CrisPDuk

Nw that was a proper Beemer

Designed by the engineers rather than the marketing department

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Gotta love that advert

btw - sorry, but small Peugeots are cack these days, and arguably the A3 and 1 series are not really in direct competition to the Honda/Toyota/Ford/Vauxhall/Fiat/Skoda ranges.

Alfa - not sure.

lozgti

Alfa 147 Collezione

How about this nice little Alfa for £13950 new! plus leather.

I am afraid I prefer the older BMW's

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Er... No as it happens.

The 1 series is simply badge engineering at its finest. Yeah sure it's great to drive etc. etc. but you're not telling me it wasn't created to simply extract money from people who just have to have that badge. In fact I can see them now in the styling meeting.

I have driven one admittedly not very far and yes it was nice to be in and felt well made etc. but at those prices it should be and then you still have to leave it on the drive and look at it which is where it all falls apart.

Brendan Hughes

You talking about the 1-series now, or the Porsche Cayenne?

MJW

It's the kind of beemer a 7-series owner buys for his daughter !

Not keen on the looks myself, I'm sure the dynamics are good and all that but I wouldn't have one. The 3 door does look marginally better than the 5, though why they bother with back seats at all is a mystery !

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It was created to make BMW money. Thats the reason all cars are made by a particular manufacturer.

However, if it is just as you say, then why would BMW bother to make it so good to drive (and, arguably, so ugly?)

I would agree with you if the 1 series was dynamically "average" but it certainly isn't.

A better looking, decent (but not great) driving (ie cheaper to manufacture) car would have made more sense for BMW to simply extract money from people who just had to have the badge.

Arguably, the same could be said about the Cayman/Boxter or indeed any manufacturer with a "premium" badge who creates a less expensive product.

For example, Mercedes with the C class hatch & Audi with the A3. If anything the A3 is more relevant to your point because its simpy a rebodied Golf.

I bought mine because having tested a variety of cars it was by far the best of the bunch for my requirements - dynamics, steering, ergonimics, performance, driver environment and above all, fun. If thats what happens with BMW having a laugh to extract cash out of badge conscious punters then thats absolutely fine with me

I have a garage, so maybe it doesn't affect me so much

But it appears I was correct in my earlier assertion - looks are all important to you?

Just out of curiosity, what do you drive?

OPC

My take on the 1 series, 3 and 5 door.

I like the looks of both the 3 and 5 door but then again I'm a big fan of the Z3 M Coupe, Reliant Scimitar GTE and the Volvo P1800 ES come to that- bread vans are cool.

I've also test driven the 130i and thought it was a great drive. Just so much more precision than any of it's front drive rivals, not to mention one of the all time great BMW engines. I can't state strongly enough what a great unit this is and it must be even better with the addition of a turbo. BMW are the current masters of petrol and diesel engine technology in cars IMO.

However I wouldn't own a 1 series for a couple of reasons- it's completely impractical. No room whatsoever in the back for anything more than kids and the boot is smaller than it's rivals such as the A3 and Golf. If I wanted something that was impractical as this I'd buy a 'sports car' otherwise I'd be in one of it's rivals and enjoy the enhanced practicality. My other beef with it is price. Once it's specced up to a level where you can enjoy it/sell it afterwards you may as well just buy a 3 series when you look at the differential and have a much better all round car.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Well you said it would polarise opinions Look, let's not go back and forth too much here. You like it so much you bought one and fair enough. While I don't think looks are everything there are limits and to me that is one ugly car, too ugly for me. I also think it is overpriced, but then aren't all BMWs?

BMW could have made it cheaper as you say, but they have to be careful not to allow their products to slip out of the prestige marques arena as longer term that could be more damaging than making a fast buck.

Sadly people, in the UK at least, would buy anything with a BMW badge on it (witness the dreadful initial 3 series Compact for reference) and hence it is fair play to BMW that they are careful to protect their marque.

As to what I drive how is that relevant?

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Curious on the "looks" point

CrisPDuk

[QUOTE=///\oo/\\\;6590966btw - sorry, but small Peugeots are cack these days, and arguably the A3 and 1 series are not really in direct competition to the Honda/Toyota/Ford/Vauxhall/Fiat/Skoda ranges.

Alfa - not sure.[/QUOTE]

OK, I take your point re: the Peugeot, but I'm curious, what makes an A3 or a 1 series so special that they aren't in direct competition with the Civics, Corollas, Focus', C4s, Meganes and Astras? From where I'm looking they're all medium sized hatchbacks

To say The A3 isn't competing against the Octavia is ludicrous, they're practically the same car

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

The vastly over inflated price

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

OK well at my disposal I have a Integra Type R DC2 and a 2003 Scoob and have just purchased a 2001 BMW M5 (for some weekend fun).

Yes I know the Scoob is a pretty ugly car (OMG the SN lynch mob will be after me now although it's true ), but it's not as bad as the Anne Widdecombe of the car world that is the 1 series