E46 316i Saloon Performance?

[Grigio Nero]

Whats it like? Book states 0-60mph time of 12.4 seconds!

1.9 8v Motor with only 105bhp in the saloon, yet 118bhp 318i is 10.4secs?!

Anyone driven one/experienced it?

[paoloh]

316 and performance should not be in the same sentence.

It is woeful engine for lugging around an E46

[christer]

0-60 is a poor benchamrk for the overall performance of a car. I drove a 3 series compact with the 1.8 engine some months ago - and it is pedestrian in terms of acceleration (of course) but has good driving dynamics in terms of ride, steering and refinement (compared to other mid range cars). Yes, the 316 is not going to set the world alight (and in my opinion neither does any of the basic engine range) but thats not the be all and end all. Drive several cars and buy what you prefer and can afford

[carter711]

christer said:

0-60 is a poor benchamrk for the overall performance of a car. I drove a 3 series compact with the 1.8 engine some months ago - and it is pedestrian in terms of acceleration (of course) but has good driving dynamics in terms of ride, steering and refinement (compared to other mid range cars). Yes, the 316 is not going to set the world alight (and in my opinion neither does any of the basic engine range) but thats not the be all and end all. Drive several cars and buy what you prefer and can afford

Hear hear!

[obscene]

paoloh said:

316 and performance should not be in the same sentence.

It is woeful engine for lugging around an E46

+1

If your budget only stretches to one, I'd look at the previous series of Mondeo (hopefully with a bigger engine too) which are really nice.

[Mustard]

Whilst still no road rocket, the later 1.8 16v is quite a bit quicker and powerful than the 1.9 316i (cuts nearly 2 secs to 60).

Just bought a 03 03 316i 1.8 16v for GF's father (he was coming out of a 1.7CDTi Mk4 Astra!) and the engine seems to be ideal for him, and preferable to an earlier 318i 1.9