Opinions on keeping 2012 128i long term or trade up for newer 328i?
 

The 128i is my girls car. I think it's great. It has that solid I6 engine, drives good, has all the modern features she wants. However, she is seriously considering trading it in for a used 2014 328i. Firstly the dealer only offered $9k for the trade. Her car has 53k miles. They are selling the 328i for 29k. There isn't much to compare it to honestly. In Hawaii so it's an isolated market with a BMW monopoly by 1 dealer. I am hoping she can sell it private party for like $12k-13k they find a private party used 328i to buy. But that may not happen.

It kills me that the main reasons she doesn't like her car is because of the headlight look and the front bumper style. She would also prefer a different color. And of course the fact that the warranty is expiring soon.

Plastidip would be an option, but I can't find a good headlight solution since she has the stock HIDs.

I also doubt the long term reliability of these new 2.0 bi-turbos. Probably less reliable and more costly to fix.

I would totally keep that 128i. that F30 328i you're looking at is N20 powered, and I'm not sure what the long term reliability on that motor is going to look like. I could be totally off base, but they are boosting the bejeezus out of it and cooking the bejeezus out of it to obtain the power and fuel economy ratings they are getting and I think that doesn't bode well for those things when they get to be 8-10 years down the road. BMW has the thermostat set to fully open until 228F, which is completely insane in my opinion. Hotter engines run more efficiently, and BMW is apparently doing whatever they can to acheive a good number on paper.

Here is some interesting literature on the N20. If you've been around BMW for a while and read through this, there are some things that should jump out at you and make you question the long term reliability of this engine:

http://www.bimmerpost.com/goodiesfor...BIMMERPOST.pdf

I think it's pretty hard to beat a naturally aspirated BMW I-6, and the N52 was the last one of those we're going to see for a while, maybe forever.

I am going to be in the car market soon, and I am looking at a 128i or E92 328i.