all I know is that have beaten the living crap out my 1988 32iC and have also maintained it to a 'T' (whatever that means), bought it with 70K and now has 165K on it...driven it all over the US..6 years in New Mexico...taken it from Denver to Las Vegas to Los Angeles to Roswell to Chicago to Milwaukee to New York ad nasuem.. kept up with maintenance and it still runs like a top....I intend to keep this thing forever....it will not quit...and never (and I mean ever) leaks a drop of oil....almost unworldly...cliff
318i vrs 325i purchase
- Thread starter icebrick
- Start date
Pictures of my mom's 1989 E30 325i when we bought it with 75,000kms on it. It is dirty too, but you can't hide that the car is 20 years old. Working on them and cleaning them up is half the fun of owning them.
Pics of my 1991 E30 318i with 262,000kms on it. It didn't come that way. You gotta work on your E30, simple as that. The engine will rarely if ever let you down.
OK, my $0.02c
DO NOT BUY AN AUTOMATIC.
They are horrible gearboxes in the e30's, and not at all strong. I have had 4 automatic e30's Two have had to have new auto boxes. 1 had the auto die and I put a manual in it. The fourth sacrificed its auto box for one of the other ones and also got a manual.
They are weak, and they sap power. If you must get an auto, then the 318 must be off your list as it can not handle a slushbox.
However, if we are talking manual trans cars, then I'm on the fence. I love the torque of the 325i, and they do have significantly more power/get up and go, but the extra weight over the nose is noticeable. The 318 has chuckability and alot of guys are going for these now as they are a hoot to drive at the limit, and feel faster than they are, and handle better than the 325i. Both cars also suit power modification. A good friend of mine has a 318is (m42) turbo with 26psi boost running 340-odd HP at the wheels! He was at the track the other day and made a new Ferrari 575 owner's face look like a dropped pie.
That said there are some bloody quick 325is out there and I personally have a 325i, and that is my preference over the 318. I'm just trying to offer you a balanced review. Whatever decision you make, if its a well looked after manual car, you'll be happy.
DO NOT BUY AN AUTOMATIC.
They are horrible gearboxes in the e30's, and not at all strong. I have had 4 automatic e30's Two have had to have new auto boxes. 1 had the auto die and I put a manual in it. The fourth sacrificed its auto box for one of the other ones and also got a manual.
They are weak, and they sap power. If you must get an auto, then the 318 must be off your list as it can not handle a slushbox.
However, if we are talking manual trans cars, then I'm on the fence. I love the torque of the 325i, and they do have significantly more power/get up and go, but the extra weight over the nose is noticeable. The 318 has chuckability and alot of guys are going for these now as they are a hoot to drive at the limit, and feel faster than they are, and handle better than the 325i. Both cars also suit power modification. A good friend of mine has a 318is (m42) turbo with 26psi boost running 340-odd HP at the wheels! He was at the track the other day and made a new Ferrari 575 owner's face look like a dropped pie.
That said there are some bloody quick 325is out there and I personally have a 325i, and that is my preference over the 318. I'm just trying to offer you a balanced review. Whatever decision you make, if its a well looked after manual car, you'll be happy.