Im contenplating selling my fabia vrs at the moment, because we are expecting our first child so need a car with a little bigger boot. The fabia boot is a decent size for a hatchback, tried our pram in the boot and its does fit but just.

So i have been looking at alternatives, only cars that i would consider are audi a4, 118d and the 120d. The a4's are probably a bit big for my needs. I really like the bmw's, i have had a look at both the 118d's and 120d's and the 120d's have better specs and a bit more power to start with.

So has anyone had any experience with the 120d?

Whats the boot space like compared to say the fabia?

Good move from a fabia vrs to a 120?

No space whatsoever in the boot of the small BMW - and no spare wheel either.

It's a pretty useless car to do a job, but really nice to drive...

rotodiesel.

I had the123D BMW before my current 3.0 Tdi A4. I loved the 1 series as it has greatbuild quality (now squeaks or rattles in 50K miles) and has loads of hidden engineeringdepth. In fact much more so than the current VAG cars of that time. Blinds infront of the radiator, the best stop-start system, intelligentalternator/braking etc etc, in fact they have been relatively quietly fittingthis stuff under the efficient dynamics for 4 years and it’s only now we seeFord banging on about it, having caught up. The full telematics and Sat Nav isclever because it has the ability to download a destination from you computer (viaa quick click on Google maps) over the airwaves, thanks to an inbuilt SIM cardin the car.

Imho theBMW was a more thoroughly engineered car than the A4. It is also a very quickdrivers car. My old 123D had about 40bhp less and weighed about 500kg more(!!!) than Shifties (Mr S. Rolls) old Fabia, yet cross country it was easily amatch for it thanks to superior handling and better traction. Top speed was remarkablysimilar too. If Shifity had swapped places with me that evening we left theMalt House, I think the BMW would have been quite a bit quicker

The downsidesas I was them were the very had ride thanks to the run-flats and I would avoidthe M spec suspension unless you like it really hard. Also the boot is small,but can expand with the seats dropped. There is a new model in the wings, so Iwould look for a huge discount on one if you are buying new. Also not everyonelikes the austere interior of the generic BMW interior, but as a high mileagedriver I enjoyed it’s manifold benefits and sober design. No question my A4interior looks classier, but it also looks like a flight deck.

I would say go for it as once your child is a little bigger, you will probably findthat the car is a bit of a squeeze (assuming you carry the usual amount of clutterfor a kiddy )

Ps don’tforget that you will need winter tyres if we get any ice or white stuff

Edited 29 May, 201115 yr by Lady Elanore

Nice to hear the 1 series gets a good review, a bloke has just got a 120D at work, M sport, looks lush, really fancy one at some point.

Matt

Nice to hear the 1 series gets a good review, a bloke has just got a 120D at work, M sport, looks lush, really fancy one at some point.

Matt

M Sport is lovely, just make sure you have a chiropractor on standby

Just had a look on wisebuyers guide and the boot capacity for the fabia is 260 and the 120d is 333 litres.

so seems as though the boot is bigger but is it deeper than the fabia or wider?

Thats the only issue with me is boot space, the fabia does everything else perfectly. I dont even mind the m spec 120d as i prefer a firmer ride.

Edited 29 May, 201115 yr by BusyBeingBorn

I moved on from a 118D MSport, lovely "driving" car but compromised in to many areas for my daily transport.

Rock hard suspension coup[led with runflat tyres meant it skipped over cats eyes and you could even feel teh white lines.

Boot space useless

rear seat space and entry useless.

Tyre wear shocking - 14k rears, 20k fronts, runflats at £160 a pop cost me £1000 a year.

After being sat on teh drive for 3 weeks in the first bad winter it had to go before another!

It doesn't matter what car you get, the pram and all the baby based paraphernalia just won't fit. I have a 5 month old baby boy and a 3 series estate, and a trip north to see the grand parents is an exercise in efficient stowage.

Prams are ridiculously huge and shiney these days. We went with the sensible (cheap) option of a mamas n papas Pliko Switch and it sprawls all over the boot.

The 1 series is a fine car with no dilution of quality compared to bigger cars in the range. As long as you can pack efficiently, then go for it!

Edit: as for the run flats, I hated them and as they were due for a change, I upgraded to cheaper normal tyres and the ride is now sublime. With the savings, I bought an extra set of alloys off Ebay, to be fitted with winter tyres to allow transport in the 2 weeks of bad weather we have in the winter.

Edited 29 May, 201115 yr by Royston

It doesn't matter what car you get, the pram and all the baby based paraphernalia just won't fit.

+1 With a newborn you'd struggle with a transit van the stupid amount of stuff you need.

Visiting the in laws I've filled the Octy to the brim.

BUT it reduces quite quickly. Since he got to about 8 months we don't need to carry nearly as much stuff. So you have to bear in mind that what you need to start with will change and you don't want to pick a car just for the first 3 months.

We have a friend who has managed just fine with a Micra so it's all relative.

The 116d, 118d and 120d are all exactly the same engine/turbo configuration except for the map. Speaking with Ben @ Shark Performance he mentioned that they will all map to exactly the same power as everything under the bonnet is identical.

The standard equipment levels however is where things will differ.

The 116d, 118d and 120d are all exactly the same engine/turbo configuration except for the map. Speaking with Ben @ Shark Performance he mentioned that they will all map to exactly the same power as everything under the bonnet is identical.

The standard equipment levels however is where things will differ.

Is the gearing exactly the same? I test drove the 120D before I got my 123D and it had a much higher top gear the 123D. The later engines are great and deceptively quick. I know my engine was an all alloy one, but I am not sure if the latest 120D is all alloy too. It heats up really quickly in winter if it is

Getting a child seat and inserting said child into the seat in the rear is back breaking work. Try one.

Getting a child seat and inserting said child into the seat in the rear is back breaking work. Try one.

I assume that with the 3 door?

Having recently had a child myself, i wouldn't touch something as small as a 1 series.

I wanted an ISOFIX car seat, so i could get baby in and out of the car in the car seat. They tend to be quite large, and my Octavia barely fitted the baby seat and front passenger. I can't imagine you'll get a front passenger in a 1 series with an ISOFIX seat behind them. From what i've seen of the 1 series, theres not particuarly much room behind the drivers seat for the passenger either.

You can survive with a normal child seat, rather than ISOFIX. But you'll end up waking the baby every time you get them out of the car. Thats a nightmare when they've only just gone to sleep.

I'd recommend getting a 3 series at least. The more space you have, the easier it'll make your life.

I personally changed the Octavia for an A6, as the extra space makes life even better, and an A6 would still be big enough, should a second child come along.

Having recently had a child myself, i wouldn't touch something as small as a 1 series.

I wanted an ISOFIX car seat, so i could get baby in and out of the car in the car seat. They tend to be quite large, and my Octavia barely fitted the baby seat and front passenger. I can't imagine you'll get a front passenger in a 1 series with an ISOFIX seat behind them. From what i've seen of the 1 series, theres not particuarly much room behind the drivers seat for the passenger either.

You can survive with a normal child seat, rather than ISOFIX. But you'll end up waking the baby every time you get them out of the car. Thats a nightmare when they've only just gone to sleep.

I'd recommend getting a 3 series at least. The more space you have, the easier it'll make your life.

I personally changed the Octavia for an A6, as the extra space makes life even better, and an A6 would still be big enough, should a second child come along.

That's true. It's surprising just how much space a rearward facing seat takes up. Our Recaro isofix fits fine in the Octy but in SWMBOs Seat the passenger seat needs to be very far forward. Not so much of a problem now he's in a +1 seat.

I spoke to a guy very recently who has a 3 series and he is changing it for a VRS because he can't get anything in the 3 series boot. They have to use his wife's Fiesta for the kids. A 3 series touring would be ok.

Edited 2 June, 201115 yr by Aspman

I wanted an ISOFIX car seat, so i could get baby in and out of the car in the car seat. They tend to be quite large, and my Octavia barely fitted the baby seat and front passenger. I can't imagine you'll get a front passenger in a 1 series with an ISOFIX seat behind them. From what i've seen of the 1 series, theres not particuarly much room behind the drivers seat for the passenger either.

Definately agree with that

Now imagine it twice over (TWINS!) - that was my problem when we had our boys. I had a Golf but the boot space for single pushchair was bad enough let alone a twin pushchair, and with the baby seats it meant that the front seats needed to be pushed forward slightly to fit them in. Luckily my boss let me change it for MkI Octavia which certainly helped with the boot.

Back on topic, I would say the 1 series is not a family car, imagine trying to go away for the weekend with a child in tow. All the kit for you, your partner and then the child, you'd never fit it all in. Plus as it's RWD the transmission tunnel is stupidly large throughout the length of the car. Not practical at all.

We have a friend who has managed just fine with a Micra so it's all relative.

Just like the Sunny before must be like Tardis inside. They're more like MPV's to some than the city cars the rest of us see them as!