Hire Car Review - BMW 118i SE MSport or something

[JLv3.0]

Let's start with the irony - so the ONE trip I could do with the fvcking mumwagon I always get from hire car companies when I want a Golf or a Focus or something, I actually get something with about half the space that I need - in fact it turned out to be the perfect size for me, the fatty and my two parents and their luggage for a week, so bravo to BMW for the packaging.

So - an odd car. Very, very nice inside which surprised me as I've been in 1ers before and thought they were cheap and nasty. Lovely clear display, great switchgear, nice to drive.

And now the engine. So it's a 1.5l 3-pot mit turbot, and is really quite odd. Sounds like a diesel when it starts, revs like a diesel near the redline, but sounds quite nice in that offbeat sort of way. Sometimes feels quite grunty, other times feels as flat as a fart. 136 horsies but they don't always seems to be awake, but will hold 180 kph on cruise all day (autobahn ftw).

It's by some distance the highest-geared car I've ever driven - it's geared for 360 kph in 6th! And this is the really weird bit - it has some sort of rev-matching trickery going on that means it just won't drop revs when you put the clutch in, which really annoys me as it feels like you've left your foot on the gas when you try and change up. And I like to rev-match when I change down anyway, so it takes that bit of fun away.

Summary - a nice car for NCGs.

[GG.]

Summary - a nice car for NCGs.

I wonder if they'll starting putting this strapline on all their non-M products

Not quite "the ultimate driving machine" is it.

[JLv3.0]

In some ways it's quite lovely. Seats, controls, display, etc but I just can't get my head around that hanging on to revs, it's awful.

[NotoriousREV]

I think it sounds like it's a car for NCGs that think they're CGs. We've all met them; they claim to love cars, but inexplicably bought a Vauxhall Insignia GSI. The same kind of person buys a BMW because it's flash, it has to be an M Sport and a manual because they think they're a CG, but with a shit engine because they don't really get it.

[JLv3.0]

I think it sounds like it's a car for NCGs that think they're CGs. We've all met them; they claim to love cars, but inexplicably bought a Vauxhall Insignia GSI. The same kind of person buys a BMW because it's flash, it has to be an M Sport and a manual because they think they're a CG, but with a shit engine because they don't really get it.

That's it EXACTLY.

The engine isn't shit as such - it's just odd!

[Mito Man]

Or they just want the posh brand but have no interest in cars beyond that. It’s essentially why the whole M sport/AMG line of otherwise base spec cars exist isn’t it?

[Simon]

Are you sure it was holding the revs properly? The consequence of 3 pots is usually the need for a heavier flywheel to make them run smoother at low revs and idle. A knock on of this is that they rev up and fall slower, including when changing gear...

[mik]

Thats what I tracked down for my BIL's missus recently. NCG. Loves it.

[McSwede]

Are you sure it was holding the revs properly? The consequence of 3 pots is usually the need for a heavier flywheel to make them run smoother at low revs and idle. A knock on of this is that they rev up and fall slower, including when changing gear...

All the petrol manual 1 series do this, even the M140i has rev match

[Shlergen]

Focus has rev delay thing also. Took a while to get used to. Either it’s clever and got used to my driving or I’ve just got used to it.

Annoying and clutch burning to start with

[Jobbo]

Are you sure it was holding the revs properly? The consequence of 3 pots is usually the need for a heavier flywheel to make them run smoother at low revs and idle. A knock on of this is that they rev up and fall slower, including when changing gear...

All the petrol manual 1 series do this, even the M140i has rev match

So the auto is better, yeah?

[JLv3.0]

Focus has rev delay thing also. Took a while to get used to. Either it’s clever and got used to my driving or I’ve just got used to it.

Annoying and clutch burning to start with

Especially combined with the highest gears of any car ever made try and use 2nd to, say, drive around a car park and it almost stalls sometimes.

I hate high-geared cars, they just feel so......reluctant.

[Rich B]

Focus has rev delay thing also. Took a while to get used to. Either it’s clever and got used to my driving or I’ve just got used to it.

Annoying and clutch burning to start with

Especially combined with the highest gears of any car ever made try and use 2nd to, say, drive around a car park and it almost stalls sometimes.

I hate high-geared cars, they just feel so......reluctant.

yeah, my wife’s 320d is annoyingly high geared. You can’t pull away from a crawl in anything other than 1st.

[Jimmy Choo]

I hate high-geared cars, they just feel so......reluctant.

yeah, my wife’s 320d is annoyingly high geared. You can’t pull away from a crawl in anything other than 1st.

So an M3 is the practical choice?

[JLv3.0]

That is the only conclusion to draw

[Rich B]

I’m trying out the 320d as a daily at the moment - my wife managed to sprain her ankle this morning so is working from home for as long as it takes to heal.

It’s a good car but a LONG way off the M3 in terms of handling and confidence on turn in. and then the little stuff like the long gearing actually make it harder to drive around town than the M3.

Does stuff like a top spec M sport 340i F30s have the same suspension as a M sport 320d?

[GG.]

confidence on turn in

ahh. The key concern of the 320d driver

[Rich B]

confidence on turn in

ahh. The key concern of the 320d driver

Fair!

In all seriousness, coming from the M3, where the whole car feels planted and firm as you turn in, there’s a “roll and correct” type feel in the M Sport suspension. Once in the corner it feels absolutely fine, but i was wondering whether the bigger engined ones have the same suspension set up as our lowly 320d?.

[NotoriousREV]

Our 420d MSport feels very vague compared to the Golf and the steering is woefully undergeared. I wouldn't bother trying to drive it at 10/10ths. Still, the wife likes it.

[Swervin_Mervin]

confidence on turn in

ahh. The key concern of the 320d driver

Fair!

In all seriousness, coming from the M3, where the whole car feels planted and firm as you turn in, there’s a “roll and correct” type feel in the M Sport suspension. Once in the corner it feels absolutely fine, but i was wondering whether the bigger engined ones have the same suspension set up as our lowly 320d?.

You're comparing cross generation as well. Our F20 125i is nowhere near as confidence inspiring as the E-series 120d we had. The F30 series 3s I've had haven't been as involving in handling terms as my E90, and I wouldn't call my E90 the last word in driving dynamics.