130i M Purchasing Advise Needed Please
130i M Purchasing Advise Needed Please
Author
Discussion

MATRS

Original Poster:

451 posts

312 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
quotequote all
Just about to purchase a 2005 car for the wife is there anything I should be looking out for?

Tower View BMW

19 posts

234 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
quotequote all
I've had a 130i since new and covered 15k since Dec 05. The only things I've had to take it back to the dealer for was sticking door handles and new rubber seals over the driver and passenger windows. Both jobs were covered under warranty.

Good luck in your search!

gavmobile

159 posts

241 months

Friday 3rd August 2007
quotequote all
Yep, mines a late 2005 car with 12k mile and I've had the sticking door handles which I fixed myself with few squirts of WD40. I haven't had the door seal problem (I think they whistle) but my auto lights have started playing up (guess I'll just have to reach down and switch to manual!)

Other than that a fine car, especially with the run-flats binned.

Tower View BMW

19 posts

234 months

Friday 3rd August 2007
quotequote all
gavmobile said:
Yep, mines a late 2005 car with 12k mile and I've had the sticking door handles which I fixed myself with few squirts of WD40. I haven't had the door seal problem (I think they whistle) but my auto lights have started playing up (guess I'll just have to reach down and switch to manual!)

Other than that a fine car, especially with the run-flats binned.
As you mentioned the run flats are a pain at times. What tyres did you go to?

gavmobile

159 posts

241 months

Friday 3rd August 2007
quotequote all
Tower View BMW said:
As you mentioned the run flats are a pain at times. What tyres did you go to?
I went for Pirelli P Zero Rosso's 225/40/18s all round and two can's of tyre weld in the boot. I've only had them on a for a couple of weeks so it's early days but the difference is noticable. Grip, especially in the wet, it vastly improved and I haven't seem much of the DTC light since they got fitted.

Having said that I suspect at least some of this new found grip is purely down to the fact that I have new tyres, not just new non-runflat tyres.

The ride is better but still there's still some experimenting to do with the tyres pressures before I'm totally happy.

pete

1,634 posts

313 months

Friday 3rd August 2007
quotequote all
On the subject of runflats, if you only have the car lightly loaded, have a play with running the tyres a few PSI softer than recommended. It makes a huge difference to ride comfort, and no difference as far as I can tell to the wear pattern on the tyres. Newer Goodyear NCT5s also seem to be a little more compliant than the original ones, so there are lots of options depending how much you want to spend.

My 130i Msport has had nothing wrong other than the sticking door handles, a broken fog lamp lens, and it required a software update to get the GPS and inertial navigation modules in sync. Other than that, it just works!

Pete

G Man

4,053 posts

289 months

Friday 3rd August 2007
quotequote all
Just remember you can get a new 130i from DTD for £22K so the price should be a lot less than that


MATRS

Original Poster:

451 posts

312 months

Sunday 5th August 2007
quotequote all
Many thanks for the advice, will keep you posted in our search.

MATRS

Original Poster:

451 posts

312 months

Wednesday 19th December 2007
quotequote all
Well its taken 4 months, my wife and I have today collected our 2006 LeMans Blue 130i, well happy!

Thanks again

Matt

dibbly_dobbler

11,490 posts

226 months

Wednesday 19th December 2007
quotequote all
Cool thumbup!! How about some pics or a few more details Matt ? (I have a 130se and am very tempted by a M Sport)

flattotheboards

6,689 posts

235 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
dibbly_dobbler said:
Cool thumbup!! How about some pics or a few more details Matt ? (I have a 130se and am very tempted by a M Sport)
Is there much of a difference between the M Sport and the SE to drive?

dibbly_dobbler

11,490 posts

226 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
flattotheboards said:
dibbly_dobbler said:
Cool thumbup!! How about some pics or a few more details Matt ? (I have a 130se and am very tempted by a M Sport)
Is there much of a difference between the M Sport and the SE to drive?
I wouldn't have thought so. The se is probably a bit easier riding due to non-M suspension and higher profile tyres but the engine is the same I believe. I just want something a bit sexier (ok yeah it's all relative before you say !) as a 130se could easily be a 116 to look at. I'm also keen to get a 2008 model for the various improvements.

MATRS

Original Poster:

451 posts

312 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
dibbly_dobbler said:
Cool thumbup!! How about some pics or a few more details Matt ? (I have a 130se and am very tempted by a M Sport)
Mike,

Only photo I have taken so far due to crap weather.....



Cheers
Matt


dibbly_dobbler

11,490 posts

226 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
Nice one Matt - like it a lot. Is that Le Mans blue ? Looks a bit darker but maybe just the light. How do you find the grip in these weather conditions ? I'm slithering around all over the place on my 17 inch RFTs - call me a wimp but I'd rather just keep it pointing the way I'm going !!

MATRS

Original Poster:

451 posts

312 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
dibbly_dobbler said:
Nice one Matt - like it a lot. Is that Le Mans blue ? Looks a bit darker but maybe just the light. How do you find the grip in these weather conditions ? I'm slithering around all over the place on my 17 inch RFTs - call me a wimp but I'd rather just keep it pointing the way I'm going !!
Yes its LeMans blue. Grip is good - I just tend to drive to the conditions, though I will be changing the run flats shortly.

bennymc

3 posts

225 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
gavmobile said:
Tower View BMW said:
As you mentioned the run flats are a pain at times. What tyres did you go to?
I went for Pirelli P Zero Rosso's 225/40/18s all round and two can's of tyre weld in the boot. I've only had them on a for a couple of weeks so it's early days but the difference is noticable. Grip, especially in the wet, it vastly improved and I haven't seem much of the DTC light since they got fitted.

Having said that I suspect at least some of this new found grip is purely down to the fact that I have new tyres, not just new non-runflat tyres.

The ride is better but still there's still some experimenting to do with the tyres pressures before I'm totally happy.
Hope you realise that this now means your car has been 'modified' in the eyes of most insurance companies and could invalidate your insurance!? Run-flats are manufacturers standard spec and are also a safety feature...

gavmobile

159 posts

241 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
bennymc said:
Hope you realise that this now means your car has been 'modified' in the eyes of most insurance companies and could invalidate your insurance!? Run-flats are manufacturers standard spec and are also a safety feature...
Not sure who told you that. I spoke to my insurance co and they confirmed that providing the tyres were road legal and met UK regulations there were no issues whatsoever.


BMW could try and invalidate the warranty I suppose but I've got a good relationship with mine and I've already had work done one the steering rack with the non-RFT's fitted, all covered by warranty.

SJobson

13,812 posts

293 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
bennymc said:
gavmobile said:
Tower View BMW said:
As you mentioned the run flats are a pain at times. What tyres did you go to?
I went for Pirelli P Zero Rosso's 225/40/18s all round and two can's of tyre weld in the boot. I've only had them on a for a couple of weeks so it's early days but the difference is noticable. Grip, especially in the wet, it vastly improved and I haven't seem much of the DTC light since they got fitted.

Having said that I suspect at least some of this new found grip is purely down to the fact that I have new tyres, not just new non-runflat tyres.

The ride is better but still there's still some experimenting to do with the tyres pressures before I'm totally happy.
Hope you realise that this now means your car has been 'modified' in the eyes of most insurance companies and could invalidate your insurance!? Run-flats are manufacturers standard spec and are also a safety feature...
So your insurance could be invalid because you don't have any way of fixing a puncture? Err... don't think so.

baz1985

3,685 posts

274 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
Oh no you put Mobil 1 engine oil in...that constitutes a modification....f8cks sake.