325ti vs 130i (old and loved vs new and unknown)
Discussion
So firstly I should say my love of cars is based on something small, fun, with a decent chunk of power that is comfy. I prioritse the sensation of driving over outright speed, but I like some practicality so basically a hot hatch guy. Traditionally I like petrol, manual and naturally aspirated - hence Honda and BMW being my go to brands.
I currently have a tatty 325ti in a fairly rare spec that I love to bits and I'm getting to that point where I'm going to have the opportunity to invest a decent amount of money into bringing it up to scratch or potentially get a new car. The only alternatives that appeal and are in my price range up to about ~6k are a well sorted e46 330i and a 130i. My main problem with the 130i is that I get the slight impression it's built to a budget, whereas the 325ti was basically a slightly modified 3 series and also the steering starts to get electric although I know it depends on options and face-lifts. I am biased against such a system because the only car I had it in it was absolutely awful. I know they've improved a lot since, particularly in newer cars, but I can't help but prefer the idea of a hydraulic rack.
I'd love to hear some feedback from people who've been in a similar situation - had an old car that they loved and then upgraded to something smarter. Are you glad you did it, do you miss the old one, do you miss the driving experience, was it worth it financially? Any specific thoughts of upgrading from the e46 to later bmw generations would also be welcome.
I feel like I've got a pretty good hang of that subsection of the car market but if anyone knows something I might have missed I am open to suggestions. An S3 is the obvious alternative, but I had a 180bhp 1.8T A3 and, although effective, disliked the ride comfort and the seats.
Also I know the 325ti is far from the greatest or prettiest car in the world, but I know what I like.
I currently have a tatty 325ti in a fairly rare spec that I love to bits and I'm getting to that point where I'm going to have the opportunity to invest a decent amount of money into bringing it up to scratch or potentially get a new car. The only alternatives that appeal and are in my price range up to about ~6k are a well sorted e46 330i and a 130i. My main problem with the 130i is that I get the slight impression it's built to a budget, whereas the 325ti was basically a slightly modified 3 series and also the steering starts to get electric although I know it depends on options and face-lifts. I am biased against such a system because the only car I had it in it was absolutely awful. I know they've improved a lot since, particularly in newer cars, but I can't help but prefer the idea of a hydraulic rack.
I'd love to hear some feedback from people who've been in a similar situation - had an old car that they loved and then upgraded to something smarter. Are you glad you did it, do you miss the old one, do you miss the driving experience, was it worth it financially? Any specific thoughts of upgrading from the e46 to later bmw generations would also be welcome.
I feel like I've got a pretty good hang of that subsection of the car market but if anyone knows something I might have missed I am open to suggestions. An S3 is the obvious alternative, but I had a 180bhp 1.8T A3 and, although effective, disliked the ride comfort and the seats.
Also I know the 325ti is far from the greatest or prettiest car in the world, but I know what I like.
Might be worth signing yourself up for the babybmw forums and the 130i owners group on Facebook to see if there’s a pre ‘07 130i at a decent cost. Finding one of those might make your decision for you.
I’ve got a 130i LE which was the first run of the facelift.
I don’t have a massive amount of experience with loads of different cars but I will say I’ve never found the EPAS lacking.
There’s a couple of cheap mods you can do to help turn in if you like and the engine is a peach as I’m sure you’re aware.
When you say you’d maybe like to invest in your current car, how much are you talking? Would you spend the same amount it would cost to get you in to a 130i?
I’ve got a 130i LE which was the first run of the facelift.
I don’t have a massive amount of experience with loads of different cars but I will say I’ve never found the EPAS lacking.
There’s a couple of cheap mods you can do to help turn in if you like and the engine is a peach as I’m sure you’re aware.
When you say you’d maybe like to invest in your current car, how much are you talking? Would you spend the same amount it would cost to get you in to a 130i?
The 130 with the N52 engine is a cracking little thing.
I had an E46 325ti which was a pain in the arse if I’m honest. I had a 330 after and whilst I’d didn’t feel as solid as the E46, I think it was a much better made car with less inherent issues.
To my eyes the E87 looks a lot fresher than the compact so if I could find a good one, I’d be tempted.
I had an E46 325ti which was a pain in the arse if I’m honest. I had a 330 after and whilst I’d didn’t feel as solid as the E46, I think it was a much better made car with less inherent issues.
To my eyes the E87 looks a lot fresher than the compact so if I could find a good one, I’d be tempted.
Sounds like I have similar tastes to yourself, being a fan of Honda (owned a Civic vti for almost a decade) and BMW, having owned a 130i for almost as long.
I feel the 130i treads that fine line between old school charm and feel (uncomplicated, manual, NA, RWD) and relative modernity. It costs buttons to run, stopped depreciating years ago and still puts a smile on my face. Rather like you and your ti, I still really like it; it’s part of the family. I often find myself wondering what I’d replace it with and I really struggle.
In your situation you’ve got a car that needs a bit of work to bring up to scratch and something else has caught your eye, so maybe now is the time to jump. I’ve not driven a 325ti but did test a 330ci before I bought my 130. There was no comparison in my opinion. I’d suggest you try out a 130i and see how you feel about it. I doubt you’d be disappointed.
I feel the 130i treads that fine line between old school charm and feel (uncomplicated, manual, NA, RWD) and relative modernity. It costs buttons to run, stopped depreciating years ago and still puts a smile on my face. Rather like you and your ti, I still really like it; it’s part of the family. I often find myself wondering what I’d replace it with and I really struggle.
In your situation you’ve got a car that needs a bit of work to bring up to scratch and something else has caught your eye, so maybe now is the time to jump. I’ve not driven a 325ti but did test a 330ci before I bought my 130. There was no comparison in my opinion. I’d suggest you try out a 130i and see how you feel about it. I doubt you’d be disappointed.
I had an E46 325ti Sport for over 3 years and felt like I needed a change last year, so I bought an E91 325i - which was so disappointing I replaced it with an E90 330i in April!
I would have loved a 130i, but couldn't find one in budget at the time.
My 55 plate 330i has Hydraulic PAS, and I would really avoid anything with Electric PAS - my E86 has EPAS and it is nowhere near as good.
I would have loved a 130i, but couldn't find one in budget at the time.
My 55 plate 330i has Hydraulic PAS, and I would really avoid anything with Electric PAS - my E86 has EPAS and it is nowhere near as good.
Heathwood said:
I feel the 130i treads that fine line between old school charm and feel (uncomplicated, manual, NA, RWD) and relative modernity. It costs buttons to run, stopped depreciating years ago and still puts a smile on my face. Rather like you and your ti, I still really like it; it’s part of the family. I often find myself wondering what I’d replace it with and I really struggle.
This is how I would describe the 130i having owned mine for 18 months now. I've done 24k miles in mine, taking it from 46k to 70k, and the only thing that's gone wrong is the ABS pump - not bad for a 12-year-old car. I'm getting one or two knocks and clunks from the front end so I think the suspension will need attention soon, but I'm leaning towards spending the money on it rather than moving onto something else.You're looking at a 70bhp increase from your 325 and the N52 is IMO the best non-M engine BMW ever produced (and probably will ever produce given there are now turbos on every model), so it will definitely feel like a significant upgrade.
I must confess I have not driven a 325ti nor have I driven a pre-LCI 130i with the hydraulic steering, but I personally find the steering is fine - it's not completely numb like some electric systems. I would focus more attention on finding a tidy example with the options you're looking for than solely looking for a pre-facelift. Must-have options for me would be cruise, heated leather and xenons (mine doesn't have the latter and I really wish it did). Wouldn't worry too much about the nav as it's old tech now and Waze is leagues ahead.
I'd recommend E92 M3 lower control arms and the camber pin mod as a previous poster has mentioned - relatively cheap mod which makes the front end noticeably pointier.
I've had a 4 door 130i (2006) for nearly ten years now, and I struggle to think what I would replace it with. I have the M3 lower arms, and Birds Auto suspension kit, and it just drives so well. There is a fair bit of road noise from the Continental SportContact 5s but other than that it's a great car. It's done 125k miles, and the only thing that has really gone wrong is the electric water pump packed up at 115k. Honestly my next car is likely to be a 997 Carrera 2S as that's the only thing that I can even vaguely afford which would feel like an upgrade from the 1er. I kind of like the M135i but they seem to be exclusively driven by morons and it doesn't seem like much of an upgrade. I suppose the other option to consider is an M2 but again it just doesn't really seem to justify the price over my car.
I would say that both cars are very good in their own right. However, i only have experience of the 130i.
Mine was a 2005 car, 55 plate. Hydraulic steering, not electrically assisted. It had all the optional extra's bar the BMWP bits which are a worthwhile addition if you can find a car with them on.
Notes from ownership - as above. Relatively cheap to maintain and service. If you are handy with a spanner then actually they are really easy to work on. I changed injectors, coilpacks, plugs, lower arms all myself. Easy work. Nothing is too difficult or expensive to buy i found.
The engine is a peach. N52 3.0 straight six is just lovely. Loved to rev. Sounded lovely with the standard exhaust (golf tee mod). The handling was a little off to begin with, a bit loose and wayward for me, but a set of e46 m3 lower control arms, the Birds suspension package (tuned bilstein parts) and upgrade bushes and i can say that it really felt and went very much like a "baby" e46 m3.
The interior was a nice place to be, the kit was dated by today's standards, but i still got working traffic management/satnav, bluetooth. cruise control, xenons, auto wipers etc. etc. So compared to the 325ti it had more mod cons even though they aren't modern by today's standards.
In comparison, i had the e46 330i and the driving and the interior and the handling was just a step up in most ways. The fuel consumption was good too, i'd average 28mpg over a 6 mile a day commute. Which wasn't bad considering. The e46 would do maybe 24mpg on the same run. On a commute i'd see near enough 40mpg in the 1series at a steady 70mpgh.
Ditch the run flat tyres and you'll improve the handling no end as an easy first upgrade.
The boot was fairly large given the cars proportions and despite a few warnings before buying with two youngish kids - i was pleasantly surprised. Suited my family down to the ground. The wife loved it as it was refined and compact and easy to drive round town and i loved it because on my own and at a weekend it was a good fun enjoyable steer.
It's certainly a car i regret not having owned sooner and i'd happily go back to one. My suggestion is to buy now. I can see prices beginning to rise.
In terms of the comparisons, there aren't many. The 135i that replaced it was very much a bit "youth" for my liking and it ditched the n/a engine for a turbo charged block and i'm not sure it has the same character.
In terms of big engined hatches, the r32 has a great engine note and its 4wd but its heavy and by god it drinks fuel. The MPG was awful. My impreza gets better mileage!
I can't really compare it to anything else. It kind of stands out for me as a great hot hatch that seems to be forgotten by most people and until you drive one you never really know just how good it can be. WIth a few tweaks for me it was great fun and ticked a lot of boxes that other hot hatches just couldn't.
Mine was a 2005 car, 55 plate. Hydraulic steering, not electrically assisted. It had all the optional extra's bar the BMWP bits which are a worthwhile addition if you can find a car with them on.
Notes from ownership - as above. Relatively cheap to maintain and service. If you are handy with a spanner then actually they are really easy to work on. I changed injectors, coilpacks, plugs, lower arms all myself. Easy work. Nothing is too difficult or expensive to buy i found.
The engine is a peach. N52 3.0 straight six is just lovely. Loved to rev. Sounded lovely with the standard exhaust (golf tee mod). The handling was a little off to begin with, a bit loose and wayward for me, but a set of e46 m3 lower control arms, the Birds suspension package (tuned bilstein parts) and upgrade bushes and i can say that it really felt and went very much like a "baby" e46 m3.
The interior was a nice place to be, the kit was dated by today's standards, but i still got working traffic management/satnav, bluetooth. cruise control, xenons, auto wipers etc. etc. So compared to the 325ti it had more mod cons even though they aren't modern by today's standards.
In comparison, i had the e46 330i and the driving and the interior and the handling was just a step up in most ways. The fuel consumption was good too, i'd average 28mpg over a 6 mile a day commute. Which wasn't bad considering. The e46 would do maybe 24mpg on the same run. On a commute i'd see near enough 40mpg in the 1series at a steady 70mpgh.
Ditch the run flat tyres and you'll improve the handling no end as an easy first upgrade.
The boot was fairly large given the cars proportions and despite a few warnings before buying with two youngish kids - i was pleasantly surprised. Suited my family down to the ground. The wife loved it as it was refined and compact and easy to drive round town and i loved it because on my own and at a weekend it was a good fun enjoyable steer.
It's certainly a car i regret not having owned sooner and i'd happily go back to one. My suggestion is to buy now. I can see prices beginning to rise.
In terms of the comparisons, there aren't many. The 135i that replaced it was very much a bit "youth" for my liking and it ditched the n/a engine for a turbo charged block and i'm not sure it has the same character.
In terms of big engined hatches, the r32 has a great engine note and its 4wd but its heavy and by god it drinks fuel. The MPG was awful. My impreza gets better mileage!
I can't really compare it to anything else. It kind of stands out for me as a great hot hatch that seems to be forgotten by most people and until you drive one you never really know just how good it can be. WIth a few tweaks for me it was great fun and ticked a lot of boxes that other hot hatches just couldn't.
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