E36 325i performance figures and spec

[sniff petrol]

I'm looking at getting one of these shortly as a second car, with the view to gradualy upgrade bits to make it into a track car.

I've been looking for some performance figures for a standard one as a benchmark but seem to find anything from 6.xx to 8.xx seconds for the 0-60mph time. This video seems to suggest low 6's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv29oTffNUQ&fea...

...but not sure how standard that car is. What would a 1992 4dr SE weigh?

[sniff petrol]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

That's what I was thinking and after reading through the comments on the video it appears he's lowered the final drive so that probably makes the speedo indication wrong?

So let's say 7.5 secs 0-60 standard. If it's 1330kgs with a full tank, say 1270kgs empty, do you reckon I could get it down to 1150kgs with a good strip but still keeping it road legal? I'm thinking of dumping:

• spare wheel
• tool kit
• rear seat + belts
• all soundproofing, door cards, headlining, under-bonnet,
• all carpet
• lower dash + centre console
• front fog lights

Plus anything else people can think of. Also thinking of one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/84-98-BMW-E30-E36-320-323-32...

worth the cash over a standard air filter?

[eliot]

Missus's car is a 94 single vanos 325, cant say that it feels particulary quick. 7-8 seconds would be my guess.

[sniff petrol]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Was going to make a heat shield out of aluminium for it anyway but thanks for the link.

[sniff petrol]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Was going to make a heat shield out of aluminium for it anyway but thanks for the link.

[Shropshiremike]

sniff petrol said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Was going to make a heat shield out of aluminium for it anyway but thanks for the link.

Rich,

I weighed my E36 328i ( sunroof, climate, heated leather ) and it was 1420kg.
The 325i engine is quite different in character than the 328i imo - you have to rev the 325i harder and it does feel less "torquey" low down.
EVO mag used one in their recent budget cars challenge - have a look in there for some realistic performance figures. They fitted a front Whiteline ARB to it

[sniff petrol]

Shropshiremike said:

Rich,

I weighed my E36 328i ( sunroof, climate, heated leather ) and it was 1420kg.
The 325i engine is quite different in character than the 328i imo - you have to rev the 325i harder and it does feel less "torquey" low down.
EVO mag used one in their recent budget cars challenge - have a look in there for some realistic performance figures. They fitted a front Whiteline ARB to it

1420kgs! Jees, was that including driver? TBH a 328i would be nice but then this one's only £300 and I can't really think of a better car for the money to take to the Ring.

[kusee pee]

I used to own an E36 325i as a track car before I got the M3. It was without doubt the best car I've ever owned and was a total joy on the track. A friend now owns it and is equally pleased. I had it stripped, seats/harness, replaced the springs and shocks, added 17" alloys and a couple of other bits and bobs. It wasn't the fastest thing out there on the straights but could hold its own on the bends. I managed a 9 and a half-minute lap of the Ring in it which I was pretty chuffed with. And on UK circuits it would drift beautifully if I trail-braked to get the tail out (not enough power for power-oversteer unless it was wet).

Great choice of motor, you'll have a lot of cheap fun!

[sniff petrol]

Cool, thanks for that Tim it's always good to have a second opinion. I'll be picking the car up on Sunday on my way home from the Goodwood FOS.

[kusee pee]

That'll be a great day Rich - Goodwood followed by a new car! I'll be there on the Sat. Let us know what you do with the E36 and hopefully see you on the track soon

[swtmerce]

Hi Sniff

I had my 328 weighed with a full tank when I'd done a 90% interior strip (still had upper dash and heater, all the bitumen sound proofing, aircon and a sunroof) but still had the front leather seats. It came in at 1277kgs.

[sniff petrol]

Waiting to see how good the car is in the first place, but will start a new thread about the project. It's had a SH engine less than 10k ago and a new clutch (the head was cracked on the old one) has had one gentleman owner for the previous 14 years and is completely standard but luckily has the M tec suspension option. It needs a couple of ball joints for the MOT (runs out on the 27th) and a brake pipe and an advisory for a bit of rust around the rear suspension mountings.

Plan is to give it a service (new plugs, oil + filter, induction kit) myself and replace the BJ and brake pipe and change the fluid. Then hopefully take it to the Nurburgring at the end of August. Going to keep it standard for the trip as I won't fancy doing a 1000 mile round trip in a stripped out car just yet. If the car runs well at the Ring then I'll start stripping it out when I get back and get the rust sorted out.

In the long run I'll be looking to upgrade the suspension to fully adjustable coilovers, fit some big brakes (maybe M3 disks and calipers) may even go for some 17" M3 wheels with Toyo R888's, roll cage and bucket seats with harnesses. If anyone knows of any of these going cheap anywhere I'd be much obliged.

[sniff petrol]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Ok, but it was just an added bonus for now (will obviously been replaced later)

[sniff petrol]

A few pics of the beast in question:

[eliot]

And if you change the rear backbox for something else, drop me a line as mine is going rusty.

[sniff petrol]

eliot said:

And if you change the rear backbox for something else, drop me a line as mine is going rusty.

May well do - I have a AC Schnitzer stainless back box off a 320i so will be seeing if that fits.

[Shropshiremike]

sniff petrol said:

Shropshiremike said:

Rich,

I weighed my E36 328i ( sunroof, climate, heated leather ) and it was 1420kg.
The 325i engine is quite different in character than the 328i imo - you have to rev the 325i harder and it does feel less "torquey" low down.
EVO mag used one in their recent budget cars challenge - have a look in there for some realistic performance figures. They fitted a front Whiteline ARB to it

1420kgs! Jees, was that including driver? TBH a 328i would be nice but then this one's only £300 and I can't really think of a better car for the money to take to the Ring.

.....no Rich, just the car.

By the way, the Autocar road tests for the saloon 325i were 141 and 7.3, for the coupe 144 and 7.2 so that gives some idea. Weights as tested were 1345 and 1380 kg respectively. I think they also managed a sub 7 secs run in another article.
Performance Car mag got similar results to the official Autocar tests in their big article on a run to the South of France in different coupes in about 92

[sniff petrol]

Shropshiremike said:

By the way, the Autocar road tests for the saloon 325i were 141 and 7.3, for the coupe 144 and 7.2 so that gives some idea. Weights as tested were 1345 and 1380 kg respectively. I think they also managed a sub 7 secs run in another article.
Performance Car mag got similar results to the official Autocar tests in their big article on a run to the South of France in different coupes in about 92

Thanks for that Mike - you really are the guru when it comes to old car mags, bet you've got thousands stashed away.

I thought that the saloon was a bit lighter than the coupe, but then why does the coupe go a bit quicker - better aero perhaps?

Just having a look through my handbook, for the face lift model admittedly, it quotes same weights for saloons and coupes with the same engine: 323i 1385kgs and 328i 1395kgs (both weights incl. driver, ready for road, full tank, without optional extras)

Either way I'm picking the car up on Sunday evening. Thinking I may strip it before going to the Ring and to hell with the noise on the journey.

[matt21]

Good choice on car Rich!

Just for reference this is a good mate of mines BMW. He bought it in 1995 I think and used it daily since. In 2004 or 2005 the head went and it had an all new engine etc. Clutch went not long ago and again was brand new.

I have driven this car on numourous occasions and honestly can say it drives fantastically. i have a E34 525i with the same engine and this blows it away. The gearbox/engine/clutch/suspension all feels spot on!

I was so close to buying it myself. For the same reason as you, to take it to the Ring, we are going September. Only reason I didnt is we wanted to enter it into a banger rally but it is just not quite banger enough!

You honestly wont be dissapointed with this. It has been washed (by me as Im a valeter!) every week for the past 8yrs, has EVERY bill and been maintained regardless of cost. I would love to see your face when Bill give you the reciepts!

Anyway you wont be disappointed, hopefully you can get it through the MoT yourself. The fact that this has been used daily up until tomorrow (i think) suggests that its pretty reliable and only selling as they are getting a company car (Lupo Bluemotion )

I have a bond with the car too, as I said driven it a lot and love it but just cant justify it at the moment. I will follow your progress keenly and its great to see this go to a good home

matt

[matt21]

sniff petrol said:

eliot said:

And if you change the rear backbox for something else, drop me a line as mine is going rusty.

May well do - I have a AC Schnitzer stainless back box off a 320i so will be seeing if that fits.

another thing about this car that you will see is that is sounds FANTASTIC! much louder (and always has been) than most 325i, he even took it back to complain once