New: Looking to Become a 1 Series Guy

[383backinblack]

Hi there!

New to BMWs, but I've been admiring the 1s from afar for years. Now that I've been in CA for a few years, it's about time to retire my truck from daily-driver duty, and I'm really looking to get a 135i.

I really dig the way BMW puts cars together, and especially love the 1 series design.

It'll be a steep learning curve for me, as this will be the first non-GM vehicle I've worked on in my adult life (Been drag racing a supercharged Camaro, and driving pick-up trucks since I was a kid).

So, I'm just trying to learn as much as I can. Mainly I'm trying to decide between the DCT and 6MT.

[TexSquirrel]

There are a lot of "what to look for" posts.
Go through those and you'll learn quite a bit.

Good luck on your 135i hunt.
I searched for a couple of months for just the right one.

[brocklanders]

I've been a manual only guy for the last ten years, but I buy off the lot. The 135 I now own is the first that I couldn't find a manual, if it were an auto I wouldn't have it right now. I have had the dct for two years and don't regret it in the least, my advice is find the best 135 for the best deal and don't let the dct deter you.

[Esteban]

My opinion, if you know how to drive a manual and enjoy it, buy a manual. I drive a DCT because of an injury. I love it, it is extremely fast shifting and fun but would prefer a manual if I could.

[NorthernDancer]

I always recommend buying privately. Ask him/her to produce maintenance records. Take along someone who knows BMWs well. Find an indy BMW garage who'll do your maintenance work; seek their advice. Look for all original paint, only 1 or 2 owners and of course, maintenance records.

[383backinblack]

Originally Posted by brocklanders

I've been a manual only guy for the last ten years, but I buy off the lot. The 135 I now own is the first that I couldn't find a manual, if it were an auto I wouldn't have it right now. I have had the dct for two years and don't regret it in the least, my advice is find the best 135 for the best deal and don't let the dct deter you.

Originally Posted by Esteban

My opinion, if you know how to drive a manual and enjoy it, buy a manual. I drive a DCT because of an injury. I love it, it is extremely fast shifting and fun but would prefer a manual if I could.

I guess I should drive a lot more of both, too. My drag car is a stick, and I've always been a manual guy for fun cars ... but man are those DCTs quick The other thing that makes them appealing is I'd be driving it almost every day (I don't drive the drag car very often). I'm going to start looking in earnest pretty soon.

Either way, these things have to a ton of fun in the twisty canyon roads out here in NorCal.

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

I always recommend buying privately. Ask him/her to produce maintenance records. Take along someone who knows BMWs well. Find an indy BMW garage who'll do your maintenance work; seek their advice. Look for all original paint, only 1 or 2 owners and of course, maintenance records.

Good advice for any car, I'd say. It's likely that anything that's not a warranty situation I'd be doing myself, but always good to have experienced expert's brains to pick. Do you know of any BMW shops in NorCal (besides Dinan, which is just a little ways from here)?

[champignon]

I have owned 1 automatic car in my many years and I hated it so much that I got rid of it in about a year. But obviously, most people these days prefer automatics.

Buying a car directly from the owner, especially if it is a longtime and perhaps only owner, is a romantic notion for many. My own experience on this score is decidedly mixed. The romanticist wants to talk to the former owner, to be assured that the car was well maintained and "babied" the way that you will do yourself with the car, given the chance.

What really matters is that the car was owned by people who took care of it, and especially that the LAST owner fixed all the broken things before you took possession, so that you don't have to :-) I personally got rid of such a car, that had had 6 or 8 owners, none of them long term, but each of them appears to have fixed something and I was the last one to pump dollars into it fixing things. When I sold it, after 6 months, it was perfect, and my buyer in addition to getting a $5000 donation (from me) in terms of value-add, received a nearly perfect car.

My sole owner well maintained cars have been a mixed bag.

Check the car out and see what condition it is in. Don't buy at a distance without having a look yourself. Remaining warranty is a real plus, if you can get it as part of the deal. Nothing is perfect and you might hit a home run or you might buy a turkey. There's no certainty in this used car buying thing.

Good luck.

[Matticus91]

I like bullets, so.... Some main points:

• 2008-2010 for twin-turbo N54 engine
• 2011-2013 for single-turbo (twin scroll) N55 engine
• The N54 is slightly less reliable for certain things than the N55 but is still a great platform.
• The cars got an interior facelift in 2012.
• iDrive (BMW's nav system) is not worth it, if you find a good, non-nav car, don't hesitate.
• Check for VANOS recall in service records, research this if you don't know what it is.
• As far as DCT vs. 6MT, I'm also a manual guy and went manual, I drive every day in DC traffic and don't regret it. However I DO regret not trying a DCT, which I still have yet to do, so I'd say do that and then make the call.
• If it'll be your DD but you want some extra "umpff", grab a JB4 or other tuner, an aftermarket charge pipe (stock are known to fail), and you'll be in good shape (~400hp/450tq with just the tune).

Stuff to check prior to purchase (weakpoints):

• Oil filter housing gasket, these are known to fail, and a pain to replace since you have to lift the intake mani.
• Charge pipes are weak if you plan to run more boost, grab an aftermarket one they're all fine and will do the job.
• Waterpumps known to fail (moreso on N54 than N55 from what I've seen) kinda hard to check for this but consider preventative replacement if car is past 60k miles.
• N54's are prone to carbon buildup. A car with 60k+ should get a nice walnut blasting to clean all that out. There's some good contacts in CA for this and it shouldn't cost you more than ~$500.

Lastly, these are awesome cars and you're going to love it! I'm on my second one and I haven't been wanting for anything else for years. And this is coming from someone who used to get a new set of wheels every year

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

• 2008-2010 for twin-turbo N54 engine
• 2011-2013 for single-turbo (twin scroll) N55 engine

N55 started in 2010. IIRC, it was March.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

N55 started in 2010. IIRC, it was March.

The 1st model year for the N55 engine in the 135i was 2011. Production dates were in 2010 though. My production date was 4/27/10.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...t-drive-review

[383backinblack]

Awesome stuff, guys. Im pretty sure I'm looking for a 2011+

People are really getting 400WHP out of these things with tunes and some bolt on parts? That'd be a lot of fun in a tiny little car.

My race car is around 1,000hp, but it's a lot heavier and it's not exactly a "daily driver." I've always said, as cool as it is, anything over 500hp is basically useless on the street.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by 383backinblack

Awesome stuff, guys. Im pretty sure I'm looking for a 2011+

People are really getting 400WHP out of these things with tunes and some bolt on parts? That'd be a lot of fun in a tiny little car.

My race car is around 1,000hp, but it's a lot heavier and it's not exactly a "daily driver." I've always said, as cool as it is, anything over 500hp is basically useless on the street.

You should post some pics of your Camaro.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Esteban

The 1st model year for the N55 engine in the 135i was 2011. Production dates were in 2010 though. My production date was 4/27/10.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...t-drive-review

That's correct - production started in 2010 but the model year will be listed as 2011. Build sheet will say "2011 135i - N55 - Prod: XX/XX/2010"

Originally Posted by Esteban

You should post some pics of your Camaro.

I second this!!

[Esteban]

The 2012 LCI facelift for the 135i also included updates to the headlights and taillights.

[383backinblack]

Originally Posted by Esteban

You should post some pics of your Camaro.

I wasn't sure if that sort of thing was acceptable around here ... The car interw3bz have become a much more tolerant place than they were in the early 2000s, where domestic, import, drag, and euro stuff all stayed in their own corners

This is it ... it's a 1991 Camaro RS. It's got a tubular front end, lift bar rear supension, an S&W race cars 12-point cage, an F1-R Procharged, intercooled, Methanol injected 383 small block with Airflow Research heads. Transmission is a Tremec TKO 600 5-speed that's been face-plated, gears micro-finished and cryo treated by Liberty, with a Spec 11" twin-disc clutch and a Moser 12-bolt rear with 33 spline axles.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2&l=7fe9b05999

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...3&l=dc6079a6a0

I'm guessing a 135i will get slightly better mileage

[tock172]

Holy shit that Camaro is no joke.

[Esteban]

.

[mr.fabulous]

Very beastly Anybody here ever get the front wheels off the ground with a 1er?

Personally I would never buy a car that (even previously) had mods, I don't want something that's been beat-up or beat on. But my car is a DD and so my requirements might not match others'.

I found mine on AutoTrader.com and flew to get it (there aren't many of these, be prepared to travel to get yours... esp if you want 6MT). And don't believe a written description saying the car is a stick, half the DCTs for sale list a manual because the idiot writing the ad doesn't know the difference. Get a picture of the pedals.

[Esteban]

I wouldn't feel comfortable buying a car that had been modded for power either. Odds are the car has been driven hard to take advantage of those mods.

[383backinblack]

Originally Posted by Esteban

I wouldn't feel comfortable buying a car that had been modded for power either. Odds are the car has been driven hard to take advantage of those mods.

I can see both sides of it. However, unless it was from someone I knew (and therefore knew the cars history and their capabilities with a wrench) I wouldn't trust them.

Or maybe I just have trust issues ... no one has ever worked on my race car besides myself and friends helping

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by 383backinblack

I can see both sides of it. However, unless it was from someone I knew (and therefore knew the cars history and their capabilities with a wrench) I wouldn't trust them.

Or maybe I just have trust issues ... no one has ever worked on my race car besides myself and friends helping

I definitely have trust issues. The only car I ever bought used was my 1st car when I was 17. All my cars since were bought new. I prefer a fresh start. If my current 1er was to get totaled, I'd probably buy a new M240i or an M2.