I'm a big fan of the 1-series

"E90M3" (e90m3)
06/29/2018 at 09:46 • Filed to: 128i, unnecessary car shopping with E90M3

In fact, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I might have also slightly influenced !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Unfortunately , my 128i was let down by one thing:

Today in unnecessary car shopping with E90M3, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that has rectified the problem of the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

That’s right, coupled to the N52 is this:

Proper row your own in a naturally aspirated BMW with hydraulic power steering. What a wonderful thing. Not that I regret buying my 328i, but where was this when I was looking for a second car. Manual 128i’s aren’t plentiful, so this one probably won’t last long.

DISCUSSION (20)

Steve in Manhattan > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 09:48

Brother in law has a 1 series 6M - will drive it as soon as he fixes the issues with the coils.

nerd_racing > Steve in Manhattan
06/29/2018 at 09:50

I had to replace a couple coils in mine. I bought lifetime warranty duralast ones from autozone. I figured if they were a problem for that car, after 6 times I’d never have to pay for them again.

nerd_racing > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 09:51

the 6MT I had in my 2011 was really awesome. Part of me wishes I had kept it. It would have been paid off by now and I could have some real fun with it now.

E90M3 > Steve in Manhattan
06/29/2018 at 10:05

I've had a couple coils go out in my 328i.

E90M3 > nerd_racing
06/29/2018 at 10:05

Paid off cars are so nice.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 10:39

I really wanted a 128i when I was shopping last year but finding one with a manual is tough. One showed up for sale and it was gone within 2 days. I also really would like to try a 135is, the 1M market seems to have buoyed their prices though.

ihm96 > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 11:10

I was looking into these when my z3 broke before I found the e34 I ended up with. They’re pretty awesome little bmws

Vicente Esteve > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 11:27

That is one sad spec, but the 128i will become a classic.

E90M3 > Vicente Esteve
06/29/2018 at 14:34

It’s pretty basic, but it at least got the right option box checked.

E90M3 > ihm96
06/29/2018 at 14:35

They are pretty great.

E90M3 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
06/29/2018 at 14:37

Yeah, decent manual 128i’s are not easy to come by. I saw a couple when I was searching, but they were usually 2008s with ~120k miles on them. I found one by the side of the road in Pooler, but it had 160k on it and they wanted 7k or something for it.

I like the 135is a lot. The standard titanium M exhaust makes it sound great. Not a massive fan of the DCT, but then it’s my dad’s car, not mine. It really feels like a 1M lite, which it pretty much is. For the price, get one with a manual and put an LSD in it, and maybe a tune and you’ve basically got a 1M.

for Michigan > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 15:03

BRB, gonna go trade mine in.

E90M3 > for Michigan
06/29/2018 at 18:19

I thought you didn’t want a manual anymore cause of your leg or knee? I can assure that the BMW clutch is heavier than that in the Mazda.

for Michigan > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 18:40

So funny story...

I went and bought the auto 128i because my Mazda’s clutch was bothering my knee. Simultaneously, I scheduled an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to have my knees evaluated. At my appointment with him, I learned I have a fairly minor issue that should be easily solved with some physical therapy.

Went for the therapy eval this morning and after doing the exercises the PT gave me, my knee pain was gone. It came back this afternoon, but it doesn’t look like this is a permanent, long term issue. In another month or so, they expect the issue to be resolved.

Which means I’m shopping for a 6MT 128i right now.

E90M3 > for Michigan
06/29/2018 at 18:43

TLDR: necessary car shopping with for Michigan

That’s good to hear about your knee. Don’t worry, I’ll try and find some more manual 128i’s to post. I really like them, if I hadn’t found a manual M-Sport 328i with only 40k on it, I would drive a 128i.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > E90M3
06/29/2018 at 19:45

Blue water metallic is probably my least favorite BMW color :/

You should move here and make friends with my neighbor who has 5 BMW’s from an E24 through an F30 scattered around his driveway. And a Lincoln Mark LT because apparently that’s what you do when you own 5 BMW’s and also need a pickup.

E90M3 > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
06/29/2018 at 20:00

You should get better tastes :P

Yeah that sounds like my kind of friend. I’m sorry we never met up in SA.

I’m going over to a friends ho use tomorrow to drink beer, cook, and work on his E30. Pretty excited.

Donkeyshins > E90M3
06/30/2018 at 13:42

Ooh - that’s a little high, but not too bad of a price for one of the last sporting BMWs. I lucked out on a 36k mileage LeMans Blue 2010 128i 6MT with almost all the boxes checked (ZSP, ZPP, Xenons, Nav, iDrive) a little over a year ago, and it has been a fantastic purchase. I only wish (a) it had the 6MT option so I could hook up a larger HDD for my music and (b) it was a slicktop, as headroom in an E82 is at a bit of a premium (e.g. no tracking this car as I can’t fit my head w/ helmet into it) .

I have all the bits and bobs for the 3-stage DISA manifold en route, which should bump the HP / torque by ~ 30 / 20, which puts it into late-model E36 M3 territory on performance.

E90M3 > Donkeyshins
06/30/2018 at 21:51

I paid 16k for a 2012 128i in October 2015. Got it from the BMW dealer in Corpus Christi with just under 48k on it. Mine basically only had the sport pack and leather. I sold it in July 2016 after I lost my job.

I’ve got a 328i and I really want to change the manifold and get that power bump. I also want to get a louder exhaust so I can hear the last NA BMW I6 scream.

Donkeyshins > E90M3
06/30/2018 at 23:31

Bummer about the job. I’ve been there.

I’m skipping the exhaust (although my son wants me to put one on). Would rather save money for a Quaife.