E36 - buying hints and tips?

[pAntscat]

Hi All!

I'm off to look at a 1993 318i later today and I wondered if anyone could point me in the direction of things to look out for?

Do they have any particular weak areas?

Any info is much appreciated.

Ta,

Ant

[mustard]

Think it will still be an 'M40' 1.8 engine at that age which means regular and I mean regular Cam Belt changes (every 35k/4yrs) or somethin stupid, unless the cars exceptional i'd hang out for a '94 M43 engined, chain driven and much more duable engine all round.

Otherwise just look for the usual, good service history & maintenance, condition (rear arches rust), interior trim is a bit light weight too

Edited by mustard on Sunday 20th May 10:07

[pAntscat]

mustard said:

Think it will still be an 'M40' 1.8 engine at that age which means regular and I mean regular Cam Belt changes (every 35k/4yrs) or somethin stupid, unless the cars exceptional i'd hang out for a '94 M43 engined, chain driven and much more duable engine all round.

Otherwise just look for the usual, good service history & maintenance, condition (rear arches rust), interior trim is a bit light weight too

Yep - as far as I am aware it's an "M40" engine - I'm told the cam belt was done in the last year. Do you know if this is an expensive job? 36k miles is quite a small interval!

Edited by pAntscat on Sunday 20th May 10:18

[mustard]

At a guess £100-£150 job at a specialist

[pAntscat]

Cheers Mustard!

I'm keeping my eye out for a 318iS... but most of them have sky-high miles!

[mustard]

www.oldcolonelcars.co.uk/

Calaypso Red 60k miler

[pAntscat]

mustard said:

www.oldcolonelcars.co.uk/

Calaypso Red 60k miler

That looks brilliant! I only wanted to spend 2k at the most though... the search goes on!

[mustard]

Personally if you can find an iS then i'd go for an M50 engined 320i or 325i, M40 engined 318i is the runt of the litter

[pAntscat]

A 320 does appeal somewhat... it's a tricky one! Heart over wallet!

[Denis O]

Have a gander at

www.e36coupe.com/

They've forgotten more than most people know about the 3 series.

[pAntscat]

Cheers Denis - That looks very helpful!

[MitchT]

pAntscat said:

I'm keeping my eye out for a 318iS... but most of them have sky-high miles!

318is had an M42 engine until 1997 when it received the M44 engine and a mild facelift which is most easily identifyable by the wider kidney grille surrounds. I have no experience of the M42 but the M44 is a decent engine. It has 140bhp which is a bit breathless at low revs but good fun if you keep it on the boil. The M44-engined 318is is a pretty light car so what it lacks in 'six-appeal' it makes up for in chuckability. The engines are sound and chain-driven, so no cambelt worries. Main weak spots for my 318is seem to be suspension bushes and coil springs, but that might be as much to do with the appalling quality of the roads in my area is it is to do with the car.

[m3evo2]

MitchT said:

pAntscat said:

I'm keeping my eye out for a 318iS... but most of them have sky-high miles!

318is had an M42 engine until 1997 when it received the M44 engine and a mild facelift which is most easily identifyable by the wider kidney grille surrounds. I have no experience of the M42 but the M44 is a decent engine. It has 140bhp which is a bit breathless at low revs but good fun if you keep it on the boil. The M44-engined 318is is a pretty light car so what it lacks in 'six-appeal' it makes up for in chuckability. The engines are sound and chain-driven, so no cambelt worries. Main weak spots for my 318is seem to be suspension bushes and coil springs, but that might be as much to do with the appalling quality of the roads in my area is it is to do with the car.

Had my 318is since 1999. Only problem to date is a ceased caliper, 1 suspension bush and perished rear window seals. But then it has only coverd 32K miles. Great fun car.

[XJSJohn]

Question for you guys ....

In auto format - how significant is the performance gain from weight savings / smaller car etc with a 320 vrs 520 in the M50 engine layout?

its probably a stupid question and given that it will almost definitely have to be an auto, does this basically negate any advantages gained by weight?

I know this is a bit of a no brainer question but would be interested in a real world opinion vrs statistics on paper!

Cheers!

[Neil_Bolton]

XJSJohn said:

Question for you guys ....

In auto format - how significant is the performance gain from weight savings / smaller car etc with a 320 vrs 520 in the M50 engine layout?

its probably a stupid question and given that it will almost definitely have to be an auto, does this basically negate any advantages gained by weight?

I know this is a bit of a no brainer question but would be interested in a real world opinion vrs statistics on paper!

Cheers!

Well I know that the E36 328i auto I test drove didn't feel anything as quick as my current 328 manual - so I'd hazard that if you are going to go small engined AND auto, you may as well be properly comfortable whilst being slow, and go for the 520i.

Just my opinion, as I don't see why people buy the smaller engined 6 pots when the fuel bills and insurance are not that different to the 328 six pots (or 528i's).

[XJSJohn]

Neil_Bolton said:

Just my opinion, as I don't see why people buy the smaller engined 6 pots when the fuel bills and insurance are not that different to the 328 six pots (or 528i's).

i am in Singapore - the difference is about £1000 a year in road tax when you go over 2l engine capacity + the fact that they just dont exist here because of that reason.

Givn that a 1993 320 / 520 will cost me somewhere in the region of £5 - 7k anyway ... and that still makes it one of the cheepest cars on the road here purely because they an 200E mersc are the only ones that last.

impoprting is not an option.

[Neil_Bolton]

XJSJohn said:

Neil_Bolton said:

Just my opinion, as I don't see why people buy the smaller engined 6 pots when the fuel bills and insurance are not that different to the 328 six pots (or 528i's).

i am in Singapore - the difference is about £1000 a year in road tax when you go over 2l engine capacity + the fact that they just dont exist here because of that reason.

Givn that a 1993 320 / 520 will cost me somewhere in the region of £5 - 7k anyway ... and that still makes it one of the cheepest cars on the road here purely because they an 200E mersc are the only ones that last.

impoprting is not an option.

Ah, fair enuff given the choice though, I'd have the 520

[XJSJohn]

Neil_Bolton said:

XJSJohn said:

Neil_Bolton said:

Just my opinion, as I don't see why people buy the smaller engined 6 pots when the fuel bills and insurance are not that different to the 328 six pots (or 528i's).

i am in Singapore - the difference is about £1000 a year in road tax when you go over 2l engine capacity + the fact that they just dont exist here because of that reason.

Givn that a 1993 320 / 520 will cost me somewhere in the region of £5 - 7k anyway ... and that still makes it one of the cheepest cars on the road here purely because they an 200E mersc are the only ones that last.

impoprting is not an option.

Ah, fair enuff given the choice though, I'd have the 520

cheers ... was the opinion that i was heading down ... if i cant go fast ... may as well smoke around in style

[MitchT]

m3evo2 said:

Had my 318is since 1999. Only problem to date is a ceased caliper, 1 suspension bush and perished rear window seals.

Ah yes, the perished rear window seals. Apparently it's quite common for those, or at least the little oblong bits where the window meets the corners of the boot, to perish. Mine are a tad untidy too.

m3evo2 said:

But then it has only coverd 32K miles. Great fun car.

Mine's just passed 37K miles!

[m3evo2]

MitchT said:

m3evo2 said:

Had my 318is since 1999. Only problem to date is a ceased caliper, 1 suspension bush and perished rear window seals.

Ah yes, the perished rear window seals. Apparently it's quite common for those, or at least the little oblong bits where the window meets the corners of the boot, to perish. Mine are a tad untidy too.

m3evo2 said:

But then it has only coverd 32K miles. Great fun car.

Mine's just passed 37K miles!

Had all the window seals replaced now and yes tis a common problem but nothing major.