A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 BMW 1-Series

The 2012 BMW 1-Series, which includes both the 128i and the 135i in both a coupe and convertible options, provides the perfect combination of power, performance and luxury. Designed with a focus on thrilling acceleration and a smooth, elegant ride, the 1-series offers everything you want without adding too much bloat.

Key Features

With a powerful six-cylinder engine or the turbocharged V6, the 2012 BMW 1-Series delivers a powerful punch that makes acceleration quick, responsive and smooth. With a choice of either an automatic or manual six-speed transmission to meet your unique driving needs, this small size car offers plenty of performance. The available sport suspension also adds to the overall feel, offering a firm yet comfortable driving experience.

Changes for 2012

The 2012 BMW 1-Series sees only minor tweaks, with the exception of the discontinuation of the M-Series Coupe, which was a limited production model.

What We Like

The available options on the 1-Series makes sure you can create the car that best suits your tastes. Choose the performance exhaust and sport steering wheel for a sportier sound and ride, or opt for the leather interior with wood trim for increased luxury.

What Concerns Us

The 2012 BMW 1-Series, even with its available features, is a bit on the slimmed down side compared to some of the options available in its class. If you’re looking for performance and little else, this is the car for – providing the price tag doesn’t scare you off.

Available Models

The 2012 BMW 1-Series is available in four different models:

128i Coupe and Convertible

  • 3.0-Liter Inline 6
  • 230 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
  • 200 lb-ft of torque @ 2,750 rpm
  • City/highway fuel economy: 18/28 mpg, 18/27 mpg (automatic convertible)

135i Coupe and Convertible

  • 3.0-Liter Turbocharged Inline 6
  • 300 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm
  • 300 lb-ft of torque @ 1,400-5,000 rpm
  • City/highway fuel economy: 18/25 mpg (automatic), 19/28 mpg (manual convertible), 20/28 (manual coupe)

Major Recalls

There are a total of three recalls that have been issued for the 2012 BMW 1-Series; two for the 135i and one for the 128i. The recall for the 128i is due to a battery connector that could degrade, which could cause a loss of power.

The first recall for the 135i are due to housing bolts on the VANOS unit that may loosen or break, causing the engine to stall. The second is for the same battery connector as that issued for the 128i.

Common Issues

The most common complaints for the 2012 BMW 1-Series concerns the vehicle displaying a sudden increase in engine speed that causes it to rocket forward.

BMW 1-Series 2012 Interior


Next Step

Schedule Pre-purchase Car Inspection

The most popular service booked by readers of this article is Pre-purchase Car Inspection. YourMechanic’s technicians bring the dealership to you by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week between 7AM-9PM. We currently cover over 2,000 cities and have 100k+ 5-star reviews... LEARN MORE

SEE PRICING & SCHEDULING

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Recent Pre-purchase Car Inspection reviews

Excellent Rating

(5,493)

Rating Summary
5,137
193
39
38
86
5,137
193
39
38
86

Jermaine

25 years of experience
382 reviews
Jermaine
25 years of experience
Dodge Durango V6-3.6L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Silver Spring, Maryland
Awesome mechanic! Very reliable !! Awesome personality! Explained everything and now I feel less stressed.
Hyundai Ioniq - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Chevy Chase, Maryland
Jermaine was very friendly, efficient and professional. He kindly explained to me those things that did not score well in the service report, so that it didn't come as a surprise, and I would know what to do about it.

Caz

18 years of experience
146 reviews
Caz
18 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz GLA250 L4-2.0L Turbo - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Woodstock, Georgia
Caz was extremely knowledgeable, personable and provided excellent service. He was on time for the appointment and answered and explained everything I asked concerning my vehicle. I will definitely use the company again and I would love to have Caz as my mechanic! Excellent!
Mercedes-Benz S550 - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Mableton, Georgia
Caz Arrived on time much earlier than scheduled. He was very professional in inspecting the car and made excellent recommendations.

Brian

19 years of experience
138 reviews
Brian
19 years of experience
Lexus RX350 V6-3.5L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Brian was very informational and knowledgeable about the Inspection. He throughly inform me what issues on vehicle. Great Mechanic !!!
Ford Transit-350 HD - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Great service. Honest , respectful and truly cares about making sure you get the best options possible at an affordable price. Finding a mechanic you can trust is rare. I highly recommend Brain.

Jay

24 years of experience
262 reviews
Jay
24 years of experience
Honda CR-V L4-2.4L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Glendale Heights, Illinois
Jay did a great job! Excellent at taking time to explain things about your car. And provided sound recommendation on repair. Courteous and responsive. I would definitely recommend Jay!
BMW 535i xDrive - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Des Plaines, Illinois
Excellent ! Jay is very detail oriented and forward thinking. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

Need Help With Your Car?

Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 2,000 U.S. cities. Fast, free online quotes for your car repair.

GET A QUOTE

Related articles

The Top 5 Selling Cars in Delaware in 2012
Delaware Delaware offers a variety of weather, which means drivers have to be prepared for both the mild and the treacherous. In previous years, the best-selling vehicles have included the Honda Civic, Accord and CR-V, along with the Toyota Camry....
10 Cars With Great Residual Value
One One thing many people in the market for a new car don’t think about when making a final purchase is the vehicle’s estimated residual value. Residual value is how much a car will likely be worth (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/the-best-used-cars-to-buy-to-maximize-resale-value) once its...
How to Buy a Car After Bankruptcy
Though bankruptcy can greatly impact your life financially, there are still ways to buy a car by managing your payments and having a good cosigner.

Related questions

I am looking to make a "sports" , "dub" car with alot of power.
Taking on a project such as this takes lots of time, even for the most experienced mechanic. You will be re-engineering your car and this will require you to learn a lot and make a lot of decisions. There is...
My car will not crank and has a yellow exclamation point on the dash.
Hi there. There seems to be a couple of things that are not functioning. First the battery seems to have a low power and possibly a burned cell. Also, the fuel system may have air in it due to running...
Is it safe to drive with a broken engine mount?
Hi There, Unfortunately, I would not recommend driving the vehicle with broken motor mounts, especially for an extended drive. As you may know, motor mounts (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/engine-mount-replacement) are steel mounted brackets that secure the motor and transmission to the chassis of...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com