BMW 118i (E87) review: the cheapest real BMW driving experience in Bahrain
3/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
Buy a well-serviced facelift 118i as a cheap way into BMW ownership, not as a quick car — 143 hp moving a compact hatch is adequate rather than exciting, and Bahrain's summer heat and short-hop city driving are exactly the conditions where it feels slowest. Check the cooling system and the plastic coolant pipes before buying; they are the E87's known heat-related weak point. If the budget stretches, the 120i gets meaningfully more usable performance for a small premium.
Pros
- Genuine rear-wheel-drive BMW chassis balance in an affordable compact body
- Naturally aspirated N43 is simpler and cheaper to maintain than later turbo engines
- Cheap parts and widespread independent-workshop knowledge in Bahrain
- Six-speed manual is still available on the used market for enthusiasts
Cons
- 143 hp feels modest once the air conditioning is working hard in summer
- Plastic coolant pipes and water pump are known heat-related failure points
- Interior plastics feel a generation behind rivals of the same age
- Rear seat and boot space are tight for a family car
BMW's first proper hatchback arrived with mixed feelings from purists who wanted a rear-wheel-drive 3 Series successor, not a compact family car. The 118i is the sensible end of that range: a 2.0-litre four with no turbo, 143 hp, and none of the drama of the 130i or 135i further up the lineup. What it keeps is the layout that made the badge — engine up front, drive to the rear wheels, roughly 50:50 weight distribution — in a size that actually fits Manama's older streets.
Living with it in Bahrain
The N43 engine is unremarkable in the best way: it does not strain in traffic, does not need premium fuel to make its claimed output, and the six-speed manual is the more involving choice if you can find one that has not been swapped for the automatic. Air conditioning load in a Bahraini summer takes a real bite out of an engine this size, and the car noticeably loses its willingness to rev once the compressor kicks in hard on a 45 degrees C afternoon.
Where the E87 struggles locally is the cooling system: the plastic coolant pipes and water pump impeller are well documented weak points that fail earlier here than in cooler climates, and a used example with an unclear service history is a real risk on exactly the parts that cost the most to fix after the fact.
Ownership and resale
Parts and labour are cheap relative to newer BMWs because independent workshops across Bahrain know this generation well, and it long ago stopped being a car people buy to be seen in, which keeps used prices low. That is the honest appeal: a genuine rear-wheel-drive BMW driving position and chassis balance for less money than a well-equipped Japanese hatchback of the same age.