What would you buy to replace your 1 series?

[coconutsmigrate]

A 987.2 Porsche Cayman (2009-2012), without a doubt. Maybe next year... I can't really justify a more expensive and less practical car right now.

[10"]

Originally Posted by dieguitov

It's not easy to replace the 135i, there's not much that interests me in the market, the next step up for me would be an M car which would be the M2 Competition, or a Cayman S. Unfortunately where I live these two cars are way too expensive for me at the moment, so if I replace my 135i a more realistic choice would be a used M235i or M240i but I haven't driven one so I'm not sure if the expense would be worth it and if it would be such a big change. I know it's a more modern car with more technology, but not 100% convinced if the driving experience would be THAT much better ?

Don't even bother with an M235 or M240. They're pretty much garbage. Like champignon said they are numb and devoid of any emotion.

The N55 M2 is crashing in prices currently and there are loads of them in the low to mid $40k range now. My guess is that within a year there will be loads in the mid 30k range.

I'm not the biggest M2 fan but I have to say of ALL the modern M cars (post 1M) the OG M2 is the only one I would ever consider. I don't think the Competition is a good idea (heavier with a terrible sound).

[Zombie_Head]

Saw a really sexy black E92 335i, very simple exterior mods but lowered just enough to make it stand out but not too low.

Damn those E92s can be sexy looking as hell, probably id get one if i did not consider the 1er.

[duder13]

Originally Posted by coconutsmigrate

A 987.2 Porsche Cayman (2009-2012), without a doubt. Maybe next year... I can't really justify a more expensive and less practical car right now.

If I didn't need a backseat (or real trunk space,) that's exactly what I'd buy. In fact, I had a 987.1 Cayman before the 1er. Fantastic cars. That being said, there are actually things about my 1er that I prefer, mainly in the seats and steering wheel, although I must admit I kind of like the taller driving position of the 1er, but that's probably not a popular opinion.

[Thunderguts]

Originally Posted by duder13

I must admit I kind of like the taller driving position of the 1er, but that's probably not a popular opinion.

It's popular with me. I like forward visibility and being able to see my surroundings. I went to an auto show this weekend and tried out several different cars. I sat in a Civic Type R and realized that the hood felt almost as big as my Mustang! The Accord was no better. The Corvette and Camaro were jokingly bad. Only the STI really gave me a decent view of the road ahead and made me feel comfortable.

[wengleman135i]

I hate admitting this, but I'd probably try out an S2000. Super reliable and capable. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of aftermarket part choices compared to what BMW's have. I've had almost every "known" issue with my 1, but every time I drive it I fall back in love with it.

[duder13]

Originally Posted by Thunderguts

It's popular with me. I like forward visibility and being able to see my surroundings. I went to an auto show this weekend and tried out several different cars. I sat in a Civic Type R and realized that the hood felt almost as big as my Mustang! The Accord was no better. The Corvette and Camaro were jokingly bad. Only the STI really gave me a decent view of the road ahead and made me feel comfortable.

Yeah, the sides of modern cars have gotten so tall that they often feel like you're sitting in a bathtub peering out over the edges, which is why I don't mind the higher seating position of the 1. The cabin feels nice and airy.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by duder13

Yeah, the sides of modern cars have gotten so tall that they often feel like you're sitting in a bathtub peering out over the edges, which is why I don't mind the higher seating position of the 1. The cabin feels nice and airy.

Agree...

Great view in all directions from my driver's seat.

[teaberry]

Greetings. After about 3 months of searching on several forums, I bought a 2012 135i M Sport convertible 6spd manual from CA to be shipped to TX. I used to have a 987 Boxster that I thoroughly enjoyed for road and track use. I considered several cars but after my first baby was born, I gave up the Boxster because I know that I would want to be able to enjoy with wife and kid on those top-down trips. I considered a few cars, but they were too big coming from a Boxster, and I finally had a chance to drive a DCT 2012 135i locally. While it was fine, I already have a DSG mk7 GTi for my daily and I think I'm yearning for a 6spd so I searched and searched and hopefully it's over. The other convertible cars I considered were JCW mini 6spd (but too small and another FWD), 996 convertible (too price for what it offers and too few to chose from), 225i convertible (never found a manual used for sale...I don't even know if it exist in the US), S3 convertible (no manual and no used convertibles yet). Maybe one day I'll move up to a 997s convertible, but I'm looking fwd to my first 1 series and a BMW at that (Have owned 2 Audi, 2 VW, 1 Benz, 1 Porsche).

[duder13]

Originally Posted by teaberry

Greetings. After about 3 months of searching on several forums, I bought a 2012 135i M Sport convertible 6spd manual from CA to be shipped to TX. I used to have a 987 Boxster that I thoroughly enjoyed for road and track use. I considered several cars but after my first baby was born, I gave up the Boxster because I know that I would want to be able to enjoy with wife and kid on those top-down trips. I considered a few cars, but they were too big coming from a Boxster, and I finally had a chance to drive a DCT 2012 135i locally. While it was fine, I already have a DSG mk7 GTi for my daily and I think I'm yearning for a 6spd so I searched and searched and hopefully it's over. The other convertible cars I considered were JCW mini 6spd (but too small and another FWD), 996 convertible (too price for what it offers and too few to chose from), 225i convertible (never found a manual used for sale...I don't even know if it exist in the US), S3 convertible (no manual and no used convertibles yet). Maybe one day I'll move up to a 997s convertible, but I'm looking fwd to my first 1 series and a BMW at that (Have owned 2 Audi, 2 VW, 1 Benz, 1 Porsche).

Yeah, the 997 was the hardest thing for me to pass up, but, after having a 996 and 987C, there's still a WORLD of difference between the backseats and trunk of the 135i vs. a Porsche 911. Even though it is small, the 135i is a noticeably better hauler of people and things, which is where BMW's strength is.

[teaberry]

Thanks, yes, luckily I'm not a tall guy at a bit shy under 5'8", wife is about 5'3" and luckily when I test drove a 135i convertible, the sales person was 5'4" and I put our baby seat behind to test and it should work out fine . I want the driving dynamics to be as close to my 987 Boxster as possible while still being to occasionally haul my small family and I couldn't really find any other car. I think a 997 vert would have worked too, but smaller like you said in terms of cabin. Appreciate the feedback.

Originally Posted by duder13

Yeah, the 997 was the hardest thing for me to pass up, but, after having a 996 and 987C, there's still a WORLD of difference between the backseats and trunk of the 135i vs. a Porsche 911. Even though it is small, the 135i is a noticeably better hauler of people and things, which is where BMW's strength is.

[mfindigital]

Originally Posted by teaberry

Thanks, yes, luckily I'm not a tall guy at a bit shy under 5'8", wife is about 5'3" and luckily when I test drove a 135i convertible, the sales person was 5'4" and I put our baby seat behind to test and it should work out fine . I want the driving dynamics to be as close to my 987 Boxster as possible while still being to occasionally haul my small family and I couldn't really find any other car. I think a 997 vert would have worked too, but smaller like you said in terms of cabin. Appreciate the feedback.

I'm 6'1 and have a car seat in the rear at all times, car seats are recommended to go in the middle rear, not behind one of the front seats for all cars. It fits snug, with some rub against the front seats, I put some padding between the car seat and driver/passenger seat to help prevent the leather from wearing. It's not fun getting my 99th percentile 20 month old in and out of the back though, but when she was a baby it was a breeze.

[tock172]

I've only read a handful of other replies in this thread.

But I'm fairly certain my next nice car, to replace my 135i, will be an M4. I was dead set on a 997 Carrera S forever, but the price of a CPO M4 continues to drop, and there's no question about which one of the two is newer, faster and more available. I couldn't stand the M4 when it first debuted, but I've grown to prefer it to the F80 M3, and the S55 is an incredibly potent engine. I'd like Silverstone over cloth, but will also take black leather or Sahkir Orange.

Used M2s are also depreciating nicely, but I can't imagine shelling out again for another car that uses essentially the same drivetrain of my 135i (N55+DCT).

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by tock172

I've only read a handful of other replies in this thread.

But I'm fairly certain my next nice car, to replace my 135i, will be an M4. I was dead set on a 997 Carrera S forever, but the price of a CPO M4 continues to drop, and there's no question about which one of the two is newer, faster and more available. I couldn't stand the M4 when it first debuted, but I've grown to prefer it to the F80 M3, and the S55 is an incredibly potent engine. I'd like Silverstone over cloth, but will also take black leather or Sahkir Orange.

How about Austin Yellow?

I think this might be my favorite color for the M4.

[10"]

Originally Posted by duder13

Yeah, the 997 was the hardest thing for me to pass up, but, after having a 996 and 987C, there's still a WORLD of difference between the backseats and trunk of the 135i vs. a Porsche 911. Even though it is small, the 135i is a noticeably better hauler of people and things, which is where BMW's strength is.

I took my kid home from the hospital in the 1M. He's now 3 years old and it's the only "family car" he's ever known....I love the practicality of the E82. Could have never been able to fit a stroller, diapers, baby, and wife in any Porsche 911.

[10"]

Originally Posted by mfindigital

I'm 6'1 and have a car seat in the rear at all times, car seats are recommended to go in the middle rear, not behind one of the front seats for all cars. It fits snug, with some rub against the front seats, I put some padding between the car seat and driver/passenger seat to help prevent the leather from wearing. It's not fun getting my 99th percentile 20 month old in and out of the back though, but when she was a baby it was a breeze.

You cannot use the car seat in the "middle" of the 1-series rear seat. If you are doing that I would suggest you remove it immediately and put it in the proper rear seat on either side.

the car only has 2 seats in the back. The latch anchors are only made to use on the 2 dedicated seats and the middle area is NOT a seat; is not supported by the anchors in that way. You cannot use the seat belt method in the middle either. It is totally unsafe for the child.

Not sure if that's what you're doing but I wanted to address it since you mentioned it.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Esteban

How about Austin Yellow?

I think this might be my favorite color for the M4.

Even though I like the M4 in Austin Yellow, the car is just too big for me. And It might seem wrong somehow as a car enthusiast, but I don't know that I'd want that much power. I could really get in trouble with that kind of power. Somewhere around 300 hp is just about right for me these days. With my little tune I have 355 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque and that is plenty for my driving needs.

I mentioned before in this thread that I think the Golf R is a great little car. Test drove one last year and thought it was solid, fast enough (for me), I like it's looks and size, handles well, and has great utility. It's also reasonably priced for what you get as a new car. Think I've come to the conclusion that if something were to happen to my 1er (totaled), that's what I'd replace it with. That's how I feel today. Tomorrow may be different.

Not really a big BMW fan. My current 1er and my previous 1er are the only BMWs I've owned. Really like the 1 series but not particularly interested in buying a used car. Like to start with a clean sheet of paper and don't want to inherit someone else's problems. I know that's not a popular opinion here but that's what I choose and I never try to push my choices on anyone else.

Edit: will admit I used to own an '06 Mustang GT with 475 hp. That car was quite a handful and I loved it. I was a little younger then, I'm older now and I understand more clearly that I am not immortal. lol

[champignon]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Like to start with a clean sheet of paper and don't want to inherit someone else's problems. I know that's not a popular opinion here but that's what I choose and I never try to push my choices on anyone else.

Buying someone else's (used) car can make sense under certain circumstances, forgetting about monetary savings for the moment.

The first situation where it can make sense is if you can get one that hasn't been driven too much and that has been treated well, during an initial period that is less than the original warranty period. I've done that a couple of times, and if you have a year or two (or more) of the warranty left, you can get the car sorted out before you start having to pay for repairs. You can also take advantage of the very steep initial depreciation curve that occurs for most cars, especially BMWs.

The second situation is with a collectible car that is no longer being produced. This requires more effort and more research on the car you are buying, plus you absolutely have to budget for several thousand dollars worth of work even if you think the car is in perfect shape. At this point in time I would only do this with a car I was more or less convinced that I would keep for a long time, and not for a daily driver.

This thread assumes that someone is buying another car to replace their old 1-Series car; given that nothing even remotely similar to an E82/E88 BMW is being currently produced by any manufacturer, this means one is either going to buy something very dissimilar to what they are replacing (1-Series car), or they are going to buy used.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by champignon

Buying someone else's (used) car can make sense under certain circumstances, forgetting about monetary savings for the moment.

The first situation where it can make sense is if you can get one that hasn't been driven too much and that has been treated well, during an initial period that is less than the original warranty period. I've done that a couple of times, and if you have a year or two (or more) of the warranty left, you can get the car sorted out before you start having to pay for repairs. You can also take advantage of the very steep initial depreciation curve that occurs for most cars, especially BMWs.

The second situation is with a collectible car that is no longer being produced. This requires more effort and more research on the car you are buying, plus you absolutely have to budget for several thousand dollars worth of work even if you think the car is in perfect shape. At this point in time I would only do this with a car I was more or less convinced that I would keep for a long time, and not for a daily driver.

This thread assumes that someone is buying another car to replace their old 1-Series car; given that nothing even remotely similar to an E82/E88 BMW is being currently produced by any manufacturer, this means one is either going to buy something very dissimilar to what they are replacing (1-Series car), or they are going to buy used.

Thanks for your input. Always bought new, always will. Including the other things I mentioned in my previous post, I also love to see the odometer at zero, or damn close to it. Can't get that in a used car, no matter how well it's treated.

Not going to debate it, 'tis my choice. You buy your way and I'll buy my way and hopefully we'll both be happy and content with our buying decisions even with our differences. No matter how you slice it, I like to buy new.

[Gangplank]

I've bought & sold plenty of vehicles over the years. I've only bought one new. I buy used cars of varying number of years. Often after warranty expired. (The only one that gave me grief was my E60 545 - quite possibly BMWs most unreliable model ever produced).

It's not hard to find good used cars that don't have problems. Look for a lease return CPO or private party sale with low miles per year & all records avail. The 135i for example is often a 3rd car for people, or in my case it was owned by a woman who drove less than 8,000 miles a year and was incompletely stock form with records.

Now back on topic. The Golf R is nice but whoa $40,000 for a VW?!

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Gangplank

I've bought & sold plenty of vehicles over the years. I've only bought one new. I buy used cars of varying number of years. Often after warranty expired. (The only one that gave me grief was my E60 545 - quite possibly BMWs most unreliable model ever produced).

It's not hard to find good used cars that don't have problems. Look for a lease return CPO or private party sale with low miles per year & all records avail. The 135i for example is often a 3rd car for people, or in my case it was owned by a woman who drove less than 8,000 miles a year and was incompletely stock form with records.

Now back on topic. The Golf R is nice but whoa $40,000 for a VW?!

The only used car I ever bought was a 'slightly used' 1968 VW bug; my first car. 53 hp, 4-speed, rear-wheel-drive, about 1750 lbs. I was 18 years old. The first thing I did was put an aftermarket exhaust on. What a rocket!

The Golf R is a lot of car for the money in my opinion. The GTI is a better price/deal but I'd rather have the advantages of the R. That said, I'm not planning on parting with my beloved 1er anytime soon.

PS - it seems like many people are told their used car was driven by a little old lady who only drove it on the weekends to church and to get her hair done, or some such story. lol

[champignon]

It's a sad (but true) commentary on this once proud brand (BMW) that the current production car the most similar to the sorts of driver's cars that BMW used to make, is a Volkswagen.

I own a 2018 R, which I was able to get on a trade from my '16 low mileage R, for not much money ($11K, all in), which got me a new 6 year MFR's warranty plus a few modest upgrades. Their take rate for manuals isn't great lately and I'm assuming they will drop the manual option fairly soon, which was further motivation to get the newer car.

For what it is, it's a great car, but it's nowhere near as fun to drive as the old BMWs were, even if it is a log function more practical, not to mention has AWD.