It’s crazy how most old gen1 1 series are just run about diesels, however if you find a good Msport that’s been well cared for you realise how well the thing handles. It’s the last of the small RWD BMW’s. The 130i Msport is a gem that never really got the recognition that it deserved.
I've got one of these 3.0 petrol auto, electric seats, mint 78k miles. Remapped to 283bhp and got rid of horrid run flats has made it the car should have always been. Detachable tow bar for bike rack and has made it pretty practical. Was thinking of selling it but just such a good car. 👍
Cheers for the great review mate. I am looking into this model as a 2nd car. I have a Tiguan as an all-day vehicle, mainly my wife uses it as she brings the kids to school etc. I would use the 1 series convertible to commute to work and on good-weather weekends. How would you consider the all-year usability of this car (I have a garage in my house, as well as underground parking at my workplace)
Good review! I have a E82 coupe automatic and a E88 convertible both 135i these are such good cars i intend to continue to keep both, i have had many bmw before and this breed is one of the best
Nice review, I own a blue one since 2011 with now over 230k km on it :) I chose this engine over the 135i because I wanted no turbocharger and no direct injection
Good review. I've had mine for 12 years, bought with 3k on the clock and now at 85k. Goes quite quickly enough and handles really well. Only thing is that I have averaged 28 mpg - I do not believe 32!!
Nice looking example. Only bad thing is the steering wheel upholster is an aftermaket that looks awful, other than that, its looking really nice. Good review
thank you for video i look that car for mi self and it was very heplful ) i have one question you say your dad use alredy some years because it smal car can you stil say it comfortable for long driver lets say 500-800 smoth crusiser or it more for city use or smal trips out of city ? thank you
Great review of a great little car. I've had the Coupé version for 10 years now and still have no intention of selling it. It's on 175k but feels like it has a fair few left in it.
It's a niche car, for many not quite big enough to be their only car, but then not as special as a Z4 for a weekend car. For someone that doesn't need lots of space and rarely carries more than one passenger, it seems difficult to beat for the price. Although, the later LCI's have help their value pretty well.
Personally not a huge fan of the grey or red, but I don't like red leather in anything, really. I've got a black 125i with cream leather. Never thought I'd like the cream, but when I viewed it, it just really worked. Regardless, love the car, and remapped it has a bit of poke. Great entry point to RWD for newbies to the layout, too.
I have one, the temperature gauge apparently isn't required as the engine management system handles the temperature and will let you know if you need to switch the engine off. Mine is a 2012 120d and I've had it for donkeys and it's been all over Europe and the UK. It has different headlights and tail lights to your dad's car but the colour is Space Grey and is an M sport which looks identical. Great little car, my wife has an Audi A3 convertible new shape (the one with the boot), sadly BMW and Audi have already discontinued this type of car, apparently just as with the Audi TT there is nowhere to put the batteries. Look out for the SUV Audi TT which is said to be at the design stage, bit like the EV version of the Ford Mustang, oh dear.....
My guess would be that your father's engine is the N53, which is the 3 litre successor to the N52B25 and N52B30. The N53 in 25i trim can be tuned to make 30i power. I own a N52B25 which also makes 218 horsepower, but that's actually a 2.5 litre. I can't make a 30i out of that engine. :) The N52 is port injected and the N53 has direct injection. Same power in 25i trim, but a little more torque.
I had an N52 2.5 and it drank a litre of oil every 400 miles. Tried everything to fix it, turns out to be a design flaw in the piston rings. On the N53 the "2.5" 3.0 version has different manifold but the throttle never opens fully! A rechip cures this so is a must have.
Great vid. I had a bmw 1 series convertible and it was a joy to drive. I brought it because I previously wanted bmw e46 convertible and I felt the one series convertible was quite similar in size and shape just more upto date
Funny seeing this pop up, it's my car haha. I adore it, that N52 is beautiful and driving with the roof down is glorious. Mine has the rare spec of idrive, red leather, and the ski hatch which I use all the time. It's one of my favourite car designs of all time, especially with a soft top it gives me classic muscle car vibes. IMO pre facelift is nicer as the screen folds away and the mirrors are much thinner and sleeker
Re: steering, it's awful, it's dead dead. It is not communicative at all, it has zero feedback, it's way too light, but at least it's quite sharp. Maybe compared to modern dead cars the steering is fine but a lot of older hydraulic cars are in a different world for steering feel. The one mod I'd want to make is the hydraulic rack from the 1M
Having had a few 330i's with this engine I would say the power upgrade is worth it. Also had a 330i tuned up to 300hp quite easily. I can't remember the exact process as it a long time ago but the engine went on to 150k without any problems other than usual BMW ones. The upgrade to 260 from 218 isn't that noticeable but the upgrade to 300 from 218 is pretty good.
I’m looking into this presently. I have the 325i e92 with the N53 3.0L. Stock is 218bhp, add the three stage intake manifold it goes up to circa 265bhp, add an exhaust and tune can take it to around 300bhp. N/A six cylinder with the manual box 👌🏼
@@itsjoel These engines can easily take 300. The thing to watch out for (mapped or not) is the accessories like water pump and starter go bad between 100k and 120k. I'd get everything attached to the engine done at the same time when it needs it or you will have to pay for several tow jobs in a row in my experience.
“Quite easily” might be a slight exaggeration. I have maybe seen only one N52B30 make 300hp and that had some good intake modifications (on top of the 3-stage intake manifold) and had more aggresive rocker arms in the engine. The engine block can handle 300hp quite easily but actually getting 300hp out of it is a great challenge. Anyone saying they got a N52B30 with 300hp would need to show me a dyno sheet before I would take that statement to be true.
Re Traction control kicking in - Take it to Birds BMW to sort it out - Quaife LSD and or Suspension tweaks - turns it from one whell drive to 2 wheel drive as they put it 😂 Tyre's many owners go on size up (width wise) from 215 >225 at front and 245>255 at rear.
Had the exact same spec in the coupe. Had halo front lights though which made the front pop even more. Gutted i got rid. But not great when you have a baby haha.
@@itsjoel Just checking. Maybe I'm projecting what I want to do. My Z4 was totaled, and I started searching for either a 07-08 Z4-M or a 08-12 M3 hard-top convertible. But I ended up with a 07 MBZ SL550. I kick myself every day that I wasn't patient enough to wait for an opening for the cars I wanted.
So, your dad is a vicar. That explains a lot. Let me guess: he taught you about the power of prayer, but forgot to advise you not to rely on it when buying cars 😬
8:10 Unfortunately the coolant/oil temp. gauge is absent in models without the iDrive system as well. I have made my own "tinfoil hat theory" that this was an intentional decision made by BMW to decrease gratuitous maintenance requests by N52B30 engine owners due to suspicious (albeit small) coolant temperature variation after the engine is in operating temperature. (which in fact is a feature of this engine type) I have made my own research and you are more than welcome to disagree or present your own conspiracy theories. I will not disclose any of my sources. Thank you.
