When was the first time you saw the 1?

[demas]

It was spring 2001 and I was enjoying my newly purchased E36 318 ti and thinking I ruled the world. And why not - I was in Technology for a top Wallstreet firm in Tokyo and things were looking real good and everyone was upbeat after pulling through the '98 crisis mostly felt by our Hong Kong office.


As a newly inducted owner, I got the latest BMW owners magazine in the physical mailbox. Included in the quarterly was a 4 page brochure on the new CS1 concept. A copper beige compact car, sleek and unique. Cute, I thought but I'm going bigger, better - I had already envisioned a trajectory from a 3 series to the 5 and eventually the 7 - naively thinking status equates to what size you drive.


So I went down the road of life and did get a 5 a few years later. Over the course of the next 20 years owned 4 of them to be exact - but never moved to the 7. Realized I didn't need it to feel fulfilled.


For some reason I always recalled the old 4-page brochure of that concept car which stuck with me all these years - somehow calling me - but dismissing it as it didn't fit my ego.


Knew I needed get it before it's too late. So I did last year - an E82 135i 6MT - and I am not looking back as I love it. Great to find this forum too with all it's energy. The newer the cars and higher up the chain, the less enthusiasm exists on DIY's, sharing and experimenting.


I'm cognizant it's well over 10 years since the 1 has been released but think it's still worth being excited about.

As David Bryne said - Home is where I want to be...

[fotontom]

It was soon after I took delivery of my ‘06 M Roadster (the 1 series was not available in the USA at the time). Honestly, I did not understand the concept at first. It seemed too close in size to the Mini. I had taken delivery of one of the first Minis in the US in 2001 which I traded on the M Roadster.

Looking back, the 1 series gives me a lot of the same enjoyment of each of these cars. Not a large car fan, let alone an SUV.

[parameter416]

I had read about them for years in European car mags, but the first time I saw one was in 2006, on a trip to Italy. My family was awestruck by the Coliseum, but I was gawking at the e87 parked down the street. I was struck by the proportions, with such a long hood - reminded me of a Clown Shoe.

[Wazowski]

I had been trying to afford an M3 sonde they cam out, for the better part of 20 years. A 16V Scirocco and a manual VW Cabrio we’re my fun DDs during that span. In the spring of 2008 I got wind of the 1 Series. Talked thru the financial stretch this would be with my wife, who understood my interest was the driving experience (not the label). I optioned a 6M E88 to my liking (everything but Nav and HK stereo) such that I was asked by folks who knew, why I didn’t get a 5 series for that money. 15 years and 193k miles later, not a single regret.

[BMWCCA1]

When I interviewed designer Chris Chapman for a Roundel article on the 2002 NY Auto Show.

The Concept CS1 was featured at the show—and in my article in the June 2002 Roundel.

[demas]

Originally Posted by fotontom

..I had taken delivery of one of the first Minis in the US in 2001 which I traded on the M Roadster.

Looking back, the 1 series gives me a lot of the same enjoyment of each of these cars. Not a large car fan, let alone an SUV.

Nice. The R52 is still the best looking MINI to me.

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

When I interviewed designer Chris Chapman for a Roundel article on the 2002 NY Auto Show.

The Concept CS1 was featured at the show—and in my article in the June 2002 Roundel.

Never joined BMW CCA being all the way over here so missed these articles. Would be great to hear more about the CS1.

[NorthernDancer]

So there I was in 2009 supremely happy in my life with my mint 325iX. Definitely garage queen since new. And then my wife comes home and tells me she and my son had taken a new BMW out for a test drive and absolutely loved it. "It" turned out to be a new 09 135 in sedona red with beige interior. It also had the "M" pkg but was also an automatic. Final nail in the coffin was the price, about $53,700 Cdn dollars. Well I said NO because:
no interest in a turbo car
far too much money for this old soldier on just his pension
have never liked high depreciation of new cars
"M" pkg is mostly for looks
we would almost immediately have to shop for snow tires $$$
AUTOMATIC
Wife agreed reluctantly
For a year tho I kept hearing how much she liked that car but it soon disappeared. [likely stored for the winter]
2010 car is back in showroom, about 8000 miles, curb rash on 2 or 3 wheels and price now $43,000
Still no
2011-browsing Craigslist or other auto site
Find 2008 128 sedona w/black sensatec, 6 spd manual, sport pkg, just under 3 yrs old, about 1300 miles away so likely no winter driving.
Agreed to buy it sight unseen and owner sent me all maintenance records. Flew the 1300 miles to Georgia, owners took day off and picked me up at airport, back home sale concluded and I drove her home.
Still sits in my driveway spring,summer and fall. Garage in winter.
Car has been flawless.
USD 20,000.00

[GoRomeo]

Any pics ? 😊

[NorthernDancer]

pics, yes but it'll have to wait until my son helps me load it here

OK, see OFFICIAL SEDONA RED COUPE THREAD, PAGE 9, PIC #192

[cerealwars]

2013, sometime soon after I got to university. My first track event ever, brought my 240sx. It was an autocross at Grattan Raceway, I had gone with my school's motorsports club.

This kid was ripping in a burnt orange E82, and somehow it really struck me - this is a way forward! It's a newer car, but sort of like my own 240. It's like the new FR-S, but a bit more grown-up. The styling really grabbed me, as it was subdued, no-bullshit, classic BMW 2-box coupe. Very different compared to everything else in their lineup.

For ten years the 1-series had a secret admirer in me. And then this past spring after a long stretch of driving boring crap daily, I got the news that it had depreciated enough! A manual 128i could be had for under 10k, and with relatively low miles. Two weeks later I bought the first one I could find and have been loving it ever since.

[Afam28]

The first time I saw a 1’er I was on the highway driving home(in the rain)…
It was a dark matte green and it was beautiful…
It had a nice sized spoiler, looked well put together, wheels were awesome…it just looked great…
Time went by and I found myself researching about the car about 1 year later…
I was also looking at G37 awd…
I read that the 128 was non turbo and that the 135 was turbo…
I gravitated towards the turbo(even with all the talk about reliability etc)…

Went for a test drive, gave up some money and here I am!

[Houranimd49]

It was the 2008 Detroit auto show, when the people around me said “this is the BMW that isn’t really a BMW.” I was 14 years old and even then I recall disagreeing with that statement.

Fast forward to 2012 and I was at a gas station. I was 18 years old. A glistening black sapphire metallic 135i rolls up with precision to the gas pump across from me and who stepped out was a gentleman who appeared to be in his 70s. Interior was red. I couldn’t help but think to myself… now that… that right there is cool.

2022 comes around. I’m barely out of medical school when I decided I wanted something besides my F10 to have fun in. And I felt I deserved something after graduating med school. I couldn’t find an E82 within my budget (I was broke as heck). I found lemans blue metallic E82 with the MT that was rear ended on auction. But the interior was pristine. Clearly taken care of. I took delivery, fixed it up all by myself, and enjoyed it immensely.

Alas, life happened and it was time to buy a house with my wife. It was an extra car. I miss it a lot, especially now that I can’t find another just like it.

[demas]

Originally Posted by Afam28

The first time I saw a 1’er I was on the highway driving home(in the rain)…
It was a dark matte green and it was beautiful…
It had a nice sized spoiler, looked well put together, wheels were awesome…it just looked great…
Time went by and I found myself researching about the car about 1 year later…
I was also looking at G37 awd…
I read that the 128 was non turbo and that the 135 was turbo…
I gravitated towards the turbo(even with all the talk about reliability etc)…

Went for a test drive, gave up some money and here I am!

Awesome..

Originally Posted by Houranimd49

It was the 2008 Detroit auto show, when the people around me said “this is the BMW that isn’t really a BMW.” I was 14 years old and even then I recall disagreeing with that statement.

Fast forward to 2012 and I was at a gas station. I was 18 years old. A glistening black sapphire metallic 135i rolls up with precision to the gas pump across from me and who stepped out was a gentleman who appeared to be in his 70s. Interior was red. I couldn’t help but think to myself… now that… that right there is cool.

2022 comes around. I’m barely out of medical school when I decided I wanted something besides my F10 to have fun in. And I felt I deserved something after graduating med school. I couldn’t find an E82 within my budget (I was broke as heck). I found lemans blue metallic E82 with the MT that was rear ended on auction. But the interior was pristine. Clearly taken care of. I took delivery, fixed it up all by myself, and enjoyed it immensely.

Alas, life happened and it was time to buy a house with my wife. It was an extra car. I miss it a lot, especially now that I can’t find another just like it.

Hopefully you can get back into one in the future. The F10 can be fun at times - it's a great cruiser. I had a 75 Mile/day drive 3 days a week to the office until recently - glad it wasn't in the 6MT and creeping in traffic :-)

[Papa Popov]

Put the stock tune back on so that I can take a gander at smog. Damn this thing feels like it's powered by an anemic juicebox without the 3IM. I will say that I much prefer the stock throttle response. Throttle map on my tune made the car way too jerky.

[zx10guy]

I don't remember exactly when but it was probably a few years prior to me purchasing my 2013 new. I've read about the 1er in various articles and wasn't too sure about the looks from the photographs. Then one day driving up on a highway going home near dusk, I saw my first 1er driving past. Seeing it in person made me totally change my mind about the car.

Then during 2013 I read about the 1er being discontinued with the 2er coming out and all the chatter about the EPS. In January of 2014, something made me do a search to see if there were any 1ers in inventory at the local dealerships. I didn't expect to find any as it was way past the last production date for the 1er. I ran across a Carbon Black 135i with DCT at a dealership and that's when things got set into motion. I wanted a Black 135i with a 6MT but there were limited choices.

Still have my 2013 135i with almost 102k miles on it and still looking showroom new.

[Houranimd49]

Originally Posted by demas

Hopefully you can get back into one in the future. The F10 can be fun at times - it's a great cruiser. I had a 75 Mile/day drive 3 days a week to the office until recently - glad it wasn't in the 6MT and creeping in traffic :-)

Great Cruiser indeed. It’s best for after those long days at work. But I need something more fun again. Prices on the 2 and 4 series still haven’t come down much, and the same spec 135i I had is hard to find with ok mileage (100k or less).

[Gray_Panther]

Summer in Greece 2008. I saw the 1er hatchbacks all over and thought they were cool.
I return back home and my parents bought an E88 from the showroom and had it sitting in the driveway with the top down.
I became a 1addict for sure that day.

[golfer23rm]

prob saw it in 2010. my bro and i were having breakfast at a coffee shop. he saw this 125i m sport and said that car is mean. He has an e46 318i m sport kit. looking at the E82, he said that would def be his next car. i was a VW fan then and was thinking golf 5 6 gti, i didn't think much as i thought it was probably silly money being a bmw but did say its a really cool car.

2018 i got rid of the golf 4 and wanted a 2 door sports car. i was looking at a z4 coupe. test drove a few, and even though i wanted an impractical car, the z4 was not going to fit to be a daily driver. falling into the car isn't that good every day. Also, it had to be easy enough for my folks to get in and go. I was looking at an E92, 325i, but the engine is blocked at 2.5L. a 125i pop'd up. had the specs i wanted. though it's was missing the msport kit, nav and heated seats. i learnt from my brother's bmw how fast the car's ac heats up so i could overlook the heated seats. took it for a test drive. i wanted a manual, but the auto and paddle shift were a good compromise. learnt that i could do a 130i tune before i took the dive and its been a dream. the car is actually so practical.
the fuel consumption is quite tasty.....still, love it.

[AshwinLB]

First time I noticed the 1er was probably in early 2017 (wasn't really into cars back then since I didn't have my license), I remember thinking it looked so squished like a bulldog and thinking it was weird you would want one over a 3er. Later that year I got my first 135i (the twin turbos really intrigued me), and I've had one ever since. Turns out the bulldog nature is what I love about it haha, no other car can replace it.

Twin turbo inline-6 + 6MT + M3 Hydraulic Steering + shorter wheelbase + LSD = Perfection