Ultimate driving fools

Saab Ed

Its got no space, its very expensive and its front wheel drive, so their drivers think ! So why did they buy one except for the badge

http://www.worldcarfans.com/110032225250/80-percent-of-bmw-1-series-drivers-think-the-car-is-a-front-wheel

Anan1

Because they like it? Or does the average car owner have to provide a petrolhead justification for how they spend their own money now? ;-)

Saab Ed

Anan1 wrote: »

Because they like it? Or does the average car owner have to provide a petrolhead justification for how they spend their own money now? ;-)

Ah c'mon now. You know well what I mean

EPM

The average driver knows nothing. And it being the cheapest BMW a lot of people buy for the badge.

If I was to ask my sister about her car I know she wouldn't even know where the dipstick is - most people simply dont care as long as it moves. Might seem silly to us but this is a motoring forum in fairness and most here have a good interest in whats going on.

stealthyspeeder

You get the BMW imunity from having to use your indicators, plus now your not f*cked if it snows!

Anan1

I think the secret to BMWs success is threefold:

1. They do great advertising, so the average joe wants one because unbeknownst to him BMW have reprogrammed his brain to want one.

2. There is an undeniable feel-good factor to the architecture & drive which attracts those who know little about cars but like nice things

3. They make enough cars that drive very well to give them genuine credibility among petrolheads.

Looking at it from the outside, it's an impressively successful strategy.

peasant

Saab Ed wrote: »

Its got no space, its very expensive and its

ugly, you forgot ugly !

BrianD3

If the 135i coupe was a bit lighter and a bit better looking it would be a savage car. As is, it does 0-60 in about 5 secs and I think when it gets the single turbo engine, will scrape into the 630 euro tax band.

I did see some 3 series driver putting grit and sacks under the front wheels in the recent ice and snow

Anan1

peasant wrote: »

ugly, you forgot ugly !

It's funny the way taste varies, I think that's one of BMW's better designs in a long time. Then again, I liked the Mk1 FIAT Multipla too.;)

Cookie_Monster

Anan1 wrote: »

It's funny the way taste varies, I think that's one of BMW's better designs in a long time. Then again, I liked the Mk1 FIAT Multipla too.;)

so good Hyundai copied it :pac:

i30 anyone?

maddness

Saab Ed wrote: »

Its got no space, its very expensive and its front wheel drive, so there drivers think ! So why did they buy one except for the badge

http://www.worldcarfans.com/110032225250/80-percent-of-bmw-1-series-drivers-think-the-car-is-a-front-wheel

have you driven one?
Yes they are overpriced but the120d /123d or 135i are all great drives.
As for the looks I reckon the 1 series coupe is a much better looking car than the 3 coupe.

Cookie_Monster

maddness wrote: »

have you driven one?
Yes they are overpriced but the120d /123d or 135i are all great drives.
As for the looks I reckon the 1 series coupe is a much better looking car than the 3 coupe.

Have to disagree, the 1 looks a little too squashed to me

Class, I'm sure I posted a few months back saying that loads of Bimmer drivers wouldn't have a clue about rwd and fwd

alias no.9

peasant wrote: »

ugly, you forgot ugly !

I think they were wrong to force the Hoffmeister kink onto the hatch, it's just wrong, particularly with the line of the back window and rear lights, but I quite like the lines of the coupe and I am a long way from being a BMW fanboy.

EPM

peasant wrote: »

ugly, you forgot ugly !

I quite like them

mal1

I like the 135i coupe. I also know it's rear wheel drive. Can't afford it though.

Lord Nikon

Shame about the front end. Headlights are hedious, and, then that's about it.

peasant

I like the coupe too, but the hatch is just totally disproportionate and ..well ..ugly

PaddyFagan

In the words of my wife (who has a 3 series) "arseless-snout-mobile"

Paddy

peasant wrote: »

ugly, you forgot ugly !

daveharnett

Saab Ed wrote: »

Its got no space, its very expensive and its front wheel drive, so there drivers think ! So why did they buy one except for the badge

Badge.

Fair enough, people who aren't driving enthusiasts need cars too, and they're entitled to buy what they like. But for somebody who likes 'nice cars' but doesn't know (or care) about fwd vs rwd, I can't think of a single reason to recommend the 1 over an A3. They've bought the wrong car.

Anan1

daveharnett wrote: »

Badge.

Fair enough, people who aren't driving enthusiasts need cars too, and they're entitled to buy what they like. But for somebody who likes 'nice cars' but doesn't know the difference between fwd and rwd, I can't think of a single reason to recommend the 1 over an A3. They've bought the wrong car.

Unless they're weird like me and prefer how the 1 looks? You also tend to get better steering lock with RWD, which is handy for parking.

EPM

daveharnett wrote: »

Badge.

Fair enough, people who aren't driving enthusiasts need cars too, and they're entitled to buy what they like. But for somebody who likes 'nice cars' but doesn't know (or care) about fwd vs rwd, I can't think of a single reason to recommend the 1 over an A3. They've bought the wrong car.

And likewise the A3 over say...hmmm...an Octavia?:D

At least with the BMW it's not an badge engineered gap filler

Eric Cartman

i think bmw should just have stopped at the 3 series . the 1 series is just too small, and whatever their new one is will be worse , i dont know why the german brands are going downhill with this, in my opinion cars that should never have existed and their designers shot :

merc A & B series
BMW 1 series and to future proof it (any future designer who makes anything smaller than a 316 (or smaller than a 1.6 petrol in engine size)

daveharnett

Anan1 wrote: »

Unless they're weird like me and prefer how the 1 looks?

That's pretty wierd.

Anan1 wrote: »

You also tend to get better steering lock with RWD, which is handy for parking.

True, but a transverse engine (ie fwd) can make the car much less 'snouty' (:D), which is even handier. That would rule out BMW's beloved straight sixes though.

daveharnett

EPM wrote: »

And likewise the A3 over say...hmmm...an Octavia?:D

The A3 is better looking than an Ocho, and has a much nicer interior. Important factors for a lot of the demographic we're talking about.

daveharnett

Eric Cartman wrote: »

i think bmw should just have stopped at the 3 series . the 1 series is just too small, and whatever their new one is will be worse , i dont know why the german brands are going downhill with this, in my opinion cars that should never have existed and their designers shot :

merc A & B series
BMW 1 series and to future proof it (any future designer who makes anything smaller than a 316 (or smaller than a 1.6 petrol in engine size)

Sure, 'lesser' models dilute the brand, but they comprise the bulk of manufacturer's sales too. If BMW were only concerned with making the 'ultimate yadda yadda' they would sell nothing but Ms, and they would be broke.

The way I see it, all the 'lesser' cars sold are funding the development of future dream cars.

Zubeneschamali

daveharnett wrote: »

I can't think of a single reason to recommend the 1 over an A3.

The new Mini is a bigger success than the new Beetle because underneath the style, it's more fun to drive. Even people who know nothing about cars can feel it.

While some people may buy a 1 series over an A3 because of the badge, I think many people can feel the difference in driving them, even if they aren't well up on cars and can't describe the difference.

Saab Ed

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

The new Mini is a bigger success than the new Beetle because underneath the style, it's more fun to drive. Even people who know nothing about cars can feel it.

While some people may buy a 1 series over an A3 because of the badge, I think many people can feel the difference in driving them, even if they aren't well up on cars and can't describe the difference.

This maybe true of the faster versions but a 116i makes it on to my Top 37 worst cars of all time to drive list. They really are awful yokes.

TomMc

Given how many females buy coupes, I can't see the 1-Series coupe been anything but a success. It bridges the gap between something more mass-market and the 3-series.

C Eng

The only reason a person would buy a 1 series is so that they can show off their car key fob, like a womans hand bag fashion accessory

neilthefunkeone

Ha ha ha.. talk about badge monkeys in here.. if it aint a skoda it's sh*t!!

Ah discussions are funny!!

Lord Nikon

I would rather an A3 Sportback.

cadaliac

daveharnett wrote: »

Sure, 'lesser' models dilute the brand, but they comprise the bulk of manufacturer's sales too. If BMW were only concerned with making the 'ultimate yadda yadda' they would sell nothing but Ms, and they would be broke.

The way I see it, all the 'lesser' cars sold are funding the development of future dream cars.

+1
Agreed - look at Porsche and the jeep yoke they brought out. Rotten, but sold to all the badge snobs and paid off for Prosche big style. So much so they were able to develop beauties like the Cayman S and Boxter S.
Well, it made Porsche very rich and they developed other cars is my point.

RobAMerc

Anan1 wrote: »

I think the secret to BMWs success is threefold:

1. They do great advertising, so the average joe wants one because unbeknownst to him BMW have reprogrammed his brain to want one.

2. There is an undeniable feel-good factor to the architecture & drive which attracts those who know little about cars but like nice things

3. They make enough cars that drive very well to give them genuine credibility among petrolheads.

Looking at it from the outside, it's an impressively successful strategy.

This is a bit harsh imo - As a married man with chizzlers tell me what other car I could have bought that would satisfy the following.

Good to drive down a backroad.
Reasonably quick for what it is. ( considering its a 2.0 diesel )
Room for the kids and stuff
Great fuel economy
Feel good factor ( as its nicely finished not because its a beemer )
Looks great imo and makes me feel like I'm not an over the hill family man ( subjective I know )

The only other car I drove which came close is the Skoda VRs - but I couldn't bring myself to buy it because of the horrific residuals.

A4 avant - no where near as good a drive, no better ride, slower.
C Class Merc - not a chance - maybe the newwer model if I could get a nice spec, which I couldn't
Mondeo - bloody slow - but an engaging drive
Insignia - would never and probably will never buy GM.

I have to admit - this is my third 3 series - I used to hate 3 series and every pr*ck who drive them and yet when I wanted a vert - no car drove and felt like a 3 series vert.
When I wanted a saloon - fair enough I could have picked something else but again the 3 series ticked all the boxes.
Now I need an estate - again, I could find nothing that matches it.

Face it guys - with BMW, alot of it is the badge, but be fair alot of folks who buy them actually know what they are at and choose one because some models just are better than their competition.

Sitec

Is there an M1 coupe in the pipeline? not the old one i mean a new one based on this car.

TestTransmission

neilthefunkeone wrote: »

if it aint a skoda it's sh*t!!

Never a truer word spoken

Saab Ed

RobAMerc wrote: »

Face it guys - with BMW, alot of it is the badge, but be fair alot of folks who buy them actually know what they are at and choose one because some models just are better than their competition.

+1 ....but not a 1 series, they're just sh!te.

Anan1

RobAMerc wrote: »

This is a bit harsh imo - As a married man with chizzlers tell me what other car I could have bought that would satisfy the following.

...


Face it guys - with BMW, alot of it is the badge, but be fair alot of folks who buy them actually know what they are at and choose one because some models just are better than their competition.

If you read my post again I think you'll find that we're in agreement about the actual cars.;)

VolvoMan

I actually think the 1 Series is the best of a bad lot in BMW styling terms over the past few years. It looks quite well proportioned and has a nice upright strance from the front I feel.

I have no problem with people who buy a 1 Series if they know what they're about, such as the RWD and their perfect balance/weight distribution. What boils my blood though are those ignorant bimbo blondes who pay 30k for a 116i without air conditioning for the more obvious reason of it being a BMW. The same goes for the Audi A3 and the rest of those premium hatches.

Anan1

Saab Ed wrote: »

+1 ....but not a 1 series, they're just sh!te.

A basic 116i is indeed sh1te, but so IMO is a 4cyl E92 with nothing but an MPack and leather. Drop a decent straight 6 petrol and the necessary options into a 1 series hatch and things start to take shape.

Lord Nikon

I may drive a 10 year old 5 Series, but honestly, I wouldn't drive anything else. Sure I like the look of the Audis, and would choose one over styling before a BM. But when you drive one, you might know what i mean.

5 Series is a man car, inside and out. No bull****.

Myrddin

Saab Ed wrote: »

Its got no space, its very expensive and its front wheel drive

Wow, I thought you were describing a Saab there...until the picture loaded. If this kinda thing bothers you man, you should go for a spin more often

RedorDead

RobAMerc wrote: »

and yet when I wanted a vert - no car drove and felt like a 3 series vert.

Do people actually talk like this???

Lord Nikon

RedorDead wrote: »

Do people actually talk like this???

American skateboarders...

peasant

RobAMerc wrote: »

Face it guys - with BMW, alot of it is the badge, but be fair alot of folks who buy them actually know what they are at

except for 80% of the 1-series buyers

RobAMerc

Anan1 wrote: »

If you read my post again I think you'll find that we're in agreement about the actual cars.;)

oops - damn work leaves me little time for the web these days

RobAMerc

RedorDead wrote: »

Do people actually talk like this???

I just did didn't I ? thanks for your input - insightful

SomeDude

daveharnett wrote: »

The way I see it, all the 'lesser' cars sold are funding the development of future dream cars.

That's an admirable view to have of the world. I see it the other way round. It's the 'dream' cars that help fuel the sale of the lesser models. Cars like the R8 make the brand more desirable and then more people flock to buy an "entry level" A3 and A4 etc.... The objective of these companies is to maximize revenue!

dudara

There's really something quite stylish about the hatchback/coupe 1-series. I quite like the low-slung lines and shortened back. It's got a nice look and is pretty unique out there in the market.

RedorDead

RedorDead wrote: »

Do people actually talk like this???

wtf is a vert ?

mumblin deaf ro

Car makers have to lower their average CO2 emissions across their range, so the likes of the 1 series is here to stay. Saab are thinking of going the same direction with a 9-1, with some rumours of a collaboration with BMW (although i can't see that happening as it would cannibalise the market for the Mini).