4 out of 5 BMW 1-series owners think their car is FWD

[TW]Fox;16237145 said:
Never will understand this.

I really really wanted a 5 Series, and it's too big for me - I don't need a car that big.
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Well you don't need to understand it, everyone has their own preference. I like the 5 series too but I also think its too big, I don't want to driving something that big. Some people like to drive big cars other small.

I quite like the 1 series, its a nice smallish luxury car.
 
mjt said:
Doesn't really surprise me, but a lot of people don't know much about cars..
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I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people think their car is front wheel drive, because it's the front wheels that steer.
 
[TW]Fox;16235702 said:
I'd rather not be able to afford a proper BMW and instead only have £20,000 for a 1 Series instead of a VW Bora.

Why do people come out with such daft comments?
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I'd guess most aren't bought out right and are just low end rep cars though so they don't have £20,000 to spend.

What confuses me more is that if they didn't know it was rwd, then I'd presume they also didn't care about the handling performance, in which case then the packaging compromises (crap rear seats and a small boot) would mean they'd go for a A3 or even a Golf.
 
That's another point that amazes me about peoples attitudes towards the 1 series

The fact people say it has a "small boot"

Does it heck! Compared to it's 3 series or 5 series cousins maybe, but for a hatchback and a car of its size, the boot is huge. When I show people the car that's always a guaranteed comment I get is about the size of the boot.

I recently went to Cornwall and fit 2 large suitcases in there and 3 large holiday bags (my girlfriends bags too so packed to bursting point!). Which isn't bad for a hatchback!
 
Steedie said:
That's another point that amazes me about peoples attitudes towards the 1 series

The fact people say it has a "small boot"

Does it heck! Compared to it's 3 series or 5 series cousins maybe, but for a hatchback and a car of its size, the boot is huge. When I show people the car that's always a guaranteed comment I get is about the size of the boot.

I recently went to Cornwall and fit 2 large suitcases in there and 3 large holiday bags (my girlfriends bags too so packed to bursting point!). Which isn't bad for a hatchback!
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Perhaps it depends what you're used to but it's certainly shallower then a golf/a3 etc, simply because it's rwd and the extra bits for this need to go somewhere.
 
Focus/Golf/A3 are the roomier cars, my only experience with the 1 series is with the lesser models, and in terms of quality, it isnt all that, it doesnt feel any better than a Focus.

That said, a lad at the office has the 123d specced up, and that is a massive improvement, nice seats and steering wheel, but the list price is very high in that case.

1 series owners are like Golf owners IME.....gonna leave it at that:p
 
I used to hate the 1 series, now i don't mind it and my recent drive of a 123D was quite a fun one. Prefer my 320D (quite fun now after a remap to 197bhp) though.
 
Rilot said:
To be honest, I'd be willing to bet that 4/5 drivers of any car make or model that isn't specifically a 4x4 would guess that their car was FWD or just wouldn't know.
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I know people that don't know their car moves because there's something driving the wheels. And one person who thought the exhaust made it move.

B@Th*nG said:
is that the case? Is it genuinely a bad idea on a small car? I always thought the principal was quite good, maybe just poor implementation?
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Front wheel drive has certain advantages, which suit a hatchback.
-Packaging, front transverse front wheel drive takes up very little space, the 1 series has a diff in the boot.
-Weight, prop shafts are big metal things.
-Safety, in the hands of an idiot (80% of 1 series drivers) FWD is safer.

There's only one real advantage to RWD; performance, and only 20% of 1 series owners have the 1st bit of knowledge required to use it.

You all know it's true.


I wouldn't say it's a bad implementation of RWD, I actually sort of like the 1 series, it's interesting, just a terrible idea.

Howard said:
Not unsuitable at all really, cheaper to produce than designing a whole new drivetrain and engine layout and gives them the marketing 'edge'
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A marketing edge that only 20% of their customers even knew about.

Do BMW have no good FWD floors? Mini would mean they can't use the in-line 6 motors, but how many 1 series have an in-line 4, and how many have a diesel? Aren't they supposedly licensing the short Panda floor for the Isetta?
 
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It would be a shame if they started making them FWD. Say what you like but there aren't any other RWD hatchbacks.

They should market it more if anything, they have the mini for people that don't care.

they are bringing back the 130 with a big engine so hopefully this won't happen.
 
If someone jumped into a 130i (what I drive) and thought it was FWD i'd be amazed - it's the twitchiest car I've ever driven and I absolutely love it.

Never driven any other 1 series cars but I can imagine the 120 being quite fun - they've definately got some mid range on them.

Haters ;(
 
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