Round 2: Semi-practical sports car - fun car as a daily

Driven5 said:

The 128i has a great engine and handles decent, but a 'sports car' it is not. Everything about it, from the interior to the driving dynamics, feels like a 2-door coupe/convertible based on a sportyish sedan... Because that's exactly what it is. It does everything good, but nothing great. It's quite capable, but here is no sense of occasion when driven sedately, nor drama when driven aggressively. Not much says mid-level management drone like a low level Bimmer, which is appropriate because that's a pretty good description of it's personality too. Driving it on the street is corporate-approved levels of fun as outlined in a memo.  It doesn't really get particularly interesting until things are well beyond reasonable and prudent for the road and conditions. I was surprised by the number of interior quality shortcomings for a 'premium' vehicle. While the sport seats are good for comfort, and a big step up from the standard seats, they look much better at holding you in place than they are. Sport seats wise, I think power had memory, but manual offers easier assess to the rear. So pick your poison. With the right exhaust, the N52 does sound fantastic, especially over 4k rpm.

The S197 Mustang is a bit bigger than the 128i, there's no getting around that, but the 128i isn't exactly a lightweight either... Especially when coming from a multi-Miatae (including as daily/winter beater) background. On paper the BMW is objectively better by most, if not all, measures outside of straight line acceleration... But subjectively, it has considerably more character too. The 'premium' trim interior actually reminds you that you're not driving an appliance, even if most of it looks and feels cheap. It nicely balances a sense of occasion when cruising, with a sense of drama when hooning. It's a pony car that learned to handle. Where my 128i was likable, my Mustang was lovable.

Within the 1st 100 yards (test) driving a BRZ onto a public road, I knew that the 128i and S197 aren't even in the same league when it comes to being a 'practical sports car'. What it lacks in sense of occasion when cruising compared to the S197 (still better than the 128i) it more than makes up for in the accessibility of its superior sense of drama on the street. Inside and out, parked or blitzing a clover leaf onto the highway, it looks like a sports car and feels like a sports car. I really don't know of a car that better fits the description of 'semi-practical sports car - fun car as a daily'. This is currently leading the list for my next car fitting that same description.

Pretty fitting description on the 1. Sure it goes fast and ultimate grip is more than you'd need, but it's just kind of uninspiring. My friend put it pretty well "this is the slowest feeling fast car I've ever driven".

Can't say I have made any progress except for selling the Miata. Driving my truck at the moment, but with a big V10, that will get old driving from gas station to gas station. I am still leaning towards a VW something, R32, Golf R or GTI, but most R32's have high mileage and are too expensive for the mileage/year, the Golf R's would be great but they have not depreciated much and might not due to the rarity. GTI's are plentiful but need to drive one, hopefully this weekend.

I still have my eye on the 128I, but you all have me thinking that it is going to be too much cruiser than sports car. Been considering raising my budget but hard to justify just to sit most of the time. Found lots of fun Audi options including A5's and similar and I really like them a lot as it is basically the same platform as the Golf R and similar. Same with the 3 series, lots of cars out there, but all with higher mileage and you always wonder just how much maintenance has been ignored. This A5 looks like a solid choice, should cover all my needs and be fun, but is it fun enough? 2012 A5 2.0T with a 6 speed manual with only 81k miles for $9K seems like a good deal. 
 Guess I got some test driving to do this weekend.

I like the A5s.  Not too big and they look very sleek.  I've also wanted a Golf R for years, and would gladly sale my MSM to get one, but they are a little too expensive.  With a new house on the horizon, my current fleet is what I have for a while.

dherr (Forum Supporter) said:

This A5 looks like a solid choice, should cover all my needs and be fun, but is it fun enough?

I'd guess that'll largely come down to whether you want an appliance that can do toy things, or a toy that can do appliance things?

I own a 128i w/sport package 6MT and I've driven everything else under the sun... I can't seem to find a reasonably priced car I would rather daily. It's simply good at everything. I should mention, mine has the M3/1M control arms and a different (taller) M-shift knob. 
 

I also have an AP2 S2000 and a deliberately modified (essentially Type R cloned) DC2 Integra GS-R. 
 

No, the 128i cannot match the visceral sports car traits of the S2000. The S2000 is sharper in pretty much every measure- on full boil, the S2000 is an absolute riot to drive! Daily? Nope. The S2000 is exhausting- it's so on its toes, that if you're not in the mood for pitching it around, there's a lot of places I would rather be. My lightly modded 128i gives 80-85% of the thrills of the S2000 when pitching it around, but does not wear me out. The 128i doesn't need to be kept on boil to have a good time in it and it's more forgiving when pushing it hard. 
 

I used to think I built my Integra to be a wonderful daily driver- it's firm enough to be fun (OEM Type R springs & Koni yellows), but compliant enough to be a daily... it has a Type R transmission (shorter gears & LSD) and essentially Type R power... such an easy car to drive. So forgiving. Doesn't wear out your left leg in traffic. Outstanding shifter. Just enough power to feel playful (although far from fast). I used to drive that car everywhere... until I bought my 128i. It just felt like everything the Integra did, the 128i does slightly better. It's led to my Integra mostly sitting around unused. 
 

In the past, I've owned WRX's, an STI, 2 Golf R's (MK6 & MK7), a Focus RS, FK8 Civic Type R, Tesla M3P, Focus ST, Civic Si's, a Z, G37's and a host of others (I think I'm up to 37 cars so far). If I had to make a list of the best daily drivers I've ever owned, it would be the following:

-Golf R's (both my MK6 & MK7 were great!)- I'm sure a GTI would be just as good for most people. Note: I never owned either of them outside of warranty.

-FK8 Civic Type R & same generation Civic Si. In some ways, I actually preferred the Si- FAR more value in the Si vs type R. I regretted selling both of them- if they didn't hurt my right knee to drive (old injury), I would have kept either of them. 
 

-Focus ST. I loved that little car! I've considered selling my Integra to get another one several times! Note: my Focus RS is NOT on this list- the ST is MUCH easier to live with (softer clutch, smoother ride, etc) and the base ST seats are far more comfortable than the Recaro's that come standard in the RS. 
 

-2021 Mazda 3 Turbo. Just a great all around daily! Plenty of torque, very comfortable, beautiful interior, fun to pitch around, etc. although unfortunately mine burnt oil since brand new (I've heard it was likely valve seals?). I ultimately sold it about 1.5 years ago when I decided I no longer wanted a car payment. 
 

-Tesla Model 3 Performance. Great car. I bought mine new for a lot less than I should have paid. Gave my wife car sickness, otherwise I would have likely kept it. 
 

-E82 128i 6MT w/sport package. This car just excels at everything! No, it's not a hardcore sports car, but it's absolutely a fun sporty car that you can take consistently without getting worn down. 
 

To be clear, the most fun cars I've owned over the years were generally 2 seat roadsters, but they weren't daily drivers. 

roninsoldier83 said:

I own a 128i w/sport package 6MT and I've driven everything else under the sun... I can't seem to find a reasonably priced car I would rather daily. It's simply good at everything. I should mention, mine has the M3/1M control arms and a different (taller) M-shift knob. 
 

I also have an AP2 S2000 and a deliberately modified (essentially Type R cloned) DC2 Integra GS-R. 
 

No, the 128i cannot match the visceral sports car traits of the S2000. The S2000 is sharper in pretty much every measure- on full boil, the S2000 is an absolute riot to drive! Daily? Nope. The S2000 is exhausting- it's so on its toes, that if you're not in the mood for pitching it around, there's a lot of places I would rather be. My lightly modded 128i gives 80-85% of the thrills of the S2000 when pitching it around, but does not wear me out. The 128i doesn't need to be kept on boil to have a good time in it and it's more forgiving when pushing it hard. 
 

I used to think I built my Integra to be a wonderful daily driver- it's firm enough to be fun (OEM Type R springs & Koni yellows), but compliant enough to be a daily... it has a Type R transmission (shorter gears & LSD) and essentially Type R power... such an easy car to drive. So forgiving. Doesn't wear out your left leg in traffic. Outstanding shifter. Just enough power to feel playful (although far from fast). I used to drive that car everywhere... until I bought my 128i. It just felt like everything the Integra did, the 128i does slightly better. It's led to my Integra mostly sitting around unused. 
 

In the past, I've owned WRX's, an STI, 2 Golf R's (MK6 & MK7), a Focus RS, FK8 Civic Type R, Tesla M3P, Focus ST, Civic Si's, a Z, G37's and a host of others (I think I'm up to 37 cars so far). If I had to make a list of the best daily drivers I've ever owned, it would be the following:

 

-Golf R's (both my MK6 & MK7 were great!)- I'm sure a GTI would be just as good for most people. Note: I never owned either of them outside of warranty.

-FK8 Civic Type R & same generation Civic Si. In some ways, I actually preferred the Si- FAR more value in the Si vs type R. I regretted selling both of them- if they didn't hurt my right knee to drive (old injury), I would have kept either of them. 
 

-Focus ST. I loved that little car! I've considered selling my Integra to get another one several times! Note: my Focus RS is NOT on this list- the ST is MUCH easier to live with (softer clutch, smoother ride, etc) and the base ST seats are far more comfortable than the Recaro's that come standard in the RS. 
 

-2021 Mazda 3 Turbo. Just a great all around daily! Plenty of torque, very comfortable, beautiful interior, fun to pitch around, etc. although unfortunately mine burnt oil since brand new (I've heard it was likely valve seals?). I ultimately sold it about 1.5 years ago when I decided I no longer wanted a car payment. 
 

-Tesla Model 3 Performance. Great car. I bought mine new for a lot less than I should have paid. Gave my wife car sickness, otherwise I would have likely kept it. 
 

-E82 128i 6MT w/sport package. This car just excels at everything! No, it's not a hardcore sports car, but it's absolutely a fun sporty car that you can take consistently without getting worn down. 
 

 

To be clear, the most fun cars I've owned over the years were generally 2 seat roadsters, but they weren't daily drivers. 

Well said, I'm on board with this

This is good information, thanks for sharing. I agree on the raw sports car comparison verse a good car that can do it all. I have also had a whole list of sports cars over the years and am trying to resist buying another one that I won't be able to drive for work because of the compromises. I have a garage full of classics I can drive when I want something fun, but this needs to be my grown up car. 

I really do want a Golf R, but am just too cheap to buy one. Still holding out to see if I can score that R32, but looking more and more like it is between the 128i and A5. In some ways they are the same, but in other ways they are two different takes on the German luxury/sports coupe concept, so will be interesting to drive them back to back tomorrow. The A5 is sort of the same drive train as a Golf R for cheap, and the 128i is more of a reboot of the original simple rear wheel drive, straight 6 BMW sport sedans like the E30, so I can't wait to see how they drive. Both are 6 speed manuals, which was one of my priorities.

@chandler just might end up with your car's convertible brother tomorrow depending on how it goes.

Ended up buying the 128i after driving it. Car is in excellent condition, has low miles and drives great with a good interior and exterior. Thanks for all the advice and opinions, especially the positive reviews of the 128i as I have heard way too many negative reviews on the 135i and the problematic N54. I did more research and the general consensus is that the 128i has an ideal engine with more than enough power. I took the car on the highway and back roads today back to my parents home about 100 miles round trip and I really like how it drives, handles and the seats are great.

Good call. I don't know what you paid, but the value of the 128i has been remarkably stable, so you shouldn't lose much to depreciation. Hope it serves you well.

And since we're posting photos, here's mine:

Great call. Like I said, we love ours!

Want a deal on some M-sport wheels for it?

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/parts-sale/fs-bmw-128i-m-sport-17-wheels/260840/page1/

Good choice. I've not driven the A5, but the A4 is nowhere near as fun as the 128i. 

Also, check out the series of articles written by this guy. He bought a 128i and has written a lot about it and the many things that can be done to and with them.

https://www.thedrive.com/guides-and-gear/my-bmw-128i-really-woke-up-with-an-aftermarket-intake-and-exhaust

02Pilot said:

Good call. I don't know what you paid, but the value of the 128i has been remarkably stable, so you shouldn't lose much to depreciation. Hope it serves you well.

And since we're posting photos, here's mine:

I paid 10K, which I think is a good deal for the car as it only has 73K miles, is a 6 speed manual and has a good maintenance history. I hate to lose big on a car, thus why I almost never buy a new one, but given that this has depreciated to 1/4 the original purchase price, I don't think I could do much better for 10K.  

I have a z4 M that I will be pushing down the road. I was waiting till spring to advertise it. It is in storage with my M5 for the winter. The M5 may also be on the block but if the whole driving from gas station to gas station thing is a problem it is not the car for you. Currently I managed to bring the M5's average MPG up to 12.1 from 11.8 over the last 1,000 miles.  But a v10 manual is just so much fun. 

dean1484 said:

I have a z4 M that I will be pushing down the road. I was waiting till spring to advertise it. It is in storage with my M5 for the winter. The M5 may also be on the block but if the whole driving from gas station to gas station thing is a problem it is not the car for you. Currently I managed to bring the M5's average MPG up to 12.1 from 11.8 over the last 1,000 miles.  But a v10 manual is just so much fun. 

I have a friend looking for an e60 M5. Please let me know if you decide to sell it. 

In reply to dyintorace :

Yeah, probably interested in your wheels, headed out for business this week but will PM you to discuss.

dyintorace said:

Great call. Like I said, we love ours!

Want a deal on some M-sport wheels for it?

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/parts-sale/fs-bmw-128i-m-sport-17-wheels/260840/page1/

Quick question on the wheels on these cars. My car has the 16 inch wheels with 205 tires all around. They look a little small for the car and I see that 17 inch wheels were optional and they went up to 18's on the 135i. Your 17 M Sport wheels would look great and I found an M Sport set of 18's style 261 for similar money. Any issues with moving up to the larger wheel/tire packages on a 128i? Suspension will likely need to be updated on my car, as I think it is on the original shocks.

We had the 17" wheels when we bought it. Then moved up to 18". No issues in doing so. Here it is with the new wheels. Note that it has coilovers.

You can see the Style 207 wheels in the photo of my car I posted earlier. I prefer 17s as a good combo for performance and comfort/wheel survival amid the pockmarked roads of NY. I run 16s in the winter. There's no issue with 16s unless you go to larger brakes.

Well after two weeks, definitely happy with my decision to go with the 128i. I am fixing a few cosmetic issues like the mis-matched  seats  but the car is great and fun to drive. I can see that at 73K miles, the suspension is a little floaty, so I'll fix that in the Spring with a suspension upgrade and probably put some summer rubber on, but the car does everything I need and is fun to drive. Engine is really smooth and surprisingly fast for being the base model. Top going down is an added bonus, especially last Friday when the temperature was 72 degrees in January!

This has been informative. Thanks. 

wspohn said:

I'll second (or third) the BMW Z4 and to get maximum performance and market durability, make it a Z4M if you can find and afford a good one.

I've owned dozens of cars but the Z4M coupe I have is probably the best 'out of the box' model I have owned - all the others needed to be 'optimized' to my standards of performance.

The Z4 coupe aesthetically checks all my boxes, but the M versions are like hens teeth, whereas the non-ms can be had surprisingly cheap (where I live, anyway). How does a standard 3.0i coupe perform out of the box? And how much would it take to address its deficiencies?