Ok Many people have mixed reviews about the 1 series, I didn't actually own one I used one at work, I actually drove a 116d aso but this was the main car on the grid.
It was when they just released the small 2dr option on the 1 series, it looks sporty, it drives sporty and the interior oozes BMW.
THe M sport wheels, steering wheel and body kit certainly made this car a lovely sight and with the increased performance due to its M-sport spec yes it performed well.
In light of it being a company car obviously costs really didn't come into it, but it was pricey on fuel.
All I would say is that the space inside was rather cramped but once in place and driving on the motorway for instance everything in the car is easily accessible and in the right place, not to many switches etc.
The cornering lights, parking sensors, run flats and bluetooth all a nice add on making the driving experience enjoyable.
Although I think you pay a hell of lot for what you get, lets face it its the badge we are paying for here and OH MY they do hike the car price up.
A delight to drive, reliable and good looking but not worth the mid 20's
At first glance I was unsure about the external styling of the BWM 1 series which looks a bit like a tame version of the M coupe Z3 that has been squashed end to end. My uncertainty grew when viewing the car from different angles and it left me feeling that it could have been so much better.
Hello, my name's Jayne and I own a BMW 1-Series. It's basically my husband's car but I get to use it when he's not at work. It's a really nice car to drive, as I think it's rear-wheel drive, which means it feels nice through corners and has plenty of grip.
My husband tells me it's not big enough inside, but I never have any problems with space. It's probably not the best looking car in the world, but my hubby just want something to get him to and from work, so I suppose that doesn't matter.
Its diesel engine is a really good plus point. It's very responsive and always feels gutsy enough - although, I should point out, it isn't quick. We're getting on a bit, so we need to slow it down!
The BMW 116d is a very good car with a few flaws, but I think anyone would be happy with one. It does what it says on the tin.
A solidly built car with plenty of power as you would expect from any BMW. Good road handling under normal conditions but struggles in the heavy rain or the slightest bit of snow... most likely due to the combination of rear wheel drive and lightweightness. The auto box in the 120d SE is smooth but fairly thursty on fuel compared to manual option. 163bhp means it will leave most other cars standing if pushed. Realiability and comfort are as good as any other bmw. Insurance and servicing costs can be high. Overall, a good little car!
My wife and I got this for a bit of fun. We're young at heart after all, and we had a bit of an inheritance windfall so we decided to go a bit up market and buy a BMW 1 Series. (I've since found out that this is seen as a slightly cheap and cheerful BMW but never mind that.)
The BMW 1 Series is good in some ways, not in other. It's good to have found a car that we can have fun in, drive around quite fast and play around a bit on the corners of some of the bendier roads round where we live. It really keeps to the road very very well, so you don't feel at risk at all. I think the engine is one of the smaller ones, at 1.6, and it does sometimes feel as though it's straining a bit. It's still much more powerful than any other car we've had though, so we're not complaining.
It's less good that BMW haven't really thought about the poor old back passengers. We got the 116 SE partly because we don't really have back passengers anymore since the kids have moved on, but if we do need to take people anywhere we tend to use the Galaxy, as the BMW 1 Series just isn't designed for crowds. The seats in the back are pretty uncomfy too. We mostly use the back seats just to sling our coats on. They also fold down nice and flat if you want to make the boot bigger, which we often do as we can put our bikes in there then (just, with the wheels off).
The only trouble with the driving experience is that the gears can be a bit tricky to change from time to time. We almost got an automatic but thought that might have taken some of the fun out. I think we would still go for the manual, but it could just be easier changing between.
We've had a few problems, returned it to the dealer to fix some thing in the warranty period. The fan belt indicator I recall flashing up about a year in, which was odd. There was quite a bit of paintwork coming off which the dealer hasn't really been interested in seeing to.
My boyfriend sort of got this for me as a birthday present. It's not as bad as that, we were thinking of getting a new car anyway, he just spent a bit extra and got the convertible BMW 1 Series. We love it so far, not had it long tho. It's about a year old now, had a few things happen. Tyres needed doing a few times I think, but the warranty saw to that. They weren't punctured, just used up.
Shopping is tricky in our BMW 1 Series. Boot is a small one, and you can't keep anything in there normally cos when u want to put shopping in it won't fit. Put the roof up and there's more space but not massive.
Speaking of space, the back seats are a bit rubbish but we didn't get it for the passengers haha. The leg space is bad even with little old me sat right forward in front, and the head room pretty much goes completely when the roof is up. They're just cramped that's all, but if u want space buy a lorry.
With the roof down it's pretty blowy inside, and I've had a dress on before that's got a bit excited! It's quite good that you can still make yourself heard when the roof is down as well. We love it that you can put the roof up and down when you're moving, not at top speed but up to 30. Much better than our old Porsche where you had to pull over and do it all by hand.
I'm not too fussed with the stereo, it looks a little bit basic and tacky. Could be smarter. But really with a car like this it's so lush it doesn't really notice.
We got the diesel cos we wanted lower fuel bills and it's good for that. Trouble is we're mostly on the motorways and going, erm, a bit faster than we should so it uses quite a bit more fuel then.
I had an Audi TT before getting the BMW 1 Series. That could be seen as a bit of a downgrade, and it was cheaper, but I'm not bothered, it goes like stink and still gets upwards of 50mpg so that's all good as far as I'm concerned.
No repairs to report as of yet (had it about a year, done around 10k in it). There are a few suspect rattles here and there, especially one just to the left of the glove box somewhere under there. Not sure if anyone else will have had this. It's pretty quiet. The only other problem has been a bit of rust by the wheel innards, bit disappointing. Apart from those, fantastic car, well worth it.
Good deal too. I got it off an internet broker website, they did the leg work and found the cheapest BMW 123d M Sport, and I didn't have to deal with car salesmen. Win win.
I should say though, the fuel economy on the BMW 1 Series goes out the window a bit if you drive it fast, which I'm always tempted to do as I've got some really good windy country roads on my commute.
A big plus is the parking sensor jobbies, very helpful. I also like the way the satnav display panel pokes up out the top of the dash. I've seen other cars where it's half way down the centre panel, which sort of means you have to take your eyes off the road and what you're doing. Having it on top makes more sense.
I have found the 'iDrive' to be not all that intuitive, but I'm not that good with technology so it might just be me.
There was a lot of hype that was about when I was thinking about buying this one. You don't buy a BMW just cos of hype, even if it is a relatively cheapy 1 Series, but that was a factor at least. It's a popular car, and one part of that popularity that's come to annoy me a bit is estate agents. I don't really get why it's popular among estate agents but it is, and that's not an appealing association for me.
Anyway forget what sorts of people drive it, I've been let down more by the car itself. The BMW 1 Series comes with a claim of I think it was about 50 miles a gallon (on my 120d model that is, dunno about others). It's not been getting that I don't think, and I don't drive like a nut.
There have been a few warranty repairs that don't really bode that well for the rest of its life. Some of the sealant started to fail on the rear windscreen (needed replacing eventually), and some sort of leak making the windscreen water pump not work properly. It just isn't what you buy a BMW for, and it sort of feels like the 1 Series might be a cheap option for the wrong reasons.
It's a goodun though. Seats are dead comfy, aircon is really good - much better than the stupid aircon in my old Corsa. Despite the estate agent thing I still think it looks good. I'm not all that impressed with the 'run flat' tyres though, they probably make it less comfy than it could be.
Be warned, this is not an off roader either. Just don't bother. It was also a pain last winter when the snow got heavy, I think mine was the last car on our street to get back to work. It's powerful and confident on roads still. Loads of power, especially for a diesel. I don't take it that fast but it's got more power than I'd ever have the guts to use, so plenty of excitement.
I think if I was buying again I'd look into whether the car actually gets the mileage it's supposed to be getting. It's ok otherwise, just those few let downs.
I bought the BMW 1-Series after a few half decent reviews from friends. I didn't mind the looks at the time and thought, a 1-series, why not? But now It's up for sale after I've fell out of love with it.
The problem is it looks a little bit like a van. If you look at it side on, you'd be convinced it was a van. I'm a 23 year old woman and i don't want to be driving round attracting white van men.
There are a couple of good points about the 1-series. It's got a decent boot and it's very well made, as are all BMWs I've ever driven.
If you want a 1-series, all you can get is a 1M. That's it.
What a brilliant compromise this car is. Averaging 39mpg combined, 70mpg at 55mph and (for a diesel) a scintilliating blend of power and handling. I couldn't be happier after my first 18 months and 30k miles. Admittedly it took me a few weeks to 'get it' with this car.
You need to drive the BMW 123d M Sport enthusiastically to get the most from it, or it's just a small diesel, but make the most of that second turbo and it's surprisingly fun.
The M Sport package is probably not worth the money and i'd swap the runflats in a heartbeat if it wasn't a company car, but I can happily live with the low spec and drab cabin. It all just works.
The final word is this - if it were my money I needed to replace it, would I replace like with like. The answer I have to say is yes.