BMW 1-Series

tagman · June 2008

Venture,
I have a fairly loaded 135i Coupe, but I am trading it in for the 135i convertible which I've had on order for months. It is ready in a few more days and I am excited as hell.

It is imperative that you order the Sport Package in order to get the Sport seats. I and others have made that error, and regreted it. Fortunately, I am able to get the Sports seats when I re-ordered the car as a convertible. If you have any doubts about this, you should ask me about it.

BTW, Mr. Hpowder's posts are some of his most ridiculous posts he has made in a long time. He obviously does not like the 1-Series so he picks and chooses the few unusual sources of information to support his dislike.

In actual fact, while Edmunds does not have an abundance of 1-Series owners yet, it is pretty obvious that the car has just been released for sale only a few months ago.

There is a dedicated website to the 1-Series that has a monstrous membership roster. So any idea that I am a lone owner is incorrect and pointless. I agree that there aren't many 1-Series owners yet on this website, but that will change.

Also, hpowder's reference to a couple of negative reviews does not in any way diminish the multitude of positive and complimentary reviews. Few cars have EVER been so praised as the 1-Series.

The 3-Series is a great car. But it is not the BMW entry vehicle any more. So there is obvious sibling rivalry and jealousy. It makes no difference... the 1-Series outperforms the 3-Series. All the talk in the world can't change that.

BTW, I will likely buy my wife a 335i convertible to go alongside my 135i convertible. The 1-Series is more of a man's car and the 335i hardtop convertible will be perfect for her, as the 3-Series is perfect for a female, with it's graceful and softer lines. Since the 3er is about to get a refresh, we will wait for the '09 model.

TM

houdini1 · June 2008

Well let's just say that I enjoyed the review.

hpowders · June 2008

Glad you liked it.

Edmunds is filled with enthusiasts. So where are all the 1 Series owners?

Folks have been voting on the 1 Series with their pocketbooks.

tagman · June 2008

Folks have been voting on the 1 Series with their pocketbooks.

Yes, correct... and so far, the 1-Series is essentially sold out, with a few stragglers in inventories. Try to get a "deal" on one. Yet, the 3 and the 5 are plentiful and sitting in inventories and the dealers will make you a "deal" to get rid of them. Even BMWFS will put together one of their special leases deals on a 3 or a 5 series, but not on a 1er.

And, all this just after only several months of the 1-Series release!!

More positive reviews have been written on the 1-Series than almost any other car in history, yet you decide to dig up the small few negative ones and point them out. That's way out of whack, and you know it.

As an owner, or previous owner, of a Porsche (I'm on my third), Ferrari, MCS, Lotus Sport Elise Ltd. track car edition, and others, as well as this 135i, I can tell you that I am more of an enthusiast than someone that would drive some tragically boring Toyota/Lexus SUV, for example, and I wouldn't even consider the 135i unless it was a performance machine. And THAT it is!!

The 135i beats the previous M3s, and nearly every car that BMW manufacturers to date. It takes the new generation V8 M3 to barely beat it. And, all this from the "entry" BMW? WOW!

The world's largest 1-Series website has a monstrous membership roster and more information about the 1-series than you could EVER begin to absorb. I have been an active member all year, and soon I will have contributed close to a thousand posts, and read many many thousands of others posts, some of which are made by incredibly knowledgable enthusiasts that race their cars regularly.

We don't all agree on everything, but we all know and understand the fact that the 1-Series is a BMW enthusiast's dream come true!

I'm kind of surprised at your perspective here. You used to look like you really knew your stuff, but lately... well...let's just say that you are sounding like a guy that would actually buy a Lexus LX570 SUV... LOL.

Say what you will, but I will continue to enjoy my 135i high-performance BMW, and soon it is very possible that my wife will enjoy her 3-Series hardtop convertible, even if it is a bit slower than the 1er... heh! heh! Oh, and I'm sure it will be easier to get a deal on that 3-Series, too!... afterall, the public has spoken with their wallets (and your "pocketbook"), and left plenty of 3-Series out there in inventory.

Oh... did I mention that 2/3rds of all 1-Series sales are already pre-sold!! Another testimonial from the "pocketbooks". :shades:

TM

roadburner · June 2008

I will say the graphics were very impressive and I think it would be a great way to learn a track you've never actually driven.

You Tube can also help; I'm currently trying to re-learn the Glen, as I haven't been there since 1988 :surprise:
As far as simulators go, a tanker friend of mine is going to get me some seat time in an M1 Abrams driving simulator. THAT should be interresting...

hpowders · June 2008

BMW missed an opportunity to create a truly unique vehicle for those of us who remember....vaguely....what this company once proudly stood for and produced.
The 135i Coupe is NOT that vehicle.

With BMW's latest focus on technology for technology's sake such as the iDrive controller, 2 step-vehicle starting, steptronic transmissions that must be "relearned", gimmicky turn signals, etc; in addition to their focus on impractical SUV's that are at the bottom of their class in practical cargo room and God knows what they were thinking with the release of the X6; in addition to their release of a "smaller" sporty coupe that was rumored to be a reincarnation of the much loved and missed "2002", which more realistically turned out to be a slightly smaller version of the 3 Series Coupes; you will begin to understand my frustration with a company I can no longer support with unbridled enthusiasm.

Do they serve Kona coffee at Lexus? :surprise:

cdnpinhead · June 2008

". . .a tanker friend of mine is going to get me some seat time in an M1 Abrams driving simulator."

Enjoy! I had the opportunity to ride around on one at YPG (Yuma Proving Grounds) a few years ago. We build the engine (1500 hp turbine).

bodble2 · June 2008

"The 3-Series is a great car. But it is not the BMW entry vehicle any more."

Is that not a good thing? Rightly or wrongly, there is a certain stigma attached to an "entry-level" vehicle.

"The 1-Series is more of a man's car..."

It's funny you should say that. I took my wife to look at the 1 series on the weekend. She said it looks cute and funky, and she added she can see a lot of grads getting one for a grad present, and she can see a lot of girls in particular going for it. In fact, she proclaimed that when the lease on her Mini ends, the 1 series would be on her short list.

tagman · June 2008

I do agree that here could have been an entirely different and incredible small car, but BMW worked off of the existing 1series hatchback and made the coupe for our market... So did they compromise? YES, they did. But did they create a winner? A resounding YES, they did!

TM

tagman · June 2008

The world's largest 1-series website has taken polls. The overwhelming purchaser of the 1er is male. The 3er so far has a higher percentage of female drivers than the 1er.

None of it really matters... I was just poking at hpowders a little.

TM

hpowders · June 2008

And the 5 Series is probably the most male of the BMW breed.

I wanted to personalize the 545i's license plate with "do you feel lucky, punk?" but it just doesn't fit. One more month to go.

venture · June 2008

It is imperative that you order the Sport Package in order to get the Sport seats. I and others have made that error, and regreted it. Fortunately, I am able to get the Sports seats when I re-ordered the car as a convertible. If you have any doubts about this, you should ask me about it.

Educate me. What makes the sport seats so desirable? I have to say that the standard seats look like they hug you pretty well.

My E46 has standard seats and I do find myself sliding a little when I wish I was being snuggled more, but the 135's seats do not compare to the E46 seats.

bodble2 · June 2008

It'd be interesting to find out the average age of the male purchaser of the 1er. High school & college grads?

The stats on th e3er is probably skewed because of the large number of 323 and 328xi wagons which no doubt have a large fan base made up of secretaries, young housewives, and upwardly mobile young real estate saleswomen and young female lawyers.

It may be more interesting to look at the gender split for the 335 & 328 sedan and coupes only.

But I agree, that's neither here nor there. :shades:

circlew · June 2008

The sport seats have to be among the best in the industry because I have never had more perfect fit and comfort. Easy to adjust a multitude of settings based on your needs of the moment and always just right. I've had my back ache going in and after 100 miles, cured! Unbelievable!

The G35 sport seats are very good also but still a tad less perfect.

You need to try them yourself to see.

Regards,
OW

tagman · June 2008

I thought the exact same thing as you, and I didn't get them in my Coupe. I was warned and didn't believe the warning... until I took some hard corners... then I was sorry. The standard seats are incredibly comfy at first and that's where I got fooled. The standard seat bottom is nearly flat, and the side bolsters are decent, but not adequate and offer reduced lateral stability. The nearly-flat bottom is more deficient than I thought relevant.

The Sport seat will get you the necessary lateral stability, on the seat's bottom, and on the sides, where there is a width-adjustable bolster system. Also the thigh support is adjustable, although that isn't nearly as important as the lateral support and stability that is there when you need it during spirited driving.

Please trust me. I have read countless testimonials on this, and mine is just another one to add to the pile.

Fortunately, my convertible will have the Sport seats, and I will be enjoying some of the best support possible... not just good from a comfort perspective... but incredible from a performance perspective! That's where the real difference lies, and it's worth the nominal charge which also gets you the M steering wheel and the M shift knob as a small bonus... but it's really about the seats!

Hope that helps!

TM

venture · June 2008

Hope that helps!

Yeah. That helps a lot.

It looks like it will be sport package, heated seats, and I might as well throw in comfort access.

Thanks

roadburner · July 2008

I attended the BMW CCA Bluegrass Chapter's HPDE last weekend. One of the instructors was running a Sparkling Graphite 135i fitted with coilovers and black O.Z. Ultraleggera wheels. He and I were about the only drivers who weren't driving flat out in the instructor sessions, but it was clear that the 135i did have a bit more poke than my Mazdaspeed3- especially in the 90-110 mph range. In the corners I'd also give the 135i a slight edge, although it wasn't as much as I expected. It's the first 135i I've seen that I really liked- both in appearance AND performance. I still think I'm going to wait and see if a tii edition will sees the light of day. And if I find an E46 M3 with the Competition Package and no sunroof it will be Game Over...

tagman · July 2008

Hard to say that you wouldn't have driven the 135i even better than the other guy did!... LOL. Regardless, it's an amazingly capable car. From what I understand, the SGM color is not going to return for '09, due to some strange environmental hazards surrounding its production.

And, yes, It would be hard to turn down an E46 M3 if it was in good condition.

I recently thought of acquiring one... but I have my sights on a Lotus Elise SC.

TM

roadburner · July 2008

I recently thought of acquiring one... but I have my sights on a Lotus Elise SC

One of the instructors brought an Exige to the school. It was a rocket. I'd buy one yesterday if I didn't need at least four seats.

bodble2 · July 2008

'I'd buy one yesterday if I didn't need at least four seats."

Easy solution.....buy 2! :P

tagman · July 2008

One of the instructors brought an Exige to the school. It was a rocket.

Did you get to drive it?

TM

roadburner · July 2008

Did you get to drive it?

No, I didn't know the owner.

fedlawman · July 2008

I've been on the track with an Elise or two before. They come out of nowhere and blow by like you are standing still. Very fast cars.

I've never driven one either and I don't think I should - I know once I try one I'll have to own one.

bodble2 · July 2008

They may be fast, but they're ugly ---- looks like a kit car.

houdini1 · July 2008

I am glad someone else noticed that. They do look like a kit car. An ugly kit car. But very light and fast.

andys120 · July 2008

IMO the Elise is good-looking enough, although I wouldn't call it beautiful. If it looks like a kit car, that's because it's so minimalist.

tagman · July 2008

I am pretty sure that the Exige looks like the kit car more than the Elise, due to the bolted on exterior trim pieces.

The headlights are the weak spot in the design appearance, but otherwise I think it looks exotic, and certainly the performance is stellar. When I had one for a short while, it turned more heads than you can imagine... and got tons of positive reactions.

TM

bodble2 · July 2008

"... it turned more heads than you can imagine... and got tons of positive reactions."

When it comes to cars, people tend to always react positively to anything foreign, sporty, and rare, regardless of whether it is a visual work of art.

mr42hh · July 2008

Edmunds is filled with enthusiasts. So where are all the 1 Series owners?

Here! I got mine last week and I love it. 118d 3-door, jet black, with sports seats, orange cloth/leather interior, premium hi-fi, USB-Audio interface, xenon headlights, 17" V-spoke wheels, heated seats and some more goodies.
interior pic:
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2373444
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2373445

The car in BMW Welt:
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2373438
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2373440
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2373442

About 50% of the people picking up their cars in BMW Welt were Americans.

It gets great fuel economy btw. On B-roads it typically gets 50 mpg with normal driving (just keeping the rpms between 1500 and 2000). Autobahn driving at about 200 kph results in 33 mpg.

nyccarguy · July 2008

That's a sweet ride you got there my man! No diesels for us here in the US :mad: I really dig the practicallity of the hatchback.

I've actually started to see more 1ers popping up on the roads around NYC. I passed a White 135i Coupe on the way to work, a Red 128i 'Vert, and a Montego Blue 1er on the other side of the road.

mr42hh · July 2008

Thanks

When I test drove a 120d while trying to find out if I'd like a bit more power than the 118, it was a coupe. My girlfriend said it looked like an old peoples' car, she loves the hatchback though.

The coupe wouldn't be very useful, because I have to travel with lots of tools and parts boxes. Any gas engine would be downright impossible economically.

jlbl · July 2008

Congrats for your new car.

Last winter my wife and I drove along two weeks a diesel 118d on a 1,500-mile tour from the Pyrenees to the Alps and back. The car behaved fantastically, even being as she was full loaded (back seats folded) with heavy luggage. On snow, she was even more efficient than some SUV riding ahead of us

or was it that the other driver was unable to manage the SUV?

And the consume was really frugal

.

Enjoy the black little greyhound!

Regards,
Jose

tagman · July 2008

Beautiful car indeed! I'm envious of the fuel-economy and practicality.

TM

pod · July 2008

I have yet to see a 1 series BMW on the road. I live in RI and travel on interstate 95 often. None in the malls, none on 95, none anywhere.
Has the series been successful in meeting its projections? I think it is a very appealing package but I am single and have had a few BMWs in the past and liked them (although they were expensive to maintain--now not a consideration for the first years). I tend to keep my cars for at least 8 years.

I would like to hear from some knowledgeable person that sales are going along as planned if that is the case.

blueguydotcom · July 2008

Through June BMW has sold 6000+ 1 series cars. They aimed to sell 10k 1 series car in 2008. Everybody believes they will hit that easily. 6 more months of 2008 and no hint that things are slowing for the 1.

dhanley · July 2008

I had a chance to drive a 135 convertible a few days ago. What a fantastic little car. Goes like a shot, comfortable, excellent handling. Best way to describe it is like a slightly less edgy and more comfortable e46 m3.

*really* want one now.

jrynn · July 2008

1-Series sales in the US were 6101 through June 30 according to the company's news releases.

But it's worth noting that 3-series sales at @60,000 YTD are down 13% from 2007 and BMW's overall passenger CAR sales are down @8%. YTD. (And that doesn't factor in the nearly 20% drop in SAV (X3/X5) sales).

I wouldn't assume that your dealer is feeling like (s)he's holding all the cards in negotiations just because the 1 is new and "hot" Your dealer still has to move metal to pay the rent/utilities.

nyccarguy · August 2008

right here on edmunds. They give the 128i a great review.

Full Test BMW 128i

roadburner · August 2008

I drove a 128i ragtop w/slushbox during Drive for the Cure.It didn't feel all that slow, although I would have to have a stick if I were to own one. The deal-breaker for me is the cramped rear seat. I might as well buy an M Coupe or a CPO Cayman.
OT: The vehicle that really surprised me was the X6 35i- it was very quick and handled much better than such a big and heavy truck has a right to. Pointless but fun.

qbrozen · August 2008

I might as well buy an M Coupe or a CPO Cayman.

??
But then you could get a 128i coupe for only $30k.
If you find a CPO Cayman for $30k, please let me know. I think I may be able to talk the wife into that one.

michaellno · August 2008

I test drove a 128i with the Steptronic a few months ago. Nice package, but, like roadburner, I'd get the stick shift as well.

If I kept the options to a minimum, I think a new one would retail for $30-32K. When the time comes for me - in a few years - to get a new ride, perhaps a CPO might fit the bill at, hopefully, $20-23K.

roadburner · August 2008

I'm not so concerned about the price point as I am the lack of a comfortable rear seat. If I'm considering a car with only an "occasional" rear seat I might as well expand my search two some track-worthy two seaters.

nyccarguy · August 2008

I've driven bothe iterations of the E90 (328 & 335) Xi with slushboxes. I'm not going to bore everyone again by gushing over the bottomless power (especially compared to my '01 Prelude's 156 lb -ft of torque @ 5250 RPM) of the 335xi. I have a good time whenever I get to drive my Mom's 328xiA. I'd definitely take a 128i with a stick. It'd be a tossup between a 128i & a MINI Cooper S.

BTW, my Prelude hit 100,000 miles last week! :P

circlew · August 2008

My kids fit in back during my 128i test drive recently.

When I compared that to the 135i I tested 1 month later, I was astounded. That car makes my 330xi feel like a lead sled!

Regards,
OW

michaellno · August 2008

It'd be a tossup between a 128i & a MINI Cooper S.

Funny, I sometimes have the same thought, though I'm partial to the Mini Clubman. Which, of course, the wife absolutely hates.

Rear seat space isn't that important to me, as I'm usually alone or with the wife. We have her car if there are more than 2 of us.

qbrozen · August 2008

I'm getting confused.

So then why not the 135i?
Or do you figure a used M coupe is still better?
A Cayman doesn't have a back seat at all.
And I'm assuming you mean an M3 coupe. If the Z4M, that doesn't have a back seat, either.

personally, I think a 335 is a better buy than a used M3.

roadburner · August 2008

Or do you figure a used M coupe is still better?

Yep.

Cayman doesn't have a back seat at all.
And I'm assuming you mean an M3 coupe. If the Z4M, that doesn't have a back seat, either.

My point is that I might as well have a car with no back seat as opposed to one with a cramped back seat.

personally, I think a 335 is a better buy than a used M3

To each his own. In my opinion the E46 M3 provides a much more visceral driving experience. And the jury is still out regarding the longevity of the N54- especially when subjected to frequent HPDE use.

bodble2 · August 2008

I'll take an "occassional" backseat over no backseat, as long as styling doesn't suffer.

nyccarguy · August 2008

My daily driver (and occasional family hauler) is my beloved 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH. To say the back seat of my car is small is an understatement. I've got a BRITAX MARATHON forward facing car seat belted in on the passenger side rear. I've even managed to transport a few people in the back seat for short distances. I feel like if you have younger kids the back seat room is not too much of an issue.

The MINI or the 1 series should have back seat room that exceeds my Prelude's.

I don't like the rear doors on the MINI CLUBMAN with the big split down the middle.

blueguydotcom · August 2008

Actually, you barely notice the split. And one big advantage of the clubman's rear door - no b pillar blocking access to the babyseat.

BMW 1-Series

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