Looking to buy a 130i

[NBaikie]

Hi guys,

I’m interested in purchasing a 2007 130i with about 145,000km on the clock, but before I go ahead with the deal I want to get some advice from any members who own or who have owned the same vehicle.

Is it a good buy? Are there any common problems that I need to be aware of before going ahead with the deal?

Any advice would be much appreciated...

 

[Yuben]

https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=84261

 

[Gordvisr]

They are good reliable cars, slightly expensive to service at the stealers but not bad compared to other brands.

look at the link that was posted , it is a good deal.

 

[Iceman12596]

They are good reliable cars, slightly expensive to service at the stealers but not bad compared to other brands.

look at the link that was posted , it is a good deal.

130i expensive to service Bwaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha................Try N54 Life bro LOL !!!

 

[TBP88]

two 130is on sale here right now, one low mileage and high spec, and one high mileage low spec. Maybe worth investigating those first...

 

[gavsadler]

Pros: great fun to drive, small and compact, not too many fancy electronics to interfere with the driving experience.

Cons: a bit cramped if you’re a family guy, Ride comfort is also not like modern cars- it’s hard.

Maintenance wise I haven’t had any major expenses on mine yet, also on about 145000kms.

They are few and far between, so look around and see what tickles your fancy

 

[NBaikie]

Pros: great fun to drive, small and compact, not too many fancy electronics to interfere with the driving experience.

Cons: a bit cramped if you’re a family guy, Ride comfort is also not like modern cars- it’s hard.

Maintenance wise I haven’t had any major expenses on mine yet, also on about 145000kms.

They are few and far between, so look around and see what tickles your fancy

Thanks for the info buddy! Any common problems with this model that you might have heard of? Any gearbox or engine issues to be aware of? Don't really want to buy a car only to find out these things later down the line.

 

[tman]

personally love them, and thats saying a lot, because I drive a diesel!

Engine + exhaust tone is enough to make you sign on the dotted line.

Try find one with FSH.

 

[Clint@MMS AUTO]

Buy Splintheter's one thats for sale and be happy

 

[Mia225]

Pros: great fun to drive, small and compact, not too many fancy electronics to interfere with the driving experience.

Cons: a bit cramped if you’re a family guy, Ride comfort is also not like modern cars- it’s hard.

Maintenance wise I haven’t had any major expenses on mine yet, also on about 145000kms.

They are few and far between, so look around and see what tickles your fancy

:withStu:

My mom's 130 is on 208 xxx km. its never missed a beat. Serviced on time with oil changes every 10k. its an epicly fun car to drive. and on the open road fuel usage is pretty decent.

the only downsides i find with them - moer cramped inside and the ride is farking hard.

but for the fun factor - you learn to live with it

 

[Captain_Stealth]

anything e8x is great, lots of nice mods you can do

 

[momo1]

Only issue is the coolant system, more specifically water pump.
so monitor that.
normal services arnt that expensive , I had my N52 serviced at agents last year and oil + all filters were under R2000 , (they were running an oil service special at R1150)

lifter tick on cold start up is annoying but not really an issue.

I would say ditch the runflats, it makes the ride more bearable and far less expensive if you go normal.

apart from that they fantastic, and sound amazing

 

[gavsadler]

Agree with the comments above, the only major issues I've heard about is the need to replace the water pump when it eventually goes.

My lifters also tick now and then on startup, although since I added Liqui Moly Ceratec last month when I serviced it, I haven't heard any ticking. Will see this weekend when I move the car as it's been standing for 2 weeks.

I'm on normal tyres as well, and it did help ride comfort, but you will still be sworn broken by anyone riding in the back and you hit a bump, lol.

 

[agkinner]

I had an E46 330D for the longest time found it bullet proof. It went to 300k kms before the head had to be done. Had my 135i for 7 years now, 2 water pumps later and a charge pipe is all I've had to replace due to wear and tare. A BMW mechanic once told me to buy a BMW with a bigger motor, he noticed they last longer probably because 90% of the time you don't really put significant stress on the motor. But if you want a smile or just have the need for speed, it'll deliver every time.

 

[Captain_Stealth]

Or buy. 120i and do a Lexus v8 swap. Power and reliability


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[bavarian_runner]

I've owned my 130i for about 3 years now an the only things I've had issues with is a failed ABS Pump (expensive) & faulty bonnet release cable.

Services are not that costly from my experiences but I'm seeing more and more people talking about failed water pumps so I'm a bit conscious about that now.

Other than that, she's never skipped a beat and she has 143k on the clock now. For me, she feels extremely powerful in a very mechanical and natural feeling way. As someone commented previously, there is not much electronics to get in the way of the driving experience.

Ride quality is hard but handling is pretty good. And there is room for improvement if this kinda thing interests you.

With regards to the looks and general setup: The E8x is aging nicely, it does not look dated in my opinion. Also this is a 3.0L Straight Six (Get a manual transmission) rear wheel drive machine. If you drive one you will quickly realize it is a drivers car. They are pretty rare and I consider these cars to be future classics in years to come.