Can i justify a performance/sportier car?

[Ads22]

RoVoFob said:

I’ve just had a quick look through Auto Trader and eBay and these are the three that jumped out to me...

2007 (07) 130i M Sport 3dr, 143,000 miles - £6,500. This has a full service history and has been recently serviced and MOT’d, uprated suspension, new rear brakes and decent tyres that should last for a while. It also has a raft of desirable options fitted. The MOT mentions an oil leak and that the handbrake needs adjusting, but out the £500 left in the budget towards this (and anything else you can haggle off towards this and you should have all the major things covered).
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104231...

2007 (07) 130i M Sport 3dr, 116,000 miles - £6,995. This has a full service history with 14 stamps, a decent spec (albeit the most basic audio speaker setup, I think), has been very recently serviced and MOT’d, though the MOT flags a little corrosion underneath (you can have a look under the car to gauge how extensive this is), corroded springs and one of the front shocks having a light misting of oil or limited damping effect. With that in mind, I’d expect the suspension to be original and need replacing soon. If it were me and the rest of the car was OK, I’d be haggling on the price to free up some budget to replace the suspension.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106033...

2005 (55) BMW 130i M Sport 5dr, 86,600 miles - £7,250. This is the kind of owner I’d want to buy from: the spec of the car isn’t the best in this case, but it looks like they’ve maintained it very well. It has some desirable BMW Performance extras (intake and exhaust) and a second set of wheels, all of which you could sell to free up some cash if you didn’t want them (the BMW Performance bits are pretty valuable and in demand on BabyBMW), plus a private plate that could also be sold. Sell those bits and you free up cash - potentially more than £1,000 I’d imagine - that you can put aside for any work that might need doing in future, so there’s no need to stress. The seller has said £7,250 ‘or nearest offer’, so I’d imagine you could get it for £7,000 or less.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265180423294?hash=item3...

Have you spoken to any owners/sellers? This can be a really good way to gauge how well they’ve looked after the car and whether they’ve actively kept the car in good condition or waited until any issue is marked as ‘dangerous’ on the MOT and they’ve been forced to change things. Many adverts don’t list all the work done and you won’t know which is which unless you speak to them. Find someone who’s kept on top of maintenance and there should be fewer unexpected issues.

Some sound advice with these @RoVofob and much appreciate looking into these.

One of them i am actively enquiring about! Im sure you can guess which one! But yes i find it difficult to work out what to spend on these but like you said recent work is massive bonus if its been done. I have found though the higher up the budget you go the more solid service history and maintenance history there is, which on any car like this is definitely worth it.

Ive researched these cars to death so feel like i know exactly what to look for now. From what ive seen you don’t get any major issues, just niggly vanos related issues usually leading to solenoids, sparks, coils etc. Usually pops up on owners pages/forums.
Diagnosed with rough idle, lack of torque etc. For what its worth ivtec does seem like a more straightforward reliable setup but i guess at the end if the day its not attached to a 6 cylinder engine and the car it’s equipped with is not quite as nice of a car to drive day to day.

I think with these it also certainly involves travelling some distance to find a good one. There doesn’t seem to be a stong quality supply of them in the south, and if there are it’s usually through suspect looking trade dealers.
If it becomes a hardship to really find a good one i guess theres the 125i coupe as a next best thing but these seem nearly as rare and sadly you lose that lovely manual steering.

Edited by Ads22 on Friday 11th June 10:31

[RoVoFob]

Ads22 said:

Some sound advice with these @RoVofob and much appreciate looking into these.

One of them i am actively enquiring about! Im sure you can guess which one! But yes i find it difficult to work out what to spend on these but like you said recent work is massive bonus if its been done. I have found though the higher up the budget you go the more solid service history and maintenance history there is, which on any car like this is definitely worth it.

Ive researched these cars to death so feel like i know exactly what to look for now. From what ive seen you don’t get any major issues, just niggly vanos related issues usually leading to solenoids, sparks, coils etc. Usually pops up on owners pages/forums.
Diagnosed with rough idle, lack of torque etc. For what its worth ivtec does seem like a more straightforward reliable setup but i guess at the end if the day its not attached to a 6 cylinder engine and the car it’s equipped with is not quite as nice of a car to drive day to day.

I think with these it also certainly involves travelling some distance to find a good one. There doesn’t seem to be a stong quality supply of them in the south, and if there are it’s usually through suspect looking trade dealers.
If it becomes a hardship to really find a good one i guess theres the 125i coupe as a next best thing but these seem nearly as rare and sadly you lose that lovely manual steering.

Edited by Ads22 on Friday 11th June 10:31

You’re very welcome. I have to try to make my 130i obsession useful!

In terms of what to spend, it’s a car-by-car thing, so don’t get stuck thinking you have to spend a certain amount to get a good one - some of the £4,000 130is look pretty decent to me. If you like a car, you can afford it and it’s in the condition you want - or you can address the important issues within budget - that could be a good choice for you. Whether it’s a £7,000 car with no work to do, or a similar £5,000 car with £2,000’s worth of work to do...

There is currently a model up for £8,995 on Auto Trader that is advertised as having a full service history - it doesn’t, despite being very expensive; there’s a three-year gap between the last two services and it hasn’t been serviced many times overall either. It also has a very basic spec. So spending more is no guarantee of a decent service history or lots of optional kit. As a result, don’t see your budget as a limitation. Just pick the best combination of car and price for you.

I travelled four hours to buy a Volvo S60 2.4 T5 yesterday, as I simply couldn’t find any other decent manual ones. It’s far from perfect, but it was more than good enough for the price, so I went for it there and then. For me, as someone who’s picky about cars, that was the way to secure one with the spec I wanted...

[Ads22]

I think for a lot of older cars it involves travelling now as well looked after examples are harder to find. In terms of budget I think I would find a good example, I want to avoid the lower end of the market and be potentially hit with some big bills.

Speaking of which, a lot of people recommend that these N52 engined cars are not ruinous to run, well compared to a lot of performance cars at least. While its not going to be a Nissan Micra, as you're knowledgable with these I wanted to ask if I am potentially over my head with running costs. The reason being im still apprehensive that this car is a bit too good for me, this would be technically the first 'premium marque' car id have whereas my past cars have involved Ford, VW, Mazda, Honda - So would im guessing I would need to expect 'Premium running costs. However I guess finding the right well maintained car would mean less to replace earlier on into ownership.
I don't necessarily need 265hp but I do very much like the way these drive. Whereas ive still considered cars like the Type R of the same vintage is it unrealistic to expect that to be less hassle and cost to run. I do also very much like the K20 unit and it overall seems more reliable than the N52 but I suppose both have their advantages. Ultimately don't want to start resenting it if it develops into a money pit.
I also do a quite a bit of stop start driving and roughly average about 30- 50ish miles a day around town so wouldn't want to end up driving something where short journeys could potentially put a lot of wear on the engine.

Edited by Ads22 on Saturday 12th June 00:31

[RoVoFob]

Ads22 said:

I think for a lot of older cars it involves travelling now as well looked after examples are harder to find. In terms of budget I think I would find a good example, I want to avoid the lower end of the market and be potentially hit with some big bills.

Speaking of which, a lot of people recommend that these N52 engined cars are not ruinous to run, well compared to a lot of performance cars at least. While its not going to be no Nissan Micra, as you're knowledgable with these I wanted to ask if I am potentially over my head with running costs. The reason being im still apprehensive that this car is a bit too good for me, this would be technically the first 'premium marque' car id have whereas my past cars have involved Ford, VW, Mazda, Honda - So would im guessing I would need to expect 'Premium running costs. However I guess finding the right well maintained car would mean less to replace earlier on into ownership.
I don't necessarily need 265hp but I do very much like the way these drive. Whereas ive still considered cars like the Type R of the same vintage is it unrealistic to expect that to be less hassle and cost to run. I do also very much like the K20 unit and it overall seems more reliable than the N52 but I suppose both have their advantages.
I also do a quite a bit of stop start driving and roughly average about 30- 50ish miles a day around town so wouldn't want to end up driving something where short journeys could potentially put a lot of wear on the engine.

There aren’t any rules with buying used cars - it’s not a science. Judging the condition of a car and its price is the only thing that matters. It’s fine if a car needs work - as long as the price reflects that and you put the savings from your budget aside for this. Then there’s no need to worry about ‘big bills’. Going for a higher priced car is no guarantee of quality...so don’t stress about not being able to afford the most expensive 130is out there.

I had around £3k to buy something a few months back. I spent £1,300 on a car that I knew needed work but left the remainder of the budget to cover this. I spent around another £1,300 on tyres, brake pads and discs all around and a few other bits and bobs. In the end I had a car that cost me £2,600 or so that would have cost me well over £3,000 otherwise - had I been able to find any others to choose from.

I am useless when it comes to DIY mechanics, so try to make informed decisions about the cars I buy - gauging the cost of any likely repair cost by pricing up parts and fitting on Euro Car Parts is one easy way. Or you could phone a BMW specialist in your area and get quotes for all the main jobs - they’ll be much cheaper than a BMW main dealer, which will charge ‘premium’ rates - just as a Ford or Honda dealer will. A quick Google and reading some reviews should help you find a half-decent one. I knew exactly how much the brakes, tyres and fitting would cost before I bought that car and knew that the overall cost of the car, parts and fitting was still good. You can do exactly the same.

If you really want to feel safe buying a 130i, you can price up all the potential pricey jobs on specific cars (water pump, suspension, a set of brake pads and discs, a set of tyres etc.) and add the applicable ones to the cost of each car you’re considering to get to get total likely cost and use those to see which car is the most affordable/appealing for you.

If you have £7,000 to spend and you think a £6,500 130i is likely to need £1,000 of imminent work, that could be a risky purchase for you - especially if you’ll be stressed about spending nearly all of your budget and having potential further costs. Meanwhile, you may find a £4,500 130i that needs £2,000 worth of work, which would still be in budget. Remember you can always haggle, too.

Of the last three cars I bought, one was up for £6,500 and I paid £5,850, another was advertised at £1,500 (dropped from £1,700) and I paid £1,300 and the third up for £2,995 and I paid £2,700 (despite the ad pretty much saying ‘the price is the price, if you don’t want to pay it, go away and find another one’. In each case I’ve raised issues with the car with the seller and said that with those issues in mind, I felt the car was worth £x,xxx. If a seller knows you’re serious and will give them an easy sale, it’s likely they’ll move on the price.

No one can tell you whether you’re over your head, as that depends on your financial situation. If £7,000 is all the money in the world that you have, and/or you’re not able to save much every month and/or your job isn’t very secure, I personally would spend a lot less on a car. If, however, you have £7,000 set aside for a car, a few savings pots for other things, a secure job and/or can save a few hundred pounds every month, then I’d see no reason to worry. As long as you don’t go to a main dealer for everything, there’s no inherent reason that a ‘premium’ BMW should cost more than a ‘non-premium’ Ford or Mazda. It’s not as if all Fords/VWs/Mazdas/Hondas are inherently reliable and cheap to run.

You talk about ‘too good for me’ and whether you ‘need 265hp’, as if you don’t deserve a 130i. If you’ve done some of the checks above and are prepared, you absolutely do deserve a 130i or any other affordable car that appeals. I don’t need 265hp, but I bought my 130i because I wanted it and could afford it. Simple.

Sorry for the essay, but there are ways to address all of your concerns and it sounds like you’ll feel more confident if you have answers to these.

[Mr Tidy]

Ads22 said:

I think with these it also certainly involves travelling some distance to find a good one. There doesn’t seem to be a stong quality supply of them in the south, and if there are it’s usually through suspect looking trade dealers.
If it becomes a hardship to really find a good one i guess theres the 125i coupe as a next best thing but these seem nearly as rare and sadly you lose that lovely manual steering.

Edited by Ads22 on Friday 11th June 10:31

I wouldn't worry too much about reliability with the N52 engine. I've had two of them in Z4s, one in an E91 325i and currently have one in my E90 330i.

The only major issues I've had were dead water pumps in two of them. OE Pierburg pumps are £250 or so, although BMW charge over £500 for the same part!

I sold my 1st Z4 on 62K, 2nd on 91K, E91 on 139K and my E90 is currently on 115K. Miles don't seem to be a problem.

It sounds like you want HPAS rather than EPAS, so just be careful with 2007 130is as some of the later ones have EPAS. The giveaway is the tax band - HPAS cars are Band K whereas EPAS ones are Band J.

I hope you find one that fits the bill as the N52 is a great engine and must be loads of fun in a 1 Series!

[Ads22]

RoVoFob said:

There aren’t any rules with buying used cars - it’s not a science. Judging the condition of a car and its price is the only thing that matters. It’s fine if a car needs work - as long as the price reflects that and you put the savings from your budget aside for this. Then there’s no need to worry about ‘big bills’. Going for a higher priced car is no guarantee of quality...so don’t stress about not being able to afford the most expensive 130is out there.

I had around £3k to buy something a few months back. I spent £1,300 on a car that I knew needed work but left the remainder of the budget to cover this. I spent around another £1,300 on tyres, brake pads and discs all around and a few other bits and bobs. In the end I had a car that cost me £2,600 or so that would have cost me well over £3,000 otherwise - had I been able to find any others to choose from.

I am useless when it comes to DIY mechanics, so try to make informed decisions about the cars I buy - gauging the cost of any likely repair cost by pricing up parts and fitting on Euro Car Parts is one easy way. Or you could phone a BMW specialist in your area and get quotes for all the main jobs - they’ll be much cheaper than a BMW main dealer, which will charge ‘premium’ rates - just as a Ford or Honda dealer will. A quick Google and reading some reviews should help you find a half-decent one. I knew exactly how much the brakes, tyres and fitting would cost before I bought that car and knew that the overall cost of the car, parts and fitting was still good. You can do exactly the same.

If you really want to feel safe buying a 130i, you can price up all the potential pricey jobs on specific cars (water pump, suspension, a set of brake pads and discs, a set of tyres etc.) and add the applicable ones to the cost of each car you’re considering to get to get total likely cost and use those to see which car is the most affordable/appealing for you.

If you have £7,000 to spend and you think a £6,500 130i is likely to need £1,000 of imminent work, that could be a risky purchase for you - especially if you’ll be stressed about spending nearly all of your budget and having potential further costs. Meanwhile, you may find a £4,500 130i that needs £2,000 worth of work, which would still be in budget. Remember you can always haggle, too.

Of the last three cars I bought, one was up for £6,500 and I paid £5,850, another was advertised at £1,500 (dropped from £1,700) and I paid £1,300 and the third up for £2,995 and I paid £2,700 (despite the ad pretty much saying ‘the price is the price, if you don’t want to pay it, go away and find another one’. In each case I’ve raised issues with the car with the seller and said that with those issues in mind, I felt the car was worth £x,xxx. If a seller knows you’re serious and will give them an easy sale, it’s likely they’ll move on the price.

No one can tell you whether you’re over your head, as that depends on your financial situation. If £7,000 is all the money in the world that you have, and/or you’re not able to save much every month and/or your job isn’t very secure, I personally would spend a lot less on a car. If, however, you have £7,000 set aside for a car, a few savings pots for other things, a secure job and/or can save a few hundred pounds every month, then I’d see no reason to worry. As long as you don’t go to a main dealer for everything, there’s no inherent reason that a ‘premium’ BMW should cost more than a ‘non-premium’ Ford or Mazda. It’s not as if all Fords/VWs/Mazdas/Hondas are inherently reliable and cheap to run.

You talk about ‘too good for me’ and whether you ‘need 265hp’, as if you don’t deserve a 130i. If you’ve done some of the checks above and are prepared, you absolutely do deserve a 130i or any other affordable car that appeals. I don’t need 265hp, but I bought my 130i because I wanted it and could afford it. Simple.

Sorry for the essay, but there are ways to address all of your concerns and it sounds like you’ll feel more confident if you have answers to these.

Sound advice here again. Id say id probably feel comfortable finding quotes for all the big refresh jobs on these but am hoping to obtain an example with a lot already done as they are of that age now. Financially id say im in a good position and I usually do stash away a ‘uh oh!’ fund incase anything goes wrong on any car ive owned. Id say my only reservation is that these cars ‘being a bmw’ are certainly more complex than others cars ive looked at given theres more points of failure for things like vanos, waterpumps etc despite being reliable still, and given id use it for work i cant really have my car off the road too long potentially. Id also like to stash away in savings for a deposit as living on the fringes of outer london is notoriously expensive to buy.

Excuse the long post, on another note - interestingly enough my friend who owns an FN2 allowed me to have a go to settle the score as i do really like both cars. Id say its made the decision harder but ive summed up the positive and negatives of both cars below!

130i
Pros

Lovely engine!
Comfortable
RWD and better handling, steering feel
5 doors (mostly)
Better build quality
More subtle
Slightly better ride (still firm)
Engine note
Rare

Cons

Potentially more expensive repairs
Wont be able to use much of its performance but has more torque
More complex engine
Not quite as nice to look at (But i love LM blue!)
Usually older
Have always been advised to stay away from old bmws however lots of reports and owners advising these are reliable
Gear change and clutch not as nice

Type R FN2

Pros

Vtec engine also great! (Not as versatile)
Lovely noise in vtec
Looks better (in my eyes at least)
Big boot
Very reliable (more or less bulletproof engine)
Nice speedo display
Very good gear change!
More to choose from (less travelling to find one)

Cons

Driving position not as good as you sit higher
Seats arent as adjustable
Doesnt feel as sturdy
Crap paint
Ride quality! (However more composed than stock civic)
Harder work to drive around town
3 door
Suspension and handling not as good (would need alignment, new shocks and possibly alloys to improve it)

So there we go. Just need to make my mind up and stop flipping between the two. I am still swaying towards the 130i but conscious of day to day use im strongly considering both still. Id say there are definitely better examples of 1 series though for their age as civics tend to wear easier. At the moment im looking at what appears best at that time for sale.

Edited by Ads22 on Monday 14th June 14:28

Edited by Ads22 on Monday 14th June 14:30

[Mr Tidy]

From my experience of BMWs with the N52 engine the main "show-stopper" is the electric water pump.

So if you look at one that doesn't have evidence of it having been replaced just factor the cost into what you pay, then get a new one fitted for peace of mind.

Good luck whichever you decide to buy.

[Obee72]

I had exactly the same dilemma a few years ago, 130i or FN2 Type R. So glad I chose the 130i, it was just a special motor and mine was on 125k when I bought it (£5k). It had all the right history so it didn't bother me and apart from consumables, it just needed a water pump, £400 ish at a local indy. I still miss it now !! If its reliability that's concerning you over the FN2, you're worrying about it too much. As other posters have advised, do your due diligence on these, same as the FN2 really. Check the history, service intervals, receipts, if it doesn't feel right, don't do it.

Either of your choices could throw a bill, and that was my concern but I would say both engines are the same in terms of reliability if looked after. The interior of the 130i was just so much nicer/grown up than the FN2, but that's just my opinion.

I was looking at both right up until I found my 130i and once I test drove it along with the history, I was 100% sold.

[Obee72]

Forgot to ask but OP have you test driven either yet ?

[Ads22]

Obee72 said:

Forgot to ask but OP have you test driven either yet ?

Indeed i have. A few examples of both. The FN2 was some time ago so had a go in my friends modified one.

Its interesting to see others who have considered both. Really what seens to swing it to 130i for most people is the overall quality, interior and that engine. And most seem to end up going for the 130i. If i wasnt such a Honda fan boy id be quicker to discount the Civic but having had Hondas in the family for years its hard to criticise their reliability and engineering. Just a shame the overall drive is lacking and suspension always seems to come up as an issue. Annoyingly im well and truly priced out of their great stuff (Integra in particular and Prelude is very rare now) - Not a fan of the EP3 unfortunately but they actually are a pretty good car.

Was tempted as a halfway compromise with the Focus ST of same sort of age but they are incredibly thirsty, usually modified to hell now and then the added complexity of turbos.

One thing for sure is the 130i does seem quite a bit more grown up and more subtle in comparison- as no one would really suspect its a bona fide sports car underneath.

[TameRacingDriver]

I'm not sure I'd say a 130i was a bona fide sports car tbh, not even underneath. It's just a hatchback with RWD at the end of the day. You keep mentioning the poor suspension on the civic but I'd be highly surprised if the 130 was any better, as they're not known for their handling prowess (RWD does not necessarily a good car make), you would probably want to get the birds suspension for it to bring it up to the standard you seem to think it will be out of the box. My FN2 was standard and the handling wasn't that bad in all honesty, maybe a bit harsh in the ride but not exactly terrible.

Are you not considering a Z4 coupe also? That is more of a sports car, and if you can get away with 2 seats it's just so much nicer, though they are also more expensive sadly otherwise it would be a no brainer.

[Ads22]

TameRacingDriver said:

I'm not sure I'd say a 130i was a bona fide sports car tbh, not even underneath. It's just a hatchback with RWD at the end of the day. You keep mentioning the poor suspension on the civic but I'd be highly surprised if the 130 was any better, as they're not known for their handling prowess (RWD does not necessarily a good car make), you would probably want to get the birds suspension for it to bring it up to the standard you seem to think it will be out of the box. My FN2 was standard and the handling wasn't that bad in all honesty, maybe a bit harsh in the ride but not exactly terrible.

Are you not considering a Z4 coupe also? That is more of a sports car, and if you can get away with 2 seats it's just so much nicer, though they are also more expensive sadly otherwise it would be a no brainer.

I wouldn't say the Civics is substantially worse but the BMW has more compliant suspension and I think is a bit more confidence inspiring even in normal driving, possibly also because you sit lower in it too. In general I just think the 130 felt closer to a proper sports car than the Civic which definitely feels more hot hatch-esque
Theres really not a lot in it though, that's why its such a close call. Just wish I could settle on one car without thinking id miss out if I didn't get the other but can't have everything I guess.

And yes I do like the Z4 coupe very much, and im sure it would be a better option but I do need some level of practicality unfortunately. Im sure its better than both the other cars however they are a fair Bit more expensive.

[Obee72]

Ads22 said:

Indeed i have. A few examples of both. The FN2 was some time ago so had a go in my friends modified one.

Its interesting to see others who have considered both. Really what seens to swing it to 130i for most people is the overall quality, interior and that engine. And most seem to end up going for the 130i. If i wasnt such a Honda fan boy id be quicker to discount the Civic but having had Hondas in the family for years its hard to criticise their reliability and engineering. Just a shame the overall drive is lacking and suspension always seems to come up as an issue. Annoyingly im well and truly priced out of their great stuff (Integra in particular and Prelude is very rare now) - Not a fan of the EP3 unfortunately but they actually are a pretty good car.

Was tempted as a halfway compromise with the Focus ST of same sort of age but they are incredibly thirsty, usually modified to hell now and then the added complexity of turbos.

One thing for sure is the 130i does seem quite a bit more grown up and more subtle in comparison- as no one would really suspect its a bona fide sports car underneath.

Yeah I discounted the Focus ST as couldn't find an un-abused one.

My 130i had Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs and handling was good. The owner after me turned it into a weapon with M3 mods and it looked fantastic.

Sounds like you're familiar with Honda's so why take a punt on the 130i and see how it goes ? Worse case scenario, you'll sell for same as you bought and get an FN2.

[anonymous-user]

'Can I justify a performance/sportier car?' -


Yes.

[Ads22]

hucumber said:

'Can I justify a performance/sportier car?' -


Yes.

Correct answer!

The question is which one!….

[Ads22]

Obee72 said:

Yeah I discounted the Focus ST as couldn't find an un-abused one.

My 130i had Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs and handling was good. The owner after me turned it into a weapon with M3 mods and it looked fantastic.

Sounds like you're familiar with Honda's so why take a punt on the 130i and see how it goes ? Worse case scenario, you'll sell for same as you bought and get an FN2.

Yes very difficult to find one without loads of mods and unfortunately theyre not tasteful mods. And the sad thing is the Fiesta ST is going the same way. After seeing how a lot of STs are driven and treated its really put me off them. I actually used to have one myself shortly after it came out, but always sensed once it came down in price itd soon reach McDonalds car parks along with the ST Lines

Going to weigh up my options with the BM and the Honda but the positive response for the 130s has been overwhelming! Annoyingly my desired requirements is always shifting, one minute i want something a bit over the top looking and raw like the Civic then next minute something understated but a bit more refined/ sleeperish like the 1 series……..i dont think the word indecisive even cuts it!

[RoVoFob]

Ads22 said:

Yes very difficult to find one without loads of mods and unfortunately theyre not tasteful mods. And the sad thing is the Fiesta ST is going the same way. After seeing how a lot of STs are driven and treated its really put me off them. I actually used to have one myself shortly after it came out, but always sensed once it came down in price itd soon reach McDonalds car parks along with the ST Lines

Going to weigh up my options with the BM and the Honda but the positive response for the 130s has been overwhelming! Annoyingly my desired requirements is always shifting, one minute i want something a bit over the top looking and raw like the Civic then next minute something understated but a bit more refined/ sleeperish like the 1 series……..i dont think the word indecisive even cuts it!

You’re torn between a six-pot BMW and a high revving front-wheel drive Japanese car, so why not get a BMW 325ti AND a Toyota Celica 190:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124755016641?hash=item1...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105202...

[Obee72]

This might be useful - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfvrNsW4wBw

[Ads22]

RoVoFob said:

You’re torn between a six-pot BMW and a high revving front-wheel drive Japanese car, so why not get a BMW 325ti AND a Toyota Celica 190:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124755016641?hash=item1...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105202...

Would love a 2 car setup and is something ive debated but not overly enthusiastic about double the running costs, mot insurance and also parking. If i was in a position to though i would without a doubt choose an MX5, i am starting to miss mine quite a bit. I do like the look of those 325 though! Rover-esque front end aside. Frustratingly the Celica does a lot of what im after but for some reason they do nothing for me.

And thanks for the JayEmm link Obee, is a good channel for 130 related stuff as he used to own one. Hes just released and interesting video comparing the hydraulic and electric steering on that model and concluded the hpas is not worth fretting over too much if you prefer the lci cars.

[Obee72]

I'd absolutely agree with him tbh. You need to be a Stig type of driver I think for it to really affect you. Mine was an LCI and I'd driven a pre-LCI and I couldn't really notice it. I also liked the temp guage on the LCI and slightly updated interior. I searched for quite a while for mine and glad I did as I did see some lemons but you'll know from history if its been looked after and don't hesitate to ask the sellers questions about the history and get them to send you proof.