German Car Zone

I asked him about it, and he said that every modern BMW engine is tested for 20 hours after construction (and the has their oil changed) so it's basically broken in already. I trust this guy. We knew Mr. Meindl from years ago when he worked at the Mercedes dealership!

I am planning on doing just those kinds of pictures! Patience!

DRIVING UPDATE!!!


Took the 118i on a drive with my sister! We left our home at around 2 PM and came back at 6:45 PM! It was fun!

Our route was basically composed of country roads where the little 118i demonstrated it's superb handling. This little car loves corners and takes them with ease. The steering and suspension feel inspire driver confidence and the body roll in tight corners is virtually non-existant.

I also drove the car on the Autobahn and it was fun for the most part. The high speed handling is very nice and I managed to bring her up to 190 km/h. The acceleration at higher speeds I am sorry to say is terrible. Past 160 km/h, the car feels gutless and out of breath and the acceleration is really really slow. I am not complaining however, this is a 118i after all - mated to an automatic transmission as well! Speaking of the automatic, wonderful. I still wish this car had a manual but the automatic responds nicely to input, shifts in the background and generally appears confidant.

The seats are quite hard and after about an hour of driving, my back hurt a bit. I think the back support of the seats isn't that good. I had to stop and walk around a bit to get the blood flowing again, stretch etc. Comfort is ok, but on rough roads, the sporty suspension let's you feel the bumpy road surfaces.

I'll be in Bruchsal for a week. Will try to be online but can't promise anything!

The engine is brand new...and tight. You should not push it that much until you run-it-in properly. Take is easy for the first 2000 or 3000 km or so...and then the engine will perform a little better and it will consume less.

Enjoy your new car guys!!!

Good. It's been a few years since I had to take that class, so I was stretching and Babel Fishing

UPDATE!

Ok, so we left our place at 9:00 AM and arrived in Bruchsal at 2:45 PM. A lot of construction work and speed limits, but where there was no speed limits, I drove the 118i all the way up to 210 km/h. The car could go faster, but the situations didn't allow it.

Either way it's handling is just top notch. The highspeed handling is superb. The engine has a nice growl to it at higher speeds. It's not like a 4-cylinder whine, but just a nice growling purr. Very relaxing - for me at least.

Again, the seat comfort isn't very good for long distances. I had a pillow underneath my back, which helped, but we still had to stop twice so I could stretch my legs and my back. For comparison purposes, the seats in our Mercedes E320 are softer and very comfortable. I never experience back pains when I drive that car over long distances. Either way, a small pillow underneath your back really helps.

The computer gave the fuel consumption as 6.9 l / 100 km, which isn't bad considering I hammered it a lot. We left with a full tank and arrived in Bruchsal with a 1/2 full tank. Not bad really considering we travelled over 400 km!!!! I am loving the car and it's a lot of fun to drive, especially on windy country roads. The 118i drives nicely on the Autobahn but it doesn't really feel like its natural habitat.

More updates to follow. On Tuesday, I will be visiting the Mercedes-Benz Museum again!

That's because you're one fat, tall mofo! Hehe!
E vs 1er in terms of comfort? Grrrr.... You can do better than that...

j/k

I know what you're talking about. Many people that i know that own 1er said just as you. Long distances - a-a, not comfortable.

I have the body of a supermodel! Thin as hell!


Dude, I know these don't compare, but I was still making a comparison!


Yep, the 1er doesn't strike me as the kind of car you hop into for long journeys. It excels on short to medium country road trips on windy roads that demand top handling. I love it.

Yeah, i know you're Adriana Lima look-a-like...

It's like you compared Golf I vs. RR Phantom in terms of comfort...

That's what it's made for and that's what it makes him a real BMW, just a little bit smaller.

Adriana Lima? She's ugly though!