SOT: I need another E30... anyone have experience with a '91 318is? (M42)

[TC535i]

Gotta get back into an E30, I miss mine too much, but it's not worth fixing ('86 325es, blown head gasket, probably cracked head too). I'm looking at picking up a '91 318is, with the newer M42 engine. Not the fastest E30 out there, but peppy, free-revving (which the M20B27 definitely wasn't), looks like a fun car with good gas mileage. I'd probably chip it, since it needs 91 octane on the stock chip, exhaust is supposed to net a few gains as well.

Car is incredibly light, under 2500 lbs, should be a fun driver.

Anybody have any experience with these cars in particular? Wilfred, any caveats??

[billb]

Car is incredibly light, under 2500 lbs, should be a fun driver.

Anybody have any experience with these cars in particular? Wilfred, any caveats??

That's kinda what "Junior" said to me when I saw him at the local corner fixit shop last December (2002). When it was still there in February, I knew something was up. I picked it up for $2900, a little more than I wanted to spend, but have turned it into a car I absolutely love to drive.

Common faults (mine had "indicated" 79k on the odo):
Air conditioning compressor likely shot
make SURE the profile gasket has been replaced
front control arm bushings, ball joints, tie rods, etc.
timing chain tensioner
odometer gears broken, rendering odometer inoperable
cold solder joints on speedo board, easily repairable
ignition coils getting tired
vacuum hoses cracked
guibo, center support bearing, tranny shifter bushings
power antenna tired...
wheel bearings (haven't done 'em yet, but will need to in the next few years)

Ask Jr, I'm sure he'll have some more opinions. In all, I'm into the car for about $5000 after all the repairs (and it's all paid for!). I get 30+mpg hwy, 25 around town. 0-60 is tough because you've got to go to 3rd gear to hit 60 without redlining...so it's in the high 8s, low 9s. I've got a generic chip in mine, that I'm thinking about removing, as the car is quick enough without it, and it seems to get better mileage with the stock chip.

And is DEFINITELY a fun driver!! Tons better experience than my 1st gen RX7 was (although I do miss the linear acceleration of the rotary :(

[bahnstormer]

imho no one should be forced to suffer the 318's lack of power.
is mpg that important to you? why not get a good ol' 325? e30 of course

[Jr ///M5]

The 318iS was called BMW's best kept secret. Although the engine only produced 134 hp, and chipped it would only deliver 145. It is slow off the line but the engine comes alive after 3500 rpm and likes to live above that range. With dual over head camshafts and hydraulic valve lifters, it is a rev happy engine.

The 318iS was BMW's hopeful for a cult car that would replace the 2002. With special front and rear spoilers, factory shadowline trim, Recarro bucket seats, and a 5 speed the 4 cylinder would deliver 30 mpg on the highway and 25 in town. Some models had factory fog lamps and a manual crank sunroof, but not many had the coveted limited slip differential.

For dependable everyday transportation, you can't go wrong. Parts are plentiful and very reasonable if you do your own work. But problems with the profile gasket would cost $1100 at a dealer to have corrected. If you did it yourself, it would end up costing you about $150. They are easy to work on, and maintenance for a 4 cylinder is very easy on the wallet.

It all depends on what you pay for it initally, and what you end up, with after the work that you do to it. After everything is gone through, expect to be at the $5-5500 range as Bill suggests.

Go for it Tim, check out the problem areas, such as the profile gasket, fuel pump, and the typical heating and cooling BMW gremlins.

One major drawback is the 4 lug wheels. There just isn't anything that looks good out there. Although the stock basketweaves don't look too bad, 15's do make a difference.

Good luck Tim, let us know what you decide!!!

Jr

[winfred]

if you do get one a e30 325i flywheel/clutch/starter does wonders in place of the boat anchor twin mass rattle trap that comes on it, i built one for my cousin a year or two ago and that was the best heel/toe shifting car i've driven with the lighter flywheel, theres a **** load of molded rubber hoses under the intake that are special order and rock hard by now, but are not that expensive, watch out for water pump/thermostat failure roasting the head, done a few, i don't think any of the orignal profile gaskets have survived but i am getting ones that have been ****ed up by crappy mechanics trying to replace them and they are failing again due to gorilla snot giving way or stripped bolts (i had to install 17 6mm heli coils on the last m42 i did)

[TC535i]

I've read that basically any car over 80k has had the profile gasket replaced... look at the head right there, if it looks cleaner than it should for it's mileage, you're good to go.

The nice thing about E30's is that even tho they're 4-bolt, aftermarked options are plentiful and cheap as hell (shares the bolt pattern with Honduh Civics, etc).

I have a 1-yr old programma rebuilt SI board I will pull from my old E30, along with the Hella H4's and the Phillips xenon kit (currently in my Kia... ever seen a $1,000 Korean car with HID's?? :))

[WarrenBrown]

After 17 years in my 73 Tii, I traded it in on a new 91 318is. I wasn't sure there would be life after the Tii, I was wrong! Its a different car from the Tii. I love it, it is a little noisy due to the 4 pot motor and the gearing, I was used to that. Everyone has mentioned the trouble areas. I'm an instructor with the NJ Chapter BMWCCA, I do about 10 track days a year and the car performs great, it is a wonderful feeling when M3 drivers come over and say that can't be a 318.

Basically if you can find any E30, especially one of the latter ones in nice shape, latch onto it. If it happens to be a 318 with the twin cam motor, don't be shy, you will like it. Most of the chassis and suspension parts are right out of the 325 so they parts are easy to come by.

Warren Brown
91 318is
95 525iT

[winfred]

you had a es didn't you, if it's too early your screwed on it working in the newer car, around 86 they redesigned the e30 cluster, the early cars used a plastic key like thing to program the tach for 4 or 6 cylinder, and it was stuck right into the back of the tach opening one or another set of contacts, the later cars used a chip plugged into the si board from the front, as soon as you remove the black plastic panel above the column you can see the code chip, it will work fine if the es is new enough


I have a 1-yr old programma rebuilt SI board I will pull from my old E30

[Jr ///M5]

Just to give credit where credit is due, Warren Brown was the one that wrote the "Profile Gasket Replacement Procedure" for the New Jersey chapter BMWCCA.

I used his procedure when I did the profile gasket on mine, about 4 years ago. It's doing fine Warren, just wanted to make sure you got the recognition you deserve for your hard work and documenting the procedure for other BMWCCA members.

Tim, quit dickin' around and go get the damn thing! =)

Jr
'91 ///M5
'91 318iS
and then there's Lori's car...
'01 525

[TC535i]

Tim, quit dickin' around and go get the damn thing! =)


I'm tryin, I'm tryin! Hopefully I'll get to check it out Saturday, if the weather holds out.

[winfred]

so you don't need to wonder :D

http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/m42hg.JPG

[632 Regal]

nitrous would at least turned the gaps black!