128i Auto

[Matt 335is]

I have pretty much made up my mind that I want a 1 Series with Auto transmission. I test drove a 135i with DCT and loved it. I have recently been seeing some Auto 128i M-Sport in my area and have scheduled a test drive this Saturday.

I recently test drove a new 228i and was satisfied with the power delivery but prefer the looks of the 1 series.

Anyone here drive a 128i Auto can give me their impressions.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by OneAddicts

I have pretty much made up my mind that I want a 1 Series with Auto transmission. I test drove a 135i with DCT and loved it. I have recently been seeing some Auto 128i M-Sport in my area and have scheduled a test drive this Saturday.

I recently test drove a new 228i and was satisfied with the power delivery but prefer the looks of the 1 series.

Anyone here drive a 128i Auto can give me their impressions.

Ruins everything good about the N52(the engine), wouldn't buy the car if it had one, nothing like DCT.

[631twentyeighteye]

The auto tranny in the 128i will literally be nothing like the DCT of the 135i nor the auto(8 zpeed) of the 228i.

The 128i auto is a 6 gear GM gearbox that feels just like every other automatic transmission i've ever drove(including my old jeep). It's not terrible, but I personally wouldn't recommend it. I've driven an automatic extensively as my friend has one but while the car is still fantastic as the chassis and motor are the same, the mushy gear box really detracts from the 128's fantastic driving experience.

The auto 128i is noticeable slower than an equally equipped/modded manual 128i.

However if you're dead set on getting an auto for whatever reason(assuming commuting, traffic), you'll probably be okay with it. The paddles really are nothing compared to a good ol' clutch and shifter.

[Matt 335is]

Thanks for the input but man that's a bummer. I wonder what BMW was thinking when choosing to use such a run of the mill gearbox in the 128i.

Oh well, I'll still give it a test drive as it's just going to be a commuter car in heavy traffic with the occasional spirited drive... we'll see.

[Mossberg128i]

I have an auto 128i and I love it. I have yet to see any videos posted with a manual 128i delivering a faster 0-60 time then the current videos online in which the automatic is placed in DS mode. But I have heard by many that the manual is "faster"...just haven't seen the proof. The auto is a fun car nonetheless and for someone to say the N52 is ruined with an auto is nonsense. There is nothing like feeling the clutch and every gear as you would in a manual. But depending on your driving situation, the auto may be best. And it is still a fun car!

[Matt 335is]

Nice, good to hear some positive feedback.

[andrey_gta]

The redeemable feature of the Auto is that its final drive gear is very high. You will keep up with many similar manual BMW.
Also the 1 series is lighter than a 3 series, so most negative comments about 3 series auto don't apply

on e90post a video shows An auto e92 328i has kept up with a modded manual e92 328i.

Furthermore, maybe in a few months there might be a flash available for the auto transmission. Someone needs to prove that 328i GM transmission can be flashed with fresher software from a similar BMW that will make its behaviour more active. Of course this is a big maybe, and the risk is there.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by Mossberg128i

I have an auto 128i and I love it. I have yet to see any videos posted with a manual 128i delivering a faster 0-60 time then the current videos online in which the automatic is placed in DS mode. But I have heard by many that the manual is "faster"...just haven't seen the proof. The auto is a fun car nonetheless and for someone to say the N52 is ruined with an auto is nonsense. There is nothing like feeling the clutch and every gear as you would in a manual. But depending on your driving situation, the auto may be best. And it is still a fun car!

BMW themselves said it was considerably slower.

The N52 is ruined by the auto. The entire character of the engine is defined by snappy response from ultra lightweight internals. To take that, and then attach it to a fluid coupling in the form of a torque converter, utterly neuters what makes the N52 so good.

And then we get into extra 80lbs, higher ownership costs, lower resale value, and reduced reliability.

[MarkkyyMan]

Originally Posted by andrey_gta

The redeemable feature of the Auto is that its final drive gear is very high. You will keep up with many similar manual BMW.
Also the 1 series is lighter than a 3 series, so most negative comments about 3 series auto don't apply

on e90post a video shows An auto e92 328i has kept up with a modded manual e92 328i.

Furthermore, maybe in a few months there might be a flash available for the auto transmission. Someone needs to prove that 328i GM transmission can be flashed with fresher software from a similar BMW that will make its behaviour more active. Of course this is a big maybe, and the risk is there.

From a mechanical stand point a auto will never be faster than a manual. You lose more hp in a automatic drive train than a manual one. Manual e92 probably needs a driver mod.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by MarkkyyMan

From a mechanical stand point a auto will never be faster than a manual. You lose more hp in a automatic drive train than a manual one. Manual e92 probably needs a driver mod.

It was an E90 bolt on Vs E92 auto and the E92 has much closer gears.

[chris82]

The auto tranny is from GM. piece of garbage from what I hear

[tuphdc]

why get an auto when you can kill yourself?

[Mossberg128i]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

BMW themselves said it was considerably slower.

The N52 is ruined by the auto. The entire character of the engine is defined by snappy response from ultra lightweight internals. To take that, and then attach it to a fluid coupling in the form of a torque converter, utterly neuters what makes the N52 so good.

And then we get into extra 80lbs, higher ownership costs, lower resale value, and reduced reliability.

Nice. Of course if I had nice country hillsides (instead of a traffic light every block), I would prefer the manual. And I have seen that BMW states that the auto is considerably slower. But in DS mode, the auto feels completely different, so much that you do not want to be in DS in a busy parking lot bc of the response (exaggeration kinda). And still, my own 0-60 is equivalent to the 0-60 videos on YouTube using DS. I would love to see a manual 0-60 show noticeable improvement. I don't doubt it bc I trust BMW tests, I just want to see it.

[631twentyeighteye]

My friend has the BMS powerbox installed on hers as well. Not for any "power"(there's no power gain) but it changes the throttle mapping so it doesn't shift up to the highest gear as soon as possible in Drive. In DS mode its much better but it's not up to par of DCT/newer automatics IMO.

[Mossberg128i]

Automatic DS mode 0-60.

Manual 0-60.

Ok ok, the manual driver shifts like shit. But... This is the only visual evidence I have. Who's up for updating the evidence?

[JimD]

My wife won't admit her 2013 128i vert is slower than my 2009 128i vert but then she won't admit I'm faster in an autocross nor will she agree to do one with me, even if I pay her entry fee. I looked online for a brochure but cannot find one. I found this link where the 125i specs are available:


http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicle...i&model_2=123d

It shows the same thing as the 128i specs, the automatic is on the order of 1 second slower to 60. It may be 6 tenths or something for the 128i but it is slower. Notice the 135i isn't slower. Some might be the DCT but I think most of it is the gearing. You can compensate for the greater loss in the automatic with gearing but at least a conventional automatic is less efficient so it has to be slower than a manual if the gearing is the same and the manual driver shifts correctly and quickly.

[mikefil128i]

I went from a 2006 saab 9-3 auto to a 2010 128i 6spd to a 2010 128i auto. The auto in the bmw is 100x better than the saabs and shifts quicker/smoother but it just doesn't compare to the manual trans.

[MarkkyyMan]

Originally Posted by TheAxiom

It was an E90 bolt on Vs E92 auto and the E92 has much closer gears.

He stated it was e92 vs e92, so that's what I went off of. I was just pointing out the drive train loss in a Automatic Transmission plus the added weight are why a manual transmission is better. Autos are great where consistency is needed but other than that I'm not a huge fan.

I'm sure the final drive ratio is different, wasn't aware it was a 0-60 race.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by MarkkyyMan

I'm sure the final drive ratio is different, wasn't aware it was a 0-60 race.

Regardless that the manual is quicker to 60, it's a pretty irrelevant measure when it comes to the 128i.

[Matt 335is]

Originally Posted by mikefil128i

I went from a 2006 saab 9-3 auto to a 2010 128i 6spd to a 2010 128i auto. The auto in the bmw is 100x better than the saabs and shifts quicker/smoother but it just doesn't compare to the manual trans.

That's good to know thanks.

Interesting to read the difference between manual and auto in the 128i but it doesn't concern my purchase as I'm not really considering a manual anymore.

I'll have to decide if the DCT 135i is worth $4k-$5k more to me than an Auto 128i.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by MarkkyyMan

He stated it was e92 vs e92, so that's what I went off of. I was just pointing out the drive train loss in a Automatic Transmission plus the added weight are why a manual transmission is better. Autos are great where consistency is needed but other than that I'm not a huge fan.

I'm sure the final drive ratio is different, wasn't aware it was a 0-60 race.

It wasn't supposed to be a "You're wrong" post, I just wanted you to know the details. It was a race from a roll - quite sad actually.

[jclaib7]

Auto 128i with paddle shifters. Love it! I have some mods to make up for some of the power loss and inherent auto shortcomings, but I absolutely love it. Maybe it's just the sound of the PE.