125i vs 135i

[brisbaneroller]

Hi Guys,

I've been lurking on this forum for about a month reading up on the thrills and spills of the 1series and its forum members. Very entertaining, love every bit of it.

This is my final year of uni, and I have signed a great contract for work next year that lets me Novated lease a car, completely packaged with service/tires/windscreen etc as part of my salary sacrifice, but my big question is. Which one?!

A bit more info about my situation,

I'm only 20, and wasn't thinking of buying a brand new 1series, but a dealer demo or a nice 1/2 year old model. I think the 1 series is the best bang for buck in my price range, but I am open to other cars if the one series might not be the best fit for me. I will be in central Queensland so quiet a distance from a BMW dealership should there be frequent issues with the car and

The purchase will occur in 6months/8months and the FY11's will be well and truly in stock so i was hoping to see a little bit of a price reduction on the older models hopefully between 60-70k is this realistic? Is it worthwhile leasing an oldermodel that may be secondhand?

My big questions between the two cars (125/135) are about running cost. I could see myself heading to the 135, and all that power, for a small increase in the initial cost, but if i'm going to pay 3x more insurance + have more troubles with the turbos (HPFP etc) is it worth the sacrifice in drive quality to head to a 125i? Never had an accident and i'm on my open license but i don't think they'll care. I love driving, and drive quality, coming from a 98 prelude and an Rx-8 love the whole motoring deal.

And a final question, would I look like a spoilt brat for driving a 1 series at the age of 21, and just look like i was driving my dads car and hadn't earnt it? It will be a big factor as to whether I get the car especially living in a rural town.

Cheers!

to your future wisdom

[Orlin]

I say if it makes you happy then who cares what other people think. If you can afford it then go the 135, 60 - 70k is realistic for an 08 with probably between 20k - 40k kms on the clock.
My personal opinion is to look at a second hand one and the main reason I say that is because no matter what sort of deal they do for you at the dealership you are going to tear up close to 20k the moment you drive that thing out the driveway on the day you pick it up. I know this because I had a brand new 135 and I had to sell it last year. Now I am looking at some second hand ones and I have found some really good deals. If you are patient and not so picky then the savings are huge.

[brisbaneroller]

Originally Posted by Orlin

Now I am looking at some second hand ones and I have found some really good deals. If you are patient and not so picky then the savings are huge.

Thanks mate, exactly the kind of advice i was looking for. Novated leases are limited to dealer used cars, aren't they?

[SparklingRed]

Also, you should make sure you don't have a cap on the value of your Novated lease.
The company I worked for only allowed for cars up to 40k from memory.

[Orlin]

Originally Posted by brisbaneroller

Thanks mate, exactly the kind of advice i was looking for. Novated leases are limited to dealer used cars, aren't they?

I dont know much about this lease structure however I was under the impression that it could be on new or used vehicles. I think it really comes down to the employer and the agreement you have with them. I did some reading and I found the below information from an aussie fleet website.

Can I get a novated lease on a used car?

Yes. In addition to new vehicles, novated leasing is available for used vehicles, or even your existing vehicle under an arrangement called 'sale and leaseback' where you effectively sell your existing car to the finance company so that you can save tax and gst on operating expenses.

There may be a restriction on the minimum value of the vehicle to be financed.

[MikeVictor]

Welcome to the forums.

How are you allowed to drive a turbo charged car at your age? If you're paying the insurance you'll get hammered because of your age with the 135i.

I recon you'd be best to cut your teeth on the 125 personally, and there's plenty of guys and girls here who can give you tips on tuning one if you need/ want it.

That aside if you want advice on the salary packaging I can tee you up with the specialist at my company who handles this, pm me if you want the details.

[Lone ranger]

I traded an RX8 for my 125 and I am very happy.

[Blader]

Usually you can do a novated lease on a new or used vehicle. The only restriction is that if you go with a used vehicle it cannot be more than 5 years old at the end of the lease. eg If the vehicle is 2 years old then the maximum lease period would be 3 years.

When it comes to either new or second hand usually you can do a better deal on a new car than a demo or near new second hand car from a Dealer.

As far as insurance goes my lease company does have some insurance excess increases based on age however my companies group lease policy has the same restrictions for both the 125i and the 135i.

Looking at a new car the price difference for me was $12,000 on both coupes and $14,000 on the convertibles.

You didn't say how many kilometres you were doing a year so remember that your FBT rate is a percentage of the original vehicle cost for each year of the lease and if you don't do enough kilometres this percentage gets bigger. Unless your company is paying your FBT of course.

As for which one well I had the choice and went for the 125i as most of my driving is around town and 98% of the time the 125i will do everything the 135i will do. So it was cheaper without the potential turbo problems and less of a threat to my licence.

I have not done 200km yet but very happy to be back in a rear wheel drive BMW again. It just feels so right

[stylish.]

To thread starter:

Hey bro, it depends on what your needs are too. Like for example... do you 'really' need the extra performance? Running costs are definately cheaper on the 125i. Lol and don't bother looking for insurance from Allianz or GIO cos they won't insure under 25's... I tried to get a quote from them...

I was on a similar boat as you last year... I'm in my early 20's and I considered the 125i and the 135i. All in all, I went with the 135i (N55 coming my way this August!).

Like for example, I wanted the xenons, M-Sport package, electric seats, basically most things standard in the 135i but were optional in the 125i. If I was to spec up a 125i to my liking, then the price difference between the two wasn't much... so yeah... depends on your own personal needs.

[BMW86]

I ended up going with the 135i coupe fully loaded. To be honest, the 125i was never a consideration as all I wanted was that sweet N54 twin turbo goodness. I've come to learn through my own personal experience that the 125i has plenty of power and is more than able to keep up with the 135i, especially in the twisties. The 135i has a huge advantage in a straight line, and with mods, the 125i really has no chance.

You really need to work out why you want the car. What car will you be coming from? Despite the dreaded HPFP problem, I still have no regrets in my purchase and I'm yet to meet any disappointed 135i drivers. IMHO the 135i is a great bang for your buck car, you'll be hard-pressed to find a similar performance Euro car for its price which is what makes it so appealing.

To help make your decision 10 x easier I recommend driving both back to back. In my experience after taking the 135i for a spin I was hooked. If price was a paramount consideration then I was prepared to wait even longer because that's how much I wanted it. In the end, if you can afford both, buy the one which will make you happy. However, keep in mind, both cars equipped in M Sport are nearly identical besides the engine so there really is no bad choice. Don't care about what others think, there will always be haters, just get whatever makes you happy.

[Raz0s]

Originally Posted by BMW86

I ended up going with the 135i coupe fully loaded. To be honest, the 125i was never a consideration as all I wanted was that sweet N54 twin turbo goodness. I've come to learn through my own personal experience that the 125i has plenty of power and is more than able to keep up with the 135i, especially in the twisties. The 135i has a huge advantage in a straight line, and with mods, the 125i really has no chance.

You really need to work out why you want the car. What car will you be coming from? Despite the dreaded HPFP problem, I still have no regrets in my purchase and I'm yet to meet any disappointed 135i drivers. IMHO the 135i is a great bang for your buck car, you'll be hard-pressed to find a similar performance Euro car for its price which is what makes it so appealing.

To help make your decision 10 x easier I recommend driving both back to back. In my experience after taking the 135i for a spin I was hooked. If price was a paramount consideration then I was prepared to wait even longer because that's how much I wanted it. In the end, if you can afford both, buy the one which will make you happy. However, keep in mind, both cars equipped in M Sport are nearly identical besides the engine so there really is no bad choice. Don't care about what others think, there will always be haters, just get whatever makes you happy.

I dont think anyone has explained it better.....

Mate as above choose the car 'you' want. I am 23... so only a few years older then you so I guess I can relate to some extent.

I chose the 135i for the simple reason bang for your buck performance and luxury. I have come from a fully worked Evo and i couldnt be happier with the change. The 135i provides a still well rounded performance car but also has the euro appeal.

When you consider the fact a 135i is faster then a Audi S5.... and runs close to a M3 its hard to turn away from it.

Although I have not driven a 125i I have noticed that they arent to far off the price of a 135i..... and if insurance is your worry i simply increased my excess... lol but thats not a option for everyone.

[stylish.]

^^ Oh wow... there are a few of us in the early 20's that drive 1ers! I just had the impression everyone is 30+ on these BMW forums =)

[Orlin]

when I bought my 08 135 I was under the age of 25 and my insurance was only about $1500 per year from memory. If you are going to part with 70k for a car, whats another few bucks for insurance + rego spread out over 12 months in order to feel the twin tubos of goodness
I agree with Vinney, but at the end of the day its up to you mate.

[Jeef Beef]

Hey mate, I'm 20 and got the 135i last year (on my green Ps). It was a major hassle getting the exemption to drive it but by god it's worth it. The price differential of the 125i specced up to 135i equipment isn't really that much in the end.

Insurance is definitely a big consideration, but I believe my price this year will fall significantly (due to switch from Ps to full licence). In any case, I'm not sure whether it'll be that big a difference from the 125i anyway. Both are classed as BMW coupes.

There have been a few issues with the car (blown charge pipe, cracked centre brakelight) but hey, under warranty I could live with that. I'd vouch for you to go the turbo route, tonnes of usable torque in everyday driving and massive acceleration when you put your foot down. Best mix between a daily driver and performance car IMO.

As for the 'driving dad's car' image... don't let the haters influence your choice. As long as I know that I'm working my ass off to keep up with payments - my reward is this amazing car. To be honest though, I think the 1er coupe suits our age quite well, most people will assume it is your own car.

[alik01]

Mate, even if you drive a Corrolla, there will always be someone who hates you for it! Buy the car you want and don't worry about what people say. You've obviously worked hard in uni and this should be just reward, which is how I looked at it. Think you'll find a lot of us
with these cars are also in our early 20s and that was BMW target demographic with these cars.

Re leasing, you need to be really careful with the charges etc, and there are several
companies that'll even buy a second hand car for you. There are some that will ring around for quotes and get you fleet pricing, which is always a good.

Insurance payments will probably be you're biggest issue but that'll be packaged as well
and make you get them to ring around for the best deal.

[zenderm3]

OP: Congrats on your job! As far as 135i vs 125i - well... I think it comes down to price/options that you want.

Both are great cars - yes the 135i is a better car in different ways to the 125i - but look at insurance/ongoing costs. Don't be too worreied about 0-100 times between 125i/135i - they are both fast cars -. Either way - I recommend investing in something like a drivers course - because power is something that you need to be able to handle to have the most fun!

And trust me - this is someone who went from a V4 to a V8

[Taymaishu]

I was in the same position. I purchased Christine having just got a new job and novated leased her at 23 years old. I was thinking 135 v 125 for a LONG time.

I settled with a 4 year lease on the 125i. Why?

1. Insurance. I was quoted at 3.6k for the lowest, 7k highest, and many refused to underwrite despite never having an accident at fault.
2. The 125i is a FUN car. It's naturally wanting to rev hard and rev quick, and the sound is absolutely phenomenal.
3. Commitment. I'm glad on the 125i. I was made redundant in December, and had to cover my own lease payments for 5 months without a job as my lease protection insurance fluffed around. I couldn't have met the repayments if i had the 135i. Luckily the insurance came through.

Tip: Take Lease protection insurance
Tip: Go with the lowest residual possible. My residual is around 22k (VERY low!) so i can buy her at term's end, or roll it into a 135i/M3. Why did i do this? Because I can forecast what i'm spending on the car and be safe at term's end, rather than paying a little less every month and worrying about the value come end of lease.

I would suggest the 125i. I have been ever surprised by this car and its capabilities, utterly beyond what i thought when i made the decision to buy it.

Every single time i press the Start button to fire her up, i get butterflies in my stomach and within minutes (to warm her up) i'm at redline. The free-revving nature of the 125i is just...well...orgasmic.

[alik01]

I can vouch for the nature of the N52 with Ameera, after 4K, she just sings all the way to 7K! Really amazing to push it.

[MikeVictor]

Yeah I can vouch for the issues with having an N54... It makes me grin like a loony.

[TimMc]

Well I have to disagree with you all. If you're living in central Qld and want to fit in, you really need a HSV. Preferably a ute. Then you need a bullbar and some huge RM Williams mudflaps. And some Bundaberg Rum stickers and maybe a "no fat chicks" sticker. A Landcruiser fill also fit in well.

If that doesn't rock your boat then I'd recommend a 125i - or even a 123d if you're doing a lot of long distance commuting. Where will you be based? I work out that way from time to time.

[brisbaneroller]

Thanks for all the help guys,

Have a bit more information based on some questions I was asked.

I've got my open license now, and unless i've read the queensland road rules wrong, I'm definitely allowed to drive the twin turbo, its just whether i'm insurable!

My company has a choice of two lease companies, and hopefully they will be ok with a used vehicle 2/3 years old at the commencement of the lease. I'm aiming to do between 15,000 and 25,000 km/year. It shouldn't be too tough with some highway driving / a lot of highway driving in central Queensland.

I have done a defensive and advanced drivers courses (kindly paid for by work) but i'm still unsure as to how the insurance company will view it.

I do have a question about the rollover residual, with a lower residual, how do they calculate the value to be contributed to the next lease?

thanks again guys

[brisbaneroller]

Originally Posted by TimMc

Well I have to disagree with you all. If you're living in central Qld and want to fit in, you really need a HSV. Preferably a ute. Then you need a bullbar and some huge RM Williams mudflaps. And some Bundaberg Rum stickers and maybe a "no fat chicks" sticker. A Landcruiser fill also fit in well.

If that doesn't rock your boat then I'd recommend a 125i - or even a 123d if you're doing a lot of long distance commuting. Where will you be based? I work out that way from time to time.

Haha, i know what i need to fit in mate, but thats not really what i want to drive. I would rather enjoy a bit more comfort and handling i think! I'll be based in blackwater or moranbah.

You would go with the 125i? I think i'd steer away from the 123d, unless you could think of some reason the performance of the diesel compares?