120d 177bhp Any good?
Discussion
I have the 5 door M Sport. and would have had a 3 door if they had been out at the time.
I have done 1300 miles in it over the last 3 weeks.
I really really like it. The ride and handling are much better than the 120D that I drove last September. The car is certainly very nippy and i'm thinking of taking it to DMS for a bit more power because without doubt the car can handle it, but I guess that's why there is supposedly a twin turbo 4 cylinder coming next year. I'm currently getting around 43 MPG out of it and that is when it is driven in a spirited manner on A & B roads.
This car replaced a sickly Z4C and I have to say I am really delighted with the choice.
I have done 1300 miles in it over the last 3 weeks.
I really really like it. The ride and handling are much better than the 120D that I drove last September. The car is certainly very nippy and i'm thinking of taking it to DMS for a bit more power because without doubt the car can handle it, but I guess that's why there is supposedly a twin turbo 4 cylinder coming next year. I'm currently getting around 43 MPG out of it and that is when it is driven in a spirited manner on A & B roads.
This car replaced a sickly Z4C and I have to say I am really delighted with the choice.
CatherineJ said:
Gareth are you going to take it DMS for a remap?
I called them on Thursday and was told by "Mike" I think, some very bad new for us and future BMW owners.BMW has started to encrypt its fuel mapping, (started on the new 335i coupe ) This is unbreakable for the tuners to crack, unless the NSA computers are brought to bear.
So outcome is there will be no 120d 177 bhp map and future tuning of BMW is in doubt if BMW roll out that encryption to new models.
G MAN
Gareth, that doesn't sound right.
I spoke with Mike Cooper 2.5 weeks ago and they were due to come and re-map the 120D the Thursday before last. They were going to let us have a trial map for the 330D installed at the same time.
Also I had an alternative price from Hartge for a remap, and they didn't suggest it couldn't be done. The main diffrence being that their map only put out about 190 bhp as apposed to the 208 from DMS.
I wonder if they have just found out they can't do one?
I spoke with Mike Cooper 2.5 weeks ago and they were due to come and re-map the 120D the Thursday before last. They were going to let us have a trial map for the 330D installed at the same time.
Also I had an alternative price from Hartge for a remap, and they didn't suggest it couldn't be done. The main diffrence being that their map only put out about 190 bhp as apposed to the 208 from DMS.
I wonder if they have just found out they can't do one?
Edited by CatherineJ on Sunday 10th June 10:39
Edited by CatherineJ on Sunday 10th June 10:39
CatherineJ said:
I wonder if they have just found out they can't do one?
This is what I believe ... they just found out, apparently they had a new 335i coupe which they bought lying around for 6 months unable to beat the encryption,the new 120d has the same encryption, DMS have spoken to other "tuners" all have failed to beat the new BMW ecu. BMW will only release the encryption to Alpina so they can charge Alpina prices for their tuning.
Yes I know about the 335i, Mike had said to me that Shnitzer (I think that is who it is) have the encryption for it.
If you read E90post.com which is heavily populated by our american friends, they have a product called proceed about to be launched/already launched for the 335i which is either a remap or a tuning box, but i'm not sure which it is.
If you read E90post.com which is heavily populated by our american friends, they have a product called proceed about to be launched/already launched for the 335i which is either a remap or a tuning box, but i'm not sure which it is.
The Procede/Xede/Hartge/RR upgrades are all piggy back type modules, however they don't just sit on the sensors, you have to take a few cables out of the original ECU harness and daisy chain the new unit in. So it is doing the same thing as an ECU reflash in the way it works and controls boost, fueling etc. etc.
I have the Active Autowerke Xede unit and it is very, very impressive, I always use DMS for my cars but them not being able to do the 335i pushed me into having a go with this, the difference is immense!!
Problem is there is only Schitzer and Hartge doing the mods and these are very expensive, I think the hartge one is £1800 and the ACS is £3k?? The xede was £600 delivered.
I have the Active Autowerke Xede unit and it is very, very impressive, I always use DMS for my cars but them not being able to do the 335i pushed me into having a go with this, the difference is immense!!
Problem is there is only Schitzer and Hartge doing the mods and these are very expensive, I think the hartge one is £1800 and the ACS is £3k?? The xede was £600 delivered.
Catherine, do you not find the visibility in the 1er to be poor? I had one for a few days as a courtesy car and I was disconcerted by the poor visibility with both thick A-pillars and a really quite small rear windscreen, which led to correspondingly large blind spots.
I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
CommanderJameson said:
Catherine, do you not find the visibility in the 1er to be poor? I had one for a few days as a courtesy car and I was disconcerted by the poor visibility with both thick A-pillars and a really quite small rear windscreen, which led to correspondingly large blind spots.
I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
No I haven't found visability to be a problem as yet With reference to the ride I don't know if the car you tried was a facelift car or not? The pre facelift car that I drove last September (120D M Sport) was a dog to drive and I switched my planned purchase from one of those to a 318i M Sport.I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
The facelifit car that I have is a totally different prospect. When I took delivery I already thought it was in a different league to the one I previously drove, but then as soon as I reduced the tyre pressures to the correct level the ride just got even better.
CatherineJ said:
CommanderJameson said:
Catherine, do you not find the visibility in the 1er to be poor? I had one for a few days as a courtesy car and I was disconcerted by the poor visibility with both thick A-pillars and a really quite small rear windscreen, which led to correspondingly large blind spots.
I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
No I haven't found visability to be a problem as yet With reference to the ride I don't know if the car you tried was a facelift car or not? The pre facelift car that I drove last September (120D M Sport) was a dog to drive and I switched my planned purchase from one of those to a 318i M Sport.I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
The facelifit car that I have is a totally different prospect. When I took delivery I already thought it was in a different league to the one I previously drove, but then as soon as I reduced the tyre pressures to the correct level the ride just got even better.
CommanderJameson said:
CatherineJ said:
CommanderJameson said:
Catherine, do you not find the visibility in the 1er to be poor? I had one for a few days as a courtesy car and I was disconcerted by the poor visibility with both thick A-pillars and a really quite small rear windscreen, which led to correspondingly large blind spots.
I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
No I haven't found visability to be a problem as yet With reference to the ride I don't know if the car you tried was a facelift car or not? The pre facelift car that I drove last September (120D M Sport) was a dog to drive and I switched my planned purchase from one of those to a 318i M Sport.I also found the ride to be harsh (118i compared to my E39 528i daily driver) but must say the interior fit and finish was first-class, and the driver's seat was very easy to get into a comfortable position.
The facelifit car that I have is a totally different prospect. When I took delivery I already thought it was in a different league to the one I previously drove, but then as soon as I reduced the tyre pressures to the correct level the ride just got even better.
Like Catherine, I took a test drive in the pre-facelift 120d decided against it due to the harsh and noisy ride, heavy steering and lack of refinement - not BMW's finest hour. However I too now own one of the facelift cars (launched this Spring) and think this is one of the most under-hyped facelifts in history: while the cosmetic changes are minimal (bar the introduction of a three-door variant), the nature of the car has been transformed. It's now a very civilized warm hatch with lovely, uncorrupted steering, a pliant ride, excellent refinement and astonishing economy. An underrated car.
Yeah, I'm awfully tempted by a 3-door 120i. BMW have got it spot on with the facelifted car.
I always thought that the gap from the 120i/d to the 130 was a bit much, and 170bhp is what the top four cylinder cars should always have had. It's enough poke to make them interesting and justify the badge without compromising economy.
I always thought that the gap from the 120i/d to the 130 was a bit much, and 170bhp is what the top four cylinder cars should always have had. It's enough poke to make them interesting and justify the badge without compromising economy.
Andrew D said:
Yeah, I'm awfully tempted by a 3-door 120i. BMW have got it spot on with the facelifted car.
I always thought that the gap from the 120i/d to the 130 was a bit much, and 170bhp is what the top four cylinder cars should always have had. It's enough poke to make them interesting and justify the badge without compromising economy.
There is supposedly a Four Cuylinder Twin Turbo car coming with the designation 123/125DI always thought that the gap from the 120i/d to the 130 was a bit much, and 170bhp is what the top four cylinder cars should always have had. It's enough poke to make them interesting and justify the badge without compromising economy.
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