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      04-05-2012, 03:22 AM   #1
manteroo
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Drives: 2012 BMW F20 118i Auto
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Cape Town

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BMW 118i F20 - 2500km

Hi

My car..............

I recently took delivery of a new F20 118i. The extras I added as follows....

Auto
Cruise Control
17 inch Turbine Rims
Sunroof
Leather Seats
BMW Prof Radio with i-Drive
Multi-function Steering
Midnight BLue Metallic

Here are comments after 2500km.............

Exterior - you have to see the car in the flesh to appreciate the lines and styling. It is very beautiful and grows on you as each day passes. The colour is really nice and probably the best to show lines of the car.

Interior - sitting in the drivers seat immediately shows the difference between my previous car (BMW 323i E90) and this one. This car is moulded around the driver and not as bland as the E90. All controls are easy to reach and the display panels clear and visible. I found that lowering the steering a notch allows for viewing all displays in front of you.

The seats and very comfortable and the leg room is sufficient. The rear seats are comfortable but leg room slightly limited. This is a hatchback and so you cannot expect much here. The boot space is much better than expected and I have no issues there.

I have never had a sunroof before and this is a really nice extra if you can afford it.

Function and drive - The first thing you notice when starting is that this is not a straight six. The engine growls a bit and idle can be felt. My 323i was dead silent on idle. I find Comfort mode a good enough ride for day to day commute but at times the 8 speed auto box does get a bit lazy. It seems to want to hold gears rather than change down. This is to save fuel I expect. If you press a bit harder on the right pedal she does gear down but needs this encouragement. I find using the "DS" resolves this almost completely.

Using Eco-Pro is for fuel saving end of story. No fun and the car simply ignores attempts to be aggressive. I managed a 4.4l / 100km in this mode over 40 km.

Sport Mode is where the fun starts. The 118i is very quick for a 1600cc. It's much quicker than my 323i was and power is available right from way down the rev counter. She can however be thirsty here so be warned. The fun comes at a price.

I have found the sound system more than adequate and the aircon work perfectly as long as sunroof is closed - as expected.

Probems - the only things I have noticed which I have reported back to BMW are the following........

1. At speeds of 110km/h I get a bit of rumble or vibration through the steering. Not sure if this is because of new runflats or other....
2. The auto box is lazy at times and often labours on uphills. Need to put-foot or switch to DS to remedy this
3. The plastic trim ont he right side of the dashboard does not seat properly
4. The gap between bonnet and bodywork in front differs slightly from left to right

In conclusion - I love the ride in Sport Mode. The car is engaging and operates like a go-kart. Acceleration is superb for a 1600cc and fuel consumption is totally up to the way you drive. Build quality is solid except for the few items and attention to detail as mentioned above. I am getting used to the 8 speed box but still find it a bit lazy.

A for more drivers type engaging drive than my previous 3 Series and being an avid Alfa Romeo fan too, I really like the fact that this is a drivers car.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the issues I have may gladly go ahead. I am seeing the National Technical Manager next week to address these.
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