What are the consequential options to consider???

[tock172]

Sport seats are a must have. I do not see how anyone could be satisfied by the base seats. Even my E30 has beat sport seats and they still feel incredible.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeGeoff

My wish list is always:

- Comfort access
- I-Drive (09 and up)
- Sport seats
- Premium Package

Everyone is different though.

Really? Everyone is different and that's ok with you?

[HawkeyeGeoff]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Really? Everyone is different and that's ok with you?

Yep. Unless you're just totally wrong.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeGeoff

Yep. Unless you're just totally wrong.

Your opinion, which means absolutely nothing to me.

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeGeoff

Yep. Unless you're just totally wrong.

He is wrong.
I mean how can you not love the look of mudflaps?

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

He is wrong.
I mean how can you not love the look of mudflaps?

I think you got me mixed up with somebody else. I'm a mudflap lover!

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by Esteban

I think you got me mixed up with somebody else. I'm a mudflap lover!

Then I do.

You're a good man!

lol

[HawkeyeGeoff]

Originally Posted by Esteban

I think you got me mixed up with somebody else. I'm a mudflap lover!

Lol finally something we can get behind.

My previous 1er had rear mud flaps; they're a life saver when you drive on shitty roads/constant rain.

[rowsdower]

In general, a simpler car (fewer options) will have fewer problems and be more dependable. 128i was the way to go for me. The only option I "had" to have was the sport package because the seats really are that much better. I wanted no other options in the car, but that's nearly impossible to find. I ended up with:

Space gray 128i
Sunroof delete
Sport package
Comfort access
Leather
Nothing else!

There has never been a time when I've said "gee I wish this car had..." (except maybe more power and an LSD)

[Apex1.0]

Wow, lots of great feedback here. It makes me realize how little I know about the platform.

First this is it will be 135i only, so I assume some options available on the 128i will automatically come on the 135, right?

Steering Wheels- More options than I originally thought here however, these can be swapped pretty easily. Except for maybe heated, which is not a concern for me, I don't see any reason to base a vehicle purchase on a wheel.

Seats - No doubt I want sport seats, but can these be swapped in later? Will all the functionality be there? How many total seat options are there? Base, sport, power sport?

Materials - Leather or leatherette, I don't care. As long as its not cloth.

Xenons- I consider this a must have option. What are the choices, is there a bi-xenon? What package do they come with? Premium

Audio- This is a tough one. I want a good sounding system. Looking at the dash and aftermarket option I question weather an aftermarket HU would work. I may need the premium audio here. I assume BT connectivity comes with this

Nav- I could live without this. Phone nav apps are pretty good these days.

I-Drive- My BMW ignorance will be exposed here. I assume the I-drive is an integrated control system. Is it a completely separate option from audio, nav, premium, etc? What capabilities does the I-drive give you in relation to the other on board vehicle systems?

Keep the feed back coming, I appreciate it. I know some of this can be researched, but you guys are adding your own experiences which is helpful.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by Apex1.0

Xenons- I consider this a must have option. What are the choices, is there a bi-xenon? What package do they come with? Premium

There are three different headlight levels.

1. Halogen
2. Bi-xenon (same HID bulb does low and high beam)
3. Dynamic Bi-xenon (move left/right when you turn the wheel, and up/down with vehicle level/speed)

Not sure if the non dynamic bi-xenon does up/down like the dynamic version?

The only downside to the Dynamic version are the cost if/when a motor fails.

One reason I got the nav was it makes using the radio, vehicle settings much easier. It is all on the big screen instead of being on a little LCD radio screen. Even if I never use nav, I prefer having the screen. This is the iDrive, which is part of the NAV option.

[chris_flies]

BODY STYLE:
If handling is important go with the coupé. It's stiffer and less obnoxious at high speeds than a 'vert.

If noise and having that open-top experience is important to you get a 'vert. It's got the obvious retractable roof, and probably rides a bit more solidly from the extra weight.

EXTERIOR:
White ages best, and shows imperfections the least. Blue is the definitive BMW color. Black is a PITA to keep looking REAL good all the time, and looks terrible when dirty. Neutral colors (gray, silver) look fantastic on these cars, and greys go well with EVERYTHING (chrome trim, shadow-line trim, black wheels, white wheels, silver wheels, green wheels, etc.).

INTERIOR:
A black interior is easiest to keep looking clean. Red Coral, or the Terracotta-like color is exotic and frankly, gorgeous. White looks very modern and clean...when it's actually clean. Leather takes more maintenance than vinyl, but generally last longer, and feels nicer.

TRANSMISSION:
Manual is the way to go. DCT is probably great, too, except it has issues. With a manual transmission, there are never any transmission issues, there are issues with you. Automatic is meh...

ENGINE:
N54's seem to be the more tunable ones (twins), but N55's seem to be the peppier, more responsive ones (twin scrolls), and the more efficient ones (more modern). Don't quote me on any of this, as I drive the superior N/A car, and don't delve into peasant debates like this very often. Reliability comes with the N/A motors, but you want a 135i, so...

FACTORY OPTIONS/PACKAGES:
I'd get the Sport package, at a minimum, if I were to do it again. Get's you some nicer-looking wheels, a very nice black headliner, the much-needed sport seats and (for the 128i's, at least) a rear sway bar. The newer M-Sport package is even better, but even rarer; bringing fascia (128i), nicer wheels, wider wheels, better tires (still RFT's, stock), the steering wheel, SSK (135i only), sport seats, and some other things I'm not sure of. You want the heated seats, and the heated steering wheel, if possible, especially in a cold area.

DIFFICULT-TO-ADDRESS:
Most difficult to address in the a-market would be the sport seats. I hear they are very, very nice; the basic seats have very little side bolstering, but are extraordinarily comfortable on long trips.

MUST-DO'S:
No matter what, you'll eventually want to do the rear subframe bushings (or inserts, they're a great compromise for DD duty), if not already done by the PO (mine weren't). You'll also want to swap out the RFT's, but do that after the subframe bushings, you'll appreciate the non-RFT's more.

[Apex1.0]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

There are three different headlight levels.

1. Halogen
2. Bi-xenon (same HID bulb does low and high beam)
3. Dynamic Bi-xenon (move left/right when you turn the wheel, and up/down with vehicle level/speed)

Not sure if the non dynamic bi-xenon does up/down like the dynamic version?

The only downside to the Dynamic version are the cost if/when a motor fails.

One reason I got the nav was it makes using the radio, vehicle settings much easier. It is all on the big screen instead of being on a little LCD radio screen. Even if I never use nav, I prefer having the screen. This is the iDrive, which is part of the NAV option.

That is very helpful. However I am surprised a 135i would come with Halogens. Yikes!!!

[jaye944]

The most important AFAIC is

Year and Millage
also has the water pump been done
and maintenance been completed
has the car been cared for

then

Color
and has to be a vert

Originally Posted by Apex1.0

When buying a used 135i, what are the options to consider that can not be address with modifications?

So there are options that are clearly consequential:

Body Style
Exterior Color
Interior Color
Transmission
Year (engine)

After that, I know there are an array of audio, sport, m-sport, cold weather, trim and wheel options. But of all these items, what would be the most difficult to address with aftermarket or other oem modifications? What are the got to have it options, and what is the stuff you can change later?

Thanks,

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Apex1.0

That is very helpful. However I am surprised a 135i would come with Halogens. Yikes!!!

Hey! I like my halogens. They aren't finicky with condensation, don't cost $1000 per unit, and the bulbs are pocket change cheap...

Plus, they WILL age better than the Bi-Xenon, Adaptive, whatever ones...

All the best-looking cars BMW made had halogens: E39, E30, E34, E38, must I go on? I just wish I had angel eyes...

[tock172]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Not sure if the non dynamic bi-xenon does up/down like the dynamic version?

They're actually mandated by law to have this functionality. The sensor in the windshield sees oncoming headlights and points your own headlights down. BMW marketed this as, "Anti-Dazzle."

Originally Posted by Apex1.0

Audio- This is a tough one. I want a good sounding system. Looking at the dash and aftermarket option I question weather an aftermarket HU would work. I may need the premium audio here. I assume BT connectivity comes with this

Nav- I could live without this. Phone nav apps are pretty good these days.

I-Drive- My BMW ignorance will be exposed here. I assume the I-drive is an integrated control system. Is it a completely separate option from audio, nav, premium, etc? What capabilities does the I-drive give you in relation to the other on board vehicle systems?

For Audio, you'll want the HK system. The only practical upgrades for the base Hi-FI are Focal or BavSound, both of which are very expensive and aren't exactly worth it in my opinion.

iDrive is the navigation system. I didn't consider this a sticking point when I bought my first 135i, but now I wouldn't want to be without it. The live traffic and satellite imagery are cool, and as mentioned above, adjusting settings is easier on the nav screen. The system in my 2012 will also read text messages to me.

[BimmerAg]

My criteria when I was looking for my car was:

N55 engine (2011+)
DCT trans
M-sport package
HK audio

One thing that I'm grateful for is that I ended up getting the manual sport seats. I do AutoX and track events and with my helmet on my head still touches the roof a bit, but it would have been even worse with the power seats that sit up a bit higher.

[sprp85]

For me, it would be...

Slick top (Rarely use sunroof, another point of clog and leak, less headroom with it, etc....)

Sports Pkg (For the seats. Prefer manual over electric seats as well)

Xenon (Halogen on any recent car just looks awful)

Heated seats (Once you try it during winter, you can never go back to ones without it)

Steering wheel wise, you can pick up one off of a M3 which is a lot softer and more padded than the sports steering wheel.

[asiflicious]

The only must have option is the sport/m sport package. Everything else is extra.

Cold weather package: I love having heated seats. Worth it

iDrive: contrary to what people on here say, I think IDrive is well worth it, especially 09+. It's the only option I wish my 135i had. It makes the car feel more "expensive" and the IDrive is useful for more than just navigation

Premium package: worth it

The base sound system is pretty awful. My 335i had the logic 7 which sounded fantastic. Idk what the upgraded stereo on the 1er is but I'd say it's worth it

I'm probably in the minority here, but I think you'd be happier with a fully loaded car vs a stripper. That's just me though

[FrostyDC4]

Originally Posted by Apex1.0

Wow, lots of great feedback here. It makes me realize how little I know about the platform.

First this is it will be 135i only, so I assume some options available on the 128i will automatically come on the 135, right?

Steering Wheels- More options than I originally thought here however, these can be swapped pretty easily. Except for maybe heated, which is not a concern for me, I don't see any reason to base a vehicle purchase on a wheel.

Seats - No doubt I want sport seats, but can these be swapped in later? Will all the functionality be there? How many total seat options are there? Base, sport, power sport?

Materials - Leather or leatherette, I don't care. As long as its not cloth.

Xenons- I consider this a must have option. What are the choices, is there a bi-xenon? What package do they come with? Premium

Audio- This is a tough one. I want a good sounding system. Looking at the dash and aftermarket option I question weather an aftermarket HU would work. I may need the premium audio here. I assume BT connectivity comes with this

Nav- I could live without this. Phone nav apps are pretty good these days.

I-Drive- My BMW ignorance will be exposed here. I assume the I-drive is an integrated control system. Is it a completely separate option from audio, nav, premium, etc? What capabilities does the I-drive give you in relation to the other on board vehicle systems?

Keep the feed back coming, I appreciate it. I know some of this can be researched, but you guys are adding your own experiences which is helpful.

Try to find a car equipped with the sport & m-sport package, xenons, and leatherette sport seats. My car has almost 80k and my leatherette sport seats hug great, are comfy, and look mint.

[Gangplank]

OP you have some basic decisions/info you might want to research.

This thread will help get you started.
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=414111

This one too
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=362052

Different years have different base options & packages. For example on the 135i you can get Sport or Msport. Both come with the same suspension & sport seats. In fact all 135i come with Sport suspension. Can't get one without it which makes sense since even the sport suspension needs some upgrading.

The Msport gets fancy bits that may be important to u or not. I thought I wanted it but ended up buying a Sport and now couldn't care less about any of the added stuff. ;-). Basic info:

MSport:
2MR 18" double spoke wheels #261M
337 M-sport pack, door strips in M, shifter & hand brake all M
481 Sport seats
710 M-sport steering wheel
760 Shadowline trim
775 Anthracite headliner (black)
840 Increased top speed limiter

vs Sport
481 Sport seats
710 M-sport steering wheel
760 Shadowline trim
840 Increased top speed limiter
(aka less is just as good pkg)


Sound system. In any given year there are 2 options HOWEVER Some years get a "base" stereo that is just that basic & crappy. Other years get a "base" stereo that is called Top-HiFi which is a more standard 2011 and up BMW system that is that is actually "OK".

BUT here is the catch: all years have HarmonKardon option which is good. My wife has it in her Mini and it's darn good. I have the Top-hifi in my 2011 and it's good/decent. BUT if you get the base not top-hifi you CAN upgrade it to an Alpine system that is supposed to be pretty good. This is not an option on the Top-hifi system and your upgrade options are Bavsound or MusicCarNW or cu$tom.

SO to simplify it: 1) HK = top & good, 2) Top-hifi pretty good & can upgrade via Bavsound or 3) base and can upgrade via Bavsound or Alpine upgrade. Confused? Lol

Suspension - every and I mean every 135i should have the Rear Sub-Frame Bushings (RSFB) upgraded to either the M3 bushings or whiteline 2 piece or whiteline insets. I did the insets + rear differential brace from a forum member who sells in the classified (red or black) b/c I didn't know there were 2 piece insets. I'm happy with it and may never change it unless an inset breaks but if I was doing it from start I'd get the 2 piece and diff brace.

Seats - you have to test them out. My x5 had non-sport comfort seats which were great. My e60 545 had sport seats that were fantastic. My 135i has the manual sport seats which are also great but they are definitely smaller vs the e60. I'm 5'10 175 and just fit.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by tock172

Sport seats are a must have. I do not see how anyone could be satisfied by the base seats. Even my E30 has beat sport seats and they still feel incredible.

I tried both. Given my 5'7" 250 pound size, the base seats are much more comfortable for me.