318i Opinions?

[aftershxck]

I was going to buy a 318i at some point (I thought, that much power is good enough for me).

But then factors including the saying by folk here that is clearly just a povery spec BMW bought for the image (quite right in my case ) means I'll save that little bit longer to get a better one..

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Just got a quote on a 2.0 Focus, £1063 Fully Comp, this is just over £100 more than the 1.6 is

Interesting.....

 

[[TW]Fox]

CD changer is not standard on the SE and neither are parking sensors on most of the models you'll find at this budget. Or an auto dimming rear view mirror.

 

[GT3]

You were the one who told me they were standard spec!

 

[[TW]Fox]

'On most of the models you'll find at this budget'

Yours is not typically representative of a £4k 318i

 

[MarkDavis]

Avoid the 8v 318i which is absolutely dog slow and a hideously old design and go for the 16v 318i (2002 on) which is a lightyears better engine - more power, better revving, DOHC instead of SOHC, BMW Vanos and Valvetronic, better refinement, and better fuel economy. Basically BMW's version of a modern 4cyl engine.

You don't really have the power to exploit the chassis (since its very linear and you don't get the mid range of some the 6cyls) but its still a very fluid drive.

Not sure you're going to get one within your budget since you need to be looking at a 2002 car. Have you thought about getting an earlier pre-facelift a 6cyl E46? Neither will be a cheap car to run though, especially if its a high mileage car. My 323i has had half the suspension replaced at one time or another - springs, control arms, rear hubs, etc Drives like a beaut as a result though If you do buy one, look for one that's had some money on it, and drive a modern low mileage version so you can compare the suspension wear and ride quality if you're buying an older higher mileage version.

Old shape A3s are wooden to drive IMO. I tried a 1.8T and although it was fast - and has a lot of oomph in the midrange due to that turbo (my 323i got outgunned by one on the motorway), I think its a dog to drive, and the 1.8T I tried had hideous ride quality.

 

[GT3]

Well he can have it off me soon if he wants it so therefore it is

 

[[TW]Fox]

323i's are pointless cars. All the running costs and fuel consumption of a 328i without the power. Hmmm.

 

[Mark A]

I hope i don't get bored of my Focus after a year . I can see what you mean about the power though, could do with a bit more poke. I'm hoping to keep my Focus for 2 years then maybe get a Integra Type R .

 

[MarkDavis]

323i's are pointless cars. All the running costs and fuel consumption of a 328i without the power. Hmmm.

And how would you know??? Owned a 323i have you? Owned a 328i have you?

No, no and no.

I guess your Mondeo has cheaper running costs and fuel consumption lol.

Try injecting some humour or wit into your posts instead of your caustic bile

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Well he can have it off me soon if he wants it so therefore it is

For?

You got any pictures of it?

You wouldn't perhaps want a Focus would you (long shot )

Mark, I wouldn't say I'm dog bored of it I'm actually exaggerating, it still makes me smile etc but it's sooooooo samey.

Power can be an issue but shifting to 3rd and booting it normally helps it pick up on the dual carriageways etc.

Bleh, my heads all over

 

[Tom|Nbk]

And how would you know??? Owned a 323i have you? Owned a 328i have you?

No, no and no.

I guess your Mondeo has cheaper running costs and fuel consumption lol.

Try injecting some humour or wit into your posts instead of your caustic bile

Easy now

 

[[TW]Fox]

And how would you know??? Owned a 323i have you? Owned a 328i have you?

No, no and no.

I guess your Mondeo has cheaper running costs and fuel consumption lol.

Try injecting some humour or wit into your posts instead of your caustic bile

Ah yes, my mistake. I know nothing of 6 cylinder BMW running costs and I still drive a 4 cylinder Mondeo.

The 323i is a wonderful car and of course it's completely different to a 328i and is noticeably cheaper to run. They even sell tyres to you at a lower cost once they realise you have a 323 and not a 328. And of course the M52 has a special valve in it which reduces repair costs if it detects its a 2.5 instead of the 2.8.

 

[mrk]

can someone post up a pic of an early one and a face lift one i dont know which is which

The difference is the lights all round and bumpers, the bumpers are the main things that transforms it from looking normal to mean (se<>sport)

here's 99 318i se


here's a sport 2003 318i sport:


Yeah the older one is slow compared to the facelift 318 but it's not as slow as people make it out to be. Everything else remains more or less unchanged (build quality, comfort etc).

 

[Tom|Nbk]

That's yours I take it MRK, how much did you pay if you don't mind me asking?

 

[therealnerd2]

Try injecting some humour or wit into your posts instead of your caustic bile

What is the point?

 

[mrk]

That's yours I take it MRK, how much did you pay if you don't mind me asking?

Yup, in Feb last year paid 5500 for it, it had 66k (now 73k) with 1 owner from new.
Insurance is alright, I only have 1yrs NCB so it's just under £940/yr.

Mechanically nothing has gone wrong with it, a few odd dashboard light glitches which have resolved themselves and also the passenger airbag light coming on due to the fiddly presence mat plug which is triggered by moving the seat back/fwd (common on prefacelift e46 saloons) but I fixed that by buying an airbag reset tool if someone should move the seat and the light goes off.

Am looking to change the car for another e46 but in coupe and sport face next year though \m/

 

[wassap]

Yeah the older one is slow compared to the facelift 318 but it's not as slow as people make it out to be. Everything else remains more or less unchanged (build quality, comfort etc).

114bhp in a car this heavy is sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow

 

[[TW]Fox]

Given that MarkDavis has run away I guess I had better explain what I was on about. He won't be happy but there we go.

Generally speaking, the running costs of a BMW are dictated not by the size of the engine but by the cylidner configuration. The engines themselves within each cylinder configuration are virtually identical, differing usually only majorly by their displacement. In 3 Series 6 pots of this vintage, every 6 cylinder engine will be an M52 (Unless its post 2000 in which case M54) As a result, the following is usually true:

They all cost the same to repair - becuase the parts are the same. So if something breaks on a 323i, it costs the same to fix as if the same thing had broken on a 328i. Of course, the rest of the car is also the same, so if you need new suspension on your 323i, it'll be costing you the same as it would on a 328i.

They all deliver largely similar fuel consumption - this is the biggy. For the 5 Series range, for example, there is a difference of about 1.5mpg between the 520i and the 530i on the combined cycle. In other words, as near as makes no difference. Going for the smaller engined model does not deliver noticeable fuel savings.

In the case of models produced before March 2001, they all cost the same every year for Road Tax.

Infact, the only real appreciable difference in running costs is insurance. For everything else, the rule of thumb is simple - first chose how many cylinders you want (Becuase running costs DO vary between these), then simply chose the biggest engine of that cylinder configuration.

Otherwise you pay 328i running costs but don't get 328i benefits.

This applies at least to the models I've looked into - so 323i/328i, 320i/325i/330i, 523i/528i, 520i/525i/530i, 535i/540i.

Unless you can get a particularly good deal on a 323i or a 523i or whatever, don't bother becuase you save no money.

So there you go Mark. I stand beside my assertation that going for a 323i is a pointless excercise unless one jumps out at you at a bargain price. And not a 4 pot Mondeo in sight for my justification.

 

[audiolab]

Ah yes, my mistake. I know nothing of 6 cylinder BMW running costs and I still drive a 4 cylinder Mondeo.

The 323i is a wonderful car and of course it's completely different to a 328i and is noticeably cheaper to run. They even sell tyres to you at a lower cost once they realise you have a 323 and not a 328. And of course the M52 has a special valve in it which reduces repair costs if it detects its a 2.5 instead of the 2.8.

I owned a 200 323ci coupe and Fox is right, all the running costs of a 328 with less power, probably the only exception to this is insurance which is slightly more bearable than the 328. One good thing some of the 323's have is that for a short period they were loaded with kit as standard, because the 323 and 328 were released before the 325 and 330 they were the top of the range for a short while. Mine had sports seats and suspension, electric memory seats and dipping interior mirror. I knew the 323 was a compromise but I was getting it at a steal at the time.

Any of the six pot engines are good but I would say either go for a facelift 318 or a pre facelift 325 if you see one at a good price. I had many many problems with my 323 (new trailing arm, water pump, entire brake pipe system and most of the suspension replaced along with a few other bits) all covered under the old warranty scheme but I don't think they are fundamentally flawed, I was just unlucky and bought a lemon. I have owned other BMW's (including a E36 318, E46 320D and E46 330) and they have all been as reliable as a Swiss watch, I think after so many reliable cars I let my guard down and thought that I couldn't loose purchasing from the approved used scheme so forgot do my homework. I didn't really loose as none of it cost me anything but in the end I got rid because I had lost faith in it. But since you are buying out with the dealer network a bad example could cost you dearly.

Check everything and don't buy until you are 100% happy with it (allowing for reasonable wear and tear for age); there are lots about so there should be plenty of choice.