125i Steering Rack

[Michael172]

Hi all.

Im looking to buy my first BMW, the 135i is top of my list but depnding on budget at the time may not be appropriate or sensible.

I was also considering the 123d should I need to do mileage, and the 125i as this is fast enough for me and they are considerably cheaper.

Im no stranger to BMW's as I drive many on a regular basis, including an E39 M5 and various E90's.

The 135i apparantly has a hydraulic rack which IMO feels great. The 123d is supposed to have an electric rack which isnt bad but not amazing. Does the 125i have a different rack, more so is it any good?? Ive driven a 130 but thats a different car......

Cheers

[cvandenhaute]

Here in the US, the 128i (which is technically almost identical to the 125i - just a little bit more power) has a hydraulic rack, as for the 135i.

However, I think I have seen a tread 2 years ago about someone in Australia that was showing pictures of the engine bay of his 125i and questioning a missing component compared to the US 128i. Some people replied that the "missing" component in the 125i was the hydraulic system for power steering.
Maybe the spec on the UK website or in some test drive could give you this info?

For what is is worth, my brother lives in Belgium and drives a 116d, which has, I believe the electric rack and I did not notice a spectacular difference with my 128i (except that the car is way more slow and does an atrocious sound compared to the 3.0 straight six )

[Michael172]

Haha!! Yeah ive asked on some other forums and I think the assumption is that it has the electric rack. I know this isnt a bad rack but its not hydraulic, I find the feedback is a bit better with the hydraulic.

Thanks for the response.

[Tom K.]

I had the electronically boosted steering on my 2003 Z4 and while the handling was great, the steering feel was not. Hopefully, BMW has improved it, especially since the new 3 series will have the electric steering.

Tom

[doublevanosrc]

I thought our cars had the electric rack??

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

I thought our cars had the electric rack??

There was a rumor back in early 2008 that the US one series would have the electricly boosted steering. Luckily, it was unfounded. If you look carefully under your hood, you should see a hydraulic reservoir for the power steering.

Tom

[cvandenhaute]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

There was a rumor back in early 2008 that the US one series would have the electricly boosted steering. Luckily, it was unfounded. If you look carefully under your hood, you should see a hydraulic reservoir for the power steering.

Tom

And that is precisely that reservoir you do not find under the hood of a 125i (at least in Australia)