RE: Shed of the Week: BMW 328
Discussion
Jonstar said:
Interesting responses, I've driven e46 versions and was underwhelmed. So why are these so great I honestly don't get it? They come across as cars that are "ok" in standard form (like most bmws) but have a good base for mods perhaps?
The E46 version was heavier and softer than the E36 with the same engine, so seen by many as a backward step.These cars in their day were just very good all round road cars. They still hold their own today; a 328i will see off a standard 320d, the most popular current 3 series, which after 23 years isn't bad really.
C70R said:
Honestly, while some people really praise them as track cars, a boggo 328i SE is resolutely NOT "a great drive". It's underpowered (140bhp/tonne) 1.4 tonne car doing 0-100mph in 18secs is hardly going to set the world on fire.
Agree! Weight is e36 achilles heel, but you can easily make that 1.4 tonne car in a 1.1 tonne carMy daily
kars said:
C70R said:
Honestly, while some people really praise them as track cars, a boggo 328i SE is resolutely NOT "a great drive". It's underpowered (140bhp/tonne) 1.4 tonne car doing 0-100mph in 18secs is hardly going to set the world on fire.
Agree! Weight is e36 achilles heel, but you can easily make that 1.4 tonne car in a 1.1 tonne carMy daily
Spumfry said:
Quite - and it's mid 6s to 60, not low 7s...I guess you could say the engine isn't putting out it's full potential, but as a car it's hardly underpowered.
Mine was dyno'd at 225BHP -with an M50 inlet manifold and a remap. A good, shielded cold air induction system might add another few BHP, iirc the easiest way to get to 250BHP from there would be to add a full M3 exhaust/manifold.
We have one in the family, M50 manifold, S50 headers & exhaust, large MAF, bigger throttle body, custom remap, mild cams and that makes 250+ at SRR.Mine was dyno'd at 225BHP -with an M50 inlet manifold and a remap. A good, shielded cold air induction system might add another few BHP, iirc the easiest way to get to 250BHP from there would be to add a full M3 exhaust/manifold.
I know they dip into the 6’s to 60,
I said 7’s to keep the keyboard warriors happy
(Official 0-60 quoted at 7.3 iirc)
That engine has now given way to a custom 3.3 build which we are about to get
Mapped and dyno’d.
diathermy said:
I bought this car last week. It’s great!
Will work on it a bit for some track days but will keep it fairly basic and original looking. Will be a daily. I will not be stripping it etc.
Do you mean this exact car from the ad (why is it still online then?) or an other 328i ?Will work on it a bit for some track days but will keep it fairly basic and original looking. Will be a daily. I will not be stripping it etc.
Either way top work and please do tell more!!
3795mpower said:
Spumfry said:
Quite - and it's mid 6s to 60, not low 7s...I guess you could say the engine isn't putting out it's full potential, but as a car it's hardly underpowered.
Mine was dyno'd at 225BHP -with an M50 inlet manifold and a remap. A good, shielded cold air induction system might add another few BHP, iirc the easiest way to get to 250BHP from there would be to add a full M3 exhaust/manifold.
We have one in the family, M50 manifold, S50 headers & exhaust, large MAF, bigger throttle body, custom remap, mild cams and that makes 250+ at SRR.Mine was dyno'd at 225BHP -with an M50 inlet manifold and a remap. A good, shielded cold air induction system might add another few BHP, iirc the easiest way to get to 250BHP from there would be to add a full M3 exhaust/manifold.
I know they dip into the 6’s to 60,
I said 7’s to keep the keyboard warriors happy
(Official 0-60 quoted at 7.3 iirc)
That 6.1s seems even less credible when the M3 with 130bhp more and shorter gearing could only manage 5.5s.
ETA - My point is that it's a decent enough car, with potential to be a fantastic motor with a bit of work. But there's so much bloomin' PH hyperbole about the E36 328 that you'd think it was the second coming...
Usget said:
I really, really like that and would happily daily drive it. I look back on my E36 fondly.
Those seats are flat and uncomfortable though. I don't think you can get non-folding Sport seats, either.
You can but they'd be coming out of a Touring. Or an M3 4-door. Those seats are flat and uncomfortable though. I don't think you can get non-folding Sport seats, either.
Folding seats in a car that didn't originally have them is hardly a problem, though. In fact I can think of one or two situations where it might actually enhance practicality and be considered an upgrade.
The main thing for me with this car is it shows just how scarce E36 Sedans with the bigger engines have become. And manual doubly so. They've almost all ended up as track cars or donating their engines to 4banger cars. These days if you do see a 4-door E36 it's either an M3 or a poverty spec 318i with steel wheels owned by the same old man since new.
cybersimon said:
Arsecati said:
Alright, who else bloody well went and Googled 'Armstrong-Siddely Chuffmaster'?? Anyone? Anyone? Oh, so what you mean is that I am the one and only total plonker here who went and did that?
Yep, I feel like a 100% gold-plated @rse right now: what a complete eejit!!!!
Now go and search the Deltic Diesel engine and understand why it might not fit a motor car. It really is some engine!Yep, I feel like a 100% gold-plated @rse right now: what a complete eejit!!!!
I was busy trying to work out how you get 'half' a deltic. A third, maybe...
My E36 is more fun and a fair bit quicker than my old Integra DC2.
I haven't figured it but it certainly feels a 6 and a bit to 60 car. I would think with a few mods, it could be in the 5s.
But all I really care about is that it is a very exploitable car on road. You can use all the performance and on 205 section rears, it is very throttle adjustable indeed.
For £5k or so (this Sow plus a few grand chucked at it), is there a more fun, sorted practical car out there?
I haven't figured it but it certainly feels a 6 and a bit to 60 car. I would think with a few mods, it could be in the 5s.
But all I really care about is that it is a very exploitable car on road. You can use all the performance and on 205 section rears, it is very throttle adjustable indeed
.For £5k or so (this Sow plus a few grand chucked at it), is there a more fun, sorted practical car out there?
Lovely to see in shed of the week.
If its a straight car with no accident damage it needs to be bought and enjoyed for what it is. Quite sophisticated motors with a lovely engine/drive train.
Do NOT expect 40mpg on a run. Near thirty is poss, but mostly you will be enjoying it too much so expect lower.
Manuals are becoming rarer as so many have been turned into track day warriors.
I am on my second and very happy. Must do a thread ...
If its a straight car with no accident damage it needs to be bought and enjoyed for what it is. Quite sophisticated motors with a lovely engine/drive train.
Do NOT expect 40mpg on a run. Near thirty is poss, but mostly you will be enjoying it too much so expect lower.
Manuals are becoming rarer as so many have been turned into track day warriors.
I am on my second and very happy. Must do a thread ...
Drive Blind said:
I remember the 328 when they were launched.
The Autocar roadtest pointed out they were quicker 0-100 than the escort cosworth, which was held up as a performance icon of the day.
Yep I remember the Autocar tests - they were very complimentary of the car.The Autocar roadtest pointed out they were quicker 0-100 than the escort cosworth, which was held up as a performance icon of the day.
They rated it higher than the M3 from what I remember. I quite fancy a M3 but don't want to feel shortchanged!
havoc said:
I was busy trying to work out how you get 'half' a deltic. A third, maybe...
The Napier Deltic was produced in both 9 and 18 cylinder configurations. (each cylinder has 2 pistons)
Therefore :
a 9 cylinder was 2 rows of three banks, with 18 pistons and 3 crank shafts geared to a common output shaft.
a 18 cylinder was 4 rows of three banks with 36 pistons.and 3 crank shafts geared to a common output shaft
not that either would fit in a car.
They had other uses than trains don't forget in boats, water pumps, generator sets etc. Putting one in a fire pump as the Americans did was an inspired idea as the fire department would be on site ready to put out the resultant fire from the oil build up in the exhaust collector from a cold start to flat out.
Edited by ducnick on Friday 12th October 18:42
That looks very tidy, just replace the orange indicator with a clear one and it'll take years off it.
There was one on eBay last week for £350 which looked in lovely condition outside, the interior on the other hand looked like an explosion at the sperm donor clinic.
There was one on eBay last week for £350 which looked in lovely condition outside, the interior on the other hand looked like an explosion at the sperm donor clinic.
Edited by BlueHave on Friday 12th October 19:02
Part of the reason why the 328 feels a bit lazy with less than razor-sharp throttle response is the fact that it has a fairly severe final drive ratio.
From memory it's 2,93 which is very tall for a normally aspirated engine, even for one specifically tuned for low-end power by means of the narrow 2.0 litre intake manifold.
It is not as strangled above 5000rpm by it as the 2.5 M52 engine though, it has a really nice and wide power band.
I would just fit an LSD with a reduced final drive of at least 3,15 to 3,45 max. That and a set of new Bilstein B12 dampers would make this car come alive and turn it into a smooth daily which is great fun at the same time.
BMW does not make many engines as special and smooth or certainly as over-engineered as these anymore!
Nowadays they're only tuned for low emissions and fuel consumption and then to fall apart two days after the warranty expires.
From memory it's 2,93 which is very tall for a normally aspirated engine, even for one specifically tuned for low-end power by means of the narrow 2.0 litre intake manifold.
It is not as strangled above 5000rpm by it as the 2.5 M52 engine though, it has a really nice and wide power band.
I would just fit an LSD with a reduced final drive of at least 3,15 to 3,45 max. That and a set of new Bilstein B12 dampers would make this car come alive and turn it into a smooth daily which is great fun at the same time.
BMW does not make many engines as special and smooth or certainly as over-engineered as these anymore!
Nowadays they're only tuned for low emissions and fuel consumption and then to fall apart two days after the warranty expires.
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