build quality different between series?

[cringle]

just a thought...is there a big difference in the way things are bolted together between different classes of BMW? A 7 series probably uses better quality stuff than a 1 series but how would a 6 series compare to a 3 series? in terms of fit/quality/longevity?

[Tea Pot One]

Well, FWIW I drive many 5 series at work and have a 3 series coupe at home ... and I would say in terms of materials and build they are identical age for age. IMO the 3 series is nicer but that is more about the car than the way it is built

The only 1 series I have driven had a creaking dash which is bad for a car 6 months old - but this can happen to any car. The materials in it seemed the same as my 3 series ... it just had less space.

[andy665]

From what I have seen I would say the 1 series uses noticeably lower quality materials than other models - not saying they are poor quality, just lower quality.

The upper dashboard / instrument binnacle housing in particular is not what you'd expect in a premium product. I worked with five cars recently over a period of four weeks and over 1,000 EU sales people who were asked to evaluate them. Cars were a 1 series, MK6 Golf, A3, Giulietta and CT 200h - everyone expected the Giulietta to be lower quality than the others but most people were quite shocked at the quality of the 1 series - A3, Golf and CT 200h were miles ahead

[Vladimir]

I had a 120d M Sport loaner and it was definitely lower rent than my 3er inside. Still not bad but more plasticky and had door cards covered in stuff that looked like flock wallpaper.

[bennyboydurham]

Big difference I'd say between even an E60 and my E65. That said the new F10 is much, much better. The only 1 Series I've driven wasn't great.

[Cemesis]

The E46 M3 feels quite solid but when I get back in the E39 M5 it feels like its built out of a single piece of granite.

Generally the cars are more solid the further up the line you go (3 to 5 to 7 etc) and the plastics and general quality of materials (like the leather) goes down in the newer models. At 200,000 miles an E34's leather was still quite good considering. At 200,000 miles the cheap leather in the new F10 will not be doing so well.