Small and humble, e30 316i
Discussion
I probably should have found one with a bigger(and maybe less worn out) engine. However it was local, on pistonheads and well priced.
Not sure if to keep it long term but even after only 2 days of driving about it's really good fun. The limit of grip is amusing low with the budget 175,70,14 tyres but the steering is lovely and light with loads of feedback. It doesn't have the power for any real slithering in the dry, so I'm looking forward to some rain.
Hopefuly this doesn't turn expensive...
Not sure if to keep it long term but even after only 2 days of driving about it's really good fun. The limit of grip is amusing low with the budget 175,70,14 tyres but the steering is lovely and light with loads of feedback. It doesn't have the power for any real slithering in the dry, so I'm looking forward to some rain.
Hopefuly this doesn't turn expensive...
Surprisingly the suspension actually feels quite tight and it doesn't squeak or rattle. Well, the car doesn't, but the engine does, lots!
It has a bit of go between 3000-4000rpm but not really anything above or below that. It did accelerate up to an indicated 0.9 leptons (which is nearly warp speed) quite easily, but I didn't try going any quicker.
The book says it weighs 1060kg with a full tank of fuel, I wonder if that's true?
It has a bit of go between 3000-4000rpm but not really anything above or below that. It did accelerate up to an indicated 0.9 leptons (which is nearly warp speed) quite easily, but I didn't try going any quicker.
The book says it weighs 1060kg with a full tank of fuel, I wonder if that's true?
I really like the E30 BMW's, yours looks very tidy, and unmolested
Whats up with the engine, surely if the worst came to it surely you could just swap it out?
with my now limited mileage i am sorely tempted to sell my E92 335i and get this...
http://www.ebay.de/itm/BMW-E30-E36-M3-3-0l-Rennwag...
Admittedly its lhd and i cant read half the spec list but it does look rather nice!
Whats up with the engine, surely if the worst came to it surely you could just swap it out?
with my now limited mileage i am sorely tempted to sell my E92 335i and get this...
http://www.ebay.de/itm/BMW-E30-E36-M3-3-0l-Rennwag...
Admittedly its lhd and i cant read half the spec list but it does look rather nice!
Edited by kiethton on Friday 9th March 22:40
One of my first 'decent' cars was a 1986 E30 318 Coupe - and to this day it was one of my favourite cars ever! I bought it with 134k on the clock in the early 90's and p/x'ed it with 240k - aside from consumables (tyres, brake pads etc) I only even changed 1 wheel bearing and a slave cylinder.
It is really easy to get the back out if you un-weight it, no need to wait for the wet! It's not about the power, its about the contact surface of the drive wheels, with a bit of patience, a bit of trying (and a coupe of damaged rims) you will get it - just keep trying!
If I had the chance of having a 325iS in the garage I would jump at it, really good fun, reliable, and incredibly easy to look after - enjoy!
It is really easy to get the back out if you un-weight it, no need to wait for the wet! It's not about the power, its about the contact surface of the drive wheels, with a bit of patience, a bit of trying (and a coupe of damaged rims) you will get it - just keep trying!
If I had the chance of having a 325iS in the garage I would jump at it, really good fun, reliable, and incredibly easy to look after - enjoy!
The 300bhp one on ebay looks pretty epic. Bit more expensive than mine though heh
The lack of sliding is a difficult one
The engine isn't happy much over 4k (I think it's a worn drivetrain, probably the camshaft) so If I chuck it about it's not going to have the power to get back in line, thus waiting for the rain.
I'm reasonably proficient with going sideways (maybe lol) but I still think rain always helps! Saves the tyres too.
The lack of sliding is a difficult one
The engine isn't happy much over 4k (I think it's a worn drivetrain, probably the camshaft) so If I chuck it about it's not going to have the power to get back in line, thus waiting for the rain.
I'm reasonably proficient with going sideways (maybe lol) but I still think rain always helps! Saves the tyres too.
Edited by jp7152 on Monday 12th March 10:33
jp7152 said:
The 300bhp one on ebay looks pretty epic. Bit more expensive than mine though heh
The lack of sliding is a difficult one
The engine isn't happy much over 4k (I think it's a worn drivetrain, probably the camshaft) so If I chuck it about it's not going to have the power to get back in line, thus waiting for the rain.
I'm reasonably proficient with going sideways (maybe lol) but I still think rain always helps! Saves the tyres too.
A video albeit with a more much drifty car
Nice BMW. I do love the E30, and there is something charming about low powered older cars The lack of sliding is a difficult one
The engine isn't happy much over 4k (I think it's a worn drivetrain, probably the camshaft) so If I chuck it about it's not going to have the power to get back in line, thus waiting for the rain.
I'm reasonably proficient with going sideways (maybe lol) but I still think rain always helps! Saves the tyres too.
A video albeit with a more much drifty car
Just something to note, is it really a good idea putting vids like that on the net? Clearly showing the driver titting around on a public road. Don't get me wrong, we all do it, but I wouldn't film evidence and post it for the world to see...
Finally some rain and wow!
Driving this car is in the wet is really interesting. So different to the things I've driven recently. You can feel so much happening.
The brakes lock up very easily but the pedal has really good feel. It's going to take much more getting used to and practice in this car.
However it is fun (and a learning experience) being on the limit of the tyre grip while braking yet not really going very fast. The M3 and M5 both had ABS and many of other other cars I've had without ABS have had much bigger tyres.
At the same time the lack of ABS and lack of grip means I should also be careful as I know it could catch me out quite easily.
The steering when it's wet is still the most fun part of the car. It's really easy to understeer by mistake however you do get a little warning beforehand as the steering lightens up. It's also fairly easy to oversteer by mistake but the car gives you a big warning beforehand as everything goes twitchy.
The most fun of all is right in the middle where the car is on the limit of its grip, (all well below the speed limits) but goes round the corner so perfectly it's like magic. It's so fun and as a learning experience I think it's going to teach me things I never would have learnt in a better car.
Driving this car is in the wet is really interesting. So different to the things I've driven recently. You can feel so much happening.
The brakes lock up very easily but the pedal has really good feel. It's going to take much more getting used to and practice in this car.
However it is fun (and a learning experience) being on the limit of the tyre grip while braking yet not really going very fast. The M3 and M5 both had ABS and many of other other cars I've had without ABS have had much bigger tyres.
At the same time the lack of ABS and lack of grip means I should also be careful as I know it could catch me out quite easily.
The steering when it's wet is still the most fun part of the car. It's really easy to understeer by mistake however you do get a little warning beforehand as the steering lightens up. It's also fairly easy to oversteer by mistake but the car gives you a big warning beforehand as everything goes twitchy.
The most fun of all is right in the middle where the car is on the limit of its grip, (all well below the speed limits) but goes round the corner so perfectly it's like magic. It's so fun and as a learning experience I think it's going to teach me things I never would have learnt in a better car.
My first BMW was a very similar (white) mint G reg 318i, with a huge 115bhp, 60mph in a scorching 9.3 secs. Fitted with Nankangs even the slightest lift of the accelerator in the wet generated HUGE oversteer, at really low speeds. I fitted a set of Goodyear Eagle NCT and drove it everywhere with the door handles scraping the road, the grip was now pretty good, so the body roll was massive. What a car though, I thought it was uncrashable, heading into a 80mph bend and it tightens, just lift off and let the car slow to the correct apex speed by sliding sideways, while sideways you can choose between
power slide (yes, in a 318i)
four wheel drift
or back to normal understeery grip
The car was really reliable, efficient and refined. I enjoyed it immensely.
power slide (yes, in a 318i)
four wheel drift
or back to normal understeery grip
The car was really reliable, efficient and refined. I enjoyed it immensely.
I had a 325i before but it had bigger gripper tyres and lsd and bilsten suspension which made it so different to drive to this one. It was a better car as it had leather, air con and electric sunroof but it did about 15-20mpg and the 118i convertible I had at the same time was quicker. Probably had a worn out engine too! Heh
318 sounds fun, probably a bit beefer mid range than the (pretty guless) 1.6
Is looking at videos of 318is and wanting the engine in mine a bad thing?
318 sounds fun, probably a bit beefer mid range than the (pretty guless) 1.6
Is looking at videos of 318is and wanting the engine in mine a bad thing?
Hmm today was fun!
Went to see my mum for mothers day, 150 mile round trip.
Wanted to see fuel economy to brimmed it before I left and same again once I got back...
150 miles took 14.8 litres!!
nearly 50mpg !
I am mega impressed as I was stuck in stationary traffic for at least 20 mins too.
Went to see my mum for mothers day, 150 mile round trip.
Wanted to see fuel economy to brimmed it before I left and same again once I got back...
150 miles took 14.8 litres!!
nearly 50mpg !
I am mega impressed as I was stuck in stationary traffic for at least 20 mins too.
Car finally got some much needed upgrades today including rocker arms, tappets, and camshaft. Also got a new distributor and plugs and leads. Finally it had a service with new filters.
It's much still pretty gutless at low revs but 4000rpm onwards I'm surprised how hard it pulls. It also sounds really amusing when flat out at high revs, sort of like a chainsaw crossed with a tin of wasps
It's much still pretty gutless at low revs but 4000rpm onwards I'm surprised how hard it pulls. It also sounds really amusing when flat out at high revs, sort of like a chainsaw crossed with a tin of wasps
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