I haven't seen too many of those issues you mentioned cal. There will always be one-offs here and there. Most of the issues I have been seeing were from boosted cars.
The 128i is a great platform. I'm just not a fan of the look. Performance between the two is debatable and I'm glad you mentioned that the I6 is reliable, because everyone seems to think otherwise which isn't true.
I've not owned a 128i but I have owned a few other bimmers and they don't seem to keep me as entertained as the BRZ for some unforeseen reason. I just ticked the 3 year mark recently and I haven't had a single issue that wasn't covered by a TSB.
I'm actually quite disappointed that I have to sell mine next month because it's been such a great car, but I will have plenty of other cars in Australia to keep me entertained.
