WTB Manual, Dark Gray 1 series.. plus any tips for a newbie?

[kml_99]

Hello,

I'm new to BMWs but the 1 series caught my eye when it first came out, and now I'm hoping to finally get one.

Definitely must be a manual. Very strong preference for a dark gray exterior. Lower the mileage the better.

Nice to haves: shadowline, black grill, black rims.

I'm in the Los Angeles area but willing to purchase across the country.

Also, welcome any buying advice. I've noticed a few mentions of serpentine belts, water pumps... How about oil leaks and that polluted smell old cars can have, especially if it smells inside the car?

Do these usually go at KBB value? Or higher?

Should I buy a black one and wrap it to the color I prefer?

I'm driving an old TT and all the plastic parts have aged and become brittle. Burning a quart of oil every month or two... Even pieces of foam insulation are blowing in through the air vents .... You can see why I'm looking for a new old car!

Finally, do you guys know of any good threads discussing 1 series vs 2 series? I prefer 1 series but the availability of the 2s and opportunity to buy still under warranty are tempting .

Thanks in advance for any help and advice you can provide!!

[NorthernDancer]

https://www.bmwcca.org/chapter/los-angeles-chapter

Well BMWCCA is the best place to start. You really need talk face to face with someone who really knows these cars otherwise you'll likely get burned real bad.
Figure out what you want, 135 or 128. Same "looking" car but vastly different in performance and costs to maintain.

I joined our local BMW club before I bought my first. Spent 2-3 hours with club President learning from him. Never had a serious issue and now on my 4th.

[kml_99]

Thanks for the tip!

[Tuxedo]

I have had 2 128i e88's love them, they course thru my veins like needed nutrition. I think the 1er looks dowdy and has poor fit and finish compared to Audi. Who cares how it looks cause it drives with such confidence and it's the last of it's generation. 2er rides better looks better and steering feels meh in comparison with very limited manual option.
yeah it's a bmw and needs tech love, good prevention too, as an Audi owner my guess you'll have equal to better repair costs for bmw.
Some links to my quick search
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2011-bmw-135-6/

https://www.donedealmotors.com/vehic...ma-id-29209111

https://www.hondaofthousandoaks.com/...P9C50DVS95406/

https://hillsboroautomart.com/invent...9-BMW-1-Series

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by Tuxedo

I have had 2 128i e88's love them, they course thru my veins like needed nutrition. I think the 1er looks dowdy and has poor fit and finish compared to Audi. Who cares how it looks cause it drives with such confidence and it's the last of it's generation. 2er rides better looks better and steering feels meh in comparison with very limited manual option.
yeah it's a bmw and needs tech love, good prevention too, as an Audi owner my guess you'll have equal to better repair costs for bmw.
Some links to my quick search
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2011-bmw-135-6/

https://www.donedealmotors.com/vehic...ma-id-29209111

https://www.hondaofthousandoaks.com/...P9C50DVS95406/

https://hillsboroautomart.com/invent...9-BMW-1-Series

Wow thanks so much! How did you find those? The one at Honda of thousand oaks could be the 1! (Sorry couldn't resist.) So a 2012 128i, 59k miles for $20k VS. a 2015 or 2016 228i, 35k miles, for $22-24k possibly CPO with a year of manufacturer warranty... How to decide?

I agree the 2 series styling is slicker, but the funky style of the 1 series is kind of charming to me. Like it's not trying to be cool

I will miss Audi but the TT is a little small and it's time for a family car should be fun trying a BMW for a bit!

Thanks again!

[Fakemike]

Find one with good maintenance history.

Lots of good stuff in here, The Ultimate 1-Series Buyer's Guide:

https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1285231

[SayHack]

If you previously owned a bmw made anytime from mid 90s to today than you already 90% there lol. These cars aren't that different. The turbo engines are likely less reliable, mainly due to the fact they are abused more but as you can imagine are more fun to drive (i am not a fan but most are)......the link that fake Mike sent is all you need to know honestly.

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by Fakemike

Find one with good maintenance history.

Lots of good stuff in here, The Ultimate 1-Series Buyer's Guide:

https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1285231

Great stuff thanks for the link!

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by SayHack

If you previously owned a bmw made anytime from mid 90s to today than you already 90% there lol. These cars aren't that different. The turbo engines are likely less reliable, mainly due to the fact they are abused more but as you can imagine are more fun to drive (i am not a fan but most are)......the link that fake Mike sent is all you need to know honestly.

No previous experience with BMWs. Heard a few people say they don't make em like they used to-- maybe that's the "less reliable" part you mention. My Audi hasn't been that great (maintenance-wise) but part of my bad experience was due to a suspect mechanic.

Thanks for your thoughts and seconding fakemike's link.

[WeryPert1]

Originally Posted by kml_99

Wow thanks so much! How did you find those? The one at Honda of thousand oaks could be the 1! (Sorry couldn't resist.)

The 1 at Honda Thousand Oaks is an Auto, not 6MT. I'm in the market for one, as well, and asked some questions:

"Hi,

There is a sunroof. It is automatic with Steptronic. The color is a charcoal gray exterior and the interior is all black. There is no smells whatsoever. Let me know what other questions you might have and how I can assist further!

Thank you!

Karen Goodwin
Internet Sales Manager
Honda of Thousand Oaks
"

I didn't ask about any smells, so I thought that was an odd comment to throw in there.

[Soterios]

Have a budget? That will help with the process and some of the long term cost.

My biggest piece of advice? Don't settle. Be willing to wait and be willing to travel. A one way plane ticket and a long drive home is worth it for the right car.

I waited around and found my car (a one owner, 14,000mile example) about four hours away. Totally worth it. For reference, it was about $20,000 last June.

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by WeryPert1

The 1 at Honda Thousand Oaks is an Auto, not 6MT. I'm in the market for one, as well, and asked some questions:

"Hi,

There is a sunroof. It is automatic with Steptronic. The color is a charcoal gray exterior and the interior is all black. There is no smells whatsoever. Let me know what other questions you might have and how I can assist further!

Thank you!

Karen Goodwin
Internet Sales Manager
Honda of Thousand Oaks
"

I didn't ask about any smells, so I thought that was an odd comment to throw in there.

Thanks for sharing! I noticed that it was an automatic as well . Been asking for pics to confirm because even some of the VIN lookups are wrong/confusing.

Lol glad there AINT NO SMELLZ! Coincidentally, that is one of my purchasing criteria.....

Good luck with your search!

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by Soterios

Have a budget? That will help with the process and some of the long term cost.

My biggest piece of advice? Don't settle. Be willing to wait and be willing to travel. A one way plane ticket and a long drive home is worth it for the right car.

I waited around and found my car (a one owner, 14,000mile example) about four hours away. Totally worth it. For reference, it was about $20,000 last June.

Would love to get by around $15k but can stretch to ~$22k. I'm afraid of shelling out $1k each for water pump and valve gasket repairs so under $20k would make me feel better about repair costs.

14k miles?!? Dang, that sounds like an amazing find!! I think I'd pull the trigger on that... Thanks so much for the point of reference!

Sadly, I don't think I can follow your advice. I've grown weary of searching and want/need to move forward. Too many things on the to do list. I'm seriously considering a 228i

[WeryPert1]

Here's two other gray, MT, 128i's in California:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto...846689804.html
This one in SF sounds clean and the seller is the 2nd owner who has service records for his time with the car.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...832024945.html
This guy in SD never emailed me back so I'm not sure how serious he is about selling.

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by WeryPert1

Here's two other gray, MT, 128i's in California:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto...846689804.html
This one in SF sounds clean and the seller is the 2nd owner who has service records for his time with the car.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...832024945.html
This guy in SD never emailed me back so I'm not sure how serious he is about selling.

Thank you! I reached out to the one in the SF Bay area, asked for the VIN, window sticker, or Carfax and never heard back... I guess you had better luck connecting with him than I!

I think I also emailed the guy in SD and didn't get a reply.

[Majestic128i]

I can tell you about the 128i since that's my daily. Manual 128i's are harder to find. But they are out there, my suggestion is to check craigslist every day. I was able to buy a very clean dark gray manual 128i a few miles from my house at a great price by doing this. I bought mine at KBB value but they can go slightly higher. Also, something to note, if you get an n51 (SULEV) 128i you have a 15 year or 150,000-mile warranty that actually covers a lot, I've taken full advantage of it. As for oil leaks, the valve cover gasket tends to become brittle over time and needs to be replaced. My oil pan has a slight leak but it's minor and is not a concern. Hope I helped.

[WeryPert1]

Originally Posted by kml_99

Thank you! I reached out to the one in the SF Bay area, asked for the VIN, window sticker, or Carfax and never heard back... I guess you had better luck connecting with him than I!

I think I also emailed the guy in SD and didn't get a reply.

I'd give the SF guy another shout if you are interested in that car. I traded 3 or 4 emails with him; seems like a good guy.

[WeryPert1]

Originally Posted by Majestic128i

I can tell you about the 128i since that's my daily. Manual 128i's are harder to find. But they are out there, my suggestion is to check craigslist every day. I was able to buy a very clean dark gray manual 128i a few miles from my house at a great price by doing this. I bought mine at KBB value but they can go slightly higher. Also, something to note, if you get an n51 (SULEV) 128i you have a 15 year or 150,000-mile warranty that actually covers a lot, I've taken full advantage of it. As for oil leaks, the valve cover gasket tends to become brittle over time and needs to be replaced. My oil pan has a slight leak but it's minor and is not a concern. Hope I helped.

Thanks for the N51/N52 info; I'm early in my search and this is helpful!

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by Majestic128i

I can tell you about the 128i since that's my daily. Manual 128i's are harder to find. But they are out there, my suggestion is to check craigslist every day. I was able to buy a very clean dark gray manual 128i a few miles from my house at a great price by doing this. I bought mine at KBB value but they can go slightly higher. Also, something to note, if you get an n51 (SULEV) 128i you have a 15 year or 150,000-mile warranty that actually covers a lot, I've taken full advantage of it. As for oil leaks, the valve cover gasket tends to become brittle over time and needs to be replaced. My oil pan has a slight leak but it's minor and is not a concern. Hope I helped.

Very helpful— thanks for the tips and encouragement!

[kml_99]

Originally Posted by WeryPert1

I'd give the SF guy another shout if you are interested in that car. I traded 3 or 4 emails with him; seems like a good guy.

Thanks! Was able to chat with him over the phone and I got the same impression as well!

[TURBO8]

You can also check out carmax. That is where I got mine from. 2011 135i 6spd no nav

I had been searching for about a year, when I found one on carmax. They shipped it from LA to LV for free for me to check out, I was also under no obligation to buy either.

[TURBO8]

There is a 2015 m235I 6spd gray
https://www.carmax.com/car/16802442

and a 2013 128i 6spd white
https://www.carmax.com/car/16416225