M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
FAQ / REFERENCE => Member Profiles => Topic started by: bin_jammin on April 08, 2008, 08:57:40 PM
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I've just picked up my latest BMW, it's a 1991 318. The door sticker says it's a 318iS, the decklid has a 318 i badge but the i is way out of place to the right. Is there a vin checker that will tell me if I have an i or an iS? It's definitely a stripper model.
The good:
m42. 174k and leaking like a sieve. I plan on either pulling this engine and regasketting it, or picking up another m42 and doing the same. This still falls under "good" because this thing screams.
I've already removed the rat's nest of hoses from under the intake, and the throttle heater plate as well.
5spd, shifts nice and no synchro problems. Clutch holds nice also.
Lights all work.
New head unit in, speakers soon.
Set of knock-off ACS buckets going in.
The bad:
Everything else.
The paint makes the thing look like I'll travel time if I hit 88mph, the clearcoat is so cracket it looks like brushed stainless steel. It's got a minor ding on the left fender just at the grill. The rockers need some new metal, as do the bottoms of the fenders. Structurally the car is all there, but it desperately needs suspension work. You know how the rear end will hop out a step when you hit a bumper mid corner? Yeah, my front end does that.
Broken shift knob. Easy fix, I just need to find a new one.
Broken Glove box. Latch was busted so I removed it, now I need a new latch. Time to hit the junkyards.
No LSD. I don't know if the car ever had one, but if this is an LSD then the clutches are shot. If it's not, I need to find one.
It's on bottlecaps. Ick.
Ebrake doesn't work at all. PO said something about rotted backing plates... :(
Other than that I love this thing. My main ride was a 535iA, which is a whole different project, but this thing gets an honest 26mph while I flog the crap out of it. If it blows up the parts are cheap enough to repair it, and considering I didn't pay anything for the car I'm already ahead of the game.
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i = 4 doors
is = 2 doors
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i = 4 doors
is = 2 doors
Lol, I can live with that, but what's my s for?
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The s is a sport designation for the most part.
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So I've got a sport, but not an iS?
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Possible that the original is badge was lost, or that an alternate deck lid was installed, or...
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'is' is a sport
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Well, I can't attest to the decklid being original, but it does seem to have the original door jam stickers, and one of them says 318iS. I can take pics if it'll help. If you guys say it's not an iS then it's not an iS. I'm not trying to talk my way into a better car, I'm just wondering what exactly it is that I have here. The thing is a super stripper, I think the only option it has is power windows and a tape player. Should the e30 have a factory amp in the trunk or is that later cars like the e36?
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well if its a 91, 2 doors, and no chrome trim, and 5spd, then its a 318is. I believe that is what you have.
Unless the car came with the premium sound system, it wouldnt have an amp. How do you tell if you have the premium system? you will have 8 speakers, tweeters in all 4 corners. Mine did not have the premium system. Don't think many do.