Baby BMW Forum banner

130i hunters unite!

296K views 3K replies 350 participants last post by  DanJE 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Looking for a 130i? Got questions about age, spec, mileage, common issues, or ownership in general? This is the thread for you!

Since this thread was started, a Facebook group under the same name has been created. BabyBMW is not connected to that group, so we can't help with any issues or questions you have related to it (i.e. getting rejected/banned from it). Sorry.

This thread was originally started by forum member Rodders in 2016, and has since grown to become possibly the most comprehensive collection of information about the 130i that exists outside of BMW's libraries. Now that he's no longer around, the thread has been adopted by the BabyBMW Staff to preserve its contents and keep the information flowing.
 
#2 ·
rodders said:
It looks like there are a few of us scouring the internet for a good 130i it would be nice to pool resources and help each other out. So lets hear from anyone wanting to buy/sell or links to any you find. Lets try and save everyone some time.

I'm looking for:
5 door
M-Sport
Leather
Prefer low miles <80k (I don't do many I can keep it that way)
Prefer Blue
i-drive/screen would be nice
budget <9k
This one ticks a lot of your boxes......

 
#4 ·
What I'm looking for, 'must haves' in bold:

Full Service History
Asking price maximum £6k
Not blue, but will consider dark blue such as Monaco
Mileage around 100k or less

I'm not demanding much in terms of spec, just specific about the colour! :D

Same as Rodders mentioned, we haven't been in a 130i so any local owners willing to give a 'demonstration' please get in touch, I'm near East Midlands Airport.
 
#5 ·
I haven't really even thought about what I actually want, but off the top of my head....

Mileage below 70k - between 50 and 70 would be ideal
Not black - cleaning is such a chore with black
M Sport
5 door
iDrive would be nice
Runflats swapped out preferably
Xenons

I'm sure I'll think of more.
 
#9 ·
TALBOTL said:
Why this xenon obsession! You'll have a 3 litre 6 on command of your right foot who cares about frigging lights ! I must be getting old
I'm with you...and yes, I am getting old!

I tweaked my halogens up a little and fitted Night Breakers and they are good - I live in an unlit area and I don't dawdle. Xenons might be better, maybe, but I'm not convinced that they are a must-have...
 
#10 ·
Toed64 said:
TALBOTL said:
Why this xenon obsession! You'll have a 3 litre 6 on command of your right foot who cares about frigging lights ! I must be getting old
I'm with you...and yes, I am getting old!

I tweaked my halogens up a little and fitted Night Breakers and they are good - I live in an unlit area and I don't dawdle. Xenons might be better, maybe, but I'm not convinced that they are a must-have...
I've never been rich enough to have Xenons!
 
#11 ·
myles said:
Toed64 said:
TALBOTL said:
Why this xenon obsession! You'll have a 3 litre 6 on command of your right foot who cares about frigging lights ! I must be getting old
I'm with you...and yes, I am getting old!

I tweaked my halogens up a little and fitted Night Breakers and they are good - I live in an unlit area and I don't dawdle. Xenons might be better, maybe, but I'm not convinced that they are a must-have...
I've never been rich enough to have Xenons!
Haha - you only need to be seriously wealthy if you need a replacement: Xenon headlights are often more than twice the price of halogens, but they don't make much difference to the purchase price of a used car.
 
#12 ·
I searched for 3 months and ended up travelling 200 miles to get the right car. I had an alert set up on auto trader as the good cars sell quick.
I called about 3 cars before I got mine and they had all sold within 2 days.
You can set a maximum price but If you want a particular spec you're going to have to pay the asking price as there aren't many 130s around.
 
#13 ·
if I was looking and I am not I would want no I drive no xenons and as little extra kit to go wrong as possible.
A low spec se on 17's is a nice lightweight stealth chariot that would leave a few quid left for mods which they need as they don't handle great from the factory.
 
#16 ·
rm1 said:
I already have a 130 m sport but I like the last black one the other two are high milers and ones an ex cop car and they don't maintain em like they used to since the cuts !
Didn't have these in my force when I was in the old bill, wish we did. Diesel astras were as good as it got.

If it helps at all I'd never ever buy a cop car. I can tell you they have a hard life, yes they're serviced etc but they are driven hard. They're often a basic specced family wagon that's expected to be run at high speeds, cornering etc. They also sit idling at bad accidents or incidents which can be hours.
 
#17 ·
I'd like to go see the black one at Chequered Flag, looks the best of the bunch nationally in that price range, and not bad trim combo with the black on black.
 
#22 ·
Just out of interest, if there was a car that had the spec you wanted, full service history, in budget, how many of you would consider one with over 120k on the clock?
 
#23 ·
Depends how much work had been done and whether you plan to do any more. 120k might be OK if it's had a full suspension and cooling refresh, or if it's really cheap and you plan to do that work yourself. Engine is bulletproof to mega miles but it'll probably need Vanos solenoids if not already done. The driver's side seat bolster could probably do with a retrim at that mileage too - I know mine could at 95k.

I bought my last BMW at 80k and ran it to 155k with minimal problems, bought my current 130i at 70k and plan to do the same. It's a very economical way to run a car - as long as nothing major goes wrong!! The 130i seems to be the most reliable of the range though.
 
#24 ·
Tex4n said:
Just out of interest, if there was a car that had the spec you wanted, full service history, in budget, how many of you would consider one with over 120k on the clock?
Mines on 126k and as described above. I'd happily buy it again if I was looking because it has very obviously been looked after properly and drives extremely well.
 
#25 ·
swanny71 said:
Mines on 126k and as described above. I'd happily buy it again if I was looking because it has very obviously been looked after properly and drives extremely well.
Was it trade or private? Thing with the private sales is you can't test drive them now unless you insure it yourself. But insuring a car to view and test it seems like a waste, especially if there are a few cars you'd like to see. Yes it may save you buying one with hidden faults, I guess it's just an added cost these days?
 
#26 ·
Tex4n said:
...Thing with the private sales is you can't test drive them now unless you insure it yourself. But insuring a car to view and test it seems like a waste, especially if there are a few cars you'd like to see. Yes it may save you buying one with hidden faults, I guess it's just an added cost these days?
Why? Do you now need to get cover for a specific vehicle? My understanding is that most standard insurance policies cover the insured to drive other people's cars so long as the owner has a current policy on the vehicle. Has this changed?
 
Top