Hi guys,

Yesterday I picked up my "new" BMW 118d. It's actually a 2009 model and began as a demo car for a local BMW dealer. Eventually, it was put up on sale and I went for it because the price it was being sold at was practically a give-away. What also made the car so appealing was that it was one of those rare models equipped with an automatic transmission, which I wanted.

In mid-2009 I tested a BMW 118i sedan with a manual transmission. Although I am not very good with manual shifting, the car was a lot of fun. What I liked about it was the great handling (it's a BMW after all), zippy little engine (great sound by the way) and the styling, too, was very nice. I was hooked. This, despite me being a person who drives rather relaxed. I felt the 1 series was a great combination of sport, style and even comfort. It was also very roomy and had a large trunk. I could envision myself and my wife touring Europe in this car because of these qualities. I'm not getting any younger, too. Maybe I could enjoy something sporty and almost youth-oriented now rather than later. That was my reasoning for a BMW 1 series.

Now, many of you probably knew I was lusting after a Citroen C5, preferably a diesel in estate form. The moment I saw the C5 it was love at first sight. This car had everything I desired. Style, an extremely high-level of comfort, safety, roominess and above all was simply unbeatable in value-for-money.

So what happened?

First off, I didn't need anything quick. This was going to be a private purchase so I wanted something efficient, yet fairly agile and the new 2.0 HDi engine would be more than up to the task. But the combination of an entry-level engine with an automatic transmission didn't work out so well. The time of expected delivery was going to be somewhere between three-four months, apparently because the 2.0 HDi model is in high demand. I didn't want to wait that long, even for a car which I absolutely adored.

Furthermore, reality also set in. I live in central Stuttgart, which is an extremely busy metropolis. Parking spaces are hard to find anywhere. And when they're found, they're usually quite small. My wife and I live in a small condominium complex built sometime during the 1970s. Parking is done outside, in front of the building (yes, there's no underground parking). Countless times I've come home from work only to search for a parking space big enough to fit the Mercedes E230. I wanted to avoid this problem in the future - hence a smaller car was probably going to be the better choice as my next vehicle.

Also part of my consideration was the Skoda Superb and Renault Laguna, both in estate form. The Skoda and Renault were great value-for-money, had beautiful styling, generous interior space and a variety of motorization choices. Yet, as with the C5, they were simply a bit too large to function as a useful city car. I also never had a chance to test drive them.

Here are some quick photos I took this morning in front of the condominium where I live. I'm not to happy with the photos, which I quickly snapped. I'll probably need to retake them once I've managed to clean the car inside and out. The passenger side of the cabin became a bit dirty this morning after a salt bag we were transporting home burst open. In fact, the interior was very clean when I picked up the car yesterday but with the combination of pebbles, snow and salt on the streets a car can become dirty within a very short time - literally. In the trunk and rear seats I was transporting the summer tires, which meant the salt bag had to be transported upfront. Those are the winter tires on my car at the moment.



















The summer tires are mounted on beautiful 5-spoke 15" rims which look exactly like this:



I didn't want to remove them from the sealed plastic covering they're currently in. But as soon as the summer comes along you'll be seeing photos of my car with the proper rims.



So what are my first impressions about the 118d?

For one, it feels faster than the 118i in speeding up, even with the automatic transmission. The torque surge on this little car is incredible. The engine is actually a 2-liter (not 1.8) 4-cylinder with 143-horsepower and according to the BMW has website 300 Nm of torque available at 1,700 RPM. I don't know what that value is in lb/ft, but it must be a lot since the drives like a little rocket. It's difficult to describe the refinement of the diesel motor since I was told a diesel engine "wakes up" at around 50,000 km where it becomes quieter and more settled. Nevertheless, the motor is poor in vibrations. Inside, the engine is hardly audible, too. On the outside, however, the diesel clatter of the engine can be heard - although I would describe it as a very soft purring, rather than "clatter". Fuel economy should be excellent, but it's a bit early to talk about this since I've only owned the car for a day and half! The BMW dealership even handed over the car with a full tank of diesel!

I've not driven the car in a sporty fashion yet, but the steering feel is very direct and responsive. Handling should be great. A fact supported by the sturdy and sporty-tuned suspension. Yes, the suspension is hard, but I feel that the comfort qualities don't suffer as a result. The fact that the car is RWD means little to me.

The cabin appears typical BMW. Spartan and minimalistic, yet also reassures you with a feeling of quality. Despite consisting mostly of plastic, some of it hard, I do not feel that the interior is cheap. Minimalistic and spartan are the words that best describe it. More impressions regarding the interior will be made one I rack up more miles on the car. It's too early for a proper assessment. Interior space is generous in the front, but the rear is virtually useless for adults. Nevertheless, this does not matter to me or my wife since we view the rear seat bench as an "extra luggage compartment".

I find the seats to be very supportive and comfortable, although a bit thin on the bottom. It's probably nothing a small pillow can fix.

In terms of features, this car is virtually a "stripper" but it's got everything I require. Since it was a demo car, BMW made sure it was equipped with features that people would want to try - A/C, cruise control, parking sensors and in this case, an automatic transmission, which I'm especially happy about. It's perfect for city traffic conditions and long-distance trips. The transmission shifts smoothly but can on occasion be felt, especially in the lower gears.

Speaking of city driving conditions, during my first shopping trip this morning with the car I finally understood what makes such small cars popular among people in European cities. The small 1 series feels very nimble and zippy and this feels, well, great in a tight city environment. In comparison to the Mercedes E230, which felt like a tank in the city, the 1 series feels like a motorcycle! It's able to literally squeeze through anywhere - literally. Parallel parking has been no problem. The small size of the 1er makes this an easy task.

There's a lot more to report on, but I have not driven and owned the car long enough to make a proper report about it. You'll get an update as soon as I have logged enough hours and miles behind the wheel of this ultimate driving machine.

For now, I am happy with my purchase. And - I've got go somewhere now. Time to start the Bimmer and rack up more miles.

 

Congrats the new car looks great. I hope it provides you with many years of driving enjoyement.

 

Let me ask you a question, whenever I watch movies that show Europe/Russia, it seems like MB and BMW vehicles there do not have model badges at all, just like your car. Is that a common practice in Europe?

 

The next time i'm in Europe, that is the car I would want to rent

 

I too have a question:

No disrespect, but do bmw owners get annoyed by the fact that the central door lock is on the center dash? I know MB used to do this, but they finally relented. It doesnt make sense to me

 

I hated it on my dad's 3.

 

Congrats, a new car is allways nice. Not my cup of tea though.

 

Congrats on then new car..

 

Yeah, that was the first thing that I noticed when I was formally introduced to European automobiles back then in the 90s (particularly VW and Opel). It felt bizarre to me but hey, I can't complain about that now can I?

@anyways
Congrats on your car purchase.

Anyhow, I do have a few questions and points that I wanna ask:
1) Is the rear legroom bearable?
I ask this cause the first time I road in the backseat of a 120i, the rear felt uncomfortable to me and I was only 5'8 at that time. I'm guessing people 6 foot and taller will find this a painful experience I suppose.

With that said, are you having no problems with its rear legroom?

2) That N47D20 diesel engine seems solid (for a BMW powerplant)
I've heard lot of praise about it (along with its petrol/gasoline sibling). Apparently, I heard that the Fuel economy ratings can match that of a Toyota Prius (esp. in highway driving). That must be really good then and as you say, since your model is the facelift, then I guess they made some improvements in the automatic gearbox as well. Cool

3) Same with what everyone else was wondering
It looks like the dealer forgot to add model badges or something (I thought it was supposed to be standard). Or is it just my imagination?

4) Are the headlamp washers an optional feature in your car?
I know it's a minor detail but I did notice that your car has it? Is it a standard feature or is it optional (at least for E87 that are sold in Europe)? I ask that cause I don't see it in any of the 1 series vehicles sold here. And when I asked the local dealer here (Autohaus BMW in Pasig), they told me that headlamp washers are not available for models sold in Southeast Asia.

It's kinda like how C-class that are sold in Asia-Pacific don't have headlamp washers as the C200K don't have it (only C230 and higher do). I'm guessing it's more reserved for Europe only then.

and last

5) How is the fuel and vehicle taxation structure like there in Germany?
Do they also charge vehicles extra tax and duties based on vehicle emissions? (like what they do in England with their Vehicle Excise Duty)

 

congratulations!!! Enjoy it.

 

Congrats and thanks for sharing

 

Good write up I enjoyed reading it. Congratulations on the new car.

 

When you spec up your BMW or MB there is a little box you can check that says " Delete model designation" - do that and your car will be delivered without any indication of model or engine size. It's more commonly done by owners of the smaller engined models so that they can stick a set of bigger rims on their 116i and make out they have a 135i etc.

 

I love my one center locking button. I also like that I only have one set of window switches in the middle of the car ... seems more efficient to me.

That's kind of fun, I would probably do that since I'm a fan of the clean rear look.


OP: Congratz on your 1er 5door

 

The 1-series has an automatic option now?