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Coupes & Convertibles BMW 1-Series BMW 1-Series
1809 messages, Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 4:49 PM
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Replying to: dukenj (Mar 08, 2008 7:55 am) I have no idea why such a pedestrian color is so popular on a sporty car. |
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The 325cic with 186 HP sold by the thousands. The e90 328 vert has the same engine as the 128 vert. What makes the 328 worth 10k more? A folding hardtop? Maybe in areas with bad weather but in sunbelt states a vert with a normal roof has sold just fine for BMW. So essentially, the 128 convertible will be lighter and 10k cheaper than the 328 convertible but with the same power. No real advantage to the 3 convertible, certainly not one warranting a 33% price bump. Telling you women are gonna scoop up the 128 verts (and coupe) as if it were made of gelato. And if you look at the sporty coupe world - Mitsu Eclipse, A4 cab, TT, Eos we already know some people are willing to pay pretty sick amounts for really blandly driving coupes. The 1 won't even be high-priced compared to the A4 or TT and just a little higher than the Eclipse and Eos. |
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The 128 convertible is a good deal. A raging deal compared to the 328 convertible. There's a 10k gap in price, yet interior space isn't that off and they use the same engines. :dunno: I don't think this guy polled the likely buyers of: Mini Cooper (S, Convertibles) (~20k+ in sales a year) Eclipse A4 (cab) (~4k a year in sales) TT (coupe and cab) (~4k in sales a year) Eos (2.0/V6) (9-10k in sales a year) G6 (V6 coupe/cab) 328 (coupe/cab) G37 (18k in sales a year) Accord Coupe V6 Altima Coupe V6 S2000 (2-3k sales a year) 350Z Coupe/Cab - (10-12k sales a year) MB SLK (4-5k sales a year) I'm probably missing other coupe/cabs but all of those cars start higher than the low 20s and run well into the 30s and some even hit the 40s and 50s. Are we to believe the 128 won't be attractive to someone shopping an Accord Coupe V6 or a TT? Will the 128 cab not be of interest to the person willing to buy a 38k MSRP Eos 3.2 or even the 35k Eos 2.0T Luxury? The cheapest A4 cab starts at 40k! And it's not even close to the performance of a 128 convertible. The cheapest TT convertible starts at 36k....doesn't the 128 convertible undercut that by thousands? Egad, the TT coupe starts at 35k...are we not going to see buyers cross-shopping the 128 and 135 against the TT? Audi's sold that car in the states for nearly a decade. The SLK280 starts at 44k! MB's been selling the SLK for over a decade. The 128's 29k starting price puts it in reach of most of those buyers. For some it would be a stretch and for other buyers it could be cheaper. |
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Replying to: dukenj (Mar 07, 2008 8:14 pm) Hopefully demand is low and I can get a 128i convertible dirt cheap in a year or so.  Euro delivery for $30k would be nice. |
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Okay, this is part 1...let me start of by saying I am an ex-BMW owner, 325i, loved the car. Now I drive a 2008 Lexus IS250 AWD, but I am intrigued by the BMW 135, my dealer got a 128 in stock, so I went to look at the car. It is nicer looking in person, but doesn't have the sharp edges and the more muscular stance like the 3 series, the 3 series coupe was longer, wider, and less height, which does translate to better road handling. Also the rear seats wear cramped and what is with that middle rear seat rest...horrible. The car is still very BMW in person, but for a new car, you would think they would have been a little bolder and eye turning in design. Standing right next to a 335 and an M3, this car looked like the runt of the litter. Now let's not even go over price, because they did price it way too high, plus all the basics of luxury are expensive optionals which would push your car into a different price range, you would get a better deal buying a G35, A4, or a 2007 BMW 328, or even a Lexus IS250. Plus I hate when dealers say to me, the car is too hot, selling too quick, we don't have enough, which means no deals! If you want the basics like automatic - extra, remote access - extra, leather seats - extra, power seats - extra, heated seats - extras...I got all those options on my Lexus for free with the price of the car and I got a great deal on my Lexus, low 30ks for a brand new 2008 Starfire Pearl IS250 AWD! Now, I want to say I am still interested in the BMW 135, the car is still a better deal than the 3-series in price, if the 335 had been cheaper, I would have bought that over the Lexus, that car handles like a dream and the twin turbo is awesome! I just got a call from my dealer, so I will test drive the 135 and the car better perform since there is no way on paper this car is worth the deal based on features, options, or looks. I am not a convertible guy, so this is only in reference to the coupe. The car will only win my heart if it truly is the ultimate driving machine. I probably won't dump my Lexus, but if I love this BMW, I will probably pick up a 2008 in 2009 when the new models come out and either trade or sell...only if the car lives up to my standards. Quick note: G35 was a close second, but a little too big and rough for me, plus too many on the road. The new 2009 A4 is intriguing but won't come out until Fall, almost bought a 2008 A4 but the dealer was too far from my house. I choose the Lexus based on resell, reliability, looks, and overall quality! See you guys soon and keep driving hard. John Dae |
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Tomorrow's Easter Sunday and time for our family traditional trip to the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center. The show opens at 10AM and we'll be there when the doors open. BMW will no doubt be the first exhibit we visit. I'm SO EXCITED to check out the 1 series.
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Replying to: nyccarguy (Mar 22, 2008 5:33 pm) First of all, it looks very handsome overall. From straight back, it looks fantastic. Rear 3/4's also look good. As you work your way forward, it gets less appealing. The front bumper/airdam do look good, but I don't like the headlights (the outside pointy part) or the front 3/4 side views as much (the character line and concave door slabs look contrived). Cooling - Big radiator behind the front grill, with the oil cooler down low and across the entire width of the "mouth." Also saw the aux oil cooler inside the front passenger side wheel well. Air ducts in the front bumper direct air directly onto the front brakes - very good! The bumper also has an opening on the passenger side to direct air to the aux oil cooler. The corresponding "opening" on the driver side is closed with black plastic (not an insert - it's part of the bumper). Engine compartment - No dipstick. Boy is it crowded in there - there's no way a shadetree mechanic is going to be working on this car. Undercarriage - A plastic cover under the engine went back as far as I could see from the front of the car. No worries, you can't service the engine, transmission, or differential yourself anyways... Cockpit - Wonderful! Quality look and feel, and everything fit together properly - especially compared to the crappy, shiny plastic they put in the Z4. This one had the Sport Package, and the small, thick-rimmed, perforated leather steering wheel alone is worth the cost - it's easily the nicest steering wheel I've ever put my hands on. Holding it at 9 and 3 alone made me imagine driving the car down a twisty canyon and put a smile on my face - it's that good. The seats felt great too (for the 5 minutes I sat in it). This is a car that fits just right, and only takes 10 seconds to adjust everything to it's proper place. Exterior (again) - Even with the "sport package" (135i), the car sits kind of high over the wheels. the wheels and tires, while generously sized, just don't fill the wells like they should. The 135i also has a big difference between front and rear (215F / 245R) . It is not obvious to look at, but certainly will be a cause of understeer (done on purpose, no doubt). Overall, I really think it may be the best car BMW has built in many years. Wide appeal with lots of options (luxury, performance, colors/trim, etc.) to satisfy every buyer, and an attractive entry-level price point. My only reservations (still) involve the lack of user access/serviceability and the complexity of the electronics/systems. When something on this car fails (and with a car this complex, it's only a matter of time), only the dealer will be able to fix it. I'm afraid this means the 1-series is an ideal mistress, but a bad candidate for marriage. Too bad. As much as I love the idea of owning a car like this (OK, it's lust), I think the negatives are a deal breaker for me. Oh well, I suppose it's fates way of saying that I really need a Porsche 911. 
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Replying to: fedlawman (Mar 22, 2008 8:45 pm) In my case, I believe fate is telling me to bite the bullet and stuff a Metric Mechanic stroker motor into the Club Sport. It will be a LOT less expensive, and at the very least it should make for a good Roundel article...
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So everything went VERY smooth this morning. We all (my wife, my son, & I) got up, had breakfast, showered (my son got a bath), and were out the door by 8:50 AM. We piled into my Prelude (just had it washed on Friday), our default family/weekend car since my wife has got A LOT of miles on her '07 X3 and headed downtown. There were barely any cars on the road. 30 minutes after we left our apartment, we found street parking (they get you for a SPECIAL EVENT rate at the overcrowded lots near the Javitz Center for $40-$50 + you have to tip the guy so he won't bury you). My Dad found street parking too (it was closer than us  ) OK, so we got there about 15 minutes before the show opened up. Changed my son's diaper (he turned 18 months old today). Met up with my parents and my cousin and we were ready to roll. We were hearded through the gates and made a b-line for the BMW exhibit. I rushed over to the 135i (there was also a 128iA Convertible). I've always thought the 135i was a handsome car, then I started seeing photos posted on bimmerfest which I really liked, and then I really flipped when I saw the car in person. The press photos do not do this car justice. The 135i was the Sedona Red Metallic/Black Leather interior with the Sport Package & (proper) 6-speed manual transmission. Fedlawman probably gave a more detailed description than I will because the display got crowded really fast and I only sat in the car for maybe 30 seconds. I think the car looks great from all angles. It is very well proportioned. The back is really nicely done. The small lip spoiler & blackened exhaust tips are really nice details. I think the wheels fill out the wells nicely (they looked big next to the Non-Sport 128iC). The front of the car definitely shows a little attitude. The cockpit inside is perfect. It was snug, but not tight. I'd have no problems blasting to and from work 6 days a week! I'm really glad I haven't driven this thing yet because as they say "Houston, we have a problem." I haven't wanted a car so much since I sat in a 911 C2S last year or first saw an Estoril Blue E36 M3 Coupe way back when. Other BMW notes: The E92 M3 sedan is just a sick car.
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Replying to: nyccarguy (Mar 23, 2008 7:17 pm) So.. I drove the 128 and 135 convertibles on Saturday. I get to my dealer, talk to the sales guy... and he gives me the keys and says, "I'm finishing up with a customer, it's the champagne one right outside. Take it for a ride." Um... ok. So I hop in this thing, with the sports package. I love the seats...and it's roomy enough for me, 5'10", I take in on the street... and I love the feel of the suspension. Car felt really solid with just the right amount of give for comfort. The 128i engine is a good, but not great in automatic mode. When you engage the shifters, and have more control, the engine shows it's stuff. If I were to get the 128i, it would have to be a manual. I took this thing through windy back roads, and opened it up on the parkway(nj). Smooth and quick. Better than my A4. As for styling, I really liked the outside, zero complaints on my end. Same goes for the inside. I felt like I was in control of everything, and it was all well within reach. .... Now for the 300 hp engine. To sum it up.... I was doing 80 while still on the entry lane!!!....getting on the parkway. The thing just pulls you around....and I absolutely loved it. I let it fall to 50...put it in 3rd.... then blasted by everybody in the right lanes as the car just kept accelerating without a hint of strain. My lease is up in April, but I can extend it month by month. My only problem is which convertible do I get. I can get all the comforts on the inside with my metallic gray with red leather seats and manual on the 128i for about $41,500. Or not get as many comforts and spend about $46,000 on the 135i. I'm maxing out what I want to spend in buying this thing... so I'm trying to figure out which way to go. It might come down to how much I can get this guy to drop the price. Wish me luck. 
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