BMW 1 Series E87 (2004-2011)
Verified6 reviews
Terribly engineered product – When looking for a first car for our daughter the E87 120i seemed like a good option: the right size, enough steel and safety features to give us comfort, and too cheap on the second hand market to ignore as a good deal. We wish we had done our research a bit more carefully though, as this car has turned out to be completely inappropriate for a… Read more
first driver. It has NO TEMPRATURE GAUGE, and as anyone who has owned older cars knows it is usually the cooling system that lets them down. This car has suffered numerous cooling system leaks that have gone unnoticed due to the absence of a gauge. By the time the light comes on for low level it is already overheating. Stupid, stupid design. We now have a car with coolant leaks fixed, but running under temperature due to a jammed thermostat. Again a gauge would pick this up, but there is no mechanism in the car to identify this problem. Took ages chasing a running rich problem to stumble over this one. The E87 has no dipstick. It is impossible to improve on the simplicity of a piece of wire that you dip in the oil to check its level, however the possessed engineers at BMW saw fit to design the most complicated of systems that new drivers seem to struggle to a.) figure out how to use and b.) remember to check. To replace a sump gasket on a Subaru Impreza involves 12 bolts and 30 minutes of your time. The same job on an E87 involves removal of the plenum assembly, several plumbing components, supporting the engine from above to allow removal of the engine mounts, front suspension, steering rack, sway bar and subframe assembly. It is just engineering madness. How BMW ever got a reputation for making other than garbage is beyond me. There is no spare tyre due to the expensive run flat tyres it uses. As we live in a rural area it becomes a real issue as the run flats have a limited "run flat" distance, and it has left our daughters car on the side of the road twice. My advice, don't buy one of these ridiculous, complexly designed and poorly engineered vehicles. Get your kids something simple and reliable. I have taken our E87 to the local landfill where it deserves to be at 145,000km. What a waste.
A Perfect Hatch That Is Deservant Of The Motto, The Ultimate Driving Machine – I currently own a 2008 BMW 130i E87 and have loved every minute of it! The 130i is the perfect balance of a perfect 50:50 weight distribution, rear wheel drive and a bulletproof 3.0 litre N52K inline-six. My particular example of 130i was nearly fully optioned, with iDrive, Adaptive Headlights (they turn as you turn), Style 208M rims, HiFi 10… Read more
speaker sound system, electric seats and much more. (You can write a book with how many options it has)
Since my ownership, I have travelled 166,000 km (I bought it at 129,000 km) and have had no major mechanical issues whatsoever. In my ownership of my 130i, I've had to replace valve cover gasket, new brake pads (I changed them to ceramics all round; I hate brake dust) and the usual services every 10,000 km.
As well as the above, I'm only now needing to replace the tyres on it. (seven year old Toyo Proxes T1 Sport's) They're getting replaced with the coveted Michelin Pilot Sport 4 series of tyres.
The handling of these cars are amazing! Throw it into a corner at speed and you'll what it can do. It will blow you away.
In terms of fuel mileage, for a six cylinder, it's been fantastic! I normally average around 8.1 litres per 100 km.
If you're in the market for a 130i or any 1 Series within the E87 lineup, you won't regret it! They are an amazingly fun and reliable car. You can't fault them at all!
Excellent car - very reliable – Excellent car. Very reliable and economical, It has plenty of torque and smooth ride for long trips. Rear leg room is a bit tight. My car has been driven over 180K and I had to clean the intake manifold and replace the DPF. Use after market as BMW charges $3 to 4K for a replacement. Ali Express and eBay has many vendors of people selling DPF's. I… Read more
have had the car regularly serviced and it has been very reliable. City economy is around 6.5 to 7.5 L/100.
Highway at 110 kmh is around 5.2 to 5.6 L/100 depending on road surface, winds and rain.
Love this car – Always been a fan of European vehicles, so glad I purchased this car. It is very reliable, and is super fuel efficient. I used to have a petrol Fiesta and I spent $70 a week on fuel, now I only spend $70 a fortnight!!! Very spacious in the back for a hatchback so it is fine with the kids. Has never given me any issues, and is really zippy and quick off the mark. Love it!! Show details
Awesome driving experience – If you want a rear wheel small hatchback with plenty of refinement, comfort, safety then consider a BMW 1 series. I had a 2005 120i and it was economical, reliable and incredibly enjoyable to drive. The rear wheel drive enhanced the feel of stability on the road. Servicing cost were within normal limits for car the same age. A very fun,stylish and refined driving experience Show details
Great handling, otherwise rubbish. Dont buy the hype about German Engineering...get a Toyota or Mazd – The Good Great audio. Seriously even the professional package has superb sound. Great seats. Front seats are very support, very comfortable and very adjustable. So you'll have no issues finding the right seating position. Nice touches like holding down the lock button on the remote closes the windows remotely. Or on a hot day holding down the… Read more
open button opens the windows and sunroof to get hot air out of the car before you get in.
If you like to really drive a car you'll appreciate the balance on the limit, directional stability and feedback through the very direct steering. This car feels rock solid on the road, with very little body roll through corners.
it could do with a bit more power though when overtaking. Runs out of steam at higher revs.
The Bad.
The back seats are really only suitable for pets, children, dwarves or double amputees. Boot space is tiny...seriously tiny.
The electrics are flaky...windscreen wipers just stopped in the middle of the screen...had to actually pull over, turn the car off, pull the key out of the dash and restart the car to get them working again. You'd think it was running Microsoft Windows! The rear window washer doesnt work....the insides have clogged up with silt...actually its rust from the tube through the window wiper mechanism.
The Ugly.
This car is rubbish mechanically, The differential bearings started howling like an old Falcon taxi at 85,000Km. The wheel bearings have only just made it beyond 85,000km.
Engine has O rings in the back that leak water and have to be replaced every 30,000 to 40,000km. Sump gasket leaks oil and there's another oil leak I haven't tracked down yet. Apparently this is entirely normal for the E87 4 Cylinders.. just Google it. Oh, theres also the excessive oil consumption, apparently the Valve Stem Seals are rubbish...and was a BMW specialist telling me that. Update 2018, car has now clocked up 140,000km. Blows smoke after sitting at traffic lights. BM specialist confirms Valve Stem seals...AT 140K!!!! Even a Lada could get better mileage out of valve stem seals. This car is complete junk!
Please bare in mind as I write this my car has only just clocked up 116,600Km! My Mazda 3 was still purring like a kitten and had no leaks, no bearing failures and no warranty issues at the same mileage.
To add insult to injury. The dumbest invention since the invention of the wheel...the Run Flat Tyre.
Reality is you cant actually drive this to a repair shop and have a puncture plugged, even if the tyre manufacturer allowed the tyre to be repaired. The tyre will be a write-off due to damage to the side walls. The advice I've had is as little as 50m driving on a deflated Run Flat will destroy the side walls. Pull over immediately and repair or replace the tyre. Which is made a little difficult, because the geniuses at BMW in their wisdom didn't put a jack or wheel brace in the tool kit. So you pull over to save the tyre, but you cant get the wheel off to take to a repairer...cant drive it to the repairer without destroying the tyre. And heres the great bit, the tyres are up to 50% more expensive than a normal tyre. If you can find someone with them in stock! If you in the city that's not an issue.
Smart decision is to ditch the RFTs for normal tyres and put a tin of slime in the boot, at least that will get you to a Tyre repairer without a jack, you'll save a bit of cash and have a nicer ride quality without sacrificing the handling.
Smarter decision... just dont buy a BMW. Dont buy the crap myth of German engineering, that Japanese are way ahead of this junk.
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