Buying an old BMW, waste of time/money?

TwoShedsJackson

I really like the old BMW 318is like this one: http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=916480 (not this one mind, ideally something with a bit less mileage) - if I got one it would only get weekend use at most so the mileage I'd put on it would be very low, prob 3 or 4 thousand a year at the most. Also, I'd like to use it to get a bit more familiar with maintaing a car myself (apart from major jobs obviously).

Would buying something like this end up with me sinking many times it's cost into it to keep it running? And I seem to recall hearing that cars over 20 years old are hard to get insurance on - anyone know if there is an upper age limit that insurers start putting premiums up on?

niceirishfella

Hard to know until you go view it and give it the once over. One observation is that there no mention of an NCT? if its out, and you have to get it up to NCT standards, you could spend a fortune.

Buying a car circa 2k with a new fresh nct could be a better option. Could be better off with something like this - no mention of an nct but still could be better value for your euro -

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=869182

and its in Cork and all boiye!

RoundyMooney

I'm selling one on adverts atm, unfortunately without NCT though

Andrewf20

Check out:

http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/318isdriving.html#driving_livingwitha318is
http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/318isfaultstable.html

They are a bit of a cult classic, but I wouldnt consider them expensive to run once they have been looked after. If you are buying one, they should come with a book of receipts. I have driven the BM in the link attached and they are a hoot to drive.

PS, the 318is only came in 2 door in the E30 (early 1990's) guise. The car in your link is a standard 318i with many hidden differences.

This could be worth a look:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=895209

HJL

I know someone who has a '90 316i and they have spent a fair bit on it, but nothing really that couldnt have needed doing on a modern car. The brakes needed doing and cost a lot, but brakes need replacing on all cars after a certain period.
The petrol tank are a known fault with this model too.

But if you see a fresh looking one for the right money then i would say go for it, cars today look very alike, these slightly older cars look great!
Im quite partial to the VW Corrado.

DamoDLK

Well chap
If you can manage to get one with an NCT, go for it, a Haynes Manuel will also serve as a useful tool. This car you are looking at is the 105BHP, 1766cc, 4cyl, M10 engine. These cars are said to be over-engineered which should provide you with many years of pleasure! Also, If you manage to find a 318iS it has a 136BHP M42 Engine its also worth considering. They do tend to be bought by modifiers so watch out for boy racer ones which may have been pushed TOO hard!

Happy hunting
Damo

RoundyMooney

Actually, that E30 has an M40 engine.

Slightly more bhp, but not as smooth, and more fragile than the older M10.

That same block found its way into some very exotic race machinery IIRC.

DamoDLK

Are you sure? did the M40 engine not arrive until the E36??? i know it was a M42 on the 318iS..? not 100% sure now tho!!

Lex Luthor

The best BMW ever made imo. You should try and get one in 2 door if you can

Engine info

RoundyMooney

DamoDLK wrote: »

Are you sure? did the M40 engine not arrive until the E36??? i know it was a M42 on the 318iS..? not 100% sure now tho!!

You're not far out. The M40 was fitted to "facelift" E30s, in other words the ones with painted rather than chrome bumpers, and galvanised body bits, from 1987.

Mine is the last of the old ones, which is how I know

Lex Luthor wrote: »

The best BMW ever made imo. You should try and get one in 2 door if you can

Engine info

Two doors are by far the most common imports. Four doors are lamentably rare though, and arguably a better proportioned saloon than the 2 door is a coupe. Taste is a very subjective thing though, I'll grant you that.

Oilrig

I thought the E30 316 (1.8 carb) was the last one with the M10 and that the 316i & 318i injection models were M40?

M10 had a timing chain and the M40 had a belt IIRC?

M10 block was used in the Turbo F1 car, it produced up to 1200bhp in qualifying trim. It was also used in the first E30 M3.

318is was a 16V version M42 and was never marketed in Ireland, AFAIK it was only available as a two door and was usually bright red.

Edit... just read the Wiki link,

"The M10 was replaced by the new belt-driven cam M40 which also incorporated Motronic injection. The new 318i now had 85 kW/114 hp and was noticeably smoother than the old 77 kW/103 hp version and included a timing chain instead of a timing belt just as the S14 (the E30 M3)."

RoundyMooney

Correct on all points, except that afaik the 316 became the 316i in '87, with the M40.

That wiki link is misleading, in that popular opinion now would have the M10 as the better of the two in terms of smoothness and reliability.

Again, in the context of the car, it's all relative. Many manufacturers of the time couldn't touch either wrt dependability.

Oilrig

"afaik the 316 became the 316i in '87, with the M40."

This is true.

Seth Brundle

Getting back to the OPs question about parts and costs; parts from the likes of GSF are quite cheap and assumiong the car has been looked after then it shouldn't eat out of your pocket.
There are also enough forums out there to offer advice that if you have a few tools you can approach many jobs yourself.

Slidey

I had the e30 with the m25 engine in for a while. Fantastic car, more comfortable than my then tdi golf and boy was it fun... tho not in the ice or snow.
They are fantastically over engineered but still rot, under battery in the boot, rear inner arches and bottom corners of windscreen...

Seth Brundle

dont you mean the M20 engine!

Slidey

kbannon wrote: »

dont you mean the M20 engine!

Ooops, no point in editing it now is there.... fiddlesticks:o
should have said m20 b25?

Bearcat

IMO the E30's 4 cyl engines were rough and always gave trouble at higher mileage. Getting a nice E30 320i 6 cyl is I think a better option and driving exerience as against thrashing around in the gutless 316's, 318's.

In recent times BMW has raised the bar and is producing decent 4 pot engines.....namely their 2 litre turbo diesel which is pumping out 170bhp, shed loads of trq, smooth and gives terrific mpg/kpl.

BnA

Bearcat wrote: »

IMO the E30's 4 cyl engines were rough and always gave trouble at higher mileage. Getting a nice E30 320i 6 cyl is I think a better option and driving exerience as against thrashing around in the gutless 316's, 318's.

In recent times BMW has raised the bar and is producing decent 4 pot engines.....namely their 2 litre turbo diesel which is pumping out 170bhp, shed loads of trq, smooth and gives terrific mpg/kpl.

While we are talking about these..... I had admired them for a while too and a few weeks ago I saw in a forecourt in Ashbourne and stopped in for a look.

I sat in and I found it pretty difficult to find space for my legs. I had the seat back as far as it will go, but my knees were still hitting the steering wheel. I'm not massively tall. 6 foot on the buttom. Although I didn't get to take it for a drive, I reckon I'd find it very uncomfortable to do so.

Has anyone else found this ?

angryaine

buy an IS, they are harder to get but are quicker than th e 320, because the 318 is engine is a twincam engine.

look on e30owners.net and theres a few for sale. its an enthusiasts site, so the cars are very well minded.
you may have to jin to look in the forsale section tho.

Anan1

I have to say, RoundyMooney, that does look like a very nice, straight car.

E92

slideways wrote: »

Ooops, no point in editing it now is there.... fiddlesticks:o
should have said m20 b25?

M20B25;)!(M=Motor i.e. engine, B=Benzin i.e. petrol, 25 refers to the engine size in litres multiplied by 10, and 20 is just a number BMW decided on!)

Mac 3

True for Andrewf20, great fun to drive. I have an E30 325i and I love it, nice to have something older but it has creature comforts such as remote alarm, CD player and the electrics. Mine is used as a weekend-summer car, so i dont put up many miles.

A few people I know couldn't understand the attraction but after a drive, they realised how much fun they can be. i'd say if you're looking at getting one from the UK, there are still some good examples to be had, but I'd say that the VRT changes in July will mean that an import will be more expensive to tax , so the options would be to get an example thats already in Ireland or an import before july.

Best of Luck with your search

RoundyMooney

Anan1 wrote: »

I have to say, RoundyMooney, that does look like a very nice, straight car.

Thank you very much Anan

I'll be very sorry to see it go tbh, as I'm sure you were with your own.

bucks

angryaine wrote: »

look on e30owners.net and theres a few for sale. its an enthusiasts site, so the cars are very well minded.
you may have to jin to look in the forsale section tho.

www.E30owners.com