Used 2012 BMW 1 Series Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2012 1 Series, so we've included reviews for other years of the 1 Series since its last redesign.
Love IT
ososdeoro, 03/16/2011
2011 BMW 1 Series 128i 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
It's great that the "starter" car is truly a BMW, not just a chintzed out shell of the more expensive versions. Leased a 128i and the engine and steering are exquisite. And while the Edmunds review suggests that one needs the sports seats for comfort, the regular ones with leather are much, much more comfortable than the ones on my previous car, an Audi A3 with the sports pkg. Three years ago BMW navigation had a poor reputation, but the one on this car is great - just as good as Audi's. Standard stereo is fine. Cabin noise is nice and low, with the exception of the supersonic window defroster.
First BMW
RoyalFlush, 08/20/2010
2011 BMW 1 Series 128i 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
After so much waiting and trying to trade in my previous car, I have to say that I am completely happy with this 2011 128i. It is my first BMW, and this car is just great. I love how it drives, and I love the noise of the engine. I love all the little extras it has. I would recommend this car to anyone who doesn't really care about owning a coupe. A lot of people complain that it's a coupe and that you have to help the people in the back get inside, but after all it is a coupe!! and that's why I got it. Its something different, and Its a really unique car. It's fast, and it accelerates quick and you won't regret owning one.
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This is my 2nd 128i convertible
OM76RPH, 10/17/2010
2011 BMW 1 Series 128i 2dr Convertible (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
There is no other vehicle with this combination of fun and convenience. I previously had two Z4's and loved them but this car provides the fun with a back seat and room for two sets of golf clubs in the trunk with the top down. For the money there is no rival. A comparable Audi is $10,000 more and you still cannot get a 6 cylinder. One negative is the satellite radio. There is a software problem that causes problems with acquiring stations. Two years and still not fixed. Shame on you BMW.
Great Car for the Driving Enthusiast!
GUNDY70, 11/02/2010
2011 BMW 1 Series 128i 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I test drove the 128i coupe about a month and a half ago and I loved it from the moment I took my place behind the wheel and could not resist the temptation that I ordered one, which arrived 3 days ago. Essentially, this vehicle is a 328i with less weight, 50/50 balance, and a new frame. From a driver's perspective the car is amazing - responsive steering, grippy brakes and handling, and a luxurious. I have the M sports package which gives it better handling and acceleration. Truly UDMachine!
Fun, nothing special, N51 SULEV is poorly built
Fabien, 09/27/2019
2011 BMW 1 Series 128i 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
The bad: Parts in this car can fail much earlier than expected. I picked up this car with 36k miles on it. After 17k miles of highway driving in 9 months, I've had 2 brake calipers fail, and 3 ignition coils go bad, causing cylinder misfires. These are not cheap things to fix, and I would understand these things failing prematurely if this was a high performance car like an M3. But this is a 128i, whose performance is neck-to-neck with a v6 camry/accord. Engine performance is nothing special compared to other 6 cylinder engines. V6 Accord/Camrys are as fast. I would normally put this in the neutral category, but you add this on top of how engine components fail early in this car, and it shows how poorly made the engine is. The manual transmission in this car is boring. The shifter feels like a rubbery toy and is not satisfying to move. The car comes with a clutch delay valve, which, as the term might imply, delays the activation of the clutch. This makes gear shifting slower and more awkward. The gearing is very tall, so even though this engine has more available torque compared to your Subaru Brz/Honda Civic Si 4 cylinders, it actually feels slower at lower RPMs which makes acceleration around town very unsatisfying. Neutral: This car was designed to be a comfy autobahn cruiser. So the suspension may be just right, or way too soft for you, even with the sport package. If you want go-karty fun, you will absolutely need an aftermarket suspension. This is the cheapest car BMW released to America at the time and it shows. There's no temperature gauge. There's no volume indication. The rear windows don't open like the 3 series coupe. There's no lighting in the backseat. I get rattles in the dashboard sometimes. Good: Noise insulation. Runs on 87. I have the base seats and while they're not "comfortable" per se, my body has never complained about sitting in them even on 4 hour drives. SULEV models have a 10yr/150k mile warranty on important emission and engine components. The engine makes a fulfilling sound with the right mix of bass and higher harmonics to fill up space and get you excited. The clutch delay valve is a cheap fix, you can get a valve that doesn't delay for like $20 and get it installed in 5 minutes. Conclusion: Funny story - I used to have a 2004 330ci, I sold it because I was in a phase of trying out different cars. I really missed the inline-6 manual-transmission platform, so I got the 128i because I did some research and found that it doesn't have the cooling system issues that generation of the 3 series has, so I was expecting less maintenance. Nope, looks like more of the basic components in the 128i are more cheaply built so you're gonna be paying at least as much for maintenance, while getting a cheapened version of the BMW experience. Get a 3 series instead.