BMW 1 Series 2006 Problems

The 3-Series was once the model that opened the bidding for the BMW brand. It was the model you bought if you sought the prestige that comes from driving a well-respected European brand on a budget, but as the 3-Series grew in size, equipment and refinement it became more aspirational and less affordable.NEWBMW thus needed a new entry-level model below the 3-Series and that was the 1-Series the company unveiled in 2004. It was still a prestige model that fitted into the small car class at the top end, but it was a more affordable model for those for whom the 3-Series was now out of reach.Within the 1-Series range was a host of models, from economical hatches and frugal diesels to sexy convertibles and sporty coupes. There was a range of four-cylinder engines ranging from a modest 1.6-litre to a free revving 2.0-litre that was the pick of the bunch for most people.For more zip you could opt for a six-cylinder engine and BMW offered two: a 3.0-litre and a more powerful twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre for those who wanted the ultimate in performance. On top of that there was the choice of a couple of diesels for those who wanted to stretch the interval between visits to the service station and who appreciated the strong mid-range performance a diesel offers.Like all BMWs the 1-Series chassis was well balanced, sure-footed and agile on the road, and being rear-wheel drive it had an engagement others struggled to match. The ride was firm, accentuated in some models by the use of run-flat tyres. The appeal of the 1-Series is that it looks like a BMW from all angles, and one of the good things about the brand if you value badge prestige is that their cars are always readily identified as being BMWs.The 1-Series shape is attractive, the lines well developed and there's the familiar kidney shaped grille. It all spells BMW. The cabin was a bit of a squeeze, particularly in the rear and the boot wasn't the biggest going around. But all models were well equipped, as you would expect for a premium model.NOWThe 1-Series is a solid all round performer with good build quality, but that doesn't mean a trouble-free run is guaranteed. BMWs do breakdown, like any car, but when they do you can expect to pay more for the repairs and the parts, particularly when you have the work done by a factory BMW dealer.It's strongly recommended that you have your BMW serviced by an independent mechanic who knows the brand intimately and has a source of more affordable parts. Smart mechanics are now buying parts overseas at prices we can only dream of here, and they're genuine factory parts.Servicing is vital for your car's good health; regular oil changes keep the engine ticking over sweetly. Failing to change the oil will eventually lead to a major rebuild after the oil galleries have become clogged with sludge and no longer allow the oil to get to the parts of the engine it's needed. Check the service record carefully to make sure all has been done according to the book, even when someone other than a BMW dealer has done it.Over time the plastic fittings BMW uses in the engine bay become brittle and break up. Once one goes they might as well all be replaced because they will all go and it's cheaper to do them all at the same time than do them one at a time as they fail. Look for oil leaks, listen and feel for sloppy suspension bushes, and expect faster brake wear, pads and discs, than on other cars.Some owners of cars fitted with run-fat tyres were so appalled at the ride that they swapped the rubber for regular tyres. The cars with run-flats never had spares in the boot, just a repair kit, so if your car was originally fitted with run-flats and now has conventional tyres check for a spare.BMW recalled the 1-Series to fix an electrical connection with a battery cable that could affect the operation of the door locks and prevent the car from starting. In extreme cases the engine may stall and lose power steering.SMITHY SAYSHas the badge, but hard ride, modest performance and tight cabin make it a compromise.BMW 1-Series 2004-2010Price new: $34,900-$62,000Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder, 85 kW/150 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder, 95 kW/180 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cyinder, 110 kW/200 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 105 kW/300 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 115 kW/330 Nm; 3.0-litre 6-cylinder, 160 kW/270 Nm; 3.0-litre 6-cylinder, 195 kW/315 Nm; 3.0-litre 6-cylinder turbo, 225 kW/400 Nm.Transmission: 6-speed auto, 6-speed manual, RWDEconomy: 7.3 L/100 km (1.8), 7.9 L/100 km (2.0), 9.2 L/100 km (3.0), 6.6 L/100 km (2.0TD), 8.7 L/100 km (3.0), 9.6 L/100 km (3.0TT)Body: 5-door hatch, 2-door coupe, 2-door convertibleSafety: 5-star ANCAP 

The 1 Series gave aspiring owners a propeller badge but costs mount with the miles. New The blue-and-white spinner emblem of BMW has been one of the more desired badges on the Australian motoring landscape. With so many aspiring to own a BMW, the company expanded its model range so more could join the club. The 3

The smallest vehicle in the BMW car range, the 1 Series uses sporty engines driving the rear wheels. Like everything else produced by the German auto maker it's aimed at those who enjoy driving, rather than people who treat it as a chore. However rear-drive inevitably steals cabin and boot space, something that's more

Graham Smith reviews the first-generation BMW 1 Series as a used buy.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the first and second generation BMW 1 Series coupe and hatch from 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 as a used buy.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used 2004-2014 BMW 1 Series.

Even in its smallest model, the 1 Series, BMW has stuck to its guns in providing pure driving pleasure. Witness the use of rear-wheel drive to provide the sort of chassis balance that keen drivers just love.The downside of RWD is that there isn’t a lot of room inside a BMW 1 Series because of the long engine bay needed to house straight-six engines, space for a driveshaft under the floor, and a differential under the back floor.  Having said that, the cabin has good legroom in the front seats, though some may find foot-width is restricted.There's not a lot of passenger space in the back unless the front occupants are willing and able to give up a fair bit of their legroom. By the way, BMW does sell a front-wheel-drive car – it’s called the Mini. However, it’s not exactly spacious in the back seat either.When launched in Australia in October 2004, BMW 1 Series came only as a five-door hatch. A smart two-door coupe and a pretty little soft-top convertible were added to the range in May 2008. BMW 1 Series’ styling in hatchback format gives it a tail end treatment that's almost wagon like. So while the boot is relatively shallow due to the aforementioned differential being under it, there reasonable overall volume.Most of these small BMWs are powered by a four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine.The coupe and convertible aren’t as useful in their luggage spaces as the five-door hatch, but that’s hardly unusual in the sporty market. As always, try for yourself to see how the brilliant baby Bimmer meets your individual needs in people / luggage carrying.BMW 1 Series comes with a staggering choice of powerplants. In petrol format, these range from 1.6-litre and four cylinders all the way to 3.0 litres with six cylinders. Some of the sixes have twin turbochargers, others don’t have a blower at all. The twin-turbo engine is a superb unit and takes the 300 horsepower, 224 kilowatt BMW 135i to close to the famed BMW M3 in its performance.The 1 Series M Coupe, with even more power from its twin-turbo six than the standard turbo-petrol models, provides excellent performance and many are saying it could have been called the M1 to join the M3 and M5 in the high-performance lineup. However, the M1 tag was used on a BMW supercar model in the late 1970s and the company chose not to use it for the new hot coupe.Most of these small BMWs are powered by a four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine. Even the so-called 118i has a 2.0-litre capacity, though others actually do displace 2.0 litres. To further add to the confusion, the 125i engine actually has a displacement of 3.0 litres (it's the six-cylinder unit without turbochargers).Transmission choices are generally six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.An impressive 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine became part of the lineup, in BMW 120d format, from May 2006. The grunt of the modern BMW diesels is great, but they miss out on the virtually instantaneous throttle response provided by non-turbo powerplants so many drivers aren’t keen on them.Improbably as it would have seemed a decade back, the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel is even used in BMW 1 Series coupes and convertibles. It is tuned for greater power, so has the title of 123d, rather than 120d. Transmission choices are generally six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. Some of the smaller-engined, lower cost models were sold with a five-speed manual in their early days.BMW manual gearboxes are a joy to use, with slick changes through the well-chosen ratios. This is another benefit of the use or rear-wheel drive as the gearbox is close to the lever, not way out near one of the front wheels as in a front-drive car. Unless you do a lot of hard commuting we suggest the pleasure of the manual should be yours.BMW is long established in Australia and there are dealers in all metropolitan areas, as well as in major country centres. However, if you do travel into semi-remote areas you may have trouble finding either a dealer or a mechanic experienced on the marque.Ideally a BMW should be serviced and repaired by an authorised dealer as these are complex cars with a lot of electronic components. The car can be connected to a computer to assist in fault diagnosis. There are some mechanics with formal BMW training and who now operate as independent specialists. They generally have a high reputation.A 1 Series with a written service record stretching back to day one will generally fetch a higher price on the used market. Smart buyers of second-hand models will keep up this record ad infinitum. Insurance charges are high for a small car – but not too bad when you consider the complexity and quality of the BMW's body and the fact that you're buying an image machine, not simply a car.WHAT TO LOOK FORCheck the back seat and boot trim in case some large items (such as people!) have been squeezed into a space that wasn’t adequate for them. Many 1 Series live in suburban areas so could have had the odd bump or scratch. Look for signs of crash repairs such as mismatched paint, paint overspray and ripples in the panels.A magnet will tell you if the material under the repaired area is metal – or plastic filler that has been inserted to try and fool the innocent. Engine repairs can be expensive so make sure they start within moments of turning the key. Preferably arrange to do this with the engine stone cold after an overnight stop.During your test drive feel for any hesitation under acceleration and look for oily smoke from the exhaust when the engine is worked hard. Make sure manual gearchanges are quiet and ultra-smooth. Fast changes from third to second gears are usually the first to show problems.CAR BUYING TIPCars designed to be driven hard and fast seldom are. Don’t we live in a strange world? So if you do come across one that’s been driven the way its makers intended it may be best to look elsewhere.

It was only a matter of time before BMW introduced a new small car below its long serving and super successful 3-Series. The 3-Series was no longer the same relatively cheap and cheerful entry model that it was way back when it first hit the road, and as BMW's top selling model it made a huge contribution to the bottom line.When, over time the 3 Series grew larger and better equipped and consequently less affordable for those wanting to buy into the brand it left a gaping hole at the lower end of BMW's model range, one that just had to be filled by a smaller car like the 1 Series that arrived here in 2004.MODEL WATCHWhen it became known that BMW was going to introduce a new small car it was feared it would be a makeover of the Mini, but the German carmaker stuck true to its roots and the new 1 Series was rear-wheel drive. It also stuck to its own out-there styling path with sharply carved lines and chunky curves rather than follow the Mini's more loveable shape.The result was that the 1 Series polarized opinion, some thought it looked great, others awful. Opinion at the time of its launch tended towards the latter, but that's the same with most cars the Bavarian carmaker has launched in the last few years.BMW's approach with the 1 Series was similar to that it had to the 3 Series before it. With relatively affordable pricing the new small car provided a new entry point for those aspiring to own a Beemer, but it wasn't a cheap and cheerful car. It was well built, came packed with features and buyers had plenty of options to choose from.Later there would be six-cylinder engines, a diesel, coupes and convertibles, but at the launch the range opened with the 118i and the 120i four-cylinder five-door hatches.The engine in both was a double overhead camshaft 2.0-litre unit, in the case of the 118i it put out 95 kW at 5500 revs and 200 Nm at 3600 revs, but in the 120i it put out 110kW at 6200 revs and 175 Nm at 3750 revs. Anyone looking for a spirited drive would have found the 118i wanting, but would have been delighted with the 120i, which was a much more fun drive.The transmission choices were a six-speed auto and five-speed manual in the 118i, and six-speed auto and six-speed manual in the 120i. Fully independent suspension front and rear helped make the 'One' a sporty drive, and with anti-lock braking, traction and stability control it was also a safe one. The ride was firm thanks to the suspension settings and the run-flat tyres it used.Inside, the 1 Series wasn't particularly roomy, but it did have enough room for a couple of adults in the front and space for kids in the rear. Both models boasted a heap of features from air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking and CD sound. On top of that the 120i had cruise control.IN THE SHOPCarsguide readers have had little to report on the 1 Series suggesting they're enjoying a happy time with their little BMWs. While that suggests the 1 series doesn't have any serious problems, it would be wrong to suggest BMWs don't break down. Servicing and repairs can be expensive if you use factory dealers, but there are lots of experienced BMW specialists around who can maintain and fix cars at more affordable rates. Check for crash damage and service records to ensure cars have been looked after and well maintained. Expect tyres and brakes to wear faster than on some other makes.IN A CRASHWith an impressive arsenal of electronics, including anti-skid brakes, traction control and stability control the 1 Series had a solid underlying active safety package. There was also an impressive package of airbags to provide protection in a crunch, including dual front airbags, combined with head airbags and side front airbags.AT THE PUMPRoad testers of the time of the launch reported average economy figures of around 8.4 L/100 km on the 120i. BMW claimed an average of 7.8 L/100 km for the 118i and 7.9 L/100 km for the 120i.OWNER SAYSIan Robinson bought his 125i convertible after previously owning two other BMWs. He says it looks good and drives well, and to date there have been no mechanical trouble apart from a hole in the convertible roof, which was replaced under warranty after much argument with his dealer, but he says the leather interior seems to be of an inferior quality than the other BMWs he's owned. His main complaint is about the dealers he's used who in general, he says, haven't delivered good after-sales service and have been reluctant to fix problems under warranty.LOOK FORChunky looksCozy interiorRear-wheel driveEconomical foursResponsive chassisBMW badge cred.THE BOTTOM LINE: Great driving hatch with typical BMW rear-drive dynamics, but with firm ride and tight cabin.