Looking for some suggestions

buggy4cars · 09-01-2010, 06:58 PM

Thinking of replacing my DD with a 128i Convertible. The choice I'm questioning is this... Wanted to go with the base 128i with its standard wheels and tires because they're "all season" and in NY I need to drive from time to time in snow. I've heard horror stories about run flats and the performance wheels to which BMW themselves warns you they damage easy and are not made for driving in snow and ice. Trouble is unless I go with either of the sport packages I can't get the sport seats and I just read an article that said the worst part of the base 128i is the base seats (no support or grip at all). So do I forget about the seats and get the car with the tires/wheels I can use year round (even though they're only 16's on the vert) or do I go with the sport package, get the larger, performance wheels and tires and the sports seats I want and buy winter tires and wheels? If I go with option 2 do I only need to replace the rear tires and wheels with snows or do I need to replace all 4? I know I'm dating myself but when I first started driving you only replaced your rears with snows. Thanks for the input.

roo97ss · 09-01-2010, 07:07 PM

all season are really no season in my book, esp for someone in NY.

Remember, all season don't stop as good in the wet or dry as a summer tire, nor as good as a snow tire in the snow or rain.

Get all four too. What's the use of being able to get the car going if you can't turn or stop the thing...

Also, i would go with sport package for the seats, sit in both. I've had non sport seats and they're fine, the way a chevy or toyota is fine. Reasonably comfortable, not much support. However, the sport seats simply fit like a glove. Best on the market i think.

However, if you're a big guy might prefer the non sport seats. Sit in the them at the dealer to see for yourself; I've only 'settled' on non sport seats in a few cars where the deal was too good to pass up on a used car....if you're ordering i would NOT skip that box.

Joe

KingOfJericho · 09-01-2010, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roo97ss

all season are really no season in my book, esp for someone in NY.

Remember, all season don't stop as good in the wet or dry as a summer tire, nor as good as a snow tire in the snow or rain.

Get all four too. What's the use of being able to get the car going if you can't turn or stop the thing...

Also, i would go with sport package for the seats, sit in both. I've had non sport seats and they're fine, the way a chevy or toyota is fine. Reasonably comfortable, not much support. However, the sport seats simply fit like a glove. Best on the market i think.

However, if you're a big guy might prefer the non sport seats. Sit in the them at the dealer to see for yourself; I've only 'settled' on non sport seats in a few cars where the deal was too good to pass up on a used car....if you're ordering i would NOT skip that box.

Joe

I have to agree with everything here. I live in the same area as the OP and we really only get maybe 5 days of snow a year (where the roads are actually covered).

JHZR2 · 09-02-2010, 12:05 PM

One big question is if adding sport packages of whatever cost to get the seats crosses the value proposition of the basic 128i into something where it starts to get real expensive.

I agree with the basis of getting snow tires or just remove/sell the RFT tires and put all seasons on - depending upon your anticipated use.

Also give the basic seats a try, do some test driving and just go to a dealer and sit for a while, see how it goes... if the seats are good to you, then youre set. The standard seats did not strike me as uncomfortable or unsupportive, it is just that they do not hug you as much. This may be an item youre willing to do without.

3liter1 · 09-02-2010, 12:38 PM

I would suggest getting the dedicated snow tires for NY area (all 4). Also suggest sticking with the 16 or 17 inch wheels to avoid the inevitable sidewall failures from NYC area potholes By the way - I got non runflat Dunlop SP sport snows as a test to see how they might compare to the Stock Pirelli RFTs. I have no problems with the RFTs and have tracked the car. I think the 17 inch wheels buffer some of the RFT harshness
If your stock wheels are 16 - you can put the snows on those and put some performance tires mounted on 17s from Tirerack.

09-01-2010, 06:58 PM	#1
buggy4cars Private 5 Rep 50 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW 328I M Sport 6MT Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Looking for some suggestions Thinking of replacing my DD with a 128i Convertible. The choice I'm questioning is this... Wanted to go with the base 128i with its standard wheels and tires because they're "all season" and in NY I need to drive from time to time in snow. I've heard horror stories about run flats and the performance wheels to which BMW themselves warns you they damage easy and are not made for driving in snow and ice. Trouble is unless I go with either of the sport packages I can't get the sport seats and I just read an article that said the worst part of the base 128i is the base seats (no support or grip at all). So do I forget about the seats and get the car with the tires/wheels I can use year round (even though they're only 16's on the vert) or do I go with the sport package, get the larger, performance wheels and tires and the sports seats I want and buy winter tires and wheels? If I go with option 2 do I only need to replace the rear tires and wheels with snows or do I need to replace all 4? I know I'm dating myself but when I first started driving you only replaced your rears with snows. Thanks for the input.
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09-01-2010, 07:07 PM	#2
roo97ss Captain 67 Rep 920 Posts Drives: M4, X6M, Tesla Plaid, MYP, Ram Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Delaware iTrader: (7)	all season are really no season in my book, esp for someone in NY. Remember, all season don't stop as good in the wet or dry as a summer tire, nor as good as a snow tire in the snow or rain. Get all four too. What's the use of being able to get the car going if you can't turn or stop the thing... Also, i would go with sport package for the seats, sit in both. I've had non sport seats and they're fine, the way a chevy or toyota is fine. Reasonably comfortable, not much support. However, the sport seats simply fit like a glove. Best on the market i think. However, if you're a big guy might prefer the non sport seats. Sit in the them at the dealer to see for yourself; I've only 'settled' on non sport seats in a few cars where the deal was too good to pass up on a used car....if you're ordering i would NOT skip that box. Joe __________________ 16 m4 vert, 18 X6M, 22 Tesla MYP, 21 Plaid, 17 Ram
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09-02-2010, 12:05 PM	#4
JHZR2 Major 74 Rep 1,001 Posts Drives: 91 E30, 11 135i cv Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (0)	One big question is if adding sport packages of whatever cost to get the seats crosses the value proposition of the basic 128i into something where it starts to get real expensive. I agree with the basis of getting snow tires or just remove/sell the RFT tires and put all seasons on - depending upon your anticipated use. Also give the basic seats a try, do some test driving and just go to a dealer and sit for a while, see how it goes... if the seats are good to you, then youre set. The standard seats did not strike me as uncomfortable or unsupportive, it is just that they do not hug you as much. This may be an item youre willing to do without.
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09-02-2010, 12:38 PM	#5
3liter1 First Lieutenant 57 Rep 376 Posts Drives: 2019 X3 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Northern NJ iTrader: (1)	I would suggest getting the dedicated snow tires for NY area (all 4). Also suggest sticking with the 16 or 17 inch wheels to avoid the inevitable sidewall failures from NYC area potholes By the way - I got non runflat Dunlop SP sport snows as a test to see how they might compare to the Stock Pirelli RFTs. I have no problems with the RFTs and have tracked the car. I think the 17 inch wheels buffer some of the RFT harshness If your stock wheels are 16 - you can put the snows on those and put some performance tires mounted on 17s from Tirerack.
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