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      04-30-2009, 09:49 AM   #1
Verker
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Cool 120i cabby test drive with, hmm, mixed results

Hey 1addicts, whatsup!

I'm new around here (have been lurking for a while especially to check the picture threads) so here goes my mini-introduction: 39, male, from Vienna, roughly the heart of europe, currently still forced to drive wifeys little A150 Mercedes about (boo!). Posting here, because I somehow prefer to communicate in english (over german) on the web.

Thought I'll share my personal driving experience of todays test drive with a BMW 120i convertible. Maybe you want to comment / discuss some. I wouldnt say it has been disappointing, but after the drive I have mixed emotions. Lets look at the details:

Car in general - Love the little BMW convertible, thought about purchasing one ever since i saw those pictures of the CS1 ptototype on the web. The real thing is damn close to the CS1. In fact it looks so neat, that i dont even consider to check out the competition (especially not the ugly Audi A3 cabby, though I've had an Audi limosine earlier).

Color - Drove the darkest blue available, Monaco blue. Lovely color if you like black cars, needs a ton of sunlight to reveal that there are some blue particles in the paint. Will appear like a black car in the city most of the time and shine in dark blue when you take it to the countryside. I still liked it, its somehow subtle compared to the other available blues. I'll include a pic later if possible.

Engine - 120i manual drive. Oh well - this is not the most suitable engine for the convertible to say the least. It supplies around 170 hp but you dont feel more like 130 of them unless you rev it very (too) high. Also, its either coming off the clutch rather roughly, or i am not the kind of driver it likes - maybe it wanted a lot more revs in first gear than i was willing to give it. It felt like it had a severe weakness to get going after the headlight turns green. Also, i dont think the fuel it needs is a good idea - okay, you can drive it with a lower spec fuel too, but then again you will loose even more of those hp in the low revs. It may be my personal pov, but i would not buy a 120i. You might cruise around with a 118i as well, it costs a lot less, and if you really wanted to feel the punch then keep your hands off the 120i. I'll probably test drive a diesel engine next before i buy, maybe even with automatic gear box, because i wont be able to afford the 135i anyway to be honest. And cabbies are more like cruising around anyway, are they not? Considering a diesel engine i m only concerned about putting more weight into the front of the car, as it seems to understear with the 120i engine already. Does anybody have experience comparing between the diesel and the petrol engines concerning understeer?

What i liked - It drives fairly well taking into account how heavy it is. We had some faster corners around a mountain road and it seems to lover cornering more than i would have expected. Going around bad surfaces it seems to make some (low) awkward noises coming from within the car body, but nothing i would be concerned about. Somehow it seems to get more and more consistent the faster you drive it - a bit tempting on normal roads, esp so for a cabby. Its most positive side are still its looks - guess i d call mine "playmate" if i had one (uh oh not too many girls around here i hope :P ). It sure turns some heads in the city, maybe more than other convertibles do. I also liked the seats which were a leather / textile mixture and came in beige color. Looked / felt perfect for this car, a cheaper option to std leather if you like. Oh i would pay the std leather, but i wont pay all the crap BMW thinks i will have to order along with it. And omg i wished our A150 had that seat heating system, whadda relief when your back hurts after a long day in the office. The fuel saving sys is working perfectly imho, needs 5 mins to get used to it and after that you are just thinking why all the other vehicles pollute air when its not necessary. I bet our Mercedes would save 30% fuel in city mode if he had the start-stop thingie too.

What i disliked - The engine, its feel off the clutch, its need for high revs to move the cabby. The manual gearbox could have a bit shorter ways from gear to gear (moving the stick i mean, the gear ratios feel fine, maybe the 1st isnt fitting too well with the 120i engine). There are some minor flaws: The roof will hit a person on the rear seat while folding, the pillars next to the frontwindow are covered with the most disgusting black plastic i have ever seen in a "premium" car. I bet most of you guys exchange or pimp those? Damn i think i didnt make a pic of those. Even in the A class those pillars are coated with some sort of interior material textile or whatever. Shame on BMW for those. Hmm what else? Car was dirty inside and outside. Well, dealers. There was an expensive audio sys equipped in the car, i still didnt like its sound. Rather would exchange it for some 3rd manufacturers model. Does BMW provide a bracket for 3rd party audio devices and how would that look (any got a pic)? Last point the roof: Okay 23 secs is decent - but why in the world would i want to press the button continuously during that time? Hence it even works until 50 km/h, how am i supposed to keep that damn button down all time while i am steering, shifting gears, answering the moblie and tryin to keep my hands off the blonde on the seat next to me? Guess i would look for a modifyer to do it with 1 short press on the button - if there is one (hints?).

Overall - Would i want to buy one? Yes. With this engine and manual drive? No. Either the biggie if you can afford (i cant) or a little diesel one with automatic drive for some city cruising. Just a shame the automatic gearbox will remove the fuel savin sys. Now lets see if my dealer can provide one for testing...

Comments / discussion appreciated,

regards,

Verker
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      04-30-2009, 09:49 AM   #2
Verker
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reserved for pic, incoming later

Here goes, color sample for monaco blue / beige seats (excuse the bad camera / pic quality)

Verker
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Last edited by Verker; 04-30-2009 at 10:05 AM.. Reason: added picture
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      04-30-2009, 10:16 AM   #3
MrRoboto
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Welcome from across the pond!
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