Bmw 316i Sport Compact for £3000...a good buy or not.?

[stemcell]

I have been offered one of these for £3000

BMW 316i Sport Compact
X reg 2000
Engine Size 1895cc
Half leather interior
Blue metallic
40,000 miles with full service history and mots to show low mileage
Unmarked interior and exterior
12 months mot and 6 months tax

looks like this

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/bonytony/a.j...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/bonytony/b.j...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/bonytony/d.j...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/bonytony/f.j...

is it a good buy?, never owned one before.



.

[CommanderJameson]

Nah. Gutless. 3K on a 4-pot E36 Compact is just madness.

Get a 6-cylinder one. You should be able to get a very good 323i/325i for that sort of money. Maybe even a 328i if you're lucky.

ETA: Yep, you can. They're not common, but here's one.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Sunday 25th May 15:20

[stemcell]

Thanks CommanderJameson what sort of mpg would i expect from a 2.5?

or what should i offer for the above car?

Edited by stemcell on Sunday 25th May 15:47

[CommanderJameson]

stemcell said:

Thanks CommanderJameson what sort of mpg would i expect from a 2.5?

The E36 6-cylinder cars of that vintage use a variant of the M52 engine that's in my 528i, and I can get 30MPG combined out of that, and 35+ on the motorway.

My car's economy is very sensitive to driving style - I imagine that the 3ers are the same.

[CommanderJameson]

stemcell said:

or what should i offer for the above car?

If I had £3K to spend on a car? Nothing. I'd not consider it. It's quite a heavy car - the same weight, more or less, as the saloon, but with only 100HP to push it around. It'll drink like Ollie Reed and go about as fast.

[stemcell]

lol....nice way to put it...back to see what i can find then...oh and thanks for the tip.



.

[paoloh]

CommanderJameson said:

Nah. Gutless. 3K on a 4-pot E36 Compact is just madness.

Get a 6-cylinder one. You should be able to get a very good 323i/325i for that sort of money. Maybe even a 328i if you're lucky.

ETA: Yep, you can. They're not common, but here's one.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Sunday 25th May 15:20

Compact only came as a 4 pot!!!

You are talking about Coupes.

[JakeR]

was it only the later compact that had the 6 cyl then?

[PJR]

paoloh said:

CommanderJameson said:

Nah. Gutless. 3K on a 4-pot E36 Compact is just madness.

Get a 6-cylinder one. You should be able to get a very good 323i/325i for that sort of money. Maybe even a 328i if you're lucky.

ETA: Yep, you can. They're not common, but here's one.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Sunday 25th May 15:20

Compact only came as a 4 pot!!!

You are talking about Coupes.

I always like the shape and design of the E36 compact. Otherwise I was never particularly a fan of the E36's. But yes, there never was a 6 pot E36 compact offered here. Although in Germany and maybe 1 or 2 other places, a 323ti (2.5 6pot) compact could be had.
The E46 compact could be had here in 325i 6 pot form though. I had one. It was great, apart from having all the sport options ticked which meant it tram lined a lot and had a rock hard ride.
Also, have a look at this for a nice conversion.. A 328i engined E36 compact www.328compact.co.uk

Don't think I could stomach a 316 version..

P,

[paoloh]

JakeR said:

was it only the later compact that had the 6 cyl then?

Yes mate.

[CommanderJameson]

paoloh said:

CommanderJameson said:

Nah. Gutless. 3K on a 4-pot E36 Compact is just madness.

Get a 6-cylinder one. You should be able to get a very good 323i/325i for that sort of money. Maybe even a 328i if you're lucky.

ETA: Yep, you can. They're not common, but here's one.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Sunday 25th May 15:20

Compact only came as a 4 pot!!!

You are talking about Coupes.

Sorry, wasn't clear. I meant "get a 6-cylinder E36", not "get a 6-cylinder E36 Compact", because they don't exist, and that'd be silly.

[paoloh]

CommanderJameson said:

paoloh said:

CommanderJameson said:

Nah. Gutless. 3K on a 4-pot E36 Compact is just madness.

Get a 6-cylinder one. You should be able to get a very good 323i/325i for that sort of money. Maybe even a 328i if you're lucky.

ETA: Yep, you can. They're not common, but here's one.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Sunday 25th May 15:20

Compact only came as a 4 pot!!!

You are talking about Coupes.

Sorry, wasn't clear. I meant "get a 6-cylinder E36", not "get a 6-cylinder E36 Compact", because they don't exist, and that'd be silly.

I'll let you off this time. Now I have done that, you must say that at least ten times this week. lol

[stemcell]

Found a 1999 (vreg) BMW 3 SERIES 323i SE 4dr Saloon for 3700ono close to me with 77k on clock in blue with fsh is this a good buy and what should i offer for one?


Thanks for the help.

[paoloh]

stemcell said:

Found a 1999 (vreg) BMW 3 SERIES 323i SE 4dr Saloon for 3700ono close to me with 77k on clock in blue with fsh is this a good buy and what should i offer for one?


Thanks for the help.

Start at £3k and go from there

[Bill Carr]

If you want a 3-series Compact, buy the 318 instead - that extra bit of power (30bhp) goes a long way. If you've got £3k to spend on an e36, you may as well go for a 6-cylinder model (323/325/328). I will be when the time's right for me to trade-up.

[stemcell]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Its just finding one, non around where i live Huddersfield, willing to travel if i find one though...done ebay/trader and the classifieds here....hard bleeding work.

Does anyone know a good place to look apart from those sites ive looked at above.

Edited by stemcell on Tuesday 27th May 14:07