Need advice/opinions

[haledj]

Hey,,
I am a mechanical engineering student and I currently Have an '85 318i with a quarter million miles it is a 2 door 5 speed, it has sport seats, a lsd and some other fun stuff.  I love this car but i would like too take a step up to another e30, as the m10 (100 bhp)  is pretty much the bottom of all the e30's, and i am considering a m42 318is.  I have found one in my state and i am going to look at it on Sunday.  What are the big differences Between my car and the 318is, what should I look for and what are the pro/cons of this car vs a 325i?
-Doug

91 318is
170,000 miles

[m42 fan]

I would say that in stock form, the M42 car would be better than the M10 car in just about every way.  More power, better economy, greater reliability. Not to mention that the M42 car is 6 years newer.  Of course, the M10 has more aftermarket support for it, although as you can see from some other posts, some are working on that issue.

Between an M42 and an M20 car, the difference is really personal preferance.  M20=  greater availability, more power, worse mileage, worse handling, more required maintinance (T-belt/valve adjustments).
M42= Only available one model year, less (but still adequate if you ask me) power, better mileage, better weight distribution, better handling, less required maintinance.

hth
Brian

[e9nine]

It's personal preference. M20s can be made to handle better than they come stock just as much as m42s. It's your driving style and desires out of a car that come to play as well. I have owned 6 m20 variants and I am on my 3rd m42 (I have 2) and I personally prefer the m42. M20s are still fun but just not really my bag of chips.

Test drive both and any search you do will take you through tons of arguments about which is better etc...

Best m42 research site: http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/

[haledj]

I drove 9 hours today to test drive her and man I want that car.  I am going to go pay for and pick her up next weekend.  I am really excited. I didnt expect that big of a difference from the m10.  I will get some more/better pictures next week.  On a side note, Does anyone here do the whole custom audio thing? Its not exactly my cup of tea, as I would rather spend money on making it faster. The Guy im buying her from has subs wired into the car that he will sell me for an additional $100.  I'm not sure it is worth the weight.  I might Just get them and use them in the winter for the sandbag effect. Thanks for the help
--Doug

[twinpop171]

Good luck with the purchase, these are awesome cars.  It's a disappointment to get out of the car when you arrive at your destination.

Always remember to drive it like you stole it to appreciate it.
Good luck, Dan.

[thumper3ld]

I drove 9 hours today to test drive her and man I want that car.  I am going to go pay for and pick her up next weekend.  I am really excited. I didnt expect that big of a difference from the m10.  I will get some more/better pictures next week.  On a side note, Does anyone here do the whole custom audio thing? Its not exactly my cup of tea, as I would rather spend money on making it faster. The Guy im buying her from has subs wired into the car that he will sell me for an additional $100.  I'm not sure it is worth the weight.  I might Just get them and use them in the winter for the sandbag effect. Thanks for the help
--Doug

What do you need to know about the custom audio thing?

[haledj]

I understand the technical part of audio systems, I was simply wondering if you all thought it was worth the weight as the general charm of these cars comes from the low weight.  thanks,
Doug

[Zoso]

100 lbs of extra weight must mean a big box or many subwoofers.  I slapped a 12" sub in the ski-hole - the whole assembly (including mounting wood) can't weight more than 25 lbs and it cost me a lot less than $100 for the sub.

I say skip it.

[dude8383]

100 lbs of extra weight must mean a big box or many subwoofers.  I slapped a 12" sub in the ski-hole - the whole assembly (including mounting wood) can't weight more than 25 lbs and it cost me a lot less than $100 for the sub.

I say skip it.

BUT...

if you like your music, i would go for a different setup. Get rid of those subs and get yourself a free-air sub, components up front, and an amp to power each. the weight of this won't really kill performance by much. Chip the car when you get...that should be adequate

[haledj]

Ok it is 2 12'' subs with a 350 Watt amp in a pretty big box.  
For something completely different,  My m10 has an LSD (I think) or it has always behaved like it did but then what do i know? Would it be worth making the swap between the 2 cars before i sell the old one?  and How would one concretely tell if the cars do have an lsd? How much should i expect to spend on a chip +suspension somponents?  Would you sugest starting with sway bars or Shocks/springs first? I know with volvos (240's) sway bars make more of a difference for a better price and  work well with a stock setup and lowered/sport suspension.  But it seems like you guys lean towards the springs shocks,  Just something i have noticed.  You guys are great, thanks for the help
Doug

[Berlin]

jack the rear up and spin one wheel by hand, if the other spins in the same direction its an lsd, other direction its open. another way, just look on the bottom of the lsd, wipe it down and if there a big S printed on it its a u know what (: dont know much about m10 318's but i would assume the diff ratio is different 318is has a 4.10 check the other one to make sure before u swap if u do decide to. dont go with the subs, be pure. a mech eng student should know better than to make a sporty low weight e30 into a cruiser (have another car for that). ps where are u studying.

before u buy it also check out this guide:
http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/318isfaultstable.html

cheers m8y

[haledj]

a mech eng student should know better than to make a sporty low weight e30 into a cruiser (have another car for that). ps where are u studying.

I know, I was just seeing if anyone bothered with big sound in these cars, If i do get it, It would seldom be in the car.
I'm at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
thanks