Need Input: 128 Coupe or Convertible?

[simianspeedster]

I'm leaning towards a 128i Coupe when my current lease (2009 335i M-Sport Coupe) ends next year. I've always wanted to own a convertible at some point, but I've never made the leap mostly for practical reasons.

My wife and I recently returned from a vacation where we rented a convertible Mustang V6. Though not a car I would buy, it was a much better car than expected (worlds better than the convertible Mustang V6 we rented about 5 years ago). More to the point, spending a week with a convertible didn't extract as much compromise as I was anticipating.

I'd only flirted with the idea of a 128i Convertible before, but now I'm giving it some serious thought. Here are my pros and cons (with notes) and some questions for the group. Please feel free to provide your feedback.

Convertible Pros:

• I live in Southern California and it's a convertible (duh)!
• I get to hear more of the the lovely N52 as I row the gears (it'll be a manual either way, of course)

Convertible Cons:

• It costs about $5,700 more but has a 2% higher lease residual (I'll be leasing)
• It has a smaller back seat, but that doesn't matter to me (I only need room for the dog)
• It has a smaller trunk (I have to look at a Convertible trunk to see if that's an issue, but I generally don't have a need for a big trunk so it'll probably be a non-issue)
• Top up, it's probably a bit noisier at freeway speeds
• It's a little slower than a Coupe
• It weighs 286 pounds more than the Coupe (ouch)
• Reduced visibility (top up)

Questions:

• How noticeable is the weight difference between the Coupe and Convertible? This is my biggest concern.
• When equipped equally (i.e. M-Sport on both), how does the handling of the Convertible compare to that of the Coupe? I have to assume it's slightly less sharp due to the higher weight and reduced torsional rigidity, but how much?
• Is the suspension tuning or anything else mechanically different between the Convertible and Coupe (when equally equipped) that would affect the driving experience?
• What's the practical maximum speed to drive the Convertible top down without feeling like you're in a hurricane? Is a wind diffuser needed?

Thanks in advance for your input!

[BrokenVert]

alright ill answer a few of these,

With the top up, the trucks of the coupe and convertible are the same size, top down you lose about a 3rd of the truck space.

The top consists of 3 fabric layers with a lot of insulation and sound deadening between them. Top up noise isnt an issue. You start to hear some wind noise when you get above 80 or 90, but at 60 top up its hardly noticeable.

Top up if you set your mirrors right and learn to trust them you can get rid of that blind spot, but again - its a lot of trust in your mirrors so most arent willing to do it.

turn in is fine, but the car will push before the coupe does for obvious reasons. The only coupe ive driven is my ActiveE so I really cant talk about handling (that car weights 4500 lbs I think)

The chassis itself is fairly stiff from the factory, I had the same fear before I bought my car so I did a small dummy test - I put my hand on the door seam and took a turn about as quickly as the car would go, I didnt notice anything with my hand. In shitty verts you can feel the chassis twist and the door actually move in its seat.

The factory suspension tuning is the same between coupe and convertible, actually all mechanicals are identical - besides the extra body bracing, etc...



The last point is subjective, I dont have any issues with top down up to about 75 or 80. But some people say that you need the BMW wind thinggy above 30.

You can buy it after you buy the car without any modifications, so if you get it id just recommend that you drive the car for a bit without one and decide if you need it after your purchase.

[tccox]

Well, I have a 2012 Coupe. Windows down, sunroof open and its fantastic to drive on a nice day, plenty of the wind in the face type of thing for me. And the added security of a metal top. However a 1er vert with the top down does look fantastic.

[Jack.S]

One downside to the convertible is that your wife will want to drive it all the time, so make sure you like her car because that's what you will be driving

The trunk is surprisingly large for a convertible. No problem getting groceries for the week in it and you have the back seat for storage if you need it too.

[pinmagic]

You may be talking about minor compromises in handling with the vert, but the benefits so far outweigh that - especially in Southern California - that I can't see how there's any real choice to be made. There's just nothing like driving with the top down on a beautiful day.

I have the windscreen - it definitely minimizes buffeting at higher speeds.

[Diver]

If you really want a convertible then get one and ignore the other issues.

[Mark16q]

Have owned lots of verts and less compromise in the 1er than any other. Great SoCal car. Haven't had top up in weeks and loving it.

[Black Flagged]

I have a vert, it is my forth BMW but my first vert! before buying, we were not to sure if it would work for my wife and kids[2].big concern was enough room for all of us and trunk space!

We love the car.... it has been the funnest car we have ever owned! there is enough leg room for my 18 year old to sit in the back seat, with out being scrunched back there. we can load up all of our groceries, put them all in the trunk with the top down. we live here in sunny cali, and the top is down 70% of the time.

No regrets about buying this car, but i was not to sure before i bought it! there has not been one time that i thought it was a bad idea that i bought a vert the whole time i have had it and by the way i have had more people walk up and ask me about my 1 series then all of our other bimmers combined... love this ONE

[Tom K.]

I agree with BrokenVert's points.

Also, I would strongly advise both the Sport Package and manual transmission. While the MT & Auto perform about the same on the 135i, there is a significant difference in favor of the stickshift for the 128i. This helps overcome the weight penalty over the coupe.

About setting the mirrors - the trick is to set them far enough out that you have to move your head to see the sides of the car. With some experimentation, it will seem natural and virtually eliminate the blind spots. The only time I have a problem is when making a left turn across a divided road as angling in the direction of the turn from the median makes it difficult to see oncoming traffic from the right.

The other 2 disadvantages of a droptop:
Increased maintenance - I treat the top with RaggTopp preservative twice yearly (it takes about 2 minutes).
The need for a good UVA & UVB sunblock.

So get the cabrio & enjoy. We use ours for long distance road trips, the longest so far being 8,000 miles.

Tom

[the1andonly]

I own a 128i coupe and love it...Ive never been much of a vert guy and feel it kinda ruins the look/drivability of a car. If i were you Id take that extra $6000 and get a 135i coupe...Id trade the extra power for a vert anyday

[RoundelM3]

My wife loves her 128i Convertible 6MT with M-Sport and Alufelgen 18" staggered wheel setup. I have my E92 coupe, and I enjoy driving her 128i Convertible when she'll let me.

[ejm3]

After driving my 135 converible for a few months now I'll make some general comments.
Visibility with the top up isn't that bad. Not like convertibles used to be. It. Might be a good idea to get the parking assist, it can't hurt.
I immediately bought the windscreen thing and it works pretty well. 75-80 is ok. Faster than that is pretty noisy to carry on a conversation. I've had it up to 110 with the top down and wind isn't as bad as the noise.
For better or worse, the convertible will get more attention than the coupe.
I don't regret buying it at all.

[coda72]

I love my 128 vert. You said you're already leaning towards MT, and the six speed in this car is outstanding. Since you're in Southern California, weather isn't a concern. I don't have the sport package, and I don't mind it at all. If you want a vert, this is probably one of the best on the market right now, especially in its price range.

[tccox]

6.1 vs 6.7 0 to 60 times steptronic vs manual. Not what I'd consider to be a significant difference. It's a nice auto that IMHO works very well in a 128. No, it not as much fun as a manual but for a auto it's a good one.

[135Pats]

The verts do a fine job of minimizing wind noise, i wouldnt be overly concerned about that.

[simianspeedster]

Thanks for all the input, everyone.

I'm most pleased to hear that the 1 Series seems to have strong torsional rigidity, but that's not surprising. It's a BMW after all, and a short wheelbase car and I imagine most of the extra 286 pounds is expended on chassis stiffening. I'm also thinking most of the added weight is fairly low in the chassis, which should help reduce the impact to handling.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know how much weight the sunroof option adds to a coupe?

As for manual vs. automatic, I'm not trying to start an angry discussion, but there's no chance I'd consider an automatic, let alone with this engine. I'm almost allergic to automatics and since I'm worried I won't be able to buy a new car with a manual transmission in 5-10 years -- seriously, they're getting phased out in the U.S. by most manufacturers -- I'm going to make a point to order what could be the last naturally aspirated straight six BMW ever offers in the U.S. with a stick. Sad, but true.

I'm not as concerned with raw speed as I am about control, feel and involvement. I like to use engine braking at times, I frequently hold a low gear through turns and other common "manualisms." Especially with the less powerful N52 in the 128i (compared to my old Z4 Coupe), I want the option of getting the revs up and using the clutch to get the car going from a dead stop. A manual transmission doesn't just allow you to control the rate of acceleration (i.e. modulating throttle as you can with any transmission), but it also lets you decide how you want to accelerate.

Another follow-up question: has anyone tried or heard anything about the alternative wind deflectors offered for the 1? I'm sure the BMW wind deflector is effective, but it looks like it renders the back seat unusable (even though I only need my dog to hang out back there).

Anyone tried or heard about this option: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Best-BMW-1-S.../160538461543?

Also, looking at the horizontal part of the BMW wind deflector that covers the rear seats, can one side of the deflector be folded over or removed so one of the rear seats is usable?

Thanks again for all the info!

[wolfe]

Seems like estimates on the sunroof weight are about 30-50lbs.

[kensington]

After owning two convertibles I vowed not to get another one. Dealing with tops getting holes in them from wear is a real pita. With a leased car your only keeping for 3-4 years its not a big deal, your not likely to have problems.

[RoundelM3]

Regarding the windscreen, I got the BMW unit "slightly used" from an eBay seller in Germany for about half-price. It's lightweight and uses mesh rather than plexiglass, and it folds in half in both directions to go into a storage bag in the trunk. Due to the way it mounts, it does render the rear seats useful only for storing carry-on stuff that you don't want to put in the trunk. Generally speaking, you probably won't have many passengers riding in the back of a 1 for any speed/distance where the wind screen would be necessary.

[NYC6]

I noticed some cowl shake on a 128 vert I drove last year. Not a lot but it was there.

[J0E]

I may be a little biased but hands down, I would pick the convertible. I made the mistake of going to a coupe once in 10 years and I immediately went back. I missed it on every nice day (which in Denver, there are a lot). In SoCal, I wouldn't even consider a non-convertible for at least one of my cars. I absolutely love open top driving. It puts me in a better mood, I get sun every time I drive, and I am more relaxed.

"I've always wanted to own a convertible at some point, but I've never made the leap mostly for practical reasons."

As far as "practicality" is concerned, it's FAR more practical than a coupe. Before my wife got an X3, she had a small sedan and I had a 330cic. We had just bought a house and made daily trips to home depot. I can't even describe to you what we fit in my car with the top down. Two 40gal garbage cans, 16' long 2x4's, several trees, a dozen shrubs, and on and on... It looked absolutely ridiculous (I'll find some photos when I get home) but it did the trick and by being very careful, I never even put a scratch on the car or on the back seats.

Conclusion: I am biased. However, I recommend the 'vert hands down. Add so cal to the conversation and I think it's a no brainer.

[WPG D33Z]

That's how I got my Kerscher splitter home. Top down, huge box in the back My X3 would have even had problems. I love my vert!