? :rolleyes:

I stopped by South Bay Auto the other day to see if they had any 1ers. They had 2 already sold 1ers on the roof parking lot that were being prepped for pickup. Both were slushies. The sales critter said it'd be a couple of more months before they had any on the floor and available for test drives, a few months more before the convertibles show up, and that all 1ers on the lot would be slushies (except if a stick was ordered but never picked up).

lemming

03-25-2008, 11:17 AM

the 128 will likely outsell the 135 5 or 6 to 1, the automatic will obviously (based on historical trending) outsell the manual 9.5:0.5, right?

the number of true enthusiasts who embrace this car will likely be whittled down over time, i would think.

Bruce330cic

03-31-2008, 12:19 AM

We stopped by Century West BMW to look at the 1 series they had after a late breakfast this morning. They had 4 of the 1 series including a pretty fully loaded 128 convertible with a sticker of $45000! :ack:Anyway, the car looked OK in the flesh but at the current pricing point I can't understand buying a 1 series over a 3 series. The sales lady said that is why they haven't sold any yet. The lease rates are just not attractive enough yet.

We ended up leaving........

with a 335 coupe!! :) Sport, Premium, Step, Ipod adapter. Silver over black leather with aluminum trim. She's a friggin' awesome machine! Man, that powerful engine sure is addictive!! Got it for $1,000 over invoice with base money factor and no mark up on the acquisition fee. I'm a very happy man tonight! :)

We're keeping the X3 as the dog car and my partner will drive that to/from work. I recently got a new job and will need to be driving all over So Cal to visit my clients and I wanted to get an auto since being stuck in traffic on the 5 is no fun with a stick.

Some other interesting observations at Century West BMW.....they had 2 650 coupes with manuals. Both were customer ordered and not picked up. One was a convertible and the MSRP was north of $100K! :eek:I'm sure they will need to deep discount those in order to sell them.

Also, they had one sold black M3 sedan on the floor. I asked how much over MSRP they sold it for and was told $5000 over MSRP. So they've already come down alot on their M3 prices!

Customer traffic seemed high given the economy. Besides me, there were 4 other people buying/leasing new BMWs. Maybe because it's the end of the month? It was just surprising to me. :dunno:

operknockity

03-31-2008, 01:05 AM

We ended up leaving........

with a 335 coupe!! :) Sport, Premium, Step, Ipod adapter. Silver over black leather with aluminum trim. She's a friggin' awesome machine! Man, that powerful engine sure is addictive!! Got it for $1,000 over invoice with base money factor and no mark up on the acquisition fee. I'm a very happy man tonight! :)

Congrats!!!!

Sharp11

03-31-2008, 01:45 AM

We ended up leaving........

with a 335 coupe!! :)

Congrats man, another new car!!

Btw, how did you like the x3, particularly its seat comfort for longer trips?

Ed

03-31-2008, 07:37 AM

Congrats. That's a pretty sweet deal tool.

ZBB

03-31-2008, 07:47 AM

Btw, how did you like the x3, particularly its seat comfort for longer trips?

Ed

We've done a couple long road trips in our X3 (has the sport seats).

Its very comfortable over long trips -- and we had a couple very long days (just under 500 miles each). On one stretch -- Moab, UT back to Scottsdale, I drove the entire way. We only made 3 pitstops (Monument Valley, Lunch, Gas), and felt I could keep going for a few more hours.

lemming

03-31-2008, 09:18 AM

03-31-2008, 09:42 AM

that's great news, Bruce!

i think even if people come into the showroom to see the 1er and are turned off, it's still gotten more traffic into the showroom. your example proves why the 1er is still smart from the BMW NA point of view.

I saw a commercial for the 1er this morning.

No doubt, if I were today in the position I was back when I bought the ZHP, I would buy the 135i. No-brainer.

But now, with a family, the 335i makes too much sense in comparison.

Bruce330cic

03-31-2008, 11:00 AM

Congrats man, another new car!!

Btw, how did you like the x3, particularly its seat comfort for longer trips?

Ed

I've been very happy with the X3. I do have the sports package on the X3 and find it to be very comfortable on long highway trips. Around town it is a little bumpy with the sports package if the road is not smooth, but overall the X3 has been a great car. I've never had to have anything fixed on it since delivery almost 2 years ago. Very reliable! Mine is pre facelift so the interior is not as nice as the new ones, but it's fine for me. We'll keep the X3 until the lease is up and then probably get some sort of wagon as the "big" car.