Thinking about Selling the 1er

JM98 · 01-13-2018, 12:01 PM

Had this car a little over two years, its my 4th BMW and I sorta have a love hate relationship with it right now

The car- 2009 AT 135i
3rd owner, currently has 78k Miles
FBO w/Walbro450 running e40 tune now for about a year

I am at the point of wanting more power and future reliability and I think I am at the limit here. In two years I have done the following maintenance:

02 Sensors
Plugs and Coils
OFH Gasket
Headlight Module
Window Regulator
Battery

Considering all the N54 horror stories I think I am pretty lucky, but I get a feeling that luck is about to run out fairly soon. I drive the car and it brings a smile to my face, but I feel like I am just waiting for something to break all the time.

Thoughts? The car still looks damn good and has everything I want except I am bored with the power, not sure I want to jump into new turbos or single turbo. If it was a domestic Id throw some nitrous at it but with these cars its not as easy and you might as well spend the extra money for turbos.

Maybe I am just bored and need a change.

Lucky1 · 01-13-2018, 12:22 PM

Have you thought about what car(s) you'd replace it with to bring back that loving feeling? Some owners move on, I've seen others come back...make sure you spend a lot of seat time and get something that feels right for you

Time for an M or P car?

JM98 · 01-13-2018, 12:53 PM

5.0 Mustang seems to be calling my name, new SS Camaro isnt bad either. Honestly, if my current car had a 500HP N/A V8 it'd be perfect for me.

Winn.Nguyen · 01-13-2018, 01:56 PM

Should test drive the mustang. My friend bought one and regretted it.

iminhell1 · 01-13-2018, 02:16 PM

Maybe you need to change what you do with the car?
Drag only gets old fast. Move on to autocross or road racing, or even 1/2 mile drags. A car that can do everything will never get old.

There is only 1 car out there right now I'd dump my 1 for, a Z/28.

jeddo45 · 01-13-2018, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JM98

Had this car a little over two years, its my 4th BMW and I sorta have a love hate relationship with it right now

The car- 2009 AT 135i
3rd owner, currently has 78k Miles
FBO w/Walbro450 running e40 tune now for about a year

I am at the point of wanting more power and future reliability and I think I am at the limit here. In two years I have done the following maintenance:

02 Sensors
Plugs and Coils
OFH Gasket
Headlight Module
Window Regulator
Battery

Considering all the N54 horror stories I think I am pretty lucky, but I get a feeling that luck is about to run out fairly soon. I drive the car and it brings a smile to my face, but I feel like I am just waiting for something to break all the time.

Thoughts? The car still looks damn good and has everything I want except I am bored with the power, not sure I want to jump into new turbos or single turbo. If it was a domestic Id throw some nitrous at it but with these cars its not as easy and you might as well spend the extra money for turbos.

Maybe I am just bored and need a change.

Let's get one thing straight now: any car you mod, you jeopardize reliability. So if your looking for more power without having to mod, then obviously you'll need another car.

Let's get another thing out of the way while we're at it. There is no perfect car. Every car has its known problems. You sound like you know the N54 pretty well so you know it's known issues. Whatever car you decide to get, do your due research to see what it's known issues are.

Now my advice? I'd say keep the 135i and get more power from it. At the end, you'll still be spending less then buying a new car. Figure out what you want from your car and go from there. It's fairly inexpensive to get decent power out of these cars.

Again, do your own research, figure out how much power you want, and go from there.

Gangplank · 01-13-2018, 11:51 PM

The new Z4? Tuned Subaru WRX or STI.?

Apex1.0 · 01-14-2018, 08:36 AM

Sometimes you just need something different. No single car will check ALL the boxes. Consider this though.... there is not much out there that will easily get 450hp, weigh lass than 3300lbs, have back seats and handle decent. Anything with more power stock, will be heavier and bigger. Most importantly it will drive bigger. New mustang looks sweet and the coyote is wicked. However, drive one... it drives like a big car. So does a corvette for that matter and a e90 M3 too. E46 m3 and 1 series drive a bit smaller. Also consider z4 for a smaller ride. If that’s what you want.

shawnlofft · 02-18-2020, 10:50 PM

Stop being a broke b*tch and buy my M5

duder13 · 02-18-2020, 11:43 PM

The problem for me is that I can’t really think of a single four seat car I’d trade for. Granted, I’m more of a canyon carver kind of driver, so 400hp is plenty for me.

zx10guy · 02-19-2020, 12:36 AM

A friend of mine said something to me a long time ago when I started to get into cars. He said if you ever get into sport bikes, you'll be bored of every car out there no matter the horsepower. And you know what? He's right. I got into sport bikes and have experienced some pretty potent machines. Have I gotten away from cars? No. But one can spend so much less on a sport bike that will run circles around most cars on the road. When I get the urge to experience speed/horsepower, I just take my ZX-10R out and scare the piss out of myself. This isn't describing the feeling of being able to rail around corners/leaned over which is a whole another level of euphoria. And my 10R is 16 years old that's still stupid fast and reliable. Only thing I've done to it is routine maintenance.

ShocknAwe · 02-19-2020, 11:53 AM

I'd recommend getting the 1er inspected by a trusted Indy, sinking some maintenance money in, and having it leak down tested.

Get MHD and log the car after, and post the logs here.

After that it's really a question of what you want to do with the car. I'm happy to help you decide what upgrades to make, but gotta figure out if the car is healthy first.

There's nothing wrong with the N54. Just keep up with the maintenance. It sucks that oil gaskets are wear items but there we are.

JM98 · 02-19-2020, 07:41 PM

Interestingly enough, my car has been rock solid reliable till now. I have decided to keep it and am currently getting the outside refreshed (bumper repaint and paint correction) and plan on turbos in the next 6 month.

BCe82 · 02-21-2020, 02:49 AM

don't know if there is a better bang for buck right now, if you want real power, new mustang gt/twin turbo kit

01-13-2018, 12:01 PM	#1
JM98 Lieutenant 391 Rep 532 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: May 2016 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Thinking about Selling the 1er Had this car a little over two years, its my 4th BMW and I sorta have a love hate relationship with it right now The car- 2009 AT 135i 3rd owner, currently has 78k Miles FBO w/Walbro450 running e40 tune now for about a year I am at the point of wanting more power and future reliability and I think I am at the limit here. In two years I have done the following maintenance: 02 Sensors Plugs and Coils OFH Gasket Headlight Module Window Regulator Battery Considering all the N54 horror stories I think I am pretty lucky, but I get a feeling that luck is about to run out fairly soon. I drive the car and it brings a smile to my face, but I feel like I am just waiting for something to break all the time. Thoughts? The car still looks damn good and has everything I want except I am bored with the power, not sure I want to jump into new turbos or single turbo. If it was a domestic Id throw some nitrous at it but with these cars its not as easy and you might as well spend the extra money for turbos. Maybe I am just bored and need a change.
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01-13-2018, 12:22 PM	#2
Lucky1 Colonel 647 Rep 2,051 Posts Drives: '08 128i Coupe SGM 6MT Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 Porsche 911 Ca ... [0.00] 2008 128i Coupe [0.00] 2006 Z4 M Roadster [0.00]	Have you thought about what car(s) you'd replace it with to bring back that loving feeling? Some owners move on, I've seen others come back...make sure you spend a lot of seat time and get something that feels right for you Time for an M or P car?
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01-13-2018, 12:53 PM	#3
JM98 Lieutenant 391 Rep 532 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: May 2016 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	5.0 Mustang seems to be calling my name, new SS Camaro isnt bad either. Honestly, if my current car had a 500HP N/A V8 it'd be perfect for me.
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01-13-2018, 01:56 PM	#4
Winn.Nguyen Private First Class 85 Rep 137 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Portland iTrader: (0)	Should test drive the mustang. My friend bought one and regretted it.
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01-13-2018, 02:16 PM	#5
iminhell1 C2H5OH 3915 Rep 2,144 Posts Drives: 2010 SG 135i auto Join Date: May 2015 Location: Darwin, MN iTrader: (1)	Maybe you need to change what you do with the car? Drag only gets old fast. Move on to autocross or road racing, or even 1/2 mile drags. A car that can do everything will never get old. There is only 1 car out there right now I'd dump my 1 for, a Z/28.
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01-13-2018, 11:51 PM	#7
Gangplank Brigadier General 1540 Rep 3,071 Posts Drives: 2011 e82 135i n55 Sport w/ DCT Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Vero Beach, FL iTrader: (2) Garage List 2011 135i [0.00]	The new Z4? Tuned Subaru WRX or STI.? __________________ 2011 135i w/ DCT \| ZSP Sport Pkg \| PPK \| Ohlins R
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01-14-2018, 08:36 AM	#8
Apex1.0 Private 37 Rep 68 Posts Drives: Honda S2000 Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	Sometimes you just need something different. No single car will check ALL the boxes. Consider this though.... there is not much out there that will easily get 450hp, weigh lass than 3300lbs, have back seats and handle decent. Anything with more power stock, will be heavier and bigger. Most importantly it will drive bigger. New mustang looks sweet and the coyote is wicked. However, drive one... it drives like a big car. So does a corvette for that matter and a e90 M3 too. E46 m3 and 1 series drive a bit smaller. Also consider z4 for a smaller ride. If that’s what you want.
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02-18-2020, 10:50 PM	#9
shawnlofft New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: Bmw F10 M5 and Bmw 335i E92 Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Arlington Va iTrader: (0)	Stop being a broke b*tch and buy my M5
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02-18-2020, 11:43 PM	#10
duder13 Captain 767 Rep 904 Posts Drives: Cashmere Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: US iTrader: (0)	The problem for me is that I can’t really think of a single four seat car I’d trade for. Granted, I’m more of a canyon carver kind of driver, so 400hp is plenty for me.
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02-19-2020, 11:53 AM	#12
ShocknAwe 1Addict 3233 Rep 7,892 Posts Drives: E82 Mutt, M57 Truck Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Charleston iTrader: (22)	I'd recommend getting the 1er inspected by a trusted Indy, sinking some maintenance money in, and having it leak down tested. Get MHD and log the car after, and post the logs here. After that it's really a question of what you want to do with the car. I'm happy to help you decide what upgrades to make, but gotta figure out if the car is healthy first. There's nothing wrong with the N54. Just keep up with the maintenance. It sucks that oil gaskets are wear items but there we are. __________________ 2010 135i 6MT Jet Black N54/3 FE82 Mutt \| BUILD THREAD \| GARAGE SALE
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02-19-2020, 07:41 PM	#13
JM98 Lieutenant 391 Rep 532 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: May 2016 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Interestingly enough, my car has been rock solid reliable till now. I have decided to keep it and am currently getting the outside refreshed (bumper repaint and paint correction) and plan on turbos in the next 6 month.
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02-21-2020, 02:49 AM	#14
BCe82 New Member 3 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 135i N54 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	don't know if there is a better bang for buck right now, if you want real power, new mustang gt/twin turbo kit __________________ insta @e82n54 -- 11.3@122 🏎️💨 stock turbos!
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