Considering a 125i
Discussion
The child recently passed their test and has eyes on my up! so I'm exploring the options for a new daily driver. I'd had a R52 mini cooper convertible in the past and I was looking at them again but their prices seem to have gone through the roof, especially for a R53 Cooper S, and with their VED and MPG I thought I might as well look for something with a few more cylinders while we can still drive them.
This is where a convertible 125i appeared on the list, being NA/ 6 cylinder and RWD.
I'd be looking at around 2008, manual, anywhere upwards from 80k miles and just wondered what breaks and what should have been changed or needs to be changed around that sort of age and mileage (other than a remap and a golf tee!)
Thanks in advance.
This is where a convertible 125i appeared on the list, being NA/ 6 cylinder and RWD.
I'd be looking at around 2008, manual, anywhere upwards from 80k miles and just wondered what breaks and what should have been changed or needs to be changed around that sort of age and mileage (other than a remap and a golf tee!)
Thanks in advance.
I’m biased but I think they’re great….my other half has one and I really enjoy stealing it.
The N52 is the same as the one fitted to the 130i but detuned thriugh the throttle mapping. A simple remap takes you to 130i power and having had it done to my other half’s car, well worth the cash. It had done 83k when we picked it up and it’s now approaching 92k.
We’ve had ours just over a year and it’s been pretty good. It’s needed a pair of rear ABS sensors and an oil change. It came on run flats which ruined the car; it’s a completely a completely different thing on standard tyres and rides much better.
The N52 is generally pretty solid. It can leak oil; rocker cover, sump, oil cooler and oil filter housing are the usual suspects but it can also leak from the valvetronic motor and sensor too (my 130i was). Other than the sump, they’re all easy enough to do at home.
At 80k plus the original suspension will be getting tired. I’m due to be fitting new Bilstein B4’s and Eibach springs in a few weeks time. The bushes seem ok so I’ll do a more comprehensive overall next year.
It’s not a bad thing to drive and it makes a lovely noise which can be appreciated with the roof down.
My other half uses it as her daily and it averages about 28mpg on shortish trips.
If remapping it, it’s worth upgrading to 130i front discs which are bigger. Pads are the same but you’ll need new carriers for the callipers which I think I picked up for about £50.
The N52 is the same as the one fitted to the 130i but detuned thriugh the throttle mapping. A simple remap takes you to 130i power and having had it done to my other half’s car, well worth the cash. It had done 83k when we picked it up and it’s now approaching 92k.
We’ve had ours just over a year and it’s been pretty good. It’s needed a pair of rear ABS sensors and an oil change. It came on run flats which ruined the car; it’s a completely a completely different thing on standard tyres and rides much better.
The N52 is generally pretty solid. It can leak oil; rocker cover, sump, oil cooler and oil filter housing are the usual suspects but it can also leak from the valvetronic motor and sensor too (my 130i was). Other than the sump, they’re all easy enough to do at home.
At 80k plus the original suspension will be getting tired. I’m due to be fitting new Bilstein B4’s and Eibach springs in a few weeks time. The bushes seem ok so I’ll do a more comprehensive overall next year.
It’s not a bad thing to drive and it makes a lovely noise which can be appreciated with the roof down.
My other half uses it as her daily and it averages about 28mpg on shortish trips.
If remapping it, it’s worth upgrading to 130i front discs which are bigger. Pads are the same but you’ll need new carriers for the callipers which I think I picked up for about £50.
Can't comment on the convertible aspect, but I've run a 125i Coupe for 7 and a half years now, taking it from 56k to 161k and it's been absolutely superb. Mine is a 2008 Manual as well, always warmed up properly then enjoyed and it's been a properly solid car. I've had to fix a couple of bits on it but nothing too pricey - think in that time I've had to do
2 x Ignition Coils
2 x Rear Brake Calipers
1 x ABS Sensor
1 x Rear Wheel bearing
I did refresh the suspension at around 120k as it was getting quite tired, with new struts, top mounts and bump stops, however the springs are still original. It's a superb drive on smooth roads, can feel a little wayward on a bumpy B-Road if the suspension isn't recent, however I actually kind of enjoy that.
Mine also had the remap and I'd highly recommend it. The engine is "nice" as standard but a bit strangled over 5k rpm, the remap makes it zip round the red line quite amusingly when you first try it, and seems to liberate even more noise from it.
2 x Ignition Coils
2 x Rear Brake Calipers
1 x ABS Sensor
1 x Rear Wheel bearing
I did refresh the suspension at around 120k as it was getting quite tired, with new struts, top mounts and bump stops, however the springs are still original. It's a superb drive on smooth roads, can feel a little wayward on a bumpy B-Road if the suspension isn't recent, however I actually kind of enjoy that.
Mine also had the remap and I'd highly recommend it. The engine is "nice" as standard but a bit strangled over 5k rpm, the remap makes it zip round the red line quite amusingly when you first try it, and seems to liberate even more noise from it.
naturalaspiration said:
Looking at used 125i prices on the market, the N52-powered 3 and 6 series seem like a bargain.
I noticed the same thing with 130i prices a few years ago, which is why I ended up buying a 330i with the N52 engine - but I did manage to find a manual one! The OP needs to be aware that at some point the electric water pump will fail which results in overheating in less than a mile. It's very unpredictable so recovery cover is useful unless you invest in getting it replaced as a preventative measure. I had one go at 60K, another at 135K but another was still on the original at 91K.
New pumps are over £500 from BMW, but you can get the same Pierburg product elsewhere for about half that.
naturalaspiration said:
Looking at used 125i prices on the market, the N52-powered 3 and 6 series seem like a bargain.
From experience the N52 in the 1 Series dominates the experience far more than in the 3 and 6 - in the larger cars it's more of a distant hum that growls when you poke it with a stick, in the 1 you're aware of what it's doing all the time until you settle into a cruise. bodhi said:
naturalaspiration said:
Looking at used 125i prices on the market, the N52-powered 3 and 6 series seem like a bargain.
From experience the N52 in the 1 Series dominates the experience far more than in the 3 and 6 - in the larger cars it's more of a distant hum that growls when you poke it with a stick, in the 1 you're aware of what it's doing all the time until you settle into a cruise. Don't know about 1 or 3 series but I am happy to report that the sound of my E64 630i convertible, especially with the roof down, is positively GT-addictive. You can definitely hear it. My E66 730Li sounds almost like an EV in comparison.
The best sounding N52 car I have had a chance to drive is E85 Z4 , both in 2.5L and 3.0L guise. Louder than the 6, with a deeper base note - simply intoxicating, and yet not tiring - all stock. Probably 1 series is not far off?
The best sounding N52 car I have had a chance to drive is E85 Z4 , both in 2.5L and 3.0L guise. Louder than the 6, with a deeper base note - simply intoxicating, and yet not tiring - all stock. Probably 1 series is not far off?
Edited by naturalaspiration on Friday 25th February 00:36
naturalaspiration said:
Don't know about 1 or 3 series but I am happy to report that the sound of my E64 630i convertible, especially with the roof down, is positively GT-addictive. You can definitely hear it. My E66 730Li sounds almost like an EV in comparison.
The best sounding N52 car I have had a chance to drive is E85 Z4 , both in 2.5L and 3.0L guise. Louder than the 6, with a deeper base note - simply intoxicating, and yet not tiring - all stock. Probably 1 series is not far off?
Will admit my only experience of it in a 6 was in a Coupe where it was a bit more muted, more like the 3 - I can imagine the convertible is a different kettle of fish The best sounding N52 car I have had a chance to drive is E85 Z4 , both in 2.5L and 3.0L guise. Louder than the 6, with a deeper base note - simply intoxicating, and yet not tiring - all stock. Probably 1 series is not far off?
Edited by naturalaspiration on Friday 25th February 00:36
It is slightly quieter in the 1 than the Z4, as again mine's a fixed roof and doesn't have the sound generator of the Z4 - but it is closer to that than the bigger cars. The shorter exhaust really brings out the noise, add in a golf tee mod and it sounds excellent - great for livening up boring journeys. You can even hear it crackle and pop slightly on the overrun, which I never get bored of
bodhi said:
Will admit my only experience of it in a 6 was in a Coupe where it was a bit more muted, more like the 3 - I can imagine the convertible is a different kettle of fish
It is slightly quieter in the 1 than the Z4, as again mine's a fixed roof and doesn't have the sound generator of the Z4 - but it is closer to that than the bigger cars. The shorter exhaust really brings out the noise, add in a golf tee mod and it sounds excellent - great for livening up boring journeys. You can even hear it crackle and pop slightly on the overrun, which I never get bored of
Is yours on the stock exhaust?It is slightly quieter in the 1 than the Z4, as again mine's a fixed roof and doesn't have the sound generator of the Z4 - but it is closer to that than the bigger cars. The shorter exhaust really brings out the noise, add in a golf tee mod and it sounds excellent - great for livening up boring journeys. You can even hear it crackle and pop slightly on the overrun, which I never get bored of
Mine sounds pretty fruity with a 135i backbox with sone pretty noticeable burbles and cackles. The 130i has the sound generator thing although I’ve removed mine when I fitted a Mishimoto intake.
The Z4 is surprisingly loud, but a guess as more of a sports car it was welcome.
Court_S said:
Is yours on the stock exhaust?
Mine sounds pretty fruity with a 135i backbox with sone pretty noticeable burbles and cackles. The 130i has the sound generator thing although I’ve removed mine when I fitted a Mishimoto intake.
The Z4 is surprisingly loud, but a guess as more of a sports car it was welcome.
I think so - I certainly haven't touched it since I bought it but unsure what the previous owner did to it. It's certainly always noticeable, even under 3k RPM so I suspect they have done the golf tee mod on it to keep both pipes open. Always wanted to fit a Performance Exhaust but was visiting customer sites in it too often so had to remain moderately discreet, and now I'm not doing that they're like hen's teeth. Mine sounds pretty fruity with a 135i backbox with sone pretty noticeable burbles and cackles. The 130i has the sound generator thing although I’ve removed mine when I fitted a Mishimoto intake.
The Z4 is surprisingly loud, but a guess as more of a sports car it was welcome.
Must admit I prefer intake noise however, does the Mishimoto pipe make much difference?
bodhi said:
I think so - I certainly haven't touched it since I bought it but unsure what the previous owner did to it. It's certainly always noticeable, even under 3k RPM so I suspect they have done the golf tee mod on it to keep both pipes open. Always wanted to fit a Performance Exhaust but was visiting customer sites in it too often so had to remain moderately discreet, and now I'm not doing that they're like hen's teeth.
Must admit I prefer intake noise however, does the Mishimoto pipe make much difference?
I settled for a 135i backbox because the Performance ones are like rocking horse poo and sell for crazy money when they do crop up. My mate Andy lucked out and managed to get new from his brothers car….jammy git.Must admit I prefer intake noise however, does the Mishimoto pipe make much difference?
The mishimoto intake is a subtle difference but it is there.
Court_S said:
I settled for a 135i backbox because the Performance ones are like rocking horse poo and sell for crazy money when they do crop up. My mate Andy lucked out and managed to get new from his brothers car….jammy git.
The mishimoto intake is a subtle difference but it is there.
Aye I saw that on his thread - very nice. The mishimoto intake is a subtle difference but it is there.
Interesting on the Mishimoto - mine is due some TLC after being semi-retired - sadly most of the investment will be on the mechanical bits (refresh water pump, starter motor etc) but something like that would finish it off nicely. I'm an ideal world I'd fit a Performance Intake like on your 130i, but from what I can tell they make the exhausts look quite common
bodhi said:
Aye I saw that on his thread - very nice.
Interesting on the Mishimoto - mine is due some TLC after being semi-retired - sadly most of the investment will be on the mechanical bits (refresh water pump, starter motor etc) but something like that would finish it off nicely. I'm an ideal world I'd fit a Performance Intake like on your 130i, but from what I can tell they make the exhausts look quite common
Yeah if the exhaust is like rocking horse poo, the intake is unicorn rocking horse poo! Interesting on the Mishimoto - mine is due some TLC after being semi-retired - sadly most of the investment will be on the mechanical bits (refresh water pump, starter motor etc) but something like that would finish it off nicely. I'm an ideal world I'd fit a Performance Intake like on your 130i, but from what I can tell they make the exhausts look quite common
That intake will be going on her cab when the 130i is sold.
I think I’m going to the starter motor early April especially as there is a ch ace that we might use her car for our NC500 trip if the weather looks good. I don’t fancy that finally s
tting itself in the highlands!
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