Write up I did back in 2013 that seems relevant (why the 128i is awesome):
I originally posted this in this thread, but it seemed off the topic of that thread enough that it seemed reasonable to give it its own.
I certainly don't think the 128i is a car for everyone. BMW people, imo, are rapidly being divided into two camps, much like air cooled vs water cooled 911 people. In BMW world, I'd say the dividing line is more turbo/DCT/EPS vs NA/manual/HPS, but these's been many possible dividing lines over the past couple of years and looking forward. Personally, I see it, really, as "fast" vs "involving"
Anyway... for those are interested in reading the case for the 128i, two articles that might be interesting to you. The first is from Mike Miller, who is the tech advice guy for Roundel, as well as a writer for Bimmer and Hemming's Sport and Exotic Car.
Jalopnic:
Quote:
Why The BMW 1-Series Is The Next Great Future Classic
Last week, the first uncovered photos of the BMW 2-Series hit the web. I like it. But it got me thinking about the outgoing BMW 1-Series, and why years from now, it may be the most sought after Bimmer of our time by enthusiasts, weekend racers and hoons on a budget. Now might be the ideal time to snatch one up. P
In this age of hybrid drivetrains with silent engines, too-numb electric power steering, engine sounds piped in by computers, overly intrusive safety nannies and ever-increasing curb weights, it's hard to find cars that could qualify as legitimate future classics. The 1-Series may just fit that definition, and here's why.P
You see, the future doesn't look all that great for the number 1 in North America. BMW isn't bringing us the new hatchback 1-Series that dropped in Europe in 2011, and they probably aren't bringing over its successor that's currently in the works, either. At best, we can hope for the forthcoming 1-Series GT variant that is said to be front-wheel-drive.P
I can't see too many enthusiasts lining up at BMW dealerships for that. P
Instead of the 1, we Americans are getting the 2, and we got the best look at that car to date when the spy photos of the M235i hit the web last week. It's a handsome coupe with a much sleeker silhouette than the 1-Series, which was often maligned for its awkwardly tall roofline.P
But here's my issue with the 2-Series: it's bigger than the 1-Series. At least, it certainly looks that way in the photos, and we have several men standing next to it to give a sense of scale. Without seeing any exact measurements, it appears to be longer than its predecessor. It makes sense, given the creeping size increases in BMW's new models. P
I don't doubt that the 2-Series will perform well, but I will miss the tossability of the compact 1-Series.P
The 1-Series is that rarest of creatures these days: the small, rear-wheel-drive coupe. It's the kind of car you barely see anymore, and one that harkens back to BMW's own glory days with the New Class cars of the 60s and 70s like the famed 2002, as well as the everyone-and-their-mother-loves-it E30.P
Here's what I'm thinking: some 10, 15, or 20 years from now, the 1-Series may be what the E30 is to buyers today. It will be for people who want a small, purebred sports coupe with impressive performance for not a lot of money. If you find one that hasn't had the crap kicked out of it, it will make for a fantastic enthusiast bargain. P
Like the E30, the case could be made that the first set of 1-Series owners, by and large, didn't appreciate what they had. Don't get me wrong - there are tons of 135i and 128i owners out there who enjoy autocross, track days, or just a great back road when there aren't any cops around. Go on just about any BMW forum and you'll see tons of 1 owners having a lot of fun with their cars.P
But when even BMW admits that famously 80 percent of 1-Series owners believed their cars were front-wheel-drive, you know the masses aren't really getting the most out of this great machine. So one day, years from now, the 1-Series will really shine in the hands of the Bimmer guy (or gal) who buys one used on the cheap.P
You could also argue that the 1-Series is one of the the last of the "pure" BMWs. At the moment, you can't even buy a new 3-Series sedan anymore with a naturally aspirated straight-six engine. That lineup has gone to two turbocharged fours (which are great engines) or a turbocharged six (which is also a great engine.) Presumably the 2-Series will get the same turbo-centric powerplants, or at least some of them. P
But the 128i comes with a regular, silky smooth, naturally breathing straight-six, just like the BMWs so many of us grew up with, as well as a turbo'd variant if more power is required. All of this is true of the outgoing 3-Series Coupe, due to be replaced soon by the 4-Series, although I like the 1 better because it's smaller. P
With "only" 230 horsepower to play with, some speed freaks have overlooked the non-turbo 128i, but I feel like one day, the car's purity will get the attention it deserves. And of course, the turbo 135i is absurdly fast, so that will be one hell of a deal when it comes down in price a bit.
And then there's the bad boy, the powder maker, the torso taker, the Puff the Magic Dragon of the 1-Series family. I am, of course, talking about the turbocharged, 340-horsepower 1 Series M Coupe, which got saddled with a ridiculous name because of BMW's devotion to the M1 supercar from the 1970s. This thing should have been called the M1, because it had the performance to back it up.1P
Universally loved by damn near everyone who ever drove it, the 1M was only ever made as a limited-edition car in 2011 and 2012, and only about 6,000 or so were ever sold. This car has the potential to be this generation's E30 M3 or 2002tii, though admittedly, it lacks the motorsports heritage of those two models. I have a feeling that one day good 1Ms will be going for a lot of money on the auction block. 23P
In fact, I have a good feeling about this entire family of cars. I think that a generation from now, when my son Kanye Lannister George is writing for the 3D holographic Jalopnik, the 1-Series will make it onto some "Answers of the Day" list about cars future people wish they could buy new today. 4P
So current 1-Series owners, take care of your cars. The future track rats who will buy them at 1/4 their original value will thank you for it
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from
http://jalopnik.com/why-the-bmw-1-se...ssic-508797316
Personally, here's the argument for the 128i from my perspective:
-sub 3100 lb curb weight with wheel and non runflat tires alone (230 lbs stock vs stock compared to a 135-- a combination of the all alu/magnesium N52, lack of turbo and support hardware, lighter transmission, and the standard sunroof on the 135i)
-closest to 50:50 weight distribution of every e82
-300 HP NA with a factory intake manifold ($300 used, manifold from an X5 3.0, X3 3.0, e9X 330i, or Z4 3.0), headers, and a tune to take advantage of them (doing headers retains the stock secondary cats, so you're not even stinky after).
-linear NA power band without any turbo lag
-Non M car reliability/running costs
-Good handling stock, excellent handling with 1M/M3 subframe bushings
-best interior (imo) of the e82/e60/e90-- the buttons are actually still aimed at the driver, think of it!
-some of the best seats BMW has put in a car (enough so that they didn't feel any need to change them in the 1M)
-Probably the best 6mt BMW has ever put into a car from a shift quality perspective (different trans than the 135i, btw-- didn't need the torque handling capacity without turbos)
-can be had without idrive while still having bluetooth/ipod integration
-hydraulic power steering with feel
-lots of aftermarket support in terms of suspension/brakes thanks to the 135i, and lots of OEM upgrades thanks to... e9Xs, other N52 cars with more power, 1M, etc
I completely agree that it's not the best looking car. But... I dont find it mildly uglier than the e9X and about on part with the e60. Styling is certainly it's worst feature. I love the e82 interior, I find the e9X interior... acceptable, and I downright dislike the e60 interior.
Other than looks, it very much takes the best aspects of the euro e36 M3, makes the car lighter, and adds modern toys.... which getting better fuel economy and having non M engine rebuild intervals. (said as someone who used to have an S52 e36 M3 and currently has a S50B32 (euro engine) e36 M3)
It also avoids ALL of the reliability issues of the N54/N55 cars other than the standard BMW water pump failure. No HPFP issues, no carbon buildup issues (as it's not DI), no turbo failure, brake pistons cracking, etc.
It's the final form of the BMW NA I6 evolution, and it shines through as such. It remains, and likely will be for the foreseeable future, the most hp/pound (of engine mass) of any 6 cylinder. The e82 128i, as a whole, is the final form of everything that got me into BMW's originally... and why I have zero interest in any of their current products.
BTW, for anyone interested in learning more about the N52/likes to read about thing in depth... I very much enjoyed the BMW training information on the N52:
http://lindvigs.com/obioban/spec.pdf
edit 2/26/14:
From a recent X1 review:
Quote:
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Connoisseurs should buy the 128i-the last BMW to offer the naturally aspirated inline-six-if any are left on dealer lots now that it's been replaced by the turbo four-powered 228i. But if you absolutely need a usable back seat (even if the X1's is slightly tight) or an additional set of doors, the X1 xDrive35i is the second-most BMW-like BMW you can buy today. Act now, before it, too, is "enhanced" by modernity.
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