DEPRECIATION!
The BMW will drop in value FAR more quickly, if history serves correctly.

 

I like the 1 series very much, but bottom line is, its one of the most overpriced cars to come out in a long time (its at least $5K more than it should be), especially right now because of limited availability most stealerships are charging over MSRP. I cant see anyone in their right mind actually buying one, unless they just have money to burn.

 

Not, BMW is one of the best cars for keeping its value (along with Honda), go see what people are getting for slightly used X3s or 3 series, not much lower than new. It's also why BMWs are so attractive to lease. Mini is no slouch here either, but its an are where BMW is king, if anything part of Minis success has been being owned by them.

You want to see bad depreciation, go check out the prices of used Audis or Range Rovers.

 

I had ordered a 128i and placed the deposit. I was getting excited about it and hanging out on the 1addict forum. Then I took my r53 in for its last scheduled service and drove an r56 (no manual Clubman to test drive). I placed a tentative order. The next day I canceled the BMW order and finalized the Clubman order.
I really wanted to like the 128i. Its solid, rear wheel drive and I like the styling. The BMW dealer is local whereas the MINI dealer is 120 miles away. The BMW was an extra $2600 and gets worse gas milage. Overall th MINI generated a more visceral response. Coming from an e36 M3 to the r53 I felt the same way. Someday I might get another BMW, particularily with Euro delivery. Hopefully, BMW will start getting back to their roots with the 1 series.

 

This was an interesting thread to read..my husband just put an order in for a 128i..we get it in Nov (we're doing ED). I just ordered Molly, my MC.....personally, I like my MC better and it costs about 10 grand less, even after I put in all these options like satellite radio It will be interesting to see whose car turns mroe heads, but I think mine will because they stand out whereas Bimmers seem to blend in with the rest.

 

If I had to do it again, i'd opt for the 128. I had two BMWs before coming to my 07 Cooper S. The Cooper S is nice, fun, good use of space, great economy. But it's FWD and it feels cheap-ish. No, not Versa cheap but still Honda/Mazda cheap.

I miss RWD. I miss good dealer service that's within a day's walk and a service plan that's longer and better.

If my Cooper S disappeared tomorrow I don't think the 128 would enter my radar - kid on the way - but if I were still kidless, it'd be the number 1 option. 128 with sport, comfort access, xenons. Sounds good to me...

 

MarkMaxwell, I traded in an E36 convertible.
I love my MCClubmanS and don't miss the convertible too much.

I didn't like the 128 enough and it was in my Final Three, with Mini.
MPG was a tie breaker that I didn't have to use. Mini Clubman won over the Mini Cooper.

 

I looked at the 1 series. I couldn't get past its looks. Who's designing the BMW anyways?! The current 3 coupe is sweet as is that new crossover. Too bad about the gas mileage though.

 

these were the two cars I was considering, and I've decided for the MCS. to me the 128 is a more comfortable/luxury car, the mini is the practical/fun one...

deciding factor for me was oil prices (I don't drive much but this will determine how much cars depreciate in coming years) and the fun factor... to me BMW still has that older/pretentious feeling to it.

btw, price was not a factor as I would get a nice discount on the 128 that would put it only 2k away from the mini I've spec'ed (the mini has more toys tho).

 

One car weighs nearly two tons. One car doesn't. Which do you think is more fun to drive?

 

Good reply, that last one...
Weight is a huge difference, even if the heavier car has more power to compensate, the weight is always felt in braking, turn-in, lateral motion, etc.
I am way more confident in my 4 year old R50 Cooper than my Wife's 323i when it comes to roadholding, and trusting the car will go where you want it placed.
The 323i weighs about the same as a 128i, power is only slightly less in the 323i, I'm sure it will have a similar feel.
As for the "only" $4K price difference, BMW options are more expensive, Xenons are not included on the base 128i, the MCS will always come out ahead here. (just compare the USB audio - the BMW at $350, the MINI at $490, but that includes Bluetooth, which last I checked cost $1,100 in a BMW)

 

ehh? The 128i still has 220+ HP I beleive its still faster then the MCS

 

Faster is a relative term, and isn't simply based on who has the most hp. I mean yea the 128i has a slightly better straight line 0-60 (6.0 vs 6.3, and I would assume a better 1/4 mi as well) but thats straight line and has little real world application, the MCS would do better in a slalom and on a road or auto-X track, to me that makes the MCS faster, those are much closer to real world driving IMHO.

 

In my eyes it's a steal. It's more e46-sized and priced. Although at no time could you buy an e46 coupe with 300 hp for 35k. Hell, the cheapest e46 coupe with more than 230 HP was the 330ci ZHP...at about 40k starting. Makes the 30k starting of the 128 seem like a crazy bargain. The 128 convertible is a really great deal when you compare it to similarly priced convertibles in the mid-30s.

If i didn't have a kid on the way, I'd already be planning a trip to Germany for my 135i...

As for driving feel, the 128 v. the Cooper S = no contest. RWD is flat out more fun to me. The Cooper is an enjoyable, economical little car but it's really not as much fun to drive in the corners, for me. The Cooper's FWD drivetrain always seems to ruin the car's fun-factor.

 

i could be wrong, but I think the 135i would still outclass a JCW MCS. No matter how you look at it, it's a V6 Twin Turbo vs a 1.4L Turbo. That's just in terms of straight power. I believe the 135i had M-tuned suspensions as well as a LSD right off the line. I think car and driver? or 5th gear? they did a run of different tests with a current 335i vs a 2004(?) M3 vs a 135i. The 135i matched and excelled the M3 in most tests and lost by a hair pin in the lap time against the M3. And according motoring file...(just a couple of quotes)

"the m3 naturally beat the mini in balance... the chassis is much better sorted"

"the m3 easily outclasses the MINI when it comes to handling at the limite"

"Interestingly while pushing the car into hard corners the M3 almost seemed to have more body roll than the MCS or an MC with SS+. That is of course until I realized that I was going 20mph faster than I would have been in a MINI around the same corner."

and to give MINI it's well deserved credit, i'll end it with this quote

"Beyond that my Cooper is generally more toss-able and in many ways more fun to whip around corners. It's not near as fast and not near as refined but I believe on many levels it's actually more fun."

i know i know, the comparison from motoring files wasn't against a JCW, but to be honest, i really don't think it would make that much of a difference if it was a JCW...

 

135 or 128 or M3.... you'd have to go pretty fast to have fun in those. In a MINI, you can have fun at any speed.

 

Yeah you would... I have the most fun around city areas.

I don't know. It isn't everyday you can throw your M3 around in its high powerband. I guess it depends on taste. I love my wife's Mercedes C350 around in the corners (RWD = yummy), but I still have more fun in my old Protege.

 

Over the years, I've owned 3 BMW's - coup 330i and two Z4's - plus 3 corvettes before getting my SS/Blk Cooper S. Price and gas considered, my mini drives like a sportscar but behaves like a lady with the gas - 30 mph combined hwy and city. Takes the curves great, has the acceleration when needed, and is my BMW in disguise...price of Mini with added features is a base price for stripped BMW....

 

the 128 would have been a hit if it was priced at 24,990... other then that , they can keep it!

 

Ever drive an E46 M3? It's fun at any speed, trust me.

 

It is a hit. BMW's sales numbers on the 1 are way beyond expectations. They aimed to move 10k units total (128 i/ci, 135 i/ci) and will do so easily.

 

I don't considering it so close in price to the 3 series, for a lot less car, start comparing what you get from Infinity, Lexus, or even Audi for the same price and its ridiculously overpriced.

As for HP we are currently in a huge upward trend in that department for every car maker so comparing it to the e46 with regards to power is apples to oranges. I mean most model cars still in production are making 30-50 more hp compared to their 2002 versions.

 

well i got my mcsc after handing in my e46 m3 which i had for 3 years (see gallery), so i'd say i'd qualify. honestly the m3 at most speeds is not as fun to drive. as others have stated, one rarely hits the m3's sweet spot unless you're on a roadcourse. i was hesitant to track my m3, didn't feel comfortable modding it, and didn't want to spend the coin to set it up the way i would want it. was it more quiet and luxurious? faster 0-60? more status? absolutely!!

in the brief time i've had my mini, i've tracked it several times, redone the tires, suspension and drivetrain, joined my local mini club, gone on fun rides, and named my car...in short become obsessed with this little car in a way i never did with my alfa, audi s4, or e46.

i couldn't use the m3's attributes as a daily driver. now i look for late apex spots on turns...and have stopped listening to music so i can listen to the interplay between my jcw intake and the milltek exhaust.

in short, i'd agree with someone on nam (sorry, i don't remember who) who said "it's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow!"

of course that's just me...and off topic given the op's comparing to the 128i....to which i would pretty much give the same explanation for my response. either way, you've got a nice ride just different.

 

I hear you oxtox, to each their own. I loved my worked '02 MCS, and it was gratifying in a lot of ways, but the M3 is simply my kind of car. RWD is amazing, the power is incredible, and I love being able to give it less throttle for the same result. It was fun surprising the occasional Civic, but it's far more gratifying blowing the doors off a S197 Mustang GT or an Infiniti G35.

'Course... we still have the R56 S, so I'm not really missing the Cooper either. The wife's '08 is so much faster than my '02 it's just ridiculous. Love driving it, torque-steer and all.

GMAFB. 128i coupe starts at $28.6k. Lexus IS starts at $30k for roughly the same power in a 4-door. Lexus simply doesn't make a coupe at the price, so there's no comparison. 135i to IS350? Lexus starts at $37k+, 135i at $35k, and Lexus freaking *kills* you on options ($7k sport package?). Infiniti G37 coupe is the only comparable car to the 1, starts at $35k and while it's comparable, in no way is it way "more car" for the money--Winding Road's recent comparo had the BMW considerably in front as a driver's car. Audi? Please... The $35k base TT has 100hp less than the 135i... and as cool as I think the upper-end Audis are, they are simply far too expensive for what you get.

I fail to see how either of the 1-coupes are overpriced relative to the similarly priced offerings from these three marques.

 

The point being is its not in the same class (aside from price, and thats cause its overpriced) of any of those cars, all come with far nicer features standard, and aside from the TT are far bigger in size. The 1 series is an econo box, a luxury one at that, only car thats I would view as similar is the A3 (although as we know its a 4 door hatch, and tough to compare when we dont get all the versions that europe gets) also tough to compare as while the base A3 is much better equipped (and chipped will produce much more power) than the 128i its fwd vs rwd, when you compare the 3.2 A3 (which I find to be overpriced as well) with the 135i, your getting much more car for less (I think the awd and added features of the 3.2, trump the modest HP advantage of the 135i). The Biggest reason they are both overpriced is that the A4 and 3 series are only a couple of thousand more for much superior sized, and equipped cars.