[Vervain]

I'm looking at getting either a 116i or 118i as my daily driver. I was initially set on an Audi A3 and then a Volvo V40 (I would have chosen the V40 until I found out that the V40 is only available with a mandatory sport package and leather seats added, which is ridiculous), but now I really like the F20. I'm trying to keep the mileage on my F30 down and will also be keeping this 1er for a long time (probably till the motorplan runs out).

Obviously the 118i is the superior choice of the two, but I'm always up for saving some money, as most people are. I wouldn't mind making the additional outlay if the 118i is going to be worth my while over the 116i.

So, to those of you who were in a similar situation, what did you end up choosing? To those who went with the 116i, do you regret not getting the 118i after the fact? Any comments on the 116i or 118i are welcome.



Thanks

[ovekvam]

I went with the 116i, but the price gap up to the 118i is very high in Norway. I don't really miss the extra power from the 118i, neither for daily driving nor track duty. I think the 116i feels pretty quick. I did however notice that the car felt sluggish at high Autobahn speeds. If you drive a lot at 160+ km/h, I would have gone for the 118i.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

I went with the 116i, but the price gap up to the 118i is very high in Norway. I don't really miss the extra power from the 118i, neither for daily driving nor track duty. I think the 116i feels pretty quick. I did however notice that the car felt sluggish at high Autobahn speeds. If you drive a lot at 160+ km/h, I would have gone for the 118i.

Thanks. The price difference here is small, so thankfully it's not much of an issue.
I definitely do not drive at those speeds, maybe once or twice before.

Do you have the auto or manual. What would you recommend? I've habitually taken a manual in the past, but now I'm at the point where it doesn't matter.

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

Thanks. The price difference here is small, so thankfully it's not much of an issue.
I definitely do not drive at those speeds, maybe once or twice before.

Do you have the auto or manual. What would you recommend? I've habitually taken a manual in the past, but now I'm at the point where it doesn't matter.

I have a manual. If you plan to drive a lot in stop-and-go-traffic, it is probably more comfortable with the automatic. It is not available in sport version with the paddles for the 116i, so I prefer to have full control with the clutch pedal.

[Avian]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

I'm looking at getting either a 116i or 118i as my daily driver. I was initially set on an Audi A3 and then a Volvo V40 (I would have chosen the V40 until I found out that the V40 is only available with a mandatory sport package and leather seats added, which is ridiculous), but now I really like the F20. I'm trying to keep the mileage on my F30 down and will also be keeping this 1er for a long time (probably till the motorplan runs out).

Obviously the 118i is the superior choice of the two, but I'm always up for saving some money, as most people are. I wouldn't mind making the additional outlay if the 118i is going to be worth my while over the 116i.

So, to those of you who were in a similar situation, what did you end up choosing? To those who went with the 116i, do you regret not getting the 118i after the fact? Any comments on the 116i or 118i are welcome.



Thanks

Howzit fellow South African,

I was to in your position in August but I felt as though I was more drawn to the 118i purely because I wanted a car that had a halfway type power output and options.

I could've got a 116i with every option possible to put on the car but I though that was just a pure waste of money.

The 118i even though I haven't taken delivery of it yet as it's still on the ship, I felt as though you really have a nice amount of power for our roads, the fuel consumption is better than some cars I've driven as we know the price of fuel here is ridiculous and I could select a really awesome amount of options.

It's really all up to you, but I chose the 118i. Oh and it's manual reason being I'm an enthusiast but maybe you might wanna go for the auto because of terrible traffic here.

Hope this helps at least a little.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

I have a manual. If you plan to drive a lot in stop-and-go-traffic, it is probably more comfortable with the automatic. It is not available in sport version with the paddles for the 116i, so I prefer to have full control with the clutch pedal.

Yeah traffic may be an issue, so I may go with the auto. Thanks for your help

Originally Posted by Avian

Howzit fellow South African,

I was to in your position in August but I felt as though I was more drawn to the 118i purely because I wanted a car that had a halfway type power output and options.

I could've got a 116i with every option possible to put on the car but I though that was just a pure waste of money.

The 118i even though I haven't taken delivery of it yet as it's still on the ship, I felt as though you really have a nice amount of power for our roads, the fuel consumption is better than some cars I've driven as we know the price of fuel here is ridiculous and I could select a really awesome amount of options.

It's really all up to you, but I chose the 118i. Oh and it's manual reason being I'm an enthusiast but maybe you might wanna go for the auto because of terrible traffic here.

Hope this helps at least a little.

Hi!

The difference between your purchase and mine is that for me, the car will be completely stock (116i or 118i). Maybe PDC added though, I will see. I don't really want to spend extra on options and would rather spec out my 'weekend' car. The F20 has generous spec in SA, so it won't be unbearable.

I actually haven't test-driven the 116i or 118i officially, although I have driven a friend's 116i auto down the road. It was a slow drive so I couldn't deduce much from the feeling or power of the car. But being a RWD BMW with a healthy dose of power and torque, it's understandable that the drive will be exceptional.


Btw, I will be looking at demos too, which is the sensible option in my case. It just depends on what is available.

I have seen the spec of your 118i and it is seriously impressive! I can trust that you will post pics as soon as you get it.

Thanks for your help.

[Avian]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

Yeah traffic may be an issue, so I may go with the auto. Thanks for your help



Hi!

The difference between your purchase and mine is that for me, the car will be completely stock (116i or 118i). Maybe PDC added though, I will see. I don't really want to spend extra on options and would rather spec out my 'weekend' car. The F20 has generous spec in SA, so it won't be unbearable.

I actually haven't test-driven the 116i or 118i officially, although I have driven a friend's 116i auto down the road. It was a slow drive so I couldn't deduce much from the feeling or power of the car. But being a RWD BMW with a healthy dose of power and torque, it's understandable that the drive will be exceptional.


Btw, I will be looking at demos too, which is the sensible option in my case. It just depends on what is available.

I have seen the spec of your 118i and it is seriously impressive! I can trust that you will post pics as soon as you get it.

Thanks for your help.

Ja, if you gonna just run around in it then don't spec it out to much.
Probably like you said a demo will probably be more cost effective, BMW always has a huge selection here so you'll probably snatch up a really good deal.

Yeah I have selected quite a few options on mine. I'll definitely post pictures as soon as I get it. I'll probably only collect from dealer end of November as I'm currently too busy and it's still on the ship. The ship should arrive around next week Wednesday in Durban and then shipped up to my dealer here in JHB.

Good luck with your purchase and once you get yours you must also post some pics

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by Avian

Ja, if you gonna just run around in it then don't spec it out to much.
Probably like you said a demo will probably be more cost effective, BMW always has a huge selection here so you'll probably snatch up a really good deal.

Yeah I have selected quite a few options on mine. I'll definitely post pictures as soon as I get it. I'll probably only collect from dealer end of November as I'm currently too busy and it's still on the ship. The ship should arrive around next week Wednesday in Durban and then shipped up to my dealer here in JHB.

Good luck with your purchase and once you get yours you must also post some pics

Yeah demo sounds like the better route hey..

It's really exciting to get a new car and the wait is worst part! It will also be worth it though. November can't come soon enough for you!

I will post pics, but it won't be anything as exciting as your spec. I think mine should be pretty unique since not many people here go easy with the options lol.

[Avian]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

Yeah demo sounds like the better route hey..

It's really exciting to get a new car and the wait is worst part! It will also be worth it though. November can't come soon enough for you!

I will post pics, but it won't be anything as exciting as your spec. I think mine should be pretty unique since not many people here go easy with the options lol.

HAHA Thanks man really appreciate it

[Fanis]

I was in the exact same situation 2 years ago. I wanted the 118i (I was sure the 116i would be too slow for me, since I had a Z4 2.5si) and in fact I placed my order for the 118i. The dealer's sales guy (who is a bit of a friend...as much of a friend a slaes guy can be!!) insisted that I should at least test drive a 116i, since it was not slugish at all. So I did...I test drove a 118i auto and then a 116i auto. The conclusion, for me, was that the 118i was not that much quicker...at least no up until 150-160 km/h. Thus, I cnaged my order for a 116i with more options!! (still cheaper than the 118i).

My logic was that I did not find the 118i justifying the extra 3.000 Euro and if I wanted more power, i could always add a tuning box later, with much less. Two years after, I have not tuned the car and I am perfectly happy with it, not regreting it even once.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by Fanis

I was in the exact same situation 2 years ago. I wanted the 118i (I was sure the 116i would be too slow for me, since I had a Z4 2.5si) and in fact I placed my order for the 118i. The dealer's sales guy (who is a bit of a friend...as much of a friend a slaes guy can be!!) insisted that I should at least test drive a 116i, since it was not slugish at all. So I did...I test drove a 118i auto and then a 116i auto. The conclusion, for me, was that the 118i was not that much quicker...at least no up until 150-160 km/h. Thus, I cnaged my order for a 116i with more options!! (still cheaper than the 118i).

My logic was that I did not find the 118i justifying the extra 3.000 Euro and if I wanted more power, i could always add a tuning box later, with much less. Two years after, I have not tuned the car and I am perfectly happy with it, not regreting it even once.

Wow thanks for the confidence there. I feel better about going in for the 116i now. I really think I'll go for it rather and save some money! Thanks

[logiclee]

The 116i with it's over boost feature has only 10nm of torque less than the 118i. So driving normally the two feel exactly the same to drive. The 118i only starts to feel stronger above 5000rpm and continues to pull past 6000rpm where the 116i starts to feel a bit breathless.

We didn't feel the 118i was worth the extra for the bit of extra power at the top end of the rev range.

Cheers
Lee

[ovekvam]

The 118i has slightly larger brakes as well.

[Bradbury]

A 120i (N20) would have been the perfect petrol engine for me. To bad they don't offer this alternative. The 220i will probably be great.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by logiclee

The 116i with it's over boost feature has only 10nm of torque less than the 118i. So driving normally the two feel exactly the same to drive. The 118i only starts to feel stronger above 5000rpm and continues to pull past 6000rpm where the 116i starts to feel a bit breathless.

We didn't feel the 118i was worth the extra for the bit of extra power at the top end of the rev range.

Cheers
Lee

So it gives you an extra 20 Nm on overboost (220 Nm to 240 Nm)? I didn't even know about the overboost function.

It's good to know that they feel similar in daily conditions. I'm going to be in slow city traffic most of the time, so it should be fine.

Thanks for your insight

Originally Posted by ovekvam

The 118i has slightly larger brakes as well.

Do you know if it has the same brakes as the 320i?

Originally Posted by Bradbury

A 120i (N20) would have been the perfect petrol engine for me. To bad they don't offer this alternative. The 220i will probably be great.

The 118i is pretty close to that engine power anyway. The 120d is a really good alternative though! The 118i is still faster than the 320i, so it's a great engine.

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

Do you know if it has the same brakes as the 320i?

Yes, the 300 mm front discs are also used on the F30 320i.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

Yes, the 300 mm front discs are also used on the F30 320i.

Is the difference highly discernible (between the 116i and 118i)?

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

Is the difference highly discernible (between the 116i and 118i)?

The difference is not all that big. The 118i brakes are bigger and heavier. That means they can take more heat before fading, but it also has more unsprung weight, hurting grip and comfort. My experience is that the 116i can be pushed fairly hard on a track before the brakes fade, so I wouldn't worry about it.

When it finally fades, and the pedal goes under a certain level, the car will give you a warning about high braking load, and ask you to drive moderately. It is very undramatic, and there is no way it will happen during normal driving.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

The difference is not all that big. The 118i brakes are bigger and heavier. That means they can take more heat before fading, but it also has more unsprung weight, hurting grip and comfort. My experience is that the 116i can be pushed fairly hard on a track before the brakes fade, so I wouldn't worry about it.

When it finally fades, and the pedal goes under a certain level, the car will give you a warning about high braking load, and ask you to drive moderately. It is very undramatic, and there is no way it will happen during normal driving.

Ah, okay. Although I would never drive the car to the point of excessive brake-wear and warning from the computer.
Thanks for the info. You're very knowledgeable!

[rpagianotto]

I've never driven the 116i, but what I can say about the 118i is that the car really shines after 4500rpm, it's like the engine really wakes up after that!

And although the 116i is heavily underrated in factory default spec, the 118i is just as much, or even more so! People here from the forum have gotten 139whp for the 116i (I think it was Ovekvam) where as I've gotten 177whp with mine, with over 290nm on the wheels, and there have been reports of 118i's with around 185whp.
I ran a 0-400m in 14,8 with my car, and I still think I can improve on it!

Anyway, I've driven my brother-in-law's A200 (rated 156hp, but I don't know what it runs on a dyno), and its performance should be similar to the 116i's. If that's the case, I'd say that the 116i has plenty of push for city driving, even though there is still a noticeable difference to my 118i.

What I'm trying to say is that both cars have more than sufficient performance, so it's really about your personal preference!

And for the 118i's brakes, they're incredible. I've driven my car on 2 trackdays already, driven the whole day, had to refuel twice on both days (to have an idea of how much I've driven), and there was absolutely no hint of fading. And the brake discs and pads still have a lot of life in them before a replacement is due!

I actually never expected the brakes to take such a beating without complaint!

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by rpagianotto

I've never driven the 116i, but what I can say about the 118i is that the car really shines after 4500rpm, it's like the engine really wakes up after that!

And although the 116i is heavily underrated in factory default spec, the 118i is just as much, or even more so! People here from the forum have gotten 139whp for the 116i (I think it was Ovekvam) where as I've gotten 177whp with mine, with over 290nm on the wheels, and there have been reports of 118i's with around 185whp.
I ran a 0-400m in 14,8 with my car, and I still think I can improve on it!

Anyway, I've driven my brother-in-law's A200 (rated 156hp, but I don't know what it runs on a dyno), and its performance should be similar to the 116i's. If that's the case, I'd say that the 116i has plenty of push for city driving, even though there is still a noticeable difference to my 118i.

What I'm trying to say is that both cars have more than sufficient performance, so it's really about your personal preference!

And for the 118i's brakes, they're incredible. I've driven my car on 2 trackdays already, driven the whole day, had to refuel twice on both days (to have an idea of how much I've driven), and there was absolutely no hint of fading. And the brake discs and pads still have a lot of life in them before a replacement is due!

I actually never expected the brakes to take such a beating without complaint!

Wow those are some impressive dyno's! I do believe that all BMWs are underrated, and it's a phenomenon that is readily being proved on this forum.

I think the 116i should be fine for city driving like you say, but man you're tempting me toward that 118i now lol. When it comes down to it, the 118i is a fair bit faster than the 116i, as evidenced by its 0-1000 time of 1.5 seconds more, which is a lot. But they both offer more than enough performance for any occasion hey.

The brakes on the 118i seem really impressive. I've got the same brakes on my F30 and they are indeed impressive. I've never tracked my car nor do I have the intention to do so, but it's nice to know that it will survive to see public roads after a beating!

You must have really been hammering that car to use two tanks of petrol :O

[ovekvam]

I have to say that the braking performance is what I am most impressed about in the 116i as well. I did finally manage to fade them after the front pads are getting close to worn out (23K km and many track weekends), but the stopping power is awesome. Not only in a straight line, but you can brake very hard into corners as well, clawing back lost ground against more powerful cars.