BMW 1 series - What to look for when buying?
Discussion
Due to my me and my Mrs expecting our 1st child in July we are looking into putting our Mini Cooper in as PX towards a BMW 1 series so that we have more room (and a comfier ride!).
Our budget is proerbly going to be around 5-6k including the Mini so it will be an early model with hopefully <80k on it.
I have found a car which is acctually local to me at a dealers for 5k (116 petrol) with 66k on the clock. Is there anything suspect I should look out for at this price?
Our budget is proerbly going to be around 5-6k including the Mini so it will be an early model with hopefully <80k on it.
I have found a car which is acctually local to me at a dealers for 5k (116 petrol) with 66k on the clock. Is there anything suspect I should look out for at this price?
If you're expecting a child, be sure that the 1 series is right for you as from what I've seen, it does not have the biggest boot and babies come with the need for a truckload of things.
If you go to look at one, take whatever pram/pushchair you are going to use and put that and a full to the brim changing bag and other bits in to the boot. Also, if you're tall, rear legroom will be poor.
If you go to look at one, take whatever pram/pushchair you are going to use and put that and a full to the brim changing bag and other bits in to the boot. Also, if you're tall, rear legroom will be poor.
james_tigerwoods said:
...If you go to look at one, take whatever pram/pushchair you are going to use and put that and a full to the brim changing bag and other bits in to the boot.
Also, if you're tall, rear legroom will be poor.
This - doing the 'pram test' put us off a number of options due to access and space.Also, if you're tall, rear legroom will be poor.
Legroom wasn't an issue for us (2 children) once they're in, the rear door is a strange shape over the wheel arch and was an inconvenience.
My car seat is a nightmare, its one that can convert from a cot which goes across the entire rear shelf to a kind of sit up traditional hair. Will hardly fit in the back of a 61 plate Mondeo estate. I admit its not got the ISOFIX base which might help but its more the limit of the belt length more than anything, the Grand Cherokee is fits in just fine, the belt length is huge (maybe for fat Americans 
)
I would as suggested take car seats with you to see whether a 1 series is going to work or not, you might find it too small.
)I would as suggested take car seats with you to see whether a 1 series is going to work or not, you might find it too small.
Ranger 6 said:
james_tigerwoods said:
...If you go to look at one, take whatever pram/pushchair you are going to use and put that and a full to the brim changing bag and other bits in to the boot.
Also, if you're tall, rear legroom will be poor.
This - doing the 'pram test' put us off a number of options due to access and space.Also, if you're tall, rear legroom will be poor.
Legroom wasn't an issue for us (2 children) once they're in, the rear door is a strange shape over the wheel arch and was an inconvenience.
Our pram/buggy filled the entire boot of my 1 series. 
mike325112 said:
Our pram/buggy filled the entire boot of my 1 series. 
We are expecting in July so we haven't got around to car seats yet (damm...my budget is getting less and less now
) but we have had a look in the boots and it doesn't seem too bad. The engine is pretty much the same as the mini (I think I read that somewhere) so power and economy should be similar. FamilyDub said:
Our 116d is barely big enough for just the pram, nevermind all the other paraphernalia that we'll no doubt have to acquire.
Oh, and the rear door shape is weird :: I'm only 5'8" ish and I find it hard to get in and out the back.
Really? I guess my other choice would be a A3 as the boot does seem bigger. Oh, and the rear door shape is weird :: I'm only 5'8" ish and I find it hard to get in and out the back.
James1760 said:
FamilyDub said:
Our 116d is barely big enough for just the pram, nevermind all the other paraphernalia that we'll no doubt have to acquire.
Oh, and the rear door shape is weird :: I'm only 5'8" ish and I find it hard to get in and out the back.
Really? I guess my other choice would be a A3 as the boot does seem bigger. Oh, and the rear door shape is weird :: I'm only 5'8" ish and I find it hard to get in and out the back.
EDIT: the new 1-series will be bigger.
You might be better off looking at bigger cars altogether. When our little one was due we changed from a 3 door Astra to a 5 door Focus as it was a more practical shape. The reality is that on a day to day basis it's fine but if you go anywhere for the weekend you'll be wishing you'd gone for a larger car. I wish I'd gone for a Mondeo or Mazda 6 now.
Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that when you have a baby you need a transit van to cart stuff around just don't discount something slightly bigger than a hatchback.
The other comments about taking car seats and buggies with you when you look is great advice.
Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that when you have a baby you need a transit van to cart stuff around just don't discount something slightly bigger than a hatchback.
The other comments about taking car seats and buggies with you when you look is great advice.
I went from a B6 Passat to a Golf - when I bought the Passat, it had phenomenal boot space (I could get a Silvercross 3D lengthways in the boot and stuff on top of it - I could have got another one lengthways next to it.
This same pushchair fits fully widthways in the boot of my Golf and I have a decent amount of space behind (or in front) of it as well as on top of it. We went to Whitby for a week and the boot was (just) big enough for that pushchair and all the crap for us (2 adults, a 1 year old and a 4 year old).
My friend had a 1 series and, once the kids were in (3 and 4 at the time) they struggled to fit in the front of the 1 series as the seats had to come forward - plus they struggled to fit their pushchair in (when the kids were younger) without taking the wheels off. Saying that, he's 6'5" and she's 6'4"
ETA - As above, my Golf seems to work for us (4&1) well - A bigger car would be fine, but then my OH would just hit things with it....
This same pushchair fits fully widthways in the boot of my Golf and I have a decent amount of space behind (or in front) of it as well as on top of it. We went to Whitby for a week and the boot was (just) big enough for that pushchair and all the crap for us (2 adults, a 1 year old and a 4 year old).
My friend had a 1 series and, once the kids were in (3 and 4 at the time) they struggled to fit in the front of the 1 series as the seats had to come forward - plus they struggled to fit their pushchair in (when the kids were younger) without taking the wheels off. Saying that, he's 6'5" and she's 6'4"
ETA - As above, my Golf seems to work for us (4&1) well - A bigger car would be fine, but then my OH would just hit things with it....
Edited by james_tigerwoods on Tuesday 22 January 16:16
funkyrobot said:
I'm very sorry OP, but you are clearly delusional! Everybody knows that when you have a baby you need to buy the biggest MPV that you can afford. I would start with the rather smashing Ford Galaxy.
The realisation is now setting in I am going to resist the urge to search ebay for "MPV"Thanks for all your comments, It is a tough one as the car needs to be fairly usable for the wife to use through the week (I ride a bike) but at the same time big enough to be used on days out.
We struggle to fit everything in the car for a weekend away as it is, and we only have 2 adults and a miniature dachshund!
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