BMW 118i (F20)

[werfie]

Hi Guys,

I am considering a BMW 118i, the F20 model. It's a 2012.

I need some advice. I have driven diesel cars mostly, but the 118i has sufficient power, and I am happy with the performance, What I am worried about is fuel consumption. While I am aware that (generally) diesel cars are much more efficient than petrol cars, I need some real feedback on the consumption. As everyone knows, you can't really take what the book or the sales person say without a pinch of salt.

They recon 5.5l / 100km in the book, and the sales guy says 6.5 / 100km realistically. I currently get 5.7l / 100km on my car.

Any other opinions on this car? Still has motorplan (with no major history) and I will also extend the motorplan when the time comes.

Thoughts?

 

[Tsepz_GP]

A mate of mine has a 118, same year to, since new. Lovely car, it feels like it has more power than BMW are stating in the specs when compared to similarly powered cars.

He gets around 6l/100km, but he gets on the highway quite a bit.

I am also looking to get anything between a 118i to a 120d in the next year or so, demo, or anything less than 15000km.

Will be great to hear your thoughts when you get yours.

What do you currently drive?

 

[Masataka]

The 120d has a much more tried and tested engine, with an excellent balance between performance and consumption, so if it is an option, I'd head in that direction - the 118i is still a great car though.

 

[werfie]

A mate of mine has a 118, same year to, since new. Lovely car, it feels like it has more power than BMW are stating in the specs when compared to similarly powered cars.

He gets around 6l/100km, but he gets on the highway quite a bit.

I am also looking to get anything between a 118i to a 120d in the next year or so, demo, or anything less than 15000km.

Will be great to hear your thoughts when you get yours.

What do you currently drive?

That sound good. The key is that it has the turbo also and thats a nice boost. And its a 1600 so the juice use should theoretically be ok. I appreciate a real word example. Luckily my commute is also mostly highway with no traffic. About 70km per day.

I am a diesel fan, if finances permitted I would have gone for the 120d hands down. But the 118 is the first petrol I have driven that I liked and its in my budget.

 

[werfie]

A mate of mine has a 118, same year to, since new. Lovely car, it feels like it has more power than BMW are stating in the specs when compared to similarly powered cars.

He gets around 6l/100km, but he gets on the highway quite a bit.

I am also looking to get anything between a 118i to a 120d in the next year or so, demo, or anything less than 15000km.

Will be great to hear your thoughts when you get yours.

What do you currently drive?

I curently drive a Volvo S40 2.0D

 

[werfie]

The 120d has a much more tried and tested engine, with an excellent balance between performance and consumption, so if it is an option, I'd head in that direction - the 118i is still a great car though.

Would love to. But the budget is a bit tight. If I look at similarly priced 120ds they are older with high milage and out of motorplan.

 

[Masataka]

Would love to. But the budget is a bit tight. If I look at similarly priced 120ds they are older with high milage and out of motorplan.

Yea, they tend to hold value fairly well, and along with the slightly higher entry price, it can hurt.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

That sound good. The key is that it has the turbo also and thats a nice boost. And its a 1600 so the juice use should theoretically be ok. I appreciate a real word example. Luckily my commute is also mostly highway with no traffic. About 70km per day.

I am a diesel fan, if finances permitted I would have gone for the 120d hands down. But the 118 is the first petrol I have driven that I liked and its in my budget.

The 118 will be perfect for you. It's got enough power, and if you are getting a model that is well specced you won't regret it. The 120ds are quite pricey, they are in high demand it seems as that BMW Diesel engine has made quite a name for itself.

I have seen 120ds priced closer to the 125i. To get a great deal one has to look outside JHB.

 

[werfie]

Just bumping for a Monday morning, anyone else with thoughts on this?

 

[HapticSimian]

Having had the fortune of spending time with a wide variety of cars, I think that small petrol turbos are truly coming into their own. You get near diesel economy and tractability, without the clatter of a tractor engine. That said, unless you do a fair bit of constant speed driving, I think 7.5 - 9l/100km will be a more realistic ballpark on consumption; sub 7l/100km seems a bit optimistic. In my experience there's little to choose between modern petrols and diesels once you're on the highway, but diesels have an edge when it comes to consumption in town.

Balance the 118i's lower sticker price against a 120d's though, and you'd likely find that it'd take years to make up the difference. If you're happy with everything else about the 118i, go for it... using a litre per 100 km more fuel is unlikely to break the bank.

 

[werfie]

Having had the fortune of spending time with a wide variety of cars, I think that small petrol turbos are truly coming into their own. You get near diesel economy and tractability, without the clatter of a tractor engine. That said, unless you do a fair bit of constant speed driving, I think 7.5 - 9l/100km will be a more realistic ballpark on consumption; sub 7l/100km seems a bit optimistic. In my experience there's little to choose between modern petrols and diesels once you're on the highway, but diesels have an edge when it comes to consumption in town.

Balance the 118i's lower sticker price against a 120d's though, and you'd likely find that it'd take years to make up the difference. If you're happy with everything else about the 118i, go for it... using a litre per 100 km more fuel is unlikely to break the bank.

Thanks... sounds reasonable. Look, I am lucky, I travel 90kms a day to and fro work, of which about 90% is on the highway at speeds of 120-130. So I think I am ok there. I have done that sum with the price difference from the 118 to the 120d, and I can buy a lot of petrol for 40-50k. I spend about 1500 a month at the moment, so make it R2k, that gives me about two years worth of petrol to make up the price. Plus with the R50 more price tag, I still need to spend money on regular diesel use on top of that, so It is actually a no brainer I guess.

They claim 5.5 combined cycle in the book. So it sounds reasonable to add a bit, because no one can believe that book.

 

[HapticSimian]

...

They claim 5.5 combined cycle in the book. So it sounds reasonable to add a bit, because no one can believe that book.

You can read a bit about how the fuel consumption tests are conducted here. It's common knowledge that stated figures don't really translate to actual usage, but it does give you a measure to compare across brands and models as they're all tested under the same parameters.

Hopefully the NEDC's replacement will better reflect real-world usage.

 

[Gaz{M}]

I have a 118i automatic. The wife drives it mostly and get between 7 and 8L/100km over a tank in stop start traffic and backroads mostly with a bit of freeway driving now and then. It's a fantastic car, very sporty and enjoyable to drive and actually a bit too fast for most people's needs (I never use Sport mode as it is just too quick for city driving).

The only issue we have had with it in 3 years is twice it went in for a faulty water coolant bottle and connectors, all replaced under motorplan. But the car warned us of low coolant, so no breakdowns occurred. The service at BMW dealership was a bit crap, but they seemed very busy and did try hard.

 

[Y'all Qaeda]

Thanks... sounds reasonable. Look, I am lucky, I travel 90kms a day to and fro work, of which about 90% is on the highway at speeds of 120-130. So I think I am ok there. I have done that sum with the price difference from the 118 to the 120d, and I can buy a lot of petrol for 40-50k. I spend about 1500 a month at the moment, so make it R2k, that gives me about two years worth of petrol to make up the price. Plus with the R50 more price tag, I still need to spend money on regular diesel use on top of that, so It is actually a no brainer I guess.

They claim 5.5 combined cycle in the book. So it sounds reasonable to add a bit, because no one can believe that book.

Lucky isn't quite the word I'd use. Suppose this is between PTA and JHB?

 

[werfie]

I have a 118i automatic. The wife drives it mostly and get between 7 and 8L/100km over a tank in stop start traffic and backroads mostly with a bit of freeway driving now and then. It's a fantastic car, very sporty and enjoyable to drive and actually a bit too fast for most people's needs (I never use Sport mode as it is just too quick for city driving).

The only issue we have had with it in 3 years is twice it went in for a faulty water coolant bottle and connectors, all replaced under motorplan. But the car warned us of low coolant, so no breakdowns occurred. The service at BMW dealership was a bit crap, but they seemed very busy and did try hard.

Ah, great stuff, thanks. I am opting for the manual, so with normal driving and mostly highway it should be a bit better.

Thanks

 

[werfie]

Lucky isn't quite the word I'd use. Suppose this is between PTA and JHB?

Nope... from Pretoria North to Menlyn.

Oh hell no, I did Pretoria North to Sandton for 10 years. Done with that now. Eventually got a bike, went well until they stole they bike, so then I just got a job closer.

 

[phoenix99]

Nope... from Pretoria North to Menlyn.

Oh hell no, I did Pretoria North to Sandton for 10 years. Done with that now. Eventually got a bike, went well until they stole they bike, so then I just got a job closer.

Come to Cape Town. Less than 40km there and back the wife drives less than 20