130i........doesn't feel as fast as it should?
Discussion
Interesting. A mate is doing an evening at Donington next week and has asked me if i fancy joining him.
My first thought was to take my Boxster but i think it'll fall foul of noise limits (it has an exhaust bypass mod).
So now thinking about taking my 130i. It's an SE model and totally standard. Feels like it'll be ok, undoubtedly too soft and the brakes will melt, but it'll be...erm...fun!!?? Desperate to swap the run flats for PS4s so it's an excuse to get the tyres worn down a bit!
Worth doing a quick brake mod before next week? ATE fluid and some better front pads??
My first thought was to take my Boxster but i think it'll fall foul of noise limits (it has an exhaust bypass mod).
So now thinking about taking my 130i. It's an SE model and totally standard. Feels like it'll be ok, undoubtedly too soft and the brakes will melt, but it'll be...erm...fun!!?? Desperate to swap the run flats for PS4s so it's an excuse to get the tyres worn down a bit!
Worth doing a quick brake mod before next week? ATE fluid and some better front pads??
The market for 130i M Sports seems to be picking up. I sold my 56k, 57-plate through the-other-online-classified-that-dare-not-speak-its-name to a trader for £6k...turned up on the dealer’s website for £8k a week later!
Whether they get that remains to be seen, obvs, but you can’t fault their optimism.
Whether they get that remains to be seen, obvs, but you can’t fault their optimism.
They seem to be very sensitive to mileage and spec and ones with under 60k seem to be few and far between.
Mine's done 104k, but was completely overhauled by the previous owner at around 85k. Birds Suspension, new bushes etc and as a result I'd argue it drives better than when new. Engines seem to soak up the miles as well.
I think I paid a fair price, but given all the mods I imagine it might take time to find a buyer who could see the value over a lower mileage car at the same price. No plans to sell in the short term though, so not really an issue ;-)
Mine's done 104k, but was completely overhauled by the previous owner at around 85k. Birds Suspension, new bushes etc and as a result I'd argue it drives better than when new. Engines seem to soak up the miles as well.
I think I paid a fair price, but given all the mods I imagine it might take time to find a buyer who could see the value over a lower mileage car at the same price. No plans to sell in the short term though, so not really an issue ;-)
DBRacingGod said:
The market for 130i M Sports seems to be picking up. I sold my 56k, 57-plate through the-other-online-classified-that-dare-not-speak-its-name to a trader for £6k...turned up on the dealer’s website for £8k a week later!
Whether they get that remains to be seen, obvs, but you can’t fault their optimism.
It does. Not sure the same is true for SE models, though there aren't enough of them to really spot a trend (only about 80 of them nationally).Whether they get that remains to be seen, obvs, but you can’t fault their optimism.
I picked mine up last year with 50k miles. It's now just ticked over 60k and i doubt i've lost a penny in depreciation, which makes up for the 32mpg average!
Edit: just checked and only 75 SEs left!
Edited by PTF on Friday 17th August 10:50
survivalist said:
Thanks. Like you I was lacking the time to build something up, so I did the same and bought a car that had had almost everything done. Often works out cheaper as well, as you never get your money back on mods.
The Birds package is a bit soft on the track, it's the smaller A and B roads with rubbish road surface where it really shines. I did a 45 min session at Silverstone with it and if I was planning on doing loads of track days I'd definitely want something stiffer.
That's a glowing review on the steering, might have to look into sourcing a used M3 rack.
Think the heavy low speed steering is down to the servotronic steering on the M3 that can vary the assistance. Guess the 130i doesn't have the relevant module to control it so you get a single, consistent level of assistance.
yes the heavy steering is down to the lack of sevrotronic unit. apparently you can do wire in a switch to turn it on and off which i might look into as the wife just drive it for the first time and said it was heavy at slow speed but i will probably just see how she goes! She was cuffed with the better ride and better stereo although she did notice a wine from the diff at town speeds that i hadn't even picked up! might need to change the oil. The Birds package is a bit soft on the track, it's the smaller A and B roads with rubbish road surface where it really shines. I did a 45 min session at Silverstone with it and if I was planning on doing loads of track days I'd definitely want something stiffer.
That's a glowing review on the steering, might have to look into sourcing a used M3 rack.
Think the heavy low speed steering is down to the servotronic steering on the M3 that can vary the assistance. Guess the 130i doesn't have the relevant module to control it so you get a single, consistent level of assistance.
price wise yes i think they will firm up now on price for good ones. people still have this weird obsession with low mileage (and panic if anything is over 100k) when in reality the N52 engine is bomb proof for hundreds of thousands of miles with proper servicing. I would 100 percent rather have a car with 105k and all the bits refreshed than a car with 60k and on original parts. I think one of the reason my new car rides so well is that all the bushing etc are all done at the same time. Also the M3 rear sub-frame seems to eliminate and bounce/ woolliness at the rear) Honestly drives like a new car!
PTF said:
Interesting. A mate is doing an evening at Donington next week and has asked me if i fancy joining him.
My first thought was to take my Boxster but i think it'll fall foul of noise limits (it has an exhaust bypass mod).
So now thinking about taking my 130i. It's an SE model and totally standard. Feels like it'll be ok, undoubtedly too soft and the brakes will melt, but it'll be...erm...fun!!?? Desperate to swap the run flats for PS4s so it's an excuse to get the tyres worn down a bit!
Worth doing a quick brake mod before next week? ATE fluid and some better front pads??
yeah go for it! to be fair the brakes held up ok for standard kit. they did grumble abit but didn't' fade as i we only did short stints and didn't go mad! If i was doing it again on standard brakes i would go for the ATE fluid at a first stop and then better pads once i had worn out the olds one!My first thought was to take my Boxster but i think it'll fall foul of noise limits (it has an exhaust bypass mod).
So now thinking about taking my 130i. It's an SE model and totally standard. Feels like it'll be ok, undoubtedly too soft and the brakes will melt, but it'll be...erm...fun!!?? Desperate to swap the run flats for PS4s so it's an excuse to get the tyres worn down a bit!
Worth doing a quick brake mod before next week? ATE fluid and some better front pads??
only issue with taking it on track is your come away wanting to do lots of upgrades! ........but anything that means you dtich the runflats at the end of it will be a good thing!
paul n said:
price wise yes i think they will firm up now on price for good ones. people still have this weird obsession with low mileage (and panic if anything is over 100k) when in reality the N52 engine is bomb proof for hundreds of thousands of miles with proper servicing.
I think they have already firmed up - they seem to be dearer than they were last year, which is a shame as I missed one just up the road! 
130is don't seem to be much cheaper than 3.0Si E86s now (same N52 engine) but I'm happy to keep my E86 - even though it is on 87K miles!
After missing the local 130i I ended up buying an early E91 325i as a daily, complete with N52 engine - it's on 135K now but drives really well.
I’m fancying one of these, but deffo need a test drive first.
Anyone whose has a mk1 Z4 and one of these? Are they quite similar feeling?
I’m enjoying my R32 Golf but it’s just missing something... BMWness...? I dunno.
It just feels like a hot hatch and a bit one dimensional. Not the depth my Z4 had.
Anyone whose has a mk1 Z4 and one of these? Are they quite similar feeling?
I’m enjoying my R32 Golf but it’s just missing something... BMWness...? I dunno.
It just feels like a hot hatch and a bit one dimensional. Not the depth my Z4 had.
Mr Whippy said:
I’m fancying one of these, but deffo need a test drive first.
Anyone whose has a mk1 Z4 and one of these? Are they quite similar feeling?
I’m enjoying my R32 Golf but it’s just missing something... BMWness...? I dunno.
It just feels like a hot hatch and a bit one dimensional. Not the depth my Z4 had.
Sadly I've never had both (mainly because I missed out on a 130i earlier this year)! Anyone whose has a mk1 Z4 and one of these? Are they quite similar feeling?
I’m enjoying my R32 Golf but it’s just missing something... BMWness...? I dunno.
It just feels like a hot hatch and a bit one dimensional. Not the depth my Z4 had.
But you might want to change your MK1 Z4 reference!
Z4's came as pre-facelift models (with the M54 engine like E46s) then there was a facelift in 2006 when they got the N52 engine as fitted to the 130i and E9* 3 Series. In about 2009 the E85/E86 Z4 got replaced by the E89 Z4 with the metal roof.
Anyway I did have an E87 (123d but not 130i) for over 6 years.
IMO the unique thing about the Z4 is how you sit low just in front of the back axle - a totally different experience - that makes it feel like a sports car, as opposed to a sporting car.
And FWIW any healthy N52 engine should happily chase the red-line - any that can't get to the limiter aren't performing right IME!
Edited by Mr Tidy on Sunday 19th August 23:57
Yeah mk1, then mk1.5 for the facelift hehe.
Before I got my 3.0i I tested a 2.5Si and it was ample really... but the 3.0i came better specced, was cheaper and possibly due to the sound generator, was a bit more fruity sounding.
A 3.0Si engine in the 130i must be very nice indeed.
Agree on the unique Z4 feeling. I’m struggling in anything to find that same quality and connection.
I might try test drive one this week... if it’s not setting the world on fire and/or feeling more like the Z4 then I’ll likely call it a day.
I did test even an E46 M3 CS and wasn’t hugely impressed vs my Z4 for ‘event’ and ‘occasion’
Nice yes, but still missing something.
Maybe that’s a sign a 130i won’t be much good either? Hmmmm
Before I got my 3.0i I tested a 2.5Si and it was ample really... but the 3.0i came better specced, was cheaper and possibly due to the sound generator, was a bit more fruity sounding.
A 3.0Si engine in the 130i must be very nice indeed.
Agree on the unique Z4 feeling. I’m struggling in anything to find that same quality and connection.
I might try test drive one this week... if it’s not setting the world on fire and/or feeling more like the Z4 then I’ll likely call it a day.
I did test even an E46 M3 CS and wasn’t hugely impressed vs my Z4 for ‘event’ and ‘occasion’
Nice yes, but still missing something.
Maybe that’s a sign a 130i won’t be much good either? Hmmmm
to be honest i wasn't bowled over by my first 130i (but i could see it had potential!)...................This one with the mods! wow what a difference!............really does feel special/ exciting!
out of the mods i have i would say the M3 steering rack and the suspension (with better geo with M3 parts) make the biggest difference, the LSD is awesome as well but not something you are going to use everyday!
cheers p
out of the mods i have i would say the M3 steering rack and the suspension (with better geo with M3 parts) make the biggest difference, the LSD is awesome as well but not something you are going to use everyday!
cheers p
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