WTB: E82 128i Manual 12kish Budget

[Suprgnat]

Originally Posted by b1aze

Price isn’t listed but this VIN checks out to an MSport 6MT 128i

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...ctid=110063358

Listed at $13995.

https://www.jsautohaus.com/used/BMW/...d3f9132b0d.htm

[jwinstonc]

Originally Posted by Suprgnat

Listed at $13995.

https://www.jsautohaus.com/used/BMW/...d3f9132b0d.htm

Looks like an N51 M Sport 6MT, hot climate so no heated seats. Crazy low mileage. I don't see any Carfax or history report but wonder if it's a California car that somehow ended up in NJ. Mine is similar but N52 and hot climate. Originally sold in Texas and I bought it from Missouri. Curious to see photos and history but this would be a great find if it's in good shape.

[b1aze]

Originally Posted by jwinstonc

Looks like an N51 M Sport 6MT, hot climate so no heated seats. Crazy low mileage. I don't see any Carfax or history report but wonder if it's a California car that somehow ended up in NJ. Mine is similar but N52 and hot climate. Originally sold in Texas and I bought it from Missouri. Curious to see photos and history but this would be a great find if it's in good shape.

This one does have heated seats based on the MDecoder info.

Also has adaptive Xenons.

Pretty nice spec if you ask me. And 14k isn’t bad for the mileage as long as there aren’t any other hidden issues

[Jwal]

Hey everyone, yeah I called about that one yesterday and it was sold about an hour after it was posted. Hard for me to respond super quickly as my job is pretty demanding. Sucks, as I definitely would have purchased that car.

It's not perfect in my book, but I'll never find a perfect car anyway, and it's kinda draining to keep looking everyday haha. Thanks for helping me everyone, you guys are awesome!

[Thunderguts]

Originally Posted by Jwal

Hey everyone, yeah I called about that one yesterday and it was sold about an hour after it was posted.

Daaaaaamn! I knew the market was hot, but that's insane. Most average people still don't have a clue what a 128i is. Famously, a majority of original owners didn't even know their car was rear wheel drive.

Only enthusiasts would be scooping these up so fast. I just never realized there were that many enthusiasts shopping for them.

[Jwal]

Yeah I didn't think all that many people were looking at them either. Someone else from SC too so who knows, maybe it'll show up again in a couple months haha.
I really do think a 128i is ideal and the turbo motors are better for the e90 chassis. The plan is to get an N52 e82, then sell my e46 touring and replace that with an N54/55 e90/91. I would like to get an N52 motor car first, as I won't have to worry about it leaving me stranded haha.

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by Jwal

The plan is to get an N52 e82, then sell my e46 touring and replace that with an N54/55 e90/91.

You mentioned reliability of your DD, you might consider flipping this sequence so you can have more time / patience to find the right 1-er.

[Jwal]

I have been thinking about that a bit also. I'm definitely open to buying a 335i or e91, but I haven't had much luck finding a decent one of those for a reasonable price. I have a cousin with an e91 for sale but it's so far from an enthusiast spec: auto, beige interior, xdrive, non-sport, etc.

[Robhagen]

N55 works well with the e82.
My solution was to get both:
E82 - N52 - 6MT - M-Sport
&
E82 - N55 - DCT - Sport
Both purchase within the last 18 month.... just keep looking... the right car will come along.
What about this one? Pricey but decent spec... love the brown interior with sport seats:

[Thunderguts]

Originally Posted by Robhagen

What about this one? Pricey but decent spec... love the brown interior with sport seats:

I saw that one a few days ago. I never even knew such an edition existed. I love it, especially the wheels.

[carscatscoffee15]

Originally Posted by Robhagen

N55 works well with the e82.
My solution was to get both:
E82 - N52 - 6MT - M-Sport
&
E82 - N55 - DCT - Sport
Both purchase within the last 18 month.... just keep looking... the right car will come along.
What about this one? Pricey but decent spec... love the brown interior with sport seats:

Hehehe another one of these floating around. Mine is this spec.. 7/13 (MM/YY) production date.

I got mine at 16,800 miles

AT though and the mileage is what made me go for it.. the interior on the lifestyle editions are really nice and the wheels are one offs made only for this last batch of e8x so that's why I still have mine on.. definitely the best e82 set imo

style 496

paid 14k in NJ in 2017


just noticed that price.. holy crap

[Jwal]

I'll check it out, but I could never spend that kind of money on a single car haha. That's more like my budget for an e82 and an e90/91

[415]

Originally Posted by Jwal

Yeah I didn't think all that many people were looking at them either. Someone else from SC too so who knows, maybe it'll show up again in a couple months haha.
I really do think a 128i is ideal and the turbo motors are better for the e90 chassis. The plan is to get an N52 e82, then sell my e46 touring and replace that with an N54/55 e90/91. I would like to get an N52 motor car first, as I won't have to worry about it leaving me stranded haha.

Someone from SC bought that black 128i?

[Jwal]

That's what the dealership told me. Said they put down a deposit and had it shipped to them in SC.

[carscatscoffee15]

Originally Posted by Jwal

I'll check it out, but I could never spend that kind of money on a single car haha. That's more like my budget for an e82 and an e90/91

Yeah I wouldn't for 22k

that's a high mileage 135 right there

[chopstik]

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ct...261990137.html

this one looks nice

[yostuhfoo]

Originally Posted by chopstik

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ct...261990137.html

this one looks nice

Damn, I know its higher mileage, halogens, and sunroof but M sport, manual, white, with manual seats

edit: has idrive, boo.

[xxatticus]

Originally Posted by yostuhfoo

Damn, I know its higher mileage, halogens, and sunroof but M sport, manual, white, with manual seats

edit: has idrive, boo.

Writing this car off because it has iDrive is a mistake IMO. For a car this rare, if iDrive is your deal breaker, you could be waiting another year for your next chance, especially for an MSport. This one is one of the best paint options and has manual seats too. With good maintenance history this is a great option, unfortunately it's absurdly overpriced for its mileage.

[415]

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=292620965

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=292304130

[jcrane82]

Originally Posted by chopstik

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ct...261990137.html

this one looks nice

The upper North East is really rough on cars. I tried buying a couple cars from the upper east coast before......and they are always rougher than the owners think.

Unless this was a southern car that was brought up to Boston within the last year or two, I would keep waiting.

Nice to see prices keep rising for these 128i 6MT sports and M-sports though!

[Jwal]

Rising prices are good for owners but bad for buyers haha. I agree with you on the Boston car. I think it's overpriced for the mileage and life it's likely to have had.
The Illinois car looks pretty good, but that's easily 135i territory on pricing.
Right now I am looking at buying my cousins e91, even though it's far from enthusiast spec, just so I can have a nice daily while I search and get some feel for the suspension and drivetrain. Should get a good deal as he was going to trade it in on a car he just bought. It's at like 100k miles.

[odiford]

Originally Posted by xxatticus

Writing this car off because it has iDrive is a mistake IMO. For a car this rare, if iDrive is your deal breaker, you could be waiting another year for your next chance, especially for an MSport. This one is one of the best paint options and has manual seats too. With good maintenance history this is a great option, unfortunately it's absurdly overpriced for its mileage.

Pretty much my exact car, minus the iDrive, even within 1k miles! Not sure it's that overpriced (assuming its actually in good shape). I would have gladly paid 13k for my car if it was one-owner (mine had been passed around a bit). I don't think the mileage matters too much with the N52. My dad has the predecessor in his X5 and is pushing 300k. So long as the body has held up, I regard the engine as fairly un-killable.

Jwal I would go look at this, or at least ask for some detailed shots of the frame for northern-car inspection. I remember reading somewhere there are around 45 6MT Alpinweiss M-sports in the US... I don't think their price is likely to fall.