BMW 1 series Coupe 135i?

MissChief · 15 May 2020 at 19:54

Looking for ownership experiences as these are coming down into my price range and I've always thought the 1 Series coupé was the best looking 1 series.

Things like what's likely to go wrong, common problems, easy fixes, servicing and parts prices etc. General ownership experiences really.

What's the space for rear seat passengers like? I have a 19 and 21 year old in the car in addition to me for a 40 minute journey every weekend, as long as it's not mega cramped even with the passenger seat forward they'll be OK. Normally it's either myself or myself and a passenger for 60% of my trips.

It seems that you can get a 125i or 135i in the coupé but not a 130i which comes only in the hatch?

TIA!

[TW]Fox · 15 May 2020 at 20:17

Can't imagine these are worth the hassle now, what are they, as much as 13 years old? It was never particularly reliable when it was new! They are pretty horrible inside, the engine itself is fantastic but as I say probably a nuisance at this point in its life.

You are correct in that the 130 was only a hatch and the others only coupe or convertible.

MrKnifey · 16 May 2020 at 07:18

I looked into these a while back and while it seemed a good idea, they are just too unreliable this day and age.

tamzzy · 16 May 2020 at 08:33

MissChief said:
Normally it's either myself or myself and a passenger for 60% of my trips

I'd have thought if you're going to have backseat passengers for 40% of the time, 4 doors > 2 doors

MissChief · 16 May 2020 at 12:53

tamzzy said:
I'd have thought if you're going to have backseat passengers for 40% of the time, 4 doors > 2 doors

True, but they look so good compared to the hatch!

Dis86 · 16 May 2020 at 16:04

As already said, I can't really see why you'd look at these now. They're old and not particularly special!

Uncle_Gravy · 16 May 2020 at 18:32

I'd be more incline to look at a 125i coupe and remapping, Same hardware as the 130i hatch but detuned, 218bhp up to 270/280bhp. Give it a google, tons of info regarding it.

But I agree with you, the E82 is one of the better looking BMWs.

[TW]Fox · 16 May 2020 at 18:41

MissChief said:
True, but they look so good

We are talking about the first generation 1 Series right?

ahenners · 16 May 2020 at 22:12

E92 335i surely a better option if rear passenger room is a concern. I think they look far better than the 1 series coupe too, they seem to have aged well.

scaza · 17 May 2020 at 09:11

The 135i n54 is great. When you have a warranty. Fortunately it seems the BMW extended warranty seems to go on the model rather than the engine size, as 12 months on a 135i cost me £560 for the 1st year and £430 for the second.

I've had the High pressure fuel pump, Low Pressure Fuel Pump, Waterpump and Thermostat and a rear wheel bearing changed in the past year alone.

First time I've purchased an extended warranty, more than glad I did.

jpaul · 17 May 2020 at 14:43

wouldn't a 135i n54 be ~10 years old , warranty sounds good value for <£560
... is that down to keeping it beneath ~60K, or having a continuous warranty. ?

hartgeh3 · 17 May 2020 at 16:54

Probably better off with a 130i hatch for the extra 2 doors and space. I had the 130i LE and my brother still has a 125i Coupe going strong. The x35i had issues as above.

Under 60k miles and the warranty is cheaper, over this expect to pay more.

[TW]Fox · 17 May 2020 at 19:15

hartgeh3 said:
Probably better off with a 130i hatch for the extra 2 doors and space.

These are generally even older though, as they got rid of them in 2008.

Dominic-Toretto · 19 May 2020 at 22:07

MissChief said:
Looking for ownership experiences as these are coming down into my price range and I've always thought the 1 Series coupé was the best looking 1 series.

Things like what's likely to go wrong, common problems, easy fixes, servicing and parts prices etc. General ownership experiences really.

What's the space for rear seat passengers like? I have a 19 and 21 year old in the car in addition to me for a 40 minute journey every weekend, as long as it's not mega cramped even with the passenger seat forward they'll be OK. Normally it's either myself or myself and a passenger for 60% of my trips.

It seems that you can get a 125i or 135i in the coupé but not a 130i which comes only in the hatch?

TIA!

Lol the N54, where to begin, The N54 its self is a solid engine, its just all the ancillaries around it that suck:

Common Failure Points Below:
fuel injectors, (upgrading to index 12 will fix this issue)
high pressure fuel pump,
turbo wastegates,
oil filter housing gasket leaks
ac pulley,
valve cover (cracks, £400 for a crappy OEM plastic replacement lol)
valve cover gasket
engine mounts (which can cause pulleys to bounce off the subframe, applies to 335i, not sure about the 135i)

Other than that, it is rock solid lol. If you are handy with a spanner, you can DIY a lot of this stuff, tons of guides online for the N54 due to the huge following and a huge modification community. Great engine, can make 450bhp with a few bolt ons, and sounds amazing!

parts prices etc. General ownership experiences really.

Parts prices are not cheap, valve cover is £400 for example, and it is poor quality plastic casting. This will be closer to £800 with labour if you do not DIY it, it is a time consuming job.
Injectors are £700 for a set of 6, parts only. Will need the decouplers as well.

Ownership experience? They are a sublime engine, the inline six is sweet. But they are not cheap to own or run, they are maintenance heavy, and require time and attention to keep them running well.

Source: I have had 3 cars with the N54 in.

MissChief · 19 May 2020 at 22:22

Squidward said:
Lol the N54, where to begin, The N54 its self is a solid engine, its just all the ancillaries around it that suck:

Common Failure Points Below:
fuel injectors, (upgrading to index 12 will fix this issue)
high pressure fuel pump,
turbo wastegates,
oil filter housing gasket leaks
ac pulley,
valve cover (cracks, £400 for a crappy OEM plastic replacement lol)
valve cover gasket
engine mounts (which can cause pulleys to bounce off the subframe, applies to 335i, not sure about the 135i)

Other than that, it is rock solid lol. If you are handy with a spanner, you can DIY a lot of this stuff, tons of guides online for the N54 due to the huge following and a huge modification community. Great engine, can make 450bhp with a few bolt ons, and sounds amazing!

Parts prices are not cheap, valve cover is £400 for example, and it is poor quality plastic casting. This will be closer to £800 with labour if you do not DIY it, it is a time consuming job.
Injectors are £700 for a set of 6, parts only. Will need the decouplers as well.

Ownership experience? They are a sublime engine, the inline six is sweet. But they are not cheap to own or run, they are maintenance heavy, and require time and attention to keep them running well.

Source: I have had 3 cars with the N54 in.

Sounds like a reason to steer clear then. A shame.

DRZ · 20 May 2020 at 00:19

I owned a 2010 E89 with the same N54 35i engine for a couple of years. I had injectors replaced under warranty plus a couple of other minor things over 15k miles (as a second car). My wastegates were on the way out towards the end for sure and as the crank times were lengthening, I would have had a claim for the HPFP too had I kept it.

Warranty is therefore essential on these cars (or deep-ish pockets relative to the buy price), but when fully working they are absolutely great. I would pick up a 335i over a 135i Coupe though myself just to avoid the awkward styling...