My German BMW service loaner…

[Dackelone]

Hi Guys,

The other day I book an appointment for my 135i’s first oil service. I was kind of dreading this… because even though my car is a US spec car… since I am living in Germany all services are NOT included – for free - like it would be IF I was back in the USA. The basic warranty is also less over here… at just two years (no mileage) warranty instead of four years or fifty thousand mile on in the US.

When I first bought my car I was quoted 110 to 130 euros for this first oil service AND that was IF I brought them my own oil! Oil and gasoline are taxed like crazy over here. For ONE liter of oil you will pay about 23 euros!

So… anyway… I bit the bullet since I needed to have this service done. I normally do all my own service work… but I needed a BMW dealer to do this “service” so they would give me that golden service stamp in that warranty book. No stamp, no warranty.

My little local BMW dealer gave me a loaner car. I hear you guys complain about getting stuck with a 328i or X5… well… they only have 1-er loaners over here. I got a nice little 116i. It was sooooo slow! Anyway…. Here are some photos for you guys who are in e87 (hatchback) LUST!

The 116i is light on its feet. It is very tossable into the corners and you can feel how much lighter the front end is from the six cylinder big brothers. The doors close with a lighter feel. Really light! They feel downright cheap econo box light. All the controls are pretty much the same as our e82’s. I can not really fault much about the car other than the small engines. I have driven a 118d before… and that is a MUCH nicer car to drive. I would really like to drive a 120d or even a 120i one day. The general ride is more Golf like than premium GT ride like my 135i. My 116i really just did not feel like it was in the same class as my 135i in ride. Btw this 116i would barely break 189 on the speedo!

One thing is for sure… after a day in this 116i - I was ready for my 135i !!! I really love everything about my 135i and it is so painful even to give it up for a single day!

Enjoy my pics.


PS: when I got my service bill it was only 85 euros for the oil filter and labor. I brought them the 6.5L of German Castrol oil. It was a pleasent surprise!













front doors...


windup windows in back... power is an option. Even though my loaner had a lot of extras... this was not one of them.


euro headlight switch with HIGHT adjust level for low beams. This is bc this car had halogens and not Xeons.








back seat room - I'm 6'3" so you can see how far back my driver's seat is set to.












silver interior accents look like metal but are in fact plastic. It looks really cheap up close. In the fotos it doesn't look that bad.


one very dirty engine...

BMW AG recommends Castrol oil too



Life in the slow lane...


opening the hatch...


decent trunk...


German registration card...


note tires and tire sizes... these are your ONLY choices!

Line V7, that is the V-max speed for the car 180 kph!

[GOLFFRR]

Thats pretty cool. i like it.

[Itanius]

Love the hatchbacks, even though this one looks a little strange with 16" wheels.

Thanks for sharing!

[MarkR171]

Interesting to see the cost cuttings in the lower models. The doors for example have no leather/cloth section except for the arm rest part.

[NewYearsBoy]

Hahaha... That looks like the biggest piece of crap I have ever seen...

[Cris]

I was stationed in Germany for four years and after seeing all the "domestics", the loaner is a step lower than what you could get at Hertz, Sixt, etc. Such a shame.

[MarkR171]

I just noticed the E87 has a different shape to the kidney grills. Our E82s don't have the sharp corner at the outer-top corners...

[wkndracr]

Driver Side cubbyhole FTW!

[comar1979]

Originally Posted by MarkR171

Interesting to see the cost cuttings in the lower models. The doors for example have no leather/cloth section except for the arm rest part.

Hey,

Nice Car Dackel

Thats a pre Facelift... The Facelift Ones got the same Door Panels like the E82. The kidneys of the LCI Models without M Front are the same like the QP ones

The old 116 are pretty lame... The New ones with the 2 Liter Engine should Be much better.

Greetz

Marco

[Dackelone]

Hi Marco,

When was the LCI done? This loaner was built on 23.05.2006

I agree that a newer 1er with a stronger engine would go a long way to making this car more fun to drive. Its kind of like the first time I drove an e36 over here with a 316i engine... that was really disappointing drive.

I think a 130i must be a whole different ride from the small four banger motors. Just like my 135i feels so different, more refined and luxurious over this 116i.

[comar1979]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Hi Marco,

When was the LCI done? This loaner was built on 23.05.2006

I agree that a newer 1er with a stronger engine would go a long way to making this car more fun to drive. Its kind of like the first time I drove an e36 over here with a 316i engine... that was really disappointing drive.

I think a 130i must be a whole different ride from the small four banger motors. Just like my 135i feels so different, more refined and luxurious over this 116i.

Servus

The LCI Starts with MY07.

There is a Big difference between the Engines. My 130 feels much more "Premium" then my 118d i drive before The Car feels more "grown up"

Greetz

Marco

[Specter88]

looooooooooooooooooooool i see i see some dr pepper for the mechanics right ?

ps: i have a suprise for you when next time we are seeing us

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Specter88

looooooooooooooooooooool i see i see some dr pepper for the mechanics right ?

ps: i have a suprise for you when next time we are seeing us

Yea!!!!! How did you know!?!?!?

I like to take care of "my guys" at the BMW dealer.

[comar1979]

Mhhhh.... I dont like Dr.Pepper.... Taste like drinking Vanilla Coke and smoke a Cigarette at the Same Time

[Sylon]

It cracks me up all the dealerships and rental companies put big stickers on their cars over here. Its like you rent a car and they give you a billboard to drive.

[Dackelone]

Germany has some wierd practices. Did you know some people will PUT that crap on their own cars!!! Just so they get the dealer to pay them 50 euros per month for a year or two. Crazy. You would't find me doing that.

A had a German neighbor... she put up a new fence around her haus... cost her like 5K euros.... then she put this HUGE bilboard sign up from the hardware store where she bought the fence from... she would get 50 euros every month she kept the sign up! Dumb. Couldn't she have gotten a better deal? Ohh I forgot this is Germany and the prices are the SAME where ever you go! lol

[The1]

lol, at least it had a BMW badge

just kidding.

[DSB135i]

Yuk! Why would BMW even make this model!!!! You mine as well get a VW Gulf! They were smart not bringing the hatchback to America it would of totally turned off the people here on the one series. Stick with the coupe and convertible!

[Dackelone]

Hi Guys,

You know there are always people who like to beat up on BMW dealers. Some calling them steal'r instead of a dealer. I just wanted to share an recent experience with you all...

Lat year I bought a second car, a used bmw e39 535iA. It needed some work, most of which I have done myself. But for a "few things" I have let "others" do the repairs.

In the course of which I have gotten to know an indi shop near my house. They seem like nice enough people... they only charge 49 euros per hour. But you know every time they work on my e39 they break something or I have to take the car back for a 2nd attemp/repair. I used to think they were cheaper than paying my local bmw dealer 110 euros per hour for labor. But I was wrong!

It is better to pay more per hour and get the job done RIGHT the first time around. Then having to bring your car back multiple times - $$$.


My case in point is my e39 needed rear ball joints. First I got a quote from the shop that I buy my tires from here in BA. They told me about 400 euros for the parts and labor - no tax.

Then I went to my indi shop that only charges 49 euros per hour. First they said 650 euros. Then they came down to 350 euros - after looking up the parts and labor times in their on-line "book time". But they had never done this job before. And I wasn't keen on paying someone to learn on my car.

A week later I was at my local bmw dealer (Zentrum) and I asked my guys there. It was a pleasant surprise. My guy there said its a super easy job, and I did not even need to do an alignment afterwards - something both other shops wanted to charge me for! Even with paying 110 euros per hour... my price parts and labor and no tax would be 200 euros! Needless to say I had them do the repair!! I had to pay 20 euros extra for a "loaner car" but I did not mind that. They loaned me a 120d e87 6MT. It was a decent car.

When I picked up my e39 the next days, everything went well. The final price was what was promised to me. And best of all nothing was broken on my car - by the mechanic! AND I have a two year guarantee on parts and labor that ANY bmw dealer in Germany will stand behind. I am totally sold on having a pro work on my car.


And of course some pics of my hyper diesel loaner car.







pics of my small little bmw dealer from back in the day. This old guy is still the boss!! He drives a M5 and a Z8 and sometimes a new M6.


Hering BMW...

[comar1979]

The 120d is Not a Bad Car at all... Enough Power and ist Takes something between 5-7 Liter Diesel.

[RiefferD]

ewww...that thing is putrid.

[jaehshim]

car with heated seats but manual windows..
i don't know how to understand this