I Had a 56 plate 130I M-sport 5Dr in Lemans blue with full black leather, and there isn’t a day goes by when I don’t wish that I still had it 🙁 I didn’t have the weird steering in mine either and there was loads of feel. The engine is just glorious (Once you get past the switch from throttle to VVC just off Idle) and make a lovely sound right from start up.
Just about perfect, except if you want to get 2 kids and associated guff in it.
Got about 27-30 mpg average out of it but I`m not known as “digital dom” for nothing 😀
I had a set of E46 17″ Steels (From Germany) fitted with winter tyres too and it was great all through last winter, and had that “Munich Taxi” look about it too.
If I had kept it as “my” car rather than the family car, I`d have fitted non run-flats and a quaife LSD from Birds, but that’s just me
In fairness, it just wanted feeding with good fuel and tyres and driving. Lovely, lovely car.
I`m still considering either another decent 130i M-sport or an E46 M3 if I sell my Kadett.
The 130 is supposed to be 80% of the car (E46 M3) but with half the running costs 😀
Tempted by a new M135i in 5 dr form too, as that motor is so tunable