So I'm thinking about a new daily driver and I keep coming back to the 128i. Part of my job involves traveling to customers and vendors alike, and there are several reasons why the 370 is not the car for this. I like the fact that it isn't so large, and that it is relatively simple. I'll still have the 370 for spirited drives, and a MINI Cooper S, although it might go away to fund the "new" car.
Anyway, does anyone here have direct experience?
I think the worst thing about the 128i is that the 135i exists. Beautifully driving cars, though.
Was inches away from picking one up but had last minute second thoughts, love the hell out of those cars though and would daily one in a heartbeat.
What are you guys seeing a reasonable miles 128 going for around you? I could see this being a possible DD for my future.
I was thinking about it last year, before I started thinking I wanted a convertible, before I determined I'd pick up a newer NC by the end of summer, before I bought an NB last night...
That thread had some good info on 128i's if you can find it.
The 128i has far fewer problems than the 135i, plus I can find clean, low mileage examples from $14k to $18k depending on options. My 370Z is marginally faster than the 135i if I want to drive like a hooligan. 
I spoke to the service manager at the local BMW dealer when I took my Dad to pick up his car, and he basically said the 128 is one of the most trouble free BMWs out there. The 135 on the other hand was not. Just curious if the real world bears this out. The quick drive I did in a 128 was impressive. It's not what I would call slow by any means, and has awesome steering feel. I loved the size. In fact, it felt a LOT like my Cooper S, minus the fwd and fun-filled center speedo.
The somewhat unusual headlight shape has grown on me. I haven't driven one, however. I rode in a Mini Cooper, and I hate the center speedo, enough to never own one.
it makes sense that the 135 would be more troublesome. It is the cheapest car BMW makes with the turbo 6. The 128 though, has a rather under stressed engine in a car without all the bells and whistles of the stuff higher up the food chain.
Most of the BMW NA inline-6 cars are solid when it comes to the drivetrain. They just have so many years of making the things that there are few major failure points. Yes, they have failures in the cooling system due to some plastic components, but IMO this isn't that big a concern and usually takes a long time to happen even on the cars that are supposedly prone to the failures. I think the 128i is probably a good buy overall.
The turbo cars have had teething issues. That said, I did buy my wife a 335i, but only because she drives very few miles a year.
I like them just fine - the only real issues I've heard about frequently is that the vert tops leak and make irritating wind noises. Since I have no use for a vert these are on my short list for "next DD".
Good, Bad or Ugly?
I'd say Good and Ugly. Seems like a great little car, but the shape is just wrong to me. It looks tall and narrow as if it's about to fall over in a stiff wind, and never has a vehicle shape begged more to be a wagon or a hatch than the awkward notch back they sell here.
Performance looks to be in the 'fun for DD' zone. Similar to the old E36 M3's in reality. Quick enough to be fun, but slow enough you can enjoy wringing it out without an instant 'Go to Jail, do not pass go do not collect $200' card.
230 or so horses in that car isn't slow IMO.
I believe those all had the N52 (magnesium composite block)engine of some variant, and it's a pretty sweet motor. Got one in my Z4, and another in the wife's 328xi, the former pushing 100,000 miles, the other pushing 105,000.
The main issues with the motors are belt tensioners with a roughly 60,000 mile life (easy fix, not terribly expensive OEM part), a potential for oil leaks around the valve cover and the oil filter housing gasket, and the valve train can get noisy if you don't beat the snot out of it every once in a while.
Cooling system may be a little more durable than earlier BMWs, but when the electric water pump goes, it's kind of pricey.
Oh, and no dipstick, and the differential probably won't have a drain plug.
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