RE: BMW 130i | Spotted

[bodhi]

DoubleD said:

The rear view looks very odd on that modded car

Looks as if they have fitted slightly wider tyres on the rear, 255 rather than 245, which makes more of a difference to the styling than you would expect. I've got the same wider tyres on mine, as the standard sizes can be a pig to find. If anything, with wider PS4's or PSS tyres fitted, it almost has too much grip at the back.

[Onehp]

I preferred a square set-up, 225 all-round. Better balance and some fun to had on the throttle...

[s m]

bodhi said:

Looks as if they have fitted slightly wider tyres on the rear, 255 rather than 245, which makes more of a difference to the styling than you would expect. I've got the same wider tyres on mine, as the standard sizes can be a pig to find. If anything, with wider PS4's or PSS tyres fitted, it almost has too much grip at the back.

Right at the top of the article it says 265/30 rears

[anonymous-user]

I like these, but £8k seems an awful lot for a 12 year old 30k car, when the average age of a scrapped car is 13.9 years :hehe

Couple with similar mileage on Autotrader for £5k, which seems high but a not unrealistic premium for the 6 pot goodness.

[s m]

Gez79 said:

As for value I think they're far cheaper than the R32 which is arguably beaten by the 130i in most areas.

Like most 3.0 BMW of this era the water pump will go at some point usually around 70k mark and is around 600 even at an independent.

Buy one of these and enjoy depreciation proof motoring with one of the best engines to ever grace a hatchback.

Yep, often compared to the R32 in tests

[DoubleD]

Looks like the Golf is the better car overall, but they cost a fair bit more and I think some of them are £500+ tax.

[swanny71]

DoubleD said:

Looks like the Golf is the better car overall, but they cost a fair bit more and I think some of them are £500+ tax.

Drove a couple of examples of both when buying mine.
It fealt heavy, slower and a bit bland. Nice interior, well built and sounded good. Not for me though.

[cerb4.5lee]

DoubleD said:

Looks like the Golf is the better car overall, but they cost a fair bit more and I think some of them are £500+ tax.

I do like the 1 series but I've not read any reviews where they have been massively complimentary. Autocar have always been pretty hard on it. The packaging and ride/suspension/overall handling always seems to get mentioned, maybe because the 3 series is so widely regarded they feel a bit let down by the 1 series in comparison perhaps.

[Shiv_P]

cerb4.5lee said:

DoubleD said:

Looks like the Golf is the better car overall, but they cost a fair bit more and I think some of them are £500+ tax.

I do like the 1 series but I've not read any reviews where they have been massively complimentary. Autocar have always been pretty hard on it. The packaging and ride/suspension/overall handling always seems to get mentioned, maybe because the 3 series is so widely regarded they feel a bit let down by the 1 series in comparison perhaps.

The standard 130i M sport suspension is pants to be fair. It's v hard and just doesn't work on a B road, gets knocked about all over the place. I didn't want to spend money on suspension hence I got my mk2 focus ST which with stock suspension works much better over bumpy roads & is far more comfortable too with that.
Great engine though, and gearshift was OK too for a BMW

[anonymous-user]

DoubleD said:

The rear view looks very odd on that modded car

Kevin’s car has the Hartge Classic wheels fitted, wider and larger OD.

[anonymous-user]

cerb4.5lee said:

I do like the 1 series but I've not read any reviews where they have been massively complimentary. Autocar have always been pretty hard on it. The packaging and ride/suspension/overall handling always seems to get mentioned, maybe because the 3 series is so widely regarded they feel a bit let down by the 1 series in comparison perhaps.

As standard they weren’t great. The rear just fell apart on bumpy roads. After the M3 mine felt like jelly. However. The B1 kit, along with the LSD, transforms the car. It’s a different animal altogether. It’s a very satisfying car to drive with all the mods, could do with 50-100HP more but I think that’d ruin it.

[s m]

cerb4.5lee said:

DoubleD said:

Looks like the Golf is the better car overall, but they cost a fair bit more and I think some of them are £500+ tax.

I do like the 1 series but I've not read any reviews where they have been massively complimentary. Autocar have always been pretty hard on it. The packaging and ride/suspension/overall handling always seems to get mentioned, maybe because the 3 series is so widely regarded they feel a bit let down by the 1 series in comparison perhaps.

Steve Sutcliffe liked it more than some of his motoring journo colleagues - he even commented to that effect in this excerpt

95% of the fun for 1/20th of the cost ( nowadays )

[cerb4.5lee]

s m said:

cerb4.5lee said:

DoubleD said:

Looks like the Golf is the better car overall, but they cost a fair bit more and I think some of them are £500+ tax.

I do like the 1 series but I've not read any reviews where they have been massively complimentary. Autocar have always been pretty hard on it. The packaging and ride/suspension/overall handling always seems to get mentioned, maybe because the 3 series is so widely regarded they feel a bit let down by the 1 series in comparison perhaps.

Steve Sutcliffe liked it more than some of his motoring journo colleagues - he even commented to that effect in this excerpt

95% of the fun for 1/20th of the cost ( nowadays )

Cheers for that!

A bit unfair putting the silky smooth N52 engine up against that ancient 4 pot engine though!!

The E30 M3 is a bit of a funny one for me because pretty much everyone on here dislikes a car with a 4 cylinder engine...yet this M3 is so widely regarded across the world and I find that fascinating.

[s m]

cerb4.5lee said:

Cheers for that!

A bit unfair putting the silky smooth N52 engine up against that ancient 4 pot engine though!!

The E30 M3 is a bit of a funny one for me because pretty much everyone on here dislikes a car with a 4 cylinder engine...yet this M3 is so widely regarded across the world and I find that fascinating.

No worries Lee

That point you make always makes me smile too !

[DoubleD]

yonex said:

DoubleD said:

The rear view looks very odd on that modded car

Kevin’s car has the Hartge Classic wheels fitted, wider and larger OD.

Well Kevin has made the back of the car look rather odd.

[s m]

DoubleD said:

yonex said:

DoubleD said:

The rear view looks very odd on that modded car

Kevin’s car has the Hartge Classic wheels fitted, wider and larger OD.

Well Kevin has made the back of the car look rather odd.

To be honest that might just be how the image has scanned

[paul n]

I am on my second one, first one was standard but still great fun. I took it on track and decided it needed better suspension, brakes and a diff. My friend drove it loved it and bullied me to sell it to him. I found another one with M3 diff, steering rack, subframe, anti rolls bars plus B12 suspension and m135i brakes. The mods turn it from a fun hatch into a really exciting car to drive. I have had alot of faster cars but the 130i is just has so much more character than a fast golf or similar. I really don't think there is anything out there like it! I recently had the option to buy my friends m135i and was tempted but would have to buy a diff and suspension for it and then it's lots of cash and still won't have the steering feel or noise of my 130! 😀

[Mr Tidy]

It's good to see they seem to only attract positive comments!

While I've never quite managed to find the right one at the right price, why not have a gallery of my "almosts"?

E46 325ti Sport, Z4 Coupe, E91 325i, next Z4 Coupe - E90 330i on the next page.

I do seem to be addicted to manual N/A straight 6 petrol BMWs.

I'm sure it's just a matter of time until I have a 130i!

[Mr Tidy]

Latest 3 litre N52 engine - in an E90 330i.

[ocrx8]

Not a day goes by without you mentioning your straight six BMWs!