Jump to content

BMW 1 Series. Pros & Cons?

View From The Top

By View From The Top
in Motoring Forum

 Share

Recommended Posts

alpine_saint

alpine_saint

Posted
Posted

120 or 118 ?

 

Its the same engine, with different engine management. But it makes a huge difference. The 120 conifg is brilliant in terms of performance and consumption rate, the 118 is underwhelming.

Colinjb

Colinjb

Posted
Posted

Taking them on their own merits they are good vehicles, drive nicely, extremely well built, reliable with reasonable fuel economy. However, compared to their immediate rivals they are cramped, impractical, not especially comfortable and vastly overpriced. Had one as a loan vehicle a few years ago and was shocked at how little you would get for the money.

 

If you really want one, i'm sure you will like it but I feel there are far better vehicles available for better money.

View From The Top

View From The Top

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Taking them on their own merits they are good vehicles, drive nicely, extremely well built, reliable with reasonable fuel economy. However, compared to their immediate rivals they are cramped, impractical, not especially comfortable and vastly overpriced. Had one as a loan vehicle a few years ago and was shocked at how little you would get for the money.

 

If you really want one, i'm sure you will like it but I feel there are far better vehicles available for better money.

 

Thing is, I don't know what I really want!

View From The Top

View From The Top

Posted
  • Author
Posted
What are you needing/wanting from a car then? :)

 

5 seats & the boot has got to be big enough for my nippers cricket gear and a set of spring stumps, that's the main thing now and be economical for runs down to Soton or if I use it for work.

 

I currently drive a Saab 1.8 Vector TDI Estate but as we also have a 7 seater I'm not needing a big car in the way I did before.

Colinjb

Colinjb

Posted
Posted
5 seats & the boot has got to be big enough for my nippers cricket gear and a set of spring stumps, that's the main thing now and be economical for runs down to Soton or if I use it for work.

 

I currently drive a Saab 1.8 Vector TDI Estate but as we also have a 7 seater I'm not needing a big car in the way I did before.

 

Is it important to you to have a make with a bit of 'kudos?' (I'm trying to politely ask if you are a badge snob. ;))

buctootim

buctootim

Posted
Posted
4 door version, diesel ideally. Around 3/4 years old.

 

What say you guys? Value? Good? Problems?

 

Got a friend who has just sold his. Liked it but found it was too small to be practical.

sussexsaint

sussexsaint

Posted
Posted
Taking them on their own merits they are good vehicles, drive nicely, extremely well built, reliable with reasonable fuel economy. However, compared to their immediate rivals they are cramped, impractical, not especially comfortable and vastly overpriced. Had one as a loan vehicle a few years ago and was shocked at how little you would get for the money.

 

If you really want one, i'm sure you will like it but I feel there are far better vehicles available for better money.

 

 

completely agree with this , had one when my 3 series was in for service and although the RWD was nice, it was very expensive , plus I thought the rear visability was very poor

Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted (edited)
I'm afraid I am. I know I shouldn't be, but I am. :(

 

bo*llocks to that mate, i went from a Saab 93 1.9 TDI Vector to a BMW 320D and i dont care what anyone says, teh BMW is the better car by a mile. Better build quailty, better drive,more comfortbale to drive (i do about 30k a year) as econiomical and much more reliable, done 20,000 in it so far and not so much as rattle. People say its just a brand and you pay for the name, whilst that might be true it's worth every penny.

Edited by Turkish
Colinjb

Colinjb

Posted
Posted
I'd go for a second hand 3 series instead of the 1 any day, lovely cars to drive. Only reason I got rid of mine was the servicing charges if done at a BMW garage

 

Yep. The three series is practical enough to live with day to day, the one series is not. Having said that, I prefered my old Mondeo to the three series. Even my current Passat is more then up to it but not quite as good as the ford IMO.

Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
Yep. The three series is practical enough to live with day to day, the one series is not. Having said that, I prefered my old Mondeo to the three series. Even my current Passat is more then up to it but not quite as good as the ford IMO.

 

Why am I not surprised you drove a mondeo.

Colinjb

Colinjb

Posted
Posted
:)

 

I have this image of you driving round Coventry in you're mondeo wearing one of your football shirts.

 

And proudly so! The screen printed Saints badge transfer is on delivery.

 

I have an image of you driving around business estates with a boot full of paper samples. All while fuming at the Harrogate chavs who dared lean on your vehicle.

 

I take it the Passat doesn't quite fit your ideal?

Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
And proudly so! The screen printed Saints badge transfer is on delivery.

 

I have an image of you driving around business estates with a boot full of paper samples. All while fuming at the Harrogate chavs who dared lean on your vehicle.

 

I take it the Passat doesn't quite fit your ideal?

 

 

There are no chavs in Harrogate Colin! Well there are a few but the council puts them all on one estate out of our way so we don't have to see them, its a bit like South Africa with the townships. You're not in Coventry now!

 

Colin from Coventry in his football shirt and mondeo, probably some bland music like Coldplay on the stereo, it goes together like Rhubarb and custard.

I doth mind Passats actually, had a golf a couple of years ago which I loved, but its BMW or Audi all the way for me now.

Colinjb

Colinjb

Posted
Posted (edited)
There are no chavs in Harrogate Colin! Well there are a few but the council puts them all on one estate out of our way so we don't have to see them, its a bit like South Africa with the townships. You're not in Coventry now!

 

Colin from Coventry in his football shirt and mondeo, probably some bland music like Coldplay on the stereo, it goes together like Rhubarb and custard.

I doth mind Passats actually, had a golf a couple of years ago which I loved, but its BMW or Audi all the way for me now.

 

Coldplay, you've done it now! I'm actually insulted!!! :x Don't you worry I know all about Harrogate, the joy of Grandparents in Wetherby. They have a more pleasant kind of Chav in Harrogate, will always make sure their ferret cannot bite you before they liberate you of your phone/wallet.

 

I don't mind Audi's or BMW's, would like one but frankly I have more important things to be spending the cash on. (e.g. removing that 'from' Coventry statement.)

Edited by Colinjb
alpine_saint

alpine_saint

Posted
Posted
To go back on topic and to reiterate my recommendation to the OP.

 

Audi A3.

 

An expensive VW Polo.

 

Save money and buy a Polo.

 

My recommendation would be a Seat Ibiza or Leon if you are going for that class.

 

I'd drive an orange crate if it were fitted with the BMW 2 litre diesel engine - it really is the best engine on the planet.

Colinjb

Colinjb

Posted
Posted
An expensive VW Polo.

 

Save money and buy a Polo.

 

My recommendation would be a Seat Ibiza or Leon if you are going for that class.

 

I'd drive an orange crate if it were fitted with the BMW 2 litre diesel engine - it really is the best engine on the planet.

 

Even though the A3 is based on the Golf platform? (The Volkswagen 'Group A' platform, as is the Seat Leon, Seat Toledo, VW Touran, Audi TT and Skoda Octavia. The Audi model based on the Polo (PQ25) platform is the A1)

 

A Golf would be a good choice in that sector, but if the badge is important (as it would appear to be for the OP) then Audi all the way, a much better choice then the 1 series.

dronskisaint

dronskisaint

Posted
Posted

Audi A3 over the One Series every time...not my assessment but a rep who worked for L'Oreal and covered around 35k a year...she asked for her old (115kmls) Audi back after the first week, then again after three months and eventually managed to swap with another rep who had an older A3. Both were 2lt diesels.

 

Specifically she disliked the seating position, the visibility (she is only 5ft tall in fairness) and felt that the handling was 'flakey' compared with the Audi...economy wasn't an issue as it was fully funded. She's quite an aggressive driver who has driven several hundred thousand miles....hope this helps.

Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
Audi A3 over the One Series every time...not my assessment but a rep who worked for L'Oreal and covered around 35k a year...she asked for her old (115kmls) Audi back after the first week, then again after three months and eventually managed to swap with another rep who had an older A3. Both were 2lt diesels.

 

Specifically she disliked the seating position, the visibility (she is only 5ft tall in fairness) and felt that the handling was 'flakey' compared with the Audi...economy wasn't an issue as it was fully funded. She's quite an aggressive driver who has driven several hundred thousand miles....hope this helps.

 

So its a hairdressers car?

Raging Bull

Raging Bull

Posted
Posted

Test drove a 1 series and a 3 tourer the other day and there's no comparison, 3 series every time plus the 1 series was a little too small.

 

Still a very good car though and Audi are roughly the same price.

Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
Turned my attention to a Volvo C30 now.

 

BMWs, despite them being excellent cars, just don't do it for me (M Series excluded).

 

Get a 320d mate, I think the only other car I'd consider buying is an A5 or an A4, (apart from a massarati or DB9 of course) a great car for the money and will last you for years.

Colinjb

Colinjb

Posted
Posted
Turned my attention to a Volvo C30 now.

 

BMWs, despite them being excellent cars, just don't do it for me (M Series excluded).

 

All I will say is, the C30 is nearly is impractical as the 1 Series.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...