New car...

[petone 0]

Hi all, my olds are looking to buy a new car soon. Usual story, must be reliable, economical etc. around 8K to spend, maybe a bit more. Basically just something to do the shopping in etc. Probably a 2L of some kind. They are thinking about E36 as dad is quite impressed with how reliable my car has been. But, i have seen alot on poor build quality of the early ones and the poor fuel economy of the 320i, whats the economy of the 325 like?

Anybody got any other cars that would be suitable, what would the pic of the jappas be?

Just trying to get an idea of whats out there.

[m325i 705]

Early e36s aren't what i would call reliable, or cheap to fix.

Gas isn't too bad in them.

Toyota = boring but reliable.

Cars really are a trade off between excitement and reliabilty. More of one equals less of the other. Unless its a v8 holden/ford, where Gas is the killer.

[E30_318i 0]

A 90s Falcon on LPG. Just make sure you have some black jeans and ACDC t-shirts to look the part.

Couldn't go wrong with an early 90s 2.0 Primera, in manual. That would be my pick out of the Jappas. Its possible to pick up tidy ones these days for under 6 grand.

[bmwsparkle 3]

6 grand? can pick them up for around 2 ground round hur

[E30_318i 0]

True. I was talking about the sporty ones. Factory body kit, alloys and sports seats. Unlike most Jap cars, their shape has aged well too.

[petone 0]

I was thinking primera, the P11 shape is going for under 10g now.

[Napier_E36 0]

How bout a Nissan Maxima or Toyota Camry or similar - the mid to late 90s versions of these are pretty cheap, packed with features - electrics and air con etc and V6s that can make them snot along at the same time as being surprising good on gas.

I would personally say get a Cefiro or Laurel for under a grand and then spend the remaining bling on chucking a RB25DET into it - that way they got a reliable car and you can flog it for track days, drift meets and burnout competitons - and bugger the fuel economy!!! :mosh: :mosh: :mosh:

Edited May 22, 2005 by Napier_E36

[BMW POWER 2]

I would personally say get a Cefiro or Laurel for under a grand and then spend the remaining bling on chucking a RB25DET into it - that way they got a reliable car and you can flog it for track days, drift meets and burnout competitons - and bugger the fuel economy!!! :mosh: :mosh: :mosh:

And could you really see his Mum and Dad doing that?

How about go for a Toyota Camry, or a Nissan Bluebird of the Jap cars. Boring but reliable/cheap to fix.Mercedes 190e that is actually 1.9??

Maybe even a E36 318iS - 1900cc... but that would be about 10 g's +

So yeah a Camry a Maxima or a Bluebird would be pretty sensible.

[petone 0]

They actually pretty keen on a 318 E36, they don't want something to big. Looking at something around 95/96. Most of those early E36 problems should have been sorted out by then right? Couple of questions though about them, when was the E36 facelift and what did it change? And the engines, what model are they and what size, does it change through out the model lifetime?

Cheers guys

[BMW POWER 2]

They actually pretty keen on a 318 E36, they don't want something to big. Looking at something around 95/96. Most of those early E36 problems should have been sorted out by then right? Couple of questions though about them, when was the E36 facelift and what did it change? And the engines, what model are they and what size, does it change through out the model lifetime?

Cheers guys

The 318 Engine changed in 1993, from an M40 (from the E30) to an M43

The M40 has 113hp and the M43 has 115hp. I'm pretty sure they're 1790cc.

So if your looking for a 318 that 95-96 it'll have the M43 engine (note the 4 between the M and the 3 )

The E36 facelift was in 1997 and changed a few things like: More rounded kidney grill, new panel surrounding the headlights, new indicators, new front apron.

The Interior changes were storage nets on the rear of the front seats &

pyrotechnic seatbelt tensioners which pull the seatbelts tight in a crash.

Yeah i think most of the problems of the early E36's aresorted by 95/96

[Grant 4]

They actually pretty keen on a 318 E36, they don't want something to big. Looking at something around 95/96. Most of those early E36 problems should have been sorted out by then right? Couple of questions though about them, when was the E36 facelift and what did it change? And the engines, what model are they and what size, does it change through out the model lifetime?

Cheers guys

The 318 Engine changed in 1993, from an M40 (from the E30) to an M43

The M40 has 113hp and the M43 has 115hp. I'm pretty sure they're 1790cc.

So if your looking for a 318 that 95-96 it'll have the M43 engine (note the 4 between the M and the 3 )

The E36 facelift was in 1997 and changed a few things like: More rounded kidney grill, new panel surrounding the headlights, new indicators, new front apron.

The Interior changes were storage nets on the rear of the front seats &

pyrotechnic seatbelt tensioners which pull the seatbelts tight in a crash.

Yeah i think most of the problems of the early E36's aresorted by 95/96

Emma

I'll just correct a couple of small errors in your previous post.

The M42 superceded the M40. This was a 1.8l 138bhp DOHC 16v unit that ran from 1992 - 1995

the M44 superceded the M42. This was a 1.9l 138bhp DHOC 16v unit that ran from 1996 - 1998

The M44 has slightly more torque than the M42.

This info is coutesy of the BMW buyers guide (I don't know these things off the top of my head, I just knew there were a few errors in your post Emma).

Cheers

Grant

[Guest Andrew]

Hi -

I'm buying a 94 318i tommorow for our retail car yard. 107k, white. Unsure of rest of details - will see it when I pick it up tommorow.

Will retail for 9990.

edit: (if its too nice though i'm keeping it for my drive car!)

Grant - M43 superceded M42 in the 318.

[Grant 4]

Grant - M43 superceded M42 in the 318.

I stand corrected, my humblest apologies Emma.

Cheers

Grant

[nath 130]

How bout a Nissan Maxima or Toyota Camry or similar - the mid to late 90s versions of these are pretty cheap, packed with features - electrics and air con etc and V6s that can make them snot along at the same time as being surprising good on gas.

I would personally say get a Cefiro or Laurel for under a grand and then spend the remaining bling on chucking a RB25DET into it - that way they got a reliable car and you can flog it for track days, drift meets and burnout competitons - and bugger the fuel economy!!! :mosh: :mosh: :mosh:

Yeah a late 90s camry or something would be good, they cheap as hell too- in 97 my old man got a V6 GLX camry for 56k, it was a gift for his recently divorced wife, my mother- who rejected it and it sat under a tree for 7 years. sold it this year for 7, and it had leather and elec seats an stuff.

in saying that, it used more gas than the (then) current model 4.0L fairmont

Edited June 1, 2005 by nath