Bmw 130i or focus st facelift

[rb5er]

KarlMac said:

The highlighted part just isn't true. Google 'Focus ST cracked liner' and then recoil in horror. Be under no illusion that this engine is in anyway related to the bomb proof Volvo 2.3 or D5 units. This engine was made at the height (or depth) of Ford's recession penny pinching and it really shows. As an example the torque is electronically limited in first and second to protect the cheap clutch and driveshafts.

This must have happened to less than 1% of cars. The engine has a well proven reliability record in Ford and Volvo cars. from what I gather this only effected poorly remapped cars and very very few of them.

You are massively over egging it if you think it is anywhere near as common as you seem to be making out.

[GG89]

rb5er said:

KarlMac said:

The highlighted part just isn't true. Google 'Focus ST cracked liner' and then recoil in horror. Be under no illusion that this engine is in anyway related to the bomb proof Volvo 2.3 or D5 units. This engine was made at the height (or depth) of Ford's recession penny pinching and it really shows. As an example the torque is electronically limited in first and second to protect the cheap clutch and driveshafts.

This must have happened to less than 1% of cars. The engine has a well proven reliability record in Ford and Volvo cars. from what I gather this only effected poorly remapped cars and very very few of them.

You are massively over egging it if you think it is anywhere near as common as you seem to be making out.

+1 the overall percentage of cracked liners is very small, not sure about the penny pinching comment either the ST is a Hell of a lot of car for the money (even when new)

I test drove the 130i and the ST back to back before choosing and the ST just made me smile so much more, it's so comfortable when cruising the seats are fantastic but the hooligan is always a pedal squeeze away.

[nickfrog]

DonkeyApple said:

However, a much more significant issue with regards to tyres and buying a used 130 is that to save money many people opt for a wider front tyre as they are much cheaper. In Bimmer forums you find people claiming it makes the car look more manly on wider fronts or that it drives better. This is all Barry Talk. Wider tyres on the front of a 130 destroys it. It ruins the turn in and and the feel as well as the handling. It's a car that already runs too much rubber than is ideal and adding more really screws it.
So, when looking at buying a used one if it doesn't have a full set of the right size tyres and of a decent brand then frankly you need to make the seller pay up for a new set of proper tyres.

That's a bit of an extreme view. Many, me included, have indeed gone up to 225 front from 215 mainly because it's the * Michelin PSS tyre size (not available in 215) off the M135i (rears are the same 245 35). Because the rears do need 245 to optimise traction, 225 actually neutralises the car a bit compared to 215.

The main issue is the lack of front neg camber which can be solved by spending £120 + 30mn labour to have M3 lower control arms fitted. It also improves the turn in feel with the right toe. It's still not very communicative but the 215 to 225 increase is actually not the culprit here I don't think. At least the car is almost neutral (with just a hint of push understeer left) in a way that not many volume road cars are this side of a DC2...

Edited by nickfrog on Monday 27th October 22:53