bmw 316i are they any good?

Newbie

Joined: 14-November-2005
Location: westmeath
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Points: 35

Posted: 14-November-2005 at 17:30

size 13 feet which is not a problem could drive barefoot or amputationis always an option i wouldn't care at all can you get them with leather though couldn't see any with it want good spec on it or what e30 could i canabalise to get the leather seats

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techno violet View Drop Down

Really Senior Member I

Joined: 22-September-2004
Location: ireland.
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Posted: 14-November-2005 at 20:39

Welcome to the forum vinny and good luck with your e30 search.If i were you id book a trip across the pond,and pick yourself up a mint 316i.It will be easier to pick up a mint 2 door 316 e30 than say a 325 sport as they are far more plentiful.My advice would be to steer well clear of one that has been tarted up,as good as it might look,chances are it will have been abused.Get yourself a totally original but mint sub 100k 316 with full history if you can for the right money and you'll be laughing.You can then do your mods after.Cut out the middle man,there are plenty of lads going from here to the uk to bring back cars like this to turn a couple of grand profit on.And if you get a good one and look after it for a couple of years,there's no reason why you cant get back what you paid for it,or even more

E36 323i coupe,E30 325sport.

gjoconnor92 View Drop Down

Really Senior Member II

The eyes have it

Joined: 21-July-2003
Location: Kildare and Limerick, Ireland
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Points: 735

Posted: 15-November-2005 at 03:35

As the current owner of Killian's 1989 320 and knowing Denis Hogan, I have driven both a 316 and a 320 at a track day. The lighter engine in the nose of the 316 gives a clearer turn in to corners so the lack of cc's do not spoil the fun. The best compromise is probably is the 318is as BP318is will confirm.

PS look for the rust where Denis said, even down to the footwells. Everything else is cheap and easy to replace

Gerard O'Connor

1989 E30 320i for track day use
1972 2002 competition car project (delayed!!)
Sheane Formula Vee
My e-mail

Eamo

Moderator Group

Joined: 13-May-2003
Location: Ireland
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Points: 3450

Posted: 15-November-2005 at 04:26

m40 engine in the 316 can also be quite tappety. this wont affect performance but can be annoying.

If the engine is tappety and you want to fix the prob you will need to budget for around �400-�500

Dergside

Really Senior Member II

Joined: 16-May-2004
Location: Mid West, Ireland
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Points: 4000

Posted: 15-November-2005 at 05:33

Mrs D gave up a company S40 when changing jobs for a '90 316i auto and she loved it. In fact she still hasn't forgiven me for giving her my old A4 2.6 V6 Avant to replace it. The A4 has now been replaced with an e36 316i and she is happy again.

The e30 was a hoot, as Denis said. Not huge amounts of power, but razor sharp handling and a joy to drive. In everday motoring you won't feel at a loss because they are also a fairly light car by modern standards.

It has been mentioned, but is worth repeating, rust and cooling (and the after effects of not cooling!) are the things to watch for. As well as the points mentioned, check the front bulkhead and beneath the front windscreen (I've heard, but not seen) that on a bad one you can see right through from behind the glovebox to the engine bay and road). The rear arches are also a weak point. As well as the obvious external metal, have a good look under the arches and run your fingers along the inner lip. There are still cars out there that are perfect (my old 325i was an example) but they are getting harder to find.

The cooling end of things is the main mechanical thing to watch for. The viscous coupling for the fan can fail and the cars can overheat, resulting in a warped head and gasket failure. In severe cases it can also cause the block to crack.

With a lot of miles, the valve gear can get a bit rattly but I don't think this is too much of a worry if the rest of the car is fine.

Personally I'd avoid any that have been lowered or had anything larger than 15" wheels because the cars already have a tendency to go through bushes, ball joints and track rod ends (fairly routine and not too expensive to replace) and bearings car take a beating from the larger wheels too.

There are a good few things to watch for, but the youngest cars are now approaching 15 years old so that's par for the course. If you find a nice one they are great fun and a great introduction to BMW.

Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93.

Prev:
e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci.
e39 523i SE.
e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE.
e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i.

denishogan View Drop Down

Really Senior Member II

What�s this title thing about then?

Joined: 29-March-2005
Location: Limerick, Ireland
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Points: 814

Posted: 15-November-2005 at 06:40

Just found a photo of my 3 that'll give you an idea of what to look for in the rust department.

Just click on the photos to make them bigger.

Fortunately I have it parked up in a nice dry shed until I manage to save up a bit of cash to get the few jobs done to it!

Irish Hillclimb and Sprint Championship

vinny

Newbie

Joined: 14-November-2005
Location: westmeath
Status: Offline
Points: 35

Posted: 15-November-2005 at 07:29

cheers for the pointers and thanks a million for being so helpful with this hopefully going to make the move over as soon as possible cheers!

Fey!