Need help deciding between a 128i and 135i!!!

[IEDEI]

if you want something slow: get a 128
if you want something that breaks: get a 135
if you want something which is overpriced and breaks: get a 1M

either way----it's a LOSE/LOSE situation!

you can't go right (wrong?)



PS: Drive the 128 and 135 and pick the one you like best. Screw the opinions.

[tceepa]

135i all the way.

You always hear people complaining...geez I wish I had more horsepower.
You never hear of anyone complaining of having too much horsepower.

As for maintenance, welcome to the ownership of a Euro car.

If you want less expensive maintenance, I would suggest you buy a Honda or Toyota.

[Helltime]

Both cars are fun, I almost bought a 128i last November, after a closer look on a lift I could see some over spray (signs it had been repainted, so I passed), in march I came across a 135i (ironically the same price the 128i a few months prior had been) test drove it and immediately fell in love. The power is intoxicating and it does everything well, my around town fuel economy is around 17-20mpg (I drive 1.5 miles each way for work, so it never gets warmed up, so this number depends how much other driving I do) on my last highway trip averaging 80-85mph I got 26.5mpg. I will say this though, if you are able to work on your own cars (you have the knowledge and ability to learn along with tools) go for the 135i just because you are already talking mods for more power, not because a 128i is bad (its not, it is also a nice car). If not, stay away from euro cars in general.
Dealer when I bought the car said $1k to do the valve cover gasket (it was bad when I bought it) I laughed at them and said throw the gasket in with the car and I will just do it myself. Could you do the same?

[128Convertibleguy]

Originally Posted by tceepa

You always hear people complaining...geez I wish I had more horsepower.
You never hear of anyone complaining of having too much horsepower.

But you hear a great many people (including 128 owners) say, this is enough power for me. A 128 is hardly slow.

[amyracecar]

#1 I did buy my 128 for its reliability; my e36 328is is at 180K and though full of rattles, she always starts, runs, and drives like a champ [and i drive the crap outta her!]; so my well cared for 128 should last just as long [Go BMW NA I6 engine..

#2 ONLY DRIVE MT - the 128 is a dog w/ the automatic but the 6sp MT = zoomzoom

#3 128 is plenty fun/quick and over the coming years I will slowly but surly modify her and make her even quicker and more nimble - so for now i have something that is plenty quick and over the years i can tweak it w/o major issues

[BMW135pls]

Lots of people saying to drive the MT versions. I've never driven stick before, do you think it's plausible for me to buy a MT version of the car and learn it in my spare time while keeping my old car for driving until then? How bad do you have to be at shifting before you hurt the clutch/transmission in these cars? I tried my friend's MT V8 Mustang one night and I ended up stalling it out a few times and then felt bad cause I thought I was beating up his car.

[Gray_Panther]

Originally Posted by BMW128pls

Lots of people saying to drive the MT versions. I've never driven stick before, do you think it's plausible for me to buy a MT version of the car and learn it in my spare time while keeping my old car for driving until then? How bad do you have to be at shifting before you hurt the clutch/transmission in these cars? I tried my friend's MT V8 Mustang one night and I ended up stalling it out a few times and then felt bad cause I thought I was beating up his car.

Stalling the car is the equivalent of throwing a pebble at your car.

Read watch and practice and im sure you will do no harm. Just never rest your foot on the clutch when not switching.

Besides, chicks dig it.

[Helltime]

Originally Posted by BMW128pls

Lots of people saying to drive the MT versions. I've never driven stick before, do you think it's plausible for me to buy a MT version of the car and learn it in my spare time while keeping my old car for driving until then? How bad do you have to be at shifting before you hurt the clutch/transmission in these cars? I tried my friend's MT V8 Mustang one night and I ended up stalling it out a few times and then felt bad cause I thought I was beating up his car.

I learned on a foxbody mustang with a chattering clutch. I picked up on it real quick, I have since taught 3 of my friends in some of my old beaters. Trick is, don't get frustrated, take off is the hardest part for a beginner, but once you are used to it like I am, you don't even realize you are doing it.
I am not sure about the 128i but I know my 135i has hill hold feature, so you don't even have to worry about rolling backwards on a hill while you learn!

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by Helltime

I am not sure about the 128i but I know my 135i has hill hold feature

The 128i does.

[swagon]

Drive both and then decide. Both are good, which is better is up to each person.

[whitebimmer09]

Getting the core concept of driving stick shouldn't take more than a day.

I have never owned a manual before but have always wanted one. I drove trucks in high school for work that were stick and grew up on dirt bikes. They asked me if I could drive a standard and I said sure, without really driving a manual in a car. I got the hang of it that day. After a few days I was banging around the gears like a pimp in a 1 ton diesel dump truck.

I have an auto in my 1er because I had to get a car my wife could drive if she had to. Do I regret it? No, would I rather have a dct? More than you know.

[RoundelM3]

I learned to drive with a manual trans in a 1962 MG Midget, which was my best friend at the time's mother's new car. I got the hang of it within 20 minutes, and, like riding a bicycle, never forgot how. It becomes instinctive. Our 128i M-Sport with 6MT is very enjoyable and I couldn't imagine this car any other way. We test drove an automatic 128i and it's just not the same car.

[Spannerhead]

Originally Posted by Cavpilot2k

Occasionally most 128 drivers will wish they had more power.
No 135 driver ever wished he had less power.

Do 135i drivers ever wish they had less weight though? 3,400+ lbs for a car that small is pretty amazing, IMO. That's what's driving me toward the 128i, personally, which is already a few hundred pounds heavier than it should be at 3,200.

That and the fact that the N52 is the last (for now) of the great BMW N/A I6s.

[Solo_M_Tech]

If weight is seriously your biggest worry in this decision, then buy a miata. Seriously. lol

[Spannerhead]

The Miata is a different category of car.

Weight is a big issue (pun intended). More than anything else it affects how the car feels to drive b/c it impacts acceleration, braking and handling. Even Car and Driver knocked the 135i for feeling heavy:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...place-page-3-2

The Bimmer was competent and utterly predictable at Willow Springs but felt distinctly heavier than its rivals

I want a modern BMW but I don't want it to feel heavy in turns and transitions. If I want outright speed I'll go buy a Camaro. Hence, 128i. YMMV.

[Cavpilot2k]

I could be wrong, but I think the 135 Mspt 6MT is only about 3300. (you save weight with an MT over Auto).
And mine has never felt heavy in the least. Plus, you will never feel the 100-150 lb difference, even if they had the same engine. Add the N55's power, and that difference means less than nothing, even in the handling department.

[Spannerhead]

I could never invalidate anyone's experiences here but only speak from my own. My '95 525i weighed 3400 lbs and felt extremely balanced. My '95 540i (identical car; bigger engine), which weighed 3600 lbs, felt nose-heavy and not as fun down a twisty back road. The 540 would suck the doors off the 525 in a straight line, but thinking back over my ownership experience, I miss the liveliness of the 525 more than the speed of the 540.

That informs my preference. I worry the distinction between the 128 and 135 will be the same. Again, everyone has different experiences and especially different priorities, so there's no one-size-fits-all answer.

I think the best thing to do is just to drive both back to back.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by Spannerhead

I could never invalidate anyone's experiences here but only speak from my own. My '95 525i weighed 3400 lbs and felt extremely balanced. My '95 540i (identical car; bigger engine), which weighed 3600 lbs, felt nose-heavy and not as fun down a twisty back road. The 540 would suck the doors off the 525 in a straight line, but thinking back over my ownership experience, I miss the liveliness of the 525 more than the speed of the 540.

not really a valid comparison, IMO.

firstly, the E34 540i is 3700 pounds and the E34 525i is 3300 pounds according to a quick google search.

secondly, the 540i had a V8 and the 525i had an I6.....totally different numbers of cylinders and size of engine.

thirdly....the comparison between the 128i and 135i is not even in that realm. They both have 3L I6s and the weight difference between them is 150-170lbs. The 128i also has smaller wheels, smaller brakes, etc which lead to less weight.

[Spannerhead]

The numbers may or may not be off (my weight figures are the generally accepted figures in the E34 community which I was a part of for several years), but the principle still stands: I'm concerned the larger engine will make an already---arguably---overweight car feel even heavier, esp. over the nose. Why would I consider a car I already think is too heavy? I want a modern BMW, and it's the best we've got.

I think my reasoning is sound, but I'll reserve final judgment until after a test drive. If you had told me a 3400-lb E34 525 would be as nice to drive as it was, I probably wouldn't have believed you until I got behind the wheel for a day or two.




Re: my original question: So I guess no 135 owners ever wish their cars were a few hundred pounds lighter?

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by Spannerhead

The numbers may or may not be off (my weight figures are the generally accepted figures in the E34 community which I was a part of for several years), but the principle still stands: I'm concerned the larger engine will make an already---arguably---overweight car feel even heavier, esp. over the nose. Why would I consider a car I already think is too heavy? I want a modern BMW, and it's the best we've got.

I think my reasoning is sound, but I'll reserve final judgment until after a test drive. If you had told me a 3400-lb E34 525 would be as nice to drive as it was, I probably wouldn't have believed you until I got behind the wheel for a day or two.
Re: my original question: So I guess no 135 owners ever wish their cars were a few hundred pounds lighter?

i've driven every type of 1-series i know of......and IMO the 128 and 135 felt very very similar in terms of both having some degree of understeer but were overall well balanced. I don't think there is much of a discernable difference in handling due to different weight between the two cars. On a track maybe? but doubtful....

the biggest difference between the 128 and 135, IMO...is if one likes to wind out a slower engine to higher RPMs or does one want low RPM boost tacked on top of a 6 cylinder engine. Both are enjoyable, but carry a totally different feel.

You should probably drive a 135 before you accuse it of being 'front heavy' I personally love the 128 and the 135...and really don't like reading poorly characterized criticisms of either.

[Spannerhead]

Fair enough. For the record I wasn't accusing it of such; I was just concerned based on my experience. Needless to say, that quality will be what I zero in on during a test drive. Appreciate the input, and I hope it's helpful to the OP.

[Cavpilot2k]

Yes, I absolutely wish my 135 was a few hundred pounds lighter. Who wouldn't? But it isnt.
But a 128 is not just a 135 that's a few hundred pounds lighter. The 135 is a significantly more powerful car on the same chassis with just a turbo, an intercooler, and some duct work that make up the difference up front. That doesn't contribute to it being front-heavy at all. It's not like the difference between a V6 and a V8. And the difference is only about 150-170 lb.

And yes, the OP should absolutely drive both or he is not making a truly informed decision. They are different cars and they come with different pros and cons, but I think we could all agree that there is no loser in this fight. Choosing either one will be a win for the OP because they are both great cars in their own right.