I experienced this first hand at an autocross a couple weeks ago. I'm not exceptionally fast or anything, and I drive a 1997 Golf that makes like 85hp at the crank on a good day. Came within .22 seconds of a new Porsche Boxster S.
Slow cars are all about carrying momentum to get the good times which is all about your line and driver skill, where a lot of that can be made up for if you have the power to quickly fix crappy lines. If you can’t drive a slow car fast... you can’t drive
@@danielnelson4881 you should see Richard Fox's Skoda Yeti with over 700bhp - tows his GTR to track and then shreds in the Skoda! To be fair it still isn't Aztec levels of unsuitable though...
For a vehicle that was developed and engineered on the Nurburgring. It's awesome to see that Kevin also took this bad boy all across the country pretty much driving different tracks and truly pushing the limits of his car.
I drive the EU spec 125i, softwaretuned to 272PS/100KW. BMW Performance intake, exhaust and spoiler. Its a blast to drive. And the inline 6 sound is so addictive. With the exhaust it sounds like a baby M3.
hey guys, like the video, but some quick help for anyone looking to buy one This is NOT THE 135i MOTOR WITHOUT TURBO'S!! The N52 3.0L (as fitted here) has completely different architecture, and is a very different engine, built to be light as possible with the least amount of parasitic power loss, whereas the n54 is much heavier, and built to be strong (for boost) different bore, different stroke, completely pistons, and different head. 135i also uses a throttle body, and not Valvetronic. In the rest of the world this engine came in the BMW 130i hatch and E90 330i. 265Hp from factory before you ad things like intake, exhaust and a tune. With an out the box tune they safely rev past 7200 rpm, and built track builds frequently hit upwards of 8000 rpm reliably, ON THE STOCK INTERNALS. yes it's not as powerful, but its as reliable as the sun keeps up until 4th, and extremely smooth/refined. I have a E81 BMW 130i myself, and just thought I'd share the knowledge, before anyone has buyers remorse.
I actually love this, i recently bought an E90 328i, and to hear him talk about the N52 in a good way is so refreshing because all i ever hear is that if you want more power, just buy a 335. Or if you want to go fast, just trade up to a 335. But the 328 is a fun car to drive
@@bandygram yeah, and im coming from a 2001 2.sl0w jetta, and this 328i is double the horsepower, so its not fast, but it feels a lot faster than what i had. And so far its been just as reliable as my old jetta engine wise
if you have a manual 128i, toss a diff from an automatic in - you can shorten the gears cheap (from a 3.23 to 3.73 rear) add in a 3 stage intake manifold + free bimmerlabs tune and youre golden
The intake manifold and tune is a must. I didn’t think about doing an auto diff swap. Not a bad idea if only to try out the gear ratio before committing to an expensive custom lsd
@@pinut187 FCP Euro, ECS Tuning, eBay, Amazon bla bla bla. There is a massive list of places to find cheap euro parts. I take it you didn't bother to check.
I absolutely loved my 128i but I had it for 8 months, and in that time, it cost me $2600 in repairs. I had to get rid of it. If you don't have a place to wrench, this car is not for you. The maintenance is bankruptcy.
I was convinced to try the BMW life so got a 335i. What a mistake that was. In about six months spent five grand and didn’t even have 50K miles on it. Couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. Worth a try, but never again.
My next track car was between a 350Z or a 2012 328i M sport. Went with the Z but I’ve noticed many more “newer” 28is coming to autoX & open track days. Nice to see them getting used like the e36/46!
David if you're ever up in NJ or I'm down by you you HAVE to drive my BMW 228i. I went with the same mindset as Kevin, lower power, less problems, more momentum. The M235i is a fantastic car but the N55 is just as rough as the N54. Between the lighter weight, lower power, and better temps I've gotten more practice in this car than I ever would have in an M235i
I really want to believe these things will be popular soon, but I also believe they look too girly for the track dude. The Miata gets away with it's bubbly shape because, well, Miata, but the 128i doesn't have any charming compensation. I want one, but I fear they will continue to depreciate until they are like 1500$ for a decent one. This car needs more press on the enthusiast budget community
bandygram what was the basic maintenance you did right when you got it? Ie Value gasket replacement. I’ve been struggling finding them in manuals so would it be okay to get a super high mileage example?
You’ve never been to Limerock?! Such a great track. I’m close, but it’s a such a historic track, and they do tons of events there from heritage, vintage car races all the way up to Ferrari challenges and American Le Mans. Not much else around it, but worth it.
Ah the 128i so it has the N52 motor then? That's actually a pretty reliable car, my old man has the 328i same year , not a crazy amount of power but a fun and reliable platform unlike it's more powerful siblings like the N54-55. I own a G37 so I'm bias and think that is the real gem for under 10K but it's not as playful as the 1-series.
The cabin volume of this car reminds me of driving my friend's VW Jetta with the 2.5L 5 cylinder. On top of that, the clutch pedal was so light with very little feedback and mixed with the super quiet cabin it made it hard to take off from a stop
All things considered I think an early IS300 would be more reliable in the long run if you want NA I6 power in a package just over 3000lbs. To each their own though, at least your getting on the track!
Looks like a BMW!? Aaaaaand it is! Wohoooo lololol Also, the 128/328 are so underrated cuz they don't have the turbos, but u're right! Great points, N/A is more "reliable" lol & u can just have so much fun with it! Love the vid!
if your headed for a n55 i would just say look at the m235i’s and go for something more reliable. gets a E lsd 8 speed zf auto and more power and trq from factory. Just a more reliable modern take on the n55 motor.
Great vid David. My middle name is David as is my fathers name 👍🏼. I’m with you on the crayons smell. I have an older golf/rabbit and smells the same. Its the rubber coating they put on the plastics. Down at the centre console its started to peel off however. Doh!
I owned an e81 1 series (hatchback) for a bit and they're so fun. Usually when racing it it had a tendency to understeer, but occasionally it would violently over steer and you'd shit urself😂 Btw to eliminate the understeer and make them more predictable u can get coilovers with camber adjustment and have it set with about 2 degrees front and about 0.5 rear with no toe.
Honestly not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It leaks oil but it’s very manageable. If you wanted to replace all these parts at a shop anytime it started leaking it would run you broke but if you manage it pragmatically it’s cost me nearly zero over consumable replacement since purchase 14k miles ago.
The n52 (na) is closer to the n55 (stock single turbo) as far as the specs go. They actually do have a small electronic throttle body just under the intake manifold.. It gets the job done and its claimed to be faster than drive by wire but it feels laggy to me personally. They make tunes for those things to make them faster than stock n55& n54 but overall if you buy one of these used its important to know the history or previous owner as they're often not maintained well. With that being said, if you dont know how to work on your own junk I wouldn't recommend getting one unless you have a fetish for wasting money and overpaying for maintenance.
Na straight sixes are great engines, BMW really has lost there way, my mom owns a 320i and it feels like a rental car compared to the older E90 and E46 cars
Can someone explain to me, why there is so much hate on these cars? Is there anything about this specific motor which I don't know about? (I'm german, the 28i was never sold here)
Thanks for taking the time to check out my car David. It’s always a great time and you did an awesome job with the video!
Damn, only 600 subs? I hope you blow up soon!!!
David; "Please don't leave."
Me; "Well, okay. Sure, why not." ;o)
Me: *sees the car* “Time to click off the vi-“
David: “Please don’t leave”
Me: “Damn, he’s got a good argument”
1er BMW.....
Oh boi is it gonna be fun to make an engine swap once you hit 75k miles!!
Damn engines just fail. Freaking BMW man
I was about to click off 😂
I’ve been told that the fastest drivers are the ones who drive the slower cars. Money and fast cars can’t buy skill.
It makes sense, as it’d take more skill to extract performance from a slower car.
That’s what slow drivers say
That’s because those who told you that, have hardly tracked in their life 🤣
I experienced this first hand at an autocross a couple weeks ago. I'm not exceptionally fast or anything, and I drive a 1997 Golf that makes like 85hp at the crank on a good day. Came within .22 seconds of a new Porsche Boxster S.
Slow cars are all about carrying momentum to get the good times which is all about your line and driver skill, where a lot of that can be made up for if you have the power to quickly fix crappy lines. If you can’t drive a slow car fast... you can’t drive
Hey listen, if you have a car, any car, that's just for the track, you're winning. Don't care if it's an Aztec.
Lemons Aztec? I'd oddly be down for that lmao
Somewhere someone has probably chopped an Aztec and done full suspension, and it’s still ugly 😂
@@Johnny2Gats yes but it you still have the tent option, you can stay at the track in better comfort than most normal tents.
I mean... Kinda care if it's an Aztec.. I'd have a lot of questions anyway. Most would be about their mental state and if they need any help..
@@danielnelson4881 you should see Richard Fox's Skoda Yeti with over 700bhp - tows his GTR to track and then shreds in the Skoda! To be fair it still isn't Aztec levels of unsuitable though...
Knew it was gonna be Kevin when i saw the car, loved his VINWiki video!
Haha thank you!
For a vehicle that was developed and engineered on the Nurburgring. It's awesome to see that Kevin also took this bad boy all across the country pretty much driving different tracks and truly pushing the limits of his car.
That’s the only way I know!
“Please don’t leave” 😂
Who needs turn signals in a track car anyway 🤷♂️
Turn signal jokes will never ever get old. 😂
The kids that don’t know how to tie their shoes
For track days when you need to let someone pass.
I Almost left after he said “PLEASE DONT LEAVE” Lol
Thumb was headed for "x" button when he said that 😆😅😂
@@mikeschaner5853 bro sameeee he knowss
I turned the screen to X out right before he said it 😂😂
I drive the EU spec 125i, softwaretuned to 272PS/100KW. BMW Performance intake, exhaust and spoiler. Its a blast to drive. And the inline 6 sound is so addictive. With the exhaust it sounds like a baby M3.
Wow, this is actually what I wanted to buy, AMAZING TIMING
They’re awesome cars!
Man how hard is it to find a 1 series with a stick? They're non-existent near me
hey guys, like the video, but some quick help for anyone looking to buy one
This is NOT THE 135i MOTOR WITHOUT TURBO'S!! The N52 3.0L (as fitted here) has completely different architecture, and is a very different engine, built to be light as possible with the least amount of parasitic power loss, whereas the n54 is much heavier, and built to be strong (for boost)
different bore, different stroke, completely pistons, and different head. 135i also uses a throttle body, and not Valvetronic.
In the rest of the world this engine came in the BMW 130i hatch and E90 330i. 265Hp from factory before you ad things like intake, exhaust and a tune. With an out the box tune they safely rev past 7200 rpm, and built track builds frequently hit upwards of 8000 rpm reliably, ON THE STOCK INTERNALS.
yes it's not as powerful, but its as reliable as the sun keeps up until 4th, and extremely smooth/refined.
I have a E81 BMW 130i myself, and just thought I'd share the knowledge, before anyone has buyers remorse.
TLDR, great engine, loves to rev high, reliable.
This is great info, thank you! I do plan to extract a little more out of this engine and upping the revs along the way.
i swapped a 335i auto rear end(4:10 ratio) into my 328i and it makes a world of difference! i highly recommend it!
I actually love this, i recently bought an E90 328i, and to hear him talk about the N52 in a good way is so refreshing because all i ever hear is that if you want more power, just buy a 335. Or if you want to go fast, just trade up to a 335. But the 328 is a fun car to drive
People read specs and write off these cars as slow. It’s not a fair viewpoint imo
@@bandygram yeah, and im coming from a 2001 2.sl0w jetta, and this 328i is double the horsepower, so its not fast, but it feels a lot faster than what i had. And so far its been just as reliable as my old jetta engine wise
if you have a manual 128i, toss a diff from an automatic in - you can shorten the gears cheap (from a 3.23 to 3.73 rear)
add in a 3 stage intake manifold + free bimmerlabs tune and youre golden
The intake manifold and tune is a must. I didn’t think about doing an auto diff swap. Not a bad idea if only to try out the gear ratio before committing to an expensive custom lsd
The 128i will be the new version of the e36 as far as drift and road racing go. Great platform with cheap parts.
Since when are BMW parts cheap..?
pinut187 since Facebook and ebay existed. Seriously second hand parts are dirt cheap.
@@pinut187 FCP Euro, ECS Tuning, eBay, Amazon bla bla bla. There is a massive list of places to find cheap euro parts. I take it you didn't bother to check.
Facts
I know a guy who brings his 128i out to AutoX out here. He's a cool dude, and he also has a 350z for drifting. I respect this man a lot
If you’re talking about Besim, he has a rad car!
I absolutely loved my 128i but I had it for 8 months, and in that time, it cost me $2600 in repairs. I had to get rid of it.
If you don't have a place to wrench, this car is not for you. The maintenance is bankruptcy.
*Laughs in n54/n55*
N52's are cake to own and reliable as shit lol. You bought a lemon or BMW's ain't for you
Acclimatising exactly thought the same thing
@@Chattsteezy My friend maintains his and it is not super cheap. Not bank breaking but still painful for a car that will be worthless in 10 years.
GeneralRed256 I have. 328i and almost nothing has went wrong for 2 years
@@Chattsteezy Reliable for a BMW, yeah. In my comment I literally said that the BMW wasn't for me lol
I was convinced to try the BMW life so got a 335i. What a mistake that was. In about six months spent five grand and didn’t even have 50K miles on it. Couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. Worth a try, but never again.
It’s fairly early turbo tech for BMW which is why I’ve opted to go the NA route
Anyone that use a harbor freight trailer need to get rid of the stock tire and get light truck tires
My next track car was between a 350Z or a 2012 328i M sport. Went with the Z but I’ve noticed many more “newer” 28is coming to autoX & open track days. Nice to see them getting used like the e36/46!
ive wanted one for awhile and all my friends say “but n54”. na i6 is just so nice and i love the chassis
Resist the turbo!
David, I have a 128i that’s even more track-oriented than this one, I would love for you to drive it.
David if you're ever up in NJ or I'm down by you you HAVE to drive my BMW 228i. I went with the same mindset as Kevin, lower power, less problems, more momentum. The M235i is a fantastic car but the N55 is just as rough as the N54. Between the lighter weight, lower power, and better temps I've gotten more practice in this car than I ever would have in an M235i
Talking about the brakes catching fire, O’Reilly ad for Brake Best pads 👀
The car not having a throttle body is not a wierd quirk xD I think the valvetronic system pretty cool actually
Agreed! Just less known I’d argue.
Sees 1 series:
Ooooooooooh
Sees 128i badge
Ohhhhhhhhhhh
The n52 in that 128 is reliable and loves to rev. I have a 530 n52 with 196k miles and I seen a 528 with a n52 with 425k miles.
Friend bought a $500 e36 320i, damn thing could spend all day bouncing off the rev limiter.
I like this video.. and just a reminder a US spec E36 M3 weigh roughly the same with the same amount of power.. it's plenty useful..
Yep with a much higher purchase price which is what makes this such a steal!
@@bandygram E36 M3s are cheap..
Always nice when 3 People are the first to comment. 😂😂😂😂😂
You know how hard it is to be first ?
@@placeboism lol, no I'm always the second choice 😢
I have a 08 128i 6mt. I love it, so underrated.
THAT BOY BANDY
I had a v6 Ford Probe win in my class at autocross this past weekend. I ran my 370Z, but I'm a novice. I was tailing Miata's times the whole time.
Video sooo good, I didn’t skip any ads for you. :)
I really want to believe these things will be popular soon, but I also believe they look too girly for the track dude. The Miata gets away with it's bubbly shape because, well, Miata, but the 128i doesn't have any charming compensation. I want one, but I fear they will continue to depreciate until they are like 1500$ for a decent one. This car needs more press on the enthusiast budget community
The weight is compelling but only time will tell
I heard 128i and was about to close the tab then i hear "please dont leave" 😂😂
I heavily considered a M440i before I got my Mustang GT. But reliability and cheap power is a big plus for my Mustang GT
I love this, so many people dont know what there getting into. Good job dudes!
I have been looking at these for a bit now and I've been looking for a review I trust
Let me know if I can answer any questions about it and I did another video on my channel
bandygram what was the basic maintenance you did right when you got it? Ie Value gasket replacement. I’ve been struggling finding them in manuals so would it be okay to get a super high mileage example?
You’ve never been to Limerock?! Such a great track. I’m close, but it’s a such a historic track, and they do tons of events there from heritage, vintage car races all the way up to Ferrari challenges and American Le Mans. Not much else around it, but worth it.
in Europe, we have the 130i which is the same motor with more power and torque
oh, and it's a hatchback, which is a plus for me
Ah the 128i so it has the N52 motor then?
That's actually a pretty reliable car, my old man has the 328i same year , not a crazy amount of power but a fun and reliable platform
unlike it's more powerful siblings like the N54-55.
I own a G37 so I'm bias and think that is the real gem for under 10K but it's not as playful as the 1-series.
Still a little finicky with maintenance
128i and 335i are always slept on
You mean the 328i???
BigHeadClan No I mean the 335i and the 128i
@@jfrazkicks3011 How in any way are the 335i slept on???? They defined their segment. lol
335i is definitely NOT slept on. Well known car and tons of people mod them and make serious power!
Now I know why David hid the car in the thumbnail, he knew some people would be turned off! 🤣 It hasn’t turned me off though
The cabin volume of this car reminds me of driving my friend's VW Jetta with the 2.5L 5 cylinder. On top of that, the clutch pedal was so light with very little feedback and mixed with the super quiet cabin it made it hard to take off from a stop
The clutch delay valve definitely is less raw than without
I'd prefer the 1M or a 2nd tier 1 Series M Car like the M140i if given a chance, but still I'm all for this build. Love the work David ✊🏾
A 1m in the states will go for 60-70k second hand.
@@bandygram Interesting. I think I'd still save up to get an M model or secondary- tier M car because I love them all.
All things considered I think an early IS300 would be more reliable in the long run if you want NA I6 power in a package just over 3000lbs. To each their own though, at least your getting on the track!
Everyone stop posting about these they are already hard af to find
I was excited for a sec because I thought that was tony angelo in the preview lol
This is rad, I have a 228i and I love it!
Dude, you went to Limerock?
Yessir!
Looks like a BMW!? Aaaaaand it is! Wohoooo lololol Also, the 128/328 are so underrated cuz they don't have the turbos, but u're right! Great points, N/A is more "reliable" lol & u can just have so much fun with it! Love the vid!
I had a 330 and loved it!
if your headed for a n55 i would just say look at the m235i’s and go for something more reliable. gets a E lsd 8 speed zf auto and more power and trq from factory. Just a more reliable modern take on the n55 motor.
Oh hey, I just watched your interview on Vinwiki!
I wont leave. I will just stop the video and open a second tab.
This tab will stay open for ever.
this was a cool video. dug the conversation
He Should Go To Pikes Creek In Colorado
I went in my Toyota 86!
Is the track open in America?
Many tracks are starting to open back up.
Suicide mx3 is the best car in my opinion but I dont know what Ty spent ,you seriously need to get down here and review his car and him !
I’ve spent less on my 335 and not had any issues with heat or reliability. Driven it 40k
Great vid David. My middle name is David as is my fathers name 👍🏼. I’m with you on the crayons smell. I have an older golf/rabbit and smells the same. Its the rubber coating they put on the plastics. Down at the centre console its started to peel off however. Doh!
I owned an e81 1 series (hatchback) for a bit and they're so fun. Usually when racing it it had a tendency to understeer, but occasionally it would violently over steer and you'd shit urself😂
Btw to eliminate the understeer and make them more predictable u can get coilovers with camber adjustment and have it set with about 2 degrees front and about 0.5 rear with no toe.
The open diff too, not so fun 😅
Nothin wrong with a little poo pants from time to time 🤣
@@quest8795 yeh it did 1 wheel peels alot😂
You should review someone's modified Volvo S60 T6. I'm sure there are some nice ones out there in the states plus do it for the Volvo fans
what a nice car
I always thought about picking one of these up since they are pretty dang cheap!
Saw this story on VinWiki 😉
Did this guy have a powdered donut for breakfast? He looks wired to the gills. 😅
Car talk gets me amped up
Ey look it's Kevin lol
Who else was clicking off at 1:19?
Here, saved me time
What’s reliability like tho?
Honestly not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It leaks oil but it’s very manageable. If you wanted to replace all these parts at a shop anytime it started leaking it would run you broke but if you manage it pragmatically it’s cost me nearly zero over consumable replacement since purchase 14k miles ago.
I literally x’d out of the video as soon as he said please don’t. Then I had to go back and see the full sentence lol
I was legit about to leave but I had to comment!😂😂
The n52 (na) is closer to the n55 (stock single turbo) as far as the specs go. They actually do have a small electronic throttle body just under the intake manifold.. It gets the job done and its claimed to be faster than drive by wire but it feels laggy to me personally. They make tunes for those things to make them faster than stock n55& n54 but overall if you buy one of these used its important to know the history or previous owner as they're often not maintained well. With that being said, if you dont know how to work on your own junk I wouldn't recommend getting one unless you have a fetish for wasting money and overpaying for maintenance.
The secret is out!!!
An underrated handling car is The 2006 Honda Accord just trust me. (for front wheel drive) 👍🏼
14:46 is what I'll be applying to my New Edge V6 build 🇺🇸❣️
Solid video! You guys hit a lot of good points. Honestly really piqued my interest in the car! Slept on for sure.
If you ever hit up Lime Rock post about it before. Would love to meet ya. Im just north in Mass.
Vinwiki had a video about this car too
Does anyone know what touch screen that is?
I loved this video
Na straight sixes are great engines, BMW really has lost there way, my mom owns a 320i and it feels like a rental car compared to the older E90 and E46 cars
320i is a I4 tho?
Bryan N. I believe its the i6
Caleb Pittman 320i - 330i is 4 cylinder turbo and then the 335i - 340i is i6 turbo
n54 is awesome brooooo
Sadly no one remembers these things. Everyone loves the N54 and 135i and 1M
This the guy from that vinwiki channel? I just watched the video yday!
Hello!
David please let us know when you come to Connecticut at limerock we have many cars you can check out
Would you ever come to California to test drive cars? I have a 1999 Mercedes clk320. It has a bunch of handling mods 😁
At least we know the notification bell is working haha
Can someone explain to me, why there is so much hate on these cars? Is there anything about this specific motor which I don't know about?
(I'm german, the 28i was never sold here)
Apparently it's too slow next to the 135i. Also Americans find most modern German engines very complicated and unreliable.
You should review a radical if you could ever find one. Shit be sick 👍🏻
Hellz yeah awesome car!!
I actually watch the VinWiki video
Hey David, I have a N55 135i you can drive if you would like. Just lmk I'm in GA
>underrated track car
>e82
pick one
DUDE, don't even, shh i want one don't inflate it
Get one quick before their resale goes up 😜
Is valvetronic unreliable? It sounds unreliable
This is dope
If it ain’t a 135i, I don’t want it!
From one hairdressers car into another
From one fantastic handling fun car to another.