BMW E87 118i Automatic
Discussion
Something a little different this time, I'll start with a disclaimer this is a car for ferrying the kids around and running about town etc. We have had new minis every 6 months via a scheme at work but that's come to an end now and so we needed a car quick, cue the 118i.
This was a trade in at work and fitted the bill, 5 doors, auto, isofix in the front and the front airbag can be turned off. I test drove it and the only thing to report was that a wheel alignment was required as the steering wheel wasn't straight so I set about it straight away.
The front and rear toe was out, not a million miles out but still enough to make the steering wheel not straight. I really enjoy wheel alignment and find them to be a bit of a dark
art. For example I've found in my experience that the rear needs to be spot on before you can even think about setting the front to get the car to drove straight. I got it all set up anyway but not had a chance to roadtest yet!
Next I set about giving the interior a clean up, it's a bit of a unicorn spec this car because it's a 118i se but it has M sport leather. Xenons. Sunroof. Auto gearbox. Auto lights etc.
We've got some new wheel cleaner at work which apparently turns red when it's doing something to the wheels, gave that a go and they came up well.
That's it for updates for now. The car literally needs for nothing else, the history is cram packed and it's had every issue that these see rectified. I've ordered an M sport steering wheel to make the interior fully m sport and a set of mats as the drivers mat is missing. Better pictures to follow!!
This was a trade in at work and fitted the bill, 5 doors, auto, isofix in the front and the front airbag can be turned off. I test drove it and the only thing to report was that a wheel alignment was required as the steering wheel wasn't straight so I set about it straight away.
The front and rear toe was out, not a million miles out but still enough to make the steering wheel not straight. I really enjoy wheel alignment and find them to be a bit of a dark
art. For example I've found in my experience that the rear needs to be spot on before you can even think about setting the front to get the car to drove straight. I got it all set up anyway but not had a chance to roadtest yet!
Next I set about giving the interior a clean up, it's a bit of a unicorn spec this car because it's a 118i se but it has M sport leather. Xenons. Sunroof. Auto gearbox. Auto lights etc.
We've got some new wheel cleaner at work which apparently turns red when it's doing something to the wheels, gave that a go and they came up well.
That's it for updates for now. The car literally needs for nothing else, the history is cram packed and it's had every issue that these see rectified. I've ordered an M sport steering wheel to make the interior fully m sport and a set of mats as the drivers mat is missing. Better pictures to follow!!
Edited by Andrew-b90y3 on Sunday 11th June 21:51
Edited by Andrew-b90y3 on Sunday 11th June 21:51
tvrfan007 said:
Iron remover.. Not just for your wheels but works well on the bodywork too and you'll see a ton of it on a silver car especially one that had bmw pads, never known any generate so much dust!
A New mini every month?! Bmw dealer perk?
My apologies, a new mini every 6 months, a new one every month would be great!A New mini every month?! Bmw dealer perk?
Ah ok, I'll give it a try on the body too then and it won't do any harm to paintwork etc?
Andrew-b90y3 said:
My apologies, a new mini every 6 months, a new one every month would be great!
Ah ok, I'll give it a try on the body too then and it won't do any harm to paintwork etc?
No, it’ll just remove the iron fallout embedded in the paint. Means less time with a clay bar; you’ll just be left with the really stubborn stuff.Ah ok, I'll give it a try on the body too then and it won't do any harm to paintwork etc?
My other half ran a 116i ES that we bought from the in-laws. It was dog slow and used too much fuel for the lack of go, but I was quite fond of it and thought it drove pretty well really.
Yours looks like a good spec.
Thanks for the replies everyone.
The timing chain has been done last year or the year before so hopefully it should be good for a while longer!!
A few more pictures of it clean and waxed.
My m sport steering wheel arrived today so I'll get some pictures up of that fitted soon and I ordered a new set of mats for it off eBay. The pile weight matches the density of a dearer set I bought a while ago but we'll see if they are any good!
The timing chain has been done last year or the year before so hopefully it should be good for a while longer!!
A few more pictures of it clean and waxed.
My m sport steering wheel arrived today so I'll get some pictures up of that fitted soon and I ordered a new set of mats for it off eBay. The pile weight matches the density of a dearer set I bought a while ago but we'll see if they are any good!
Very interesting! Currently looking for a 2nd car myself for pretty much the same reasons and this is the type of car that keeps popping up in my searches. Some good low mileage examples around so wouldn't be surprised if I go for a 1 Series too... just hope I find one in as good nick as yours!
They are great little cars 1 series as long as you address the common issues on them! There are a couple of things that can be costly, driveshafts are particularly expensive if they've swollen and timing chains can be a dear do.
Quick little update from today, M sport steering wheel fitted.
There wasn't really anything wrong with the sport wheel but the leather had lifted in places and the m sport wheel just feels and looks a lot better.
I picked this wheel up for £50 from quarry motors with no airbag and it's cleaned up a treat.
That's it for now folks!
Quick little update from today, M sport steering wheel fitted.
There wasn't really anything wrong with the sport wheel but the leather had lifted in places and the m sport wheel just feels and looks a lot better.
I picked this wheel up for £50 from quarry motors with no airbag and it's cleaned up a treat.
That's it for now folks!
Thanks Court_s!!
It didn't quite look like that when I bought it but a valeter at work tipped me off to a great cleaning trick.
A magic sponge (if you've ever heard of one) soaked in interior cleaner and it brings things up like brand new. Keep re-applying interior cleaner to the magic sponge and wringing it out and the jobs jobbed!!
It didn't quite look like that when I bought it but a valeter at work tipped me off to a great cleaning trick.
A magic sponge (if you've ever heard of one) soaked in interior cleaner and it brings things up like brand new. Keep re-applying interior cleaner to the magic sponge and wringing it out and the jobs jobbed!!
Finally managed to get the 118i insured and on the road this weekend just gone so it was time to put a few miles on it. Things were going great, wife liked it, kids love the sunroof etc!!
On our way to the in-laws so just pulled off of the M60 and felt a small hiccup in the revs as the car dropped down to idle. Another small hiccup this time accompanied by a flashing eml light and what felt like a cylinder misfire. Great.
Parked up at the in-laws had dinner etc, came out to the car after about an hour and all running fine with no eml on again so off we went. After approx 20 minutes eml on and misfire back again. I think this is my initiation back into N43 ownership.
Anyway the fault was clearly when the car was warmed up the misfire came on. Popped into an empty workshop Sunday and quickly read the fault codes and ran a basic misfire detection test with ISTA and it came back that cylinder 1 required a new plug, coil and injector as I thought.
This little blighter is to blame.
Tucked away in here.
I must have changed a million of these things in my lifetime so replacement was easy. Cowl panels off, engine cover off, high pressure fuel pipe off, injector brace off and then wiggle to remove. All went without a hitch and took about 45 minutes. I even remembered to photograph the injector values to input into ISTA.
All buttoned up.
I didn't bother replacing the plug as it only had a spark plug service with gen plugs 12 months ago so that'll be right.
Onwards with the good old N43!!
On our way to the in-laws so just pulled off of the M60 and felt a small hiccup in the revs as the car dropped down to idle. Another small hiccup this time accompanied by a flashing eml light and what felt like a cylinder misfire. Great.
Parked up at the in-laws had dinner etc, came out to the car after about an hour and all running fine with no eml on again so off we went. After approx 20 minutes eml on and misfire back again. I think this is my initiation back into N43 ownership.
Anyway the fault was clearly when the car was warmed up the misfire came on. Popped into an empty workshop Sunday and quickly read the fault codes and ran a basic misfire detection test with ISTA and it came back that cylinder 1 required a new plug, coil and injector as I thought.
This little blighter is to blame.
Tucked away in here.
I must have changed a million of these things in my lifetime so replacement was easy. Cowl panels off, engine cover off, high pressure fuel pipe off, injector brace off and then wiggle to remove. All went without a hitch and took about 45 minutes. I even remembered to photograph the injector values to input into ISTA.
All buttoned up.
I didn't bother replacing the plug as it only had a spark plug service with gen plugs 12 months ago so that'll be right.
Onwards with the good old N43!!
vladcjelli said:
We’ve got an 05 116.
Coming from exclusively front wheel drive cars, the steering feels really heavy.
Is that normal on these, or should we be getting it looked at?
An 05 will have hydraulic steering which does feel heavy especially compared to modern cars. I remember how heavy our old 330i would feel after my Mk3 vRS. Coming from exclusively front wheel drive cars, the steering feels really heavy.
Is that normal on these, or should we be getting it looked at?
Andrew-b90y3 said:
Finally managed to get the 118i insured and on the road this weekend just gone so it was time to put a few miles on it. Things were going great, wife liked it, kids love the sunroof etc!!
On our way to the in-laws so just pulled off of the M60 and felt a small hiccup in the revs as the car dropped down to idle. Another small hiccup this time accompanied by a flashing eml light and what felt like a cylinder misfire. Great.
Parked up at the in-laws had dinner etc, came out to the car after about an hour and all running fine with no eml on again so off we went. After approx 20 minutes eml on and misfire back again. I think this is my initiation back into N43 ownership.
Anyway the fault was clearly when the car was warmed up the misfire came on. Popped into an empty workshop Sunday and quickly read the fault codes and ran a basic misfire detection test with ISTA and it came back that cylinder 1 required a new plug, coil and injector as I thought.
This little blighter is to blame.
Tucked away in here.
I must have changed a million of these things in my lifetime so replacement was easy. Cowl panels off, engine cover off, high pressure fuel pipe off, injector brace off and then wiggle to remove. All went without a hitch and took about 45 minutes. I even remembered to photograph the injector values to input into ISTA.
All buttoned up.
I didn't bother replacing the plug as it only had a spark plug service with gen plugs 12 months ago so that'll be right.
Onwards with the good old N43!!
The joys of the Piezo injectors in BMW’s! I used a good used one when one of mine was leaking; sod changing to a full set of index 12’s. On our way to the in-laws so just pulled off of the M60 and felt a small hiccup in the revs as the car dropped down to idle. Another small hiccup this time accompanied by a flashing eml light and what felt like a cylinder misfire. Great.
Parked up at the in-laws had dinner etc, came out to the car after about an hour and all running fine with no eml on again so off we went. After approx 20 minutes eml on and misfire back again. I think this is my initiation back into N43 ownership.
Anyway the fault was clearly when the car was warmed up the misfire came on. Popped into an empty workshop Sunday and quickly read the fault codes and ran a basic misfire detection test with ISTA and it came back that cylinder 1 required a new plug, coil and injector as I thought.
This little blighter is to blame.
Tucked away in here.
I must have changed a million of these things in my lifetime so replacement was easy. Cowl panels off, engine cover off, high pressure fuel pipe off, injector brace off and then wiggle to remove. All went without a hitch and took about 45 minutes. I even remembered to photograph the injector values to input into ISTA.
All buttoned up.
I didn't bother replacing the plug as it only had a spark plug service with gen plugs 12 months ago so that'll be right.
Onwards with the good old N43!!
118i motoring has been pleasant so far. The e87 really is a brilliant car to drive, the chassis feels mega planted and just a nice place to be. It's not setting the world on fore with performance as it's a 118 auto but motorway or around town it's brilliant.
A couple of things I've noted in my initial ownership. I think the auto gearbox oil is due as when it's cold in the morning it can really hang onto 1st gear and the changes are what I would describe as clumsy really.
The volume button trim for the radio has called off so this needs re attaching and the check straps on bothbrear doors have failed which is mightily annoying when you have 2 young children!
Also when we first got the car I did a wheel alignment on it, i was rushing and did a poor job so I got that redone this week.
All setup on the machine and ready to go. It only takes about 5 minutes to set the car up to be aligned so tweaking it isn't a problem.
Initial readings before adjustment so I was definitely having an off day that day!!
Much better now!!
Also the car came with mudflaps but only had 3 and I don't really think mudflaps suit the e87 much so,
Looks much better now. They were only held on by 3 Philips screws and lipped around the back bumper.
Other than that just really enjoying the car at the minute, it's great to drove and a great place to be. Its quite liberating to have a car that isn't worth a great deal even though I look after it it isn't a new car that I have to worry about being damaged etc etc.
A couple of things I've noted in my initial ownership. I think the auto gearbox oil is due as when it's cold in the morning it can really hang onto 1st gear and the changes are what I would describe as clumsy really.
The volume button trim for the radio has called off so this needs re attaching and the check straps on bothbrear doors have failed which is mightily annoying when you have 2 young children!
Also when we first got the car I did a wheel alignment on it, i was rushing and did a poor job so I got that redone this week.
All setup on the machine and ready to go. It only takes about 5 minutes to set the car up to be aligned so tweaking it isn't a problem.
Initial readings before adjustment so I was definitely having an off day that day!!
Much better now!!
Also the car came with mudflaps but only had 3 and I don't really think mudflaps suit the e87 much so,
Looks much better now. They were only held on by 3 Philips screws and lipped around the back bumper.
Other than that just really enjoying the car at the minute, it's great to drove and a great place to be. Its quite liberating to have a car that isn't worth a great deal even though I look after it it isn't a new car that I have to worry about being damaged etc etc.
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