Petem95

Used to hate these little things, but they've slowly grown on me over the years, and always been impressed when I've been in workmates ones.

Was looking at getting an E90 3-series, but now thinking a 120d (remap!) or 130i m-sport.

Anyone got/had either? Any common issues? What sort of fuel ecomony? Good fun on wet round-a-bouts?

ScoobyJawa

I've had a 120d on several occasions as a courtesy car, IMHO its overpriced for what it is, theres quite a few hatches I'd have before it, it also feels no better built than my current Focus.

Performance was ok I suppose, but I had them when my 3l Z4 was in for a service and as such it was foot to floor everywhere to try and make progress like I could effortlessly in the Z4 and the computer was telling me I was under 40mpg, which I thought was a bit pants!

CupraT

I inherited one as a company car - 120d M Sport with auto box. It's pretty much specced withe everything Sat Nav, Xenons, Leather electric heated seats etc etc which means it's a silly high list price (circa 28k) but low on CO2 so balances out a little.

A few ramdom comments:

I have averaged 44 mpg over 35k miles - thats with 50% or more motorway driving. I spend most of my time in the fast lane though so could get better economy if I slowed down a bit

Fairly nippy (would be more so if re-mapped). Mine is the newer 170ish bhp model. No problems keeping up with traffic but it not really quick by modern standards

It's great if you only have 2 in the car, it's a pretty nice place to sit and I like the i drive - never understood those who find it complex

Run flat tyres make the ride poor. I would change but given it's a C Car I can't

Handling is average. Tyres would improve things a lot. Doesn't feel like a derv car as it's not front heavy but a focus will handle better. With the M Sport it's a little 'crashy' over bumps

Not much room in the back. You can get 2 adults in there if the front seat people are under 6 foot but to be honest, wouldn't do it often. We have also struggled a little with using a child seat

Boot is pretty small - our new pram only just fits if we put it in at an angle. We do use another car though on a weekend

I can only just tolerate the look of it and I have the M Sport kit on it

All things considered I have had it longer than any other ca (would have changed by now if not a c car) and I'm still ok getting in it each day......wish I had gone for the Golf GTi Speciall Edition 30 though

evolve

The look of these cars is still growing on me but I just love the performance we can extract!

This is for the 120d 177hp version




For more info >CLICK HERE<

Petem95

Thanks guys

I'm going to give a workmates 120d a spin this week and see how it feels. I would defo go for a remap if I went for a diesel model, and with it being rear wheel drive I hopefully won't have the traction problems I got with the A3 2.0 TDi I remapped.

Devildog

Pete

Had a 120d Sport for a year. Great little car.

Significantly faster and better to drive than its "rivals". Averaged 38 mpg which, if you consider it has similar performance to the hot hatches of the late 80's and early 90's is, in reality, pretty good going.

3 stage traction/stability control means yes, you can have fun on wet roundabouts.

I'd have another diesel 1 series tomorrow if I was looking for an everyday car

Dedrater

Could anyone confirm/ or deny that a mapped (not modified, just taken into a specialist) 123d is considerably faster than a Golf GTI (mk5) in every gear etc

Thanks.

Andy M3

we have a 120d at work, the suspension/tyre combo on the stock M-Sport cars are a bit ropey though, so ours was replaced with a bilstein suspension kit, strut brace and x4 Eagle F1 asymmetric [225/40/18].

It rides amazingly well now, handles like a peach and returns 41mpg at the same time. 8/10 from me.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...s/IMG_1259.jpg

Devildog

Don't see why it wouldn't be, as a standard 123d is probably on a par through the gears and will be quicker in gear.

From evo mag test (VW Scirocco/123d (5door) C30 T5, RX8)


"As could the BMW 123d. It’s such a fine car this, having impressed everyone on our eco test (issue 120) by mating 48mpg with proper rear-drive thrills. Yes, we know it’s a five-door you can see on these pages – BMW didn’t have a three-door or Coupe available at the time of our test – but in dynamic terms it makes little difference. And yes, it is a diesel. No mistake there. Why not a 125i? Because the strangled 3-litre is perhaps the most disappointing engine BMW builds; the 2-litre twin-turbo diesel, on the other hand, is one of the best."

"In fact these are all quick cars. And yep, that includes the C30, which posts a 0-60mph time of 6.6sec. Despite its DSG making it tricky to get off the line cleanly, the Scirocco manages a 6.2 – 0.9sec quicker than VW claims to 62mph with DSG. The BMW and Mazda both just pip the Volvo at 6.5sec each. In essence, though, there’s little to split all four against the clock – the differences come from the character and power delivery of the engines."

"The BMW, meanwhile, may be all out of puff at 4800rpm and have half the Mazda’s usable rev-range, but there’s no frustration here – the twin-turbo diesel is quicker on the uptake than the petrol Volvo and for in-gear muscle has the measure of all its rivals"

So a properly mapped 123d would no doubt be faster than a Gti Golf (although "considerably" is subjective)

evolve

The standard 123d should be faster than a Golf GTi. They have more torque as standard. A remapped 123d is a seriously quick diesel! Read the November edition of BMW Car, they did a review of the 123d mapped by us.......they quoted something like....

"Tuned 123d is absolutely sensational and feels every bit as fast as the 135i"

Now thats quick!

itr786

ive currently got a 125i (coupe), and can assure you its a very nice piece of kit. Its on another level compared to any ****ty ford anyway when it come to build quality/handling etc...

dont believe any idiots that tell you there no better than ford's/hyundai's etc. go drive a 5 year old ford, then go drive a 5 year old bmw, you'll realise what good build quaity is.

Cyberevo

iTrader: (1)

I had a 123d coupe M-Sport in black, very nice car, seriously sporty for an oil burner, had a bit of understeer.

Torque was fantastic, but never got over 40mpg.. Couldn't resist the power

1uke

iTrader: (2)

I just sold my Blobeye Wrx for a bmw 120d and very impressed so far I have also had the car remapped to around 210bhp 430nm torque and loving it. Cant really compare it much to the wrx as the wrx wanted to just go go go but this does feel fast and very punchy whenever you want the power. I would certainly reccomend a 120d if like me you do alot of miles for work. Mpg around town isn't to good I get around 35-40mpg with my heavy foot. But on motorways I can get around 55 mpg and more if I dropped to around 60mph. The only main problem I have is the sound of a diesel engine coming from a scooby, I do try hide sometimes

p.s turn of the traction control and stababilty assist and it become alot of fun

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

did you think about the 123d at all??

1uke

iTrader: (2)

I would love the 123d but costs to much for me atm but hopefully in a couple of years time. They can be remapped to about 260bhp I believe all for £300-£500

Dream Weaver

Owned 3 series, had 1 series and have friends with all series of BMW's. Most unreliable car we've owned was a 2 year old £30k BMW E46, most reliable car is my current Focus ST (which will run rings round your 125i Coupe ).

I don't mind the look of the 1 series, but when we had one as a courtesy car (due to our E46 being back at the dealers for something else!!) I hated it.

Not only did it look like a black cab parked on the drive, it was slow, had really hard suspension/ride, cumbersome and far too small inside for anyone approaching 6 foot.

The 3 door hatches are growing on me a bit, especially the 135, but the coupe just looks like a 3 series that's been hit by a bus. The 1 coupe is to the 3 series what the Boxster is to the 911.

P1Fanatic

DW is your Ford notification system not working? Thats like 3 weeks since the mention of Ford until your post

Simon

dazdavies

iTrader: (22)

DW, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn.

Having owned one of these for a couple of years I feel i'm well placed to comment.
I had a 120D M-Sport. I can echo what is said above that the M sport suspension and the run flat tyres aren't the best combination. Change the runflats for some decent tyres and they handle very very well. Good power, plenty of torque and great MPG. I would suggest a remap to get the best from it.

Beware of sticking door handles on these though, a common and annoying problem.

Dream Weaver

I'm not saying that the BMW is not better than a Ford/Vauxhall etc in terms of build quality, it should be as it generally costs a lot more, but these days BMW et al are not "on another level" of any other mass market producer.

P1F, just trying to add balance having had a 1 series for a while. Yes it was OK (if you can get over the awful looks), but as ScoobyJawa pointed out, not leagues ahead of any similar Ford, Vauxhall, VW etc.

StickyMicky

Word on the internet is that the 1 series BMW was actually supposed to be a new Rover design

And when they parted company, BMW needed to do something with it, so converted it to rear wheel drive and called it a beemer along with changing the bodywork a bit to suit.

Probably why people were so miffed when it came out, it seamed very out of place with BMW`s lineup

http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?rovr30f.htm

madness i think the rover version looks nicer pmsl

StickyMicky

some info
The 1 series is a Leyland special

Matteeboy

The 130i would be a lot of fun. I think the 120d is just a bit "wrong" - small car with a diesel engine...

However a 135d would be a laugh I reckon! Shame the 135i is only in that daft coupe shape.

Dream Weaver - indeed your ST would run rings around a GT3, a Radical, a Caterham R500, etc, etc, etc...

Dream Weaver

Now your being daft, I would struggle against the R500

PS with me driving it couldn't run rings around a pushbike, but in the right hands it would.

Matteeboy

Well unless the circuit is actually ring shaped, then I suggest occasionally running straight and rights (or lefts) to beat most cars... and if it IS ring shaped, you miss out on those lurrrvely drifts...!

Back on topic - I do find 120ds are often driven by angry *****. Not sure why. The 130i is definitely much nicer. And flipping quick.

1uke

iTrader: (2)

Dont diss the Bmw 120d till you've tryed it thats all im saying I've come from a sports car backround and obviously just sold my Subaru wrx and I'm more than happy with the handling and power of my Bmw 120d sport, plus I can quite easily do 55 mpg on motorways. If I was to have a track car it would have to be a subaru tho!!

Matteeboy

I'm not dissing it - I have a 335d so know that BMW diesels are great but I'd rather have a petrol six in a one than a diesel four - I like over engined little cars - they are great!

1uke

iTrader: (2)

Start putting 3 litre engines in little cars gets silly the 120d weighs enough already, let alone making a 135d I can't see how thats great.... or even needed when you could get more than enough out of a smaller engine if wanted. With bigger chassis such as the 3 series etc with there wheel span they can handle more weight.

Sorry hope im not being a angry **** now??

Steve vRS

What is the fast lane?

Steve

Matteeboy

Fine - the 120d is the best car in the World and I've never had countless ones up my **** pretending they are Schumacher...

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

They do seem to be driven by impatient Apprentice Wannabe types with a Blackberry and a power suit.