128i 5 month recap
For those contemplating a 128i, I thought I would reflect a bit on my experience after 5 months of ownership.
When in the market for a new daily driver/occasional track car/only car, I originally did not have a strong brand preference, but wanted a sports car with good handling, decent power and fun to drive. I frequently go to Houston for work, and have time in the evenings to kill, so I used that time to test drive many cars. I drove lots of sports oriented cars. Some I liked, most I did not like. I loved the Mini, but did not like the styling and found it too noisy for all the highway driving I have to do. I drove the Miata and Boxster, and loved both of them with the Boxster being the heavy favorite. I read about the 1 series, and I guess I’m in the minority, but I think the 1 series coupe is beautiful. It was tough finding stick shift BMW's to drive, but I eventually drove both the 135i and 128i 6MT one right after the other. I really liked both of them, both feeling a bit more go kart like than the 328. In the end, I wanted the Boxster but needed 4 seats for a daily driver.
Then the decision was 128i vs/ 135i. I budgeted for the 135i, but questioned my real need for the extra 70HP? The 135i is a rocket. It is much faster than the 128i, and if racing others was more of a goal for me, I would definitely have bought the 135i. For my driving style, the times I would actually use the extra power is very rare. On the street the 128i is fast enough to bury you under the jail and I enjoyed my test drive in it about as much as the 135i. I also wanted as light a car as possible so I was lucky enough to find one equipped with only the options I wanted in the color I wanted at a great price. I bought a new 2011 black on black 128i 6MT leather and sport package.
Now for the bad part…
I’ve had more issues than I would have hoped for in the 5 months that I’ve had it. The tail light came unplugged. I had engine light that was caused by a broken part in the VANOS system. I believe this is a rare failure and it is now fixed. I also have on 3 occasions had the sound system make a strange buzzing noise that is not yet fixed because almost never happens. The dealer won’t likely see it unless the problem worsens. I also had the left front speaker go out. So far, I find that I like driving the car so much that I’m more tolerant if the issues I’ve had. I would have thrown a fit if my old Honda had these problems. I’m hoping we have worked out the kinks and she will be good for a while with no more shop visits.
Now for the good part…
Last week, I attended a track day preceding the Lemons race at the Circuit Grand Bayou in Louisiana. Grand Bayou is a 14 turn 1.8 mile road course. Corner speeds count more than horsepower on this track. I went with a friend who normally goes with me on car related events, and he has a very quick John Cooper Works S Mini. We also rented a Race prepped Boxster to compare and limit the thrashing we would impart on our street cars. The Boxtser was an older one, which was gutted with a roll cage and a stock motor with 100k miles on it. It had street tires that had some wear, but looked fine for dry track use. My car is showroom stock with Goodyear RF’s. The Mini has all season street tires on it.
I started out with 2x20 minute stints in the Boxster. My impressions were that the Boxster was easy to drive at the limit, but I did spin it once in each session. It had little to no body lean or dive, good steering, and moderate acceleration. Note that I have driven newer Boxsters on the street that I believe are much faster than this one, but still, I thought my lap times were respectable and would be better than in the 128. I then took a stint in my 128 with my buddy at the helm of the Boxster. I left well ahead of him with the intent of making myself difficult to catch in the 20 minute stint. I did notice more roll and dive than the Boxster, but I also felt I was going pretty fast and the car was very manageable anywhere on the track. I never saw him coming up from the rear. Late in the stint, there he was at the end of a long straight. To my astonishment, within a few more laps, I reeled him in, passed him, and pulled away! We are pretty closely matched in terms of driving ability, with him perhaps being a little more experienced than me. In our next stint, I drove the Boxster and he drove his Mini. I could not stay with him in the Boxster. He gained about ¼ mile on me in 20 minutes. We have also gone with me in the 128i and him in his Mini. I really need to work hard in the 128 to stay with the Mini, but I could hold my ground. I feel good about this as I have driven his mini many times. With it’s turbo 4, it is very fast, has great low end torque, and the handling is ridiculously good.
I did not think track performance would matter much, as I mainly bought the car because it is a fun around town driver, and is much nicer than most sports cars on the highway. After last weekend, I do have some new respect for the car from a performance perspective. I still think a newer Boxster might outrun it on track, but I honestly did not expect to run with even an older Boxster and certainly did not expect to stay within sight of my friends 2600# 210HP Mini at Grand Bayou.
Despite the problems I’ve had, I’m feeling pretty good about my purchase at this point. After 5 months, I still look forward to the commute every day.
RVSIXDRIVER, 17 M240 '11' 128i 6MT, '96'M3/S54, '88'M3/S52 sold
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