Show your luv for the NA 128

[DriveHard]

Simply stated i couldnt ask for a better all around car.......

I Track it
I auto-x it
I drive it in the snow
I drive it dead of the summer
It hasn't let me down

It looks great, it drives great, It feels great, what else is there....

super happy with it

and for the record, i could have gotten anything i wanted ( with-in reason)

[jb2178]

I've been dreaming about modifying my little '08 128i lately but everytime I go for a drive I'm so content with my car that I question if it's worth an $800 intake or exhaust. Just about the time I'm about to pull out the credit card I come to the realization that putting that extra money down on the car so I can own it forever is the right choice to make. I did put the E93 front sway bar on and I can't wait for our autocross events to start up in March.

Everybody and their mother knows the 135i is faster but after all the HPFP issues I would make the same choice again if I had to do it over. I love my car - it's exactly what I wanted.

[bozola]

Jb

I would agree that the BMWPE is the most frivolous unnecessary expensive purchase that I have ever made.. and I love it.

[Guildenstern]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

I'm lucky enough to own both. A ZSP '08 128i vert for fun and a CPO '07 328i wagon for my daily driver.

A CPOed 328i wagon with a stick? ohh you lucky dog! I LOVE the 3 Series Wagons, sadly the wife didn't want one, .

Keep Wagons Alive!

[zkeeper]

My wife has an X3...loves it and I am a Z4si owner...and love it. It just performs but of course, its in for winter. Sold the Yukon and turned it around and got the 128i M-Sport for a DDriver. Did not WANT the 135 as others have said re: turbo. Sure its quick, but so is the 128 more than adequate. I do not NOT need to challenge ricers at every street light. And do not have the worries that the 135 seems to bring with it. This car just lights my face up every time I get into it...and that is saying something for me with the Z4 and its great handling and speed.

I DID get the HPE and love it....anyone contemplating it--yes, its a bit of a cost for sure, but you have codes thrown as you CAN with aftermarket horns back there. Its just right-- it's AW with TerraCotta, and I do not see myself coming and going in this little rascal. Thats a plus...bests all.

[Garduna]

I'll be keeping my 128i for a very long time. The only thing I wish we had more of are aftermarket parts and tunes.

[Alex_bm]

+1 on the aftermarket stuff

Originally Posted by Garduna

I'll be keeping my 128i for a very long time. The only thing I wish we had more of are aftermarket parts and tunes.

[DriveHard]

+1 ALSO...

If we only had a few more things... just a few more key elements ...

[Alow]

I love my 128i. Plan to keep it for a very long time. Feels great, looks great, sounds great, costs right about what I want it to... drive it everyday (except in the winter... but I could!) . Butter smooth I6 engine... yum...

It's a package that is very hard to beat.

[BSM 135i]

lets see some modded 128's, pics people!!!

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted by BSM 135i

lets see some modded 128's, pics people!!!

You really cant see the mods...... but you get the idea

[Garduna]

Originally Posted by BSM 135i

lets see some modded 128's, pics people!!!

wait for spring then you will see my ride. not finished with the mods yet lol don't think i ever will be finished tho!

[AW128i]

I bought a 128i on purpose, not because I can't afford a 135i. Normally, I am a fan of the more power the better. However, everything I read about the 1-series prior to even test driving one was that the 128i was a better all-around car because it's power was so usable in everyday driving. In addition, most articles pointed out that the 128i was slightly more balanced feeling than the 135i, no doubt because the 128i has less weight on the front axle. The point of all this is, after driving both the 128i and the 135i, I didn't feel that the 135i offered enough of a difference to warrant the significantly higher prices that I was seeing on CPO cars.

Initially, my plan was to find a CPO 128i with all the options (aka, similar config to a 135i) but when it became apparent that NONE existed in the entire country in a color that I would be satisfied with, I started looking at the 135i again. But, then I found my car and practically stole it from the dealer and I couldn't be happier. No, it doesn't have all the options I wanted but it is a color that I wanted and has the mandatory options I was looking for. And for the money I paid for this car, there is absolutely no reason to get a 135i.

+1,000 on the aftermarket support for the 128i!

[Guildenstern]

Another thing I thought of is Price point.

The 1er is a heavily budgeted model. (more so in the rest of the world with the 4 cylenders and such) Fit, finish, build quality are mostly good, but there's some money being saved in the interior and such, So the 128 seems much more reasonable for what you get Vs. the 135 for which the price premium is all in the engine.

You rarely see 128 drivers complaining about little cheapness problems like you do with 135 owners. just that $7000 diffrence seems to change a lot of peoples perception of the car's quality. I think it's the jump above $30,000. (although I understand the 128 is getting real close to $30K now)

Edit: Wow Just built up a 2011 with what I got....man the dollar sucks. I know I didn't get a $3,000 raise since 2008, did any of you?

[Brandon26pdx]

they raised the price again on the 2012's

[Brandon26pdx]

the 128i is definitely the better bargain, and while I like the giddyup of the 135i, its more about feel of the wheel, clutch and gearbox that make it fun to drive. Even a non-sport auto is light years better than some Japanese econobox.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by Guildenstern

Another thing I thought of is Price point.

The 1er is a heavily budgeted model. (more so in the rest of the world with the 4 cylenders and such) Fit, finish, build quality are mostly good, but there's some money being saved in the interior and such, So the 128 seems much more reasonable for what you get Vs. the 135 for which the price premium is all in the engine.

You rarely see 128 drivers complaining about little cheapness problems like you do with 135 owners. just that $7000 diffrence seems to change a lot of peoples perception of the car's quality. I think it's the jump above $30,000. (although I understand the 128 is getting real close to $30K now)

Edit: Wow Just built up a 2011 with what I got....man the dollar sucks. I know I didn't get a $3,000 raise since 2008, did any of you?

I agree. As a $30K car, my 1er makes me very happy. As a $40K car, even with a bigger engine and a few more options, I'm not so sure I'd be as satisfied.

[SlicktopTTZ]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

I agree. As a $30K car, my 1er makes me very happy. As a $40K car, even with a bigger engine and a few more options, I'm not so sure I'd be as satisfied.

I'm satisfied. The manual 128i I drove just didn't push me into the seat enough. It is fairly nimble though, but still exhibits under-steer characteristics at the limit just like the 135i.

The 128i would feel GREAT with a few pounds of boost through it and a opened up exhaust.

[shadowiix]

How can there be love for something you can not upgrade like the 135i. Its however a fine car to drive, but with the new twin turbo 4 coming around i feel ripped off.

[Bimmer-Bob]

^ The first part of this comment makes no sense to me.

As for the second part, if you feel ripped off because the car you're driving now is going to have a more powerful engine in it's next iteration - which, by the way, is over a year from production - well, then you're in for a lifetime FULL of disappointment.

You might as well never buy another cell phone, computer, car, TV, etc - because they're all constantly improving. What a rip off.

Me, I'd rather have a solid inline 6 than a boosted 4 banger.

[SlicktopTTZ]

Originally Posted by shadowiix

How can there be love for something you can not upgrade like the 135i. Its however a fine car to drive, but with the new twin turbo 4 coming around i feel ripped off.

Most of the people posting in this thread don't like turbo lag, so they wouldn't consider it an upgrade.

A N52 with a Positive-Displacement or Centrifugal blower would make some nice power and be lag-less.

[AW128i]

Originally Posted by SlicktopTTZ

Most of the people posting in this thread don't like turbo lag, so they wouldn't consider it an upgrade.

A N52 with a Positive-Displacement or Centrifugal blower would make some nice power and be lag-less.

With a torque plateau starting at 1250 RPM, I'd venture to say that turbo lag is absent in the new 2.0T. I agree, it won't be the N52, but I'd take my car with the 2.0T any day!