Bmw 316i A Bit Sluggish..

Wazdakka

Im seriously thinking about buying a 316 i saw advertised on carzone.
115K miles, 98 , Brit import.

I went for a drive in her the other day and the one big thing i noticed is that the car seemed very sluggish, there was not the Va Voom that i expected..
It was like i was driving in a gear to high all the time...

The car will be NCT'd by the current owner by next week and he tells me he has the service history.

I know its a comparably small engine for a BMW and the car has a bit of extra weight in it (heavly modified bodykit, sound sys, etc) but it just was not what i expected at all.

Is there anything specific that could be causing this or is the car itself just not very nippy?

Also if i do buy it has anybody got any ideas / websites/ garages where i could get that bit of acceleration i kinda expected?

peasant

Is there anything specific that could be causing this or is the car itself just not very nippy?

It's about as "nippy" as a 1.4 Golf.

I think that particular kind of nippy is called "plenty nippy"

furtzy

100bhp in a heavy car = sluggish

Would aim for a 318 at least

connundrum

I was seriously thinking about going down the 316 route myself for a while, but after hearing from various sources (here and elsewhere) that it is greatly underpowered I decided against it.

I got something else and will be looking towards a 318is in the new year.

Day-wanna-wonga

Instead of getting a low-end BMW, why not get a high-end something else? BMW's are common as muck (especially the low-end models), as most buffoons buy them just so they can say they drive one - no matter how old or how low-spec they are!

Why not get a high-spec Golf?

KTRIC

I had 2 316's over the past few years. They were both E30 models though , a 2 door coupe and a 5 door touring. The Touring (estate) was a bit heavy for the 1.6 engine, but the 2 door was a pretty nippy ride.

The late 90's models are a different story altogether, the engine is underpowered and a nice big body with all the extra's is stuck on top making it a very sluggish drive.

If I was you i'd look for a low spec 320 and add what you want on afterwards.

Wazdakka

Day-wanna-wonga wrote:

BMW's are common as muck (especially the low-end models),

Yea id agree but this one aint exactly common
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=423010

Its a nice car, pristine inside, even the engine is clean and hes a bit flexible on the price.

Edit: Im a pretty big guy 6ft 5 so although i have nothing against a golf i think i look a bit silly driving them, im lookinf for somthing bigger and unique.

L5

Wazdakka wrote:

Yea id agree but this one aint exactly common
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=423010

oh dear god.............

Wazdakka

Yup fraid so
Ah call it a quater life crisis.
It wasnt exactly my first choice but it caught my eye,

Its on irish plates now and taxed for a year.
The millage might be a bit high but with all those extras its pretty good value.

Day-wanna-wonga

L5 wrote:

oh dear god.............

Agreed! What a tacky piece of sh*t! lol
I wouldn't be seen dead even being a passenger in that monstrocity! It looks like an overzealous boy racer had an abortion all over it! It can't even decide what colour it wants to be! Purple? Green? Gold? Ha!

All show and no go.....
Wazdakka - I was going to try to help you and make some sensible suggestions, but you're obviously a lost cause.

damo605

Anyone else notice that yoke is a Compact??
Should take your 8.5k and p1ss it against the wall.... Get better bang for your buck

Wazdakka

Im not a lost cause...... yet
nearly there tho.
Im defo having second thoughts allright

Points well taken..
cheers boys

fletch

Wazdakka wrote:

Yea id agree but this one aint exactly common
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=423010

NASTY Wouldn't have a present of it!

fletch

All those subs in the back must be adding a lot of weight to the car and I'm sure would affect "performance"
Off Topic - Some of the subs aren't level....like the Pioneer writing on them isn't straight, that would do my head in! lol

Stephen

316 compact = worst BMW.
316 compact with piss-paint and body kit = :eek:

prospect

Where would you put the shopping?

Day-wanna-wonga

prospect wrote:

Where would you put the shopping?

You wouldnt shop, as you'd be afraid to be seen getting out of it in a public place.

Henry Ford III

Wazdakka wrote:

Yea id agree but this one aint exactly common
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=423010

Chavved up to the max.

KTRIC

I bet if that was robbed and burned out Dublin Fire Brigade wouldn't even bother putting it out.

This has to be the worst example of a BMW I have ever seen. If you buy this other BMW drivers will think you are a knob-jockey and everyone else will laugh at you.

milltown

Why is it, every time a POS like that shows up on Carzone it's a private sale in Louth? Is it the same guy all the time or are they all like that up there?

Back on topic: Some fool has already thrown an exhaust and a K&N filter at it, presumably to help turn the alternator, so you're not gonna get much more "pep" from that, erm, vehicle. Just this once I'll agree with the naysayers and suggest you skip the beemer.

edit:
I don't think there's anything as bad on here:
http://www.jimmy540i.com/bmwnightmare.htm

Ozzy

Wazdakka wrote:

Yea id agree but this one aint exactly common
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index...r&carid=423010

... are you serious!?

Wazdakka wrote:

Edit: Im a pretty big guy 6ft 5 so although i have nothing against a golf i think i look a bit silly driving them

Uhhh..

Wazdakka wrote:

im lookinf for somthing bigger and unique.

It's unique alright. Unique like a person with an arse for a face. Come on man! There's a reason that isn't common!

furtzy

My eyes....my eyes

That is truly hideous....definetly a candidate for www.barryboys.co.uk

Rudolph Claus

What age are you, if your having a quarter life crisis buy a subaru or something. Compact is a girls bmw, if it was even a 316 non compact coupe it wouldnt be so bad but that is a waste of money. What age is the owner, 17?

And regarding the sluggish-ness it might have something to do with that **** engine not being abke to drive heavy 18" square wheels.

Ps:Go buy a nice 1.6Integra or vti civic but im biased

5500

As much as i love modified car's that bmw is woefull.Agressive jap style kits never look good on euro cars and if you havnt viewd the car already id go over every inch of paintwork on it.

Fibreglass is a **** at the best of times but when its flip paint like the above and there's cracks that need repairing its not cheap.

Whats the general price on a standard 98 316 compact?

DublinWriter

Wazdakka wrote:

Yea id agree but this one aint exactly common
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=423010

My eyes...my eyes...the goggles do nothing....

Dude, seriously, drive that down the street and small children and elderly people will point and laugh.

It's like a piece of green metallic snot from a giantic beast living in another dimension.

Max_Damage

As much as I hate 3-Series', that is just plain cruel to do that to the poor car.

Anan1

You'd be better off naked on a unicycle wearing a dunce hat, TBH.

LegacyUser

Hey O.P

Did you notice that the BMW your looking at is in fact a 316" Compact"!!

It will give you the same level of street cred an Merc A class will


This is a pure womans cars....stay away its just not worth it!!

mike65

Roffles. I hope the owner is reading this.

Mike.

mike65

Wazdakka as you are even taller than me and you want something with pull or at least some pull, have you considered something like a 1.8t Audi A4/A6

Mike.

Anan1

kaiser1 wrote:

Hey O.P

Did you notice that the BMW your looking at is in fact a 316" Compact"!!

It will give you the same level of street cred an Merc A class will


This is a pure womans cars....stay away its just not worth it!!

That is akin to slating Hitler for the way he combed his hair.