So does anyone have a 130i?
Discussion
We have an RX8 at the moment but having had a z4m and m3 before I'm feeling the urge to hear that 6 cylinder growl again!
Due to an impending baby arrival the 130 has cropped up as a nice sensible but sporty alternative. Just Winfred if anyone could fill us in a bit on the ownership experience a bit? What are the service intervals/costs? Do you have inspection 1&2 like the ///M range? Is it in the 400 quid tax band?
Thanks in advance!
Due to an impending baby arrival the 130 has cropped up as a nice sensible but sporty alternative. Just Winfred if anyone could fill us in a bit on the ownership experience a bit? What are the service intervals/costs? Do you have inspection 1&2 like the ///M range? Is it in the 400 quid tax band?
Thanks in advance!
I've had my '55 130i M-sport 5 door hatch since last April and am really pleased with it after 6 years of my 330ci SE auto.
Going back to a manual is really good (although I have a TVR and my wife's Mini anyway).
Servicing is a bit weird as I have one flagged up and booked for Monday that is only an air-con clean up.
No other services yet so can't comment but I suspect they are much the same as the others.
I am sure my tax isn't £400 but the normal £210(now corrected)
It sounds great when you give it a bit of throttle and drives really well - better than 'sport' 330's that I hated when trying them.
Not masses of room in the back but tolerable.
Maybe not so easy to get comfortable for my 6'3 as the 330 but is OK enough for long journeys.
I have no regrets whatsoever even if it is not the prettiest thing out there.
I had tried a Golf Gti and an Audi A3 that morning (I would have chipped either) but decided the BMW was the one after about 30 seconds!
Going back to a manual is really good (although I have a TVR and my wife's Mini anyway).
Servicing is a bit weird as I have one flagged up and booked for Monday that is only an air-con clean up.
No other services yet so can't comment but I suspect they are much the same as the others.
I am sure my tax isn't £400 but the normal £210(now corrected)
It sounds great when you give it a bit of throttle and drives really well - better than 'sport' 330's that I hated when trying them.
Not masses of room in the back but tolerable.
Maybe not so easy to get comfortable for my 6'3 as the 330 but is OK enough for long journeys.
I have no regrets whatsoever even if it is not the prettiest thing out there.
I had tried a Golf Gti and an Audi A3 that morning (I would have chipped either) but decided the BMW was the one after about 30 seconds!
Edited by DavidLScott on Friday 19th February 16:16
I've had one and would highly recommend it. Mine was a facelift model and would average low-mid thirties and upto 40mpg on a steady motorway run. I ran it for 20k (from new) and the service indicator was showing around 1000 miles to service when I sold it.
Space is OK, but with 2 young children and luggage, weekends away were a bit of a squeeze.
My wife runs an E46 330Ci and the 1er was far more fun. It's a very quick little car, more responsive, sharper turn in and a real hooligan in the wet! Never failed to put a smile on my face and I really regret selling, probably more than any other car I've had.
I also ran a RX8 for a year and although it has sweet handling it never really did it for me, the engine probably being the biggest let down (once the novelty of the hitting the beep wore off!)
Space is OK, but with 2 young children and luggage, weekends away were a bit of a squeeze.
My wife runs an E46 330Ci and the 1er was far more fun. It's a very quick little car, more responsive, sharper turn in and a real hooligan in the wet! Never failed to put a smile on my face and I really regret selling, probably more than any other car I've had.
I also ran a RX8 for a year and although it has sweet handling it never really did it for me, the engine probably being the biggest let down (once the novelty of the hitting the beep wore off!)
Can't really add much except the servicing part - the 1 series is on 'conditional servicing' so the various parts that need servicing will flag up as required. i.e. air con filter is one, oil change another, brakes etc etc.
It's a pain as you then have to go in to the dealer each time the warning comes on so you could have air con one month, oil change the next followed by brake pads a week later. The best way is to manage it when the car goes in, get the dealer to do a report and decisions are easily made as to what can be done.
Other than that the 130 is a cracking car, great fun and good value.
Pete
your next!
It's a pain as you then have to go in to the dealer each time the warning comes on so you could have air con one month, oil change the next followed by brake pads a week later. The best way is to manage it when the car goes in, get the dealer to do a report and decisions are easily made as to what can be done.
Other than that the 130 is a cracking car, great fun and good value.
Pete
your next! Thorny said:
Got one - love it, great fun to drive. Wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a family car though, very firm ride (M Sport) and not that much room in the back seats or boot. Mk 5 GTI would be a better bet (used to have one before the BMW). Great fun on track days though.
It was the Mk5 Gti's that I drove (2 of them actually) and although I have had a total of 5 GTi's (Mk1 and Mk2) and all the Corrado types, the Mk5 left me (and my wife) a bit cold and disappointed to be honest.There is more boot space but that's what folding seats are for but I hardly ever have back seat passengers so the family issue is relevant here I grant you. I do have to fold one seat down to take my golf clubs and electric trolley stuff (I'm old now so allowed!).
The ride is firm but nowhere near as bad as the 330Ci sport, which was plain horrible and jiggly IMHO.
My wife did comment that there wasn't a huge amount more room in the back (behind me) than in her Mini so the driver's height has a significant contribution to practicality.
I'd still reckon on buying one though.
We have one (wife's car actually) and are very happy with it, although we are considering changing to something a bit bigger (330 Touring maybe). We have 2 kids (7 & 9), and it's fine for day to day stuff, but a bit cramped on weekends/weeks away.
We've had ours since last Jan. and it's been completely reliable, apart from needing a couple of new tyres, which are much more expensive due to being runflats
Servicing has been really cheap, but as said above a bit unpredictable with the service indicator dictating when you take it in - last time it came on, I booked in, and when we took the car in they said it just needed an MOT (which it didn't!) - so they washed it while we went a did some shopping!
It's a cracking little car - very quick (I've had Imprezas, an E36 M3, Audi S4, and now a Boxster, and I'm still impressed by how quick the 130i is!) and very chuckable. Only criticism would be the ride being a bit too firm, which could probably be sorted by ditching the runflats.
If it was just a bit bigger, we would be keeping ours for a good while.
We've had ours since last Jan. and it's been completely reliable, apart from needing a couple of new tyres, which are much more expensive due to being runflats
Servicing has been really cheap, but as said above a bit unpredictable with the service indicator dictating when you take it in - last time it came on, I booked in, and when we took the car in they said it just needed an MOT (which it didn't!) - so they washed it while we went a did some shopping!
It's a cracking little car - very quick (I've had Imprezas, an E36 M3, Audi S4, and now a Boxster, and I'm still impressed by how quick the 130i is!) and very chuckable. Only criticism would be the ride being a bit too firm, which could probably be sorted by ditching the runflats.
If it was just a bit bigger, we would be keeping ours for a good while.
Cool thanks for the replies. We actually bought the RX8 (having had the Z4M before) with a view to having 4 seats but I'm having second thoughts now as the boot opening is pretty small on the RX8. I was also supposed to be getting a company car but that's now being knocked on the head so we could do with something marginally better on fuel than the Rex. Its a pity really as we dropped on a superb car (27k and mint) thinking we'd only use it occasionally but now with the company car idea going out of the window it looks like it will get used a lot more than we thought. I think if we can get roughly what we paid for the RX we might go for it!
Edited by fridaypassion on Friday 19th February 17:18
I really like the 130i, in fact, I think at the prices you see them for at the moment they are absolutely cracking value.
I'm waiting for my girlfriend to finish her pauper studies so I can afford a more expensive car. I think it will be a 130i, but not an M sport. I reckon the SE will be good enough for me with the added bonus of better ride quality.
The only issue I can see is that you have to look carefully to get a second hand one with the options that you want. The only thing that I think will be essential is air con... and I can't work out if its standard or not. I'm certainly not worried about the extra weight of leccy seats etc.
There just isn't anything else out there that is relatively modern with RWD that is powerful and yet does a reasonable fuel consumption. If they are as fun as people say they are then they are a terrifically underrated car.
I'm waiting for my girlfriend to finish her pauper studies so I can afford a more expensive car. I think it will be a 130i, but not an M sport. I reckon the SE will be good enough for me with the added bonus of better ride quality.
The only issue I can see is that you have to look carefully to get a second hand one with the options that you want. The only thing that I think will be essential is air con... and I can't work out if its standard or not. I'm certainly not worried about the extra weight of leccy seats etc.
There just isn't anything else out there that is relatively modern with RWD that is powerful and yet does a reasonable fuel consumption. If they are as fun as people say they are then they are a terrifically underrated car.
Climate control is standard on both SE and M-sport..
And yes, they are very under rated but I think a lot of people are put off by the general look of the 1 series, and the perceived poor practicality. I found mine terribly difficult to sell, even at a bargain price. Seems your average Joe would rather have a Golf Gti etc..
And yes, they are very under rated but I think a lot of people are put off by the general look of the 1 series, and the perceived poor practicality. I found mine terribly difficult to sell, even at a bargain price. Seems your average Joe would rather have a Golf Gti etc..
Yes, I've got one. Would echo what everybody else says really.
I run is at a family car (wife + 10 yo boy) and it's fine, slightly compromised on holidays but fine most of the time.
In comparison with my Impreza it costs peanuts to run, £300 insurance, £210 tax, 30mpg, one service in 12000 miles which cost £250.
What an engine
though
I run is at a family car (wife + 10 yo boy) and it's fine, slightly compromised on holidays but fine most of the time.
In comparison with my Impreza it costs peanuts to run, £300 insurance, £210 tax, 30mpg, one service in 12000 miles which cost £250.
What an engine
thoughI bought an '06 plate 130i M Sport a few months ago and have no regrets whatsoever. For a fairly plain 5 door hatch it feels like a special thing to drive and own. I also considered Mk5 Golf Gti, S3 and 330i Sport but nothing put a smile on my face like the 130i.
The engine makes the car IMO; so grunty in the low and mid range and energetic at the top end. Sounds fantastic too. Ride is hard though, leading me to give serious thought to ditching the run flats. Can't comment too much on practicality as it's only the wife and I using the car (it's absolutely fine for our needs). I'd imagine it would all be a bit of a squeeze with a couple of kids and their clobber though.
It's averaged 31mpg over the few thousand miles we've put on it, which I'm more than confortable with. The only servicing so far has been for a micro filter (free with the 5 yr service pack the original owner purchased, but otherwise about £40 I think). Superb service from Sytner; very impressed.
All in all, I think the 130i might just be the perfect (although relatively small) package if you don't mind the looks (I actually think the M Sport cars looks pretty nice).
The engine makes the car IMO; so grunty in the low and mid range and energetic at the top end. Sounds fantastic too. Ride is hard though, leading me to give serious thought to ditching the run flats. Can't comment too much on practicality as it's only the wife and I using the car (it's absolutely fine for our needs). I'd imagine it would all be a bit of a squeeze with a couple of kids and their clobber though.
It's averaged 31mpg over the few thousand miles we've put on it, which I'm more than confortable with. The only servicing so far has been for a micro filter (free with the 5 yr service pack the original owner purchased, but otherwise about £40 I think). Superb service from Sytner; very impressed.
All in all, I think the 130i might just be the perfect (although relatively small) package if you don't mind the looks (I actually think the M Sport cars looks pretty nice).
Heathwood said:
All in all, I think the 130i might just be the perfect (although relatively small) package if you don't mind the looks (I actually think the M Sport cars looks pretty nice).
Couldn't agree more. I also think the M-sport cars look great, although I'm not a real fan of the non M-sport ones, they look bland in comparision. The facelift M-sport cars have an improved ride over earlier models and better quality dampers than the SE, so I don't think difference in ride quite as noticeable.
As well the suspesion/wheels, deeper bumpers and side skirts, the M-sport cars also have sports seats (which have adjustable bolsters and are very supportive) and slightly different interior trim (aluminium inlays, black headlining etc). That's about it really..
I do miss one major thing from my 330Ci - the bi-xenons.
The standard headlights on my 130 are rubbish (read almost dangerous for their lack of light output).
I don't miss electric of heated seats as the cloth & fake stuff is fine.
I think the wheels look really good but I prefer the rear valance of the SE to the M Sport.
I also think the 1er's are very colour sensitive.
IMHO I certainly don't feel the M Sport is that hard a ride compared to the 330 sports but it is a very personal thing and you need to try both on standard British c**p road surfaces before you buy.
The standard headlights on my 130 are rubbish (read almost dangerous for their lack of light output).
I don't miss electric of heated seats as the cloth & fake stuff is fine.
I think the wheels look really good but I prefer the rear valance of the SE to the M Sport.
I also think the 1er's are very colour sensitive.
IMHO I certainly don't feel the M Sport is that hard a ride compared to the 330 sports but it is a very personal thing and you need to try both on standard British c**p road surfaces before you buy.
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