Bmw 418

[jyl]

I saw a new BMW today that actually stopped me to look, it was . . . attractive! Something I haven’t thought about a new BMW in quite a long time.

Turns out it was a “2019 BMW 418”, so said the owner. Sleek, just the right amount of curves, and a slim grille that doesn’t look like King Kong’s nostrils.

Tell me about these cars. How come I don’t see them much? Are they aging well? Reliability nightmares? DIYable? Good used purchase?

By the way, I could have misheard “418”. Maybe he said “428”. Definitely heard “4” and “8”.

[gregpark]

418 is the entry level version of the 4 series. Not bad looking but 3 cylinders and 135HP?... a bit under powered for me

[jyl]

How about the 428?

[onewhippedpuppy]

I don't think a 418 was sold in the US, maybe elsewhere. The base 4 series is a 428i, and I agree that they’re good looking coupes. It would be a four cylinder turbo, I’ve had the same engine in 1 and 2 series BMW rental cars and find them to have decent power but also a lot of turbo lag and they aren’t very smooth. If it were me I’d be looking at a one of the six cylinder models instead.

[LWJ]

I just was shopping with a friend as a passenger in a X3 with the turbo 4 and then turbo 6. The 4 was super buzzy. I didn't care for it. The 6? Fantastic.

[Alan A]

i thought 2019 was 430, not 428.
The 4 banger in those is actually quite nice - it's the same as in both the kid's and the wife's 330's iirc. [God that sounds pretentious - I never expected we'd have one BMW in the house, let alone two. I blame #1 - he wanted it].

edit: it bothered me enough that i had to google it...

United States: The 428i was last sold in the U.S. for the 2016 model year. By 2019, only the 430i and 440i models were available in the U.S. market.

[Alan A]

I would add one caveat about the smaller bimmers. hard won...

we have two. one's not here right now, so not factored into this equation.
the other one cost me three run flats over the winter driving season - november to now.
those things are pushing $500 a pop installed.

if you live somewhere with bad roads - and i do; it's like driving round urban detroit after this winter - you will rapidly learn to either plan your route or have another car for the winter.

the wife's car is leased. i'm not buying another set of wheels and non-run flats for it. i'm too damn stubborn. caveat emptor.

[jyl]

Can you run regular tires on it?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Run flats universally suck. Usually replacing them with real tires will make it drive like a new car.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by jyl

Can you run regular tires on it?

Yes. But then no spare.

It’s a lease. I’m not buying wheels and tires to swap in for something that’s going back in a couple of years.

[jyl]

Hmm, maybe a space saver spare in the trunk? Just wondering.

I would like a new car. New to me, anyway.

[onewhippedpuppy]

You can normally find a close enough spare to throw in the trunk in a tire bag. Or a can of fix-a-flat and a tire pump.

[911 Rod]

I had regular tires on my 335 even though it came with runflats and no spare.
Just kept the flatbed phone number on my cell.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Run flats universally suck. Usually replacing them with real tires will make it drive like a new car.

This.
My 535 came with run-flats. The car rode like the tires were filled with cement. My dealer said to drive it a few weeks and see if they loosen up. I told him I wanted new tires NOW. They put standard tires on it, and it was fine.

[jyl]

I am trying to remember the last time I changed a tire on the side of the road . . . a can of Fix-a-Flat solves lots of things and AAA is just a call away.

[jyl]

Anyway, I have decided that a 6 cyl 4-series coupe, 2020 or earlier, would be a nice car for me. It is a serious candidate for the "new car for jyl" spot in the queue. Unfortunately the queue of things to do right now is ridiculously long.

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by jyl

I am trying to remember the last time I changed a tire on the side of the road . . . a can of Fix-a-Flat solves lots of things and AAA is just a call away.

I've had a flat year tire on my 996TT twice and had to do it.