A daily driver that rivals the '02 experience?

[02Pilot]

56 minutes ago, saaron said:

I like the idea of the One Series.  I remember Mike Miller driving the 128i at Lime Rock when they were new, saying it was a great driving car.  That always stuck with me.  I was considering one when I bought a new dailyish car, recently.  128i has a non-blown six, get a stick, M Sport, and you are in business.  We will probably all be trying to track these things down in about 5 years, once we all figure it out.  "Oh that was the car..."

 

I'm happy to find myself ahead of the curve on this one. I got mine last year (M Sport 6MT).

 

I'll just leave this here: https://view.imirus.com/290/document/3406/page/45

 

[fastricky]

The 1-series is really winning me over... question - seems to me in a small car like that the base model would be plenty fast. The 1M would be absurdly powerful and overkill?

[saaron]

The 128i has 230 naturally aspirated HP.   The 135i (6 cylinder turbo) is 300hp.  

 

0-60 in less than 6 seconds for the 128i.  Almost 100 mph in the quarter mile.  Call me a guy that's driven a 2002 forever, but that seems plenty fast.

 

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2008-bmw-128i-short-take-road-test

 

But the 135i is even faster.  The turbo engine is something more to worry about - probably more sensitive to frequent oil changes, having an enthusiast owner, etc.  

 

Scott

[Schickentanz]

'Bugeye' Subaru Impreza WRX 2002-03, AWD, 5 speed, turbo, buckets of fun. 

Edited December 15, 2018 by Schickentanz

[02Pilot]

2 hours ago, fastricky said:

The 1-series is really winning me over... question - seems to me in a small car like that the base model would be plenty fast. The 1M would be absurdly powerful and overkill?

 

Yes. So would the 135i. You really don't want to deal with the headaches of the turbos (especially on the earlier N54), direct injection (it takes how many hours to remove the valve cover?), and various other complications, and the 3.0l NA engine in the 128i is plenty powerful. Also consider that 1Ms are currently selling for prices usually associated with world-class Fabrege egg collections and AB- compatible kidneys - not exactly what you want in a winter car, methinks.

[joebarthlow]

in the snow, with Blizzaks, a Mini is hard to beat. lots of BMW DNA in them too.

 

Perhaps a second 2002, prepped for winter. 

 

or a BMW X3

[02Pilot]

21 minutes ago, joebarthlow said:

in the snow, with Blizzaks, a Mini is hard to beat. lots of BMW DNA in them too.

 

Perhaps a second 2002, prepped for winter. 

 

or a BMW X3

 

There's no amount of prep that will save a 2002 from rapidly disintegrating from the massive amounts of salt they dump on the roads in NY. By February it looks like Bonneville around here.

 

And the less said about the X3 (or the X1, or the X5, or...) the better.

[solo 2]

It sounds like you're stuck on the German thing but you really should try a Subaru WRX 06-07, not the STI. Yes it has 4 doors, but you mentioned a pure driving experience, the WRX has no electronic gadgets to save you, handles like a go cart and loves to be tossed around in winter. My 07 box stock WRX shod with Hak Rs and pure symetrical AWD was too much fun...literally. Had to get rid of it, couldn't contain my exuberance.

[spuriouspseudo]

1 hour ago, Andrej said:

And the less said about the X3

Ooooh...  I'm gonna come to the defense of the X3.  By no means sporty like a 2002, but our family rocks a 2006 Manual 6sp X3 as our main chariot.  It's gotta be the best vehicle I've ever owned.  Plus, with a set of winters it's monstrous in the snow.

 

It's pretty simple and pure on the inside, super-duper capable, and surprisingly fun to drive.

[02Pilot]

7 hours ago, spuriouspseudo said:

Ooooh...  I'm gonna come to the defense of the X3.  By no means sporty like a 2002, but our family rocks a 2006 Manual 6sp X3 as our main chariot.  It's gotta be the best vehicle I've ever owned.  Plus, with a set of winters it's monstrous in the snow.

 

It's pretty simple and pure on the inside, super-duper capable, and surprisingly fun to drive.

 

I suspect we may define "fun to drive" differently.

 

I've driven a few of the X-models over the years, and none have impressed me. I found them universally too heavy and too tall, and the interiors are less Teutonic and more Toyota. I'm sure yours is capable, especially with the manual, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. But I won't be looking for one.

[fastricky]

NO SUV for this camper!

[dirving]

E36 non M with LSD and four snows. Have one for 14 years now. Sure its starting to rust around the jack points and rear wheels but it should last another couple of years. Get one with a good body from down south. Still easy to work on and pretty cheap to own. Closer driving experience to an 02 than many mentioned here.  

[xr4tic]

I daily drove my E39 M5 in Michigan winters (before kids), good set of snow tires does wonders, got lots of thumbs ups too.

 

Now I daily a Durango SRT, which is basically the opposite of everything you're looking for, but it's more family friendly.

[spuriouspseudo]

On 12/15/2018 at 7:33 AM, Andrej said:

I suspect we may define "fun to drive" differently.

 Yeah... But, well... err no, you're right.  Ya gotta defend the ugly cousins, though.

[Emyers]

M235i ..........